Movie review, Uncut Gems

Uncut Gems starring Adam Sandler

Rating: 5 stars must see. 

Summary: Degenerate gambler, lowlife Dad, and jeweler,  Howard Ratner played by Adam Sandler is looking for the big score in gambling. Things don’t go exactly as planned in a sudden a shocking ending.

Comments: I absolutely loved Sandler stepping out of character and playing this role. Great movie. Go enjoy a night out. 

https://www.fandango.com/uncutgems_220344/movieoverview?cmp=PDT_Copy_iPad

Burning Bright by Nick Petrie

Burning Bright by Nick Petrie

Rating 4 stars

Summary: In the second installment in the Peter Ash series, Peter finds himself surrounded by large Redwoods as he is looking to relieve himself from his awful friend the static, PTSD. Peter finds a rope in a tree as he is escaping from a bear in the woods and it leads to a women on the run.

Comments: Petrie is writing some timely conspiracy thrillers that are quite fun. I will make my way through the series. Fun reads. 

American Predator by Maureen Callahan

American Predator by Maureen Callahan

Rating: 5 Serial killing stars

Summary: Israel Keyes was one of America’s most dangerous man hunting humans from late 1990’s through early 2010 or so. Keyes was a hunter of humans and built a strategy like no other killer ever interviewed. A extremely well written narrative.

Comments: I am not a big fan of the serial killer books. Callahan certainly pens a winner. Must read.  

https://smile.amazon.com/American-Predator-Meticulous-Serial-Century-ebook/dp/B07L2GMT7J

Best of 2019 Reading List

This has been one of the greatest years to be a crime/thriller fan that I can remember. I have read 76 books so far in 2019. It’s been wonderful.

My 10 best books I have read. Some may have not been published in 2019, but I read this year. It is always difficult because of so many great books this year.

1, The Border by Don Winslow
2, The Chain by Adrian McKinity
3, The Quaker by Liam Mcilvanney
4,The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
5, Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia. April 2020 release
6, End of the Ocean by Matthew McBride
7, The Shameless by Ace Atkins
8, The Substitution Order by Martin Clark
9, Dignity by Chris Arnade
10, The Warehouse by Rob Hart
11, Like Lions by Brian Panowich

Yes, it’s a top 11 list!

Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia

Rating: 5 stars, highly recommended!

Summary: 20 million in prize money is missing for a major fighting event to happen in the Twin Cities over the 4th of July holiday. The owners of Strike gyms higher a financial forensic investigators to recover the missing money in just a few days.

Comments: This is an amazing well written heist, suspense, and domestic noir novel. Fast paced page turner. I think this novel puts Mejia into the top layer of crime/suspense writers and clearly should place her in the major leagues of novelist. The tour of the Mill District of Minneapolis was fun as I have run several road races in these same locations. I absolutely loved the idea of financial investigators as a lead character. Very original.

Thank for the early read. Release is set for April 20.

Pre order here: https://smile.amazon.com/Strike-Me-Down-Mindy-Mejia-ebook/dp/B07THC111F

Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos

Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos

Rating: A highly recommended 5 stares

Summary: The second installment of the Strange and Quinn private detectives in-tangle themselves in the crime ridden drug culture of our nations capital, Washington DC.

Comments: As always Pelecanos is a cant miss read. I bought this novel when it was new on at an airport to read on a trip to Vegas. I missed how good it was then, and 20 years later I loved it. Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Derek-Strange-Terry-Quinn-ebook/dp/B000QCS9G4

The Pell Heist by Norb Vonnegut

The Pell Heist by Norb Vonnegut

Rating: 5 stolen paintings!

Summary: Jack Legare’s a former Wall Street hotshot is retired, or fired, is asked by a friend from Pell’s women’s college to recover and raise ransom money for stolen paintings 25 years ago.

Comments: Vonnegut is a very much underrated crime/thriller writer that I’ve enjoyed for is fast paced writing style that keeps the pages turning. He develops great characters that grab you quickly. Read all his books, great entertainment.  

https://smile.amazon.com/Pell-Heist-Jack-Legare-Book-ebook/dp/B07GRH96PB