#bookreview – Page 23 – Rosepoint Publishing

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

Book Blurb:

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope–a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it.

My Review:

Enzo, the dog, does a great job of narrating the view of his time with Denny and his family. The book isn’t about the dog, it’s his POV of the family, their struggles with the mom’s illness, and the ultimate fight that Denny confronts as he fights for the right to keep custody of his daughter.

Denny dreams of being a race car driver. He loves his daughter and she is all that is left to him following his wife’s death—except racing. But being torn between racing and the love of his daughter is staring down another horrific loss.

Denny is a hard worker and it’s not easy for him to go on after the death of his beloved wife. It’s a tragedy, yes, but should that be compounded by another tragedy? His wife’s family believe they should raise their granddaughter.

Woven in and through the storyline is the dog’s view of what is happening to Denny, to the family, and the dog’s own love affair, both with his own canine love and that of being part of Denny’s life and racing. He can tell you more about cars and racing than you’d ever want to know and give you a way to enjoy the knowledge.

It’s interesting. Reveling in the wind, the smells, the sheer power underneath him, and the speed. Faster, faster! No, I haven’t done that in a car, though haven’t most of us fantasized about burning rubber? I never red lined my bike, but dragged pegs, and that is certainly an adrenalin rush.

I enjoyed the storyline, followed the nicely paced plot, right until it moved into absurdity which rather ruined it for me. The dog is intelligent, yes, but this moves beyond disbelief and fantasy. Also, I didn’t find it particularly funny. It’s heart-wrenching, indeed, and plays on the human qualities of love, trust, and hope, as well as the canine qualities of loyalty and empathy.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts. Did you read or listen to the well-narrated book or see the movie?

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Literature & Fiction
Publisher: HarperAudio
ASIN: B0019HXPIC
Listening Length: 6 hrs 56 mins
Narrator: Christopher Evan Welch
Publication Date: May 13, 2008
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: The Art of Racing in the Race [Amazon]

The Author: Garth Stein is the author of four novels: the New York Times bestselling gothic/historical/coming-of-age/ghost story, “A Sudden Light;” the internationally bestselling “The Art of Racing in the Rain;” the PNBA Book Award winner, “How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets;” and the magically realistic “Raven Stole the Moon.” He is also the author of the stage play, “Brother Jones.” He has a dog, he’s raced a few cars, climbed a bunch of really tall trees, made a few documentary films, and he lives in Seattle with his family. He’s co-founder of Seattle7Writers.org, a non-profit collective of 74 Northwest authors working together to energize the reading and writing public.

#ThrowbackThursday

Waking Up in Vegas by J E Rowney #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

in West Mountain United States Travel Books

Book Blurb:

Five best friends. One unforgettable bachelorette weekend. A Vegas adventure that will change their lives forever.

Jess has always been the responsible one, the planner. But for her bachelorette party in Las Vegas, she’s ready to let loose with her four best friends. VIP passes, exclusive clubs, and a weekend of carefree fun – what could possibly go wrong?

Everything, as it turns out.

When Jess wakes up in a bathtub full of ice with no memory of the night before, she knows something has gone terribly amiss. Her maid of honor and best friend Rachel is missing, and the other girls are scattered around their luxurious suite in various states of disarray. As they piece together the events of their lost night, they uncover a web of secrets that threatens to unravel their tight-knit group.

In the glittering, high-stakes world of Las Vegas, Jess and her friends must confront their deepest insecurities, question their trust in each other, and navigate the complex dynamics of female friendship. With each revelation, they’re forced to reevaluate not just their weekend, but their entire lives.

“Waking Up In Vegas” is an addictive psychological thriller that will resonate with anyone who’s ever tested the bonds of friendship. It’s about the choices we make, the secrets we keep, and the strength we find in each other when the chips are down.

Perfect for fans of “The Hangover” meets “Gone Girl,” this is one bachelorette party you won’t want to miss.

My Review:

What could have been one of “those” women fiction novels, and certainly starts as if it will with the bachelorette weekend plans orchestrated by Rachel, this one veers in the thriller direction rather quickly. Jess, the bride for whom all the plans have been laid, wakes the morning following their inaugural night out in Vegas in a tub of ice water.

OOPS! I’m wondering if she’s also missing a kidney, but this isn’t that type of thriller. It doesn’t take long before Jess takes in the destruction of the hotel suite but does take a little longer to find three of the others, Rachel being among the missing. The common denominator between them all, found in various bazaar conditions, is that none of them have any memory of the night before. So what happened? And where is Rachel?

They are a tight-knit group of five, with the last addition of Olivia. Lisa is handcuffed to a Bellagio employee and the other two are in equally outrageous circumstances. After some deliberation, they begin to pool what little memories each have of the night before. Jess thought Rachel’s constant attention to her phone with Cynthia, the party coordinator, felt suspicious and they determined their first consideration had to be to find Rachel.

As the day wears on, each character is described, developed, and the reader engaged. They investigate each new clue, where they went, what they did, and where it could have led to Rachel’s disappearance.

In the meantime, Vegas is first depicted as the exciting spectacle it is with lights, sounds, and most especially the searing heat, varying little between night and day, and then the somewhat dark, sinister crush of humanity in the underbelly. Each nuance adds to the tension and lays on another level of psychological stress. Trust each other? Trust Jess’s fiance’s warning? What kind of hold does Cynthia have over Rachel? Trust no one, including the police?

I have to admit I tired of some redundant angst but was also thrown by several twists that headed off in a totally different direction than I’d imagined and discovered there was no way I could second guess this one. That and the final denoument in conclusion provided a satisfying ending. Certainly unusual and well paced after a leisurely start and kept interest but I’d have my reservations with the way lessons are bestowed.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: West Mountain United States Travel Books, Travel, Heist Thrillers
ASIN: B0DG9NL9S9
Print Length: 280 pages
Publication Date: October 25, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

J E Rowney - author — J E Rowney – author

The Author: “Gaslight” is a gripping novel that tells the story of a young woman named Ella, who becomes convinced that she is being gaslit by her partner. As she struggles to uncover the truth, she is forced to confront the dark secrets that lie hidden in her own past.

Rowney’s writing style is known for being fast-paced and suspenseful, with a focus on building tension and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. She is skilled at creating complex, multidimensional characters and weaving together intricate plots that keep readers guessing until the very end.

In addition to her work as a writer, Rowney is also an advocate for mental health awareness and works to support mental health charities. This theme is often present in her books, which explore the impact of trauma and mental illness on the lives of her characters.

Overall, J.E. Rowney is a talented author who has gained a following for her gripping psychological thrillers. “Gaslight” is just one example of her ability to create unforgettable stories that leave readers on the edge of their seats.

Ms. Rowney says: “I always dreamed of being a writer, until I realised that I was. Then I started to write.”

You can find out more about JE Rowney on her website at jerowney.com, or follow @jerowneywriter on social media and @jerowney on TikTok

#TuesdayBookBlog

Summit’s Edge by Sara Driscoll #BookReview #cozyanimalmystery

An FBI K-9 Novel #9

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

FBI handler Meg Jennings and her K-9 partner, Hawk, vie to rescue plane crash survivors from a Colorado mountain—and contend with a hijacker determined to escape justice.

As long as there’s hope of finding life, no mission is too dangerous for Meg Jennings and her colleagues in the FBI K-9 unit. But locating the wreckage of a hijacked private plane high in the Elk Mountains of Colorado is treacherous in a multitude of ways—some of them impossible for even a seasoned team to predict.

The plane, carrying the board of directors of Barron Pharmaceuticals, crashed on a rocky peak and was cleaved in two. Perilous weather means the rescuers have to ascend on foot, with their dogs unleashed in case of falls. It takes hours to locate the wreckage, but miraculously, Meg and Hawk find a number of passengers and crew still alive. The hijacker also survived, and has fled into the wilderness with the CEO’s son in pursuit.

As soon as day breaks, the K-9 teams set out to find both men, and the dogs quickly pick up a scent trail. Meg has used her connections with an investigative reporter to learn as much as she can about the hijacker, hoping to use it when they apprehend him. But first, they must contend with the mountain’s savage fury and an adversary who will destroy as many lives as possible rather than face justice . . .

My Review:

I really don’t remember if I discovered this series with book one or came in somewhere and decided I needed to read the rest, but I have read all in the series and never get tired of the relationship between Meg and Hawk and the other handlers and their K-9s as well.

Each could be read as a standalone and each is unique in location and mission, sometimes including support characters within the K9 community or that of her fiancé Todd Wells. He is a firefighter/emt and is experienced in rescue.

In this episode, she is joined by fellow K9 handler Brian with his dog Lacey. They are sent to the Colorado mountains to search and hopefully recover survivors of a downed corporate aircraft carrying members of Barron Pharmaceuticals. It had been hijacked and it is unknown whether or not any survived, including the hijacker.

The first problem of course is the altitude, being known as the thirteen or fourteeners, those mountains exceeding 14,000 feet. (Hubby and I climbed Mt Fuji while in Japan and at almost 12,390 feet, as tall as I’d want to go. I can tell you, it’s cold up there. We hiked it by moonlight, all night, reaching the summit at daybreak.)

“A wise man climbs Mt Fuji once, only a fool climbs it twice.” (Japanese proverb)

Besides the inclusion of those beautiful service animals, the author always includes lots of info about the locations and specific missions. This one includes mountain climbing, of course, as well as weapons, high altitude illness, and preparedness.

The episode hooks you immediately with the hijacking of the plane and continues with a fast-pace through their climb, search, perilous conditions, definitions of the skill and associated equipment. Also, strategies and care of the animals in extreme conditions.

First, it’s a nail-biter finding the crash site which then extends into the search for the hijacker and the son of the CEO who’s followed the hijacker into treacherous upper wilderness. The suspense ramps up in intensity as the team begins feeling the pace, altitude, cold, and desperate conditions.

Hard put to name my favorite book of the series, not sure I could, but this one would definitely be in an upper position and heartily recommended.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Animal Mystery, Cozy Animal Mysteries, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Kensington Books
ASIN: B0CWB7VWSS
Print Length: 302 pages
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Sara Driscoll is the pen name of Jen J. Danna, coauthor of the Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries and author of the FBI K-9s and the NYPD Negotiators. After over thirty years in infectious diseases research, Jen hung up her lab coat to concentrate on her real love—writing “exceptional” thrillers (Publishers Weekly). She is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and lives with her husband and four rescued cats outside of Toronto, Ontario. You can follow the latest news on her books, including the FBI K-9s, at http://www.saradriscollauthor.com.

Have a good week!

Rosepoint Reviews – October Recap – Welcome Holiday Season (or not)

Rosepoint Reviews-October Recap

October kicks off the end of the year for us, beginning with our daughter’s birthday in the middle of October and then Halloween of course, although we no longer celebrate the latter as much as we did when the kids were young, I still decorate. Seems like it then begins a mad dash to the end of the year and this year a presidential election here in the colonies—so glad to see the end of that!!

As much time spent in the spring setting up the yard, the gardens, and all things outdoors, it takes as much to clean it back up. Perhaps more so this year with tackling the veggie bed and cleaning up roots and dirt clods turned to cement. It was a disappointing year for a garden, veggie or flower.

Trying to recognize a full year with Punkin the Pom, I read several doggie genre books, adventure or service animals. A Pomeranian is meant to be a companion animal, of course, but she has no clue that’s her job. I am still finishing up a doggy theme book I’d hoped to include in October, the latest from Sara Driscoll, and ran out of time and will post that review in early November. As mentioned before…Punkin is still learning to be a dog. I guess eventually we’ll have to begin teaching her some commands. In the meantime, it’s sufficient to be working on housetraining. (Yeah, still.)

I continue to get books from NetGalley as well as author and publisher requests, and my local library, both ebooks and audiobooks. The review count for the month was fourteen, but I included both W Bruce Cameron’s novels in one post. As always, links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase or source information.

