Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“As much as I want to make things right, some chasms are simply too treacherous to traverse.”

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

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Though Kate long ago left the Amish community, her background lends her unique qualifications for her role as the Chief of Police of the mixed culture community of Painters Mill, Ohio – and throws up an obstacle when it seems like a serial killer has resurfaced after sixteen years. I don’t usually read hard-boiled procedurals, as I find they often end up bogged down in technical detail, but I was intrigued by this series’ unusual lead and setting. I thought the writing was fluid and […]

The Game is Afoot

All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon

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In an effort to shore up their faltering marriage, Becca and Blake go away for the weekend to a 1920s-themed murder mystery hotel. But when the actress playing the maid disappears, Becca suspects that a real crime might have occurred. I’ve always thought murder mystery dinners would be fun. I’ve never been to one, but I like stories and I like puzzles, and besides nothing that inspired the Edgar Allen Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party could be dull. I was intrigued by the idea of […]

One Good Book About Edward VIII and One Bad Book

The Woman Before Wallis by Andrew Rose

Traitor King by Andrew Lownie

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These two books contrast very well in terms of how to do historical research and writing well versus how to do it lazily and sloppily. Andrew Lownie’s Traitor King is a great example of deep, serious research combined with strong, clear writing. Lownie makes an extremely well-sourced case for the argument that Edward VIII (David) had strong connections to the Nazis, as did Wallis, and that both of them were fully traitors to the British nation. I have never been a fan of David at […]

Sinister Shores

Murder By the Sea by Robin Jarossi, David Howard

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Based on the CBS reality show Murder By the Sea, ten murders that took place in various seaside towns and resorts of Britain are recounted in this book. I like true crime, but my medium of choice is podcasts – I very rarely watch it on TV. As such, I have never heard of this show, but the central theme of murder informed by location was one that sounded interesting to me. That the chapters had been derived from episodes of a show was evident […]

What Is to Come Has Already Been Decided

The Angel Maker by Alex North

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Katie and her brother Chris have had a strained relationship ever since the brutal attack on Chris that changed their lives forever. Decades later, it might be too late to fix things when Chris goes missing. In this book, we are introduced to two separate mysteries that inevitably wind together – the disappearance of Chris Shaw, and the murder of Alan Hobbs – and the way that they come together made me exercise my brain and sometimes stretched my incredulity. I would hesitate to call […]

You know the drill, Careful what you wish for….

Five Nights at Freddy's: Fazbear Frights Graphic Novel Collection #1 by Various

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Five Nights at Freddy’s: Fazbear Frights Graphic Novel Collection #1 is a modern day R.L. Stine (a much more mature Goosebumps meets Fear Street). It is spooky, creepy, and clever. I am not sure why people like the games/videos/etc. (as I have never interacted with them, and only in the last year or so have heard of them due to my older nephew having gotten into them. Which trust me I really am unsure of why as this is not usually his thing), but this […]



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