(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Jan Stocklassa (http://stocklassa.com) published the book “The Man Who Played with Fire: Stieg Larsson’s Lost Files and the Hunt for an Assassin” in 2019.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The book covers the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme.
Palme was assassinated on February 28, 1986, in Stockholm, Sweden. The murder went unsolved for decades. Popular Swedish mystery author Stieg Larsson had begun to investigate the murder. He compiled an extensive collection of documents about the assassination. After Larsson’s death in 2004, Jan Stocklassa continued with the investigation.
This book tells the story of the police investigation as well as the efforts of both Larsson and Stocklassa. It took nearly 35 years and dedicated journalists to solve the assassination. In July 2020 the Swedish police announced that the assassination had been solved.
I enjoyed the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 495-page true-crime mystery. This was my first true-crime book, but it read like one of Larsson’s fictional mysteries. It was a bit slow at the beginning. It also would have helped to have a map of the murder scene. One drawn by Larsson is mentioned in the book. If you like mysteries and conspiracy theories. you will enjoy this book. The cover art is OK, but kind of plain and dull. I give this novel a 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in late 1943 London. The primary character is Maggie Hope. She has had an eventful few years so far during the war. Previously she was a secretary to Winston Churchill, an SOE agent, and spy. Now she works to defuse unexploded German bombs.
Her experiences have traumatized her. She has begun to live life on the edge. She handles UXBs, races around London on a motorcycle, drinks and smokes heavily. She has no real interest in getting involved in another mystery.
When a priceless Stradivarius violin is stolen she grudgingly begins to investigate. She had no idea that the theft would lead her to a series of murders. Someone is hunting and killing conscientious objectors. She also has things from her past dug up.
I enjoyed the 8.5+ hours I spent reading this 354-page WWII era mystery. Even though this novel is the ninth in a series, it reads well on its own. Of course reading the first eight in the series before hand would be preferable. I have been fortunate to have read the prior work in the series (The Prisoner in the Castle). Both of these novels were very enjoyable. I enjoy the mix of mystery and WWII setting. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4.3 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.
If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Sources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 480 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
When looking for something new to watch on Acorn TV we came across “Foyle’s War’. This is not a new TV series. It first appeared on ITV in October 2002. The series lasted for eight series with the final episode broadcast in January 2015. The synopsis per IMDB:
As WWII rages, DCS Foyle fights his own war on the home-front; investigating crime on the south coast of England. Later series, see the retired detective working as an MI5 agent in the aftermath of the war.
My wife and I have found this program a good mix of mystery and WWII era history. While the focus is on the mystery, many facts from the WWII period are woven into the plots. As with most British mysteries, the true perpetrator of the crime isn’t revealed until near the end of the episode.
We have really enjoyed the series. The ranking on IMDB is a 8.4/10 and it enjoys a 97% Average Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. If you like mysteries and have an interest in the WWII period, you will find this series enjoyable.
If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Sources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 480 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
(See all my Book Reviews and author Interviews) – Authors Eric Giacometti & Jacques Ravenne (http://www.giacometti-ravenne-polar.com) published the novel “The Four Symbols” in 2020. This is the first of their “Black Sun” series, and their fourth novel together.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in pre-war Europe.
German Himmler has sent SS operatives of the Ahnenerbe in pursuit of objects of obscure supernatural powers. German SS Colonel Karl Weistort has led one team to the Himalayas and found one object. An old book alludes to three other items of power hidden around the world.
If they can find all these objects the Nazis feel assured of success in their war. Churchill doesn’t believe in these occult powers. On the other hand, he doesn’t want Germany to have any advantages.
British Commander Malorley, with Churchill’s approval, begins a search for the other objects. Mallorey heads to France where the next object is thought to be hidden. When he arrives he finds Weistort all ready at work with a team of archeologists.
Caught up with the Germans is the Frenchman Tristan Destrée. Destrée seems to be as much a criminal as he is knowledgeable about antiquities. Adding to the mix of characters are German archeologist Erika von Essling and Frenchwoman Laure d’Estillac. The dig site in France is on d’Estillac property. Essling is leading the excavation. All these characters come together with a bit of romance and French resistance fighters in a struggle for the object.
