Author Archives: szpinner

Believe it or not? Grisham writes a non-fiction book, one which some will find tedious reading because of its overwhelming attention to real life events in endless detail.

INSATIABLE APPETITES by Stuart Woods Synopsis It’s a time of unexpected change for Stone Barrington. A recent venture has achieved a great victory, but is immediately faced with a new challenge: an underhanded foe who’s determined to wreak havoc at … Continue reading →

One can never go wrong reading any John Grisham book. This applies here, no less, and its damned by faint praise. This is an entertaining and engaging read: FULL STOP. Synopsis In The Whistler, Lacy Stoltz investigated a corrupt judge … Continue reading →

The Keepsake By Tess Gerritsen If you like page-turning thrillers that hold your attention page after page, you can’t go with any Tess Gerritsen book that has a “New York Bestseller” attached to it. Synopsis New York Times bestselling author … Continue reading →

KiLL YOURS, KILL MINE Katherine Kovacic Synopsis Mia’s grief counselling practice, The Pleiades, is named for the seven sisters from Greek mythology who were the companions of the Goddess of the Hunt—and who, in some stories, die of grief or … Continue reading →

Stone Barrington is back in New York in this thrilling page-turner from the perennially entertaining, bestselling author, Stuart Woods. Synopsis After a rather harrowing sojourn in Key West, he’s looking to stay closer to home and work on some simple … Continue reading →

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL, Anthony Bourdain This review is not what you may expect. Anthony Bourdain committed suicide at 61. Why? Though I review the book, more than that, I criticize the man. Who am I to judge and what am I … Continue reading →

The usual page-turning popcorn read from Stuart Wood…but if that is what you want in your read right now, you can’t go wrong with any book written by this entertaining storyteller. Synopsis Cop-turned-lawyer-and-investigator Stone Barrington ventures out to the west … Continue reading →

Synopsis Cop-turned-lawyer-and-investigator Stone Barrington ventures out to the west coast and out on a limb-in this “stylish whodunit” (Detroit News) filled with romance and murder from the bestselling author of The Run and Worst Fears Realized. Stone’s trip to Venice-with a … Continue reading →

LAST TO DIE By Tess Gerritsen Synopsis For the second time in his short life, Teddy Clock has survived a massacre. Two years ago, he barely escaped when his entire family was slaughtered. Now, at fourteen, in a hideous echo … Continue reading →

Lidia: A Life of Love, Family, and Food Lida Bastianich is a renowned chef, famous cookbook writer and a very well-known restauranteur. Her book, Lidia: A Life of Love, Family, and Food should be read by Canadian and American immigrants … Continue reading →

Lidia: A Life of Love, Family, and Food Lida Bastianich is a renowned chef, famous cookbook writer and a very well-known restauranteur. Her book, Lidia: A Life of Love, Family, and Food should be read by Canadian and American immigrants … Continue reading →

An ambulance-chasing law firm that smacks of real-life possibility. Arguably not one of Grisham’s best, but the story will hold your attention. Synopsis: The partners at Finley & Figg often refer to themselves as a “boutique law firm.” Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. … Continue reading →

LOITERING WITH INTENT, Stuart Woods Synopsis The newest addition to the “New York Times”- bestselling Stone Barrington series. Dumped by his glamorous Russian girlfriend during dinner at Elaine’s, and running low on cash, Stone Barrington is having a bad week. … Continue reading →

LONG SHADOWS, David Baldacci Synopsis Memory man FBI agent, Amos Decker, returns in this action-packed thriller to investigate the mysterious and brutal murder of a federal judge and her bodyguard at her home in an exclusive, gated community in Florida. … Continue reading →

Stuart Woods always delivers good reading, consistently entertaining, and engaging page-turners. Synopsis A brand-new page-turning Stone Barrington novel from the perennially entertaining New York Times-bestselling author. It seems like just another quiet night at Elaine’s. Stone Barrington and his former cop … Continue reading →

KNIFE By Salman Rushdie Synopsis From internationally renowned writer and Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring—and surviving—an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him On the morning … Continue reading →

I have favourite authors, each the creator of a collection of great books. Among my favourite authors, I must include: David Baldacci Tess Gerritsen John Grisham Salaman Rushdie Stuart Woods These writers deliver great books without fail. Some do so, … Continue reading →

A sweeeeet read!

Marley & me, John Grogan Synopsis John and Jenny were young and deeply in love, with a perfect little house and no care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would … Continue reading →

Synopsis A lot has changed since Kitchen Confidential. For the subculture of chefs and cooks, for the restaurant business as a whole—and for Anthony Bourdain. Medium Raw explores those changes, taking the reader back and forth—from the author’s bad old … Continue reading →

The Mephisto Club Tess Gerritsen An oustanding book, top notch in every way from plot to engagement. Super reading. ____________ Synopsis Evil exists. Evil walks the streets. And evil has spawned a diabolical new disciple in this white-knuckle thriller from … Continue reading →

Teddy Fay is Stuart Woods channelling of Ian Fleming’s James Bond, but on the domestic stage rather than on the International one of espionage. Fay is ‘superman’ with sleuthing expertise and physical attributes a la Bond though his work is … Continue reading →

Bourdain may not have been the best writer in the world, nor the best chef, but he sure was a great raconteur. Synopsis New York Times Bestseller The good, the bad, and the ugly, served up Bourdain-style. Bestselling chef and … Continue reading →

NEVER SAY DIE Tess Gerritsen Synopsis Twenty years after her father’s plane crashed in the jungles of Southeast Asia, Willy Jane Maitland is finally tracking his last moves. She recognizes the danger, but her search for the truth is the … Continue reading →

SynopsisThe inspiration for Chloé Zhao’s 2020 Golden Lion award-winning film starring Frances McDormand. From the beet fields of North Dakota to the campgrounds of California to Amazon’s CamperForce program in Texas, employers have discovered a new, low-cost labor pool, made … Continue reading →

NOW OR NEVER, Janet Evanovich Synopsis She said yes to Morelli. She said yes to Ranger. Now Stephanie Plum has two fiancés and no idea what to do about it. But the way things are going, she might not live … Continue reading →

ORCHID BLUES, Stuart Woods Stuart Woods may be spot on in his guess that there is rivalry between the big investigative bodies, the FBI, the CIA, and the Secret Service. Synopsis Stuart Woods brings back small-town police chief Holly Barker—and … Continue reading →

PARIS MATCH, Stuart Woods Synopsis The book disappoints because it is more of a spy thriller than the usual detective story, regular Stone Barrington fans expect. Woods is not as familiard with Paris as his American stomping ground, New York. … Continue reading →

Playing with Fire Tess Gerritsen Fascism, nazis, WWII, Italy…the setting is almost a cliché, it has been used by so many authors in so many books. Synopsis A beautiful violinist is haunted by a very old piece of music she … Continue reading →

Arguably the greatest power in the world, the United States of America was brought to its knees by a wee, tiny, little germ, virus to be exact, COVID. The PREMONITION is the story behind the story.  PREMONITION, Michael Lewis  Synopsis  … Continue reading →

The RACKETEER, John Grisham Synopsis In the history of the United States, only four active federal judges have been murdered. Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five. His body is found in his remote lakeside cabin. There is no … Continue reading →

Synopsis It’s double the pleasure and double the fun as Woods brings series character Holly Barker, chief of the Orchid Beach, Fla., police department (of Orchid Blues, etc.), onstage to co-star with PI Stone Barrington (of Dirty Work, etc.) in his latest … Continue reading →

A true story about the incredible corruption, dishonesty and depravity in Russia.

The River We Remember William Kent Krueger Synopsis: On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner … Continue reading →

Run Before the Wind, Stuart Woods SynopsisWill Lee ran from a life of Southern wealth and privilege to spend a peaceful summer on the coast of Ireland. But there is no peace in this beautiful, troubled land… Restless and dissatisfied, … Continue reading →

Light, quick reading, but entertaining. You can’t lose reading a Stuart Woods book. SynopsisA respected senator from Georgia, Will Lee has aspirations of more.But a cruel stroke of fate thrusts him onto the national stage well before he expects, and … Continue reading →

The Satanic Verses (1988), novel of Indian-born British writer Salman Rushdie led Ruholla Khomeini, the ayatollah of Iran, to demand his execution and then forced him into hiding; Synopsis Set in a modern world filled with both mayhem and miracles, The Satanic Verses story … Continue reading →

Synopsis After a series of nonstop adventures, Stone Barrington is eager for some peace and quiet in a rustic British setting. But no sooner does he land in England than he’s beset by an outrageous demand from a beautiful lady, … Continue reading →

SCARBOROUGH By CATHERINE HERNANDEZ

The SECRET Lee Child Synopsis 1992. Eight respectable, upstanding people have been found dead across the US. These deaths look like accidents and don’t appear to be connected. Until one body – the victim of a fatal fall from a … Continue reading →

THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR Alka Joshi Synopsis It’s the spring of 1969, and Lakshmi, now married to Dr. Jay Kumar, directs the Healing Garden in Shimla. Malik has finished his private school education. At twenty, he has just met … Continue reading →

Stone Barrington is Stuart Woods most successful character, so much so, that he is the lead character in more than a dozen books by Woods. Barrington is a lawyer who works for a law firm as their ‘dirty cases’ handler. … Continue reading →

SEX, LIES and SERIOUS MONEY, Stuart Woods Stone Barrington takes on a client who gives him a run for his money in the newest heart-stopping thriller from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author. Synopsis Fresh off the runway at Teterboro, … Continue reading →

In the latest nonstop adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington must defend a woman whose business–and life–are under threat. Synopsis Stone Barrington is enjoying a round of golf in Key West when the game … Continue reading →

The SHORT FOREVER, Stuart Woods This Woods work as a NY Times bestseller is questionable. Synopsis The unflappable Stone Barrington comes face to face with two men whose lives are wrapped in shadows and lies—and who both still feel the … Continue reading →

The Silent Girl, Tess Gerritsen Chinese culture and mythology intrigues us. It has depth, fantasy and history deeper than any other culture it seems and Tess Gerritsen delves into this morass of mythology and mysticism while unravelling a tale of … Continue reading →

The Sinner Tess Gerritsen Good story, nicely written. Synopsis ‘They want us to know why they died…’Within the walls of a cloistered convent, a scene of unspeakable carnage is discovered. On the snow lie two nuns, one dead, one critically … Continue reading →

Sir John James Taylor De Facto Ruler of Ireland by Richard R. Pyves Chronicles the incredible story of the author’s great-grand-uncle, Sir John James Taylor, Assistant Under-Secretary of Ireland who was the de facto ruler of Ireland from 1918 – … Continue reading →

Six Graves to Munich, Mario Puzo Synopsis A novel of blood and vengeance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Godfather. Michael Rogan was an intelligence officer behind enemy lines in World War II Europe. But he … Continue reading →

Stuart Woods is an expert in writing literary comic books for adults, light, engaging, fun reads that can be read quickly and enjoyed as much and as quickly as a small bowl of salted nuts. As enjoyable and as quickly … Continue reading →

SPLIT SECOND, David Baldacci Synopsis Michelle Maxwell has just wrecked her promising career at the Secret Service. Against her instincts, she let a presidential candidate out of her sight for the briefest moment, and the man whose safety was her … Continue reading →

Synopsis Stone Barrington’s newest client does not seem the type to bring mayhem in his wake. A polite, well-deported gentleman, he comes to Stone seeking legal expertise on an unusual—and potentially lucrative—dilemma. Stone points him in the right direction and … Continue reading →

Strip Tease Carl Hiaasen Synopsis No matter what you heard or thought about the movie version of Strip Tease, forget it. Film simply can’t catch the layers of humor, satire, and imagination that author Carl Hiaasen creates in each of … Continue reading →

The SURGEON By Tess Gerritsen Synopsis A killer who targets lone women, who breaks into their apartments and performs terrifying ritualistic acts of torture on them before finishing them off. His surgical skills lead police to suspect he is a … Continue reading →

Whenever Jack Reacher takes the stage, Lee Child’s stories take flight. Jack Reacher is Child’s very colourful character that engages readers thoroughly if they like this genre of books: suspense, action and sleuthing. Child (and his character, Reacher) deliver action … Continue reading →

SHUT UP, YOU’RE PRETTY By Tea Mutonji Synopsis In Téa Mutonji’s disarming debut story collection, a woman contemplates her Congolese traditions during a family wedding, a teenage girl looks for happiness inside a pack of cigarettes, a mother reconnects with … Continue reading →

Rightly or wrongly, Tainna confirms many stereotypical views held by the majority of society. Synopsis Drawing on both lived experience and cultural memory, Norma Dunning brings together six powerful new short stories centred on modern-day Inuk characters in Tainna. Ranging from … Continue reading →

Taste: My Life through Food, Stanley Tucci Synopsis From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen. Before Stanley Tucci became a household name with The Devil … Continue reading →

The Apprentice Tess Gerritsen A murder mystery story. It is a boiling hot Boston summer. Adding to the city’s woes is a series of shocking crimes, in which wealthy men are made to watch while their wives are brutalized. A … Continue reading →

The Testament, John Grisham At times the book bogs down in detail and depth, but it becomes a worthwhile read with its logical and justifiable conclusion. Synopsis In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting … Continue reading →

Spine tingling…no. Engaging and plausible, absolutely.

When her husband mysteriously disappears in a plane crash into the Virginia countryside, a devastated wife must sort out truth from lies in this page-turning New York Times bestseller. SynopsisSidney Archer has it all: a husband she loves, a job at which … Continue reading →

Towards the Lightby Eva Henn Eva Henn hits all the emotional notes with her debut book: suspense, fear, adversity and horror. Above all those, the emotion that is the foundation of her book is love, love of family, sibling love … Continue reading →

TRANSIENT DESIRES, Donna LeonBrunetti Series Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti Series, is entertaining reading, particularly for those who have travelled to Venice. Brunetti is her police detective who sleuths in and around Venice, Italy. He’s a family man, with a wife who is … Continue reading →

TRIPWIRE Lee Child A story of American soldiers like no other. It makes one pause to consider the other casualties of America’s war efforts. An interesting read.

TURBULENCE Stuart Woods Synopsis In the electrifying new thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington finds himself pitted against both man and nature. Stone Barrington and several friends are vacationing in Florida when an extreme weather … Continue reading →

Synopsis Two-Dollar Bill delivers all the storytelling twists and whip-smart banter readers have come to love in Stuart Woods’s thrillers, as suave Manhattan cop-turned-lawyer Stone Barrington is back on his home turf caught between a filthy rich conman – who’s just … Continue reading →

Mediocre Woods, at best. SynopsisIn the wake of a personal tragedy, former CIA operative Teddy Fay—now a successful Hollywood film producer known as Billy Barnett—takes a leave of absence to travel and grieve, and lands in Santa Fe in the … Continue reading →

Gerritsen’s VANISH is based on current news stories relating to sex trafficking and international trafficking of people. VANISH becomes very engaging and rivetting because the storyline is so well written. Synopsis A blessed event becomes a nightmare for pregnant homicide … Continue reading →