Chocoholic: A Serial Story, You Keep Coming Back for More
It has come to my attention that my serialized story is "confusing". Interestingly enough, the people who have told me this are very unfamiliar with the mystery/thriller genre, so it could be they just don't know what to expect out of this type of story. However, it could also be because of the way the story is segmented and read in chapters several weeks apart. So, for your reading pleasure, please find the serialized story below, in its entirity. I will try to do this every few chapters for the ease of my readers. Also, please feel free to leave comments here, because in order to continue the story, I need your input! Chapter 1
They were in a small, damp place, as far as they could tell. It was so dark, they couldn’t be sure. But their hands were within the reach of the walls on every side. They wanted to speak, to reassure one another that they would get out in time, but they already felt their lungs constricting in the effort to breathe. The darkness was so complete, she didn’t notice he had fainted. But then she felt him slump next to her and she knew there was no time left
But there was. Minutes, hours, days, she couldn’t be sure. Time became something only for people with enough air to breathe. It was only for those with purpose. To her, time had no measure. Sometimes she felt sick, like the motion was upsetting her stomach. She wanted to sit, to lie down, to sleep, but there was only room to lean. And she was supporting him, trying to make him comfortable, aching for him. Or was the ache just there from the effort to breathe? But she knew it ran deeper than a physical need. Her thoughts drifted to him, as they had done so often in the past. But now it was different. It was urgent. Not just a longing, it was desperation. She was crying, for him, for all she’d lost. Her tongue felt for the tears on her cheek. She just needed to taste, to wet her dry, cracked lips. And then she felt it. The dull thud, and then falling. The movement had stopped
When she awoke, she was on something so soft that she didn’t want to open her eyes and get up. She was enveloped in comfort and so at ease. But suddenly it all came back as she realized her eyes were already open. It was just dark, so dark, and lonely. She reached out, feeling around for him, but instead she felt the edge of the bed, then the hard, dark, and cool floor of the cave. Then she remembered the falling, and him, and how he had slumped over, how he had died. The weeping did not begin as she had expected it to; she was too numb.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she impulsively jabbed her elbow backwards, into her attacker’s stomach. She felt him double over and knew he was not expecting her to have any strength left in her. She must fight, because he would kill her anyway. Before the man could reach for her again, she had stumbled off the bed and crawled across the floor of the cave. In the short time she had been aware but not able to see, her other senses had awoken and she heard the slightest trickle of water. This could mean one of two things: either it was raining out and the area could soon be flooded, or there was a small stream somewhere relatively close, that she could follow and possibly find a way out. She prayed for the latter, gathered all her strength, and stood, ready to feel her way towards the sound
"Chloe.”
The whispered name made her freeze in terror. “Chloe, don’t run from me. I will find you.” He was still whispering, but he could have been screaming for the way it made her heart race. “Chloe, don’t you know me? You loved me once, come to me, my clover.” The whispered words, the pet name… her terror rose as she recognized her attacker. “Aha. I see you know me now. I see that you remember our last visit together. Come back, help me. Let’s work together."
She felt her strength melt away. The fear was too much, the memories clouded her mind, and she could no longer hear the water.
"Chloe. Did you know I’ve always loved your name?” he had whispered in her ear. She could not believe he was this close, as she lay there, pouring out her heart. “I thought of you today after I had mowed my lawn and found this four-leafed clover in my hair. What good luck! I thought. I must take some chances today because luck is on my side. And now, here I am with you. What could be luckier than that?”
She had stared at him in disbelief. What was he saying? Why was he still so close, even after she had jumped up and moved away?
"You know he doesn’t deserve you, this boy you talk about. He doesn’t realize what a gem you are. Hahaha,” his laugh had sounded maniacal. “Gem,” he had repeated.
She had known it was time to go, to get away from him. Looking into his eyes, she had realized he was mad. He was looking at her with desire, but she knew it was not for her body. She had made a move towards the door, but he had grabbed her arm, and forced her to the floor. With her arm pinned behind her back and she on her stomach, she struggled against him, but he was on top of her, grabbing for her other arm to tie them up.
“First them. Then him. Then it. Do you understand me, my clover?” he had whispered in her ear.
