Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Archives for December 2021

A tense, haunting, and beautifully written thriller

Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta

by Leave a Comment

He thought he could get them. He didn’t understand who they were, though. What they were. She could see them again and, worse, hear them, those calm voices in a beautiful, still night. Could smell the old smoke and the old blood. Then the fresh versions that followed. She prayed for her husband then, prayed that he would not meet them, would not hear them, would not smell them. It felt too late, though. She’d slept too long, and he’d made his choice too early. […]

Gucci? Man…

The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden

by Leave a Comment

Being a fan of HBO’s Succession, I think I have a thing for rich people acting like dolts. Not even four years of the Trump regime could change that. I had checked out this book months ago but didn’t have time to read it. Plus the reviews were not very positive. However, as it got closer to movie time, I really wanted to know the story as it seemed fascinating. So I grabbed it again. This is a “true crime” book in a very nominal sense […]

Mother, Come Home

Mother, Come Home by Paul Hornschemeier

by 1 Comment

I don’t normally title my reviews the same title as the book I read, but in this case there is nothing else to do. Mother, Come Home is a graphic novel by Paul Hornschemeier about a small boy, Tommy, and the suicides of both of his parents. His mother is so ill from cancer that she asks her husband to help her die, which he does. The emptiness and guilt he feels for killing his deeply loved wife eventually ends in his own suicide, which […]

Thank you, ElCicco!

by 1 Comment

Thank you to the very thoughtful ElCicco for your package. Not only did I get two books I’m excited to read (John Copenhaver’s new thriller The Savage Kind and Mike Capite’s love letter to NYC Jacket Weather), I also received a lovely Pittsburgh post card AND some locally sold toffee. What a sweet gift. I hope you have the best holiday!

Don’t Talk to Me about Literary

Invisible Blood by Maxim Jakubowski

by Leave a Comment

It’s hard to review mystery anthologies like editor Maxim Jakubowski’s Invisible Blood. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I want to be careful what I reveal. There are also so many characters and plots that it’s hard to synopsize. Let’s start here: I enjoyed Invisible Blood. It was clear that Jakubowski has a good eye for a mystery story with a little more depth than just a whodunnit. Not that I don’t like whodunnits—I totally do. But it’s interesting to read a mystery anthology […]

What the Smuck?

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

by 3 Comments

While I have been COVID telecommuting, I have tried to get out in the early afternoon for a nice 45 minute walk. I’ve been listening to a bit of Stephen King while I walk — I’ve already read all of his books, so listening (even to the scary stuff) is somewhat easy and comforting. If I lose my train of thought, no big deal. The story just goes on. This year, I listened to two books I had previously read, Lisey’s Story and ‘Salem’s Lot. […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo