I Walked the Line by Vivian Cash

May 29, 2023 By Leave a Comment


I Walked the Line by Vivian Cash
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction, Music, Autobiography
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

I Walked the Line is a chronicle of first love, long-kept secrets, betrayal, forgiveness, and the truth–told at last by Johnny Cash’s first wife, the mother of his four daughters.

It is a book that had the full support of Johnny Cash, who insisted it was time for their story to be told, despite any painful revelations that might come to light as a result.

Many myths and contradictions regarding the life of Johnny and his family have been perpetuated for decades in film and literature. Vivian exposes previously untold stories involving Johnny’s drug addiction, his fraught family life, and their divorce in 1968, as well as the truth behind the writing of two of Johnny’s most famous songs, “I Walk the Line” and “Ring of Fire.”

Supplemented by a never-before-published archive of love letters and family photos, I Walked the Line offers a deeper look at one of the most significant artists in music history. Here, fans and readers can experience the extraordinary account of love and heartbreak between Johnny and Vivian, and come to understand Vivian’s dignified silence over the years. Through this elegant, revealing, and powerful memoir, Vivian Cash’s voice is finally heard.

Haunting, sweet and sad.

I wanted to hear the words from Vivian Cash when it came to the breakup and how she handled it. What was her side? This book tells that and more. This isn’t a tell-all book, though. This is her life through her eyes. This is how she handled what she went through. But it’s more than that. Cash includes letters Johnny wrote to her during their time courting and eventual marriage. She shows his hopes, fears and how he interacted with her in his letters. Those looking for some huge tell-all and naughtiness won’t find it, but if you’re looking for tender letters and her side of the story, then this will satisfy. I’m glad I read it.

There are moments when the author gets a bit bitter, which is understandable. She thought the marriage was going okay until it wasn’t. She wasn’t prepared to handle Johnny’s drug use or his utter devotion to June. The author somewhat demonizes June Carter, but honestly, it’s not surprising because that’s how she saw the situation. I can’t fault her for being bitter or telling it how she saw it.

If you’re ready to hear Vivian Cash’s side of the story, then this is the book for you.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Calling Ukraine by Johannes Lichtman

April 18, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Calling Ukraine by Johannes Lichtman
Publisher: Marysue Rucci Books, Scribner
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree and author of Such Good Work Johannes Lichtman returns with a novel that is strikingly relevant to our times—about an American who takes a job in Ukraine in 2018, only to find that his struggle to understand the customs and culture is eclipsed by a romantic entanglement with deadly consequences.

Shortly after his thirtieth birthday, John Turner receives a call from an old college friend who makes him an odd job offer: move to Ukraine to teach customer service agents at a startup how to sound American. John’s never been to Ukraine, doesn’t speak Ukrainian, and is supposed to be a journalist, not a consultant. But having just gone through a break-up and the death of his father, it might just be the new start he’s been looking for.

In Ukraine, John understands very little—the language and social customs are impenetrable to him. At work, his employees are fluent in English but have difficulty grasping the concept of “small talk.” And although he told himself not to get romantically involved while abroad, he can’t help but be increasingly drawn to one of his colleagues.

Most distressing, however, is the fact that John can hear, through their shared wall, his neighbor beating his wife. Desperate to help, John decides to offer the neighbor 100,000 hryvnias to stop. It’s a plan born out the best intentions, but one that has disastrous repercussions that no amount of money or altruism can resolve.

Like Ben Lerner’s Leaving the Atocha Station and Garth Greenwell’s What Belongs to You, Calling Ukraine reimagines the American-abroad novel. Moving effortlessly between the comic and the tragic, Johannes Lichtman deploys his signature wry humor and startling moral acuity to illuminate the inevitable complexities of doing right by others.

Calling Ukraine presents an American journalist who is offered a job in Ukraine. John Turner’s old friend needs him to go there and teach Ukrainians in a call center how to sound American, in order to make calls go smoother and faster.

