Scott Semegran

Beautifully written, well plotted, and wise. A joy to read.

After reading ERASURE and JAMES, I looked forward to this novel, but did not enjoy it as much as these previous two books. Like most police procedurals I've read, there is very little exposition and an abundance of dialogue. Every character ends their scenes with quippy zingers and snarky commentary which becomes a bit tiring after a while. But the principal idea of the plot is interesting and the climax is worth reaching, making this book an enjoyable read even if a lot of the police investigation doesn't add much to the book's conclusion.

Beautifully tragic, tragically beautiful. Tobias is a rock n' roll poet. If this book were music, then it would be on a mix tape with Jane's Addiction and Concrete Blonde. Excellent collection!

Book review to come...

Travels with Charley is enjoyable, although definitely not as satisfying as his novels. His narrative voice is amiable and humorous. The book comes alive when he chats with the people he encounters, but his commentary about the US is lackluster. Charley the poodle dog is an excellent sidekick!