I enjoyed the 10.5 hours I spent reading this 384-page WWII era thriller. The novel is very reminiscent of the Indiana Jones movies. The novel starts slowly and it takes a while for the plot to develop. It did not feel like it had a smooth flow. That is perhaps due to translation from their native French. This is the third novel (The others were Shadow Ritual & The Lafayette Sword) of Giacometti and Ravenne that I have read. They have all been very enjoyable. I do like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Sources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 480 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
(See all my Book Reviews and author Interviews) – Author Michael Laurence (https://michaellaurence.com) published the novel “The Annihilation Protocol” in 2020. This is the first of his “Extinction Agenda” series and his second novel.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the contemporary US. It picks up where the first novel in the series “The Extinction Agenda” leaves off.
FBI Special Agent James Mason and his childhood friends continue to combat the mysterious syndicate. This dark agency known as the Thirteen is out for world dominance. This time using lethal nerve gas. Not only are Mason and his team facing the potential death of millions, but hems work around his new partner. He can’t be sure if he can trust her. Will be able to find the nerve gas and stop the next attack?
I thoroughly enjoyed the 16.5 hours I spent reading this 433-page thriller. This was a good follow-on thriller. I look forward to more in the series. I do like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 4.8 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
There have not been many movies made in recent years about the WWII era in history. One of the most recent is “Greyhound”. While the movie was intended to be theatrically released, because of COVID-19 it ended up being released on Apple TV+. My wife and I watched it a few weeks ago and found it very enjoyable.
The synopsis (per IMDB): Several months after the U.S. entry into World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy commander must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by a German submarine wolf pack.
While this story may seem at first to be contrived and pure fiction, it is based on actual events in WWII. For instance (from my Timeline page) are these incidents:
9/9/41 – Battle for Convoy SC-42 begins South of Iceland. HMCShips SKEENA, KENOGAMI, ALBERNI, ORILLIA, MOOSE JAW & CHAMBLY, escort 67 merchant ships – attacked by 19 U-boats over 2 days. 16 ships sunk/1 damaged. 203 sailors killed/422 rescued. 2 U-boats sunk/1 damaged [61]
9/10/42 – The battle for Convoy ON-127 begins. 34 merchant ships escorted by HMCShips ST CROIX, OTTAWA, AMHERST, ARVIDA, SHERBROOKE & HMS CELANDINE, attacked by 13 U-boats. 1 escort & 7 merchant ships sunk/5 damaged. 170 sailors killed/449 rescued. 4 U-boats damaged [61]
If you have access to Apple TV+ I recommend this movie. It is great to see Tom Hanks on screen again and this is a very good depiction of what convoys faces during WWII. It ranked a 7.0/10.0 on IMDB.
History Extra – episodes: Second World War Arctic Convoys; 3/8/12 Fleeing Nuns and Sinking ships (Tirpitz); 9/6/12 Thomas Beckett and WWII Relived
If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Sources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 480 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’. This book tells a detailed story of the invasion of Poland in September of 1939.
The book is a little dry as too many history books tend to be. It does start with a background of Poland going back to WWI. The book gives details about the Germans and Russian invasions as well as how the Polish defense.
I enjoyed the 6+ hours I spent reading this 241-page history. While dry, it is still very readable. I learned far more about the operations in 1939 Poland than I had read before. The cover art is OK, but seems a little dull to me. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Sources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 470 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
(See my other Music related posts) – Ihave always enjoyed the Lord of the Rings stores, movies and music. I came across this piece and thought it was an instrumental piece worth sharing. It was uploaded to YouTube in April of 2017 by Howard Shore. He wrote and orchestrated this piece.
(See all my Book Reviews and author Interviews) – Author Robert Webber published the novel “Winston’s Spy: Carlton Chronicles 1” in 2020. This appears to be Mr. Webber’s first novel. Read my interview with the author.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains mild scenes of Violence and Mature Situations. The story is set 1939 as Europe sits on the brink of WWII.
Britain needs information about Russian interests in the pending war. The best place for them to sue out that information is in the countries of the Baltic. They have particular interest in Finland.
MI2 approaches Alex Carlton. Carlton’s mother is Russian nobility and fled due to the revolution. Carlton was born in Finland. He seems the perfect match for MI2’s assignment. As Carlton prepares for his assignment he is involved in both romance and intrigue.
I enjoyed the 9.5 hours I spent reading this 339-page WWII spy thriller. It did start off a little slow, and seemed to focus more than necessary on Carlton’s day-to-day life. The novel also seemed to end abruptly. That obviously is leading up to a second novel, but it left me with the feeling of the novel being unfinished. I will be looking for the next novel in the series. The cover art is OK, but it doesn’t do a lot to interest me in reading the book. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Sources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 470 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
(See my other author Interviews) – I have had the opportunity to read two novels by author Avanti Centrae. The first was “VanOps: The Lost Power” and the second, earlier this year, “Solstice Shadows”. They were both enjoyable reads so I reached out to Ms. Centrae and asked for an interview.
Myself: When did you first realize that you wanted to become a writer?
Centrae: Mom taught me to read along with tying my shoes, and I wrote my first story when I was quite young, maybe six years old. Becoming a published novelist was a life-long dream.
Myself: What is the first piece that you remember writing?
Centrae: That early story was about a bull and a red cape. My writing has matured since then. 😊
Myself: What is your academic and work background?
Centrae: To fund my addiction for international travel and fast BMW’s, I studied computer technology at Purdue University and worked in IT for twenty years. I eventually led a team as an executive at Hewlett Packard before leaving the corporate world to pursue my writing career.
Myself: My career was in IT as well. What part of the world do you currently live in?
Centrae: Northern California is my current home. I was born and raised in the Midwest, and have lived in California since I finished college.
Myself: Do you think that living there has affected your writing?
Centrae: A bigger influence has been all the international travel. Besides the United States, I’ve enjoyed most of western Europe, and parts of Canada, Central America, and New Zealand. Walking around with only a backpack on my shoulders and exploring other cultures has been a huge inspiration.
Myself: You have had a wondeful opportunity to explore the world. I can see how both your technical background and your travels have been woven into your novels. How do you relax? What are your hobbies?
Centrae: We just returned from a holiday in Lake Tahoe where we hiked nearly every day and spent some time at the beach. Quite relaxing! My German shepherd and little black dog provide constant entertainment. I also enjoying riding my road bike and pursuing the scent of adventure.
Myself: What else would you like to share about yourself?
Centrae: One of my favorite jobs was working as a white-water raft guide, saving passengers from the rapids of the American River. One midnight, my fellow raft guides and I dared a moonlit run. The river ran high, a boat flipped, and we all nearly ended up in a rapid aptly named Satan’s Cesspool!
Myself: That sounds like quite the adventure. Did you read much growing up?
Centrae: All the time. I’d bring home stacks of books from the bookmobile and devour one almost every day.
Myself: What book that you read as a child stands out in your memory?
Centrae: Mom helped me memorize The Night Before Christmas when I was young, and we’d recite it together during the holiday season. Later, I read The Chronicles of Narnia, and pieces of those stories still come to mind.
Myself: What have you read recently?
Centrae: I recently listened to The King’s Deception by Steve Berry and really enjoyed the blend of action and history. Another fun read was The Freedom Broker by K.J. Howe, featuring Thea Paris, a kidnap and ransom specialist. It was a blast.
Myself: What is your favorite genre and author?
Centrae: I love action thrillers. All the Sigma Force books by James Rollins rank up there, and lately I’ve been appreciating Ernest Dempsey’s Sean Wyatt character.
Myself: Where is your favorite place to read?
Centrae: I love to curl up on the couch in front of a fire in the winter, or during the summer, I like to be outside on the back patio in a hammock.
Myself: Do you listen to audiobooks?
Centrae: These days I mostly listen to audiobooks while I drive or do chores. Tim Campbell is the “Voice of VanOps” and has done an amazing job bringing my stories to life.
Myself: What books do you recommend to others?
Centrae: I was saddened to hear that Carlos Ruiz Zafron recently passed away. His Cemetery of Forgotten Books series makes an excellent gift for readers who like atmospheric suspense.
Myself: What makes you sit down and want to share your stories?
Centrae: Authors have always been my heroes and characters my best friends. I want to return the favor and keep readers company on dark nights.
Myself: I like that sentiment. Is there anyone who has influenced your writing?
Centrae: Besides the authors I’ve noted above, I’ve also been influenced by Agatha Christie, P.D. James, Robert Jordan, Terry Pratchett, Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, J.R.R Tolkien, Gregg Hurwitz, and Ian Fleming. My tastes are eclectic, and I’ve also enjoyed a lot of non-fiction.
Myself: That list contains many of my own favorites. How did you pick the genres for your stories?
Centrae:I’ve always been fascinated with psychology, mysticism, mysteries, conspiracies, history, and science. Toss in a lust for adventure, and it was pretty easy to choose action thrillers.
Myself: Where do your story ideas come from?
Centrae: The idea for Solstice Shadows came from an article I read about a young man who discovered an ancient secret about a star chart. That formed the kernel of the story and I added on from there.
Myself: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just to see where an idea takes you?
Centrae: I’m a big outliner. By the time I start writing, it’s like a just-add-water recipe where I throw in dialogue and description.
Myself: Where do you do your writing? Why there?
Centrae: Often, I write outside on my smartphone, and then edit inside on the computer. I’m more relaxed and less distracted when I’m outdoors. The prologue to Solstice Shadows came to me during a hike and I stopped, sat on a rock, and wrote most of the chapter right then!
Myself: What is your schedule like when you are writing?
Centrae: Days always seem to fill up with marketing and promotional activities, but I try to limit that to mornings and write in the afternoons.
Myself: About how long does it take you to complete a first draft? How long do your revisions take?
Centrae: The first draft of my debut novel took years, but now that I know what I’m doing, I wrote the draft of my latest novel in about three months. Revisions can take time, too. My publisher hires world-class editors and I like to get feedback from beta readers. It also helps me to set the story aside for awhile and come back to it with fresh eyes.
Myself: How much research do you put into a novel?
Centrae: Because my novels include science and history, I spend months researching the stories.
Myself: What tools (software?) do you use in your writing?
Centrae: I just use WORD.
Myself: What are the hardest and easiest things about writing?
Centrae: The hardest part for me is getting the first draft done. Once I have words on the page, the editing is a lot easier. My favorite is the research and outlining. It’s great fun when all the plot twists come together.
Myself: What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Centrae: Expect to spend time learning how to market your books, or hire PR and marketing experts, because even the Big Five these days expects you to do the heavy lifting when it comes to marketing and public relations.
Myself: What novels/works have you published?
(Black Opal Books, 11/9/19) – The Lost Power: Da Vinci Code meets Tomb Raider in the instant Barnes and Noble Nook bestseller that #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins called, “Full of action and suspense.”
Centrae: I’ve just completed the first draft of a novel in a new series called Kiss of the Cobra: When a misfit team of Mensa-level operatives digs up a ruthless plot seeded in Cleopatra’s time, can they stop the countdown to a civil war?
Myself: That sounds very interesting. I look forward to reading it. Have you won any writing awards?
Centrae: The Lost Power took home a genre grand prize ribbon at the 2017 Chanticleer International Book Awards, a bronze medal at the 2019 Wishing Shelf Awards, and an Honorable Mention at the 2018 Hollywood Book Festival. Solstice Shadows is a Global Thriller finalist for the upcoming Chanticleer International Book Awards.
Myself: That is very impressive for your first two novels. What else would you like to share?
Centrae: Here’s a few blurbs and the buy links for my books:
“A tantalizing new series that combines historical mystery and cutting-edge science into a masterwork of international intrigue.” ~ James Rollins, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Odyssey
“Avanti Centrae packs a thriller parachute with endless suspense and a rip-cord ending. SOLSTICE SHADOWS is meticulously researched, the history, science, and locales offering a rare ‘you-are-there’ authenticity. Brew a large pot of java, as you will read through the night. Brilliant.”— K.J. Howe, international bestselling author of SKYJACK
“Fast-paced action adventure with an ancient mystery at its heart — fans of Dan Brown and Steve Berry will love the VanOps thrillers.” ~ J.F. Penn, USA Today bestselling author of the ARKANE thrillers
“Avanti Centrae is a name to watch. Powerful, evocative, gripping storytelling with characters you immediately relate to, love, or loathe.” ~ Ernest Dempsey, the USA Today bestselling author of the Sean Wyatt adventure series
“Fans of complex and highly detailed espionage and action thrillers are certain to dive right into this mixture between Indiana Jones and Dan Brown.” ~ Readers’ Favorite – Five stars
John's Notes 