1. What are you currently reading? The Litigators by John Grisham. A declasse Chicago law firm, whose partners literally chase ambulances, gets a jolt of fresh blood from a hard-working new young associate just as they decide to "punch up" and go after big pharma in a risky class-action suit.
I'm really enjoying it. Grisham is known for his plotting and pacing, but I like the unique sense of place he creates in this one. I feel like I'm in the backseat of the cab with Wally as he takes off on his tawdry and predatory mission to drum up business by visiting funeral homes. I can hear the glasses clinking in the dive where David is hiding from the world. What's missing so far is the tension, but since it's Grisham I'm sure it's just a few pages away.
I'm so glad I'm into it because the last novel I tried, Mother by Linda Ann Rentschler, left me cold. Not only didn't I finish it, I barely dented it because the writing felt so soapy. I know it's chick-lit, but there's plenty of fun chick-lit out there. (It wasn't that long ago I was immersed in my Marian Keyes period.) This read like a treatment for a Lifetime movie. I may try to pick it up again, but not any time soon.
2. What did you recently finish reading? Three Witnesses by Rex Stout. I adored this charming trio of novellas. It's a Nero Wolfe volume, and if you're into mystery series I highly recommend the adventures of Archie Goodwin on behalf of that rotund genius, Mr. Wolfe. But I wouldn't start with these short stories, charming though they are. This book is #26 in the series, and it does depend rather heavily on the reader's familiarity with the characters.
3. What will you read next? Not poor Mother!
3. What will you read next? Not poor Mother!
