Reviewing Elizabeth George's Just One Evil Act

Mysteries, especially English murder ones, have always been one of my favorite genres. So, any time an Elizabeth George novel is published I’m there. I first became aware of this American author when my niece, Kristin, gave me a copy of Missing Joseph, her sixth novel. I was immediately hooked. The setting was so incredibly described it was surely like another character in the book.

Then I became obsessed with reading all George’s previous books. Not just reading but collecting first edition hardcovers. I scoured so many independent, used bookstores especially in the Boston area and on Cape Cod. Another favorite bookstore of mine is BookmanBookwoman. If you are ever in Nashville TN you must check it out. This place is a treasure trove and may even have those books you have been looking for. This is what  I do with authors I love to read. It is a thrill when the hunt for a particular book is successful.

So, it is with a bit of a heavy heart that I write this review of the latest Lynley Series novel, Elizabeth George’s Just One Evil Act. You see back on September 21,1999 I went to a talk Ms George gave in Cambridge, MA while on a book tour for In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner. After the question and answer session I stood in line to get my copy of the book autographed such an exciting moment for me meeting this incredible author and all. I had long thought of her books as literature. Having a bit of a history with the author I was so looking forward to reading her latest book.

Sad to say Just One Evil Act was a difficult read for me. More than once I’m thinking I can’t continue reading this, it’s too long, I don’t seem to care what happens, I’m not invested in the characters etc etc. Let me say that Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers in particular was the source of my consternation. She had such a blind, annoying devotion to her neighbor, Azhar and his kidnapped daughter, Hadiyyah  that I just was not buying it. Barbara has always been a bit of a renegade which is one of things which made her a favorite of mine. Now I was trying to manage my feelings of not really caring what became of her or Azhar and Hadiyyah for that matter.  But the thoughts I was having about Barbara really hurt.

Barbara was so real to me. Never did I think that I would no longer care about a once beloved character. This is why it was so hard for me to get through the book. I’ve thought long and hard about whether I will continue to read the Lynley Series. I have read them all beginning with her first novel, A Great Deliverance published in 1988.  The feeling I have about Barbara is one of being deserted by an old friend whose actions crossed several lines of what you were accustomed to expecting. Some may call it character growth but for me it was in a negative way.

It is only fair to acknowledge that I may want to continue to learn more about Scotland Yard Inspector Thomas Lynley’s journey. One very bright spot in this book was Lynley beginning to find love again after the painful murder of his pregnant wife, Helen. So, it is likely that learning more about Thomas Lynley will be enough for me to give Elizabeth George’s next Lynley book a read.

Boston Red Sox and Their Disastrous 2012 Season

Mercifully the 2012 Boston Red Sox baseball season ended last Wednesday. It was painful and embarrassing to be a fan this year. What follows is some of how the team went from 90 wins in 2011 to their woeful 69-93 record this year .The first low point for me occurred when the Sox were cruising along in the 6th inning with a 9-0 lead against the New York Yankees. It was very early in the season April 21st when the Yankees would score 15 unanswered runs. Little did I know that kind of snowball effect would become a recurring theme. No lead was safe and those come from behind walk-off wins were as scarce as hen’s teeth.

Bobby Valentine was the new anti Teri Francona manager. The first fatal mistake we observed was when he called out Kevin Youkillis for what amounted to lack of concentration and passion. Youk was coming back from an injury riddled 2011 season and was soon to be traded. Bobby V’s mistakes were innumerable. After much heralded rookie 3rd baseman, Will Middlebrook, committed his second error in the same inning Valentine was heard to say “Nice inning, Will” How to be supportive and build the kid’s confidence! We learned much later that in spring training he had called out Mike Aviles during an infield drill. This led to several players meeting with Valentine in support of their teammate. 

