Category: Stu’s Reviews

Genre:  Novel     

Grade  A-/B+

Notable People:   Linda Castillo

Title:  Sworn to Silence

Review:  This is one of three published volumes in a relatively new series by this Texas author who has zoomed in on Kate Burkholder, the fictional Chief of Police of the fictional town of Painters Mill, Ohio…..a bastion of the Amish country. Kate is former Amish raised child, who broke away from the church, lived the wild life in Columbus before joining the police force, and eventually returned to her home town as police chief. The book is a fascinating story of serial murders in this quiet Amish community, set against the backdrop of small town politics, the unique Amish culture an way of life, and the demons of two polar opposite characters. It’s a good yarn, though I thought there was something missing in the development of the charters and it had some lack of believability at times. Nevertheless, hard not to get caught up in. The book was made into a TV movie on Lifetime…which it seemed very well suited for.  

Genre:  Novel     

Grade  A

Notable People:   James Lee Burke

Title:  Jolie Blon’s Bounce

Review:  Burke’s Dave Robicheaux may be the best thing going for old style Raymond Chandleresque crime novels. All set in the Louisiana bayou, they are small works of art, featuring the recovering alcoholic and Vietnam Vet, Robicheaux, who live his demons daily as he strives to be a better man  while facing the worst of backwoods evil in the deep parishes of the South. His former , and sometimes, partner, Clete Purcel is a character for the ages, and the books all contain the type of wired, sociopathic bad guys that are unforgettable. Burkes descriptions of the deep south , both then and now, are riveting ….as are his physical portraits of the place. This 2002 novel, is one of the best I’ve read in this long running series. Burke is an American treasure and should be tried at least once.

Genre:  Novel

Grade  A-

Notable People:   Archer Mayor

Title:  Presumption of Guilt

Review:  this is the 25^th entry in the Joe Gunther series and does not disappoint. Archer brings back a few characters from the past and weaves a mighty yearn of nuclear power plants, lost sixties  dreams, mob hit men and eccentric house burglars…all encircled by his fine sense of place for being  in the Green Mountain state. and, the burgeoning romance in joe’s life , with a long term character in the series, is quite a story line. Not quite as dramatic as last years (“The Company She Kept”) but a solid addition to the his long running detective series. If you have not checked them out-start at the beginning (“Open Season” 1983) and go from there- see them unfold and mature. I finished this book in two days….which says something.

Genre:  Book

Grade  A-

Notable People:   Robbie Robertson

Title:  Testimony

Review:  Robbie, the guitarist, main songwriter and basically the leader, of THE BAND, is a world class raconteur…weaving his Native-American story telling in a fascinating spiral. From his upbringing on the Six Nations Indian Reservation in Ontario, through the wild honky- tonk years playing with Ronnie Hawkins, as The Hawks, to the Dylan- Woodstock years and finally the epic story of the Band up and through the making of the Last Waltz in 1976 (the best rock and roll film ever, directed by Martin Scorsese) and the untimely breakup of the group. It’s a wild tale and extremely well told. If you like the music and the timeless story of this “best-ever” Americana group of musicians, this book is for you. A bit ego-centric and lags in the second half, but a fascinating read…though a sad story in the end, with thee of the group’s members leaving us way too early. It’s also a bit like a Forrest Gump, as Robbie interacts with all the major cultural figures of the second half the 20^th century. Very cool stuff.