Carl Deuker -- Books, Movies, TV

More interesting.  Story has moved to Ben Kipling, money launderer.  Threat of violence to Kipling.  Author also does a good job describing the hard-to-get-your head around massiveness of the new wealth.  Class distinctions between regular rich people and unimaginably rich people and regular people.  Our survivor, Scott the Painter, is now staying with another fantastically wealthy person--Layla.  Art lover, she can make his career . . . but he is standoffish about her power.  Still a bit shell-shocked, though this is one of the least convincing aspects of the book.

Greedy family making a deal.  Bette and her two scoundrel brothers.  Bette's husband and daughter are ethical, but daughter is young and weak and husband is sick. An aunt of the girl is also good, but she's a lush and her husband treats her like dirt. Great Bette Davis line: "why don't you all go home."  said to her brothers. The foxes try to maneuver Bette's husband into accepting the deal.  He balks.  They steal/borrow money from him.  He finds out.  His heart gives out on him. Bette sits and watches instead of bringing him his medicine. He dies.  Deal goes through, but daughter walks out on her. Weakness-we're supposed to feel Yes, she got money, but she lost her daughter.  However, the truth is that we've never seen that she cared any about her daughter, so what exactly did she lose? Not much subtlety in the characters . . . like none!

They knew how to tell a story back in the day. Bette Davis shoots a man whom she claims was trying to sexually assault her.  However . . . a letter shows up from the man's Eurasian (scandalous) wife from Bette Davis asking the man to her house.  They had had an affair, he broke it off to marry the Eurasian, Bette shoots him. Trial of Bette.  The letter is purchased so that it isn't part of the evidence.  Bette tries to reconcile with her (stupid, gullible) husband.  But at the climactic moment she screams:   With all my heart, I still love the man I murdered.  Terrific. Bette then walks out into the Singapore night where she is murdered by the widow of the man who jilted her. Netflix

Plane crash.  Private jet is leaving from Martha's Vineyard.  On board is a news executive (based on Fox News) and a high finance type under investigation.  Wives, two children, one painter who is just coming along for the ride. Plane crashes.  Painter (also a swimmer) saves himself and the small boy by an amazing swim in the dark to land. All others die. Story backs up.  We hear about the beginning of the "Fox News" network.  We learn about the aunt of the little boy who lives . . . and her husband.  They stand to be in charge of millions, if not the owners of millions.  Finally, we are with the swimmer, Scott Burroughs.  He's just shy of 50, has been a profligate for most of his life, has recently found his voice as a painter, and he is now (slowly) coming to be obsessed with the crash and, perhaps, the little boy. All is perfectly okay, but nothing is -- as of yet -- in any way gripping.

Second book I've read by McKinty.  Kids in school are asked to analyze books for plot, characters, setting, theme. Here goes:  Our "hero" is one of the best characters in the mystery/thriller genre that I've come across.   Good depth, consistency (including human inconsistency), strong voice.  Terrific.  Most of the minor characters are also wonderfully drawn. Setting:  McKinty is great here also.  This is rough-edged Denver--easy for me to visualize as I certainly know rough-edged Seattle. Theme:  Again, this isn't just brain candy to pass time.  Lots of interesting ideas pursued in interesting ways. Which leaves the plot.  It's fine, but just that.  The "villain" is very predictable.  Our main character is oddly dense when it comes to figuring out how he gave himself away. So, again--I will definitely read more of McKinty.  He's great with everything but the denouement of the plot. I can live with that a lot more e...

Alex is back in Denver.  He should be beating out of there ASAP, but he's fallen in love with Amber, the wife of one of the Mulholland twins and a suspect in the murder of Victoria. Femme fatale?  I think so.  John, meanwhile, is in love with an Ethiopian teenager and spends his days with her and with Pat, the HIV positive landlord.  GOP environmental group is growing; Alex works door-to-door for them. Alex saves two kids from a burning house, but doesn't leave Denver even when he once again sees Detective Redhorse, this time at the fire.  Alex discovers an earlier murder at a posh prep school attended by the Mulhollands.  Houghton, the first murder victim, was a student as well.  Blackmailer? Rob Mulholland wants to be congressman at minimum and perhaps much more.  Alex shoots Amber up with heroin and asks her questions--after a romp in the hay.  It's all a bit much to swallow, but it's fun, too. Prediction:  Amber is in on the murd...

Alex in serious trouble.  Heroin addiction (though he claims he isn't an addict; money owed to dealer;  English police at his house asking questions; Irish partisans unhappy that he is talking to Brits; threat that he would be sent to prison. And, his childhood sweetheart was murdered in Denver.  Alex is called by the girl's father who hires him to go to Denver to investigate the murder.  This gets Alex out of Ireland and away from all the forces closing in on him.  He goes! Great style for this genre.  Tough without lapsing into self-parody.