John packs his bags and heads there, where he knows very little about the language and culture. He runs into various characters who have their own way of teaching him about Ukrainian society—in and out of the office. He also meets an American woman who is there, and they strike up a temporary friendship.

John’s adventures start out innocent enough then get more troublesome. He finds himself in a difficult situation and can’t handle it the way Americans would back home. He comes up with a strange solution, but this takes a very bad turn. From then on, he’s looking over his shoulder, very anxious of being thrown into a Ukrainian prison.

The book is fast-paced and entertaining. There was one part that stands out as too judgmental, when John has a conversation about Gen X. He is harsh with this generation, and his views don’t sound accurate, but rather like someone younger judging an age group and not understanding how it really was—based on a television sitcom. However, the book is good, with rising tension and complex characters, and it is not predictable. This story was informative about Ukraine and enjoyable.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Body Counts: A Memoir of Activism, Sex, and Survival by Sean Strub

August 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Body Counts: A Memoir of Activism, Sex, and Survival by Sean Strub
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Historical, Contemporary, Memoir, Non-Fiction
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

As a politics-obsessed Georgetown freshman, Sean Strub arrived in Washington, DC, from Iowa in 1976, with a plum part-time job running a Senate elevator in the US Capitol. He also harbored a terrifying secret: his attraction to men. As Strub explored the capital’s political and social circles, he discovered a parallel world where powerful men lived double lives shrouded in shame.

When the AIDS epidemic hit in the early 1980s, Strub was living in New York and soon found himself attending “more funerals than birthday parties.” Scared and angry, he turned to radical activism to combat discrimination and demand research. Strub takes you through his own diagnosis and inside ACT UP, the organization that transformed a stigmatized cause into one of the defining political movements of our time.
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From the New York of Studio 54 and Andy Warhol’s Factory to the intersection of politics and burgeoning LGBT and AIDS movements, Strub’s story crackles with history. He recounts his role in shocking AIDS demonstrations at St. Patrick’s Cathedral as well as at the home of US Sen­ator Jesse Helms. With an astonishing cast of characters, including Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, Keith Haring, Bill Clinton, and Yoko Ono, this is a vivid portrait of a tumultuous era.

I wanted a hard-hitting book that would make me think and this one fit the bill.

I’d seen this book on lists at the library and decided I wanted to try it, so I did. This book is well-written and thought-provoking. I can’t imagine going through the things Sean Strub did–seeing friends and lovers die of a disease no one wanted to deal with. He paints a vivid picture of the epidemic and how it wasn’t handled, but how it also affected him as a person. It’s not an easy read. It’s painful in spots because of the emotion involved.

I love how he managed to take his diagnosis and turn it into something positive. He created POZ magazine, despite running into roadblocks.

This is a good, but mentally tough book that should be read by anyone wanting to know more about AIDS or activism. Recommended.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anne Klauser

November 14, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anne Klauser
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Contemporary, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (247 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

A simple and effective guide to turning your dreams into reality by taking matters into your own hands, filled with down-to-earth tips and easy exercises.
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In Write It Down, Make It Happen, Henriette Anne Klauser, PhD, explains how simply writing down your goals in life is the first step toward achieving them. Writing can even help you understand what you want. In this book, you will read stories about ordinary people who witnessed miracles large and small unfold in their lives after they performed the basic act of putting their dreams on paper. Klauser’s down-to-earth tips and easy exercises are sure to get your creative juices flowing. Before you know it, you’ll be writing your own ticket to success.

With Write It Down, Make It Happen you can find the perfect mate, buy your dream house, get a great new job, wake up happier, travel the world, or even have a better relationship with your teenager.

I’m not sure where I received the inclination to pick this book but I’m glad I did. The author’s writing was so welcoming and the way she structured the book I was able to complete the book on a lazy cold day. It seems such a simple thing to write down our thoughts and our goals but to put this simple task into action seems to be my biggest challenge. With the many notes that I wrote down for quick future reference and the wise advice I received from reading this book I felt energized and excited about putting the author’s teaching to good use. While reading I wasn’t only thinking about myself but my daughter who’s currently in nursing school, my son who’s a senior in high school and a friend of mine who’s been procrastinating on starting real estate school. I can’t wait to share the quotes and shared experiences that will surely be encouraging to those that I love and that perhaps need a positive push to keep going or to just start something getting out of their comfort zone.

I felt inspired and uplifted after reading this book. This is a book for anyone who is willing to see change in their life or circumstances. There is no set formality. The author’s simple requests are to date your writings and to keep writing. I like that the author didn’t only write a book on writing things down, she covered all aspects that someone interested in writing their own life script will be able to carry the task out successfully. The book includes stories and the outcome from ordinary people who have performed the basic act of putting their goals on paper. The book included questions that readers may have, and the author included answers and true personal examples that may help the readers see how an individual may be encouraged to clear their mind, identifying what they want and also know what to do when obstacles or fears may deter us.

Writing down your goals in life is the second step towards achieving them, reading this book should be the first step.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Elevation by Stephen King

February 8, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Elevation by Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (160 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Although Scott Carey doesn’t look any different, he’s been steadily losing weight. There are a couple of other odd things, too. He weighs the same in his clothes and out of them, no matter how heavy they are. Scott doesn’t want to be poked and prodded. He mostly just wants someone else to know, and he trusts Doctor Bob Ellis.

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Losing weight without seeming to lose mass…seems strange, doesn’t it?

I’m a sucker for the work of Stephen King. I see a new book and have to have it. When I saw Elevation was coming out, I jumped. The writing flows well. Once I started the book, I had to finish. There was no putting it down and walking away for me. The characters drew me in and I wanted to know what would happen next.

I have to admit I thought the plot, a man losing weight mysteriously, was a tad tired on King’s part. But this take on the trope is fresh. I liked how the author infused bits and pieces of the world right now, too. It felt relevant to what the world is at this moment.

I didn’t like Scott at first. He came across crotchety. But as the story unfolded, I came around to him. Actually, I came around to the rest of the characters. They’re relatable. They’re human. I loved it.

This is a shorter story for King. Keep that in mind. But while it’s short on pages, it’s got a good, solid story. It’s worth the hour or so to read it. If you’re interested in something fresh and contemporary, but still from the mind of Stephen King, then this might be the story you’re looking for.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Finders Keepers by Stephen King

July 1, 2015 By Leave a Comment

KEEPERS
Finders Keepers by Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (431 pages)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A masterful, intensely suspenseful novel about a reader whose obsession with a reclusive writer goes far too far—a book about the power of storytelling, starring the same trio of unlikely and winning heroes King introduced in Mr. Mercedes

“Wake up, genius.” So begins King’s instantly riveting story about a vengeful reader. The genius is John Rothstein, an iconic author who created a famous character, Jimmy Gold, but who hasn’t published a book for decades. Morris Bellamy is livid, not just because Rothstein has stopped providing books, but because the nonconformist Jimmy Gold has sold out for a career in advertising. Morris kills Rothstein and empties his safe of cash, yes, but the real treasure is a trove of notebooks containing at least one more Gold novel.

Morris hides the money and the notebooks, and then he is locked away for another crime. Decades later, a boy named Pete Saubers finds the treasure, and now it is Pete and his family that Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney, and Jerome Robinson must rescue from the ever-more deranged and vengeful Morris when he’s released from prison after thirty-five years.
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Not since Misery has King played with the notion of a reader whose obsession with a writer gets dangerous. Finders Keepers is spectacular, heart-pounding suspense, but it is also King writing about how literature shapes a life—for good, for bad, forever.

