02-08-2012, 10:24 AM
That has to be a fake name for the author.
Crossroad Blues and Leavin' Trunk Blues
In case you haven't heard, Robert B. Parker passed away this year. He's the man who penned all the Spenser novels which I have been reading for years. Nothing like a book you can read in under two hours. But I enjoyed.
To carry on his legacy, they hired various writers to continue with Parker's characters. They hired Ace Atkins to continue the Spenser series. Which meant I had to see what kind of writer is Ace Atkins. I reviewed one of his novels about Quin Colson called 'The Ranger' which wasn't bad.
Crossroad Blues and Leavin Trunk Blues ostensibly revolve around the adventures of former football player current Tulane university professor Nick Travers. But the more I read about him the more I think of him as just a prop for Atkins to use while he talks about early years of the Blues.
In Crossroad Blues the hunt is on for some recordings Blues Legend Robert Johnson made before he mysteriously died. I would say Nick Travers is only in about twenty percent of the book and most of that is sleeping with his new found love. Other than that, it's talk about Robert Johnson and the early Delta Blues. The most interesting character in the book is a killer dressed like Elvis also on the trail of the missing nine records.
The second book Leavin Trunk Blues is marginally better. I think Atkins decided to let Nick Travers actually do some detecting. This time the focus shifts from New Orleans and the Delta to Chicago. Again it's a story steeped in Blues history especially Muddy Waters. Not that I learned much about Waters. Atkins just dropped his name a lot.
In this story, Nick Travers is out to prove the innocence of a Blues singer from the 1950's who has been languishing in jail for killing her husband. Or did she.
Our hero stumbles around talking to people followed by a trio of killers. They just keep missing each others paths. Mayhem does ensue.
I want my detective heroes to be a little smarter. At the end of the day, they should put all the clues together and solve the mystery. In these two cases, Travers just bumples along and eventually someone tells him what happened.
I'm a little afraid for my man Spenser.
Crossroad Blues and Leavin' Trunk Blues
In case you haven't heard, Robert B. Parker passed away this year. He's the man who penned all the Spenser novels which I have been reading for years. Nothing like a book you can read in under two hours. But I enjoyed.
To carry on his legacy, they hired various writers to continue with Parker's characters. They hired Ace Atkins to continue the Spenser series. Which meant I had to see what kind of writer is Ace Atkins. I reviewed one of his novels about Quin Colson called 'The Ranger' which wasn't bad.
Crossroad Blues and Leavin Trunk Blues ostensibly revolve around the adventures of former football player current Tulane university professor Nick Travers. But the more I read about him the more I think of him as just a prop for Atkins to use while he talks about early years of the Blues.
In Crossroad Blues the hunt is on for some recordings Blues Legend Robert Johnson made before he mysteriously died. I would say Nick Travers is only in about twenty percent of the book and most of that is sleeping with his new found love. Other than that, it's talk about Robert Johnson and the early Delta Blues. The most interesting character in the book is a killer dressed like Elvis also on the trail of the missing nine records.
The second book Leavin Trunk Blues is marginally better. I think Atkins decided to let Nick Travers actually do some detecting. This time the focus shifts from New Orleans and the Delta to Chicago. Again it's a story steeped in Blues history especially Muddy Waters. Not that I learned much about Waters. Atkins just dropped his name a lot.
In this story, Nick Travers is out to prove the innocence of a Blues singer from the 1950's who has been languishing in jail for killing her husband. Or did she.
Our hero stumbles around talking to people followed by a trio of killers. They just keep missing each others paths. Mayhem does ensue.
I want my detective heroes to be a little smarter. At the end of the day, they should put all the clues together and solve the mystery. In these two cases, Travers just bumples along and eventually someone tells him what happened.
I'm a little afraid for my man Spenser.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit