分類：台北市圖

The Shape of Night 2021#2

留言

Saturday, January 9, 2021

評分：3 分，滿分為 5。

Tess Gerritsen

————————————————————————————-

“After an unspeakable tragedy in Boston, Ava Collette flees to a remore village in Maine, where she rents an old house named Brodie’s Watch.

In thatt isolated seaside mansion, Ava finally feels at peace … until she glimpses the long-dead sea captain who still resides there.

Rumor has it that Captain Jeremiah Brodie has haunted the house for more than a century. One night, Ava confronts the apparition, who feels all too real, and who welcomes her into his world – and into his arms. Even as Ava questions her own sanity, she eagerly looks forward to the captain’s ghostly visits. But she soon learns that the house she loves comes with a terrible secret, a secret that those in the village don’t want to reveal: Every woman who has ever lived in Brodie’s Watch has also died there. Is the ghost of Captain Brodie responsible, or is a flesh-and-blood killer at work? A killer who is even now circling closer to Ava?

—————————————————————————-

This book, too sad, turns out to be an another disappointment of Gerritsen’s books, after the latest book of the Rizzoli & Isles series, I Know A Secret.

While reading this book, I kept thinking maybe I should just give up finishing it, since I really don’t like the main character, Ava something. And I so detested the ghost of the captain. I hate any books with main characters dealing with drinking problems. Like Harry Hole in Jo Nesbo’s books; Rachel Watson in The Girl on the Train; and now this, Ava something. I hate to read all the craps about why they ended up drinking so much; how hard they, if they really did, had tried to quit, and all sorts of excuses they found for themselves.

The only and one thing I like in the book was when Ava something tried her recipes in the fabulous kitchen. I always think it really wonderful when you can take your time to do things you like in a comfortable place.

And the rest, …. well…

The Silent Patient 2020#82

留言

Saturday, November 21, 2020

評分：1 分，滿分為 5。

Alex Michaelides

“Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter mar hrried to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening, her husband, Gabriel, returns home late from work, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art sky-rockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure psychiatric unit in North London.

Criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber is captivated by Alicia’s story and jumps at the opportunity to work with her. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a path more unexpected, more terrifying than he ever imagined – a search for the truth that threatens to consume him.

Shocking, thought-provoking, and deeply twisted, The Silent Patient is a spellbinding psychological thriller about violence, obsession, and the dark side of passion.

———————————————————–

So, it is about “a patient tries to work with a patient". At the beginning, I wondered why the psychotherapist Theo Faver talked a lot about himself and his wife, which made me try so very hard not to skip. And then it turned out to be the reason why the tragedy had happened.

At first, the story seemed to have a promising start, and then, everything turned sour.

Not a very pleasant reading experience.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend 2020#78

留言

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

“Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen …

Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her book-loving pen pal. When she arrives, however, she finds Amy’s funeral guests just leaving. The residents of Broken Wheel are happy to look after their bewildered visitor – there’s not much else to do in a dying small town that’s almost beyond repair.

You certainly wouldn’t open a bookstore. And definitely not with the tourist in charge. You’d nee a vacant storefront (Main Street is full of them), books (Amy’s house is full of them), and … customers.

The bookstore might be a little quirky. Then again, so is Sara. But Broken Wheel’s own story might be more eccentric and surprising than she thought.

A heartwarming reminder of why we are booklovers, this is a sweet, smart story about how books find us, change us, and connect us."

—————————————————————————–

Quite disappointed about the last few chapters (= the happy ending). It turned the book into THE GREAT AMERICAN DREAM!

Loved the idea of opening a little bookstore. Love the idea of being able to sit in your favorite place and read.

But the American dream? Sigh ….

屍人莊殺人事件 2020#45

留言

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

評分：1 分，滿分為 5。

今村昌弘

翻譯 詹慕如

獨步文化

“「這個暑假, 不能沒有事件發生.」

沒有事件可解, 便無法稱之為偵探 – 號稱 ‘福爾摩斯’ 的大學生偵探明智恭介, 不顧助手葉村讓勸阻, 纏上電影研究社社長, 因為社內怪事連連: 社員自殺, 短片出現恐怖人臉, 即將舉辦的合宿收到恐嚇字條, 令許多社員心生退意. 然而, 別人的麻煩正是偵探的樂趣, 明智死纏爛打想參加合宿卻無法說服社長. 苦惱時, 神秘美少女偵探劍崎比留子現身解圍, 以 ‘不問她目的’ 和 ‘她一同參加’ 為條件, 讓明智與葉村混進其中.

