What Charlie Read in September 2013

Who’s Charlie? you may be wondering. We’ll he’s my husband of 24 years and his favorite hobby is reading. And, he’s retired so has the luxury of time on his hands! What Charlie Read in September 2013 is the continuation of this monthly series I started in June. My thought process was (and is) that maybe readers would find value in occasional book reviews. But, the reality in our “toot sweet” lives is that Tiffany and I rarely have time to read a book!

Yes, we read; but we read blogs, and stuff related to blogging, but rarely is it in book form! So, having an in-house “book-worm” seemed a good solution to solving this problem. Most readers of our blog could probably care less about book reviews on blogging books, so Charlie to the rescue! However, since he’s a man, his taste in books is skewed towards action/adventure types. But, hey, we could all use a little action/adventure in our lives, right?

Plus, if you have a significant other of the male persuasion in your life, these monthly reviews could provide you with ammo for gift ideas! With the holidays fast approaching, we could all use a little idea nudge for gifts.

A disclaimer first: Charlie doesn’t write reviews on books he doesn’t like. We have a “butterfly” system of rating the books with 5 Butterflies the highest rating and 3 Butterflies the lowest rating. But, even at 3 Butterflies, the books are good reads. If they aren’t, they don’t appear on our blog. Charlie wants the book reviews that he writes to only be good reviews; nothing negative in this series! Here’s how the rating system lines up:

3 Butterflies = good; entertaining

4 Butterflies = very good; recommended read

5 Butterflies = excellent; definite read

So, here’s What Charlie Read in September 2013:

Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman

Set in Los Angeles, this book written in 2008, is part of the Alex Delaware series. Alex is a psychologist/detective and along with Milo Sturgis, a detective, investigates the disappearance of a spoiled girl, Katrina Shonsky. A stolen Bentley is recovered with blood from the missing girl on the seat. And, a Mercedes turns up at the site of an elderly woman’s stabbing. Face paced and exciting, Charlie rates this book 4 Butterflies.

The Sea Hunters by Clive Cussler and Craig Dirgo

Written in 1996, this is the first non-fiction book written by Clive Cussler, Charlie’s favorite author. Clive and NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency) volunteers have found 60 shipwrecks all over the world and this book chronicles 12 of the finds, which have been the inspiration for many of his fiction books. Charlie enjoyed reading the real-life exploits of these deep-sea adventures and gives this book 4 Butterflies.

Sahara by Clive Cussler

One of the Dirk Pitt adventures, this book was written in 1992. Set in Africa in the Sahara Desert, Dirk and his crew are looking for the remains of a Pharaoh’s funeral barge somewhere on the Nile River. Along the way, Dirk rescues Dr. Eva Rojas, a biochemist with the UN World Health Organization, from potential murderers. She’s investigating a serious, mysterious disease killing thousands possibly caused by a pollutant with staggering consequences. Combining forces to divert an environmental catastrophe of unimaginable magnitude, Dirk, his team and Eva race against the clock in this fast-paced adventure. This novel was made into a motion picture many years ago starring Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz. Charlie loved the high adventure of this book and rated it 5 Butterflies.

Killing Jesus by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Released a few months ago, this non-fiction work of history chronicles events and people leading to Jesus’ death. Set in Bethlehem, Judea, Jerusalem, the cast of characters include Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Caesar Augustus, Herod the Great, Pontius Pilate, John the Baptist and of course, Jesus of Nazareth. Charlie enjoyed reading about historical events and details that were new to him and gave this book a rating of 4 Butterflies.

Never Go Back by Lee Child

A Jack Reacher novel, this book, too, was published this year. Set in northeast Virginia, Reacher, a former military cop, returns to his old unit only to discover serious accusations involving a subordinate while in the military. Determined to clear his name, Jack stays one step ahead of the army, the FBI and the local police in this exciting tale of plots and intrigue. Charlie gives this book 4 Butterflies.

Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs

A new release, this book, too, features the recurring character, Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist. Set in Charlotte, North Carolina, a young girl’s body is found alongside a road, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run. Inside the girl’s purse is the airline card of a prominent local businessman, who died in a fire 5 months earlier. Tempe is challenged to find the connection between the two in addition to examining dog mummies confiscated by U.S. Customs and dealing with unfolding drama in her personal life. With multiple plot twists, Charlie loved this book and rates it 4 Butterflies. NOTE: the book’s character, Temperance Brennan, is the inspiration for the current Fox network television series, Bones.

Have you read any of these? Do you agree with Charlie? We’d love to hear from you!

Tootles,

(other book reviews)