News from Sari’s World and a review of Death and the Campus

So dear Readers I have a lot to share. I returned from San Francisco with fantastic news: the catheterization I had on Friday showed the damage to my heart is not as bad as the doctors feared. In fact they told me that the damage is reversible! I will have pulmonary valve surgery in the coming weeks so that the damage will be reversed in about 6 months.

I feel as if a weight has been lifted. Before the results came in I was dreading surgery. I understood this to be a way to prolong my life, but only by a couple of decades. Now with the good news I can look forward to a long and healthy life. I feel ready to get on with my life and am looking forward to the future: one that can now include someone special. I was a little afraid to let anyone get really close to me, but now I am ready for anything! I am also looking forward to starting my Masters next year so I can live out my dream of teaching or writing.

May was a good month book wise; I finished more than I thought, though with all the stress surrounding my test, I also put down a few. Here is what I finished and one I did not:

My First Two Thousand years by G Sylvester Viereck and P EldRidge B-
Just After Sunset by Stephen King A-
Death and the Campus by J G Sexton B
The Dark End of the Street by various crime authors DNF
The Practicing Mind T Sterner DNF
Poison by Sara Poole B+
Grimus by S Rushdie (still reading).

Yesterday I started Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahme-Smith. It is surprisingly good. My son read it a few months ago and promised a review. He forgot so now I am reading it and am really enjoying the book. Though not a mash up, it does blend fact with fiction. If you are curious to know what the teens are raving about, I recommend starting with this.

A couple of months ago a good friend of mine asked me to read a book written by a good friend of hers. I said yes, I would be willing to try it. So in full discloser I must say the book Death and the Campus was given to me by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Here is a blurb from the product description:
Jason Horde, a down on his luck detective, is thrust into the greatest mystery of his career when a body is found astride the mascot statue of his alma mater. The police say that the death of Sam Dupree was a suicide, but Horde’s college mentor believes differently. With his brother Weston in tow, Jason Horde follows the bloody clues deeper into the maze of intrigue than even he could have imagined.

Let me start by asking a question. How would you feel if someone handed you a copy of the first book ever written by Stephen King, Lee Child or Dan Simmons? You know, an author who possesses a voice so unique it stands out even if the story does not? Someone you read just to hear that voice? This is how I felt as I read the short mystery. I felt as if I had in my hands the work of a gifted writer.

Jason Horde is written in the same vein as Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe; hardboiled, tough, masculine and independent. Sexton uses metaphors and language not seen since these great detectives. At first I thought might be a turn off, but instead I found myself enjoying the writing style and had a hard time putting the book down because of it. Sexton could have over done it, but he eases off after the first chapter and lets his voice take over. My favorite parts of the book are when Sexton uses his natural talents when describing a scene or conversation. Jason quickly grew on me and I found myself liking the story despite some hick ups in the narrative. Some of the scenes did not ring true, but luckily for me, I was able to write Sexton about them and he graciously explained why he had the scenes play out as they did. I have been told in the past I am a very picky reader and find flaws in things other readers do not. This may or may not be the case, but I do want you to know Sexton does have some maturing to do as a writer. But oh, what a writer he is, and I look forward to watching him grow!

The plot of the book centers on Jason finding out not only who killed the young assistant but who and why someone killed Jason’s mentor. The bad guys are easy to spot and you may find yourself figuring out what is going on long before Jason does, but do not let this stop you from enjoying the book. I wanted Jason to figure it out and capture the bad guy. Half the fun is in watching Jason work.
If you like the crime genre and wonder what ever happened to the American hardboiled detective I highly recommend this book. Jason’s first adventure is not to be missed.

So there you have it dear Readers; some good news, a list of books and a review. I hope to hear from you. What have you all been doing while I have been away? I am off to look at your blogs to find out and to say hi!

Author: sarij

I'm a writer, lifelong bibliophile ,and researcher. I hold a Bachelors in Humanities & History and a Master's in Humanities. When I'm not reading or talking about Shakespeare or history, you can usually find me in the garden discussing science or politics with my cat. View all posts by sarij