合宿地是深山別墅旅館, 當晚烤肉派對, 青春洋溢的十三位成員齊聚一堂, 氣氛和樂, 私底下各懷鬼胎, 刺探彼此前來的理由; 而任憑偵探百般試探, 大家都閉口不談自殺事件. 轉眼間到了試膽大會時間, 大家踏上指定路線, 遠方森林卻隱隱傳來奇特聲響 – 仔細一聽, 那是令人不安的尖叫, 古怪低吟及雜亂的腳步聲, 如暴風雨前的海浪般湧來 …

偵探一直祈求的 ‘事件’, 這不就來了嗎? 短短半日, ‘溫馨’ 日常就成 ‘溫腥’ 時光. 他們將被迫回別墅, 參加更盛大愉快的活動… 十三人最不可告人的祕密, 一, 一, 曝, 光. “

——————————————————————-

看完簡直讓人直接昏倒的書. 感覺書背的簡介, 比原作還精彩的樣子. 白眼翻到背後再翻回來, 都沒辦法表達我對這本書的無言. 博客來的簡介居然還稱作者第一本書就 “追上天王" 東野圭吾. 白眼再翻幾翻…

這個故事情節, 就是屍速列車 + 金田一事件簿. 而且那違合感啊, 真的就是把相對倆怨的日韓硬放在同一空間一樣, 很彆扭.

那麼了無新意, 東拼西湊的情節, 居然這麼好評, 我也是醉了.

給一顆星都嫌多.

The Short Drop 2020#43

留言

Very Sunny, very hot. Saturday, June 26, 2020

評分：4 分，滿分為 5。

Matthew FitzSimmons

“A decade ago, fourteen-year-old Suzanne Lombard, the daughter of Benjamin Lombard – then a senator, now a powerful vice president running for the presidency -disappeared in the most sensational missing-person case in the nation’s history. Still unsolved, the mystery remains a national obsession.

For legendary hacker and marine Gibson Vaughn, the case is personal – Suzanne Lombard had been like a sister to him. On the tenth anniversary of her disappearance, the former head of Benjamin Lombard’s security asks for Gibson’s help in a covert investigation of the case, with new evidence in hand.

Haunted by tragic memories, he jumps at the chance to uncover what happened all those years ago. Using his military and technical prowess, he soon discovers multiple conspiracies surrounding the Lombard family – and he encounters powerful, ruthless political players who will do anything to silence him and his team. With new information surfacing that could threaten Lombard’s bid for the presidency, Gibson must stay one step ahead as he navigates a dangerous web to get to the truth.

—————————————————————————

Sooooooo sad!! Poor little girl!

Do not like the way it ended. Things untold, bad guy not handled. What happened to George Abe and Billy Casper? Why the old witch could stay untouched?

陪我散步吧 2020#42

留言

Sunday, June 14, 2020

評分：3 分，滿分為 5。

簡媜

“人生的每個階段就像一條步道, 我們被莫名的力量導引而置身其中 – 越年少時能做的選擇越少, 然而, 在這少之又少的機會中, 所做的每一個選擇都具有不可思議的力量, 決定了人生往哪一條路徑走. 時光推著我們向前, 一條又一條的路徑, 行走其間之時覺得這就是一切, 時間緩慢, 彷彿進入不見出口的迴圈之中流轉, 悲離如此沉重, 歡合何等生動, 怎料一陣清風吹過, 回頭一望, 在無法察覺的某一步當下, 人生已走進另一條路徑. 昔日如此沉重的悲離故事, 竟是需透過樹枝縫隙眺望, 借助星斗標示方位, 才看得到的遺跡了.

天氣真好, 撫額沉思的繆思少年, 世間火宅內的同行者, 舊雨與新知, 把煩惱這件厚外套掛在樹枝上, 陪我散步吧!"

Lethal White 2020#41

留言

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

評分：2 分，滿分為 5。

Robert Galbraith

“I seen a kid killed… He strangled it, up by the horse."

When Billy, a troubled young man, comes to private eye Cormoran Strike’s office to ask for his help investigating a crime he thinks he witnessed as a child, Strike is left deeply unsettled. While Billy is obviously mentally distressed, and cannot remember many concrete details, there is something sincere about him and his story. But before Strike can question him further, Billy bolts from his office in a panic.

Trying to get to the bottom of Billy’s story, Strike and Robbin Ellacott – once his assistant, now a partner in the agency – set off on a twisting trail that leads them through the backstreets of London, into a secretive inner sanctum within Parliament, and to a beautiful but sinister manor house deep in the countryside.

And during this labyrinthine investigation, Strike’s own life is far from straightforward: his newfound fame as a private eye means he can no longer operate behind the scenes as he once did. Plus, his relationship with his former assistant is more fraught than it ever has been – Robin is now invaluable to Strike in the business, but their personal relationship is much, much trickier than that.

——————————————————————

While trying to finish this book with difficulties, difficult because it was such a thick but boring book, I couldn’t decide whether it was a detective novel or a romance novel. A very tedious long detective novel or a poorly written romance novel, so to speak. Like the previous three books in this series, Cormoran Strike had some other cases to take care of while he tried to focus on the one he was most interested in. In other words, readers have to “participate" in every teeny tiny, little stuff with Strike. Well, that was still bearable. However, the many descriptions about how Strike and Robin were feeling about each other were really painful for me. The book started with the wedding of Robin and Matthew, and ended with their marriage all together. I really didn’t care how Strike and Robin wanted their relationship to continue. I just didn’t care. A very boring couple! A very dull romance!

