It’s Christmas, and Bob Cratchit has just passed away. Tiny Tim is all grown up, and trying to put his past behind him. He’s also trying to break away from his “Uncle” Ebenezer, who forces Tim to visit once a year or so in order to collect his allowance. Tim’s living at a brothel and teaching the madam how to read. He also spends his nights with an old sea captain dredging the Thames for dead bodies and the treasures in their pockets. While doing his dirty work, Tim discovers the […]
The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
This book is 14 years old, I am, as ever, late to the party. I am also a latecomer to Terry Pratchett (still haven’t read any of the big series, but I’ve read a few others and they’re great), but I’m learning. The combination of Pratchett and Gaiman is brilliant, and it’s a shame they haven’t done more together. So, anyway, satan’s son is born in Oxfordshire. There’s a mix up at the hospital, and the little anti-christ goes home with the wrong family. He’s […]
Heading down the Norwegian crime story Hole
Everyone says that if you like crime fiction, murder mysteries, and the like, then definitely check out Norwegian crime fiction. And Jo Nesbo is one of the best in the business (or so I’m told). His main character is Oslo detective Harry Hole. Apparently American and English publishers decided to start translating the books that came later in the series first (set in Oslo), for whatever reason. However, this was the first book – and Harry has travelled from Oslo to Sydney to investigate the […]
A book I read so long ago that I can’t remember if I even reviewed it.
This is the second book in the series started by David Liss with The Conspiracy of Paper, starring boxer turned private investigator Benjamin Weaver. Well, Weaver is a detective and also a thief-taker, since that’s a pretty good money maker. In this one, Weaver is hired to find out who is threatening an Anglican priest. While he’s investigating, he’s accused of murdering a dock worker, and convicted even though there is no actual evidence against him. The judge practically forces the jury to convict Weaver […]