Carl Deuker -- Books, Movies, TV

Split between Sunnis and Shia.  M. has no male children upon death.  So who is the next leader?  Shia follow son-in-law Ali, husband of Fatima, and father of two boys.  "The Feud of the Necklace."  Aisha, youngest and favored wife, is left behind on a journey because a necklace, gift from M., came apart and she needed to restring it.  She is "rescued" by a young soldier who brings her back to Medina on his camel.  Others see the young Aisha with the soldier and immediately suspect her of infidelity, humiliating M.  He sends Aisha away while he figures out what to do. Ali's advice:  Divorce Aisha, thereby earning her undying hatred. Advice based on rivalry; not really great for M. as it makes it seem as if he has been cuckolded.  He doesn't do it.  Instead, he has a vision that clears her of wrongdoing. Upshot:  In Islam, a woman cannot be considered unfaithful unless four witnesses testify.  Very enlightened.  How...

Plot thickens. Who killed LaDuc? What does the map really show? How is it that the revolver in the stained glass window is the same style revolver that killed LeDuc? Silencer came from? English company that manufactured the gun involved? Why is 3 Pines not on the map. Lots of mysteries--I'm expecting she will pull it together from the high ratings. I'm guessing some sort of cross-generational retribution is going on.  LeDuc's grandfather in the photo.  Amelia's grandfather?  Something like that.  

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 he...

Enjoying this more as I go along.  The map, from WWI, will be the key. I'm guessing it's a DaVinci Code sort of plot.  One of the present day, or a few of the present day, occupants of Three Pines are connected to an earlier event represented by the map.  The pyramid will be the key. Amelia will figure it out, or be the next victim saved in the nick of time by Armand.  Moving pretty well now. Map also appears in back pocket of soldier represented on stained glass window in church. The window is a memorial to dead soldiers from Three Pines.

Jack Taylor falls off the wagon.  Cop friend, female, gets knocked into a coma trying to get the statue of Mary back. Stewart, Jack's friend, does some vigilante revenge. C33, psychopath, kills fourth victim. Irish toughness throughout. Bleak hard-drinking profane     I am reading Louise Penny at the same time.  Authors COULDN'T be more different.

Like it a lot, so far. Jack Taylor as your classic flawed hero.  Giving up drink, cynical, unloved, violent, sarcastic, insightful.  So far a couple of murders--loan shark (female) thrown over her own stairwell to her death.  Stolen statue of Mary. Rich guy moved into poor Irish town--spare, sparse prose.  The exact opposite of A Great Reckoning which I'm also reading now.  LIke this one much more.

Latin America Central America has no good navigable rivers.  Disease problem due to heat and humidity.  South America vast area, but again geography is not kind like it was to North America. Arctic:  Global warming will make shipping, and arguments over rights, very contentious over the next years.  The new "Northwest Passage" will reduce travel time and shipping costs tremendously.  Norway, Sweden, Russia, USA, Canada--trouble ahead. Liked this book very much.  Scholarly without being pedantic in the least--perfect for the layman.