Imagine being a writer who decides to step down at the top of his or her game. Now imagine knowing the characters have more to say, but you’re not sure it’s any good. Oh, and someone wants you dead…

So brings together one of my favorite threesomes–Bill Hodges, the hard-boiled former detective, Holly Gibney, a slightly off-kilter, bvut sweeet woman who is a genius at the computer and Jerome Robinson, the smart-as-heck teen who seems to know just how to work with Holly and Bill to get the job done.

I love Stephen King’s work. It’s some of my favorites to read. When I saw Finders Keepers was up for preorder, I put in my order. I’m glad I did. I devoured this book in one day–nearly in one sitting. The writing is tight, for King, and suspense-filled. I couldn’t put it down.

I felt like I was right there in the car with Bill, finding the Moleskins and money along with Pete and trying to unravel the mystery before time was up.

I won’t disclose too many details. The story is just that delicious and should be savored. There are plot twists all over the place and reading this was like spending time with old friends while working out a mystery.

If you’re in the mood for something dark and full of suspense, then pick up this gripping read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

March 5, 2015 By 1 Comment

DLEEP
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Publisher: Gallery Books, Scribner
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (531 pgs)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Stephen King returns to the characters and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance (the boy protagonist of The Shining) and the very special twelve-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.

On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky twelve-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the “steam” that children with the “shining” produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant “shining” power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.”

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One word: gripping. Oh, and I will NEVER look at a caravan of RVs the same way ever again.

I really liked The Shining. I did. It scared the bejesus out of me.  Doctor Sleep follows Dan, the little boy from The Shining. He’s now all grown up and bearing scars of his own. He’s still got the shining, but with those adult experiences and situations, he’s a different kind of man. And he’s about to meet a girl who not only matches him, but outdoes him with the shining.

I love the work of Stephen King. But I go in with my eyes wide open. I know there will be sputters and potholes along the way. This book isn’t one of those sputters. The writing clicks along at a good pace and ensnared me in the story. When I had to put the book down, I didn’t want to. It’s that gripping.

Now, about those RVs. The True Knot, the people wanting to consume the steam created from the people with the shining, drive around all day in these RVs. No one notices them because, well, big hulking RVs are everywhere on the highway. I’m not sure if King was going for a parallel to danger being all over the place but hard to spot because we see it all the time, but if he was, kudos. Just that part alone got me thinking. Danger really is everywhere and in the most benign locations. Oh and watch out for the lady in the hat. Yikes.

I liked the characters of Abra and Dan. Honestly, I liked the little boy back in The Shining. But boy, did that kid go through some crap. Wow. I’m glad King returned to this character and let the readers see what he’s been up to. Dan Torrance, the redrum kid, is not Doctor Sleep. Along with a cat named Azzie, he works at a hospice facility (or as Abra calls it, the hot spice facility). When the patients are about to expire, the cat always knows and tells the staff. I loved this angle. Dan, then goes in and assists the patient. Now some might consider this a downer. It is, but I liked how King shows Dan’s softer side – now that he’s had the hard edges worn down.

Then there’s Abra. Yes, like Abracadabra. An interesting name for an interesting little girl. She’s got the shining, but on high voltage. She sees things though the eyes of others and can reach out to Dan through the chalk board. Sounds bizarre? It gets better. The True Knot want this girl. Like REALLY want her. I liked her. She’s spunky and quirky. She’s got a mind of her own and even though she’s still a kid, she’s smart. I wanted to see her come out on top.

Are you intrigued? You should be. The horrific parts of the book deliver. Definitely some seat-squirming. But there is a heart to this story and it’s one that shouldn’t be missed.

If you want a book that will haunt you, make you think, oh and make you want to keep the light on at night, then this might be the book for you. Recommended.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Revival by Stephen King

February 5, 2015 By 1 Comment

REVIVAL
Revival by Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Contemporary, Horror, Recent Historical
Length: Full Length (403 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A dark and electrifying novel about addiction, fanaticism, and what might exist on the other side of life.

In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverend Jacobs — including Jamie’s mother and beloved sister, Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, this charismatic preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town.

Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from the age of thirteen, he plays in bands across the country, living the nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll while fleeing from his family’s horrific loss. In his mid-thirties — addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate — Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.

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Stephen King isn’t called the master of horror for nothing. His books are guaranteed to cause nightmares and to stick with the reader long after the last page. This book was no different.

I’ll admit. The beginning seemed slow. Really slow. I thought, there is no way this all works together. Why am I still getting these little tidbits of information? Hang in there, because it really does all go together.

Now all these little bits aren’t boring. I felt like I got to know Jamie Morton quite well. I could pretty much see the guy. I didn’t like him–not all the time, but I could see why he did what he did. The sweet little boy starts out just that. Sweet. It’s life and experiences in various bands that help to shape him and make him into a bit of a monster. He’s redeemable and that’s worth reading.

Then there’s Charles Jacobs. He’s a minister and seems to be quite good. But what he seems and who he is aren’t the same things. This guy…he brought a whole slew of emotions in me. I liked him, felt sorry for him, wanted to throttle him, then pitied him. He’s an interesting character. He’s full of surprises and ratchets up the fear factor by being someone you could know in real life.

There were times while reading this book that I wasn’t sure what would happen next. The term revival isn’t just for the title. Revival pertains to not only the religious situations, but also to life. Just when it seems like something can’t turn for the better, it does. It also turns for the worse. That’s what was so…scary good about this book. I never know what would happen and sure as heck didn’t see the ending coming. Wow.

If you want a book that will stay with you long after the last page with haunting characters and a plot that’s complex but interesting, then this is the book for you.  Recommended.

Filed Under: Horror, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Bones Are Forever by Kathy Reichs

September 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Bones Are Forever by Kathy Reichs
A Temperance Brennan Book
Publisher: Scribner Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (304 Pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Foxglove

A newborn baby is found wedged in a vanity cabinet in a rundown apartment near Montreal.

Dr Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist to the province of Quebec, is brought in to investigate. While there, she discovers the mummified remains of two more babies within the same room.

Shocked and distressed, Tempe must use all her skills and inner strength to focus on the facts. But when the autopsies reveal that the children died of unnatural causes, the hunt for the mother – a young woman with a seedy past and at least three aliases – is on.

The trail leads Tempe to Yellowknife, a cold, desolate diamond-mining town on the edge of the Arctic Circle, where her quest for the truth only throws up more questions, more secrets, and more dead bodies.

Taking risks and working alone, Tempe refuses to give up until she has discovered why the babies died. But in such a hostile environment, can she avoid being the next victim?

When the body of a newborn is found stuffed under a bathroom vanity in a dingy Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec apartment, the call goes out to forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. As the Quebec police search the apartment, two more tiny bodies, mummified, are found hidden. With no sign of the mother, Brennan and detective Andrew Ryan are determined to track down the elusive mother and find justice for the little ones. When they travel to the town where she lived before Saint-Hyacinthe, yet another tiny body is found, and everyone is frantic to find the woman. When the trail leads to the Northlands of Canada, things start to get tangled with other crimes, all connected to the family of the mother. As people keep dying, Brennan becomes enmeshed in a fight for her life, as well ass stopping the murderers from stealing an innocent woman’s only faamily legacy. Add in an obnoxious ex lover or two, and things become sticky. Can Brennan find the mother before things get out of control? Can she stop the crooks from bilking everyone involved? Can she stay alive long enough to solve this latest case to the satisfaction of all concerned?

I want to say, I have been a big fan of Kathy Reichs and her Temperance Brennan books from the very first one. I have enjoyed watching as Temperance has grown, using her brains to get ahead, not caring for all the red tape and maneuvering so prevalent in police procedure. The glimpses into lab procedure and the historic desciptions of the Northern Diamond Rush are wonderful, and I was surprised to know that Canada is a large producer of diamonds. The research here is flawless and fascinating, and I was inspired to read more about it.