No, not them, please not them, she had thought. But then she had known no more.
Now she felt her wrists and realized why they were so sore and swollen. She wondered in terror if he had gotten to her parents, too, since he had already killed him. And now, he was after it, and she alone held the key.
“Frankly, I am amazed you two made it out alive, ma’am,” the police officer told her, as she lay in the hospital bed. Her husband lay next to her, still with his oxygen mask covering his face. But she saw his eys, and they mirrored the fear she felt.
“You have to understand. This wasn’t an accident. There’s someone out there, he’s after us, he’s after,” her voice cracked with the depth of her emotion. “He’s after our daughter,” she finally managed. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she felt helpless.
“Yes, so you’ve said. We have made some preliminary inquiries, but your daughter cannot be assumed a missing person until at least 24 hours have passed with no word of her. And you said yourself that you saw her this morning.”
“But that was before the fire!” She was yelling at him now, trying to convey her fear, trying to make him understand it was a matter of life and death. And yet, how much could she tell him without putting more lives in danger?
“I realize that, but there is no evidence that the fire was due to arson. At this point, it appears to have started as a simple kitchen fire."
“But we were upstairs, unpacking from our vacation! Why would we have put any of the appliances on just after getting home?"
“You’re upset. Nurse!” he called to the station outside their door. “This woman needs a sedative.” He turned back to look at her. “I will get back to you as soon as I have more details. In the meantime, get some rest. You have some pretty nasty burns there. Don’t do anything that will inhibit your body’s healing processes."
She would have followed, despite the burns and the pain in her chest. She needed him to understand that Chloe was in danger. And she knew why. That doctor of Chloe’s had been too interested in their family’s history, too interested for his own good. And now, because of Chloe’s own interest in the history, as well as her knowledge of speleology, would make her a prime target. She would have followed, but her legs had not worked for years.
It had only been a week since she’d shared the whole story with her husband. She had been afraid of the greed she had seen in his eyes. But he needed to know, especially after that man came poking around. And now he understood the gravity of the situation. She looked at him and was shocked to see him out of bed, dressed.
"I’m going to look for her. We know where she is and I’m the only one who can help her.”
She saw the intensity in his eyes, and for a brief moment, she wondered if it was for fear of his daughter, or something else. As she grew sleepy, she saw Chloe, shrouded in darkness. And she knew if anyone was going to have to help her daughter, it would have to be Chloe herself.
Summer Reading List
I have decided to use the upcoming season as a perfect opportunity to continue with the grand tradition of summer reading lists. In looking at my "books I've read" spreadsheet, I was very saddened to see the lack of books I've read, as well as the lack of diverse genres. Therefore, I am going to try to read from the following list, taken from this article*: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Bible The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien 1984 by George Orwell A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen All Quite on the Western Front by E M Remarque His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon Tess of the D'urbevilles by Thomas Hardy Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Great Expectations by Charles Dickens The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold The Prophet by Khalil Gibran David Copperfield by Charles Dickens The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov Life of Pi by Yann Martel Middlemarch by George Eliot The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzenhitsyn Ring of Endless Light by Madeline L'Engle
OK, so that last one isn't actually on the list, but I promised a friend I would read it this summer. The ones in bold/italic I have already read, and therefore will not be re-reading. Honestly, this is a rather daunting task (and one that will take much longer than one summer) considering my love of the mystery!**
*I also enjoyed this article, which is another blogger's opinion of the above referenced list.
**This is probably one of the worst posts I've ever written. OK, not really, but what can I say? This is the earliest I've ever posted before and I'm not fully awake yet! Yeah, it's 10:30 AM. So what?
Chapter 3
Does anyone else remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? Well, that’s what I’ve decided to mimic here. This is the third chapter of a serialized story, and you will help me with the plot. Just leave your comments about anything (what you want to happen next, who the characters will be, etc.) and I will pick one to work into the story. If you haven’t yet, make sure to read Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 before continuing.
"Frankly, I am amazed you two made it out alive, ma'am," the police officer told her, as she lay in the hospital bed. Her husband lay next to her, still with his oxygen mask covering his face. But she saw his eys, and they mirrored the fear she felt.
"You have to understand. This wasn't an accident. There's someone out there, he's after us, he's after," her voice cracked with the depth of her emotion. "He's after our daughter," she finally managed. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she felt helpless.
"Yes, so you've said. We have made some preliminary inquiries, but you're daughter cannot be assumed a missing person until at least 24 hours have passed with no word of her. And you said yourself that you saw her this morning."
"But that was before the fire!" She was yelling at him now, trying to convey her fear, trying to make him understand it was a matter of life and death. And yet, how much could she tell him without putting more lives in danger?
"I realize that, but there is no evidence that the fire was due to arson. At this point, it appears to have started as a simple kitchen fire."
"But we were upstairs, unpacking from our vacation! Why would we have put any of the appliances on just after getting home?"
"You're upset. Nurse!" he called to the station outside their door. "This woman needs a sedative." He turned back to look at her. "I will get back to you as soon as I have more details. In the meantime, get some rest. You have some pretty nasty burns there. Don't do anything that will inhibit your body's healing processes."
She would have followed, despite the burns and the pain in her chest. She needed him to understand that Chloe was in danger. And she knew why. That doctor of Chloe's had been too interested in their family's history, too interested for his own good. And now, because of Chloe's own interest in the history, as well as her knowledge of speleology, would make her a prime target. She would have followed, but her legs had not worked for years.
It had only been a week since she'd shared the whole story with her husband. She had been afraid of the greed she had seen in his eyes. But he needed to know, especially after that man came poking around. And now he understood the gravity of the situation. She looked at him and was shocked to see him out of bed, dressed.
"I'm going to look for her. We know where she is and I'm the only one who can help her."
She saw the intensity in his eyes, and for a brief moment, she wondered if it was for fear of his daughter, or something else. As she grew sleepy, she saw Chloe, shrouded in darkness. And she knew if anyone was going to have to help her daughter, it would have to be Chloe herself.
Google-head
I am a Google fan. A Googler? A Googlite? A Google-head? Not sure if there's a word for us yet, but I'm sure there will be at some point. My favorites of their applications include Google Docs (which includes an online word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation software), Google Groups, and obviously Gmail. I enjoy reading the Google blogs to see what all they are coming up with, and have even submitted in an idea myself!*
But recently, they have introduced Google Sites, and I have found a new toy. I immediately snagged a couple (ok, 5) names that I thought I might, someday, maybe, have a need for. Yes, it is true that I sometimes have trouble coming up for enough content for one site (that would be this one), so you may wonder how I plan to fill 5. Well, I don't. They are for possible future use, and just for me to have fun with right now. For any of you interested in your own website, I'd get going on this right away! Snag your site's name before it's taken! And, if interested, feel free to peruse one of mine so far. They are a work in progress, and a highly entertaining diversion (am I turning into my husband?).
*My idea was for a Google family tree application: something that could be integrated with Gmail, where the tree was emailed around to other family members, and filled out so that it became fuller and fuller. It could even gather contact information, so you are always in touch. Also, for larger families, it would help explain how you were related to certain people, perhaps by dragging your mouse across different names. I really do have a vision for this. Honestly, they should just hire me.
Chapter 2
Does anyone else remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? Well, that’s what I’ve decided to mimic here. This is the second chapter of a serialized story, and you will help me with the plot. Just leave your comments about anything (what you want to happen next, who the characters will be, etc.) and I will pick one to work into the story. If you haven't yet, make sure to read Chapter 1 before continuing.
When she awoke, she was on something so soft that she didn't want to open her eyes and get up. She was enveloped in comfort and so at ease. But suddenly it all came back as she realized her eyes were already open. It was just dark, so dark, and lonely. She reached out, feeling around for him, but instead she felt the edge of the bed, then the hard, dark, and cool floor of the cave. Then she remembered the falling, and him, and how he had slumped over, how he had died. The weeping did not begin as she had expected it to; she was too numb.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she impulsively jabbed her elbow backwards, into her attacker's stomach. She felt him double over and knew he was not expecting her to have any strength left in her. She must fight, because he would kill her anyway. Before the man could reach for her again, she had stumbled off the bed and crawled across the floor of the cave. In the short time she had been aware but not able to see, her other senses had awoken and she heard the slightest trickle of water. This could mean one of two things: either it was raining out and the area could soon be flooded, or there was a small stream somewhere relatively close, that she could follow and possibly find a way out. She prayed for the latter, gathered all her strength, and stood, ready to feel her way towards the sound.
