Tag Archives: Mystery

Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris (review by Akshay B. ’16)

September 3, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

FBI agent-in-training Clarice Starling is just as surprised as anyone else when she is called upon to investigate the serial killer Buffalo Bill, who skins his female victims to create a wearable suit. After Starling finds no leads, FBI Director Jack Crawford directs her to request the incarcerated Dr. Hannibal “Hannibal the Cannibal” Lecter for aid. Dr. Lecter develops a personal bond with Starling, and offers her information in exchange for personal details about her early life. However, when a Senator’s daughter is kidnapped by Buffalo Bill, the stakes are raised, and suddenly Dr. Lecter becomes the single most important person in the case. Building upon its prequel, The Silence of the Lambs is an absolutely beautiful masterpiece that blends a relatable protagonist and a despised yet admired cannibal genius, alongside profound symbolism and a twisting plot. Silence of the Lambs is definitely a must for all mature young adults and older. – Akshay B. ’16

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Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (review by Akshay B. ’16)

September 3, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Retired FBI profiler Will Graham is sought out by Agent Jack Crawford after a serial killer referred to as “The Tooth Fairy” murders two families, each at a full moon. Unable to glean any insight from the crime scenes, Graham realizes that he must consult Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the Baltimore State Hospital for Criminally Insane. Three years ago, Graham captured Lecter, who later came to be known as “Hannibal the Cannibal,” but was nearly disemboweled by the killer and thus retired. Graham must now face his past with Dr. Lecter and remain level-headed whilst racing to catch the Tooth Fairy before the next full moon. Harris masterfully creates a sympathetic hero and villain, causing the reader to root for both sides. Full of surprises, exquisite detail, and enough gore for a week, fans of thriller and mystery will find Red Dragon an excellent choice for a pleasure-read. – Akshay B. ’16

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The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (review by Daphne Y. ’16)

August 26, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Da Vinci Code begins with a dramatic standoff between the curator of the renowned French museum, the Louvre, and a mysterious hooded figure. By the end of the first chapter Dan Brown is already leaving the reader with an insatiable hunger for more. Full of absolutely ingenious wordplay, puzzles, and riddles with one plot twist or cliffhanger following another, Brown manages to keep readers on their toes and dying to read the next chapter. He also switches points of views in each chapter from one main character to the next, and even includes the voices of the antagonists, thus providing a comprehensive and omniscient understanding of all the characters in the book. Overall, The Da Vinci Code is the kind of novel that is simply impossible to put down; riveting and genius from start to finish! – Daphne Y. ’16

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Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer (review by Andrew R. ’17)

August 26, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When a millionaire pulls off an elaborate scheme to steal money from other millionaires, it’s up to the conned millionaires to chase the criminal millionaire around to all his high-society haunts so that they can surreptitiously extract their fortunes from him and become millionaires once more. As a non-millionaire, it’s hard to sympathize with all these fabulously wealthy characters whose most important traits are their holdings in African gold and their prize-winning orchid collections. Archer is wedded to elaborate scene descriptions, from the exact years of every expensive bottle of wine the characters enjoy to the brand and tailor of each of their suits. To provide these details, Archer often draws a little too far on his narrative omniscience. By the fifth chapter, he’s revealed all but one plot twist in the entire novel, leaving the reader to tag along on the protagonists’ journeys to Wimbledon and Monte Carlo without caring too much who will succeed and who will fail. Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less is a good fit for readers who share the author’s penchant for finances, but at 300 pages, the novel isn’t prepared to offer much else. – Andrew R. ’17

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Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (review by Kshithija M. "17)

August 26, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first of several books following the adventures of famous Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon, Angels and Demons features a race against time as Langdon and his companions attempt to find a canister containing the explosive anti-matter before the Vatican City is destroyed. The book begins when an assassin sent by the Illuminati murders a CERN scientist researching anti-matter; the scientist’s daughter Vittoria Vetra accompanies Langdon as their investigation of the murder leads them to Vatican City. The plot thickens when anti-matter appears to have been placed at the Vatican by the Illuminati and several important cardinals are also missing. Angels & Demons leaves readers racing to keep up with the protagonists as they charge through the Vatican and questioning the truth as the plot twists and turns uncovering more details at every turn. This book is a perfect mix of a mystery and thriller, and both history buffs and action lovers will be left curious and excited for more of Robert Langdon’s adventures after reading this novel. – Kshithija M. ’17

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Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (review by Elisabeth S. ’16)

