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Reviews by William B. (East Peoria, IL)

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All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker

Almost All Forgotten (10/14/2015)

Maybe I'm reading too much. I read this, enjoyed it, but have already forgotten most of it. A breezy read.

Trust No One: A Thriller
by Paul Cleave

Remembering Some (6/9/2015)

Not a bad read, but outcome is pretty obvious from the start. I did enjoy the narrative outline with the protagonist's declining state of mind.

A Good Family
by Erik Fassnacht

A Good Family Is a Good Read (5/6/2015)

Characters you really care about highlight this debut novel set in Chicago.

The Last Flight of Poxl West
by Daniel Torday

Poxl West (1/3/2015)

I was not as crazy about this as some others. It is a decent, well written novel I read a couple of weeks ago and have already mostly forgotten. Certainly not a 5 star effort in my book

The Headmaster's Wife
by Thomas Christopher Greene

Headmaster's Loves (12/24/2013)

In very simple prose, an effective, well-told tale with a couple of suprises.

Once We Were Brothers
by Ronald H. Balson

Once We Were Brothers Fails (8/1/2013)

I really hate to give bad reviews, but this book fails on a couple of levels. First, the writing is pedestrian. Secondly, the plot is difficult to accept. There are numerous inconsistencies and logical difficulties. Perhaps most troubling to me as a seasoned reader of this …more

The Face Thief: A Novel
by Eli Gottlieb

Face Thief A Success (12/27/2011)

This book is exactly what is meant by the term literary thriller. Gottlieb's prose sings and the pages turned themselves. If I read a better book in 2012 I'll be surprised. I also recommend his last book, Now You See Him

The Leftovers: A Novel
by Tom Perrotta

The Rapture? (7/13/2011)

I'll read whatever this guy writes. I thought, like Little Children & Abstinence Teacher, this book was funny, interesting and sometimes insightful. Don't look for hard science fiction in this, the novel is more concerned with people's reactions and frustrations due to …more

Man in the Woods
by Scott Spencer

Man's Best Friend (8/9/2010)

Spencer is always a dependable read. His latest is no exception. The ambiguous ending will be great for book club discussions. The author's observations and wit, his compassion are two of my favorite things about his writing. I enjoyed the plots central conflict because I'm …more

Stash
by David Matthew Klein

A Strong Marriage (6/10/2010)

Very enjoyable first novel, compelling story. I would recommend this for book clubs. The ending, in particular, would be good fodder for conversation.

Crossers
by Philip Caputo

Superior Thriller! (12/29/2009)

If all thrillers were this well written, with characters this well developed, I might read nothing else but thrillers. It seems to me that most "thrillers" do not thrill. They are often generically written and unintelligent, Not so with Caputo's new book. I am in the …more

The Angel's Game
by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Creepy thriller - No Sophomore Jinx (7/6/2009)

Although there are plenty of holes in the plot, loose ends not tied up, I enjoyed this second effort of Zafon's. The narrative is surprisingly compelling, the author kept me turning the pages, There are enough scenes in dark towers, cemeteries and dank bookstores (indeed …more

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Book Jacket — Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus

Praised by *Parade* and *The New York Times Book Review*, this debut features a 1960s scientist turned TV cooking star.

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