Oates, Joyce Carol "Cardiff by the Sea"

Oates, Joyce Carol "Cardiff by the Sea" - 2020

A while ago, one of my blogger friends (Lisa from Captivated Reader) had started a buddy read (Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates). I was late to the party but still managed to join in the conversation. We enjoyed that so much that we decided to start a new one by the same author, one of our favourites (I read 18 of her so far, with this one 19, see here).

Since Lisa had this one on her TBR pile, it was an easy decision and we both embarked on this journey.

Like most of JCO's books, this is a dark and sad one but highly recommendable.

Before I start with my own review, I want to alert you to Lisa's post. I don't want to repeat everything she wrote, so if you want the full view, have a look on her page.

Unlike most of her other books, this is not one novel but four short stories and I will describe them one by one:

1. Cardiff, by the Sea

Lisa said this was a splendid piece of writing and I totally agree with her. I absolutely loved the first story. JCO makes everythings so suspenseful and you really get under the skin of the protagonists.

Clare is an adopted child who finds out things about her past that leaves her totally totally shocked and confused. I would have been so mad if things like that had been withheld from me.

I think it is good that the author didn't give an explanation about the characters and let us build up our own meaning.  

As to the characters. OMG, there were two aunts whom I could have slapped them. Actually, if I had been Clare, I would have turned back, if not right away on the first day, then definitely when I found out more.

I'm not very keen on ambiguous or open endings. Or maybe I do, as I love JCO so much. I would have liked a more clear ending. Any talks between Clare and her adoptive parents? How much did they know? 

I do believe the Gerard was the killer and would have liked that explained at the end but … it's JCO.

I do agree with a character's explanation about God, though. No, I can't believe he is loving. And even though it says so in the bible (which I have read lots of times), it also shows a lot of instances where they just declare the opposite. Still, I do believe we should be good to each other and try to make this life a little easier for our human beings. Religion makes that sometimes impossible by declaring we will get our reward in heaven.

An individual like Clare does not have much hope of escaping the family's dark gravity. The best thing she can do is leave and start her old life again. Another question that was asked "… why did a loving God allow such horrors to happen to innocent people in this house?" Not just in that house. I ask myself that all the time. Wars are fought, children and innocent people are killed and a lot of them in God's name‽ That can't be right.

I think JCO shares these thoughts.

2. Miao Dao

Another totally interesting story. Mia is eleven years old and her parents are divorced. Lisa describes this best, so I quote her: "It’s an unsettling look at how young girls are forced to navigate terrifying environments far too early."

We loved the wordplay on Meow and Mia. 

I also found a YouTube interview with JCO but haven't had the time to listen to it, yet.

I googled and found that Miao Dao is  a traditional two-handed Chinese saber.

This one ended more like I expected it. I didn't trust the baddie from the beginning, certain remarks told me exactly what was going to happen. 

I mean, I didn't think he would get killed.

But, as always, a very exciting to read.

I have learned that the story is one of seven in the Dark Corners collection of which I hadn't heard before. I found a list:

1. Hannah-Beast (2018) Stephen Graham Jones

2. The Sleep Tight Motel (2018) Lisa Unger

3. There's a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed (2018) Edgar Cantero

4. Miao Dao (2018) Joyce Carol Oates

5. The Tangled Woods (2018) Emily Raboteau

6. The Remedy (2018) Adam Hasler

7. Oak Avenue (2018) Brandi Reeds

However, when googling for the German titles for my German friends, I found that only Miao Dao is by JCO. I added the other authors later.

3. Phantomwise: 1972

But still, we are stuck with the body we are given. We can only do so much in order to improve it. At least we can try and control it ourselves.

I am not a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, neither the animated film nor the book. Therefore, I did not know about the word phantom-wise. But it is very apt.

I know I mentioned pro-life. I used to be very active on Facebook but quite a few people deleted me when I congratulated the Americans to their new president (Barack Obama). Also some told me about the awful Democrats who killed babies (meaning abortion). I told her that I also don't like abortion but as long as we don't help women who get pregnant, there will be abortions, and illegal ones are very dangerous. And that rather than praying for the unborn babies they should pray for their mothers for whom it was the last resort, the only way out. And for those kids who get killed in the schools and on the streets through the gun laws. Educate kids better, give everyone access to healthcare, help single mothers that they don't end up in total poverty, those are the things that avoid abortions, making them illegal only makes it worse. The United States has 3 times as many abortions as Germany (and certainly also other countries). They also have one of the highest known rates of adolescent pregnancy and births in developed regions. Being pro-birth and not pro-life increases abortions. So, pray for the poor girls who are pushed into a situation where they see only one way out and for those who have their children and end up in poverty because of it. And also that those who make the laws will make it better for those girls who do get pregnant and can't help themselves. 

So, let's hope the situation will improve again. 

This novella was ver short but I was glad it wasn't longer. I don't think I could have held out much longer. I am not particularly squeamish but this story really took its toll on me. Poor Alyce. Poor girls.

I understood the ending better than Cardiff, for example. There was an end. Not a good one but an end. Nobody writes like JCO.

4. The Surviving Child

I can see why "The Surviving Child" is Lisa's least favourite. I wouldn't know in which order I'd place them because they were all just as fantastic as they were traumatic. My goodness, what do women have to go through?!

What I liked about the story: It developed slowly. First it's just a woman meeting a widower. Happens a lot and often this leads to a good relationship.

All the female protagonists go through a hard time here, a nightmare, whatever, caused by the men in their lives.

Would I have put up with any of them? Maybe not. But I am strong, I grew up with three younger brothers, I learned to defend myself pretty early.

I have thought about Sylvia Plath while reading the last novel, just because she was an author who was deeply troubled, like the first wife of the protagonist Alexander. I did understand, that Elizabeth, his second wife, wanted to read her predecessor's writings, I'm sure I would have wanted to in her case. I like that Alexander is described as an "Oatesian villain". I have never heard JCO's name used as an adjective but she totally deserves one. And yes, while Alexander doesn't physically abuse his family (all of them), he is one of the biggest bullies you can imagine. Poor Stefan, who grew up with him, has nothing to counter to that.

We often read about cruel stepmothers in fairy tales. That's because there were so many at the time. Many women died in childbirth and the men had to marry again in order to have someone to raise the children he already had. They would have new children whom they liked better. So, it was not unusual to have stepmothers that were not so nice. Elisabeth is a different kind, as I think/hope most stepmothers today are. 

I hope that Elisabeth finds a way to get out of Alexander's claws. And takes Stefan with her. At least the hope is there at the end.

When searching for some answers, Lisa found this question online:

Has Joyce Carol Oates ever written a truly happy, lighthearted scene?

I couldn't say but that is not the reason I read her. Nor it is her reason to write, I believe. She wants to emphasize the problems this world has, either by pointing out true or almost true stories or by making them up.

 Book Description:

"From one of the most important contemporary American writers, Cardiff, by the Sea is a bold, haunting collection of four previously unpublished novellas. In the titular novella, an academic in Pennsylvania discovers a terrifying trauma from her past after inheriting a house in Cardiff, Maine from someone she has never heard of. Mia, the protagonist of 'Miao Dao,' is a pubescent girl overcome with loneliness, who befriends a feral cat that becomes her protector from the increasingly aggressive males that surround her.

A brilliant but shy college sophomore realizes that she is pregnant in 'Phan-tomwise: 1972.' Distraught, she allows a distinguished visiting professor to take her under his wing, though it quickly becomes evident that he is interested in more than an academic mentorship. Lastly, 'The Surviving Child' is Stefan, who was spared when his mother, a famous poet, killed his sister and herself. Stefan's father remarries, but his young wife is haunted by dead poet's voice dancing in the wind, an inexplicably befouled well, and a compulsive draw to the same gar-age that took two lives.

In these psychologically daring, chillingly suspenseful pieces, Joyce Carol Oates writes about women facing threats past and present."

In October/November, we intend to read "The Accursed" (Goodreads). Let us know if you are interested in joining.

Lehane, Dennis "Shutter Island" - 2003

Lehane, Dennis "Shutter Island" - 2003

I didn't think I would like this book because I'm not a huge fan of crime stories. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is not the usual thriller or action movie plot, i.e. there is a plot here.

A gripping story that plays games with your mind. And the twist at the end totally left me flabbergasted. Contrary to many other participants, I had not seen the film

However, I don't think this is a great book for a book club, like most stories like this, what are we going to talk about??? Yes, we can talk about mental illness, PTSD, hospital situations, etc. But it all diverges from the story.

Still, a good read.

Quote on page 279 of my edition, something I ask myself often:

"God gives us earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes. He gives us mountains that spew fire onto our heads. Oceans that swallow ships. He gives us nature, and nature is a smiling killer. He gives us disease so that in our death we believe. He gave us offices only so that we could feel our life bleed out of them. He gave us lust und fury and greed and our filthy hearts. So that we could wage violence in His honour. There is no moral order as pure as this storm we've just seen. There is no moral order at all. There is only this - can my violence conquer yours?"

Comments from the book club meeting:

• "The book was very well received by the group, with everyone giving it either 4/5 or 5/5.
• Many of us had not read the book before, but a large number had seen Martin Scorsese's film adaptation. This created an interesting situation because many readers already knew the main twist before opening the book. Despite this, there was broad agreement that the novel remained very engaging. Several members commented that knowing the ending made it easier to notice clues and details throughout the story, although some wondered whether the book would have been even better or perhaps not as effective without that prior knowledge.
• One of the most frequently praised aspects of the novel was Lehane's writing style. Members repeatedly mentioned the vivid descriptive language and the atmosphere he creates throughout the book. The island, the weather, and the hospital all felt convincing and memorable. It was also noted that Lehane does an excellent job of bringing the reader back to the 1950s. The language, dialogue, and attitudes of the characters help create a strong sense of time and place.
• Much of our discussion focused on how the novel is constructed. We talked about the unreliable narration, the clues hidden throughout the story, and the way Lehane guides the reader towards certain assumptions. We also discussed several of the characters and their roles in the story, particularly how differently they can be viewed once the reader knows the truth behind the mystery.
• The themes of trauma, guilt, memory, and self-deception also generated discussion. We debated the hospital itself, its methods, and the ethical questions raised by the treatment of patients. The ending naturally became one of the main topics, with different opinions about Teddy's final decision and how it should be interpreted.
• As we often do in our discussions, we looked for connections to other books we have read. This time the conversation brought up Fight Club and the Finnish novel Rikosetsivien vapaapäivä because of the way both encourage readers to re-evaluate earlier events and question their understanding of what has happened.
• The discussion also touched on Dennis Lehane as an author more generally. Several members noted that a number of his novels have been adapted into highly regarded films, and that Shutter Island is not the only example of his work translating successfully to the screen. The book also inspired a few members to add more of Lehane's work to their reading lists."

"Shutter Island was a satisfyingly chilling tale to read during the discomfort of the most recent heat wave in Ontario, Canada. Smokescreen after smokescreen arose. I enjoyed the layering of circumstances and personalities and clues and interpretations. This is not at all similar to my usual gentler reading and I feel gratefully stretched."

Again, many thanks to our leader Karin who put together a great review.

This was our international online book club read for July 2026.

Book Description:

"An arresting psychological thriller in which two US Marshals hunting for an escaped mental patient unveil a nightmare world of CIA drug trials, Nazi inspired eugenic work, and repressive mind control.

In the year 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate an unexplained disappearance. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept under constant surveillance in a locked, guarded cell. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on the island, hints of radical experimentation and covert government machinations add darker, more sinister shades to an already bizarre case. Because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems."

Dickey, James "Deliverance"

Dickey, James "Deliverance" - 1970

Apparently, this is one of the most important books of the last century. I read that somewhere but can't find that remark anymore. Still, it seems to have had a great success.

When I read the description, I was afraid this wasn't a book for me and I might not like it. But the description is a little different from the book itself. The story is not as much about the natives but about some criminals in the woods.

Still, the book is totally mesmerizing. And tense. There is so much going on, the trip the four men take is about one of the most horrifying stories I ever read.

Thanks to Karin for the minutes which I will include in the spoiler:

"The book club had a very positive discussion about Deliverance. Almost everyone rated the novel 4/5 or higher, and several readers felt it was close to a five-star book. One of the most praised aspects was the translation, which many felt captured the tone, tension, and atmosphere exceptionally well.

A big part of the conversation focused on how efficiently the novel is built. Compared to many large contemporary literary novels — where hundreds of pages may be spent on background — Deliverance manages to establish its characters, themes, and emotional stakes in about fifty pages. Readers appreciated how tightly the story is framed: first the buildup before the trip, then the intense three days on the river, and finally the aftermath. This clear structure made the story feel focused and impactful.

The characters were widely seen as believable and vividly drawn. We talked a lot about how people react differently in crisis situations: one person freezes while another unexpectedly finds strength, and even serious injury doesn’t necessarily stop someone from acting. The novel felt realistic because the characters make flawed and sometimes foolish decisions in recognizably human ways. Their journey begins partly out of boredom and a desire to escape everyday life, which makes what follows feel even more unsettling.

The discussion also touched on trauma and its aftermath. Rather than being neatly explained, the characters’ experiences linger in ambiguous ways — in memory, in the body, and even in sleep. This subtle psychological impact was something many readers found especially powerful. Several participants noted how the trauma seems disorganized and difficult to articulate, reflecting how real experiences often remain unresolved rather than clearly understood.

Moral questions sparked lively debate. Was it necessary for the characters to hide what happened? Would they have survived if they had trusted the authorities? Would justice have treated them fairly? The novel’s ambiguity — what exactly happened, who was responsible, and how events should be interpreted — kept the discussion open-ended and engaging.

Several readers noticed the careful use of foreshadowing and 'Chekhov’s gun,' where details introduced early gain importance later. The tight pacing and chapter structure were seen as key strengths: nothing feels unnecessary, yet the characters and world feel fully developed.

We also discussed broader themes, including human behavior under pressure, the thin boundary between civilization and survival, encounters with wilderness, and the portrayal of rural stereotypes. Many agreed that the book 'gets under your skin' — even for readers who wouldn’t normally choose this genre.

Notes on the Film Adaptation
Some members had seen the film adaptation and recommended it alongside the book. The movie was described as very effective in showing the physical danger and tension of the river journey. While the novel focuses more on the characters’ inner thoughts and moral uncertainty, the film emphasizes action and atmosphere with the actors even doing their own dangerous stunt work. The group felt the two versions work well together: the book offers psychological depth, and the film adds a strong visual and emotional experience".

Overall Takeaway
"Overall, the group agreed that Deliverance is a balanced, well-crafted novel that combines suspense with psychological depth. Even when it wasn’t stylistically everyone’s personal favorite, it left a strong and lasting impression and proved to be an excellent choice for discussion — a book that continues to provoke thought long after finishing it." 

This was our read in our international online book club in March 2026.

Book Description:

"The heart-stopping classic 1970 novel--an unforgettable tale of violent adventure and profound inner discovery.

Four middle-class men from suburban Altana decide to embark on a three-day canoe trip down a particularly wild section of a river in Georgia. For them the trip represents a break in the domestic routine, a chance for adventure with few real risks, and the last occasion to see a beautiful valley before the river is dammed up. Their leader, an enthusiastic outdoorsman and champion archer, is obsessed by the desire to pit himself against nature.

When two of the group are attacked viciously by sinister mountain men, a mildly adventurous canoe trip explodes into a nightmare of horror and murder. Men stalk and are stalked by other men, the treacherous river becomes a graveyard for those without the strength or the luck to survive, and one man, forced to assume the leadership of the group, must call up his resources to try to achieve deliverance."

Swindells, Robert "Abomination"

Swindells, Robert "Abomination" - 1998

A Friend told me about this book and lent it to me. She had taught it at school and was sure I would like it. And I did. What a story!

The story of Martha is heartbreaking. She has no freedom, she is kept like a prisoner at home. She cannot make friends. Children at school bully her. Well, that part I could comprehend because I had that same problem at school. My parents didn't have much money and my mother used to sew all my clothes. They were nice clothes but I was always bullied because of it. And I didn't belong to anyone.

But luckily my parents were just ordinary Catholics and they would always complain about people who placed religion over their own family. Because this is what Martha's parents do.

I cannot go into the story without revealing what happened and why the family behaved like that. Only this, Martha does make a friend and he helps her to find to herself.

I am sure this book would have a different effect on children than they have on me but I was pretty shocked.

From the back cover:

"A dark tale of shameful secrets, religious intolerance, and breaking through the emotional chains binding one girl to an abusive home life Martha is 12—and very different from other kids, because of her parents. Strict members of a religious group—the Righteous—their rules dominate Martha's life. And one rule is the most important of she must never ever invite anyone home. If she does, their shameful secret—Abomination—could be revealed. But as Martha makes her first real friend in Scott, a new boy at school, she begins to wonder. Is she doing the right thing by helping to keep Abomination a secret? And just how far will her parents go to prevent the truth from being known?"

Oates, Joyce Carol "Daddy Love"

Oates, Joyce Carol "Daddy Love" - 2013

I have always loved books by Joyce Carol Oates and often said, she should receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

I have read many of her books but she has written so many that I won't get to all of them soon.

When one of my blogger friends (Lisa @ Captivated Reader) talked about a buddy read she had started with another reader, I was very keen to join in. They had already started and I still had to get the book, so I joined in a little too late. It was still interesting to have someone to talk to directly.

Lisa already warned everyone that this is the darkest novel she read by JCO and that is something to say because her books usually are pretty dark. And she is right. It's about child abduction and abuse, lots of psychological problems that come along with it.

The author has a great way of describing the trauma of the abduction by describing it five times from different angles. As always, the author uses fantastic ways to let us into the story.

I would love to write more but don't want to say too much. 

If you are interested in the buddy read, here is the discussion I had with Lisa. But there are spoilers!

 

Chapter I - 1 - 5
Abduction
Ypsilanti, MI, 11.04.06

M: At first I was a little surprised that the abduction was described five times. But it is a good way of introducing us to the whole story. How did it all happen? How did the abductor manage to snatch away little Robbie?
L: Yes, the abduction is described in five slightly different ways... At first, I was wondering why JCO was describing the abduction so many times. But, I felt describing the abduction of Robbie was a very cinematic way of sharing the traumatic event with readers giving us a slightly different perspective/feel with each retelling of the abduction. Additionally, I felt that perhaps describing the abduction this many times gives us a view of how traumatic it was for Robbie's mother physically, mentally, and emotionally. I can't even begin to imagine being a mother of a child and having my child snatched from me in such a horrific manner. So, perhaps this is another way of showing how this event affected Dinah so very deeply. It seems to me that Dinah most definitely had PTSD. How could she not after what happened to her son and herself? We (or at least myself) felt the guilt that Dinah had over losing her son. Dinah blames herself for not protecting Robbie enough and being too tired, giving me the feeling that if she'd been more alert then perhaps things would have turned out differently... And perhaps, Robbie would not have been abducted from her. Classic case of mother's guilt. I also felt like the first five chapters were very atmospheric. JCO really knows how to deep dive into the minds of her characters. JCO is such an excellent writer. Even though Daddy Love is a difficult read due to the subject matter, it is a very readable book in and of itself. I found that I was able to read this novel really quickly.

Chapter I - 6-10
6 Church of Abiding Hope, Detroit, MI, 12.04.06
7 I-80 East, Michigan, OH, 13.-14.04.06
8 I-80 East, Ohio, PA, 14.04.06
9 I-80 East, PA, NJ, 15.-16.04.06
10 Kittatinny Falls, NJ, 27.04.06
Introduction to Daddy Love and how he grooms Robbie

M: So, we get introduced to "Daddy Love" and how he grooms Robbie. Certainly not chapters for the faint-hearted. But a good description to find empathy amongst the readers. Poor little Robbie. You always ask yourself how children, once taken from their real parents, don't look for them, don't alert anyone. Now we know why. JCO has described this so well. Robbie couldn't because he didn't know any better. He believed "Daddy Love" who found great arguments to tell him why his parents didn't want him any longer. And he was too young to really remember how all that happened. We also get introduced to the Church of Abiding Hope. I never trust those sects, no matter how they always insist of being "free churches. Or any kind of over-religious people, even from the main-stream ones.
L: We're into the meat of Robbie's abductor, Daddy Love (AKA Chet Cash). Boy, isn't Chet a piece of work!? It's interesting to see how JCO lays out the storyline for Daddy Love. I've read Zombie by JCO and Daddy Love is shaping up to be similarly creepy as a character. It was interesting to read about Chet's background and his previous abductions. We see how he has evolved in stalking and abducting children and separating them from their parents. Chet/Daddy Love is a real narcissist as he fantasizes about a made for tv movie about his life. In chapter 9, we hear Robbie now being addressed as Gideon now by Daddy Love. We learn that Gideon means Brave Warrior. Seems like the meaning of Brave Warrior may be a bit of foreshadowing to come later on in this novel as Robbie just may live up to the meaning of his new moniker. Chet/Daddy Love understands the way to brainwash and manipulate young minds through repeated abuse and isolation. Young children, Robbie's age, are easily controlled after being abducted. They can only rebel for so long before succumbing to the brainwashing. Additionally, young children of Robbie's age do not have enough life experience or understanding to know enough about how the real world works in order to escape initially.

