Book Review: Undeveloped: A Pine County Mystery

Book Review: Undeveloped: A Pine County Mystery by Dean L. Hovey Pine County is on the eastern edge of Minnesota, about halfway between the Twin Cities and Duluth. It’s a rural area, with a fair amount of relatively new growth pine timber (you may have heard of the Hinckley Fire.) Much of the economy depends… Continue reading Book Review: Undeveloped: A Pine County Mystery

Movie Review: Knowing (2009)

John Koestler sees his first disaster.

Movie Review: Knowing (2009) directed by Alex Proyas The time is 2009. MIT astrophysics professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage) is trying to raise his son Caleb (Chandler Canterbury), who has an auditory processing disorder that his hearing aid helps with, after the tragic death of his wife the previous year. As a result of his grief,… Continue reading Movie Review: Knowing (2009)

Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5

Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5 by Naoki Urasawa Note: This review contains SPOILERS for earlier volumes of Asadora! It is 1964, and the Tokyo Olympics are about to begin. But there has been a sighting of “that thing”, a gigantic creature of unknown origins, in the vicinity. If it can’t be driven off, the Olympics… Continue reading Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5

Movie Review: The Vampire (1957)

Dr. Beecher just hasn't been himself lately.

Movie Review: The Vampire (1957) directed by Paul Landre Dr. Paul Beecher (John Beal) is a typical small-town doctor of the 1950s. He has an office in his house staffed by new pretty nurse Carol Butler (Coleen Gray), and also makes house calls. A widower, he lives with his young (11-12) daughter Betsy (Lydia Reed), who… Continue reading Movie Review: The Vampire (1957)

Movie Review: Lethal Weapon

Murtaugh and Riggs take a while to warm to each other.

Movie Review: Lethal Weapon (1987) directed by Richard Donner It’s Christmas time in the big city, and it seems the half-naked Amanda Hunsaker (Jackie Swanson) has already been partying a little too hardy as she takes a swan dive from her apartment balcony. Toxicology reports however reveal that her drugs were tampered with, and that makes… Continue reading Movie Review: Lethal Weapon

Book Review: Ding Dong Bell | Certain Sleep

Book Review: Ding Dong Bell | Certain Sleep by Helen Reilly It’s time for another Ace Double, paperbacks with two short books bound upside down from each other. This one, G-528, is from the Giant Double Novel Book series of mysteries. Although it wasn’t advertised as such, this line was entirely devoted to female authors.… Continue reading Book Review: Ding Dong Bell | Certain Sleep

Movie Review: Death Wish (1974)

Kersey's heart grows cold.

Movie Review: Death Wish (1974) directed by Michael Winner Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) has a pretty good life. He’s a respected architect at a large firm, he’s married to a beautiful woman (Hope Lange), has a pretty daughter (Kathleen Tolan) and a respectful son-in-law (Steven Keats). Kersey is well-off enough to afford a winter vacation in… Continue reading Movie Review: Death Wish (1974)

Book Review: The Hunt for Red October

Book Review: The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy Captain First Rank Marko Ramius has in a way been preparing for this moment his entire life. He’s spent decades building an exemplary reputation as a submarine officer and commander, and training a cadre of officers who are more loyal to him than to the… Continue reading Book Review: The Hunt for Red October

Book Review: Zorro and the Little Devil

Book Review: Zorro and the Little Devil by Peter David Don Alejandro de la Vega may not be the famed hero his son Diego (also known as Zorro) is, but when a petty robber accosts a woman in the sleepy village of Reina de Los Angeles in Spanish California, he steps up to do a… Continue reading Book Review: Zorro and the Little Devil

Book Review: The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch Volume 3

Book Review: The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch Volume 3 by Robert Bloch Robert Bloch (1917-1994) was a prolific author of horror, science fiction and mystery works. (You may have seen, read or at least heard of Psycho.) This volume, originally “Selected Stories” and by no means complete, features 39 stories published between 1960 and… Continue reading Book Review: The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch Volume 3