Blood Lance by Jeri Westerson

I am a big fan of Jeri Westerson's Crispin Guest novels (the current title is Book 5).  With her extensive knowledge of medieval England, she makes fourteenth-century London come alive.  Containing well developed characters and a wealth of period detail this book is another fascinating and entertaining entry in the series.

Disgraced former knight Crispin Guest witnesses a body falling from the uppermost part of London Bridge.  He tries to save the man, but is too late.  Witnesses on the street say they believe it was a suicide, but Crispin does not believe that.  As he investigates the death of the man (who turns out to be an armorer who had a shop on the bridge), he is even more convinced that murder was afoot.  Crispin's hunt for the murderer also involves a friend or two from Crispin's old life, a search for the Spear of Longinus (the spear that pierced the side of Christ on the cross—which is believed to make those who possess it invincible), and a rousing joust on London Bridge.

A very pleasurable read indeed.  There is even a nice little Afterword in the book from Ms. Westerson giving us a little more background on the Holy Spear (or the Spear of Destiny/Spear of Longinus) and some fleshing out of some of the historical characters, as well as a bit more about PTSD and the idea that knights suffered from it.  Fascinating.

Am very much looking forward to Book 6, Shadow of the Alchemist, which will be released in the Fall of 2013.

This book is a publishing phenomenon, selling 1.8 million copies to date.  It has spent (so far) 20 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list (including 8 weeks in the number one spot for hardcover fiction). 

This is the basic plot of the book:  Nick and Amy Dunne celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.  In the midst of the celebration, Amy disappears.  Of course, the suspicion falls on Nick, who is a compendium of deceits and inappropriate behavior--but is he a killer? With his twin sister at his side, Nick proclaims his innocence, and even Amy's fiercely doting parents are on his side.  But as the police investigation proceeds, we find that it is not only Nick that has huge cracks in his golden boy persona, but Amy may not be the golden girl everyone thought she was either.

That is pretty much all I can tell you about the book without giving away too much, because this is a book that will take you on a terrifying roller coaster ride into the darkness of a disintegrating marriage, one characterized by betrayal, manipulation, toxicity, and true psychopathy.  I was horrified by these characters as the story progressed, but also fascinated by the unusually smart crafting of the plot by its author.

The good news is that Ms. Flynn is writing a screenplay in which Reese Witherspoon has signed on to produce and star as Amy.  No word yet on who will play the handsome Nick.  But after the runaway hit the book has become, I'm sure the movie will be a success as well.

I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons

I have been a fan of Leonard Cohen for many years now.  So I guess the thing I liked most about this book was getting a glimpse of what was happening in his personal life when he came up with all that gorgeous poetry of his.  This biography of the man behind Suzanne and Hallelujah is an examination of one of the most influential artists of our era. Written by music journalist Sylvie Simmons, it gives us an intimate look into the life of a man who at the height of his popularity entered a monastery above Los Angeles and reemerged for a sold out world tour almost 15 years later. His blending of poetry, fiction, and music has given him an audience that has spanned four decades and earned him a place in the culture that is second only to Bob Dylan. Cohen was honored (along with Chuck Berry) as the recipient of the first annual PEN Award for songwriting excellence in February of 2012. An insightful portrait of a man blessed with vision, depth, and talent, and a gorgeous turn of phrase.

One of my favorites of Leonard's...Dance Me to the End of Love

 

And another one of my favorites from Leonard...

 

A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP

 

The ponies run, the girls are young,
The odds are there to beat.
You win a while, and then it's done ¨c
Your little winning streak.
And summoned now to deal
With your invincible defeat,
You live your life as if it's real,
A thousand kisses deep.

I'm turning tricks, I'm getting fixed,
I'm back on boogie street.
You lose your grip, and then you slip
Into the masterpiece.
And maybe I had miles to drive,
And promises to keep:
You ditch it all to stay alive,
A thousand kisses deep.

And sometimes when the night is slow,
The wretched and the meek,
We gather up our hearts and go,
A thousand kisses deep.

Confined to sex, we pressed against
The limits of the sea:
I saw there were no oceans left
For scavengers like me.
I made it to the forward deck.
I blessed our remnant fleet
And then consented to be wrecked,
A thousand kisses deep.

I'm turning tricks, I'm getting fixed,
I'm back on boogie street.
I guess they won't exchange the gifts
That you were meant to keep.
And quiet is the thought of you,
The file on you complete,
Except what we forgot to do,
A thousand kisses deep.

And sometimes when the night is slow,
The wretched and the meek,
We gather up our hearts and go,
A thousand kisses deep.

The ponies run, the girls are young,
The odds are there to beat . . .