Inspector Pekkala Rides Again!

Shadow Pass by Sam Eastland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eye of the Red Tsar, the first in the series about Inspector Pekkala, was a Good Reads giveaway I'd won over a year ago. I loved the book, gave it a great review, passed it on to friends, made a note to follow the series and then became engrossed in many other books and forgot about keeping track of the author's new books. Recently, looking for something new to read I came upon Shadow Pass and decided to order it. It is as good or better than the first installment.

Inspector Pekkala is a Finn who served the Russian Tsar as his personal inspector of whatever the Tsar wanted investigated. With the fall of the Romanovs, Pekkala found himself in Siberia where he found himself lonely but with some latitude in his confinement and developed a way of survival and a bit of contentment. When bones were found buried outside of Ekaterinberg, Stalin found it useful to release Pekkala and have him investigate the bones, how they got there and whether or not they were the remains of the Romanovs.

Shadow Pass picks up Pekkala's story in the service of Stalin. The Russians are developing a new supertank as Hitler is rising in Germany. It is, of course, top secret but deaths occur at the development facility and Pekkala must determine who is behind them and why. There are many threads to this mystery, all of which seem to lead to the answer but only one, as is often the case, solves the crime. But, what is not always the case, the reader is as baffled as the Inspector and his young assistant, Kirov, until the very end when all the questions are answered and Pekkala and Kirov are ready to move on to the next crime.

There are many reasons to like Sam Eastland and his characters. He hooks the reader with the very first sentence of his narrative " As the motorcycle crested the hill,sunlight winked off the goggles of the rider." He goes on to describe the attire and luggage of the man and the conditions of his ride. Immediately, one hops on the back of the bike and heads into the woods to hunker down with a can of cold soup and a night sleeping on the cold ground --wondering where is this rider headed, why is he being so cautious --is he good or is he bad? What is his mission?

Eastland's descriptive language paints a scene or creates a photo of it in the mind: " On the water, a man sat in a rowboat.......Around the man,tiny insects swirled like bubbles in champagne." Because familiar scenes are presented so realistically the reader is able to see those that are not familiar with clarity. Walking through an old swimming pool building converted to a research laboratory with the characters is an experience that feels totally real.

Pekkala is a man of secrets. Even his young sidekick, Kirov, knows little about his past. The relationship between the men is warm, paternalistic in Pekkala's case. Kirov is constantly trying to get him to dress more modernly, eat more slowly with appreciation for his food. Pekkala is frustrated with Kirov's always forgetting his weapon and needles him about leaving it behind because he is a poor shot, hardly the case. As in real life, these interactions are momentary in a day's work, but humorous and warm when they occur.

The author allows us to know more about Pekkala than those around him through the use of flashbacks. Unlike those used in other books, where, rather than illumination, the reader becomes confused and disoriented, these, too, occur naturally. Something that he sees, or hears, or smells, triggers in Pekkala a memory and that memory is shared with the reader and set outside the story by the use of italics. And like a memory, they are short and fleeting and hardly cause a ripple in the flow. Yet, these memories create a familiarity with and closeness to Inspector Pekkala. Like Kirov, the reader cares about him and wants to be by his side on his next assignment.

It would appear that Pekkala is headed back to prison in Arkive 17 and Kirov is remaining behind in Moscow. My Amazon order is about to be placed. For now, ignoring the kumquats on the desk, like Pekkala, I'm going to smile and keep walking until it arrives.

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Once More Investigating A Capitol Crime

Monument to Murder: A Capital Crimes Novel by Margaret Truman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was such a loss when Margaret Truman died--her novels set in Washington, D.C with the McKenzies as a husband and wife team who find themselves involved in various investigations of the deaths of people in high places, were always so well written and absorbing. The reader had a sense of being there and rubbing elbows with powerful politicians and some of their lesser known henchmen whilst sipping a touch of Blantons with branch or a cube. Coming across another installment of the Capitol Crime series seemed too good to be true--was it a partially completed manuscript finished off by a lesser author and disappointing as a result? No, it was not--although the ending seemed a bit abrupt and not altogether satisfying. There is another tale available now and, having thoroughly enjoyed this outing, I will certainly read it,too. It is always hard to say good-bye to a favorite author. Happily, I needn't do so, yet!