Chapter I - 11-14
11 Ypsilanti, MI, 05/06.06
12 Kittatinny Falls, NJ, 07/08.06
13 Kittatinny Falls, NJ, 08/09.06
14 Ypsilanti, MI, 08/09.06

M: Here we get to see what this whole abduction has done not only to the child but also to the parents. I cannot see how someone can get through that, how they still can live. Only the hope to see the child again, the wish to be there should he turn up again, can make them stay halfway sane. Oh gosh, how can you get through this? We have to wonder how any marriage can get through such an upheaval.
L: As far as Daddy Love goes, it's a tough read! When I wrote my blog review of this novel I mentioned that this novel is not for everyone due to the trigger warnings of physical, mental, emotional, and sexual abuse of minors. But I think Daddy Love is very much worth reading for everyone despite the subject matter and I can get into that once you've finished this novel, if you like. Yes, the killing of the dog was cruel and uncalled for by Daddy Love. Daddy Love was angry with "Gideon" because of the way the teacher fawned over "Gideon" to Daddy Love. Daddy Love's retribution was to kill the dog that "Gideon" loved so much. Daddy Love never liked the dog anyway.... Everyone and everything is a "tool" to be used by Daddy Love and this is apparent throughout the entire novel. Daddy Love is a true sociopath and narcissist. He doesn't care for anyone or anything beyond its usefulness to himself.

Chapter II - 1-5
II 04-05.12
1-3 Kittatinny Falls, NJ, 04/12
4 Church of Abiding Hope, Trenton, NJ, 05/12
5 NJ Transit Station, Trenton, NJ, 05/12

M: How weird that the teachers did not dig deeper. I mean, something was obviously wrong with "Gideon". My son and his friends once were beaten by other children at a birthday party in an indoor playground and since he inherited getting marks all over the body just from hitting a chair or so, I told the teachers so they wouldn't think it was us. They said, don't worry, kids who get beaten at home always show other signs, as well. And "Gideon" did show a lot of other signs. Killing the dog was another huge cruelty that should have been noticed by someone. What about those other "religious" people? As I said earlier, they only think of themselves and pretend to be "good" people. And the incident in the transit station. That guy gets worse all the time. And why did Robbie not take the chance and ran away? Because he wasn't aware of that possibility and that's what "Chet" wanted to try. But, oh so cruel!
L: Yes, I agree with you that you'd think the teachers would think that "Gideon" was being abused, but Daddy Love was always so pleasant when interacting with people in the outside world and this included "Gideon's" teachers that I think the teachers would have had a difficult time coming to terms that Daddy Love was an abusers. Daddy Love seemed to be a good con artist in this way. Daddy Love seemed to have a dual personality. I think this came about when Daddy Love spent time in Juvenile Hall as a youngster for his crime and had faked his behavior to his probation officer after being released in order to make it seem like he'd been rehabilitated for the world outside. Yes, it's difficult to understand how people turn out badly under some circumstances, while others have trauma, but still manage to be normal and not turn into monsters.

Chapter II 04-05
1-3 Kittatinny Falls, NJ, 04/12
4 Church of Abiding Hope, Trenton, NJ, 05/12
5 NJ Transit Station, Trenton, NJ, 05/12

M: That church again. They pretend to care so much about people but don't see through such a huge betrayal. I mean, how does nobody wonder why "Chet" always turns up with different boys who then disappear? Does anyone really care about anything than their own soul? I don't think so. And what about that episode with the transit station? I suppose he watched "Gideon" to see whether he can trust him now. But it's all completely weird. Well, we should never try to understand such a cray person, might be contagious.
L: Yes, the killing of the dog was cruel and uncalled for by Daddy Love. Daddy Love was angry with "Gideon" because of the way the teacher fawned over "Gideon" to Daddy Love. Daddy Love's retribution was to kill the dog that "Gideon" loved so much. Daddy Love never liked the dog anyway.... Everyone and everything is a "tool" to be used by Daddy Love and this is apparent throughout the entire novel. Daddy Love is a true sociopath and narcissist. He doesn't care for anyone or anything beyond its usefulness to himself. Yes, I agree with you that you'd think the teachers would think that "Gideon" was being abused, but Daddy Love was always so pleasant when interacting with people in the outside world and this included "Gideon's" teachers that I think the teachers would have had a difficult time coming to terms that Daddy Love was an abusers. Daddy Love seemed to be a good con artist in this way. Daddy Love seemed to have a dual personality. I think this came about when Daddy Love spent time in Juvenile Hall as a youngster for his crime and had faked his behavior to his probation officer after being released in order to make it seem like he'd been rehabilitated for the world outside.

Chapter II 06-10
6-9 Kittatinny Falls, NJ, 05/12
10 Ypsilanti, MI, 05/12

M: The killing of the dog was definitely not a surprise. I think I said that I am not a great animal lover and would never want a dog but that doesn't mean I would want to kill an innocent animal. Just shows what type of character he is. I mean, he also killed those children, right? As to the teachers. I think I told you the story about my son and the bruises. Those teachers would have said something. And I have seen it in classes where my kids were that the teachers had an extra eye on children with "weird" behaviour. "Gideon" certainly fit that description. And they know that some parents behave differently in the open than at home. It gets worse and worse. We find out that he not only abuses his victims but also uses them for his work. Well, another thing that doesn't surprise. And while we fear the worst by the Evil One's announcement that he is looking for a "little brother", we can also see how things get worse in the original family. My goodness, how much compassion I feel for them, especially the mother
L: Have you read the parts yet where Gideon essentially turns into a criminal!! Gideon visits his teacher's home and starts a fire was mind blowing!! Gideon did this all because his teacher had told Daddy Love what a great art student Gideon was and Daddy Love didn't take it well. It's like Gideon thinks it is his teacher's fault and not Daddy Love's fault. the kid has been brainwashed for sure! Then there's a child labor issue with daddy using Gideon to macrame items to sell at boutiques and then pawning it off as his own to sell and make money. Or the story about Daddy/Chet taking Gideon with him to rob those rich people while they are away from home. Then Gideon being left for a long time at the bus station by Daddy Love!! Gideon had no idea if he was being left behind or what.

Chapter III
III Ann Arbor, MI, 09/12

M: That is the conclusion of the novel. Robbie getting back to being Robbie, being reunited with his family, one he barely remembers. No wonder he is reluctant. No wonder they all need professional help. And I am sure they'll be getting there. There is so much love from the parents. And in time, Robbie will see the advantage of a real family. At least we can all hope for it.
L: I didn't like the ambiguous ending for Daddy Love! I like solid endings and was hoping to see/hear a satisfactory outcome to Daddy Love's/Chet's trial. I was telling another friend about the ambiguous ending and was told that JCO writes ambiguous endings frequently. It's been a while since I've read anything by JCO, so I don't recall if this is the case or not. Maybe the ambiguous ending was due to the fact there could be no satisfactory ending to this story. Robbie is damaged and may never be normal again even with years of therapy. We already saw him turning into Daddy Love/Chet in this last of five chapters as he doesn't care about school anymore, starts acting out towards teachers, thinks poorly of women like Daddy Love (calling them cunts), thinks the new kid Daddy Love brought home is whiney, believes the lies Daddy Love/Chet said about his parents giving him up, and does various acts of arson and bomb he made and left behind. Robbie seems to have two personalities due to the abuse by Daddy Love. Robbie hides behind a mask and is guarded, not letting anyone know his true feelings. So, I'm left wondering if Robbie will ever trust anyone again or show his true self. And, who is the unidentified man at the end!? Did you ever draw a conclusion about the person Robbie/Gideon was eating lunch with when his mom found him?
M: I never realized that a lot of JCO's books end that way but now that you mention it, I can see it. I don't mind them so much. A "final" end would have been too happy-endish, if you know what I mean. It will take a long time, if ever, before the family can start a new life. Same as you, I have no idea who the guy at the end was, if he had any meaning at all. But the final sentence gave me hope. "Hi Mom". I am still thinking about the review I am going to write. I will definitely include the link to your post. The rest, I will have to see. I usually try not to give away too much to the readers but might include some of your thoughts. If that's alright with you.
******

And here is Lisa's post.

From the back cover: 

"Have they found him?
Have they found Robbie?
They waited.
Each hour of the day they waited.
No one told her, the latest news, for the latest news was usually no news.
A day, a night, two days, several days, a week and finally twelve days - and then, fifteen days:
no news."

Book Description:

"Daddy Love, aka Reverend Chester Cash, has for years abducted, tortured, and raped young boys. His latest victim is Robbie, now renamed 'Gideon,' and brainwashed into believing that he is Daddy Love's real son. Any time the boy resists or rebels he is met with punishment beyond his wildest nightmares. As Robbie grows older he begins to realize that the longer he is locked in the shackles of this demon, the greater chance he'll end up like Daddy Love's other 'sons' who were never heard from again. Somewhere within this tortured boy lies a spark of rebellion... and soon he will see just what lengths he must go to in order to have any chance at survival."

There are tons of quotes but I just leave it at this one:
"After all these years, Joyce Carol Oates can still give me the creeps." Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

Osman, Richard "We Solve Murders"

Osman, Richard "We Solve Murders" - 2024

I absolutely loved Richard Osman's first books because I do love him as a person and also got to love him as an author, So, I was quite happy, when my son gave me this for Christmas.

If this was a movie, this would be an action thriller rather than a murder mystery. I love watching murder mysteries (though I don't read them much) but I really don't like action movies. Far too loud for me.

I must say, this was almost the same with this book. I heard people complain about his first books that there were too many characters and that you did confused. Well, if you got confused with the first lot, this one will certainly not do for you. It took me quite a while to even understand who was who and what they were up to. My book has 464 pages and I think I got into the story at around page 200. Far too late and I would have given up if it weren't for the author.

There is some humour in this book but not the humour I am used to from Richard Osman. Such a pity.

From the back cover:

"Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job...

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?"

Tartt, Donna "The Secret History"

Tartt, Donna "The Secret History" - 1992

"The Secret History" has been on my wishlist ever since I read "The Goldfinch". And this year, I finally got to it. 

And a very impressive story it is. But it's difficult to get into details without giving out spoilers. Just this much. A group of students does something really bad and can only get out of it by doing something even worse. The characters are not really likeable but they get under your skin. You can't follow their actions but somehow you can.

A challenging book that will probably stay with me forever.

Quotes

on migraines:
"Henry, flat on his back in a dark room, ice packs on his head and a handkerchief tied over his eyes.

'I don't get them so often as I once did. When I was thirteen or fourteen I had them all the time. But not it seems that when tey do come - sometimes only once a year - they're much worse. ...'"

on death:
"Is death really so terrible a thing? It seems terrible to you, because you are young, ... It does not do to be frightened of things you know nothing ..."

From the back cover:

"Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality their lives are changed profoundly and for ever."

Tokarczuk, Olga "Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead" - 2009

Tokarczuk, Olga "Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead" (Polish: Prowadź swój pług przez kości umarłych) - 2009

I have read one book by Olga Tokarczuk (Primeval and Other Times) when she received her Nobel Prize for Literature. And I wanted to read more by her since then. A bookclub member lent me one now and I read it in more or less one go, it is so exciting. Janina Duszejko is such an interesting character. And the story is starting so quietly, you don't even notice at the beginning that it is a crime story which are not my favourites.

Even though she is the protagonist of the novel, you don't see her as such at the beginning. Janina is a middle-aged, slightly weird woman living in the middle of nowhere in the mountains at the Polish-Czech border where she looks after the summer houses of some rich people. She works with astrology and translates poems by William Blake. She loves animals and she is a conservationist. A remarquable woman.

Where this story leads to, I don't know. But I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in great literature.

From the back cover:

"One of Poland's most imaginative and lyrical writers, Olga Tokarczuk presents us with a detective story with a twist in DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD. After her two dogs go missing and members of the local hunting club are found murdered, teacher and animal rights activist Janina Duszejko becomes involved in the ensuing investigation. Part magic realism, part detective story, DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD is suspenseful and entertaining reimagining of the genre interwoven with poignant and insightful commentaries on our perceptions of madness, marginalised people and animal rights."

And why the German translation is called "Der Gesang der Fledermäuse" (The Song of the Bats) is still a mystery to me.

Olka Tokarczuk received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2018 "for her narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life".

I contribute to this page: Read the Nobels and you can find all my blogs about Nobel Prize winning authors and their books here.

Du Maurier, Daphne "Rebecca" - 1938

Du Maurier, Daphne "Rebecca" - 1938

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." Besides "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way" from Anna Karenina and "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ..." from "A Tale of Two Cities" probably one of the best known first lines of any novel. Even people who never read the books have heard them.

I have wanted to read this novel for a long, long time. I don't know why it took me so long to start it but I am glad I finally did. What a story! Definitely one of my favourites of all time.

I remember watching the film at least forty years ago, I have never forgotten it. Sometimes you don't want to spoil a book by watching the movie, sometimes it is the other way around.

This has not disappointed me. On the contrary. I am glad I watched the film first because I might have not liked it as much. But his way it was good.

The writing of this book is just superb. Whether it's a conversation or the description of a situation or a landscape, it couldn't have been done any better.

The description of the book says it all, I don't want to add more to spoil it for those who have not read it.

Just one last question: Any ideas on the name of the narrator. My thought was Kirstin or Kristin or Christine or Kerstin or whatever variations of that name, I've seen so many of them. However, I guess there is a reason why the author decided not to give her a name, it goes well with her status in the book, with her self-confidence - or lack of it.

From the back cover:

"'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.'

So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive past the beeches, white and naked, to the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten...her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant - the sinister Mrs. Danvers - still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of the evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca...for the secrets of Manderley."

Christie, Agatha "Murder on the Orient Express"

Christie, Agatha "Murder on the Orient Express" (Hercule Poirot #10) - 1934

Who hasn't watched "Murder on the Orient Express"? I know I have watched it about a hundred times. First with Albert Finney as Monsieur Poirot, then Alfred Molina, then THE Hercule Poirot, David Suchet, and last but definitely not least, the great Kenneth Branagh.

So, I thought it was about time that I read the book. All those films I watched are all slightly different and I always wondered which one was closest to the book. Well, they all left something out or changed who said what or even who was who. But they are all close to the book. Agatha Christie had a huge imagination and this novel shows us again how wonderful her stories are.

From the back cover:

"Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers is the murderer.

Isolated by the storm and with a killer in their midst detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again …"

Highsmith, Patricia "The Talented Mr. Ripley"

Highsmith, Patricia "The Talented Mr. Ripley" - 1955

This is my seventh Classic Spin and we were given #12.

I found this book on a swap shelf, otherwise I probably wouldn't have even looked at it, I'm not much into crime stories. I had heard of Mr. Ripley through the film of the same name with Matt Damon and Jude Law but never watched it, for the same reason as I normally wouldn't have read this book.

However, Patricia Highsmith is an author with a high reputation and I thought I ought to read at least one of her books. And I'm glad I did. Not because I really enjoyed the story all that much but because she was a talented author.

The characters reminded me a little of "The Great Gatsby", those young people living without any aim or task, only thinking about themselves.

I know there are a lot more books about Tom Ripley but I doubt I'll read any of them, even though the story was well written, this is not my kind of thing.

From the back cover:

"Tom Ripley is struggling to stay one step ahead of his creditors and the law, when an unexpected acquaintance offers him a free trip to Europe and a chance to start over. Ripley wants money, success and the good life and he's willing to kill for it. When his new-found happiness is threatened, his response is as swift as it is shocking."

Christie, Agatha "Hercule Poirot"

Christie, Agatha "Hercule Poirot. The Complete Short Stories" - 1923-61

Hercule Poirot. As soon as you hear that name you think, moustache, French accent, hat. I am not a huge fan of crime stories. Or short stories. But I love to watch Agatha Christie's stories on TV. For "the Monsieur Poirot", I liked the old ones with Sir Peter Ustinov, even any of the others with Albert Finney and Alfred Molina (who I really, really like) or the new one with Sir Kenneth Brannagh. But my favourite, sorry to all the others, is, of course, Sir David Suchet. He is the epitome of Hercule Poirot as Agatha Christie described him. I'm sure she would have loved him.

So, when I saw this book, I thought, why not? Give Agatha a try and read some of her stories. You can always stop halfway if you're bored since they are all short stories. Guess what? I read them all.

Not only are the stories funny which was to be expected from the films, her writing is just great. Her stories are easy reads and even someone who doesn't guess right away who the killer was (like me) finds fun in trying to guess whodunnit.

Of course, the book is not like the films. Some stories were thrown together to make one film, others were just merely mentioned in the series. That was also fun, trying to think in which episode had I seen that.

If you like crime stories and/or Agatha Christie, this is an absolutely great collection.

From the back cover:

"More than 50 Poirot short stories, including one unique to this volume!

Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective with the egg-shaped head and immaculate black moustache, has a passion for order, rational thought, and an overwhelming confidence in his deductive genius. He is, after all, the most famous detective in the world!

There is a spectacular diversity in the plots and themes of these cases. Violent murders, poisonings, kidnappings and thefts, all are solved or thwarted with Poirot's usual panache - and the characteristic application of his 'little grey cells'.

Includes Poirot And The Regatta Mystery, An early short story not published since 1936!"

These are the stories in the book:

Introduction: Enter Hercule Poirot

The Affair at the Victory Ball
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
The King of Clubs
The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
The Plymouth Express
The Adventure of "The Western Star"
The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
The Kidnapped Prime Minister
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge
The Chocolate Box
The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
The Veiled Lady
The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
The Market Basing Mystery
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
The Case of the Missing Will
The Incredible Theft
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
The Lost Mine
The Cornish Mystery
The Double Clue
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
The Lemesurier Inheritance
The Under Dog
Double Sin
Wasps' Nest
The Third-Floor Flat
The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
Dead Man's Mirror
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Problem at Sea
Triangle at Rhodes
Murder in the Mews
Yellow Iris
The Dream
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds
The Labours Of Hercules - Foreword
The Nemean Lion
The Learnean Hydra
The Arcadian Deer
The Erymanthian Boar
The Augean Stables
The Stymphalean Birds
The Cretan Bull
The Horses of Diomedes
The Girdle of Hyppolita
The Flock of Geryon
The Apples of the Hesperides
The Capture of Cerberus
Poirot and the Regatta Mystery

If you cannot find this edition, you can find the different stories in these books:

POIROT INVESTIGATES
The Adventure of "The Western Star"
The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
The Kidnapped Prime Minister
The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
The Case of the Missing Will
The Veiled Lady
The Lost Mine
The Chocolate Box

DEAD MAN'S MIRROR
(Goodreads)
Dead Man's Mirror
The Incredible Theft
Murder in the Mews
Triangle at Rhodes

THE REGATTA MYSTERY
(Goodreads)
The Mystery of the Bagdad Chest or The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Yellow Iris
The Dream
Problem at Sea

THE LABOURS OF HERCULES
(Goodreads)
The Nemean Lion
The Learnean Hydra
The Arcadian Deer
The Erymanthian Boar
The Augean Stables
The Stymphalean Birds
The Cretan Bull
The Horses of Diomedes
The Girdle of Hyppolita
The Flock of Geryon
The Apples of the Hesperides
The Capture of Cerberus

From THREE BLIND MICE
(Goodreads)
The Third-Floor Flat
The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds

From THE UNDER DOG
(Goodreads)
The Under Dog
The Plymouth Express
The Affair at the Victory Ball
The Market Basing Mystery
The Lemesurier Inheritance
The Cornish Mystery
The King of Clubs
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook

From DOUBLE SIN
(Goodreads)
Double Sin
Wasps' Nest
The Theft of the Royal Ruby or The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
The Double Clue

Christie, Agatha "And then there were none"

Christie, Agatha "And then there were none" (formerly: Ten Little Niggers) - 1939

I love Agatha Christie. But I usually just watch her on the television as I don't read many crime stories.

This one was different. Our online book club decided to postpone the chosen books and read some instead that are available on the internet. So, one of the choices was "And then there were none". I remember watching it in a local theatre where I knew half of the amateur actors personally. I remember it was great but I didn't remember the ending. Weird, because that happens to me very rarely. However, it was also reported by others that they had forgotten, maybe another great twist by the author?

Anyway, as with the tv adaptations, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. There was a lot of suspense in it, the characters were well written and you started to really like them. I couldn't imagine any of them being the "bad guy" (or girl), they all seemed so nice and had a good reason for the deed they were accused of. Yes, all of them supposedly had killed someone and therefore were lured onto the island in order to be killed.

I think we all know the nursery rhyme after which the book was named at first (there even was a German version and probably more in other languages, sometimes with a different title/different characters):

"Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Soldier Boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Soldier Boys travelling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Soldier Boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Soldier Boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Soldier Boys going in for law;
One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Soldier Boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Soldier Boys walking in the zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two little Soldier Boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Soldier Boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none."

Apparently, at first the soldier boys were not soldier boys (check here) but I think it is a good idea to have changed that. A lot of translations still use the old title which I think is totally unacceptable, especially in this day and age. (Should have been back then but we know how things were. Unfortunately.)

It was quite nice to read this story. As usual with Agatha Christie's books, the ending is totally surprising. There are crime stories where you can try to guess who the criminal is. Hardly ever with Agatha. I have always been annoyed when some detail turns up in the end that changes the whole story. One cannot possibly know that.

However, I have watched all the Miss Marple and Monsieur Poirot (and some other) stories on TV in the meantime and probably should read a few of her books. At least this one was very good. Great mystery.

In the discussion, the plot was talked about and all the ways how the reader was being read into the story, characters and their crimes, motivations, archetypes. There seem to be also quite a few movies and series adaptations of the story, the new BBC one apparently being very much harsher and cruel. I will have to check into that.

We discussed this in our international online book club in May 2020.

From the back cover:

"Ten strangers are invited to Soldier Island, an isolated rock off the Devon coast. Cut off from the mainland, with their generous host mysteriously absent, they are each accused of a terrible crime.
Then one of the party dies suddenly, and they realise there may be a murderer in their midst who might strike again…and again…

And all the time, copies of a macabre nursery rhyme hang in each room, a nursery rhyme with an omen of death for all ten of them."