Temperance Brennan is her usual efficient and capable scientist here, but she is also a mother, and feels a bit of sympathy for these poor abandoned babies. And she is determined to track down the mother and bring her to justice for these four innocents lost too soon. One other thing about Brennan, is her ability to see past the surface, and as she learns more about the missing Annaliese (or Amy/Alma/Alice), she discovers a simple girl, unable to understand life, and scared for her life.

There are the usual cast of supporting characters here, if not present, then at least mentioned throughout: Brennan’s ex-husband Pete, her daughter Katy, who throws Brennan a real curve ball of a surprise, and the staff at Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de medecine legale in Montreal, Brennan’s Canadian base. Add in two former lovers, Andrew Ryan and Oliver ‘Ollie’ Hasty of the Edmonton police, a man from Brennan’s days at Quantico, and the atmoshere gets tense at times. But in spite of her past with these two, Brennan is all buiness here, as she gets caught up in the chase to catch the killer or killers before they catch up to her.

All in all, this book kept me up reading long after I should have been sleeping, with edge of my seat danger and tangled webs of deceit around every corner. Kathy Reichs once again proves why I have followed Temperance Brennan on her adventures, and satisfies one more time.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Suzy’s Case by Andy Siegel

August 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Suzy’s Case by Andy Siegel
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, contemporary
Length: Full length (356 pgs)
Rated: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

A dogged and ingenious seeker after justice, New York attorney Tug Wyler is, at the same time, very much a law unto himself. A street-smart idealist and a born cut-up, he thinks on his feet in always unpredictable ways. Given the highly competitive nature of his specialty — a personal injury practice being no game for sissies — it’s worth it to him to grab the chance when a potentially lucrative edge comes along.

Enter Henry Benson, a high-profile criminal lawyer, with a file case of unsavory clients in need of just the sort of representation at which Tug excels. Clearly, it’s a pact with the devil, but when it comes to pitting his own comfort zone against a challenge, Tug’s an incorrigible risk-taker.

When Benson first hands off to him the case of the severely brain-damaged child Suzy Williams — whose mother has been pursuing restitution for her daughter for six long years against a resistant hospital’s defense team of lawyers — the actual criminal connection involved isn’t immediately clear. And what Benson seems to want from Tug is to shut it down. The verbal report to Tug, from Benson is there is no case — get us out of it gracefully.

Yet, once Tug meets the massively disabled but gallant little Suzy and June, her beautiful and resourceful mom, all bets are off. Then, without any warning and completely mysteriously, his soon passionate commitment to their cause thrusts him into a surreal sideshow of danger and violence.

Written in a quick, conversational style, Suzy’s Case is engaging and unpredictable. The main character, Tug Wyler, is an attorney – but hardly your garden variety type. In Suzy’s Case he hastily reveals himself as a quick-witted off-beat investigator. If anyone calls Wyler ‘Mr. Sensitivity’ you can be sure they are being sarcastic. He does – once in a while – let on that he can be a touch soft-hearted, but in the main he’s tough, sarcastic and politically incorrect. Ok, possibly he has a right to be – we find him going from worrying over a client’s injuries to (in rather macabre yet resigned fashion) planning a funeral for the as-yet living.

Repeat: Suzy’s Case is unpredictable.

Admittedly, I found the verb tenses/lack of harmony distracting- as well as some seriously long sentences. Style not incorrect but occasionally annoying. Mr. Siegel tests out things like making a list (literally, 1. 2. 3.) of items the main character is thinking and then also attempting to show a discussion via computer, using a different font. Although it does rather fit the conversational tone, it is also simply disruptive to the flow of the story.

Events are unpredictable, conversations are combative, some situations are downright heartbreaking. There is something of the hard-boiled style here- yet there is more. Descriptions exist, yet contribute to the rapid forward pace. It is ultimately engaging and interesting, and though I wanted to dislike it, I sensed this book – like the main character – just doesn’t care what I think. And that is part of its charm.

If you grab this book, it will grab you back. More than worth the read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,