Impersonating Elvis by Polly Nelson

Impersonating Elvis by Polly Nelson

4 pages, eBook

Where I Got It: EastoftheWeb.com

Story Rating: 4 Stars

Content Ratings:

Violence: Mild-Moderate-Brutal

Swearing: Clean-Light-Filthy

Sexual Content: White-Pink-Red

Wry - Resentful - Playful

Summary:

A man’s growing interest in Elvis impersonation gives his rival the perfect opportunity to seize the upper hand.

My Thoughts:

Entertaining story about a man trying desperately to have a leg up on his nemesis just once. Despite his resentful plotting, you almost kind of feel sorry for him.

Quotes:

“That’s pretty much Chuck Walaach in a nutshell. Unfortunate luck, I call it.” -Polly Nelson, Impersonating Elvis

“In fact, for this last year I’ve practically been running the whole shebang for him. Partly that’s because I’m better at it than he is but mostly it’s because Chuckie Walaach thinks he can be Elvis.” -Polly Nelson, Impersonating Elvis

“Just picture the police putting out an all points bulletin on an Elvis assassin who looks like Elvis in a town with one hundred-thirty-seven Elvis’s walking around.” -Polly Nelson, Impersonating Elvis

Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Veronica Mars, Book 1

Publisher: Vintage (March 2014)

338 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $6.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing and Violence

Business has been a bit dry and Veronica is beginning to have more and more doubts about trying to get back into the P. I . business, that is until a big case lands on her doorstep, and the search for a missing college girl gives her purpose. This story is intended to be read after watching the TV series and the movie. It is written in such a way that I believe it could be read on it's own (with no previous knowledge of the series), but it would definitely be more enjoyable with that background knowledge. This picks right up where the movie left off and plunges Veronica fairly quickly into a big case. The mystery of the two missing girls was riveting, and like the shows, I thought it let everything unfold at just the right pace, giving you a little something here and there as you roll with the action (and this is action-packed!). Veronica's relationship with Logan takes a backseat to her sleuthing, due to the long-distance, and I kind of liked it that way because it provided stable support and no extra conflict from that quarter (I think she's suffered enough romantically). Reading this was just like watching another episode of the show! Awesome read and I can't wait for Book 2!

TV/Movie Adaptations:

Veronica Mars (TV Series 2004-2007)

Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni

TV Rating: TV-14

My Rating: 5 Stars

Eye Candy: Plain-Pretty-Sultry

I was able to watch all three seasons through Amazon Prime Instant Video!

This TV Series follows Veronica Mars through her last two years of high school and her first year of college (Three Seasons, 64 Forty-Three min episodes) as the teenage sleuth battles relationship problems, the corruption of Neptune and her own heavily-veiled insecurities. Great show, with a bit of a soap opera feel to it at times. The cases Veronica cracks, many of them brought to her by classmates, are always fun to watch as she works her magic. For the full effect, this TV Series is best viewed in its entirety, along with the Movie that follows, before reading the book.

Veronica Mars (2014)

Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni

Movie Rating: PG-13

My Rating: 4 Stars

Eye Candy: Plain-Pretty-Sultry

This Movie picks up nine years after the TV Series left off, and finds Logan in fresh trouble, leading him to turn to Veronica for help once again, despite many years with no contact. I was glad this movie had all the original actors, and it was cool to see them a bit aged and settled in life. I view the movie as another episode (#65) of the TV show (except it’s twice as long). Basically, Veronica tried the boring thing, but getting back to Neptune and into her old life, she realizes she’s done with boring. She’s just not a boring kind of girl. Great to see the next piece of the story and I look forward to reading the book now.

The Harlequin Tea Set by Agatha Christie

The Harlequin Tea Set by Agatha Christie

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 2011)

42 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This last Quin and Satterthwaite story, said to take place many years after the events in the story Harlequin's Lane (which is referred to a couple times in the course of the story), has more mystical/paranormal elements than most of the other stories, and lacks the conversational solution that is typical of the match. Still a good mystery, and an entertaining short read!

The Love Detectives by Agatha Christie

The Love Detectives by Agatha Christie

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 2011)

34 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

In this story about a man murdered in his library, Mr. Quin and Mr. Satterthwaite join Colonel Melrose as he makes his inquiries and looks over the scene of the crime. This story, more than any other Quin and Satterthwaite story I've read, is a more traditionally constructed murder mystery investigation, but is still solved in their usual conversational style. If you are attempting to read the Quin stories in order, this one is said to take place after At the "Bells and Motley" (which is included in the collection The Mysterious Mr. Quin), but I don't think there is any reason why it couldn't be read out of order. Good short mystery story!

The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie

The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (February 2010)

323 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $7.59)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This edition contains twelve of the fourteen short stories featuring Mr. Quin, a mysterious man described as ‘the sort of person that comes and goes.’ These stories are delivered from the point-of-view of Mr. Satterthwaite, a older gentleman who moves about in fashionable society a great deal and enjoys witnessing other’s drama and intrigue. Though these stories are most definitely mysteries, neither Mr. Quin nor Mr. Satterthwaite are really investigators, as such. Mr. Satterthwaite comes upon an intriguing mystery and gathers all the background information, then Mr. Quin appears at just the right moment to direct Mr. Satterthwaite, and sometimes others present, in working it out logically through conversation. There is something almost paranormal about Mr. Quin and his abilities sometimes. Interesting twist and great collection! The two other short stories that feature Mr. Quin are The Love Detectives and The Harlequin Tea Set, which are available as singles or in various collections. Mr. Satterthwaite is also featured on his own in two Poirot stories, Three Act Tragedy and Dead Man’s Mirror, a short story included in the collection Murder in the Mews.

Collection Includes:

1. The Coming of Mr. Quin
2. The Shadow on the Glass
3. At the “Bells and Motley”
4. The Sign in the Sky
5. The Soul of the Croupier
6. The Man from the Sea
7. The Voice in the Dark
8. The Face of Helen
9. The Dead Harlequin
10. The Bird with the Broken Wing
11. The World’s End
12. Harlequin’s Lane

Night Flight by Simon Collings

Night Flight by Simon Collings

5 pages, eBook

Where I Got It: EastoftheWeb.com

Story Rating: 4 Stars

Content Ratings:

Violence: Mild-Moderate-Brutal

Swearing: Clean-Light-Filthy

Sexual Content: White-Pink-Red

Gentle - Tranquil - Chummy

Summary:

Two people sit beside each other on a flight from India and get to chatting.

My Thoughts:

Nice little story of chance acquaintances and how close quarters can foster more intimacy than one had anticipated. The idea of what could be between the people is floated about with hints and I liked the undefined nature of what their time together meant. Perhaps just a good memory of a few hours engaging conversation.

Quotes:

“I am wondering if I should talk to her when the man in the window seat shows up and we have to let him in.” -Simon Collings, Night Flight

“The cabin is quiet, lights still dimmed, just the gentle sound of the air conditioning and the murmur of conversations.” -Simon Collings, Night Flight

“She snuggles down, lying beside me with her eyes closed, her head leaning towards me. I watch her profile in the dim glow of the darkened cabin, inhaling her perfume.” -Simon Collings, Night Flight

Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell

Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (April 2012)

210 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $9.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing, Violence and Sexual Situations

Jamalee is sick of her lot in life and has high aspirations.  She's hoping Jason, her younger brother and a pretty boy of legendary proportions, is her ticket to the big time, and refuses to acknowledge the problems with trying to pimp her gay brother to rich women. This story is told from Sammy's point-of-view, an ex-con who is taken into the fold a bit by accident, but it's a place he holds onto with desperation. This is raw and gritty and not pretty, but poetically presented. As is often the case in Woodrell's books, the one pure thing in the book is trampled and smeared into a oblivion, with the indifference of nature, as if to exemplify the survival of the fittest. The story explores a lot of themes involving the inequities between rich and poor, and the double standard that marks their lives. A riveting glimpse into the world of white trash.