Eschbach, Andreas "One Trillion Dollars"

Eschbach, Andreas "One Trillion Dollars" (German: Eine Billion Dollar) - 2001

This was another book from my TBR pile that had been suggested for our book club ages ago.

The story makes you think about what you could do if you had all the money in the world. What would you do to save the world? It's a tough question and if there is an answer, this book shows how hard it is to find an answer.

While I like the idea of the book and the story as such, I didn't really enjoy the novel very much. There were no likeable characters and the writing itself was not my cup of tea. And I can't even blame a translator because I read it in the original German.

Anyway, not uninteresting but it doesn't entice me to read more books by this author.

From the back cover:

"Yesterday John Fontanelli was just a pizza delivery guy in New York City. One day later he's the richest man in the world. One trillion dollars - one million times one million - $1,000,000,000,000: more money than anyone could imagine. For generations the Vacchis, an old Italian family of lawyers and asset managers, had supervised the fortune as it grew over five hundred years, until one particular date that the benefactor had stipulated in his will. The youngest male descendant would be fated to oversee the fortune for the good of humanity. John relishes his new life of luxury, rubbing elbows with royalty, buying up corporations, fielding a flood of beautiful women - until one day the phone rings, and a mysterious stranger tells the trillionaire that he knows what dirty secrets lie behind the fortune..."

Oates, Joyce Carol "Jack of Spades"

Oates, Joyce Carol "Jack of Spades. A Tale of Suspense" - 2015

Joyce Carol Oates is definitely one of my favourite authors. Her novels are always full of suspense, full of psychological meanings, full of interpersonal relationships. This is all of that and still quite different from her other novels. I doubt I would have read this kind of book had it been by any other author, I doubt I would have been drawn to it.

This novel is clever as always. It seems kind of short and I'm not usually a fan of short stories but this one was just the right size. The story is twisted and you can't wait for it to come all together, can't wait for the end.

I really did enjoy it, Joyce Carol Oates is just a fantastic writer. As mentioned in a New York Times Book Review on another of her novels: "After all these years, JCO can still give me the creeps." Well said.

From the back cover:

"From one of the most highly regarded writers working today, Jack of Spades is an exquisite, psychologically complex thriller about the opposing forces within the mind of one ambitious writer, and the delicate line between genius and madness.

Andrew J. Rush has achieved the kind of critical and commercial success most authors only dream about: he has a top agent and publisher in New York, and his twenty-eight mystery novels have sold millions of copies around the world. He also has a loving wife and three grown children and is highly respected as a philanthropist in his small New Jersey town. Only Stephen King, one of the few mystery writers whose fame exceeds his own, is capable of inspiring a twinge of envy in Rush.

But unbeknownst to anyone, even in his own family, Rush is hiding a dark secret. Under the pseudonym 'Jack of Spades', he pens another string of novels - dark potboilers that are violent, lurid, even masochistic. These are novels that the refined, upstanding Andrew Rush wouldn’t be caught reading, let alone writing. When his daughter comes across a Jack of Spades novel he has carelessly left out, she insists on reading it and begins to ask questions. Meanwhile, Rush receives a court summons in the mail explaining that a local woman has accused him of plagiarizing her own self-published fiction. Before long, Rush’s reputation, career, and family life all come under threat - and in his mind he begins to hear the taunting voice of Jack of Spades.

Tunneling into the most fraught corners of an immensely creative mind, Jack of Spades is a startling, fascinating novel by a masterly writer."

Bollen, Christopher "The Destroyers"

Bollen, Christopher "The Destroyers" - 2017

Our latest book club read. I had never heard of this author and I'm not totally surprised. "Mystery" and "thriller" usually doesn't come up in my books.

I only had a couple of days to read this book because it arrived very late from the library. But I think that was a good thing, this is probably not the kind of story you want to spread out.

Not a bad novel, the characters are pretty well drawn, you can imagine they actually exist. The story itself, well, I've never been rich but I can imagine it hits you harder when you don't have any money all of a sudden than when you never had it. People make different decisions in such a situation.

I don't completely agree with the title, the game the "Destroyers" the boys used to play as children, contributed nothing to the story in my opinion.

However, it was an interesting book.

From the back cover:

"Arriving on the Greek island of Patmos broke and humiliated, Ian Bledsoe is fleeing the emotional and financial fallout from his father’s death. His childhood friend Charlie - rich, exuberant, and basking in the success of his new venture on the island - could be his last hope.

At first Patmos appears to be a dream -long sun-soaked days on Charlie’s yacht and the reappearance of a girlfriend from Ian’s past - and Charlie readily offers Ian the lifeline he so desperately needs. But, like Charlie himself, this beautiful island conceals a darkness beneath, and it isn’t long before the dream begins to fragment. When Charlie suddenly vanishes, Ian finds himself caught up in deception after deception. As he grapples with the turmoil left in his friend’s wake, he is reminded of an imaginary game called Destroyers they played as children - a game, he now realizes, they may have never stopped playing.

An enthralling odyssey and a gripping, expansive drama, The Destroyers is a vivid and suspenseful story of identity, power and fate, fathers and sons, and self-invention and self-deception, from a writer at the very height of his powers."

We discussed this in our book club in April 2018.

Ruiz Zafón, Carlos "The Labyrinth of the Spirits"

Ruiz Zafón, Carlos "The Labyrinth of the Spirits" (Spanish: El laberinto de los espíritus) - 2016 
(El cementerio de los libros olvidados #4)

It was a lucky day in 2001 when I first stumbled upon my first book by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Finally the fourth book in the series of the Cemetery of Forgotten books has been published and was available as a paperback in translation. You can't imagine how I have waited for this.

And I was not disappointed. The fourth novel was just as exciting as the first three that had originally been called a trilogy but - luckily - the author decided to turn it into a tetralogy. Maybe he'll even write a fifth one? No matter what, if he is writing another book, I am going to read it.

We have learned a lot about the family Sempere and the authors they read, their friends and their lives, esp. the lives of the people in Catalonia during the Franco regime. It must have been horrible. But the author manages to describe all the incidents meticulously, with so much detail that you can imagine having been there yourself.

In this novel, he gets behind the scenes of a minister and his evil deeds. The Sempere family is involved again and we also hear about some of the characters from the previous episodes. Apparently, you can read the series in whatever order you want, there is always some information from the other books. I intend to re-read all the other three books soon.

These are the first books in the series:
- "The Shadow of the Wind" (La Sombra del Viento)
- "The Angel’s Game" (El Juego del Ángel)
- "The Prisoner of Heaven" (El Prisionero del Cielo)

From the back cover:

"The internationally acclaimed New York Times bestselling author returns to the magnificent universe he constructed in his bestselling novels The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel’s Game, and The Prisoner of Heaven in this riveting series finale - a heart-pounding thriller and nail-biting work of suspense which introduces a sexy, seductive new heroine whose investigation shines a light on the dark history of Franco’s Spain.

In this unforgettable final volume of Ruiz Zafón’s cycle of novels set in the universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, beautiful and enigmatic Alicia Gris, with the help of the Sempere family, uncovers one of the most shocking conspiracies in all Spanish history.

