Author Archives: Richard Goutal

Mystery Book Fan Vacations Should Include Gillette Castle

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Mysteries are not only great to read, they can be experienced at leisure. Earlier this month, mystery book fan and member of the Manchester Public Library Mystery Book Club, Mike O’Connor, did just that. He visited Gillette Castle on the Connecticut River, the home of the great actor, William Gillette. It was Gillette who immortalized Sherlock Holmes on the stage, and fixed the Holmes we now know in the popular mind. … Continue reading →

Jack Reacher in the Movies

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Jack Reacher in film for mystery book fans

Here is the latest trailer for the movie, Jack Reacher, scheduled for release in theaters December 21. It’s based on Lee Child’s book, One Shot, which I read last year. In fact I have read 11 of the 17 available Reacher books; I hope I can read them all before I give in to the temptation to see the film adaptation of One Shot. I’m afraid of allowing Tom Cruise … Continue reading →

The Last Child by John Hart – a Different Kind of Mystery

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I recommend The Last Child by John Hart to any mystery book fan.

There are not too many mystery books where the author is writing for adults but the central character is a 13 year old boy. But The Last Child by John Hart departs from the norm in other ways as well for it is more than a mystery, it has an underlying theme. Moreover the theme is not the dangers of nuclear terrorism or corporate conspiracies (thrillers) or that crime doesn’t … Continue reading →

Steve Martini: No More Courtroom Drama?

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Guardian of Lies by Steve Martini - legal thriller?

Just finished reading Guardian of Lies by Steve Martini. I chose the book because I am a fan of Martini’s writing and of Paul Madriani, the lawyer who is featured in many of  Martini’s books. I am trying to think just what it is that made me dislike the book even though I could not turn the pages fast enough all the way to the very end of the book. … Continue reading →

Puzzles by P. D. James

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P D James creates puzzles

Just finished Death of an Expert Witness by P. D. James. This is the sixth of 14 Adam Dalgliesh novels written by the highly honored British mystery writer. Here Dalgliesh is called to investigate the murder of Dr. Lorrimer, the “Chief Science Officer of the Biology Department” at a forensic laboratory. While not exactly a “locked room mystery,” there are some of the elements: the victim is found when the … Continue reading →

Sue Grafton’s Millhone Series

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V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

There is an old saying, “Always finish what you start.” And Sue Grafton seems to be on target with the release of V is for Vengeance in 2011 and the paperback version due out this October 30. Perhaps she will indeed finish; she only needs to write novels for W, X, Y, and Z. Unless… Unless in Vengeance, Millhone is confronted with an evil programmer, intent on destroying the remains of … Continue reading →

The Jury Master Keeps Your Attention

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The Jury Master by Robert Dugoni

I stumbled across Robert Dugoni’s books recently, probably as a result of the hoopla over his latest bestseller, The Conviction. I thought I knew all the major courtroom and legal thriller writers, starting with Erle Stanley Gardner, but apparently not. So I checked out his writings over on Stop You’re Killing Me to find the title of the first book in his series. That’s how I came to read The Jury … Continue reading →