The Mermaids Singing Review by Christina

"The Mermaids Singing" by Val McDermid

ISBN: 0007143125

You always remember the first time. Isn't that what they say about sex? How much more true it is of murder...Up till now, the only serial killers Tony Hill had encountered were safely behind bars. This one's different -- this one's on the loose. In the northern UK town of Bradfield four men have been found mutilated and tortured. Fear grips the city; no man feels safe. Clinical psychologist Tony Hill is brought in to profile the killer. A man with more than enough sexual problems of his own, Tony himself becomes the unsuspecting target in a battle of wits and wills where he has to use every ounce of his professional nerve to survive. A tense, brilliantly written psychological thriller, The Mermaids Singing explores the tormented mind of a serial killer unlike any the world of fiction has ever seen.

The first book adapted into TV's popular "Wire in the Blood" series featuring clinical pyschologist Tony Hill and DI Carol Jordan. If anyone has seen this first episode on TV - reading the book is far far better! It is a real page-turner from beginning to end, as Val McDermid has the ability to get inside the mind of a sick and twisted killer. Unputdownable by far! And if you enjoy this one, then I recommend the following three in the same series - "The Wire in the Blood", "The Last Temptation" and "The Torment of Others". McDermid also has stand-alone thrillers of the same calibre always worth a read.

Submitted by Christina aka Stina

Young Blood Review by Christina

"Young Blood - the Story of the Family Murders" by Bob O'Brien

ISBN: 073226913x

Not usually one for Non Fiction books, I tend to find them too factual to the point of droning and I fall asleep *g*. However I was recently leant a copy (thanks Linda) of a one which covered an horrific crime, or rather several, over the spate of around five years from the late 70s to early 80s in Australia's southern city of Adelaide. As it turned out I didn't fall asleep whilst reading the book - in fact I couldn't put it down! 

Written by Bob O'Brien, one of the investigators on the case, it begins with the first documented crime which when linked to the ones that followed as "the family murders". Not made "big news" until the 15 year old son of a prominent Adelaide news reader disappeared just 50 metres from his home, investigators then compared the evidence and similarities in the previous four murders, and the horrific way in which each man died. All men, or rather boys, were in their teens to early twenties, with the oldest being twenty-five and the youngest just fourteen. 

Author and co-investigator of this book titled "Young Blood", detailed every thought, hypothesis and theory into the disappearance/abductions, torture, rape and murder of these young men. Although they were given leads and names of various suspects, one name kept popping up - and all roads lead to Bevan Spencer Von Einem, a known homosexual and deviant. The book describes in detail some of that which he was known to be capable of, and the lengths to which mankind will go for one's own gratification is barbaric. 

Whilst I enjoyed the book, my eyes were opened to an even more distasteful disrespect of the deviant criminal mind. This was not only clever in the way Von Einem appeared to be coated with teflon, but it was completely unjust. He was found guilty of the abduction, rape and murder of the fifth and final boy, who was just 15, but charges against him for another two that were very closely linked were dropped and cases dismissed. So while Von Einem has sat in prison for the last 14 years for the one murder, many South Australians have their own views on just what part he played in each of these young men's torture and death. 

Von Einem himself has said that he will tell all only after his mother passes, and as nothing has been revealed as yet one can only assume that at 98 the woman is still very much alive. Whether his revelations will disclose the true nature of his involvement or expose other higher and more affluent members of Adelaide's community is unknown - only Von Einem knows the truth, and so far he has said nothing. 

When the book went to publication he was eligible to apply for parole in 2009, when he will be in his mid-sixties. However the prosecution still fights to keep him locked up and out of harm's way - that of the innocent victims, not Von Einem. 

"Young Blood" is the story of what is infamously known to Adelaideans as "the family murders", not because of any familial involvement, but the closed net that always tightened around Von Einem and caused his to slip through the investigators' fingers. It is believed "the family" comprises of many affluent and public identities, though to what extent no one knows. Again, only Von Einem has that knowledge. And the public? Well, we may never truly know.

