Carl Deuker -- Books, Movies, TV

Spoilers! Wow.  Anna is actually Annabelle, Charlie's twin sister. (I thought Charlie would turn out to be alive . . . not terribly far off.)  Charlie had an imaginary friend -- Belle -- who wasn't so imaginary after all.  Anna hates Grace because Grace was a "sister" to Charlie, a role that Anna should have filled.  Alexi, Annabelle and Charlie's mother, kept Charlie but put Annabelle up for adoption.  Why? Not clear yet.  Charlie dies (bizarrely) after a fall in a 200 meter race.  She'd been gone for six years, shows up in her little village, races against Grace, trips on shoelace, falls, dies!!!!! Anna tries to kill Grace by burning down her house.  Anna survives, goes to London to visit Esme.  Someone (Anna?) seems to try to kill her in London by pushing her in front of a subway.  Grace returns to her cottage, under repair, and spends the night.  Anna sneaks in and chains Grace to her bed.  Workers are coming Monday, so...

Spoilers: Some nice touches.  When Anna moves in with Dan and Grace, reader expects that Anna will seduce Dan.  Dan, the whole time, is cool-to-hostile to Anna.  Turns out, Dan and Anna had an affair right after the death of Charlie.  They pretend not to know one another. Dan knows Anna isn't really Charlie's half-sister; instead, she's the girl who pours drinks at his soccer club bar hangout. More trouble for Grace NOW:  She is suspected of child neglect at the day care where she works.  A Twitter campaign (anonymous) is launched against her.  Mittens escapes while being watched by Anna.  Her daycare is vandalized and she is a suspect. She is suspended from her job. She continues to be followed by someone in a red car.  Her cottage burns down and she nearly dies Trouble for Grace THEN:  Not only is Charlie dead, but her other "friend" Shibohn dies from a heroin overdose.  Also, Dan and Charlie are hugging on New Year's Eve--Gr...

The "now" sectionsReads like a horror movie. Grace, our main character, invites Anna into her home because Anna is/claims-to-be the the half sister of Charlie, Grace's dead best friend. Anna is to stay with them for a few weeks while she gets a new job and a new apt.  The few weeks stretch on and on.  Anna quite obviously is sabotaging Grace both at work and at home, doing her best to destroy Grace's already Rocky marriage.  Anna nearly kills Grace by getting the hyper-allergic Grace a hazelnut chocolate.  (Anna then takes Grace's place at a business dinner for Dan, Grace's husband." Grace also is being followed by someone in a red car. Grace somehow doesn't associate any of this with Anna.  So . . . either Grace is dumb like the horror film heroine or our author has something else up her sleeve. The "then" sections concern Grace being tormented by one of her "friends.'  She receives nasty letters, a box filled with dog excremen...

Struggling with this one a bit, though I admire the writing.  Grace befriends Anna through an Internet post.  Anna is Charlie's half-sister though the sisters didn't know of one another.  Turns out that Charlie's father is dead (as is Charlie). He died in a car crash (sort of) caused by Anna when she was a child.  Anna distracted Dad and Dad got in a head-on. So now Grace has Anna living with her and her husband Dan even though things are going badly with her marriage.  Seems unlikely. Anna wants to meet Lexi, Charlie's mother.  Lexi is drinking heavily (past alcoholic).  More on Grace/Dan from "then"--the chapters that describe the past.  Some sort of mystery is evolving.  Anna may not be telling the truth about her past.  Moving the story along would be nice.

Typically interesting issue.  General sense is that Trump won't do much new in foreign affairs. Iran heading to interesting time when the present Ayatollah dies.  China ascending . . . trouble in South China Sea as they try to take over various islands and make it entirely their sea.  US should challenge this takeover according to FA.

Jack Lemmon lends out his apartment to various cads where he works.  He is hoping for a promotion by being so accommodating.   Billy Wilder at his cynical best.  Good performances all around: Fred MacMurray is particularly good as a hypocritical boss.  Shirley MacLaine is the love interest.  Fred MacMurray is stringing her along.  Jack Lemmon is truly in love with her.  Lemmon, naturally, doesn't know whom MacMurray is bringing to his apartment. Not yet, at least.  1960 or so  . . . excellent so far

Reread, and glad I did.  Hints/troubles I missed:  Grace's parents -- what's the deal?  Charlie's death . . . her mother . . . Grandparents hoping to reunite Grace with her parents . . . Dan/Grace broken apart by death of Charlie . . . extremely well written.

Old classic.  The story has lots of holes in it, but the cinematography is wonderful as are some of the sets.  Creates an eerie feel through shadow, light, sound. Simon Simone is perfect in the title role.  It's about 75 minutes long, which really helps. Simple plot, lots of atmosphere.