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough (audiobook)
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty (audiobook)
Echo by Tracy Clark
What Have You Done by Shari Lapena (audiobook)
Going Dark by George K Mehok (CE review)
Death by Jelly Beans by Susan Black
A Dog’s Courage and A Dog’s Promise by W Bruce Cameron (audiobook)
Late Checkout by Alan Orloff (CE review)
An Insignificant Case by Phillip Margolin
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (audiobook)
The More the Terrier by David Rosenfelt (audiobook)
Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton (audiobook)
Death Comes in Threes by Michael Jecks (CE Review)

Favorite Book of the Month

The CE gave Going Dark by George K Mehok five stars but we both listened to The Johnstown Flood audiobook in our travels to and from Arkansas in September and loved it. The research, details, and characters so well-fleshed the reader cares what happens to them in the flood. I’m going with:

Favorite for October – The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

My Reading Challenges page…Reading Challenges page—pretty much status quo. My Goodreads Challenge is at 110 towards a goal of 130 at 85%.

Thank you new subscribers—welcome! I always appreciate those of you who continue to monitor, read, and comment on my posts. Hope this recap finds you well and looking forward to the holidays!

Have a great weekend!

Death Comes in Threes by Michael Jecks #BookReview #RenaissanceHistoricalFiction

A Bloody Mary Tudor Mystery Book

Book Blurb:

Princess Elizabeth’s unlikely assassin finds himself on the hook for two murders in this light-hearted Tudor mystery series!

August, 1558. As London is bustling with growing trade from foreign lands, and Queen Mary’s health is once again a hot topic, Jack Blackjack has much to keep him busy. And that’s before his new tenant – a Dutch merchant – disappears under a cloud of suspicion, quickly presumed murdered, and Jack’s latest female companion’s body is found mere streets from her dwelling place.

People around Jack keep inconveniently getting murdered, and he seems to be the most likely culprit! With both the authorities and the unsavoury echelons of London on his tail, nowhere is safe for Jack to hide. He must go about proving his innocence – and uncovering the mirky truth – while ensuring he doesn’t find himself dancing the Tyburn jig!

The question is – can he rely on friends in high – and very low – places to get him out of this ever-increasing mess?

For readers who like their historical mysteries with a dash of farce and frolicking fun!

His Review:

Britain in the late 1500’s was not a pleasant place to live. Serfdom was just coming to an end and wages were pitifully low. Anyone with property was a target to all of the oppressed population. One needed bodyguards to go to the pubs or houses of ill repute and were always a target of the poor. Jack Blackjack was one of those targets.

Jack maintained a number of houses and had many enemies. He was a dandy who enjoyed the favors of many of the young ladies in the village. He was known and often chased by those who hated him. He had worked with both Lady Elisabeth and Queen Mary and had received a Royal pardon for his crimes. This did not sit well with his enemies.

This tome reveals a time in history when individual life was not worth much. Being well armed with swords and knives as well as cudgels was essential. Jack continues to live by the craftiness of his upbringing and his attention to detail. Living in this part of the past would not be a welcoming environment. Enjoy Jack’s escapades. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Renaissance Historical Fiction, Historical Mysteries
Publisher: Severn House
ISBN:1448313805
ASIN: B0D9M8KVDG
Print Length: 258 pages
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Who is this guy Jecks?

Michael was a moderate student and early on, being a callow youth, decided on a career as an actuary. This decision was based solely on the fact that he heard it was the highest paid profession. Well, he had a father who was one, and a brother, too, but the money certainly helped.

Not realizing that a standard definition of an actuary is “someone who finds accountancy too exciting”, he achieved the relevant grades at A level and wandered off to City University, London. There, he excelled – as bar chairman – but not at actuarial studies. Firmly convinced that his course was incomprehensible (Life & Other Contingencies? Advanced Statistics? Programming in Pascal?) and other parts were designed by knaves, cretins and the criminally insane (Economics), he left the course after failing every exam for two years.

With the glittering example of a second, unqualified, brother who earned very good money, had a bonus scheme, free car, free petrol, expense account and free holiday each year, Michael decided to follow this brother into computer sales.

Moving to safer shores with software sales, Michael joined IBM’s largest software supplier, Bluebird. They went bust a year later (owing him a lot).

Out of Computing, Into Writing

In three months, Michael worked seven days a week, fourteen hours a day. In that time he wrote a modern day thriller, a management book on how to get work when made redundant (he had experience of that) and a historical crime novel that was to become The Last Templar.

Since 1995 and the launch of The Last Templar, Michael has been a persistent and prolific author. City of Fiends was the 31st story in the series that follows the lives of Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, a renegade Templar, and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock through the miserable period of famine, war and disease that was the first half of the fourteenth century.

The series is the first to tell the tale of that time.

Michael is a regular speaker about the Knights Templar, the end of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, about writing and publishing, and about finding work. He is also keen to help those who are now going through the latest recession. He endured enough hardship, and lost all his savings, during the last recession, and understands what it means to risk losing everything.

An enthusiastic photographer and watercolourist, Michael can often be seen walking across Dartmoor where he lives, gaining inspiration into the lives of our ancestors for his stories. When relaxing he can usually be found clad in white in a pub near you before dancing mad stick Morris.

Of course, if you want to contact him or link on social media, you can find him at writerlywitterings.com, he’s on YouTube as writerlywitterer, on LinkedIn, he is at Facebook.com/Michael.Jecks.author, at Flickr.com/photos/Michael_Jecks, on Instagram, Pinterest and everywhere else too! He appreciates hearing from readers, so do please contact him.

[Note: My apologies to the author but parts of this bio were truncated. Please see the author page for his complete story.]

Happy Thursday!

Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton #AudiobookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

Detective Elise King investigates a man’s disappearance in a seaside town where the locals and weekenders are at odds with each other in this rich and captivating new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Widow.

Elise King is a successful and ambitious detective–or she was before a medical leave left her unsure if she’d ever return to work. She now spends most days watching the growing tensions in her small seaside town of Ebbing–the weekenders renovating old bungalows into luxury homes, and the locals resentful of the changes.

Elise can only guess what really happens behind closed doors. But Dee Eastwood, her house cleaner, often knows. She’s an invisible presence in many of the houses in town, but she sees and hears everything.

The conflicts boil over when a newcomer wants to put the town on the map with a giant music festival, and two teenagers overdose on drugs. When a man disappears the first night of the festival, Elise is drawn back into her detective work and starts digging for answers. Ebbing is a small town, but it’s full of secrets and hidden connections that run deeper and darker than Elise could have ever imagined.

My Review:

I do enjoy mysteries and whodunits and always willing to try a new author to me. The blurb sets up a mystery involving conflict between the residents of a little seaside village and the seasonal weekenders who are buying up the older homes and turning them into luxury getaways.

And that prospect begins the storyline with a music festival that ends in tragedy when two teenagers OD. Guess I expected that’s the direction the plot would take, but you know what happens when you jump to assumptions.

The reader is introduced to Elise King, fighting her way through a cancer regime and still experiencing chemo brain. Admittedly, she acknowledges brain fog, memory loss, and concentration. She was a successful detective prior to her diagnosis and treatment and now would love to return to work. But she’s a little afraid to push it, recognizing her current limitations.

So when the teenagers OD and Charlie Perry disappears, Elise is a bit reluctant to jump back into her role when requested to do so by her old boss. Fortunately, she has a rather nosy older neighbor who would love to be an unofficial associate and is more than happy to help when Elise requests her assistance with Ronnie’s expertise in researching.

In the meantime…enter the housekeeper of many of the local homes forced into the role by the loss of her hubby’s job and income. Dee Eastwood has discovered she’s “invisible” to those whose homes she quietly goes about cleaning, while being privy to their conversations, secrets around the house, and their relationships.

Charlie Perry becomes sympathetic when the reader is introduced to his wife Pauline who appears to be more than a little narcissistic. But then it’s also discovered that Charlie wasn’t the sweet, friendly neighbor thought to be and in fact had put himself in a precarious financial position trying to care for his daughter.

Multiple POVs, lots of characters, many of whom are not wholly developed. The plot breaks down into sub-plots. I did like Elise and admired her successful struggle with her health circumstances, but with all the characters and a rather slow moving pace, there were times when I tuned out the narration of the audiobook. There is a twist at the end I didn’t expect and in the end a surprising discovery in conclusion.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Detective Mysteries, Psychological Thrillers
Publisher: Penguin Audio
ASIN: B09J1RPG7N
Listening Length: 10 hrs 19 mins
Narrators: Gabrielle Glaister, Jayne Entwistle, Nicholas Guy Smith
Publication Date: June 14, 2022
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: Local Gone Missing – Amazon-US
Amazon-UK

The Author: Fiona Barton’s debut, The Widow, was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and has been published in 36 countries and optioned for television. Her second novel, The Child, was a Sunday Times bestseller. Born in Cambridge, Fiona currently lives in Sussex and south-west France.

Previously, she was a senior writer at the Daily Mail, news editor at the Daily Telegraph, and chief reporter at the Mail on Sunday, where she won Reporter of the Year at the British Press Awards.

While working as a journalist, Fiona reported on many high-profile criminal cases and she developed a fascination with watching those involved, their body language and verbal tics. Fiona interviewed people at the heart of these crimes, from the guilty to their families, as well as those on the periphery, and found it was those just outside the spotlight who interested her most . . .

#TuesdayBookBlog

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe – #AudiobookReview #HumorousFiction&Satire

Best Books of the Year So Far 2024

Book Blurb:

Audiobook Narrated by Elle Fanning!

As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo Millet’s always known she’d have to make it on her own. So she enrolls at her local junior college, even though she can’t imagine how she’ll ever make a living. She’s still figuring things out and never planned to have an affair with her English professor—and while the affair is brief, it isn’t brief enough to keep her from getting pregnant. Despite everyone’s advice, she decides to keep the baby, mostly out of naiveté and a yearning for something bigger.

Now, at twenty, Margo is alone with an infant, unemployed, and on the verge of eviction. She needs a cash infusion—fast. When her estranged father, Jinx, shows up on her doorstep and asks to move in with her, she agrees in exchange for help with childcare. Then Margo begins to form a plan: she’ll start an OnlyFans as an experiment, and soon finds herself adapting some of Jinx’s advice from the world of wrestling. Like how to craft a compelling character and make your audience fall in love with you. Before she knows it, she’s turned it into a runaway success. Could this be the answer to all of Margo’s problems, or does internet fame come with too high a price?

Blisteringly funny and filled with sharp insight, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a tender tale starring an endearing young heroine who’s struggling to wrest money and power from a world that has little interest in giving it to her. It’s a playful and honest examination of the art of storytelling and controlling your own narrative, and an empowering portrait of coming into your own, both online and off.

My Review:

Okay…SORRY! I’m too old to know about OnlyFans…there IS such a thing? Not that I was ever in the loop, but at my age, I don’t even remember what the loop was. Obviously, it’s changed, and this narrative will pull the uninitiated oldsters into a whole new world of hip. (Or maybe hip is an old word too.)

I’m still debating about whether or not that’s a good thing.

I suppose I’m guilty of relating to the title and that cover? Oh yeah…that’s a gotcha.

I should have read the blurb, but even so having done that would not have prepared me for the smart and modern reality the reader is thrown into. (Sex and the City? Gasp.) But, as the blurb would tell it, when she keeps the baby from a brief affair with her English professor, her world will definitely do a 180. Not the baby fantasy she had in mind? Unemployment won’t stave off eviction? What to do if you need money…quick!

Jinx, her estranged father shows up needing a place to live. How timely. He’ll provide some childcare about the time she’s introduced to the idea of an OnlyFans website.

Innocent fun—you know? And as an ex pro-wrestler, Jinx has lots of advice on getting her site out there. He’s ready to help her promote.

Margo is no bimbo and she learns quickly. Her mother is totally disgusted with her but she has support from friends. After a learning curve, she’s astonished to discover it’s taking off and lucrative. Now she’s sparking off ideas, increasing her research, trying new staging techniques, getting braver in her presentations.

No, it’s not like I could identify with Margo, except for the money part, but the characters are all unique and very modern and forthright in blazingly raw and frank conversations.

There are several themes here, and pretty much all of them are taking me out of any comfort zone I have. While it’s a world alien to me, knowing it exists, and getting to know those who inhabit that world is a revelation.

The more determined Margo is to be successful, the deeper she sinks into moral undergrounds. Until, finally, she is questioning herself and looking for a reckoning. The author mixes in humor (laughter a great tension releaser), as she hones a perceptive and entertaining storyline that appears to go places I’d never have considered. It’s alternately heartwarming and shocking. And the baby in all of this? At times barely an afterthought.

