American Predator

American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century

by Maureen Callahan

(Truncated) Blurb:
A gripping tour de force of investigative journalism that takes us deep into the investigation behind one of the most frightening and enigmatic serial killers in modern American history, and into the ranks of a singular American police force: the Alaska PD.  

Most of us have never heard of Israel Keyes. But he is one of the most ambitious, meticulous serial killers of modern time. The FBI considered his behavior unprecedented. Described by a prosecutor as "a force of pure evil," he was a predator who struck all over the United States. 


My Reaction:
While parts of this investigation were vaguely familiar, it was definitely not one I immediately recognized or knew much about.  So as far as that goes, it was interesting, but it's one of those cases that just make you angry.  Listening to transcripts of this guy talk is enough to make you want to reach back through time and knock him out, to be honest.  He's infuriating.  The whole situation is infuriating.  

The book wasn't quite what I was expecting:  Based on the subtitle, I thought there would be more mystery—more of a manhunt.  There's plenty of mystery (far too many unanswered questions, in fact), but most of the book takes place after law enforcement have got their man.  It's much less about struggling to identify or locate a murderer than the title led me to believe.  Instead, the story is mostly woven around interrogation, strategic mind games, and trying to get the p.o.s. to talk after he's been apprehended.  

I listened to the audiobook version, which reconfirmed for me that I don't like it when narrators put too much into "doing the voices".  The male voices in particular just irritated me.  (Maybe it didn't help that I was already in a bad mood because of the subject matter.)

I've watched and listened to a lot of true crime, but it's rare I read books (or listen to audiobooks) in the genre.  I do find it interesting, but it can also feel a little too much at times.  Maybe I've just had enough for now.  I will say that my curiosity was piqued by the fact that this was a serial killer from my own generation.  Keyes was only a year older than I am, and most of the "big name" serial killers I'm aware of are from previous generations.  However, his upbringing was so utterly different from my own that I couldn't draw many parallels between our experiences, which was what would/could have been of interest.  His life during his formative years was far from typical.  Well, what did I really expect?  Few people who end up as serial killers have had an otherwise perfectly normal life.  

So, that's it.  The whole thing ends with a feeling of dissatisfaction, and there's nothing you can do about it.  

Love Among the Chickens

Love Among the Chickens

P.G. Wodehouse

Blurb:

The farcical tale of Jeremy Garnet, an author and an old friend of Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge, an erstwhile chicken farmer. Upon meeting Ukridge for the first time in years, Garnet finds himself enmeshed Ukridge's new and struggling chicken farm. Garnet soon falls in love with a girl living near the estate as he struggles with the farm and with Ukridge's bizarre business methods.

My Reaction:

Donald and I read this together—a new-to-us Wodehouse book.  

Wodehouse wrote this short novel when he was only 25, and I've just learned that it was his first work written for an adult audience.  I think it's clear that he hadn't yet reached his full maturity as an author when he penned Love Among the Chickens.  It doesn't have quite the same polish and charm as his best works—but there were still plenty of laughs, and his wit shines through time after time.  

It's good to know that there's still more Wodehouse to enjoy for the first time!

Lock Every Door

Lock Every Door

by Riley Sager

Blurb:

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

My Reaction:

(I listened to the audiobook version.)

I mean... It's very silly, but if you can deal with that, it's a passable bit of escapist fiction for fans of fairly mindless thrillers.  Just don't think too hard (listening to the audiobook while you're doing other things at the same time is great for that) and don't expect too much.  

This novel isn't remotely believable, but given that the other two books I've listened to by this author had supernatural elements, that wasn't something I was counting on, anyway.  I came to be entertained, and I guess it this did the trick.  

The moral of the story is a bit obnoxious, absolutely absent of nuance, and the bad guys are hilariously over-the-top evil villains, but oh well.  It kept my mind occupied while I did housework, so I'm satisfied.  

This next bit is a SPOILER, so continue at your own risk!  

I did find it funny that in the first book of this author's that I listened to, the story felt like a straightforward crime thriller, then took a sudden (unexpected, at least by me) paranormal twist—whereas this one was practically the complete opposite:  It felt like we were headed in the old, familiar direction of "swanky NYC apartment building occupied by a coven", only to have the rug pulled out from under us near the end, replaced with a more realistic... well, let's say a "non-paranormal" explanation.  

SPOILERS over.

There are some plot holes, many things either don't make sense or are disappointingly predictable, and the main character isn't the most memorable—but I already know I'll listen to more of this author's books, because they're "interesting enough".  This is a silly thriller, not a mind-expanding masterpiece, but for what it is, it works.  

Friday's Child

Friday's Child

by Georgette Heyer

Blurb:

When the very eligible Viscount Sheringham, or "Sherry", proposes to Hero Wantage, she is overjoyed. Saved from life as a governess, she begins social climbing, but so naively that Sherry fears drastic action is required, or she will ruin them both.

My Reaction:

The blurb both over-simplifies this novel and makes it sound more dramatic and serious than it really is.  If you're familiar with Georgette Heyer—or at least her works I've read so far—you'll know that her Regency novels are light and fun.  This one is no different, though I did find it took a little time to get going.  After a promising beginning, the story seems to stall out and advance only slowly.  There was too much about fashion, home decor, and diversions of the time for me, personally.  I enjoy the odd book set in the Regency period, but in my opinion Regency references and minutiae are best in small doses, and I had my fill and more here!  Fortunately, things eventually begin to happen again, and I enjoyed the novel much more after that.  

Sherry's friends steal the show here, and as many other reviewers have indicated, there are some real flashes of P.G. Wodehouse-style wit in some of the conversations.  

Tek Kill

Tek Kill

(TekWar #8)

by William Shatner & Ron Goulart

Blurb:

When his boss is wrongly accused of murder, detective Jake Cardigan finds himself trying to convince police to believe in a known drug user's telepathic visions rather than the videotape evidence they already have.

My Reaction:

Donald and I read this together for the 372-Pages podcast.  It's the second in the series the book club podcast has covered, the previous read being the first of the series.  

I have to admit, I never got the love (if that's the right word) some of the 372-Pages listeners apparently had for TekWar.  There were some unintentionally funny elements, but I found it less appealing than many of the other things we've read.  The story was just bland and very samey, and this one was... well, more of the same.  

I don't have anything to say about this, really.  The podcast episodes were mostly fun, as usual, but I think it was clear that this wasn't a favorite of the hosts, either.  

The main thing I took away from this reading is that in the TekWar universe, nearly everything is fake—plas-this, sub-that, neo, pseudo, etc.—to the point that even plants are all merely holograms.  It's a disturbing vision of the future that I'm glad to leave behind!