4/5 This one was plotted better than the previous Dugoni.  Nice twist at the end that was perfectly fitting.  In character for all the characters.  Setting (Washington state, Cascade foothills) done beautifully.  Characters (Traci, Sheriff Roy, Edmund House) all well-drawn and interesting.  Only thing that keeps me from giving this a five is that sometimes the vocabulary seemed oddly formal, stilted and sometimes Dugoni explains things that he doesn't need to explain at all because his book has already shown us. Spoilers follow: House was framed for the murder of Sarah, but he is actually the murderer.  The various characters (sheriff, defense attorney, prosecuting attorney, Sarah's father) know he's guilty, know they lack evidence to convict him, so frame him.  Traci, surviving daughter and intended target, figures out House was framed but not that he was guilty.  She gets him out, he tries to kill her and everyone else involved in the fram...

Liked this when it first came out, and still liked parts of it.  The knights in their armor, for example, are awkward and slow.  this time, though, I didn't like the Nigel Williamson portrayal of Merlin at all, and the special effects world made some of the "set" pieces look like a Disneyland ride.  Didn't make it through to the second hour before giving it the hook.

House freed, but who is the killer.  The only clue is the flat-bed truck that raced off after the window was shot out.  Traci sees it again, sends some license numbers to her Seattle cop partner.  Cascadia Furniture Company is one possibility . . .  aha!  Spoiler ahead!  That's the company of House (the rapist's) uncle.   Traci's sister would have trusted him and gotten into his truck.  He would have known when the dam would go on-line, flooding the burial site.  All points toward him, except the jewelry.  How would he have gotten that. First defense attorney--now an old guy--is nailed to a wall and his house is set on fire, but he looks like he will survive.  Traci has her gun out and looks like she's headed to a climactic shoot out, but there is still 25% of the book left.  Puzzle must have another puzzle.

Clint is the ghost of a sheriff murdered by three sadists in a horse-whipping.  The "good" townspeople let the sheriff die because they were afraid and because the sheriff was about to blow the whistle on illegal mining the leading citizens were doing.  Clint is hired to protect these same citizens from the murderers.  He sets them up, taking their money and raping(!) their women while implying he will help them.  At the crucial moment, he deserts them.  The bad guys return and kill a bunch of the cowardly townspeople.  Then Clint returns and kills all the bad guys. Revenge on both. Most interesting thing in the second viewing is the treatment of the rapes.  Both are portrayed as "she really wanted it" acts.  Movie made in the '70's. Impossible to imagine a mainstream Hollywood film taking the same attitude today.

Dugoni . . . Second book I've read by him.  Set in Seattle and North Cascades foothills. Two sisters, one murdered when the other doesn't accompany her home after a shooting contest.  Traci, the survivor, becomes a cop partly to investigate the murder of her sister.  There has been a trial and a conviction, but Traci is unconvinced, feeling that her small town sheriff and DA railroaded a convicted rapist just to get the case off the books. Her father commits suicide; her mother dies; her marriage falls apart.  The cold case comes back to life with the discovery of her sister's body.  Traci gets an old high school friend (and new lover) to call for a new trial based on evidence discovered with the body. Judge rules that the first trial was a travesty and orders a new trial for the convicted murderer. The DA, sheriff, defense attorney, and probably Traci's father are all implicated in planting evidence.  Now Traci needs to find the real murderer. Not m...

Always tough when you're the last to see a highly praised movie.  In this case, the typical occurred . . . it did not live up to the praise.  Casey Affleck is very good as the guilt ridden uncle who is appointed guardian of a teen-ager, the son of his deceased brother. Affleck was responsible for the death of his own two children in a house fire.  Drunk, he put logs on the fire then left the house. No firescreen. Logs rolled out, children died. Affleck at various times seems about to be able to redeem himself through the new responsibility, but in the end he admits that he "can't do it." He arranges for the teen-ager to be adopted by friends of the brother and returns to live alone, though he does say that he wants the teen-ager to visit him.  Earlier he has turned down overtures for romance from women and also overtures of renewed friendship from his ex-wife.  Volatile temper is constant. Affleck won an academy award.  Not much range required. Did he w...

Strange, sad ending.  Leo Ryan, congressman from San Mateo, comes to investigate because of complaints by relatives.  Jones goes into a panic.  He has practiced mass suicide in the past and thinks this might be the time.  Ryan's visit, though, is hardly earthshaking. Only 20 or so Temple residents want to leave--not many out of 900.  Still, to Jones that is the beginning of the end. when Ryan leaves, Jones sends assassins after him.  Shootout on the runway; Ryan killed.  One plane takes off, some people hide in the jungle.  The assassins return and Jones orders the mass suicide. Children and infants are killed first--syringes of cyanide-laced Kool-Aid like drink are shot into their mouths. Next are the elderly, then finally the adults. Anyone who tries to escape is forcibly injected with the poison or shot.  Animals are shot. The world finds out in bits and pieces.  Guyana troops are the first there; then US troops take their place. Im...

Jones getting political traction in SF. He continues to dominate his "flock" in ways that are hard to understand.  He tells them who they can couple with, if they can split up, he takes their money, doesn't allow private accounts.  Guyana settlement has started. The first group actually liked it . . . until Jones arrived.  A feeling of living out a socialist dream in harmony with nature. Tough but ideologically satisfying.  Jones, all this time, is becoming more paranoid.  He pretends at one meeting to have poisoned everyone, speaks glowing of mass suicide, fears FBI and CIA.  New West article paints damning portrait of the temple based on interviews with fallen away members. Jones decides it's time to go.  The only politician who stays on his side is Willie Brown.  The others go quiet.  Attorney is Charles Garry of Black Panthers fame.  "I'm like Perry Mason, only all my clients are guilty."

Incredible power over his "parishioners."  they break into two groups.  The socialists--educated and interested in the political mission of the church.  The poor and elderly who benefit from the good works of the church (which are real) but who also turn over their Social Security checks.  All members turn over all money. Jones now has numerous sexual partners among church leaders, mainly women but some men. A "gang of eight" objects to his philandering and to the lack of blacks in any leadership roles.  they are forced out.  An Examiner expose hurts the church for a while, but Jones somehow shrugs it off.  Cruelty:  a sex offender has his penis swatted a number of times (yikes!). A woman at a leadership meeting is forced to strip naked, is told she lusts after JJ but that he finds her repulsive, and then has to sit through the rest of the meeting naked.  She doesn't leave the Chuch or even object. Communication with Guyana.  Guyana ...

Still in Ukiah. Now on drugs frequently, and frequently indulging his sexual desires.  He tells his followers that he is doing them a favor by having sex with them, that they need the love of "father."  His "family" now includes both his wife and Carolyn Layton.  And yet, in spite of all this, his Temple does continue to work for good in the world and provide a positive message and positive deeds.  Quite a story.

Jones continues to be a "means justifies the ends" example.  His temple definitely does good work, and he definitely lies and misleads to make the temple more powerful and to recruit new members. He is now in Mendocino County (Ukiah) but is making trips to Seattle, LA, and SF in search of recruits. His wife, ill, can no longer have sex so he takes a lover.  He also has begun to use uppers and downers to get through the sermons and then to sleep after the sermons.

Quite a story. Jones begins in Indianapolis.  Mother strong-willed, but not loving, person. Father ill and weak. Jones odd as a child, but charismatic. Preaching in the woods; organizing baseball league. Hints of cruelty.  Luring a puppy to death.  Good:  orderly, concern for poor, integrationist. Evil: sense of personal importance. Builds a church. Learns from Jealous Divine, a Philadelphia preacher with strong following. Brings about change in Indianapolis racial politics through charm and the help of his canny (politically) wife.  Fear of nuclear war sends him to Brazil looking for a new place for his church. While he's gone, church weakens.  Returns . . . nuclear war fears take him to Ukiah in California.  Harder to fit in. Redneck country . . . but he tries.  Church isn't growing . . . no population to exploit.  Where to next?  He looks at Vancouver and Guadalajara. MLK and RFK killed in rapid succession.  Visits San Francisco....

Really terrific.  Michael Renny comes to warn USA.  Army guys shoot him immediately.  Patricia Neal's boyfriend in perfectly logical in his desire to push himself forward and be a hero by turning Renny in.  Neal's son is very good, trading two bucks for two diamonds, knowing perfectly well it's a form of theft.  Robot is great symbol of power beyond our understanding. SciFi without the special effects. terrific

 The CiA apparently has turned on Dan and is "cleaning up" old operations by killing all old operatives. Dan is drawn to Sweden by the death of a French operative who was investigating Bill Bravham--who seems to be the heavy in this. There Dan meets Inger, a beautiful Swedish government operative. They investigate the death of a French girl many years earlier. Did Bill kill her? Is he covering his tracks? This just hasn't yet caught me.  Dan avoids death regularly, so regularly that he doesn't really seem in danger. Inger falls for him.  He wants to lead a normal life. He wonders whether he could ever be brave.  So . . . I'm guessing he will be brave and save Inger at the end, but I can't see them together. Dan as a contract killer/kidnapper for the good guys just can't settle down . . . so I'm guessing that he kills Bill and goes off into the world by himself. Dan's little boy died of meningitis; he feels the loss and this gives him his heart ...

Violent bus/truck accident prologue.  Siri's life saved by stranger. Cut to professional bounty hunter capturing and returning man to Venezuala. While he is doing this task (quite professionally) he learns that his colleagues in this profession are being killed off one-by-one.  He would be next. Is it the CIA that is killing him because of earlier work he had done for them. That's what he thinks, so probably not. Solid start.

I didn't like this nearly as much as I liked Brat Farrar.  The ending was predicted by the attorney (Robert Blair) early on. Our sweet girl wasn't sweet, just as was anticipated.  Boyfriend, trip to Copenhagen, slapped around by angry wife. Marriage of Robert and Marion at end felt smug to me. The writing and observations of Tey throughout are quite good.  Examples:  "There never was a criminal who didn't consider himself ill-done-by." "crime begins in egotism; inordinate vanity" "Robert was surprised all over again at the murderous rage that fills the pacifist when their indignation is roused." Tey is basically distrustful of the common man and democracy.  Marion, Robert--most of the upper crust--are endowed with better sense and discretion than the rabble. Some of the rabble--the men at the shop who help out, for example--are sensible, but the propensity to act (violently) before thinking is clearly Tey's sense of the average work...