A Terrorist Comes Out of Retirement

For twenty years, Pascual Rose has been out of the game. Under his new identity he’s earning a living as a freelance translator living with his wife, Sara, and his teenage son in a provincial Catalan town. One quiet night he receives a text asking him to meet two strangers on the terrace of his home. Pascual knows this means trouble.

The strangers have a proposition for him, help them carry out a major money laundering operation and he’ll receive a million euros, fail to accept their offer and his wife and son will suffer. Although he no longer has his contacts, and he’s a little rusty, Pascual is smart. He starts the job taking advantage of the skills of others, but who can he trust as he sets up his shell companies taking advantage of places where the laws are set up to allow investors and businesses to shield large amounts of money.

This is a fast paced thriller with lots of action. The book is full of characters who Pascual uses to accomplish his mission in various countries as well as being pursued by security forces. Sometimes I thought there were too many characters, but as Pascual moves from country it’s necessary for him to have a variety of contacts.

I found the information on money laundering and the legal requirements of various countries very interesting. However, the detail and the fact that much of the book is done through dialogue slowed the story a bit. However, if you enjoy a fast paced thriller this is an interesting one.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

 

Great Memories

This coloring book captures all the memorable fads from the 90s from troll dolls to VCRs, and dial-up Internet connections. It’s great memories for those of us who lived it and a chance to show our kids some of the fun things they missed out on.

The pictures are very detailed, but can easily be colored. I couldn’t use regular big crayons, however. I think coloring is a great way to escape intrusive media like Facebook, and Twitter, or the news, and take a stroll through the fun things from the past. I highly recommend it.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

 

A Vast Panorama of Ancient and Modern China

 

China has had a long and varied history. Wood makes a point of how the Chinese culture vacillates between unification and dispersion. The dynasties provided unification until peasant uprisings, natural catastrophes and wars pulled the country into individual fiefs. It’s a fascinating theme underlying Chinese history and for me explained much of the Chinese character.

The book presents the earliest history and progresses through the dynasties ending with modern China. When dealing with history, the author takes time to look at what the places he discusses look like today. It’s fascinating to see how the ancient monuments exist in industrialized setting and how the are in many cases being restored.

I found the use of recent archaeological finds particularly interesting. Many documents have been discovered which allow a glimpse of the life of average people. Letters describe the loneliness of a soldier serving in an outpost and another begs for shoes to be sent to him. Other documents give accurate recordings of the number of people in an area, how much acreage they owned, and other details that give a picture of ancient communities.

This description of the long history of China gives an insight into the psychology of the Chinese today. The author does and excellent job describing China since 1949 including recently leaked documents. This is a very rich book. It’s not an easy read. It takes time to digest all the information especially if you are unfamiliar, as I was, with the scope of Chinese history.

I highly recommend this book. China is a major player in the world today. While most of us are familiar with European history we are ignorant of China’s past. This book is an excellent way to get a better understanding of some of the forces driving this vast country.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

A Modern Romance with Ties to Tudor Times

 

In Tudor England, Amy Robsart married Robert Dudley, first Earl of Leicester. Amy was madly in love with Robert, but he was enamored of Queen Elizabeth. The story came to a tragic ending with the death of Amy.

Today, Lizzie Kingdom has been best friends with Dudley Lester for years. Dudley is married to Amelia Robsart, who is jealous of the bond between Dudley and Lizzie. Dudley and Amelia are planning to divorce when tragedy strikes and Amelia, like her Tudor counterpart, falls down the stairs and dies. Suspicion falls on Lizzie and Dudley who must now try to find the solution to the mystery.

This story is told in alternating time periods, Tudor England and the modern day. I often find that in books with alternating time periods one era is more interesting than the other. I found the Tudor Amy and Robert less interesting than their modern counterparts. Amy seemed passive and sad while Robert appeared power mad. Lizzie and Dudley in the present seemed more real. I particularly liked Lizzie. She had lots of spirit and didn’t let the past bog her down.

The story moves swiftly with action both normal and supernatural. Although the number of characters was large, it was easy to remember them. They all fit well into their appropriate time periods. Knowing the historical context, the mystery was fairly easy to figure out, but the book was a fun read, anyway.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.

The Women of the Third Reich

 

History has provided detailed accounts of the major figures of the Third Reich: Goering, Goebbels, Himmler, Heydrich, Hess and Bormann. Their wives have lingered in the shadows, but this book gives us a chance to know who they were, how they reacted to the atrocities of their husbands, and how they interacted with each other.

I found the book fascinating. When you realize that these women grew up in a Germany that had been soundly defeated in WWI, a Germany were food was scarce likewise entertainment, and luxuries, it’s easier to understand how they wanted more for their families. Looking behind the curtain of the family lives of these men makes the group more understandable, if not more sympathetic. The women were unapologetically devoted to Hitler and his policies the same way the men were.

Although there are some historical details that are inaccurate, the book as a whole is well worth reading. It introduces a broader view of those close to Hitler. I found the psychological portraits well done. The interactions between the women in this closed society were equally fascinating. If you enjoy reading about WWII, this is a good addition to your library.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

GIs Battle Corrupt Politicians

After WWII the GIs returning to Athens, Tennessee discovered that while they had been fighting for freedom in Europe a group of corrupt politicians and their enforcers had tightened their grip on the county. The corruption had existed in the county for generations, but now that the returning soldiers had tasted the ability to fight dictatorship and win, they wanted freedom for their families.

Fighting the corruption ended in a bloody battle. In the aftermath, the GIs realized that they could be in big legal trouble, so they took a vow of silence. Even their families didn’t know the whole story. Now many years later, DeRose believed that the full story should be told. He tracked down any remaining participants, talked to relatives, and read documents. This book is the result.

I had never heard of the shocking incident, so I found the book an eye opener. DeRose does a good job of presenting all the background as well as the battle in a readable way. While the material in the beginning detailing the history of the settlement of Athens and how the corruption started was interesting, I found it a bit slow. I was eager to see how the GIs battled the entrenched politicians and won.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in politics and history. It’s a good lesson about how freedom is lost and what it can take to regain it.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.