The unset alarm clock

July 2008

  • A Stolen Tongue

    A Stolen Tongue by Sheri Holman. In one of those strange coincidences, both Past Poisons and the very next book on my stack involve Saint Catherine of Alexandria. In Holman’s tale, Friar Felix Fabri is on pilgrimage from Germany to Mount Sinai in 1483 to honor Catherine, his spiritual bride. He is accompanied by Lord… Continue reading

  • Be Kind Rewind on DVD

    Be Kind Rewind on DVD. Every film has a few specific highlights that fans remember most: a spectacular stunt or chase sequence, a climatic revelation or twist or, with comedies especially, an outrageous line or stretch of dialog. These moments can make up for a lot of mediocrity in the rest of a film and… Continue reading

  • Past Poisons: an Ellis Peters memorial anthology

    Past Poisons: an Ellis Peters memorial anthology of historical crime. As has been said of Scott Turow and legal thrillers or Sue Grafton and forensic science investigations, there are many who credit Edith Pargeter, writing as Ellis Peters, with the explosion of the sub-genre of historical mysteries through the huge popularity of her Brother Cadfael… Continue reading

  • I Wish I’d Been There, Book 2: European History

    I Wish I’d Been There, Book 2: European History. If I were an aspiring or published historical mystery writer searching for new story ideas, then this is a must read book. Twenty academic historians are asked to write an essay on the one moment in European History they wish they could have attended. Although the… Continue reading

  • Vantage Point on DVD

    Vantage Point on DVD. Similar to the Bourne series and “The Kingdom,” this is a very good action movie about a plot to assassinate the President of the United States at an anti-terrorism summit in Spain. Unfortunately, it also reminds me of “Lions for Lambs” in that the more I reflect on the film, the… Continue reading

  • Summer updates from Clues Unlimited and N.S. Hurt

    Summer updates from Clues Unlimited and N.S. Hurt. Last week, N.S. Hurt updated the “New Titles” page of her site with a large batch of recently released or soon-to-released books. This is one of my primary sources for new ideas and it is a wonderful resource, as I have mentioned before. However, I was a… Continue reading

  • The Guilt of Innocents

    The Guilt of Innocents by Candace Robb. Johnson County Library of Shawnee Mission, Kansas provided Robb’s latest entry in the Owen Archer series. It’s been three years since I’ve read an adventure featuring the captain of the Archbishop of York’s guard, his wife Lucie Wilton, a master apothecary, and their blended family. Robb is one… Continue reading

  • In Bruges on DVD

    In Bruges on DVD. Martin McDonagh’s directorial debut is a dark comedy. It’s also a buddy film, a gangster movie, a surreal fairy tale, and an intense look at a man struggling with his inner demons. OK, it’s pretty complex. But it is also one of the most original vehicles I’ve seen this year. However,… Continue reading

  • Blackstone and the Tiger

    Blackstone and the Tiger by Sally Spencer writing as Alan Rustage. Once again through the services of our excellent interlibrary loan service, I was able to read one of my favorite authors as the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Missouri supplied this Inspector Sam Blackstone adventure. Although Rustage does an adequate job of portraying London… Continue reading

  • The Bucket List on DVD

    The Bucket List on DVD. In sharp contrast to Randy Pausch’s real-life account of the months following his diagnosis with a terminal disease, Hollywood’s version of the same situation involves dramatic adventures and a round-the-world trip. Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) are thrown together in a shared hospital room for an… Continue reading