Nine-year-old Alicia lost her parents during the Spanish Civil War when the Nacionales (the fascists) savagely bombed Barcelona in 1938. Twenty years later, she still carries the emotional and physical scars of that violent and terrifying time. Weary of her work as investigator for Spain’s secret police in Madrid, a job she has held for more than a decade, the twenty-nine-year old plans to move on. At the insistence of her boss, Leandro Montalvo, she remains to solve one last case: the mysterious disappearance of Spain’s Minister of Culture, Mauricio Valls.

With her partner, the intimidating policeman Juan Manuel Vargas, Alicia discovers a possible clue - a rare book by the author Victor Mataix hidden in Valls’ office in his Madrid mansion. Valls was the director of the notorious Montjuic Prison in Barcelona during World War II where several writers were imprisoned, including David Martín and Victor Mataix. Traveling to Barcelona on the trail of these writers, Alicia and Vargas meet with several booksellers, including Juan Sempere, who knew her parents.

As Alicia and Vargas come closer to finding Valls, they uncover a tangled web of kidnappings and murders tied to the Franco regime, whose corruption is more widespread and horrifying than anyone imagined. Alicia’s courageous and uncompromising search for the truth puts her life in peril. Only with the help of a circle of devoted friends will she emerge from the dark labyrinths of Barcelona and its history into the light of the future.

In this haunting new novel, Carlos Ruiz Zafón proves yet again that he is a masterful storyteller and pays homage to the world of books, to his ingenious creation of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, and to that magical bridge between literature and our lives."

Favourite quotes:
"You drink to remember, you write to forget." David Martín
and
"The Semperes travelled through books, not the map."

See more comments on my ThrowbackThursday post in 2022.

Koch, Herman "The Dinner"

Koch, Herman "The Dinner" (Dutch: Het Diner) - 2009

Our latest book club read, a story about two couples going for dinner but everything seems to go wrong.

While this is a good book to discuss, I didn't actually enjoy it a lot. I didn't like any of the characters, well, I felt a little sorry for the wives but no, I really didn't like any of them. They were not just shallow, they were calculating, only out for their own gain. Another member said she got so angry but we did agree that it was a good book to talk about.

I enjoyed the description of the waiter, of the whole "star restaurant". I have been to a few restaurants like that myself where you seem to pay for the whole plate and therefore don't get much on it ... but everything is somehow "special". I rather go to a nice little restaurant that still cooks everything from fresh ingredients but also makes sure their customers don't leave their place with a hollow stomach.

I found the characters racist or fascist or whatever you might call people who just dislike someone for having less money than they do, Just the type of people I would not want to call my friends. Whatever happens, I don't want to spoil it for anyone like this, I would not do "anything" for my children out of love, I would like to keep them out of trouble before something happens.

The question is, do we want to live in a society determined by these kind of people?

The book has been made into a movie. I'm not sure whether I want to watch it.

We discussed this in our international book club in November 2017 and in our international online book club in February 2026.

Here are the comments from the latest discussion:

• The conversation was both intense and thought-provoking.
• Overall, we agreed that the novel is fantastically written, with a strong narrative flow that made it hard to put down. The tension builds subtly but very intensely, and the author manages to break classical plot structure while smoothly changing the reader’s opinion of the characters as the story unfolds. Even though most of us loved the book, we also agreed that we did not actually like any of the characters, and it felt as if the author himself had no favorites.
• Many readers rated the book highly (4/5 or 5/5), although a few gave it 3/5 because of how disturbing and morally bleak the story is. Koch was a new author for most of us, and we felt we likely would not have discovered this book without the group. Some members had also seen film adaptations of the story, including the 2017 film adaptation, the Dutch film Het Diner (2013), and the Italian adaptation I nostri ragazzi (2014). A few readers enjoyed the novel so much that they immediately added more of Koch’s works to their reading lists, especially "Summer House with Swimming Pool" (Zomerhuis met zwembad).
• One of the main topics of discussion was morality and how the book challenges our moral perception. We talked about attitudes toward homeless people, minorities, and other disadvantaged groups, both in Finland and globally. The story made us question what justice really means: is justice only valid when it comes through formal punishment and trial? We also discussed how society assigns value to victims. When the victim is a homeless person with no family or close social circle, the public may be briefly horrified but quickly moves on to other news. If no one is left to mourn or demand accountability, we wondered whether punishment still truly feels like justice, or if it becomes more of a symbolic act for society’s conscience.
• Another major theme was parenting: the tension between a parent’s protective instinct and the idea that love can also mean setting boundaries. The book raised difficult questions about how far a parent is willing to go to protect their child’s future and whether protection can become moral complicity.
• We also discussed the setting of the restaurant as a kind of stage. The ritual of dining out, the polite structure of courses, and the presence of waiters and other diners create a façade of civility that contrasts sharply with the disturbing subject matter being discussed. This theatrical atmosphere influences how we perceive the characters and makes their reactions, manners, and treatment of others even more revealing as the evening progresses.
• Character analysis sparked especially long discussions. At first, many of us were inclined to judge the well-known politician Serge based on the narrator’s framing. Babette came across as a socialite more concerned with maintaining appearances than with moral responsibility. Claire surprised many readers with her coldness and the extreme lengths she was willing to go to in order to protect her child’s future. Meanwhile, the narrator Paul gradually revealed himself to be unreliable, possibly suffering from a serious mental disorder he fears may have been passed on to his son, Michel. As the story progressed, we began to question his version of events: was he imagining certain horrific thoughts and actions, or was he in fact a psychopath? We also reflected on how his mindset may have shaped Michel’s worldview and actions.
• We appreciated how the novel portrays multiple ways of perceiving and accepting the world through a single, subjective narrator, and how skillfully it shifts our sympathies without us even noticing at first.
• The book also contains several literary and moral references. It alludes to works such as "Deliverance" by James Dickey (which we are reading next month) and echoes many famous biblical morality stories, especially themes of guilt, judgment, and moral responsibility, such as the story of Cain and Abel and broader biblical discussions of sin, hypocrisy, and justice.
• Finally, we compared "The Dinner" to other books with similar moral dilemmas. Titles mentioned included Thomas Mann’s "Death in Venice", Albert Camus’ "The Stranger", and Chuck Palahniuk’s "Fight Club" (particularly in terms of unreliable narration and distorted moral reasoning) and American Psycho.
• After discussing these themes, the conversation naturally shifted into a broader discussion about cults, the homeschooling of children, and Tara Westover’s memoir "Educated", and how its themes of upbringing, parental authority, and the shaping of a child’s worldview connect in interesting ways to the moral and familial dynamics explored in "The Dinner".
• So overall we had a very multifaceted discussion. 

Another member added:
"Imagine a world where serious wrongdoing is met with impunity, enabled by privilege, deceit, and loyalty. This is the degraded world of the family at the centre of The Dinner. Rather than bonds of love, there are bonds of cowardice and complicity. This is a fascinating tale, very well told. I found this book selection to be a timely, worthwhile read. Kiitos!"

From the back cover:

"A summer's evening in Amsterdam and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant. Between mouthfuls of food and over the delicate scraping of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of politeness - the banality of work, the triviality of holidays.

But the empty words hide a terrible conflict and, with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened... Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. Together, the boys have committed a horrifying act, caught on camera, and their grainy images have been beamed into living rooms across the nation; despite a police manhunt, the boys remain unidentified - by everyone except their parents.

As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children and, as civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple shows just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love."