Another move which didn’t sit well with teammates was when lefty Jon Lester was kept in a game by Valentine as he gave up 11 runs. It was July 22nd and the opponent was Toronto. Lester had a 5 run 1st inning. By the time he left after 4 innings he had given up 9 runs. Then we hear about Adrian Gonzalez and other players requesting a meeting with the owners. Apparently they felt that Lester was mistreated and they were taking their complaint to management.

Valentine was never able to build any rapport or respect with his players until it was much too late. In addition several of his coaches were openly rebellious and simply didn’t speak to him. This lack of communication with pitching, bench and bullpen coaches proved costly. To be fair Valentine did not have the courtesy from management of choosing his own coaching staff. Perhaps he never really had a chance to succeed. Sabotage at the outset? 

Then we had the block-buster trade between the Red Sox and LA Dodgers on August 25th. Pitcher Josh Beckett, 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez, injured outfielder Carl Crawford and reserve infielder Nick Punto to LA. Coming to Boston 1st baseman James Loney, pitcher Allen Webster, infielder Ivan de Jesus Jr. and the time honored “two players to be named later.”

The trade is note-worthy for the $250M the Red Sox were able to dump in salary. Finally the front office was honest and by this action admitted that the Sox would not make the playoffs for the third year in a row. Now the task is to use the money judiciously to build a winner. The need is particularly acute in pitching as the Red Sox pitchers had a combined ERA in 2012 of 4.70 which ranked 27th in MLB!

Needless to say Bobby Valentine was fired some 14 hours after Game 162 a loss counting as their 8th in a row and 12th of their final 13 - Yikes. Fittingly the season ended with a 14-2 loss to the New York Yankees. Hopefully it also marked the end of Daisuke Matsuzaka's career with the Sox. He gave up 5 runs in 2.1 innings and finished with an 8.28 ERA in 11 games after coming back from Tommy John surgery.

Now the search for a new manager begins. I hope one is in place before the team starts signing players. That way the manager will have a say in which players come to Boston and maybe a chance to have some success in 2013. I’ll be waiting for Truck Day, Spring Training and Opening Day 2013. My prediction is that the Boston Red Sox will find their way back to be the winning team we are all hoping to see.

The Marriage of Jason and Ruth

     

    Last Sunday, August 26, 2012, was one very special day. As I had the distinction and indeed the joy of being able to do something which is a once in a lifetime privilege. I officiated at the marriage of my nephew Jason to his fiancé Ruth. Jason and Ruth had asked if I would be willing to solemnize their vows at the marriage ceremony. It touched my heart and I was thrilled to accept.

    That moment set in motion the process required to obtain from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts a One Day Marriage Designation. I filled out the application and my niece, Kristin, was kind enough to write a letter to recommend me. Props to the Governor’s Office for their prompt response in sending the official document granting me the right to perform the ceremony.

    Last Sunday the weather was sunny not a cloud in the sky - spectacular. This was so appreciated as the marriage rites were to take place outdoors at the Public Garden in Boston. There amid the majestic Weeping Willow Trees, the Peaceful Pond, the historic Swan Boats, and the Graceful Gardens Jason and Ruth were wed. Jason’s daughter, Gwendolyn, participated as did Ruth’s son, Aiden. Their participation was a moving tribute to this loving, blended family. Jason and Ruth were fortunate to have their parents there as well. Jim, Regina, Dave and Kathy happily supported and acknowledged the love between the couple, their son and daughter.

    The loving words, the beautiful vows, the exchanging of rings, all came together to make these memorable moments so real and emotional. I have been to countless weddings as we all have but none have touched my heart more. It was an absolute honor to help facilitate the Marriage of Jason and Ruth. May you both enjoy the happiness you so richly deserve as you begin your journey together.

A Concert for the Ages: Stevie Nicks In Your Dreams Tour - Boston, MA July 10, 2012

Alright I know what you may be thinking. This is just another “fanatic” Stevie Nicks fan. Well you are not all that wrong. However, I stand by the singular title and this is why.