"Chloe."
The whispered name made her freeze in terror. "Chloe, don't run from me. I will find you." He was still whispering, but he could have been screaming for the way it made her heart race. "Chloe, don't you know me? You loved me once, come to me, my clover." The whispered words, the pet name... her terror rose as she recognized her attacker. "Aha. I see you know me now. I see that you remember our last visit together. Come back, help me. Let's work together."
She felt her strength melt away. The fear was too much, the memories clouded her mind, and she could no longer hear the water.
"Chloe. Did you know I've always loved your name?" he had whispered in her ear. She could not believe he was this close, as she lay there, pouring out her heart. "I thought of you today after I had mowed my lawn and found this four-leafed clover in my hair. What good luck! I thought. I must take some chances today because luck is on my side. And now, here I am with you. What could be luckier than that?"
She had stared at him in disbelief. What was he saying? Why was he still so close, even after she had jumped up and moved away?
"You know he doesn't deserve you, this boy you talk about. He doesn't realize what a gem you are. Hahaha," his laugh had sounded maniacal. "Gem," he had repeated.
She had known it was time to go, to get away from him. Looking into his eyes, she had realized he was mad. He was looking at her with desire, but she knew it was not for her body. She had made a move towards the door, but he had grabbed her arm, and forced her to the floor. With her arm pinned behind her back and she on her stomach, she struggled against him, but he was on top of her, grabbing for her other arm to tie them up.
"First them. Then him. Then it. Do you understand me, my clover?" he had whispered in her ear.
No, not them, please not them, she had thought. But then she had known no more.
Now she felt her wrists and realized why they were so sore and swollen. She wondered in terror if he had gotten to her parents, too, since he had already killed him. And now, he was after it, and she alone held the key.
Chapter 1
Does anyone else remember those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books? Well, that's what I've decided to mimic here. This is the beginning of a serialized story, and you will help me with the plot. Just leave your comments about anything (what you want to happen next, who the characters will be, etc.) and I will pick one to work into the story. Thanks to my friend Joe for giving me the idea.
They were in a small, damp place, as far as they could tell. It was so dark, they couldn't be sure. But their hands were within the reach of the walls on every side. They wanted to speak, to reassure one another that they would get out in time, but they already felt their lungs constricting in the effort to breathe. The darkness was so complete, she didn't notice he had fainted. But then she felt him slump next to her and she knew there was no time left.
But there was. Minutes, hours, days, she couldn't be sure. Time became something only for people with enough air to breathe. It was only for those with purpose. To her, time had no measure. Sometimes she felt sick, like the motion was upsetting her stomach. She wanted to sit, to lie down, to sleep, but there was only room to lean. And she was supporting him, trying to make him comfortable, aching for him. Or was the ache just there from the effort to breathe? But she knew it ran deeper than a physical need. Her thoughts drifted to him, as they had done so often in the past. But now it was different. It was urgent. Not just a longing, it was desperation. She was crying, for him, for all she'd lost. Her tongue felt for the tears on her cheek. She just needed to taste, to wet her dry, cracked lips. And then she felt it. The dull thud, and then falling. The movement had stopped.
News!
It is now quite likely that I will be moving to India. I'm feeling a whole mess of emotions because suddenly it has become real. I'm scared and excited and overwhelmed. I'm dreading leaving my family. I'm nervous to tell my co-workers and boss. And yet, I'm amazed at the peace that I feel in the decision to go (pending certain issues*). I am not adventurous. I like to read about other people having adventures, while in the security and comfort of my own cozy home. But I have never, as far back as I can remember, said no to a challenge. This, I know, will be a challenge for me. But also an opportunity for growth. And that might be the scariest thing of all**.
Happy Father's Day... a bit early
This is a highly personal blog post, but it's just been that kind of week for me. I wasn't even sure if I was going to post it, but as I've said before, when I write, it opens me up to vulnerability and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that.
