Carl Deuker -- Books, Movies, TV

Cody comes up with a plan to catch the murderer.  The police will pretend to slack off on their diligence.  Eventually Cody will go out "alone," though other police will be watching.  He will then capture the murderer (a Scot, apparently).  Good plan, but I'm guessing that Cody will be on his own against the bad guy!

Two great, magical scenes in chapter two.  Grandfather brings Natalia out at night to watch an elephant being coaxed across town in the dark.  Grandfather describes to Natalia a strange encounter with a man who could not die.  Village hit by TB.  The man is drowned by villagers, but sits up in coffin and asks for water.  He's then shot in the head twice.  Grandfather (a doctor) arrives. Man is in coffin (again) and sits up again.  Tells GF all about his inability to die.  Challenges GF skepticism. GF, in melancholy, dark place, agrees to a test.  Man puts stones around his feet and walks into lake.  GF has a rope.  The man is to tug when he needs help.  No tug.  GF distraught.  A man is not a porpoise.  After an hour, the man emerges on the opposite side of the lake and walks into the woods. Right out of Murakami, and every bit as good

Two great, magical scenes in chapter two.  Grandfather brings Natalia out at night to watch an elephant being coaxed across town in the dark.  Grandfather describes to Natalia a strange encounter with a man who could not die.  Village hit by TB.  The man is drowned by villagers, but sits up in coffin and asks for water.  He's then shot in the head twice.  Grandfather (a doctor) arrives. Man is in coffin (again) and sits up again.  Tells GF all about his inability to die.  Challenges GF skepticism. GF, in melancholy, dark place, agrees to a test.  Man puts stones around his feet and walks into lake.  GF has a rope.  The man is to tug when he needs help.  No tug.  GF distraught.  A man is not a porpoise.  After an hour, the man emerges on the opposite side of the lake and walks into the woods. Right out of Murakami, and every bit as good

Cody's father hates him because Cody is a copper.  Is this the reason for Cody's wild temper?  Seems a little cliched.  Another cop killed, this time with a gold finch left behind and a line from a Keats ode. the original suspects--the family of the boy the police killed during a protest--seem off the hook, not that they were ever really prime suspects.  Okay so far.

Read that this was one of his best.  First half was slow and annoying at times.  Diane Keaton and Woody Allen have a marriage that is struggling. Keaton is half in love with Alan Alda. Woody is spending time with Angelica Huston, a writer. Then a neighbor woman, recently met, dies.  Did her non-grieving husband murder her?  Keaton is thrilled with the introduction of drama to her life. Woody not at all.  Lots of bickering. First half static. Second half much better. YES! It is a murder.  In the solving, Keaton becomes jealous of Angelica Huston; Woody remains jealous of Alda.  But--Woody comes through in the end, saving Keaton from the murderer who is killed a la Lady from Shanghai mirror scene. Exciting, satisfying ending. So 2.5 stars for first half; 4.5 for second half.  Glad we stuck with it.

This one got panned pretty broadly, but I liked it. Plot: Looking for an exciting career, young Bobby Dorfman leaves New York for the glitz and glamour of 1930s Hollywood. After landing a job with his uncle, Bobby falls for Vonnie, a charming woman who happens to be his employer's mistress. Settling for friendship but ultimately heartbroken, Bobby returns to the Bronx and begins working in a nightclub. Everything falls into place when he finds romance with a beautiful socialite, until Vonnie walks back into his life and captures his heart once again. Love of NYC comes through strongly, as Bobby is lost in LA. Bobby isn't quite the innocent abroad, though, as he works for his criminal brother in NYC upon his return. So, a little gangster movie merged with romance.  Not great, but not pretentious--liked it more than Midnight in Paris.

Two murder victims now.  One linked to Poe's the Raven. Other linked to nursery rhyme "four and twenty blackbirds."  Cody, our detective, is fighting some demons. Murder victims are both police involved in death of bystander at a protest--strong suggestion of police overreaction.  Is this retribution?  If so, why all the "bird" complications?  Pretty good so far, though not exactly fast moving.