March 24, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A solid urban fantasy novel, Moon Called gives readers a healthy dose of independent, headstrong female characters, solid world building, and complex character depth. It succeeds in avoiding the usual tropes of urban fantasy or giving them new twists to keep things fresh. The series details the life of skinwalker Mercedes Thompson, a mechanic who toes the line that divides the society of fae, werewolves, vampires, and other monsters from normal humans. As a skinwalker, Mercedes can turn at will into a coyote–though she is not entirely a werewolf, she was raised by the werewolf community as one of their own until she leaves of her own accord after a decisive incident. Trouble brews when the neighboring pack has one of their children stolen. Overall, I would recommend Moon Called to fans of all fantasy, whether specifically urban or otherwise, for a fast-paced and entertaining read. – Elisabeth S. ’16

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I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (review by Elisabeth S. 17)

January 22, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian 1 Comment

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I Am the Messenger is an idiosyncratic, heartwarming novel that is, in most stores, marketed wrongly in the young adult section–this is a novel that should be read and cherished by adolescents and adults alike for its brilliance and quiet, universal lessons. Ed Kennedy is a young cabdriver with no real aspirations and a muted existence in his apartment with his loyal, omnivorous dog The Doorman and his few friends he plays cards with every now and then. After managing to stall a bank robbery by chance, he is sent the first card in the mail, an ace of diamonds, from an unknown benefactor. The card contains three addresses, three messages that he has to send. And thus, he becomes “the messenger,” and the reader is taken for a thrill ride through the Australian suburbs. Full of love, laughter, and ironic life lessons, I I Am the Messenger refuses to be put down after being picked up. Ed Kennedy’s wry voice serves as an excellently readable narrator for the story, and the reader also gets to see Ed develop as he experiences each message that he delivers in his own way. This book is highly recommended for readers of all genres and all ages teen and up. – Elisabeth S. ‘16

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Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (review by Allison W. ’16)

October 17, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian 1 Comment

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s The Shadow of the Wind, Daniel tries to uncover the truth about Julian Carax, an author whose books are being burnt. As he visits people in Barcelona who know about Carax, he learns that some people do not want him to discover what happened to Carax and his work. At the same time, Daniel grows up and finds many parallels between his life and Carax’s life as he makes new friends and finds the danger in his quest for knowledge. Daniel’s maturation during his search also serves to make the story more realistic than other books which cover many events and realizations in a short period of time. By itself, The Shadow of the Wind is a wonderfully gripping story, though it is similar to some of Zafon’s other books, such as The Midnight Palace. – Allison W. ’16

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Night Film by Marisha Pessl (review by Mrs. Vaughan, Harker librarian)

October 7, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Night Film by Marisha Pessl
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Down on his luck journalist Scott McGrath teams up with perky coat-check girl Nora and spoiled, strung-out and fiercely handsome Hopper to investigate the mysterious death of the brilliant Ashley Cordova, daughter of reclusive horror film director Stanislas Cordova. Wending their way through the tangle of her father’s cultish fans, dysfunctional family history and their own personal baggage, the quirky trio stumbles upon circumstances that suggest abduction, black magic and murder. Pessl’s willingness to weave in trendy New York settings and fictional connections to the truly famous adds an immediacy to her story. So too, do the inclusion of pages featuring screen shots of websites, police reports and a myriad of other pretend, but authentic looking documents. For all that, the mystery is less satisfying than Pessl’s previous title, Special Topics in Calamity Physics which was brilliantly paced and highly believable. Unfortunately, the mystery of Miss Cordova fails to build and reads like one trip to sexy NYC destination to the next. Night Film will appeal to folks who want to feel like they are a part of the in crowd of Manhattan society – so much that this reader wonders if the positive reviews are a result of Pessl’s successful stroking of her critics’ egos. Still, patient readers who enjoy a creepy tale that doesn’t get especially bloody and isn’t big on intriguing twists or satisfying endings will enjoy Night Film. Let’s hope Pessl is back on her game next time around. – Mrs. Vaughan, Harker librarian

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The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (review by Mr. Silk, Harker teacher)

October 1, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever wondered if what’s happening in a book is real, or just going on in your mind? Jasper Fforde answers that question with the first in a continuing series of books that effortlessly blend together science fiction, mystery, and comedy. Set in an alternate reality (our world with subtle changes) the story follows Thursday Next as she moves into and out of fiction – specifically the novel Jane Eyre. If you are a Jane Eyre fan you need to read this book immediately! But if you are a fan of clever dialogue and intriguing plot twists, you will find The Eyre Affair, and the rest of the series, extremely enjoyable. Mr. Silk, Harker teacher

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