June Reads II

Minette Walters has quickly become one of my favourite authors. "The Sculptress", her second novel, did not disappoint. If anything, it was even better than "The Ice House". Walters' books do not follow a series character which helps in not having to read them in order of publication even though I happen to have read the first two in order.
"The Ice House" won the Crime Writers' Association John Creasey Award for Best First Novel. "The Sculptress" won The Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award. Our library does not have her third novel, "The Scold's Bridle" which won the CWA's Gold Dagger Award, making her the first crime/thriller writer to win three major awards with her first three books.
"The Sculptress" is the name given to Olive Martin, in prison for "carving" up her mother and sister. Journalist Rosalind Leigh's agent has given her an ultimatum: write a novel about the grotesque murderer or be dropped by her publisher. At her first meeting with Olive all Roz can think of is "Lizzie Borden took and axe and gave her mother forty whacks....."
Because of a trauma in her own life, Rosalind is ambivalent about writing any more books or even going on living. But something about Olive captures her curiosity and she begins her own investigation. Why did 'The Sculptress' kill her sister and mother? And if she wasn't guilty, why did she confess?
Walters doesn't just write mysteries, she delves into the psychology of her characters and maybe that is why I love her books. I am unable to figure out not only whodunit, but why, up until the very end. One of the sites I read about her says that she does not use a plot scheme. She begins writing with a premise and doesn't know herself until halfway through a book, "whodunit". I'll be on the lookout for a copy of "The Scold's Bridle" as I read my way through the Minette Walters' books the library does have. It does look like I have at least thirteen of her titles to look for.
Next I read another Anita Brookner book: "A Private View". Her "Hotel Du Lac" was o.k., but after reading "A Private View", I probably won't pick up any more Brookner books for a long time - not that she isn't a competent writer - just that there are too many other authors I'd rather be reading.
"A Private View's" protagonist, George Bland is aptly named. He has lived a quiet, orderly life, working forty years for the same company. Now, as he faces retirement and deals with the death of his good friend, he is asking the one question all we retirees must ask: "Is that all there is?" When his solitude is interrupted by an invasive young woman, George first imagines and then plots a different life with the opportunistic Katy - his 'last chance' to 'live' life.
When we realize that George's ideas exist entirely in his own mind and that Katy does not plan on becoming a part of his life, we fear for George Bland's sanity and future. Does he find redemption in the last line of the novel?
"Dead Days of Summer" a 'Death on Demand Mystery' by Carolyn Hart looks to be 17th of the 20 books so far in this series. It is a quick read, written well enough, but not so well that I am inclined to follow the series character through 19 other books. Not when I have books by Minette Walters to read.
The final second half of June book wasn't a book, rather a chapter and a half of a sci-fi novel my younger brother is working on. I was a little slow in picking it up to read as the genre is not one I generally go to. However, I was quickly intrigued by the premise of one's great-great-great-great-great grandson traveling back through time in order to obtain a DNA sample from his (then) teen-aged great-great-great-great great grandfather. (My own interest in our family trees could have something to do with that.)
Les is a good writer. His interest in science fiction shows in how well he has thought out the complexities of time travel. I hope he finds the time to keep working on his book. I want to know why Alex needs Sean's DNA.
I would also like one of my family members to actually finish writing a book. Perhaps I should pass along some advice I heard many years ago when I was writing my novel: "Don't worry about editing as you go along - just get it written, then you can go back and edit." Or the E. B. White quote I read just this morning: "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting word to paper."