The book is currently being adapted for television by A24 and AppleTV.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Humorous Fiction & Satire, Coming of Age Fiction, Humorous Fiction
Publisher: HarperAudio
ASIN: B0CJ5WLM5M
Listening Length: 10 hrs 21 mins
Narrator: Elle Fanning
Publication Date: June 11, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: Margo’s Got Money Troubles – Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Rufi Thorpe received her MFA from the University of Virginia in 2009. She is the author of four novels, The Girls from Corona Del Mar, Dear Fang, With Love, and her most recent, The Knockout Queen, which was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner award. Her newest book, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, is due out June of 2024. She lives in California with her husband and two sons, and teaches at The Book Incubator.

Happy Thursday!

An Insignificant Case: A Thriller by Phillip Margolin #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

A new standalone legal thriller from the international bestselling author of GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.

Charlie Webb is a third rate lawyer who graduated from a third rate law-school and, because he couldn’t get hired by any of the major law firms, has opened his own law firm, where he gets by handling cases for dubious associates from his youth and some court appointed cases. Described as “a leaky boat floating down the stream of life,” Charlie has led unremarkable life, personally and professionally. Until he’s appointed to be the attorney for a decidedly crackpot artist who calls himself Guido Sabatini (born Lawrence Weiss). Sabatini has been arrested – again – for breaking into a restaurant and stealing back a painting he sold them because he was insulted by where it was displayed. But as Lawrence Weiss, he’s also an accomplished card shark and burglar and while he was there, he stole a thumb drive from the owner’s safe.

Not knowing what else Sabatani has stolen, Webb negotiates the return of the painting and “other items’ for the owner dropping charges against Sabatini. But the contents of the flash drive threatens very powerful figures who are determined to retrieve it, the restaurant owner (Gretchen Hall) and her driver (Yuri Makarov) are being investigated for the sex trafficking of minors, and there are others who have a violent grudge against Sabatini. When a minor theft case becomes a double homicide, and even more, Charlie Webb, an insignificant lawyer assigned to an insignificant case, is faced with the most important, and deadliest, case of his life. Going back to his long-time bestselling roots, Phillip Margolin returns with a brilliant standalone legal thriller in the tradition of John Grisham.

My Review:

I have read and enjoyed a number of Margolin’s books but usually in the Robin Lockwood series. This one, as a standalone, creates what could be the start of another great series.

The reader is introduced to Charlie Webb, definitely not caliber class attorney material who barely scraped by from a third-rate school to become a third-rate lawyer. No problem, he opens his own office and, again, barely scrapes by with what business he can glean, most often lately from a motorcycle gang often finding its members in a hassle with law enforcement.

Gees, I loved him already!

So when he gets a file for Guido Sabatini, local artist and nut case, he takes it on thinking it’s a simple B and E. Well, then, of course, there is the small matter of his also lifting something from the safe he got into while on a mission to steal back his painting that found him insulted by its placement. He felt it should have been hung where the public would have full view—not in someone’s back office. Oops.

It’s not the painting so much as the little device he stole and that sets up a whole different breed of case and one not in Charlie’s bailiwick. He is badly in over his head, knows it, tries to refuse the case. Guido insists it must be he. I guess you have to start somewhere, but Charlie has to find some help—quick.

As you might suspect, it’s a fast read, engaging with unusual characters, and entertaining. Yes, there are some twists and it’s possible that a reader who enjoys not only a legal thriller, but mysteries, crime fiction, and courtroom dramas would enjoy this one. If you like Grisham, you’d surely like this as well.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Legal Thrillers, Murder Thrillers, Murder
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN-10: ‎1250885825
ISBN-13: ‎978-125088582
ASIN: B0CQHMJKWN
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: November 5, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: PHILLIP MARGOLIN has written over twenty novels, most of them New York Times bestsellers, including Gone But Not Forgotten, Lost Lake, and Violent Crimes. In addition to being a novelist, he was a long time criminal defense attorney with decades of trial experience, including a large number of capital cases. Margolin lives in Portland, Oregon.