I had a very strong sense of deja vu when I read Lethal White, the fourth novel in the Cormoran Strike series. That is, I had the similar feeling when I read the last two books in the Harry Potter series. They were all boring, predictable, nothing new, but also are ones in the series which makes it very difficult do decide whether to continue or not.

I really hope Robert Galbraith, aka J K Rowling, will not try to have the fifth book in the Strike series. To save me the troubles.

平成徒步日記 2020#37

留言

Monday, May 18, 2020

評分：5 分，滿分為 5。

宮部美幸

翻譯 章蓓蕾

“救人無數的「仁醫」遭陷入獄後，面臨怎樣的折磨？
見證大奧「無血開城」的談判地點，如今何在？
坂本龍馬的精神導師勝海舟又是在何處與西鄉隆盛會談？

忠臣藏47人為主公復仇後，究竟如何逃離現場？江戶時代的死刑犯要遊街，究竟遊的是哪條街？為什麼重罪犯人流放的地點，竟是人稱「日本的夏威夷」的離島？！著名的箱根溫泉地，原來竟是偷渡者最難以闖過的關卡？！「深川七不思議」有多麼恐怖？不可錯過的江戶下町美食又是？

《模仿犯》作者宮部美幸首本非小說作品，行腳書寫頭一回！
語調幽默的生花妙筆帶你穿越時空，遊歷江戶時代！"

01｜盛夏的忠臣藏
02｜犯人遊街不能選季節
03｜衝破關卡攀登七曲坡
04｜遠在天邊的櫻田門
05｜離島流犯高唱《珍重再見》
06｜七不思議令人七暈八素
07｜神佛混淆大團圓
08｜劍客生涯「浮沉」的深川散步

——————————————————————–

這幾年喜歡在熟悉與不熟悉的街道城市中尋找老房子. 宮部美幸這本書真是深得我心啊. 邊讀邊感嘆, 如果也有這麼一本徒步台灣城市的書, 不知有多好. 我肯定要塞進包包裡, 帶著旅行.

我想, 我應該要收集這本書.

心理罪之畫像 2020#36

留言

Sunday, May 17, 2020

評分：3 分，滿分為 5。

雷米

瑞昇文化

“一個喜歡把牛奶和人血攪拌在一起喝下去的殺手, 他是有特殊的疾病還是傳說中千年不死的吸血鬼?

C市連續發生四起強姦殺人案, 被害人都是25至30歲之間的女性, 這是報復殺人還是另有不為人知的欲求?

被砍掉雙手的足球守門員; 被虐殺致死的七歲活潑女童; 被剝掉全身皮膚的化學系女學生; 被催眠而攻擊同窗好友的研究生 … 看似毫無關連的各宗命案背後, 卻是一次以人命與鮮血作答的 ‘考試’.

當這個看不見的魔鬼肆無忌憚地奪去方木身邊一個又一個朋友的生命, 方木又將如何面對這公然的挑釁? 他能否擺脫創傷後的夜夜夢魘, 在最後關頭 ‘畫’ 出魔鬼的樣子 …"

———————————————-

幾度嘗試中國作者的書. 看了幾集盜墓筆記, 覺得像是爬了一座又一座的山, 山名不一, 景色倒是很相似. 看久就煩了. 看了不到一集的鬼吹燈, 怎麼人全死光了. 極度血腥, 根本看不下去. 然後是這本心理罪. 有看完啦, 要不要再看第二集, 猶豫中. 是一種另人不舒服的犯罪, 然後, 主角那黑暗欲揭的過去, 從頭到尾, 一直在蘊釀, 整個氛圍也讓我覺得讀得很不舒心.

要看的書好多, 先擱著吧.

The Dry 2020#34

留言

Sunday, May 10, 2020

評分：4 分，滿分為 5。

Jane Harper

“Federal agent Aaron Falk hasn’t been back to the place where he grew up in twenty years. Not since he and his father were run out of town. Even when Falk gets word that his childhood best friend, Luke, is dead and his entire family has been murdered, Falk still isn’t planning on going back. But then he gets a note: Luke lied. You liked. Be at the funeral. And just like that, Falk is swept back into the secrets of the place and people he left so long ago.

When Falk returns for the funeral, Luke’s parents implore him to look into his death – though everyone else in town thinks the case is open-and-shut, they’re sure something’s not right. But as Falk himself knows, it’s hard to get people to change their minds, and sometimes things are not as they appear. Amid the worst drought in a century, long-buried mysteries will resurface, as will the lies that accompany them. And Falk will discover anew what he’s known all along: Sometimes you have to go back home in order to finally leave your past behind.

SOMETIMES IT’S THE SMALLEST OF TOWNS THAT HIDE THE BIGGEST OF SECRETS …

——————————————————————-

At first, I couldn’t understand why Falk’s childhood friend, Gretchen Schoner, kept saying that everybody in the town is feeling depressed because of the drought. To me, in Taiwan, the worst kind of dry season would last no longer than few months. How bad can it be? Until I did some research about The Big Dry in Australia. It began in 1996, and Australia was finally ‘drought-free’ in 2012!!

The river where they used to go swimming, where their childhood friend drowned herself, now almost dries out. What happened twenty years ago and what just happened, are all brought together.