Great opening scene--tiger grabs arm of man cleaning up outside cage and mangles it.  Man foolishly reaches in to pet the tiger.  MC sees this as a four year old. Chapter One:  Grandfather is dead of cancer. Grandmother angry because Natalia (mc) knew of illness but kept it secret. Natalia, a nurse heading out to inoculate children, denies knowing of grandfather's illness.  Balkans, during the disintegration period.

Our main character, in a less than great scene, chases down a flasher.  The brilliance of the first scene--thriller--not at all matched by this attempt at comedy. Thankfully it is a thriller.  Next our main character goes to the house of the murder victim where he meets his old girlfriend.  He does not know that she has been assigned to his team.  Filling us in

Great opening.  Woman alone in a remote house hears tapping on her door.  We then go inside her mind as she moves from fear to mental strength to practical action and back and forth.  Movies (The Omen, Little Shop of Horrors, The Birds) come to her mind.  Finally she sees a bird (crow, maybe) pecking at kitchen window.  She goes outside--no more (admitting to) fear.  It's a murder mystery, so courage doesn't pay. creepy details:  Murderer slits her windpipe so she has the sense she is screaming but there is no sound. too much:  Murderer hammers her three times and slits her throat, but she doesn't pass out or die.  She stays alive so we can have more violence.

It's very well-written. It's engaging for about two-thirds of the way. But in the end, it is way too schematic.  All the men are obtuse; all the excellent women (Mildred above all) are under-appreciated. The unworthy women (Helena) are over-valued by idiotic men.   Males eat the last bit of cake; talk about Mildred as if she weren't there; leave their dishes; invite her to dinner expecting her to cook; ridicule her choice of a restaurant; tell her she's sensible and then, a few minutes later, tell her that sensible women are boring, etc. etc.  Men who, at first meeting early in the novel, have some redeeming qualities, lose them all by the end. So, Mildred anticipates a bleak, single life--the only possible sane approach given the buffoonish nature of males Playing cards with a stacked deck.

10/21 page 210 "On vacation to Montana so slowed down. If there was a male equivalent for the word misogynist, Pym would get the label. All the men are obtuse, dense, and not up to the quality of the excellent women." Our heroine, for example, sits down with Everard Bone.  He tells her that she is a sensible woman.  She asks him:  What kind of woman would you want to marry?  He replies:  "Oh, a sensible woman."  But Mildred is not on his radar.  How boorish! How insensitive! How unlikely!  What intelligent young man, sitting with a single woman, would make such a comment?  

Interesting book. I'm starting to think the title is ironic, that Pym doesn't much like the "excellent" qualities of Mildred as these qualities make her too passive, too pleasing.  In some ways, the book is like a comedy of manners--mismatched couples that come right at the end--but I'm guessing that nothing is going to come right at the end.  Pym doesn't have a single male character who is worthy of Mildred--all are severely flawed.

Mildred involved--almost as a 'Fifth Business' character--in a variety of couples.  Julian, the rector whom many thought M. would marry--has proposed to Allegra, the widow of a churchman.  Allegra wants Winifred away from her brother Julian and tells Mildred she'd like her to take Winifred as a roommate.  Rocky and Helena have big argument--Helena moves out, expecting to move in (it seems) with Everard Bone, the anthropologist whom she seems to love. But Bone has asked Mildred to tell Helena--though she doesn't do it in time--that he does not love Helena and that she must stop acting foolish.  It sounds like a comedy, but isn't, because there is a general unhappiness/longing in Mildred. Mousy, unadventurous--she doesn't expect love to come her way . . . but she wouldn't mind.  I'm thinking this is headed toward a "she lives alone" ending, not a cheery surprise love/marriage.

