Why? Well, some books are written poorly. Getting published is like becoming an actor, it's not always a sign of quality, but who you know or sheer, dogged persistence, or... Well, it's a mystery to many, but it remains that a lot of books are poorly written. That's distracting.
Some books are extremely well written but still the writing distracts because it becomes all about the writing itself. That's where a lot of literary fiction lands, the story itself is almost unnecessary, a distraction from the clear main goal of noticing what a great author you're reading. John Woo is like that as a director, always taking you out of the story in order to beat you over the head with auteurness.
Some books are well-written and have an engaging story, the kind of narrative that pulls you in early so that you want to discover what happens, so that you are led into the fictional lives of seemingly real people.
I'm only about 1/3 through Taken for Granted: A Novel by Leslyn Spinelli but already I know the book is of this latter kind. It's a great read and I'm not only saying this because the Spinelli name should be familiar to the commenters hereabouts. It's a genuinely good read.
I don't say that about a lot of contemporary fiction. I bought it after a few commenters noted its quality--and I'll admit to buying it tentatively. They were right.
It's a legal thriller. A bit of a John Grisham feel to it, in fact, with the legal elements giving details to a human drama, one that is set in the area in and around Madison, WI, and we can see the local eye all throughout. The characters are unique enough while still remaining familiar and real. There's mystery and there's a heightening tension. Did the professor do it? But why? Was it a setup? I don't know yet, but I'm eager to find out.
31 comments:
I would post some excepts but I need Nick's permission first.
It really is a fun read.
I normally don't read this kind of book, but everyone who's reading it has commenting so glowingly about it that I'll have to check it out.
Freeman, that is exactly what I thought a few days ago. The Kindle price was good enough to take the risk, and I'm glad I did.
Slightly off the main topic, but I discovered an author a couple of years ago at an indie bookstore in Kennebunkport ME.
His name is Paul Doiron. His fourth book just came out. He's a Mainer, his day job is Editor of Down East magazine. He writes mysteries with the main character being a young Maine game warden.
His first book was pretty good--but it was also a first novel. He's been getting better each time, and his most recent book "Massacre Pond" was excellent (one degree is in lit criticism, I can't tolerate bad writing).
I'm not much of a mystery reader generally, but the ladies at the book store were so effusive in their praise for him I took a chance.
Plus he's a really nice guy. Answers his own emails and stuff.
And I just bought Taken for Granted--based on the reviews here. Troop is a tough sell but with excellent taste. Except in football and baseball teams.
We are going to need some crazy glue. and a promise to keep it between us.
If you like Patricia Cornwell or Faye Kellerman you will love this book. Plus the people in Madison you will recognize.
A little jest?
I dont know what the book is about.
When former prosecutor Caroline Spencer answers a middle-of-the-night call for help from her friend Kate Daniels—a prominent medical researcher—she has no idea the toll it will take. Her seven-year-old daughter, her marriage, her professional relationships, and her sometimes-precarious emotional health are all jeopardized.
How is Kate able to explain her presence at the apartment of a dead graduate student? What connects this career-driven woman to a ruthless drug dealer? Why does Caroline have trouble recognizing the friend she’s known for half her life? As she struggles to answer these questions and discovers the person Kate has become, Caroline is forced to examine her own life and make some painful choices.
Set in Madison, Wisconsin, amid the backdrop of the federal criminal justice system, Taken for Granted is page-turning psychological fiction.
An except form "Taken for Granted" a novel by Leslyn Amthor Spinelli.
I pulled up to scene of the accident in the misting rain. Kate stood by her car looking disheveled and sad. Her car was in the middle of the street with the door open. In front of it lay a mangled corpse. It looked like a St Bernard. It just didn't have a barrel around it's neck.
"What happened Kate?"
"I don't know Caroline. I was driving down the street...and yes I was going a little fast ...when this huge dog ran right in front of my car from out of nowhere. I think it was being chased by that guy."
She pointed at a dubious character on the sidewalk. He looked like a homeless field worker in a soiled pair of green coveralls. And he had his hand stuck down it and he was....OH MY GOD!"
"I know that guy. He is a dog toucher. We arrested him once. It seems I see him all over town. We
have to look at the dog. At his anus. If he was molested he might have committed suicide."
"But Caroline we can't let the cops find out about this. This just makes me look even more reckless. How can we cover this up?"
"Well first we have to get rid of the body. And before you say anything I am not giving it to that perv. No how. No way."
The street had been pretty deserted when all of a sudden a battered and dusty BMW with an "Impeach Walker Now" bumper sticker pulled up. A portly disheveled man in a stained Green Bay Packers sweatshirt and a pee sodden pair of sweat pants came waddling up. "Oh boy. Dinner. Yummy!"He scooped up the carcass and lovingly laid it in the trunk of his German motorcar. It joined two squirrels, a skunk and what looked like a possum." Thank you ladies and remember to vote in the recall."
Well that was one problem solved
I'm about 3/4 through the book and as an avid reader of murder mysteries and crime novels as my second love (sci fi/fantasy is my fav) I'm finding this book very well written and on a par with the more established writers. Enjoyable and fast paced.......I think Ms Spinelli has a very bright future.
Dust Bunny Queen said...
(sci fi/fantasy is my fav)
Any underknown recommendations? I'm between books, but I've dabbled enough in the well known authors to know if I like them or not.
Did you ever read a book that's extremely well-written, but you can't stand it anyway?
That's what happened to me when I finally got around to reading Anna Karenina in Russian. I early on began to loathe the character Levin, who gets many chapters told from his POV. So I'd see one of these coming up, say, I'm gonna skip it, then make the mistake of reading the first few sentences, and the next thing you know, I'm done with the whole chapter. That Tolstoy has amazing skill at just sucking you right in.
