Carl Deuker -- Books, Movies, TV

This was one terrific book. I've always thought Chris Bohjalian transcends his genre, and The Guest Room is my favorite so far.  How often do you read a thriller that is also heartbreaking? It's not a pleasant read, but I'm one of those who believes that a book done well, not matter how depressing the topic, is always an uplifting experience. Young girls, tricked/forced/kidnapped into prostitution in Russian, perform at a bachelor party hosted by an investment banker who is hosting the party as a favor to a younger/wilder brother.  All hell breaks loose, and there's no putting the house back together again. Characters, plot, setting, theme -- ALL SUPERB.  I did the Kindle/Audible Whispersync read/listen method and was glad I had the book both on audio and in print because I was constantly looking for a chance to read or listen to a few more pages.  *****

45% Terrific. Two dead Russians in the house after the Bachelor party goes south. Richard trying to save his marriage. Richard trying to figure out himself. Alexandra (one of the prostitutes) gives her harrowing tale. An attendee at the party threatens to blackmail Richard. And . . . a wonderful scene at a high school where Richard's wife attempts to teach AP American history but breaks down in front of her students. Plot is heading in two directions:  Richard blackmailed; Richard seeking out Alexandra to rescue her. Confrontation with more Russians? Richard is on leave from his job . . . probably fired Richard's wife may or may not take him back. He didn't have sex with Alexandra but his wife doesn't entirely believe his improbably story of conscience taking him back from the brink at the last moment. Female lawyer Premise:  good guy makes one huge mistake . . . 

An odd ending . . . how many books about Nazi Germany in 1936 end on an upbeat note. Paul survives. He rescues the Fisher boys and Katya and gets them out of Nazi Germany. His German buddy Weber is shot in the stomach, floats off to die, but is rescued and lives. Paul himself escapes to continue on, correcting God's mistakes. The German detective that we admire does an admirable switch of passports to allow Paul to escape. Even Ernst, who was going to gas a dozen young men as part of an experiment, has a soul-searching moment of illumination. Excellent writing . . . but the happy ending seemed forced to me. (The spelling of the various character's names is quite likely incorrect. I listened to this book on Audible.)

1-35 Great start. Bachelor party given by middle-class 40 year old for his younger brother at older brother's house.  Strippers invited. Wife goes away for the night.  Strippers turn out to be Russian prostitute strippers managed by Russian thugs.  Do things get out of hand?  How about one of the strippers stabbing a handler repeatedly in the neck.  Middle-class husband's world is upside down! 

Anna the Imposter! Noah convicted! Now, Maggie sort of knows the truth. So who is behind the plot? Anna's $ is the motive. James, the lawyer? I can't think of anyone else. So . . . why does James kill her? Is there some way he can get at her inheritance? Lots of questions . . . I'll be interested if the answers work out. Catholic phrase: avoid the near occasion of sin. L.S. has Noah, after a huge fight with his wife and with his marriage in tatters, go upstairs to a hotel room where he meets a gorgeous ex-lover wearing only a robe.  She lets the robe fall, kisses him . . . and he leaves.    Catholic girl like Lisa Scotaline knows better.  Avoid the near occasion of sin, because if you get that close, you're going to sin!

Good court scenes.  Noah is accused of the murder of Anna.  Readers, I think, are being pushed to suspect Anna's mother and Noah's wife, Maggie. Anna is femme fatale according to Noah, showing some skin, trying to seduce him, calculating in her every move. The quick harmony of mom/daughter/stepdad/stepbrother is a little hard to believe. The court scenes--prosecutor grilling Noah about a phone message he says Anna sent to herself--are quite good. Noah accused of sexual misconduct by Anna.  Noah seems to be our moral compass in the story, so my guess is Anna made it all up.  But why? Enjoyable.

Jumps around in time. Anna has been murdered. Noah--doctor, and mother's second husband--has been accused of the crime and awaits the jury's decision.  Then back.  Maggie (mom) lost custody because of postpartum psychosis. Anna raised, sort of, by father with tons of $. Father  dies in plane crash. Anna decides she wants to return to her mother. Anna wealthy heiress.  So who kills her? Noah? Maggie? Someone else?

Struck at the end by the incredible power being raised in this sealed world had over Tara. I kept thinking, as her friends did, "You can't possibly go back there." "You can't possibly care what your father or mother think." etc. But she did care. Great book, rings true precisely because -- particularly toward the end -- so much about her behavior is frustrating to the reader. In some ways it reminded of the cliche of the horror film. You want to shout at her, "Don't open that door!" but she keeps opening it anyway.