Does a farce need to be funny? Wikipedia defines farce as “comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable.” To me, it seems doubtful that Alex Gerlis set out to create a farce when he wrote...
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Consider telepathy, or “mental telepathy,” if you choose to belabor the obvious. Sounds like a great thing, right? What’s not to like about knowing what people think of you—or what they’re planning to do? That might stop a lot of fights. Wars, even. But wait. Could it...
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As Ken Follett notes in an introduction, “This book was written in 1976, immediately before Eye of the Needle, and I think it is the best of my unsuccessful books.” Of course, as everyone who reads thrillers must be aware, Eye of the Needle was a publishing sensation, becoming one of...
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Few people have any idea how many new books there are every year. According to Steven Piersanti, Founder and Senior Editor at Berrett-Koehler Publishers, quoting a 2023 report in Publishers Weekly, 2.3 million books were self-published in the US in 2021. And a recent industry estimate is that each...
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London reels from increasingly frantic reports that the French are assembling a massive invasion fleet across the Channel. Officers roam the streets in search of young men to press into service for the army. And, to pay for the impending war, the king has debased the currency again, causing havoc...
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Mysteries & Thrillers Tuesday includes my latest mystery and thriller book review,
with links to other science fiction content.
Nonfiction Wednesday includes my latest nonfiction book review,
with links to other nonfiction content.
The Weekly includes summaries and links to all the previous week’s three to five book reviews, including some that don’t appear in any of the other newsletters.
Mysteries & Thrillers Tuesday includes my latest mystery and thriller book review, with links to other science fiction content.
Nonfiction Wednesday includes my latest nonfiction book review, with links to other nonfiction content.
The Weekly includes summaries and links to all the previous week’s three to five book reviews, including some that don’t appear in any of the other newsletters.