Reviews 
Whether it be a book, movie, or something else, here’s a critique.
The Women
“Jungle Red!” Who could forget the battle cry of Mary Haines (as played by Norma Shearer)? Or this pivotal plot point? I’d first heard of the film, The Women (1939), in relation to Gone with the Wind. The Women was a sort of consolation prize to those actress who did not win the coveted role… Read More ›
Odysseus on the Rhine
Book by Edward S. Louis Though not my favorite hero of legend, I was intrigued by the title of this book by Edward S. Louis. Odysseus on the Rhine imagines the further adventures of Odysseus and other veterans of the Trojan War in this solid, entertaining “sequel.” Even those not familiar with their mythology will find… Read More ›
Desperate Housewives
Since its start seven years ago with the suicide of Mary Alice, I’ve been a fan of Desperate Housewives. Though at times the writing has not been stellar, the show has alway managed to entertain (and been fodder for water cooler chatter at work.) Tonight’s season finale was the show at its best, smoothy integrating… Read More ›
The Wheel of Fortune
I’m not referring to the game show, but instead, to one of my top ten favorite novels of all time. Susan Howatch’s The Wheel of Fortune, published in 1984, over 1000 pages, is a fascinating family saga. Welcome to Oxmoon, an estate in Wales, home to the wealthy Godwins. Over the course of fifty years and four… Read More ›
Murder on the Orient Express
Finally, I’ve been able to watch the David Suchet version of Murder on the Orient Express. Many have said Suchet is the perfect Poirot, and I wholeheartedly agree. Though not the first actor to portray the Belgian detective, he has seemingly channeled the character right out of the pages of Agatha Christie’s novels and short… Read More ›
North Avenue Irregulars
Normally I don’t give away the endings of books or movies, but this one’s smash ’em up car derby is just the best one ever! I loved this movie from the first time I saw it in the theaters back in 1979. From the opening cartoon intro to the zany misadventures of the six church… Read More ›
Death Notice
Murder is announced before it happens in this mystery suspense thriller! In this debut novel, an elderly farmer is gruesomely murdered and found in a homemade coffin on the side of the highway. It would appear that a serial killer has come to a small Pennsylvania town, or has he? Nick Donnelly has been chasing… Read More ›
Asa, As I Knew Him
The premise of this book is most intriguing. One that could inspire any writer to craft a dozen or more stories, novels, or characters. Published in 1987, this was once a book I reshelved time and again when I was a Page at the Library I work at. Something about the cover and the book… Read More ›
Dog Days
Looking for something to read while waiting for the next Harry Dresden book? John Levitt’s Dog Days series might suit. This urban fantasy series is set in present day San Francisco, a setting that is captured well in the story’s narrative. Our hero here is Mason, a magic practitioner, who once served as a sort… Read More ›
The Company of Wolves
Because I have a love of fairy tales–even if they’re twisted and dark–and as there’s the new Red Riding Hood movie (starring Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman) due out soon, I thought I’d revisit a curious movie that is like a waking dream, The Company of Wolves. In this 1984 version of the Little Red… Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini 