The Translator by Harriet Crawley

This book started slow but gradually grabbed me.  The translator, not an interpreter is a British national, he is sent to substitute for the regular translator who had suffered an accident.   Experienced but  semi-retired, he has dragged back into the fray.   The British Government is going to Moscow to scold the Russians for their recent behavior. 

The plot becomes more complex when Clive, the translator, discovers an old flame is the translator for the Russian Premier.   Emotions run high and Russian paranoia runs deep.   There is a great deal of cynicism over the oligarchs reaping obscene profits.   Struck me as amusing as they are so similar to the robber barons of old and the tech giants today.  

There was a lot of tension and paranoia, fear, anger and a touch of action.   This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book rather than an action adventure.

I enjoyed it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

My website www.bentrim.info is closed.

Killer Story by Matt Witten

This is a good mystery with an abhorrent main protagonist.  Petra is a camp counselor for Livvy, an ebullient fourteen-year-old who dreams of becoming a journalist.  After losing touch over the years, Petra discovers Livvy is an alt-right podcaster.   Mystified by her change Petra finds once more she will lose her job due to downsizing in the journalism world.  Even online newspapers are cutting, and she seems to be last in, first out endlessly.  Her fears and frustration lead her to abandon her compassion, common sense, and empathy in chasing “the” story that will ensure her future employment.

I struggled with this book, not due to the writing but to my disgust with Petra, the main character.   She epitomized the fears I have about honesty in the media and the incessant peddling of “fake” news.  One troll can ruin someone’s life if the trash they are pushing goes viral.  This book forces you to look at a declining industry and wonder what lengths the depicted journalists will go to maintain employment.

Witten did a good job, the book is personally revolting but certainly worth reading. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Scorched by Don Silver

This book is about the coming of age of a troubled child who becomes a troubled adult.  Jonas, a hard-to-love kid, finds soulmates at Lafayette, a school for kids who are alone.

Jonas ends up as a quintmate. He and four other troubled kids are bound together through trials and tribulations.   They experience a life-altering event that separates them forever, except it doesn’t.

As a successful adult Jonas is approached by Dugie, a long-lost quintmate.  Together, the experience is anything but positive for Jonas.

Jonas’s ex-wife and children provide a sense of normalcy for Jonas, staying with him through manic and depressed periods.   Their loyalty is startling.

I found the book hard to read when Jonas was self-destructing.   It is an interesting read, persevere to the end, it is worth it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

The Innocents by Bridget Walsh

This is the second in the Variety Palace Mystery series that I’ve read.   Minnie and Albert, a mismatched detective team, find themselves facing multiple homicides.  All the homicides seem to relate to either a Ponzi scheme or a dreadful theatrical tragedy.  

Walsh does a good job setting the late 1890s scene in London.   The aromas of the time jump off the page resulting in a twitching nose and a squeamish reaction to many of the settings.

The impact of privilege regarding justice seems unchanged over the ensuing years with the obvious comparison to today’s country club prisons.

The interaction of Minnie and Albert once again is the sub-plot.   In the foreground, are a series of seemingly unrelated homicides and dog-fighting villains. 

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned