Recent Reads

87. The Secret History of Las Vegas: A Novel
I'm headed to Las Vegas next week to visit family, so thought it would be the perfect time to read this one. And holy moly, but where has Chris Abani been all my life?

Here is the premise: Before he can retire, Las Vegas detective Salazar is determined to solve a recent spate of murders. When he encounters a pair of conjoined twins with a container of blood near their car, he’s sure he has apprehended the killers, and enlists the help of Dr. Sunil Singh, a South African transplant who specializes in the study of psychopaths. 

This dark and gritty tale is unlike any other mystery/crime novel I have read. The prose is lyrical, the sense of place so wonderfully described that I could feel the grit, and the book is peopled with fascinating characters.

This is a book about many things: secrets, atomic testing, apartheid, psychopathy, serial murders, regrets, freaks, the human condition, and yet somehow the author skillfully weaves all this threads together to form a tapestry that disturbs as much as it delights.

This is not one for the faint of heart. And I've read reviews where people where bugged by the fact that the author does not use quotation marks. You get used to it. So why not 5 stars? I felt that the women characters could have used a bit more fleshing out. I'd highly recommend this complex and disturbing story, just be forewarned that there is quite a bit of violence, so it is not a cozy read. Rating: 4 stars.

88. Keys to the Kingdom(Locke & Key #4)
Did you read Calvin and Hobbes? Well, there are sections that are clearly a homage. The art in the start of the story is so different that it is jarring, but I'm all for pushing boundaries. 

I did not love this one as much as the first 3 books, but it is still good. My fave part was the month of February in the Locke household. If you think you have a crazy calendar, you might want to read that section just so you can feel better about your life. 

More keys are found, and part of the fun is discovering what they do. Creepier and creepier. Rating: 3 stars.

89. Parnassus on Wheels
First published in 1917, this novella is a quick and delightful read.

Roger Mufflin has been traveling the New England countryside with his horse drawn book mobile leaving literacy and the love of books in his wake. He's ready to retire and write his book so is looking for a buyer for his Parnassus on Wheels. Enter Helen McGill, who has kept house for her brother for far too long. 6000 loaves of bread too long. Adventure awaits. 

Curl up with this lovely book and see if you don't smile as you read this fun yarn of days gone by. Rating: 4 stars.