I should just listen to my gut. Just because my brain isn’t initially sure I’ll enjoy a Stephen King book that doesn’t fall into what I think is my ‘usual fare’ doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy it. In fact, my gut constantly reminds me of titles that have surprised me, and we can add Joyland…
Tag: mystery
The Sun Down Motel (2020) – Simone St. James
The Sun Down Motel is a fantastically creepy and thrilling novel from Simone St. James. The novel follows two storylines concurrently bouncing back and forth between the years 1982 and 2017, culminating in a white-knuckle climax that is satisfying, engaging, and sneaks quite comfortably into Stephen King territory. In November 1982 Vivian arrived in Fell,…
Disquiet (2023) – Michael Winnick
There are some fun and familiar ideas at work in Michael Winnick’s Disquiet which is getting a limited theatrical run, and VOD release tomorrow, but it just isn’t as strong as it could be. At just under an hour and a half I still felt the editing could have been tighter, and the characters could…
Episode Thirteen (2023) – Craig DiLouie
Orbit Books brings me my first real creepy novel of 2023, Episode Thirteen. Using the familiar structure of the found footage genre, something that has been co-opted successfully for all of the ghost-hunting shows that seem to plague reality television, DiLouie compiles a literary found footage film, offering up video transcripts, EVP recordings, text messages,…
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (2018) – Stuart Turton
An Agatha Christie story with some Ground Hog Day/Quantum Leap thrown in for good measure? When I read the blurb on The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle I was immediately intrigued. Turton’s execution of the story is whipsmart and incredibly enjoyable, combining classic English mystery with some time loops. What’s not to love? Sebastian Bell…
The Last Broadcast (1998) – Stefan Avalos, and Lance Weiler
The year before The Blair Witch Project came along and revitalized and re-created the found footage genre, The Last Broadcast told a similar tale of murder, mystery, and possibly the supernatural. And while I have some serious issues with the format change at the film’s climax, not to mention some of the less-than-stellar performances, I…
Rendezvous with Rama (1973) – Arthur C. Clarke
I remember the first time I read this novel. My friend Dennis recommended it to me and conveniently enough, he had the entire series at hand, and I blazed through them. That was almost two decades ago, and I honestly don’t recall all the details of the story, but I know I loved the wonder…
Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) – Steven Spielberg
If the Indiana Jones films that were set in the 30s were to pay homage to the serials of the time, then by moving Indy (Harrison Ford) into the 50s it makes sense, from a cinematic historical point of view that the film would include nuclear weapons, aliens and UFOs. That doesn’t mean it translated…
Ringworld (1970) – Larry Niven
I dug into some classic science fiction this week with Larry Niven’s Ringworld novel, which is set in his Known Space universe. I hadn’t explored any of his stories before, but this one was recommended to me from somewhere, and I found the general idea intriguing, a massive ring, instead of an enclosed sphere, placed…
TIFF ’22: Glass Onion – A Knives Out Mystery
Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig return in a second Knives Out film, and Craig, along with everyone else involved in the production seems to be having the time of their life. Craig’s detective, Benoit Blanc, finds himself caught up in a whole new mystery this time around, and while there is a tonal shift from…
The Mind Reels 