Dear Daddy,
As Father's Day approaches, I find myself wondering what I could get for you that you would enjoy, but would also convey how much I love you. I thought about getting you a card and writing some sentimental tidbits, all of which would be from my heart, but I feel like I do that every year. I want you to really know what a precious father you have been to me, what an amazing example, and how, even though I'm all grown-up, I still desire your approval, because it means the world to me. That said, even though sometimes I feel left out of your conversations with Ryan, or I start complaining about the rudeness of iPhones at the dinner table, the fact that you love the man I married so much really does make me so happy. Not just because you approve of him, but because of how happy you are to have another man around, who shares many of your interests, and who you love to spend time with. I am so glad that I could give that to you, even if it means endless computer conversations and iPhones at the dinnertable, because I just love you that much.
Don't worry, this doesn't mean no card and gift. But I'm sure you weren't worried. These are just some thoughts that I never wanted to regret not saying.
Related post: True Beauty
Update: Month... whatever
The more I think about my resolutions, the more inadequate I think they are. There are so many other things I should be working on instead, or in addition to. Therefore, I'm done with my resolutions and will now start a new list! (Is this perhaps just an excuse to write another list??) This is inspired by my friend, who just shared a very personal document with me on her life goals. So here we go (in no particular order):
Get down to 145 pounds Become fluent in Spanish Read/listen to the Bible daily Keep family & friends in my prayers Keep in touch with friends/family better Read more & different genres Get master's in English literature Post on blog(s) more regularly Learn to play the guitar Finish my quilt Keep house better
Worry Wart
As long as I can remember, I have been a worrier. When trying to pinpoint when this began, I see my dad bringing me, his 6 year-old daughter, an 80-foot chain ladder to keep under my bed. The idea, he said, was if there was ever a fire, I could throw this ladder over my windowsill and climb down to safety. I was 6, probably about 45 pounds, and I was supposed to throw this 80-foot chain ladder over the window and climb down three stories to safety, meanwhile the house is so engulfed in flames that I can't run down a flight of stairs to the front door to get out.
So the 80-foot chain ladder was put under my bed and I would go to sleep at night praying that there would never be a fire so I didn't have to endeavor lifting that ladder and throwing out the window. And upon turning 10, there was the new element of how I would hold our two new puppies while climbing down the three stories on the chain ladder!
But the 80-foot chain ladder was never moved, and upon my departure to college, it was still there, under my bed, collecting dust. So thank you, Daddy, for taking care of me and wanting me to be safe. And maybe, just maybe, turning me into the worrier I am today!
Verse to Remember
When I am away at these conferences with colleagues, I often find myself wondering whether they know I am a Christian. And if not, should I make more of an effort to let them know? Am I not being a good witness in my actions and my words? Shouldn't other people recognize a Christian by their love, as it says in the Bible, and do others see that love in me? And if it came down to it, would I be bold enough to stand up for what I believe, even if other people find it foolish (or worse yet in this day and age, intolerant)? So tonight, in the Bible place by the Gideons, I looked for verses about being bold. Here is the verse that I have now decided will be the one I will try to remember when I travel for work:
Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you.
-Hebrews 13: 5-6 (The Message)
Movie Review: Baby Mama
I don't feel like writing a formal review of Baby Mama right now, but I did want to share quickly what I thought! It was so funny! I know this movie has created a lot of buzz, as it is one of the very few movies where the two leads are both female. But they carried it very well. It stars Tina Fey (former writer of Saturday Night Live; currently stars on NBC's 30 Rock) as a professional woman who has decided she wants a baby, but finds she cannot conceive; and Amy Poehler (current member of Saturday Night Live) as the surrogate mother she hires to carry her child. The ultimate odd couple, they need to learn to work together during the pregnancy for the good of the baby, with hilarious results, and not to mention a few twists and turns along the way! Go see it if you like SNL and want a good laugh! Actually, you don't even need to like SNL. You'd probably still find the movie funny.
One question I tend to ask myself when evaluating a movie I have just seen is whether my parents would like it and should I recommend it to them. So I'm thinking that will now be a regular feature of my movie reviews.
My official stance on this movie for parents: Dads may not get it. Moms will think it's cute. They will both find it slightly humorous. Probably not as much as me, however (hence the comment about liking SNL).
Why post?
I'm in Washington, DC right now for work (interestingly enough, I am at the same conference I wrote about last year, for which I missed my first wedding anniversary). I'm in my hotel room and feeling slightly lonely. It has me thinking about my job and how this was never what I wanted to do. What did I want to do, I find myself asking. Well, that's easy. I always wanted to write. This got me thinking about this blog and how much I enjoy posting on it. And finally, this got me to the point of this blog post: what is the point of a blog and why do I keep it up? Sometimes when I haven't posted in a while and am feeling pressured, I ask this question and just think "what's the point?" Why do I keep up with something that I have to practically force people to read? It's not as if I have some different perspective than a lot of Joe Schmoes out there blogging, which probably explains my small amount of daily hits.
I don't exactly know the answers to these questions, but I am going to share my musing on the subject. Obviously the first reason is what I have already stated earlier in this post. I enjoy posting! Perhaps this reason alone should be enough for me. I know there are plenty of things that I do everyday that I do only because I enjoy them and never need more explanation than that. I'm not sure why blogging is different. But it is, so my reasons continue.
I remember back in high school our English teacher had us keep journals. He said it was a good way of practicing our writing, getting our ideas down, and I'm pretty sure he even had more reasons than that, but I don't remember! But even so, I figure if he thought journaling was a good exercise, than blogging must be too!
And finally, I do like to keep my family and friends updated with what is going on with my life. Especially for those that I don't talk to very often, I like the idea that if they want to, they can check this blog for my updates or just random musings on different topics. I also like the thought of having all these posts for my children someday, so that they have something to remember me by. It's almost like leaving just a small mark on this world, a small legacy in some way.
So that's what I've come up with. Are these reasons going to be enough for me to continue posting relatively often on this blog? I guess, as I've said before, only time will tell! Keep checking in!
I'm going back to SNL now.
The Swearer
There's a guy here. I call him "The Swearer". He swears every time he picks something up from the color printer (which as you all know is right by my desk). He swears every 15 minutes or so while just sitting at his computer. He's not very creative either; it's always the same two words. At first, I didn't mind it. Then it started happening more and I got annoyed (does he not know I can hear him?!). Then it began happening a lot and it started to be funny, because it's just so ridiculous (I'm sure everyone can hear him!). Now my friend, who I chat with while at work, knows about him too. I put a * into our conversations whenever I hear him so she knows how frequent it is. And we get a good laugh. Maybe I'll tell you about other people who work here someday too. I have names for all of them. There's Crazy and The Pooper and many, many more. We have some real weirdos here.
Waiting to hear...
I get questions almost daily about whether Ryan and I have heard more about the job offer in India. So I just want to get the answer out there for everyone to see: no. We should be hearing any day now, but there are still a lot of questions I need answered before we even think about moving. Here's a preliminary list:
pets/traveling with pets
medical/veterinary care
prescriptions
bugs
housing
Ryan's salary
my job/what would I do?
what exactly does Ryan's company pay for?
what exactly are we responsible for?
how long we must commit to
I think that's it for now. Let me know if there are other things I should be thinking about. I will probably be posting on here shortly after hearing if there is indeed a job offered. So keep checking!
Book Reviews
As many of you know, I keep a spreadsheet of all the books I've read (for the past couple years). I have decided to make that spreadsheet available online for anyone to view. If interested, click here. You can see the shamefully small number of books I've read recently, and my ratings and comments for each. Enjoy!
Book Review: Where Are You Now?
Where Are You Now?Mary Higgins Clark
I have only been truly terrified once from reading a book. Granted, it's probably because I don't read books that I know will scare me. So why did I read that one? Well, it was by one of my favorite mystery/suspense novelists, Mary Higgins Clark. I had read most of her recent ones, so I decided to go back and read her earlier ones. Bad idea. It was A Cry in the Night and I would only recommend it to people who enjoy a good thriller.
All that to say, I have just finished Clark's most recent best-seller, Where Are You Now? and I must say, I was very satisfied. It was scary enough to make me jump when my dog barked into the silence while I read, but not so scary that I had nightmares afterwards. And it certainly was a page-turner. There were two nights in a row that I was up until 2 am, just unable to put the book down!
As with most of Clark's books, the story takes place in Manhattan and follows a 30-something single and professional woman trying to solve a murder. Following Clark's newest trend, it is in the first person of the main character, but then switches into third person as we follow the other story lines throughout the book. Additionally, the first person was written in present tense, and while it did convey a sense of urgency and excitement (which I'm sure was her intent), I found it slightly confusing, especially as she switched between that and past-tense third person. After reading the first few chapters, however, I soon became used to it and settled down for a good read.
Carolyn MacKenzie, a 30-something lawyer living in Manhattan, has finally come to wit's end with her brother, Mack. Mack walked out on his life 10 years previously and was never heard from again. Except, that is, on Mother's Day, when he calls his mother to assure her that he is OK and happy. Carolyn has watched her family fall apart as, year after year, Mack doesn't come home. So this Mother's Day, she vows to Mack that she will find him and make him pay. As Carolyn seeks to find out the truth, there are disappearances around Manhattan and she inadvertently leads the police to believe that Mack is the kidnapper for whom they are searching. Even though she strives to prove that Mack is innocent, she finds herself doubting that to be the case. Soon, however, Carolyn realizes her own life is in danger and she has to rely on the clues she has dug up along the way to save herself and others.
Mary Higgins Clark knows how to plant suspicion in her readers' minds for first one character then another. Early in the book, I found myself saying "Oh, I've figured it out", thinking, you know, that I'm extra-smart and she can't fool me. Several chapters later, I realized that was exactly what she wanted me to believe! I must admit to this having happened more than once through the book, and the ending gave me a thoroughly satisfying surprise.
I believe Where Are You Now? helped to break Mary Higgins Clark's recent formulaic whodunit pattern, and as I said, kept me guessing until the very end. Other than the slight confusion of the past/present tense and first/third person, the book was a thoroughly enjoyable and thrilling read.
Book Review: Death of a Gentle Lady
Death of a Gentle LadyM.C. Beaton
I have just finished reading the latest book in the Hamish Macbeth series, written by M.C. Beaton. Having read the entire series, I was excited too see a new one out, and this one did not disappoint, in most regards. The book, as with all the others, is a captivating mystery and is set in the northernmost tip of Scotland.
Told from mostly Hamish's perspective, I once again fell in love with the village of Lochdubh, for its beauty and for its inhabitants. Hamish's description of the landscape always makes me want to visit the Highlands of Scotland and see the raw beauty that he is so in love with. And so adamently against leaving.
In the book, a gentlewoman, liked by everyone in the village besides Hamish, is found below the cliffs of her castle, murdered. The suspects include her family members, who were all gathered for a reunion, some visitors to Lochdubh staying at the local Tommel Castle Hotel, and even Hamish himself!! Detective Inspector Jimmy Anderson is in charge of the case, to Hamish's relief, and keeps Hamish well-informed of the goings-on. When the police arrest someone, Hamish is not satisfied and takes matters into his own hands, which lands him into even more trouble. Complicating matters is the Russian Inspector who seems to have a thing for Hamish, but also has a very tough side.
The usual brood of characters come into play in Death of a Gentle Lady, including the Curry sisters, the town's most prominent gossips; Angela Brodie, the doctor's wife and Hamish's pet-sitter; Willie, the obsessively clean restaurant owner; and Archie, a local fisherman who is condemned to his tight suits due to his wife's neurotic cleaning. In addition to the usual crew, there are some new characters to fit in with the current plot: the Russian Inspector, to whom Hamish referred to as looking like "Putin in drag", the family of the victim, and the villainous Detective Chief Inspector Blair, who, hating Hamish and his non-conforming ways, has a new plan for getting rid of him.
And as always, Hamish's love life comes into the story, and yet again, I was disappointed. He is propositioned several times, proposes once (and not to who you think!), and his two former lovers, Priscilla and Elspeth, both come home to Lochdubh for a visit. Will there ever be resolution here?
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was good enough to make me want to keep picking it up to read, but not so suspenseful as it made me want to stay up through the night to finish (and I've had this experience many times in the past, and am never happy with myself the next day!). The book had a good plot, as usual, but that's not what keeps me coming back to Lochdubh. For me, it is all about the lovable and flawed characters, most importantly, Hamish himself.