Review: The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



It's my understanding that a couple of Sakey's books are in development as films and this is easy enough to imagine because "Daniel Hayes" is a taut and mysterious thriller. An L.A. noir at its heart, the riveting plot drags the reader from the rough, cold waters of a Maine shoreline across the country to the Hollywood hills and Malibu where perception and imagery is traded like so much coin. Sakey does an incredible job keeping the reader interested and on their toes, always revealing only just enough of the slowly unraveling events of the plot as are appropriate. It is written masterfully in Sakey's understated prose that is neither too hard-boiled nor unfortunately flat but perfect to the task. This novel, with the premise of a desperate man endeavoring to discover his past and his estranged life is just good fun. If you get out of it what I did, even if this is your first Marcus Sakey novel, it will not be your last.



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Review: The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



It's my understanding that a couple of Sakey's books are in development as films and this is easy enough to imagine because "Daniel Hayes" is a taut and mysterious thriller. An L.A. noir at its heart, the riveting plot drags the reader from the rough, cold waters of a Maine shoreline across the country to the Hollywood hills and Malibu where perception and imagery is traded like so much coin. Sakey does an incredible job keeping the reader interested and on their toes, always revealing only just enough of the slowly unraveling events of the plot as are appropriate. It is written masterfully in Sakey's understated prose that is neither too hard-boiled nor unfortunately flat but perfect to the task. This novel, with the premise of a desperate man endeavoring to discover his past and his estranged life is just good fun. If you get out of it what I did, even if this is your first Marcus Sakey novel, it will not be your last.



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Review: Hypothermia

Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indriðason

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



While I enjoyed this book, I found the pacing inferior to the other novel I have read by Indridason, "Silence of the Grave." I love the character of Erlendur and the joyless, miserable sod he often is and I rather liked some of the supposedly supernatural overtones of this particular novel. However, at times it was a great deal like a tedious police procedural. Interview after interview after interview with no action to spice it up along the way. That is the only - but admittedly important - black mark on this book as far as I am concerned. Erlendur delivers as does Indridason with his portrayal of the characters and of Reykjavik, which itself often seems like a character in the novels. While this is not Indridason at his best, it is certainly a decent and compelling read.



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Review: The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



If you enjoy a good, old-fashioned ghost story, with just the right amount of creepiness, then Susan Hill's "The Woman in Black" is the book for you. It is a relatively short novel but it packs a wallop because it has it all. Set on the English coast in a bygone day when horse and buggy were still a common mode of transportation, the environs of the marsh at the edge of the estuary are wonderfully bleak and fertile ground for the disturbing events that take place at Eel Marsh House, which is where the protagonist, Arthur, must spend his time. The prose is beautifully written and suited to the time period with its long and lyrical cadence. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a gothic, atmospheric tale of a haunting that may call to mind certain works from Emily Bronte and the like. Wonderfully spooky.



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Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



There are so many out there who are already singing the praises of this first novel by Ransom Riggs, what could I possibly have to add?
I'm not sure but allow me to join in the chorus.
"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is quite simply one the most excellent books I have read recently. I don't think it's too much to say that this book is destined to become a classic in the Young Adult fantasy / science-fiction / adventure genres. Maybe even beyond them and into the realm of other "young adult" books we have come to regard as literary classics like "Wuthering Heights," "The Red Badge of Courage," and "The Lord of the Rings."
The book touches on timeless themes such as being stuck in a world in which one does not seem to fit, rites of passage into adulthood, and how we are often left to deal with the demons passed down to us by our elders. And it does so while avoiding the pitfalls often encountered in stories about young people, never seeming trite or embarrassingly dated.
As well, the book includes a number of odd but very authentic photographs that were discovered by Riggs and then worked into the story as either characters or events. It's a brilliantly executed and (as far as I know) original idea and really adds to the uniqueness of the novel.
I could gush on about "Peculiar Children" but for the sake of brevity, I will not. Nor will I summarize the plot since you can read about it for yourself if you have not already. However, I will tell you that you should read it. It is a wonderful story of peculiarity and adventure, filled with horror, hope and heart, that should be enjoyed far and wide.



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Review: Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I enjoyed Kendare Blake's first installment in this series, which follows a seventeen-year-old ghost killer to Thunder Bay where he encounters the most dangerous paranormal force he's tangled with to date.
Classified - appropriately, I think - as a Young Adult book, it is light on the high school drama and romance elements that might be considered both a hallmark and a blight of YA horror and it engages the reader well, keeping the pages turning. Later in the book, Blake does a few crafty things with the plot that I certainly did not see coming. (Surprises in fiction are good!)
Most of all, I enjoyed the main character, a young man who has seen more than anyone his age ought to have and is in possession of a sardonic sense of humor and a sharp tongue to go with his coltish and sometimes unrefined demeanor. If you've ever watched the hit television show, "Supernatural," then you'll find this character reminds one very much of Dean Winchester. That's a good thing and as a reference point, I believe that anyone who is fond of that show would find "Anna Dressed in Blood" to be a satisfyingly entertaining read.
It might even prompt you to pick up the next book, "Girl of Nightmares" when it is released in August of this year.



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Another E-reader Story Available

Although it is not new and I highly recommend patronizing the A Thousand Faces journal in which it appeared because there is good stuff in there, I thought I would make "Pain Upon Their Pain" available as a stand-alone short story downloadable to your preferred e-reader. At the moment, it is available only HERE at Smashwords but after a couple weeks it should be up for direct download to your Nook or Kindle.

Don't forget about the other short stories I have available. All for only 99 cents! You can view the full scope of downloadable content at my website purchase page here.