In addition to her amazing music, her unique voice, her mystique, her magical presence and her love for her audience we got to meet one of the soldiers who survived serious brain trauma. Stevie had visited him at some of her many trips to Walter Reed Army Hospital.

PFC Vincent Mannion and his family were introduced after Stevie sang Soldier’s Angel. This song is on her latest album In Your Dreams. But she had long given a copy of the comforting words to the countless soldiers she visited and if just for a moment took away some of their pain. She always knew she would record it as it was their song.

It was beyond emotional as photos of Stevie visiting with Vincent and his family were shown as she sang the song. When Vincent and his family walked onstage they were greeted with wild and warm applause. Stevie spoke about how the support of his strong Irish family contributed so much to his recovery as they were not going to leave that hospital without him.

Vincent, his mom, dad, and sister were all introduced by Stevie and each spoke to the audience. There was hardly a dry eye in the house as the emotion and joy of the moment along with the fear that it might never have happened just overwhelmed you. Vincent said to Stevie, "You’re my best friend.” and that spoke volumes about his love for and gratitude to Stevie.

The concert itself was memorable as Stevie bravely sang six songs from her new album after announcing that this was not a “greatest hits tour”. The new songs were Secret Love, Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream), Soldier’s Angel,as mentioned, For What It’s Worth and Annabel Lee, my two favorites and Ghosts Are Gone. Stevie did a mesmerizing version of my classic favorite Gold Dust Woman. In addition Enchanted, Dreams, Stand Back, Rhiannon, Leather and Lace performed with her vocal coach, Steve Real, and Landslide all were sung with the love and conviction that Stevie still has for these timeless songs.

Stevie did Edge of Seventeen for her finale and at the conclusion walked across the front of the stage receiving gifts and flowers and shaking hands with her adoring fans. I can tell you I’ve had the joy of meeting Stevie at the stage many times and it is a thrill. This is a very special gift that Stevie gives to her fans.

For the encore Stevie did Love Is and said that we could interpret it any way we want. She was chatty throughout the concert giving some background about many of the songs especially the new ones.

At the conclusion once again Vincent and his family came onstage to enthusiastic applause and they all took the traditional bow with Stevie and her band. Stevie again thanked us for our support and especially for the way we welcomed Vincent. She said she would never forget this night and just how special it was to have Vincent there and for the reception he received.

Stevie lingered at the stage waving to us and Vincent leaning over even shook hands with a few fans. Stevie ever caring and motherly said, “Be Careful” to him. It was an honor to be in the audience for this most unforgettable evening.

Please Note Regarding the Photo: In the foreground you see Stevie Nicks about to embrace PFC Vincent Mannion. On the screen behind you see Vincent with his mother and father.

Dell, Trend Micro and Verizon

September 17, 2010

This is a saga but I am going to try for the short version. At the 2 ½ year mark my Dell laptop XPS 1530 died suddenly. I mean you got no error message and it would not boot up. Well, after a two hour phone conversation with Anne, a helpful technician at Dell, it was determined that my motherboard and hard drive would be replaced. Luckily I had purchased the 3 year hardware warranty with in home service.

In a timely fashion Luis, Dell technician extraordinaire, arrived at my house with the replacement parts and completed the installation. I can not complement his expertise and professionalism enough. He even left the hard drive with me so that I could get a copy of it made within 10 days before mailing it (the old hard drive) back to Dell. After Luis’s work was completed it took about one hour for the files to expand and the computer to be ready for use. Except for one little, tiny detail I could not connect to the internet. Now I ask you of what use is a computer which does not connect to the internet.

Next thing I did was call Verizon, my DSL provider, and explain my problem. After resetting the modem and router and with my Dell desktop having no internet connection issue it was determined by the Verizon tech that a software problem existed with Cisco, the maker of the router and that for a fee Verizon would resolve it – thanks but no thanks. My next step was to call Dell and see if they could facilitate my ability to connect to the internet, This is where the tale gets rather ugly.

The first tech I spoke to, Reese, informed me that it was a software issue and that again for a fee that could resolve it. I asked to speak to a supervisor as it was my belief that since they had repaired my computer at the very least, they should turn it over to me in the same working condition I had previously enjoyed – namely a viable internet connection. Reese dragged his feet and remained on the line hoping I would agree to the fee for resolving my problem or simply go away. I asked again to speak to a supervisor and Reese responds with he’s making his way down here.

Then Peter, floor supervisor from Hell, gets on the line. He was a broken record if there ever was one. At least six times he stated his mantra – this is a software issue and your warranty only covers hardware problems. He was condescending in the manner in which he kept repeating himself as though I didn’t 'understand' what he was saying the first time. It gets better since I have a Dell desktop and printer he offered me a one year contract for $239 to resolve this and any future software issues on all three Dell products. I repeated my concern that my computer should be working, including an internet capability, after their tech had worked on it. After some back and forth now Peter tells me that he has the authority as a manager to give me a deal of $99 for the same service contract which was $239 mere minutes ago. Talk about a snake-oil salesman. This went a long way toward my losing much respect for the Dell brand. When I declined his 'deal' he informed me that if I didn’t take it and called back later it would not be available. Now we are getting into the area of a threat. I would not be intimidated and ended the call hearing the usual words “thank you for choosing Dell”. Thank you for nothing!

I decided again to troubleshoot the problem myself. It was very important for me to be able to resolve this internet connection issue as I wanted to reinstall my security program from Trend Micro at their website. After about another hour and much frustration I unchecked a box, located in the connections area of my computer. It was for Trend Micro driver and that program was not even on the new hard drive. Well low and behold my connection went from limited to full internet connection – hurrah!!! A simple unchecked box and not $239 solved my problem.

I called Trend Micro for assistance in downloading the security program. The first tech said that after I download the program it would run. Well it didn’t and the message was that it was 'on the computer'already – not this new hard drive. After the second tech had me delete certain files it still would not run the security program. James said he would send me a tool in an e mail to uninstall any previous Trend Micro files and then the new program should run. Well, thank you James as that was the solution. So, now I have internet access and a security program on my computer.

So, the better part of three days was spend getting my computer 'humming again'. I won’t get into the hours spent reinstalling Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop Premiere and Elements, Adobe Reader etc. etc. There you have it. Working computers are a thing of beauty. The other kind not so much…

Meeting Writer, Christopher Rice

Who would ever think that a book-signing could be a highlight of the summer season!?! In my case, so far, it has been. On Friday August 20th it was my good fortune to get to Provincetown, MA for Christopher Rice’s signing of his latest book The Moonlit Earth.

It proved to be a unique experience, an honor even. To meet such an intelligent, kind, friendly and engaging person as Christopher was wonderful. I was about the 7th one in line when the author arrived 10 minutes early just before 6:00 PM. He was dressed casually for summer vacation but did he ever look good – what a handsome man!

When he began to sign his book, it was clear that he was more than willing to pose for photos and to converse with his readers. I recently read Light Before Day, loved it, and was anxious to get his latest out since April. It was a pleasure to meet Christopher and to tell him how much I like his writing style and his character development. In addition I was able to compliment his mother, Anne Rice, and her courage in recently taking leave of Christianity. He told me that soon he and his mother would have a joint interview to discuss this intense and controversial matter. I will definitely look forward to it.

So often when you make plans to meet someone you admire ( I have been to many of my favorite authors book signings) the result is less that satisfactory. On this occasion Christopher Rice surpassed any expectation I might have had. Thank you, Christopher, for being you and for sharing some meaningful moments with your readers.

~~~Thank you to the gentleman who was in line behind me and graciously agreed to take the photo of Christopher and me.

Stevie in the Studio

My favorite singer, Stevie Nicks, has been in the studio since February with Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. She is doing a few concerts this month and I can't wait to see her in Atlantic City on August 27th. Needless to say I am anxiously awaiting the release of Stevie's first new album in 10 years.