Some summer reading

With all the travelling recently I have been catching up with some reading. Not great classics but all from the usually Waterstone/ Borders 3 for 2 range.

Sam Bourne
The Righteous Men

Easy reading in the Dan Brown genre (more like bandwagon). Even cover is the same design. Easy reading summer novel that just right for long flights and train journeys. Instantly forgettable but none the worse for that. Set many in New York and involves the Hassidic Jewish community and there possible involvement in a series of murders and the kidnapping of the hero’s wife. As ever there are the required twists and turns most of which are expected.

David Baldacci
The Camel Club

Another pretty routine but fair enough bit of escapism. The plot is definitely on the far fetched side. Set in Washington DC and involves a former top CIA killer who somehow manages to disappear only to actually be living on the lawn in front of the White House. Loads of people being killed and the required good ‘old hand’ cop to be the good guy. Daft but fun.

Jasper Fforde
The Big Over Easy

I not quite finished reading this one but easily the best of the lot. It’s set it Reading but cloud cuckoo land would be more accurate. It’s a detective whodunit with a very original and very funny twist. The hero Jack Spratt is head of Reading’s NCS (that’s Nursery Crime Squad). It follows a series of nursery character inspired murders and also has a great ongoing feature with crime fiction and the importance of story over fact. The characters are well built up and stay interesting. This seems to be the start of a series so I will follow with great interest.