Mildred participates in a jumble--rummage sale. She feels the sting of various comments about her unsuitableness (must be a better word) for marriage.  Rockingham Napier--Rocky--is charming, kind, handsome.  Also we meet anthropologist friend of Helena--Bone--who is also charming and handsome. Helena having an affair with the anthropologist?  Maybe Very enjoyable, quiet book.

I'd heard how much fun the book is, but the lure of the movie was impossible to resist on a rainy Seattle day.  Mistake. Rachel, "main" character, is alcoholic ex-wife of Tom.  Couldn't have children.  Rides the train to a non-job.  Drinks, looks out window Anna is Tom's new wife.  Mother of perfect baby. Rachel jealous. Megan lives down the block.  She becomes nanny for Anna (even though Anna doesn't work). Emma accidentally drowned her own baby years earlier--though no one knows but her. Tough times with new hubby who'd like a baby and doesn't understand why Emma resists. Megan sees shrink to discuss her unhappiness. Rachel sees shrink hug Megan, thinks Megan is having an affair with him.  (She'd like to, but he wants to keep his license.  Not entirely clear, but I don't think there is an affair.) Megan disappears.  Did she run away?  Did Rachel kill her? Did her husband kill her. SPOILERs TOM is the killer.  Womanizer, he's th

Mildred:  main character, daughter of deceased cleric, living in flat in so-so London neighborhood, 30, unmarried, mousy. Helena Napier:  New (attractive) neighbor with attractive  Navy (sort of ) husband. Winifred and her brother:  both single, friends of Mildred, share a flat. Brother is cleric also Maid: Welsh, good comic scenes So far, so good.  Well-drawn characters; the fray of everyday life.

Simenon's xenophobia on display throughout.  Foreigners are troublemakers, smell different--how did they get to France.  Interesting depiction of Anna, the Jewish femme fatale.  Sometimes she's greasy and disgusting. And then, quickly, she becomes beautiful and exotic.  I read that some consider Simenon--with his amazing output--to be almost "automatic" writing and thus reveals the uncensored mind.  Interesting idea.

Simenon mystery.  I'm about 25% finished, and I'm definitely confused.  Dead guy on train looks like Pietr but isn't.  Norwegian sailor with Mrs. Swann as wife--her hair and (missing) photo with the dead guy. Is the dead guy her husband?  Some other guy who looks like the brother of the captain of the ship goes to dive bars and drinks himself to a stupor. Maybe I need to reread. Probably definitely I need to reread.

So, she slowly gets better. We learn about her poor childhood living in garage in Ohio.  Father in WWII killed two Germans--murdered them--guilt. Mother unable to say the word "love" but Lucy forgives all.  Soft book.    

Terrific book. It takes great talent to pull off the "seeing people" when there is no one there, but Nickless does it without even a tiny skip.  Main character is wonderfully complex.  Book transcends the genre.  I'd give it ***** if it had a more satisfying conclusion.  The revelation of the murderer was okay, but okay stands out whenever everything else is SUPERB. (I read this on a trip to Abu Dhabi.  Jet lag, airplanes, no sleep . . . and I still enjoyed it immensely.)

Likable story.  Lucy has appendicitis, then complications, so she is stuck in the hospital.  She uses the time to examine her life.  Poor childhood in sticks in Illinois.  Live in garage of Uncle. Father & Mother stick her in a car for "daycare."  Ridiculed by teachers, other students.  Smart. Scholarship to Northwestern?  Moves to NYC and starts a writing career. Meditations on life.

(I visited the American Community School in Abu Dhabi, and this blog got lost in the time changes.  I hope to get back on schedule starting now.) Entertaining from beginning to end.  Traveling with Troost gets a little wearisome at times.  He's predictable--if the middle-class tourist is dying to see it (Pandas, clay soldiers), then he's not so interested (though he goes!). Great humor throughout and good insights into the character of the country.  He makes me NOT want to go there!