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Even Fools Fall in Love

The Widow of Jerusalem by Alan Gordon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoy the setting--12th C Mediterranean area during and after Richard the Lionhearted's visit--and the concept--fools, court jesters as spies and political forces--doing the work of the Fools' Guild to ensure peace and manipulate which rulers and factions can best achieve it. Only problem--trying to find copies of these books at reasonable prices.

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The Princes of Ireland ( Read Trinity instead!)

The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Overall the book left me vaguely discontented. It is more a historical survey of Ireland with very little depth. It is fiction and a novel but, just as the reader becomes invested in the narrative and its characters, the author sort of ends the story and then jumps ahead several centuries before resuming. The relationship to the prior characters is tenuous at best and in the end one is left with eight or nine loose threads with no real sense of place or persons. I'd rather have had eight novels that continued the story, along the lines of John Jakes' Centenniel Chronicles, so that there was closure as well on continuation. Debating whether to invest the time to read the next volume.

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1776 by David McCullough Another Masterpiece

1776 by David McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Took me a bit longer to read this McCullough than usual. The primary reason is that it is difficult to take military manuveurs in large doses, not that the book dwells on them. It is a wonder we ever won the Revolution. This first year, with a less than well trained army and literally no navy, had us in a pretty weak position. The only real professional soldier involved was Washington's second in command, Lee, who eventually went back to the British side. Yet, somehow, despite incredible losses in Brooklyn and on Manhattan Island and Fort Lee, in New Jersey, by the end of the year Washington had crossed the Delaware and taken Trenton. Much more suffering would ensue at Valley Forge but, in time, the rebels would desert the " gentleman's way" of fighting--lined up in open fields firing point blank at each other --and victories would begin to amass. But for this year, things were less than promising.

For me the book appealed because I grew up in Manhattan--the place names of roads, and sections of the city as well as the Palisades of New Jersey and Fort Lee are all familiar to me. The Palisades haven't changed much and Hell's Gate is still as trecherous. Imagining a battle raging in Brooklyn, which in my memory was an area of warehouses and dirty neighborhoods and which is now becoming the gentrified, desirable borough, is all but impossible. But the boating across the River to Manhattan, the streets of the city in flames, the Hudson River with Fort Lee and Fort Washington on either side is much easier to envision. Yet, though I was so familiar with battles farther up the Hudson and in Pennsylvania and farther South, I really had not paid much attention to the hallowed ground upon which I trod daily for over 25 years. Wish now, I'd given my NY as much attention as I have given Boston and Philadelphia in studying the War for Independence. But, in some ways, New York has never really given itself as much attention as those other cities when it comes to its place in Revolutionary history,most likely since the brothers Howe routed us so badly there.

Another revelation, though I think sometime in the past I must have known this, is the relative youth of so many of the famous names among the ranks of American soldiers. Alexander Hamilton was 19; Aaron Burr, who several years later would kill Hamilton on the Weehauken Heights of New Jersey, was 20. George Washington, himself, was only 43. Henry Knox, whose home, Montpelier, in Maine is so beautiful and whose portrait shows him much later in life, was 25 when he was sent to Ticonderoga to bring cannons cross country to Boston--an unimaginable feat, if you've ever tracked his route and realized how much more rugged it was 246 years ago! Nathaniel Greene, the over six foot tall Quaker, who was possibly the best of Washington's commanders, was 33.

In addition to the fact that most of these men are visualized by today's Americans as men well advanced in years and are considered to be the Fathers of our country is the added forgetfullness of the service rendered the cause by Benedict Arnold until disillusionment and disappointment led him to be a traitor to what was already a traitorous act. Young Benedict was present with Ethan Allen at the taking of Ft Ticonderoga and he was entrusted with a force sent to attack Quebec. Not a very successful foray but under his command nonetheless. Of course, he also lost a leg at Saratoga later in the War.

All in all, though slow going for me, it was enjoyable to take one year at a time to study the beginnings of our Nation. McCullough, as always, brings the characters to life and not just the major players. Letters and diaries of the common soldier and civilians were frequently quoted and the descriptions of the men from the various parts of the country was well done. He does not ignore the players on the other side, either. The brothers Howe, Cornwallis,Hessian Col Rall and even members of Congress and of Parliament are quoted and described. A very thorough presentation of the first steps on the road to freedom and independence for a new nation and well worth the time.

