Read Ken Bruen’s The Guards

The stripped down, amused, weary talk of one Jack Taylor as he navigates his personal ring of the inferno of his day in Galway. Oh, yes there are other crimes and other people, all of the most memorable kind.

Alan Furst – a must read

Just finished Kingdom of Shadows and Red Gold by Alan Furst, the master of historical spy fiction.  If you like espionage thrillers, you will love his novels.  One thing I cannot figure out is why none has been made into movies.  Maybe they are in the production pipeline.  Many of his spies are people caught up into the espionage game. They are not super heroes or James Bond-like.  That makes their situations and their responses to them all the more interesting.

In Bruges, In Brilliant

You have to see this movie. I just finished watching the DVD and it is in my top three of the year. Farrell is brilliant. Brendan Gleeson is briliant. This is a black comedy about two hit men lieing low in Bruges after a job in London has gone wrong. Perhaps the most interesting character in the film is the town of Bruges itself, a medieval architecture wonderland. Much more than original, a touching story with full, deep characters. Highly recommended.

Elmore Leonard – Pagan Babies

Just finished reading this 2000 story. Brilliant story and characters.  Memorable  twists and resolutions.  Leonard is a  master of his craft.  A pleasure to read.