Submitted by Christina aka Stina

Kisscut Review by Christina

"Kisscut" by Karin Slaughter

ISBN: 0-09-942178-X

This is the second in the Grant County series by this new author who has proved herself a match for the likes of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs.

With her debut novel "BLINDSIGHTED", Slaughter introduced her characters of Grant County, Dr Sara Linton, local paediatrician and medical examiner and Chief Jeffrey Tolliver, Sara's ex-husband and chief of police, as the main characters. There are support characters in Detective Lena Adams, Sara's family and other members of the small police department. While "BLINDSIGHTED" was a heartstopping thriller, "KISSCUT" is an explosive read from its first pages to the very end.

It begins with a night on the town for Sara and Jeffrey when they find themselves caught in a situation that will begin to haunt them forever. Jeffrey stumbles upon a teenage quarrel which explodes into a deadly shoot-out, while Sara makes her own grim discovery in the ladies' bathroom. What then proceeds is a web of mystery and intrigue, as one of them battles with their own guilt, and what appeared to be an individual tragedy becomes something more dark and more sinister in this small town of Heartsdale, Georgia. And when Sara performs the autopsy, both her and Jeffrey are horrified when it reveals evidence of long-term abuse and self mutilation.

What is happening to the children of this town? And when Sara and Jeffrey start to investigate, everyone, including the children surrounding the victim, becomes tight-lipped. Then boys at school tell a different tale of the young victim, painting an explicit picture of something that should not exist in the minds and lives of a thirteen year old. Then a young girl is abducted. And so Sara and Jeffrey begin their journey to uncover the tragic truth that surrounds the victim, her family and friends.

I have one word to describe this book when I turned the final page last night - WOW! What a read! It is fast-paced, thrilling, compelling and even unsettling, but above all, it is unputdownable. Karin Slaughter delves into the heart of an unspeakable crime and speaks for those who cannot in her unstoppable heartpounding and explosive thriller. Her plotting is relentless, with many twists to leave you guessing to the end. One critic claimed "KISSCUT should come with a psychological health warning", but I guarantee if you are a thriller or mystery fan, if you pick this book up you will not be able to put it down again until that final page.

Karin Slaughter continues to surprise with her writing ability and enthralling plots delving into the darker side of crime with her "not for the sqeamish" forensics leading us to a compelling climax.

KISSCUT is chilling, but thrilling!

Submitted by Christina aka Stina

Thursday's Child Review by Selena

Thursday's ChildBy Sandra Brown

I borrowed this book from the library and instantly got involved in the characters and the plot. There are identical twin girls Annie and Allison Leamon. Annie asks her sister Allison to play her while Annie goes in for a boob job. Relucantly Allison agrees while Annie is in the hospital Allison plays Annie, however Annie's fiance Davis brings his friend Spencer into town. Spencer falls in love with Annie and tells her that he would be a better husband than Davis would. 

Allison keeps trying to tell Spencer that she is not Annie but she keeps getting interupted whenever Davis walks in. Allison tells Annie everything that has happened and asks her when she is coming home to prove to Spencer that there are two of the girls that he is in love with. Annie says I will be in here just for a few more days. I don't want to tell you the whole book but you must read it to find out what happens. This book is great if you have not read it I suggest that you find it somewhere. Once I borrowed it from the library,

I had to order it from Walmart.com. It is a real shocker at the end.

The info is below.

Thursday's Child

Author Sandra Brown

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Bantam Books

Publication Date: 1985, 2001, 2002

ISBN-13: 978-0553576030

Submitted by Selena

Tell Me How the Wind Sounds Review by Selena

Tell Me How The Wind Sounds 

By Leslie Davis Guccione

When her family decides to spend their summer on a small island off New England. Fifteen year old Amanda Alden feels really trapped. Cut off from everything important, what about her plans for the summer? Her friends? Her boyfriend?

When she meets Jake, the son of a local fisherman she is confused and frightened by his unyielding silence,by the way he looks at her. And yet she cannot stop thinking about him, the truth is that Jake is in a trap of his own. He is deaf and he wants nothing to do with a world he is sure will mock him.

But when Amanda finds out she is determined they will be friends. In spite of Jake's brusque responces she begins to seek him out, to learn sign language so she can talk to him on his ground as well as on hers. As Amanda and Jake make the tentative steps towards friendship, they learn to accept one another's limitations and admires each others strengths.

Then they relize that what they feel for each other is more than friendship. Now they must come to terms not only with their feelings toward each other, but also with the way the world  will reguard them as a couple.They will have to decide wheather the obstacles between them are simply too great to overcome.

Reading level: Young Adult

by Leslie Davis Guccione

Paperback: 196 pages 

Publisher: Scholastic (July 1992) 

Language: English 

ISBN-10: 0590417142 

ISBN-13: 978-0590417143

Submitted by Selena

 

When I'm Surrounded by Negativity... by Seagull

When I'm surrounded by negativity,

I go to my garden and play

The soil, the sun, the scent of the earth

Drive my cares away

Follow the example of any new plant

As it rises up to the sky

Just as it triumphs over weed and dirt

So too can you and I!

© Seagull

April Challenges

Here are your challenges for the Month. You may do as many or as few as you choose.

All compositions MUST be written by you.

The following are prompts to help inspire you - you are free to share other writings as well. If you participate in these challenges just be sure to Identify the Room you are writing in (ie "The Writer's Terrace")

PLEASE NOTE: the new room - "Room with a View" for group discussions and also writings inspired by the topic. For the writer who writes "from a particular view".

Remember...be creative and have fun!

 

 

The Writer's Retreat

 

You wake on April Fools morning and look out the window with a sense of deja vu. The scene before you plays out as it had done yesterday - everything is the same. Even the song on the radio. And you wonder -what is this? A Groundhog version of April Fools Day?

 

Regale us with your adventures when you find yourself locked within a Chocolatier's heaven at Easter

 

 

The Poet's Corner

 

Write a poem about Blessings or being Blessed

 

Regale us with your adventures when you find yourself locked within a Chocolatier's heaven at Easter

 

Write a poem that describes a view - from a window, a rooftop, a desk, and a satellite, whatever.

 

 

The Literary Lounge

 

Alliteration Challenge

Write a poem using alliteration called "Hippity Hoppity"

 

April Fools Challenge

Entertain us with an April Fools prank played either on or by you. Something from your childhood maybe? Your teen years? Or even recent. It doesn't matter. Tell it from your perspective (in the first person) - poem or story

 

Imagination Prompt

Write a poem or story beginning with "When I'm surrounded by negativity I...."

 

Word Association

Take the following word, associate it with another and use that as the theme for your poem or story - Taboo

 

 

Room with a View

 

Are (all) writer's procrastinators? Share with us your thoughts.

 

 

The Word Alcove

 

jape \JAYP\, noun, verb:

1. A joke or jest.

2. A trick or prank.

3. To joke; to jest.

4. To make fun of; to mock.

 

feckless \FEK-lis\, adjective:

1. Ineffective; having no real worth or purpose.

2. Worthless; irresponsible; generally incompetent and ineffectual.

equine \EE-kwahyn, EK-wahyn\, adjective:

of, pertaining to, or resembling a horse: a bold, equine face.

acute \uh-KYOOT\, adjective:

1. acting keenly on the senses; sharp

2. quick in discernment; drawing fine distinctions

3. of an angle, less than 90 degrees

4. happening quickly, briefly, and severely

sanguine \SANG-gwin\, adjective, noun;

1. cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident

2. reddish; ruddy

3. (in old physiology) having blood as the predominating humor and consequently being ruddy-faced, cheerful, etc.

4. blood-red; red

5. Heraldry. a reddish-purple tincture.

6. a red iron-oxide crayon used in making drawings

The Book Nook

Share with us a Book you have read recently. Review it and tell us what you think of it. Don't forget to include Title, author and ISBN (google it, if in doubt)