Here and There: October, 2011
What I’m Reading
Oct 12, 2011
The Drop, by Michael Connelly: The new Harry Bosch novel was worth the wait. Harry is as embroiled as ever in “high jingo”, as he calls police politics, when the son of his long-time nemesis, Irvin Irving, is found dead outside the Chateau Marmont, an apparent suicide. Also on Harry’s plate is a cold case from the Open-Unsolved Unit, which leads him and partner David Chu on the trail of a prolific serial killer.
Super Sad True Love Story, by Gary Shteyngart: Set in the near-future—one might say the too-near future—in Manhattan, Shteyngart weaves an incredible tale in a world where social media rule, people rarely speak to each other, and love is nearly impossible to express. Like his previous novels, Absurdistan and The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, it is funny, moving and beautifully written.
The Amateurs, by Marcus Sakey: There’s a reason Sakey has been called the reigning prince of crime fiction. He is incredibly talented, disturbingly young and even good looking, which is why I secretly hate him. His prose is riveting, sometimes startling, and his characters finely drawn. This story of four friends who undertake a robbery for all the wrong reasons, only to wind up way over their heads in dark waters, is a great read, Also worth checking out is Scar Tissue, his recent collection of seven “stories of love and wounds.”
The Reversal, by Michael Connelly: I had read The Lincoln Lawyer and The Fifth Witness but somehow missed this middle entry in the Mickey Haller series. It pairs Haller with his half brother Harry Bosch, in the story of the retrial of a man who spent 24 years in prison for abducting and murdering a 12-year-old girl, but who has been given a new trial when DNA evidence appears to exonerate him. Only Haller isn’t defending the man; he’s on the other side as a special prosecutor, with Bosch as his investigator. A compelling read, but not quite as good as the other two. Maybe because I read it on my Kobo, where you can’t tell when you’re getting to the end of a book, but I found the ending flat by Connelly’s high standards.
The Affair, by Lee Child: Another fine entry in the Jack Reacher series, this one takes place during Reacher’s final days in the U.S. Army--his last case as an MP and investigator. In a sense it’s a prequel to the very first Reacher novel, Killing Floor, ending just a few months and a few miles from the time and setting of that book.
Suicide Run, by Michael Connelly: Now that I’ve joined the 21st century and bought a Kobo, I downloaded this Michael Connelly collection of three Harry Bosch stories. The stories take place at different points in Bosch’s career, from the earlier days when he partnered with Jerry Edgar to his more recent pairing with Ignacio Ferrara. The middle story, Cielo Azul, brings in Terry McCaleb, the FBI profiler who is featured in Blood Work and A Darkness More than Light. I enjoyed all of them, especially One-Dollar Poker, but best of all was the four-chapter preview of the new Bosch novel, The Drop. Can’t wait till it comes out November 28.
Oh Canada, Oh Quebec, by Mordecai Richler: And now for something completely different, Richler’s rollicking take on Quebec’s language laws and other political foibles, all part of my research for my fourth Jonah Geller novel, Miss Montreal.
What I’m Writing
Oct 11, 2011
I’m hard at work on my fourth Jonah Geller novel, Miss Montreal, which takes place in my home town. Jonah is asked to investigate the murder of an old friend, found beaten to death in an alley in an Arab neighbourhood. Former hit man Dante Ryan plays a bigger role in this one, as Jenn Raudsepp, Jonah’s partner, recovers from the trauma she suffered in Boston Cream. The plot centres on tensions between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities and the run-up to a Quebec election where a new right-wing party is vying for support.
I’m aiming to finish the draft early this summer, working out of Toronto’s Writers’ Centre—a great environment for working writers.
Upcoming Appearances
Oct 10, 2011
UPCOMING in 2012:
Riverdale Community Arts and Letters Club, Wednesday, May 16. A reading and signing at the Riverdale Library.
Elora Writers Festival, Sunday May 27, 1-4 p.m., Wellington County Museum and Archive, Elora. A reading and signing, followed by dinner.
Bloody Words mystery conference, Toronto June 1-3, 2012. Panel appearance/signing TBA
Bouchercon mystery conference, Cleveland, Oct 4-7. Panel appearance/signing TBA
Where I’m Teaching
Oct 09, 2011
I design and teach courses in two different areas of the Writing Program at University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies: Mystery and Suspense; and Freelance Writing for Corporate Communications.
Upcoming:
-- Mystery and Suspense, U of T’ Summer Writers’ Institute, July 16-29, 2012,(SCS 1828-006). An intense, five-day workshop that takes students through every aspect of writing a crime novel: the hero, his or her journey, obstacles, antagonists, time, setting, character and dialogue, the writing process and more. It’s part of a great week that features readings by all participating authors--and there’s always a great bunch--and final readings by students whose submissions are judged best by their peers. Details right here.
Freelance Writing for Corporate Communications is based on my 18 years as a senior writer at two somewhat conflicting government agencies in Ontario: The Addiction Research Foundation, which worked to prevent alcohol abuse; and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which, er, didn’t. It’s an upbeat, entertaining course that covers everything from employee profiles to news releases, speeches and strategic plans.
Upcoming:
SCS 2112-008, May 3-June 21, 2012 and SCS 2112-009, Jan 24-March 28, 2013. Details here.