The Mother by T. M. Logan

Mr. Logan's seventh thriller is a doozy - even I was surprised by the ending (the reveal). Well done. Not only that, but the characters and overall storyline are brilliant.

The story is about Heather, a mother who spent nine years in prison (half her sentence) for the murder of her husband. She claims she didn't do it. And once outside on parole, she decides to try and solve the mystery herself.

During her hunt, she is helped along by Judy, an ex-con who shares a room with her. A reporter lost everything because he believed in her and thought there was much more to the story and that she had been framed.  Her sister-in-law also joins her team to hunt for answers. 

The thing I like most about this book are the small things that seem inconsequential but are actually important to highlight points in the story. The wine glass knocked over in the bedroom, the dog not barking, and the gate to the stars unlocked and open. Tiny things that don't mean much, on their own, but add to the overall tale.

I've read everything Mr. Logan has written, and this is by far the best. As a writer, I'd love to see his outline.

Lies -- terrible (this was his break-out novel. Number one everywhere. I didn't like Lee Childs's break-out book either. I liked every book after that).

29 Seconds -- Excellent 

The Holiday -- terrible. Couldn't finish it.    

The Catch -- great      

Trust Me -- great

The Curfew ---Brilliant.

Now, I can add The Mother to my audio bookshelf.

Ryu Murakami - Audition

I've been a fan of Ryu Murakami since 2003 when I read the translated version of the award-winning novel, In The Miso Soup. I stumbled across the thin and translated version in a public library. Many in Japan have a very small English book section. I ran it through the self-checkout machine and off to work I went. 

Little did I know about the fun that was to happen. There is very little 'filler' in this 192-page book, tho I do think some scenes were too long. This is a story about a widower with a 15-year-old son. His wife died seven years ago and his son thinks it is time for him to get back on the horse again. He thinks so as well. But he doesn't know how to meet anyone these days, he has been out of the game for a long while. He confides in his friend who is a filmmaker and they decide to hold auditions for a fake movie in the hope one of the girls is of interest to Aoyama. And one is. Her name is AsamiYamasaki, a 24-year-old whose introduction letter was deep and seemed beyond her age. He is instantly smitten. 

Most of this novel is a slow-burn romance. However, throughout the novel, we get to see tiny tidbits of the person that Asami is really. The scene in the restaurant is exceptionally great. 

One thing I did not like was the dog abuse. But it is also a cultural difference that has changed over the past ten years. Thankfully. The book was written in 1997 in serialized form in a newspaper. Until a few years ago pets were not considered family (not everyone of course but by law) members and most dogs live outside and don't go for walks. Many are not trained and are used mostly as a thief determent. Not your best friend ever. Thankfully things have changed and the SPCA in Japan is strong and has some power. 

This comment distracted us away from the book. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story and just realized there is a cult favorite movie based on this book. I have heard it is different from the book as the movie version is better than the book. It happens.