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Short Introduction to Al Capone

Al Capone: Chicago's King of Crime by Nate Hendley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


If you don't know very much about Al Capone or the heyday of Chicago criminal activity this is an excellent overview. Easily read in one sitting and written in a clear factual manner, yet far from boring. There is no hyperbole or drama just a conversational saga of the mob scene and the corrupt graft taking legal and governmental attitude of Prohibition America. It is interesting to learn of the various personalities of these cruel, vicious, murderous men. One crime lord a florist who drew a line at being involved in prostitution; the Mafia's Sicilian only membership--Capone was Neapolitan!; the personalities that could carry out the Valentine's Day massacre and then play golf or attend family dinners; the politicians who sincerely tried to fight crime and yet socialized with its biggest leaders. Simply unbelieveable and yet historically true and not confined to Chicago or Cicero Illinois--New York City was equally corrupt. I kept waiting for the appearance of Elliot Ness and the Untouchables , but television and movies aside, he entered the Capone picture pretty late in Scarface Al's spree. Also, though he pulled some pretty incredible raids on Capone's installations and some fun irritating stunts on Alphonse, his actions were secondary in the Federal Governments efforts to bring Capone down on tax evasion charges.



In the beginning it was hard to keep all the actors straight with their Italian, Jewish and Irish names to say nothing of their colorful monikers but eventually they and the slang of the day attained a rhythm and familiarity and became easier to navigate. One thing I always enjoy are photos of the characters and events. Unfortunately, there are none here. Nevertheless, this is a good starting off place for anyone interested in the history of organized crime in the 20's-30's Chicago.



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McCullough Has Done It Again!

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's McCullough! Don't like history? You haven't read him, then! This one is so many things--a love letter to Paris ( I'm so jealous of his son, Bill, going with him to find all the sites mentioned in the book ), a history of the Western world really. 1830--USA is still a baby--Paris is the center of everything--the best medical training, the best artists under which to study, the best fashion, the best food---and young Americans are converging on it in droves. The names just pour over the reader. Ever been young and a student? Driven to learn, driven to excel, driven to absorb all you can in however short time you have until the money runs out? Here they are--writing home to friends and family--miles away across a dangerous ocean, crossed only by ships under sail that take weeks to arrive if they do. The writing --you see and feel and smell the things these people are experiencing. The overland ride in the huge diligence into a city that is not clean, not rich but oh, so exciting and at its center, so beautiful. The narrative moves through the years as though walking through a great house--here the lighting provided by gas lamps, the streets narrow, the pensions crowded. Bodies of the poor used for dissection in the medical schools, the operations open to the public. Now, the tumult of the ascension of Napoleon III, tearing up the streets to make over a new Paris. Soon the siege by Bismarck, the Communard uprising, artists and doctors returning to America, a new group arriving. The first wave reaching middle age and becoming the famous teachers and practitioners of all sorts of artistic endeavors at home. Eventually, yet another group arrives and the first start to die off, the middle group now the old men and women of their fields. In the beginning, Lafayette is still alive by the end the world is on the brink of a new century--electric lights, automobiles, telephones, the modern age has arrived. The Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, today's landmarks have just been built. The telegraph, once such an all consuming obsession of an artist turned inventor, almost passe. And through it all runs the irresistible lure of Paris.


The book was even more enjoyable for me since I've been to Paris and had a host in Sevres refer to the Eiffel Tower as the Awful Tower--it made the description of the French reaction to its construction quite interesting. So many of the places in the book, I've strolled.How I wish I could return as so many of these men and women did in their life-times but this book brings back the parks and boulevards to memory in great detail.
I grew up in New York and as a child sat on the bench at Farragut's feet more times than I can remember and leaned looking up at Victory so gleaming and high above my small head.
Living in New England the MFA in Boston and the Boston Public Library and Fanuiel Hall are equally familiar as is Aspet in Cornish, NH where I attend summer concerts outside St Gauden's studio.

But, if the reader hasn't been to any of these places McCullough's pen is as descriptive as any of the works of the artists of which he writes. I found myself referring back frequently to the portraits of the these young Americans and the Parisians with whom they came in contact and the places where they spent their time. Also to the pictures of the paintings about which so much is written.

Here is all one could wish, history, art, medicine, emerging America, fascinating Paris with side excursions to other places in Europe--London,Italy, Spain but most importantly the young men and women who were the breathing living students who lived it and through whose letters and diaries and artistic works we live it again.



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