Dangit Trooper! I thought that was serious.
The cover should have a woman in a trench coat on a shadowed street at night looking over her shoulder with apprehension. It doesn't really matter what the book is about but the cover will say "psychological thriller" instead of... whatever a cup in friendly colors which breaks without making a mess indicates.
I know, I know... what I described was trite cliche and why should all covers have to be exactly alike and exactly generic?
Well... mostly because if you want to say "psychological thriller" you don't spell it "ftruthluz glubbock" just to be different.
(This entirely gratuitous opinion on cover art, product branding and sales, brought free of charge, which is likely what it's worth.)
PaddyO, Thanks to you and everyone. As I've said many times, I married up and this book is but one of many examples. It's being formatted for Nook, but that won't be ready for a few weeks. The follow-up will be out in the Fall. I'm currently reviewing it for authenticity since there's a PI in that one. Only he's good lookin' and smart, so it ain't me.
PaddyO, I am like you in that this is not my genre. And, as my bride will tell you, I am brutally honest. I liked it, and so far I like the second even more. I'm about halfway through the second. Leslyn put her heart and soul into this. A lot of personal pain is conveyed in the form of fiction.
Synova, You didn't think Trooper would give a straight excerpt did you?
I bought a copy and Mrs Haz glommed onto it before I could get more than about ten pages into it. She finished it, then loaned it to a friend who also enjoyed it and.....I'll need to buy another copy if I ever plan to finish reading it.
Any underknown recommendations?
I like the Many Colored Land series by Julian May. It goes on in epic fashion from past to present to future and is one of my favorites. Time travel, aliens, modern society, ufo's, prehistoric living.
It might be hard to find in small bookstores, but easy on Kindle or Amazon. Try the first one and see if you don't like it.
If you haven't read A Canticle for Lebowitz, you should.
Another of my favorites Emergence by David R Palmer.
Replay by Ken Grimwood. I read the original in 1988. So don't know if the new version is the same or not.
Those should get you started if you haven't already read them. I'll dig through my piles of old paper backs and see if I can find some even more obscure stuff.
But ....wait....there's MORE!!!
Waitaminute... ndspinelli are you the author?
(I, er, maybe wouldn't have decided to fuss about the cover in front of the author... not without asking permission anyhow.)
Just thought of one more
The Second Trip by Robert Silverberg 1973. One of his very early efforts. I read it in college. Long long ago....still have the paperback somewhere in my sci-fi boxes. Packrat? Me! No way.
"It's being formatted for Nook, but that won't be ready for a few weeks."
Please announce that so those of us without Kindles can buy a copy.
(Buying a Nook seemed like a good idea at the time.)
Synova, I'll give you a heads up when it is Nook ready. It should be ~$4 like kindle.
I'm reading Taken for Granted also, and agree with all the comments. Very engaging, well developed characters and a good, well-paced story. Can't believe it's her first novel.
I'm a late comer to SF. I've been reading a lot of post apocalyptic/dystopian novels. Canticle for Liebowitz is excellent, and I like Philip K. Dick as well. Man in the High Castle is very good.
I started reading some of the older SF novels, like On The Beach, Earth ABides, Alas Babylon.
We should all go over to Goodreads and give Ms. Spinnelli's book good reviews.
I wish her luck and hope she continues to write.
An except from "Taken for Granted" a novel by Leslyn Amthor Spinelli:
Caroline went into her favorite café to get a double soy milk latte and a cinnamon bun. She wanted to just take a moment to think. Lily was off at school. Her husband was home today trolling the internet in the basement in his underwear. She just needed a minute to herself. To try and hold the building anxiety in check. If just for a little while.
There was a commotion at the other end of the café. A bilious peroxide blonde who was a dead ringer for the Travelocity Gnome was in a loud argument with another patron. They were fighting about something. It sounded like same sex marriage. Or a marriage with a lack of sex. Or something. What was that misshapen gnome snarling about anyway.
Caroline finally looked up from the case papers to see what this disturbance was about. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a furtive presence. A grizzled ill smelling personage was huddled in the corner next to the screeching harpy. He was holding her purse. He resembled nothing so much as a homeless Mr. Greenjeans from Captain Kangaroo. He wore a soiled pair of green overalls and Crocs. Somehow he seemed familiar.
Then Caroline remembered. It was from her time as an assistant district attorney. He was know as the "Dog Toucher." His MO was to offer to walk his neighbors dogs who came back to their owners skittish and ashamed. A stake out was set up and he was caught red handed. Well dog handed. He was arrested for fisting a Shih Tzu. What was he doing out of jail. What was he doing in a yuppie internet café in Madison Wisconsin.
She noticed him sidle off to the side in all the commotion. He bent down. Oh my God. He was about to finger a dachshund.
(to be continued)
DBQ,
Thanks, I'll try Julian first. Some of rest don't even have kindle editions. But they all sound interesting.
Trooper, You're a great pirate and satirist.
DEB, I make sure my bride hears all the comments. The sequel is out soon. Book #3 is being researched, it will be a novel based on Gypsy swindlers. Leslyn dealt w/ some as a Fed probation officer and found them fascinating. I'm helping w/ the research, having investigated Gypsy's. Plus I know a cop in Chicago who worked pickpocket detail and dealt w/ Gypsy's. Book #2 picks up where Taken For Granted leaves off.
I feel sorry for Leslyn Spinelli, being married to such an incredibly abusive creepy husband, who stalks people online. He uses his PI license to get private info about his victims and then publishes them on discussion or political forums such as this one. She needs to clean her own house first before writing about the disfunction in other's.
Post a Comment