I started Elizabeth McGowan's The Expected One this week, only to abandon it about 1/3 of the way through. The book was not only a copycat of The Da Vinci Code, but it was also difficult to get into. At 1/3 of the way through the book, I realized I didn't care much about the characters or what might happen to them, so I abandoned the whole thing. I also happened to read the Author's Note at the end of the book, and that did it - I think the author is delusional.

Anyway, I have been hearing a lot about Andrew M. Greeley, a Catholic priest and bestselling novelist, so I picked up the first book of his "Irish" series, Irish Gold. It's the story of Dermot Michael Coyne, a 25-year-old Irish-American playboy, who travels to Ireland to leisurely solve the mystery of his grandparents' past. A sometime writer, Dermot believes the story will make a fine novel. What he doesn't realize is that their story is linked to a violent time in Irish history -- "The Troubles" -- and that there are people in Ireland who will do anything to stop the story from being told. In the midst of Dermot's search, he meets Nuala McGrail, a mysterious and talented Irish girl. When Dermot unearths his grandmother's diary, Nuala proves to be an able translator, as well as a very appealing companion. Soon what began as a half-hearted quest to get some answers about his beloved grandparents, turns into Dermot's obsession to find the truth. He also finds himself becoming more than a little obsessed with Nuala, who proves to be as intelligent as she is beautiful. The duo's race to find answers is an exciting race into time and history that keeps the reader turning pages as fast as possible.

As exciting as the plot is, it's the characters that really sparkle in this novel. For all his faults, Dermot is an extremely appealing hero. He's an overconfident Yank who knows he's no 007, but who, nevertheless, holds his own against beautiful, scheming women; knife-wielding Irish thugs; and dangerous enemies of every sort. Nuala is no less appealing. She's a 19-year-old Irish wonder, who's at once a tough-talking Dubliner and a shy country girl, capable of charming everyone from the Irish elite to her parish priest. The electricity between them is captivating and hilarious. Then, there's Dermot's grandmother, whose indomitable spirit shines through her diary entries. Historical giants like Michael Collins, Winston Churchill and Daniel O'Kelly also make cameos in the novel.

In short, it's a rich, thrilling novel. It's not exactly what I would expect from a Catholic priest (the f-word [in its less-offensive Irish form, but still...] is used repeatedly throughout the text), but it's still a good read. I loved it, and will be grabbing the sequel next time I'm at the library.

I have been on a non-fiction kick lately, with two very different books: Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley and Reading Like A Writer by Francine Prose. I enjoyed both books, although I have my issues with each :)
Sink Reflections is written by a woman nicknamed "FlyLady," who runs a very successful website about organization (www.flylady.com). On her website and in her book, she talks about how to keep your home in order, starting with shining your sink. She recommends getting dressed "to your shoes" every day in order to feel more ready for housework and life. This is the part I don't think I could do - everyone knows I love to be barefoot. Anyway, she goes on to talk about performing daily housework routines, de-cluttering your home and keeping "hot zones" tidy. It really is a helpful book. It's not extremely well-written, but the author comes off as sweet and confirming. I wish she had addressed more time-management strategies, but she sticks mostly to cleaning house, with only a few pages on other subjects. All in all, it's worth picking the book up, especially if you are living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome).
Prose's book is also instructional. It's subtitle is "A Guide for People Who Love Books and For Those Who Want to Write Them," but it's not a how-to guide. It's actually a manual for what Prose calls "close reading." She encourages would-be authors to study the classics, paying close attention to the writers' techniques. She devotes whole chapters to words, paragraphs, details, gestures, etc. Although the book is a bit dry, it's thorough and well-written. It's not a book you would want to read while on the treadmill to make your workout go faster, but it's one you should read - closely - for its apt examples. The book also includes a list of "Books to be Read Immediately," which is interesting for its wide range of selections.

It's hard to explain why I like Jeffery Deaver so much. His books are gory, violent and full of some of the vilest criminals on the bestseller list. But, they're also home to one of the most interesting protaganist I've encountered in a long time - quadriplegic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme (Just to be accurate, not all of Deaver's books are about Rhyme, but the ones I like are). In fact, like his creator, it's hard to explain why I like Lincoln Rhyme so much. He's abrupt, rude and intolerant of even the slightest human error. If I encountered him in real life, I would be terrified of him. On the page, however, he is brilliant, fascinating and even hilarious in a dark, wry kind of way. His girlfriend and professional partner, ex-model Amelia Sachs is almost - but not quite - as interesting. So, I guess the reason I like Deaver so much is because his characters are so good that I'll wade through all the blood and gore just to find out what happens to them.

Anyway, if you are a Rhyme-Sacs fan, you should definitely grab their newest adventure, Cold Moon. It pits the formiddable criminologists against The Watchmaker, a killer whose calling cards are the old-fashioned clocks he leaves next to his victims' bodies. As Rhyme and his team investigate the murders, they uncover more questions than answers. Meanwhile, Sachs has her own case to worry about - the homicide of a businessman - which she suspects points to crooked cops. To complicate the matters more for Sachs, her investigation also reveals some unpleasant rumors about her revered father, which trouble her enough to quit police work altogether. When The Watchmaker case turns upsidedown, Rhyme and Sachs realize they are dealing with a killer far more brilliant and dangerous than they ever suspected.

As with the rest of the Rhyme-Sacs books, this one takes a close and fascinating look at the work of forensic science. It's also a testament to Deaver's genius that he has come up with another plot full up twists, turns and many layers of subterfuge. My only real complaint with the story is a "girly" one - Deaver only briefly mentions Rhyme and Sachs' personal relationship. Otherwise, it's an intense, page-turning thriller with characters that you'll miss long after you close the book.

"Tell me the truth..." So implores a young man in an ill-fitting brown suit of Vida Winter, Britain's best-loved fiction writer. The plea convinces the ailing writer to tell the true story of her birth and childhood, and her tale propels the plot in Diane Setterfield's novel The Thirteenth Tale. When biographer Margaret Lea is summoned to Winter's mansion, she is wary, knowing the famous novelist has given many made-up accounts of her early life. Margaret, a meticulous researcher and writer, will only accept the truth. When the writer and her would-be biographer finally come to terms, the real story begins...

It's a strange tale of twin girls reared by their absent (both physically and mentally) uncle, an aging housekeeper and a gardener. Since the "help" is so busy running Angelfield, the family's rapidly declining estate, they have little time for the girls, who are allowed to roam freely. As a result, the odd girls seem to bond only with each other, communicating exclusively in "twin talk." Although both of the girls are believed to be strange, even slightly retarded, only one (Adeline) shows abnormal tendencies toward violence. When a series of "accidents" happen, Adeline seems to be to blame. The household, however, deem it the work of Angelfield's ghost. Finally, a fire demolishes Angelfield, and Adeline eventually becomes best-selling novelist Vida Winter. Or so it seems. Margaret soon realizes that nothing is as it seems, and she must do some digging of her own. As she works to complete Winter's biography, the odd, frightening tale --the truth of Winter's life--begins to reveal itself. Herself a twin, Margaret finds herself inexplicably drawn into the sordid story, a history which affects her more than anything else she's ever worked on.

The Thirteenth Tale is a first-rate thriller, though one of a different nature. It's more literary than your average bestseller; in fact, it's actually an ode to reading and the power of stories. The story itself is as dark and somber as a Victorian mystery, laden with many layers of secrets and intrigue. Although it may be a little hard to get into, once you start hearing Vida Winter's story, you will not be able to put this book down. It's not light reading, but it's definitely good reading.