Plot:  In Denver investigating.  Alex and John (companion and cop) talk to Victoria's semi-boss. He's the one that tipped Victoria's parents that she may have been murdered.  He implicates his bosses, the Mulhollands, two wealthy brothers. Alex and John do a follow up interview; their informant gets nervous, edgy, drunk.  There is a scuffle and he falls off his balcony (seven stories up) and dies.  Alex and John flee.  Police follow, gunshots, escape on a train to SF, but they need to get tickets.  They get off to buy tickets and somehow miss getting back on.  Detective Redhorse is there.  They buy a ticket to Chicago. Train late.  Alex shoots up.  Redhorse on to them?  Back on the train with Redhorse accompanying them.  Train delayed in Denver for a day.  They get off and find a dive rental for a few days. Interesting technique.  McKinty repeatedly tells us what will happen.  John, for example, will end u...

I read Gun Street Girl earlier and liked it. Interesting start. Our Belfast detective describes the morning of the Denver murder victim, but the first sentence tells us she will die.  Purposeful non-suspense/shock.

Very exciting, taut ending, which is remarkable since as a reader, I know that de Gaulle was not assassinated.  Forsyth was a journalist before starting his career as a novelist, and it shows.  The who-what-where-why-how aspect of almost very scene is impressive.  He uses detail to build suspense and verisimilitude.  Terrific book. Jackal's final disguise is as a one-legged war veteran.  His penultimate disguise is as a gay.  Both brilliant on Forsyth's part, because the lack of thorough checking of papers by police fits quite well with prejudices/biases.  No gay could be a killer; no one-legged vet would want to harm de Gaulle.

Wonderful romance.  The only weak parts are Cher as "dowdy" and Nicholas Cage as hard-working baker with an apartment out of Architectural Digest and a love of opera. Oh well, it's  a fairy tale, and it works.  Terrific

Excellent film on racial prejudice. William Shatner is intruder stirring up racial hatred in small town.  Easy to do, as the hatred is right there.  Near lynching of innocent high school black student. (school newly integrated)  The way in which the lynching is thwarted is the weakest part of the movie. Shatner is very good as the evil racist. Terrific early 60's film.

Exploitation film by Roger Corman. Very entertaining. Pam Grier saves the day.

Our detective figures out that his investigation has been (unwittingly) compromised by a French colonel who has kept his mistress (in on the plot) informed about the investigation.  Jackal seduces Countess at a hotel, paints his white car blue (!) to disguise it, follows the Countess to her estate. She discovers the rifle; he murders her; takes her car; transforms into Danish reverend. In Paris, he transforms again, this time into an American. Detective LaBelle uses international help to learn about stolen passports that the Jackal might be using.  All very exciting . . . the Jackal is in Paris looking for a chance to kill de Gaulle.  Final section coming up.  I suspect this did very well in a French translation. I once painted my own car using a sprayer.  Took all day and ended up a total mess. I find it very hard to believe the Jackal was able to paint his Alfa Romeo blue in a couple of hours and not have it look terrible. Willing suspension of disbelief.

The investigators have learned the code name JACKAL. They know the target is De Gaulle. They want to believe that the assassination plot is off because they are ON to some of it.  "Feeling is to close to hoping."  Jackal has a fake limp, hair dye, disguises, and he has successfully made it to Italy. He rents a car for a trip . . . headed to Paris.  Taut

Polish body guard was being duped by French agents. They learn of the existence of an assassin--but nothing more.  Body guard dies after interrogation.  Jackal kills the ID forger who tried to blackmail him--not a good idea to blackmail the Jackal.  He's off to commit the murder though his employees would call the whole thing off if they could get in touch with him.  Introduction to the physically unimpressive detective who will stop the Jackal.  The assassins also have in an "in" on the investigation--mistress to one of the police superintendents. Very enjoyable.

Great book for 10-12 year olds. Jack returns to the team; he brings along with him his new friend, Teddy.  Cassie sparks Jack; Jack sparks Teddy--really well plotted. It's easy to see where this is going, and it will be an enjoyable trip.

Belgian gunmaker needs more time.  Bodyguard of one of French conspirators has daughter suffering from leukemia.  He is contemplating making a phone call--maybe an opening into the gang later.  This remains very much a "how to" book, describing in detail all the detailed planning that went into the assassination attempt.

Chapter 2 describes the miracle of the sword in the stone, King Arthur taking the throne, his immediate wars. Chapter 3 begins the various battles. I find it interesting that Arthur is portrayed as passive in many modern versions. In this, he is extremely violent and eager for battle, slaughtering on right and left. Chapter 4:  More British domination of other realms. More magical swords that can't be pulled out except by the "right" knight (Balin, this time). Balin lops off the head of a lady who killed his mother (though Balin had killed her brother).  Ladies get their heads lopped off every other chapter. Chapter 5:  Balin unknowingly fights with his own brother, Balan, as punishment for lopping off the head of woman in Chapter 4.  Balin also defiles the chapel of the Holy Grail. Balin is killed by his own brother, and Balin kills his brother. the two are buried together.  Merlin takes Balin's sword, sets it in a stone, and it floats on the river until Galaha...

Saw the movie years ago.  Writing (Frederick Forsyth) is excellent.  This is a "how to" book based on an attempted assassination of de Gaulle.  Since we know de Gaulle died of natural causes, we know this fails. So the interest is in the method of the assassin.  Background--French humiliation in Indochina and then again in Algiers.  Right wing disgust with de Gaulle. Hire 'hit man' rather than a politically motivated killer because the protection is so tight.  Early chapters discuss hiring of killer, building of the rifle, and the procurement of phony documents.

Jack's guilt:  he knew his brother was off dirt riding. He knew his brother had had an accident earlier. He didn't tell his parents.  Working with Cassie as softball coach. Nice scene where he hits a two-strike hr off her in practice. He works out with Teddy, soft kid in class. Teddy has potential as catcher.  So he stays with the game even though he has quit the game.

  19.35%   "Great start. Main character describes his love for baseball--the only game--and then reveals he is quitting the game. His older brother had died earlier in a dirt bike accident. Main character just doesn't feel right about playing. He befriends the school softball star, Cassie, who gets why he needs to quit." I will be on a panel with Mike Lupica in San Antonio in April of 2017

Sword in the Stone miracle. Arthur as baby rescued and given to others to raise.  His brother is without a sword, so he pulls (unknowingly) Excalibur from the stone. He is forced to repeat the accomplishment numerous times because other knights don't believe an unknown youth is their new king. He fights with another sword given to him by the Lady of the Lake. The sword is given with the promise that he will one day give a required gift.  (Nothing comes free in these tales.) This new sword is also Excalibur, so two different "origin" stories for it. Arthur defeats numerous kings who oppose him and takes the throne. "It is better that we slay a coward than through a coward be all slain."

Salvadore--adopted son of gay man, trying to find his place in the world. Sam--female friend who likes bad boys. Her mother dies in car crash; she moves into Sally's house--platonic Fito--gay friend of both of them Vicente--(too) perfect Dad.  No conflicts with any of the three teenagers. Wouldn't it be nice. Language, writing throughout overcomes the plot failings.  Saenz has a great knack with realistic dialogue, how conversations spin this way and that.  He is a poet . . . and it shows. This is a perfect book for really bright high school students.

Merlin prophecy; Excalibur; the reluctance to recognize Arthur.  Great start to the book, wonderful tales. from Wikipedia In Arthurian romance, a number of explanations are given for Arthur's possession of Excalibur. In  Robert de Boron 's  Merlin , Arthur obtained the British throne by pulling a sword from a stone. (The story of the Sword in the Stone has an analogue in some versions of the story of  Sigurd , whose father,  Sigmund , draws the sword  Gram  out of the tree  Barnstokkr  where it is embedded by the Norse god  Odin .) In this account, the act could not be performed except by "the true king," meaning the divinely appointed king or true heir of  Uther Pendragon . This sword is thought by many to be the famous Excalibur, and its identity is made explicit in the later Prose  Merlin , part of the  Lancelot-Grail  cycle. [12]  This version also appears in the 1938 Arthurian novel  The Sword in t...

Chapter shows how Morgan hated Arthur for his purity and plotted with her lover, Sir Accolon, to steal both  Excalibur  and the British throne. Arthur met Accolon in combat without his magical sword, but the Lady of the Lake helped him retrieve it and win the battle. In return, Morgan stole Excalibur's scabbard and threw it into the nearest lake. She eventually escaped Arthur's wrath by transforming her entourage into stone. Arthur fights Accolon--both are surrogates for quarreling brothers.  Arthur fights, for most of the contest, with a fake Excalibur. He nearly dies, but retrieves from Accolon (just in time) the real Excalibur.

