Shooting Sean (Dan Starkey #4) by Colin Bateman

Shooting Sean

Dan Starkey #4

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 26 November - 1 December 2020

Length: 245 pages

Published: 2001

Dan has been asked to write about movie star Sean O'Toole, so he goes to the set of the controversial film he's making; The Brigadier. Only things get complicated, in true Dan fashion. Dan's wife and step-son get kidnapped by Michael O'Ryan, and now it's up to Dan to stop Sean, or lose his wife and child for good. Can he do it?

Yet again Dan can't keep it in his pants. This is becoming a recurring theme in the series, and honestly it doesn't even surprise me anymore. What is annoying though, is he always ends up grovelling to Patricia, saying he loves her and wants to make it work, etc. It's repetitive and I'm over it.

Alice is a piece of work! I actually feel a bit sorry for Sean because of what she's been doing to him, and behind his back. She doesn't really love him and it's a whole plot to get at him for doing the film. She really doesn't care one iota about what she's doing.

I didn't like the ending. Poor little Stevie! It actually made me so sad reading it and I just didn't want it to be true. It is one of the most devastating things a parent can go through, and even though Dan wasn't his real father, he still cared for him a great deal.

I'm just wondering what's going to happen next. Dan's life has been turned upside down and I wonder how he's going to handle it.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Underworld (Abandon #2) by Meg Cabot

Underworld

Abandon #2

Meg Cabot

Front cover

Date read: 18 - 25 November 2020

Length: 309 pages

Published: 2012

John takes Pierce to the Underworld to protect her from the Furies. She might be safe for now, but what about the people she's left behind? When she realises her cousin Alex is in danger, she does everything she can to try to save him.

PIERCE ISN'T DEAD. NOT YET.

I'm enjoying getting to know more about John. He is a very mysterious character and it doesn't help that we only learn little snippets about him every so often! Pierce is keen to find out what she can about the life he had when he was alive, and I wan't to know too!

Pierce keeps doing things without realising the full consequences. She is very much led by her emotions and quite often acts on impulse. She cant still be a bit naive but she will do anything to save her family.

I'm enjoying the series so far, and looking forward to reading the last one. I'm hoping to learn more about John and also that diamond Pierce wears!

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #3) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes #3

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Front cover

Date read: 9 - 17 November 2020

Length: 365 pages

Published: 1892

Here we have a collection of shorter Holmes mysteries, all equally bizarre and interesting. With his trusty companion Dr Watson, they put to rest 12 cases, some more completely than others.

'It is an old maxim of mine that when you have

excluded the impossible, whatever remains,

however improbable, must be the truth.'

Sometimes I like reading the shorter cases like this because you're getting more stories at once. It is interesting to read how he solves each case, and a lot of the time I imagine myself as Watson while I'm reading, watching the mystery unfold before my eyes.

I enjoyed each story, but particularly The Red-Headed League, The Blue Carbuncle and The Copper Beaches. They are each different, one about theft, another about missing gems in a very interesting way, and the last about a poor woman needing to be saved!

One thing I miss about the collections, however, is that there isn't as much of the story between Holmes and Watson. I enjoy learning about their lives and seeing the interaction between them when they're not working on a case. 

Luckily this series has a good mixture of both!

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Turbulent Priests (Dan Starkey #3) by Colin Bateman

Turbulent Priests

Dan Starkey #3

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 2 - 8 November 2020

Length: 275 pages

Published: 1999

Dan takes his wife and Little Stevie to a cottage on the tiny island of Wrathlin to investigate reports of a new Messiah. But when they get there, there's a lot more going on that first meets the eye. Can Dan survive the island?

The father, the son and

the wholly unexpected"

I've enjoyed this one the most so far I think. I got into it right away and it was so easy to read. The other books have been great too, but this is the best so far!

The island is a bit strange and very disconnected from modern life. The church is the law, not the police. The island seems to be full of crazy people who want to maintain the idea of the messiah, and will do anything they can to stop any interference.

Moira seems to be one of the only sane people. She doesn't care what the other people think, even though the supposed messiah is her daughter.

I'm glad they managed to help the villagers. Some of them are only guilty by location and it's good that they were able to get off the island and get help.

Dan needs to keep it in his trousers! He's done so much work to repair his relationship with Patricia and then he goes and does something like this. It is annoying and very frustrating to read.

Looking forward to the next one.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Abandon (Abandon #1) by Meg Cabot

Abandon

Abandon #1

Meg Cabot

Front cover

Date read: 25 October - 1 November 2020

Length: 292 pages

Published: 2011

Pierce died once. Only she didn't stay dead. Now she's trying to put the pieces together. Who is the mysterious young man who keeps following her, and why did he give her that necklace? It's time to go back to where she was...

She knows what

it's like to die...

...now Death wants her back.

I quite enjoyed Abandon and I think I probably would have loved it if I had read it when I was a teenager. 

I feel sorry for Pierce, no one understands what she's actually been through. She's in a tricky situation because she knows that no one would believe her if she told the truth, and even when she lets little things slip she gets treated like she's crazy.

One thing he has going for her is she seems to be quite clever though, and knows the things she definitely can't tell anyone. She is strong willed and will stop at nothing to try to do what she thinks is right or necessary. 

Looking forward to the next one so I can learn more!

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The Wee Librocubicularist

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

A Long Way Down

Nick Hornby

Front cover

Date read: 18 - 24 October 2020

Length: 257 pages

Published: 2005

Martin, JJ, Jess, and Maureen all find each other on top of a tower block - Topper's House, a well known suicide spot in London. They each have their own reasons for being there, but the same end goal in mind. Together they form a pact and talk each other down. Can this unlikely group of friends keep each other alive?

'Can I explain why I wanted to jump off the top of a tower block?'

I didn't particularly like any character specifically, but JJ would be the best. He seemed the most down to earth and I probably would have got on with him more than any of the others.

Jess is annoying and and a bit of a brat. She does what she wants without thinking about the consequences for other people, or even herself. She does try to do nice things at the end though, which redeems her a little.

Martin is a scoundrel and makes bad decisions. He's a minor celebrity so those things tend to get blown up by the media, and something bad he did caused his life to fall apart.

Maureen is stuck with a life she didn't want. She has a severely disabled son and lives a very monotonous life. She's bored and lonely.

But together they actually make a pretty good team, helping each other though their difficulties.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (Dan Starkey #2) by Colin Bateman

Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men

Dan Starkey #2

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 10 - 17 October 2020

Length: 334 pages

Published: 1996

Starkey is asked to write a book about Irish boxer Bobby McMaster, following his life and his journey to New York to fight the champion Mike Tyson. But in true Starkey fashion, everything goes wrong. McMaster's wife is kidnapped in a political agenda. Can they save her, and will Bobby win the fight?

You know, I actually feel a bit sorry for Dan. He seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time, getting himself into dangerous situations that are often difficult to get out of.

There's more to Bobby than meets the eye. On the surface he seems stupid and uncaring, but he's actually quite smart and cares a great deal about things that matter to him.

I'm not really sure what's going to happen with Dan and Patricia. Dan is working very hard to win her back, but she seems mostly uninterested. And now there's a major event that could cause them to split for good!

I'm not really interested in boxing but the story is interesting. There's enough of other things going on to keep even me reading!

Very much enjoying the series so far.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist