Scott Freeman

*This Review is from an Advanced Reader Copy*

One day 12 year old Alyssa Merrimon goes missing. Two weeks later his father leaves overwhelmed by the guilt of having not picked her up when he was supposed to. A year later Alyssa’s twin, Johnny, is still looking for her. He knows the town, its history, and the characters who just might be responsible for his sister’s absence.
What follows is an absolutely gripping mystery filled with indelible characters and dense plotting. Alyssa’s disappearance has shaken police officer Clyde Hunt …more One day 12 year old Alyssa Merrimon goes missing. Two weeks later his father leaves overwhelmed by the guilt of having not picked her up when he was supposed to. A year later Alyssa’s twin, Johnny, is still looking for her. He knows the town, its history, and the characters who just might be responsible for his sister’s absence.
What follows is an absolutely gripping mystery filled with indelible characters and dense plotting. Alyssa’s disappearance has shaken police officer Clyde Hunt who has spent the last year, as well, looking for her. Part of that is added by personal feelings for Alyssa’s mom, Katherine, who is now just a shell of a woman.
I found myself unable to put this book down after a while. Hart has put together a tour de force of mystery that leaves me longing to read more of his work.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a highly acclaimed work of nonfiction that should be required reading for anyone who wonders why the talk of race abounds 45 years after the Civil Rights Acts and even after the election of Barack Obama in 2008. The fact that systemic and institutionalized racism has been and continues to be a blight on the American way of life is on full display here in the saga of Henrietta Lacks, an impoverished black woman who died in 1951 of an aggressive form of cervical cancer. Although Henrietta died, her cells did not. Harvested against either hers or her families knowledge those cells have endured to this day and have been instrumental in all kinds of medical research through the years. This book is a telling look at medical ethics, race in America and the toll that the secrecy of Henrietta’s cells wreaked upon her family.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan–This, the last in the Percy Jackson series, was my least favorite. With that said the books were good fun reading.

Caught by Harlan Coben–This is Coben’s latest twisting thriller. His books are not literary heavyweights but they are impossible to put down. This latest is no exception.

The Politician: An Insider’s Account of John Edwards’s Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down by Andrew Young–In early 2007 I endorsed John Edwards for president. His message resonated with me and I appreciated his commitment to those mired in poverty. The subsequent scandal and downfall was truly disappointing to me. As a result this was not an easy read. I found Young’s retelling of Edward’s rampant narcissism and extreme sense of entitlement to be a stunning indictment of what could have been a great national leader.

*This review is from an Advanced Reading Copy*

If you like Stieg Larsson then you will love the writings of Jo Nesbo. This is the first Harry Hole novel that I have read and I was blown away by the densely layered nuance of this novel.
Hole is an alcoholic police officer whose penchant for the bottle has brought him to the end of the line in his career despite his abilities as a detective. After three murders take place within days of one another, all of the victims turning up with a red pentagram shaped diamond on their corpses it is obvious that a serial killer is on the loose. It is Hole who expects something more sinister at play and attempts to sober up long enough to solve one last case.
Set in Oslo this is further proof that the Scandinavian countries are churning out some of the best crime fiction today. I will be reading more of the Harry Hole series.

Cassie,
Today is your birthday, a special day for you. 7 years ago you came into this world. We tried to have you earlier but you refused. It’s not many babies that can withstand an induction but somehow you did. You wanted to come when you were ready.

And that describes you so well. You are your own person, full of life, love and energy. It was worth the wait to have you because you have filled my life in so many ways. I have never known someone with the heart, compassion and love for others that you have. You learn much from me because I am your dad. But please know this: I learn so very much from you. In you I see what it means to love people. I see what it means to have compassion and think of others before yourself.

I have always struggled with doubt. But when I look at you and see the way you give of yourself, I believe. For you are the presence of Jesus to me.

Thank you, my center child for being all that you are. Happy Birthday.

I love you,
Dad.

No song has ever resonated with me like this one. I plan a longer reflection on it soon.

I vacillate between this song being #2 and #3. Today, it falls in the third slot. My favorite version of this is actually the live version that was released in his 1975-85 Box Set.

Boomtown Rats – I Don't Like Mondays
Uploaded by jpdc11. – Watch more music videos, in HD!

Based on a true story.

This was a seminal song in my formation. The song was featured in the movie of the same title that was released the week I began my senior year of high school. The themes in the movie of friendship and growing older were ones that would resonate with my nostalgic 17 year old self.

If you have never listened to this Canadian country-rock band then you are truly missing out. The album that features this song, Five Days in July, is a great place to start.