Very interesting, mainly for its incredible violence.  The Arthur of these tales leads a British force that slaughters with relish all opponents.  Arthur splits heads apart, brains spattering everywhere, on numerous occasion. Sir Gawain, in a rage, accidentally cuts off the head of a fair maiden, and then rides back to Camelot with the had around his neck.  This is a retelling for children--what a different world. Keeping track of characters is a bit tricky-- From Britannica:  The Lady of the Lake was the foster-mother of Sir Lancelot and raised him beneath the murky waters of her Lake. She is, however, best known for her presentation to   King Arthur  of his magical sword Excalibur, through the intervention of the King's druidic advisor,  Merlin  (Myrddin) who was constantly worried that his monarch would fall in battle. Merlin had met the Lady at the Fountain of Barenton (Brittany) and fallen so deeply in love with her that he agreed to teac...

Sam and Sally--ups and downs of tough teenage life.  Sam's mother dies. Sally's father (he is adopted) is gay. Many wonderful moments throughout--very natural transitions in the conversations that make this feel real, not like a novel.  "Dad" is a little too good to be true.

Terrific book about the events following the death of Muhammed. The "hero" is Ali -- so this reads a bit as a justification of the Shia.  However, Hazelton clearly is simply telling it like it is.  He is the most attractive man of the bunch--patient, less ambitious, willing to compromise.  Ali eventually becomes Caliph, though much later than was right. Hussein, his son, is the Christ figure for good reason.  He bravely faces an army, is killed, and so are the 72 who accompany him in his quest to assume leadership of Islam.  His death is the stuff of tragedy -- a brave man shaming his enemies by his integrity. Wonderful book, the perfect length for a Westerner interested in the Shia/Sunni split.

Plot turns on discovery that the murdered professor (LaDuc) was forcing his cadets to play Russian Roulette a la Deer Hunter.  That's tough to swallow, as none of the cadets die even though the "game" had been played over a three or four year period--seemingly at least a dozen times.  What was La Duc going to do with a dead cadet's body in his study?  The map had no connection to the murder, just a add-in for local color and history.  Disappointing.  The actual murderer (his childhood friend) was fine.  Garmand had given this guy a second chance.  He was repaying Garmand by murdering LaDuc before La Duc could ruin the police college. Amelia Choquet, the pierced girl whom we are encouraged to believe is Garmand's illegitimate daughter is actually the daughter of the boy who killed Armand's parents in a car crash. She's a total cliche.  The tough girl who is really kind at heart and also smarter than all those people with conventional backgrounds....

February 1895 (Alice died in 1892) Money problems, jealousy of Wilde; time spent with Lord Wolseley1; off to Ireland to lick his wounds; Irish unrest--Irish landlords boycott all social events; much time spent with manservant Hammond (homosexual attraction again); fancy dress ball, appalling to James, who is only happy in company of Hammond, though Hammond remains a servant and no more; little girl alone on the grounds--inspiration for Turn of the Screw?; conflict with Webster who alludes to Wilde's successful play and HJ's failure; Wolseley was an  Anglo-Irish  officer in the  British Army . He became one of the most influential and admired British generals after a series of successes in Canada, West Africa, and Egypt, followed by a central role in modernizing the British Army in promoting efficiency. He served in Burma, the  Crimean War , the  Indian Mutiny , China, Canada and widely throughout Africa—including his  Ashanti  campaign (18...

January 1895 Henry James "novelized."  Begins with a confused/frightening dream involving his dead sister and mother. Description of the writing and production of his play Guy Domville. Meeting with a Russian princess who is returning (against her will) to Russia. She brings up Paul Joukowsky, a reminder to James of his (latent?) homosexuality. The play is a failure.  At the same time, a Wilde play succeeds. Injustice. Jealousy.

Pleasant enough collection.  Final story tells of man who is worried he will lose his younger wife because he can't dance and show her a good time.  He takes lessons after work, "surprises" her on her birthday.  She has been sad all the previous months because she thought he was having an affair.  Before she met him, she'd been a dance hall girl.  Her goal--never to dance again.  Almost an O'Henry feel. I've read better Wodehouse books than this.  The one "Jeeves" story is the best.

Gritty almost to the point of being over-the-top. Jack Taylor is an intellectual version (and more interesting) than Jack Reacher, but they share a similar moral code. Irish writer who is unrelenting in his analysis of the flaws of the Irish. I'll definitely read another of his books, but I'm going to give it a rest. Some spoilers follow: The book is notable for killing off characters that are--conventionally--off limits. So, Stewart is murdered by the psychopath he is shadowing. Ridge (female cop) dies from a stupid act of violence--huge rock thrown on her car from the overpass. The good-looking chick (Kelly) turns out to be the serial killer. (How many serial killers are women?) She's also married to the rich guy who is taking over Galway; in addition, she makes a play for Jack. Jack, the vengeful, does not kill Kelly. Instead, he visits her at her "psycho" ward where she is being treated (including memory suppressing) for her psychopathic traits. Jack tells he...