BOOK: Fear the Worst and The Murder Stone

Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay, 399 pages

RIP V; 4th Canadian Book Challenge

Barclay delivers with another great thriller.(See previous books read: No Time for Goodbye and Too Close to Home) In this one, a father worries when his seventeen year old daughter goes missing. As he begins to look for her, the 'job' she travelled to everyday has never heard of her. Dun, dun Dun! 

Solid, realistic, with characters who feel believable, if a little impulsive and not willing to explain  what they are doing, Barclay is a reliable RIP novelist.

also reviewed: kerrie at mysteries in paradise;  joy at thoughts of joy;

The Murder Stone by Louise Penny, 414 pages; 4th of 6 in the series
*published as A Rule Against Murder in US

RIP V; 4th Canadian Book Challenge

Series books are tough to review, since you can't tell too much, and so much of a good series is the development of the main characters.

What I like about the series? Inspector Gamache is a wonderful detective and person, almost a little too perfect, but I'd want him on my case. The setting of Quebec, the recurring characters, Gamache's investigative team all combine with Penny's prose to provide an enjoyable read.

This book? I actually like this one a little bit better, although it wasn't set in Three Pines, so few of the recurring characters were around, although there is a connection to Three Pines. There was also little of the arching story line involving Gamache and his boss. Gamache is on vacation with his wife at an exclusive type lodge in the forests of Quebec. A large family arrives for its annual reunion, but they aren't very nice people, even to each other. Lots of motive for when one of them is killed in a closed door mystery - somebody at the lodge has to be the killer.

BOOK: The Darkest Room by Johan Theorin

The Darkest Room by Johan Theorin, 438 pages
translated by Marlaine Delargy

RIP V Challenge; Suspense and Thriller Challenge: Winner of CWA International Dagger (Kerrie has a nice round up of the nominated books here)

This has to be one of the spookiest, scariest books I've ever read. Let me explain:
 
the setting: small island off the coast of Sweden, during the winter, and during several blizzards; deserted lighthouses and an old abandoned manor house

the characters: the thieves who are meth addicts and would do anything, the dead drug addict still in the heart of Joakim (the father in the family that buys the house), the ghosts who populate the island and legend has will return at Christmas, the daughter who has very strange dreams, the old man who knows all the legends and history of Oland

the back stories: alternating with the plot are stories of all the people who have died terrible deaths at Eel Point Manor since the house was built. Perhaps building it with the wood that washed ashore from a shipwreck was a bad omen?

the plot: A family leaves Stockholm and buys an old abandoned home on the shore of Oland island, planning to renovate and move on. But the house has been home to many tragedies.And they have some secrets in their past.

You want a haunted house story for Halloween? You like crazy chase scenes through a blizzard? Some modern mystery with your historical mystery? A little international flavor? Here you go.

also reviewed: kerri at mysteries in paradise

BOOK: Room by Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue, 321 pages

4th CBC Challenge (Donaoghue lives in Canada now ); Man Booker Shortlisted 2010; New Author Challenge; RIP V Challenge

Believe the hype - this was a great read. Jack, the five year old narrator, shows us his world, mostly in a 9' X 9' Room with his mother. Such a memorable character and unique voice. I devoured this book in the past 24 hours, was taken on an emotional roller coaster, and shall recommend it to others.

also reviewed by :
Wendy at caribousmom
lizzy at lizzy's literary life
joy at thoughts of joy
kailana at the written world
s. krishna at s.krishna's books
jackie at farmlane books

BOOK: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, 389 pages

It's the End of the World as We Know It; RIP V; Young Adult Challenge

So, who thought she was being smart, pre-ordering Mockingjay in July? Who didn't realize that Chapters would not even begin to mail it to them until the evening of the day it was released after I had already complained that I didn't have it yet? And who is never going to pre-order a book from Chapters again? Who placed her next little book order from Amazon? Yeah, I was bitter before I started this book.

It was good, a quick read with everything that should have happened. I liked how Collins wrapped up the story although lots of violence and death with the war and all. I read it as fast as I could, with the twelve year old son pushing me along. I have not much to add to this. I eventually went back to read some reviews, but everyone has been very careful about not giving anything away. So nothing interesting from me.

CHALLENGE: RIP V

Hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings
runs now until October 31, 2010

All my favorite types of books:
Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

Peril the First - read 4 books

Pool of possible reads:
Broken Shore by Peter Temple
Room by Emma Donaghue
The Darkest Room by Johan Theorin
The Murder Stone by Louise Penny
Thirteen Hours by Deon Myer
Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Black Echo by Michael Connolly
Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill

Any you think I really need to read?

The ones I read:

1. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins 09/06
2. Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay 09/10
3. Room - Emma Donoghue 10/02
4. The Darkest Room - Johan Theorin 10/13
5. Fear the Worst - Linwood Barclay 10/16
6. The Murder Stone - Louise Penny 10/23
7. Thirteen Hours - Deon Meyer 10/30