End of Watch by Stephen King - last part of the The Bill Hodges Trilogy

The story of a retired detective Bill Hodges came to an end. The story, which began in the novel Mr. Mercedes, continued in Finders Keepers, has its finale in the End of Watch. This is my review.

I have written several times about Stephen King, and every time I emphasized that I love his books (I read all, see my ranking of his novels), and I am constantly impressed by the hard work, diligence and creativity of the writer.

End of Watch isn't one of his best works, but keeps level - it is a well-written and well-told story of a detective mixed with elements of the paranormal. Specialty of Stephen King :-)

If you have enjoyed Mr. Mercedes (see review) and Finders Keepers (my review), it seems to me that I no longer have to convince you to read this book.You buy it, I'm sure :)

On the other hand, those who did not read about the adventures of a retired policeman, I encourage to read the first part. Of course each of them can be read as a stand-alone story, because Stephen King smoothly weaves the most important information about past events, so even if you do not know the fate of previous heroes of "End of Watch", you will learn everything necessary. But it has its minus - if you decide to then read the Mr. Mercedes or continuation - disappears element of surprise, because you will know exactly what happened.

Different points of view
End of Watch for me it's also a good example of how to in novels refer to the past and not to get bored readers who read the earlier books, and tell important information to readers, who do not read previous titles.

King uses an interesting method - an event that we know from the first part tells from the different perspective - we know what's going to happen, but we look at it from another angle, because the author also focuses on other characters.

End of Watch it's a good book, therefore, I recommend :-). And I am glad that the author is already working on another novel! It is to be titled Sleeping Beauties. Interestingly, Stephen King will co-writes it in collaboration with his son Owen. Planned premiere - somewhere in 2017.

Buy End of Watch on Amazon! >

Book review: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King

In 2010 came out very good collection of short stories by Stephen King called Full Dark No Stars. Since then, the writer published several novels and prepared a new volume of stories - The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.

In The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (see description on Amazon) there are twenty short stories, each one has an introduction, where King tells us how he came up with the idea, and why he decided to write it down.

The author devotes a lot of space reflection on death, suffering, aging. And it's not surprisingly, you have to remember that King has almost 70 years old. The writer himself, however, points out that he looking mainly for a good story, so looking into these categories - unfortunately, some stories are weak or have a bad ending.

This does not change the fact that Stephen King once again proves that it is an extraordinary observer of daily life and has an incredible talent for concise, short dialogues that reflect the great character of the people and the relationships between them.

I love the work of King (see my rating of his books). Would I recommend The Bazaar of Bad Dreams? Only those who already know other collections of the author and want to learn what's new Stephen King wrote. To everyone else I can recommend the previous volume of short stories - Full Dark No Stars, which are very, very, good.

I think that The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is not a book for people who previously did not read other works by King, because I am convinced that this only discouraged you to read another books by Stephen King.

Writer admits he is primarily a novelist and loves long stories that allow readers to sink in the world. They are like a marriage, while the sort story is only like fleeting romance :-)

Which stories I liked the most and deserve attention in my opinion? I will mention seven: Premium Harmony, Ur, The Dune, Bad Little Kid, Blockade Billy, Obits and That Bus Is Another World.

Buy this book on Amazon.com  >

Closed Winter by Jorn Lier Horst - good crime novel from Norway

My review: Closed Winter is an interesting crime novel about police work, where the most important elements are collecting and analyzing evidence and ongoing conversations with people. If you like this kind of stories, when reach for this book of the Norwegian author Jorn Lier Horst.

What you should know? Author worked for many years in the police, he was the head of the investigation department of the District Police in Vestfold, Norway. Professional experience, knowledge about how daily operational work in Police looks like (he retired from service in 2013) and ability to creating unusual plots helps Horst to write very interesting crime books.

Main character: William Wisting
Jorn Lier Horst writes detective stories with Police Commissioner William Wisting in the lead role. You can buy 10 novels with this character, but you don’t have to read them in order. Of course, where are connection between books, but they are not blockers to buy titles randomly.

Closed Winter - description of the book from Amazon:
"The summer cottages are closed and peace is settling over the coast of Vestfold, Norway, but the autumn fog conceals evil deeds. Ove Bakkerud, newly separated and extremely disillusioned, is looking forward to a final quiet weekend at his summer home before closing for winter but, when the tourists leave, less welcome visitors arrive. Bakkerud's cottage is ransacked by burglars. Next door, he discovers the body of a man who has been beaten to death.

Police Inspector William Wisting has witnessed grotesque murders before, but the desperation he sees in this latest murder is something new. Wisting's unease does not diminish when he discovers several more corpses on the deserted archipelago. Meanwhile, dead birds are dropping from the sky".

Great plot
In Closed Winter there are some surprising moments. One scene in particular is very memorable. I wish I could write more about it, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. But it worth to read the whole book even for this one scene :-)

Story is multidimensional, the writer skillfully weaves different threads to make it more difficult to explain what really happened on the day of the murder. If you like crime novels written by Henning Mankell with Kurt Wallander in the main role (see top 5 best books by Henning Mankell), I think you will also be interested in inspector William Wisting’s adventures.

What I particularly like about Horst’s book? Details. It feels that author knows exactly what he writes. In a few words he can accurately describe the steps in an ongoing investigation. I must admit that Horst came up with a really interesting character.

History has a few flaws (including that one of the threads is quite predictable), but the whole story is so interesting that I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a new author of detective stories or just well-written crime story to read. Buy Closed Winter on Amazon.com! :-)

Finders Keepers by Stephen King - book review

Stephen King's latest novel is really great. One of my favorite writers once again proves that he can still create a compelling story that you want to read through as soon as possible.

Although this is a continuation of the novel Mr. Mercedes (see review), which is the first book where retired detective called Bill Hodges appears, you can read Finders Keepers even without knowing the previous history.

I emphasize this because latest Stephen King's novel is better and I would not want anyone to discourage from Finders Keepers just because they don't know Mr. Mercedes. This is an independent story, in which Bill Hodges appears only on the second plan.

Finders Keepers - description of the book
In the latest novel written by Stephen King the most important characters are: Morris Bellamy and Peter Saubers. The first one kills world-known writer - John Rothstein in 1978.

Bellamy did not kill for money or because Rothstein has stopped writing books, but because in his last book the famous character that this writer had created - the nonconformist Jimmy Gold - has sold himself for a career in advertising.

However, Bellamy wants to know how the story of Gold ended. That's why he breaks into Rothstein's house, forcing him to reveal where he keeps a safe full of manuscripts and money, and when he kills him.

Morris hides the money and the notebooks, and then he is captured and locked away for another crime he committed.

Decades later, in 2010, a teenage named Pete Saubers finds the treasure, and now it is Pete and his family that detective Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney and Jerome Robinson must rescue from the ever-more deranged and vengeful Morris when he’s released from prison after serving a thirty-five years sentence.

Buy this book! (on Amazon :))
I recommend Finders Keepers by Stephen King, because it is well written, interesting thriller. I like that the story is stretched over several decades and told from several perspectives. More over, it is impossible to accurately guess how the story will end.

Stephen King talks about the obsession with literature, which can be so overwhelming that it becomes more important than reality and sometimes even can push somebody to madness. In this novel an author was murdered by a fan, who did not like the ending of his book!

I have already written in the post about Stephen King, that I am full of admiration for his hard work, passion and ideas. I love that he likes to write so much and wants to continue doing so, because it makes him happy.

I am glad that Stephen King does not retire. That's why I cannot wait for his next book :-)
See Finders Keepers on Amazon >

Gone Girl - great book and movie

Very rarely after watching a movie I find myself wanting to buy the novel on which the film was based on. That is exactly what happened when I saw Gone Girl directed by David Fincher.

This history is so great that even though I already know the key points, surprising twists and strong ending, I bought the novel by Gillian Flynn to see how this story was written.

Interestingly, Gillian Flynn also wrote the screenplay for David Fincher's movie!

Gone Girl - the story
According to an official description: „On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?„

David Fincher, director of such films as Seven, Fight Club and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, created a thriller that develops slowly. gradually increasing tension until about the middle of the movie, when action begins to speed up and since then it is difficult to tear yourself away from the screen.

Movie and novel - a strong finale
The movie is worth seeing but also you should definitely read the novel to the end, because the finale is really, really great. I would like to tell you more about it and explain why I think it is so good, but I do not want to spoil the surprise and deprive you of these emotions that accompany while watching this movie or reading the novel.

Gone Girl is an interesting thriller about marriage, trust, betrayal, revenge and emotions that are associated with all of the above.

Even if you watched the movie, be sure to read the novel. You will not be disappointed!

Buy a novel on Amazon >

See the movie on Amazon >

Buy the movie on DVD >

Top 10 best novels by Jo Nesbo

I like Jo Nesbø's  books - each of his crime novels is well written and have interesting plot. If you don't know this Norwegian author, see which of the Jo Nesbo novels are the best.

Jo Nesbo sold over 23 million copies of his Norwegian novels. He is best know as an author of series with inspector Harry Hole. His first novel ever written was The Bat (1997), which is also the first part from Hole's series.

These best selling crime novels are very interesting for several reasons: have distinctive main character, a surprising turns in the plot, good dialogues and detailed background story. That's why I was never bored reading any of the Nesbo's books.

But you must to know that Nesbo is an example of a writer who has steadily improved his skills. This means that his later novels are better than earlier titles.

Of course, I recommend reading Jo Nesbo books in order (you can check the chronology e.g. on the official website of the author). Especially when it comes to novels with inspector Harry Hole.

But, in my opinion, best book by Jo Nesbo is The Son, which is a stand-alone novel. You should read this book first. It's great!

This is my ranking of top ten best novels by Jo Nesbo:

1. The Son (see description)
2. Police - Jo Nesbo latest book (see description)
3. Nemesis (see description)
4. Phantom (see description)
5. The Redeemer (see description)
6. The Bat - first book of Harry Hole series - (see description)
7. Cockroaches (see description)
8. The Snowman (see description)
9. The Redbreast (see description)
10. The Leopard (see description)

If you want to know the style and atmosphere of books written by Jo Nesbo you must read The Son. It is a stand-alone novel, so you do not need to know the other titles by this author. When read the rest :-)

Enjoy!

Review: Jeff Abbott - Panic

If you are looking for an interesting and well-written thriller to take for a long journey or you just have a free evening, reach for the novel Panic by Jeff Abbott. It will be good choice. 

Jeff Abbott is an author of over ten mystery, crime and suspense novels. Before he decided to become full time writer, Abbott worked as a creative director at an advertising agency.

Panic, which was first released in 2005, is an excellent example of the scheme: a common man is suddenly in unexpected danger and must fight against opponents to be able to return to his normal life.

Here is a description of the book from Amazon:
„Evan Casher is a successful documentary filmmaker with a perfect life- until the day his mother is brutally murdered. Suddenly pursued by a ruthless circle of killers, Evan discovers his entire past has been a carefully constructed lie. With only one chance at survival and no one he can trust, Evan must discover the shocking truth about his family and himself...”

I other words Evan, while trying to find his father, meets FBI agents, brutal killers, spies and mysterious people from his parents' past. He wants to get his revenge on the people who murdered his mother and uncover all the secrets about his family.

What I like most about this novel? The story with a surprising finale. It is a very interesting idea. However, I think that the author could have included more detail into the plot, which would make the story more credible. But if you are looking for a good thriller for the free evening or as a gift for a thriller lover, Panic wirtten by Jeff Abbott is a title ideal for you and I encourage you to read it.

Top 10 best books by Lee Child

Dynamic, well-written and interesting - this is how you can characterize Lee Child's books. So if you are looking for a great thriller, I encourage you to buy one of titles written by this author.

Lee Child, whose real name is Jim Grant, is a British thriller writer. He made his debut in 1997 with the novel Killing Floor, which won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel. A great character - Jack Reacher, a former Major in the United States Army Military Police Corpsfor, has made his first appearance in this book.

Jack Reacher is 6'5" tall (1.96 m) with a 50-inch chest, and weighing between 220 and 250 pounds (100–115 kg). He has ice-blue eyes, dirty blond hair and very little body fat. If you watched the movie One Shot from 2012, based on Child's excellent novel, it is clear to you that Tom Cruise does not fit that description at all, right? ;-)

But this was a little off topic. Back to Child's work - his first novel was a bestseller, so naturally Child began to write another one with enthusiasm :). Each of his books has an interesting story, situations, and above all, an incredible action and amazing twists in the plot. In particular, I encourage you to read the first two Child's bestsellers from my list of his best thrillers. They are awesome!

Child has written more then dozen novels with Jack Reacher in the lead role. Not all hold the same high level, that is why I recommend you to read the titles from my ranking of Lee Child's best books.

This is my list of top ten great novels by Lee Child:

1. The Hard Way (see description)
2. Gone Tomorrow (see description)
3. Without Fail (see description)
4. One Shot (see description)
5. Persuader (see description)
6. The Enemy (see description)
7. Killing Floor (see description)
8. Never Go Back (this is the latest Lee Child's novel - see description)
9. The Affair (see description)
10. Worth Dying For (see description)
 
What is your favorite novel written by Lee Child?

Dennis Lehane - top 10 best books

It is always a pleasure to read novels written by american writer Dennis Lehane. I like his style of writing, the ability to create a interesting and memorable stories. That's why I think that any fan of mystery and crime novels should know Lehane's books.

If you've never read his novels, maybe you may heard about or even watched their adaptations? The two most popular film adaptation's are: Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role (more about the book and the film in the text) and Mystic River directed by Clint Eastwood, with actors such as Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon.

Bestsellers by Dennis Lehane
This American author began writing after a literary success of his Kenzie and Gennaro series of novels. Lehane presented the pair of detectives in his debut novel A Drink Before the War in 1994. Since then, those two private investigators have appeared in five more of his books.

Why you should know Dennis Lehane? With a couple of reasons. Here are some of them: original stories, surprising twists, memorable characters and great dialogues. And the perfect writer's workshop.

This is my top ten books by Dennis Lehane
So if you are looking for interesting novels to read, here's my ranking of the best of novels written by Dennis Lehane. Below is a book list:

1. Shutter Island (see description)
2. The Given Day (see description)
3. Mystic River (see description)
4. Prayers for Rain (see description)
5. Gone, Baby, Gone (see description)
6. Darkness, Take My Hand (see description)
7. Live by Night (this is Dennis Lehane new book - see description)
8. A Drink Before the War (see description)
9. Sacred (see description)
10. Moonlight Mile (see description)

What's your favorite Dennise Lehane's novels? The best of the best book written by Lehane? :)