The Hungry Detective

Oh dear...... Two weeks? Really? Ugh. Well I have been busy. Finally got a around to reading a Brian Wiprud book. Killed a graphic novel I haven meaning to read for about 6 months. And I moved on to a new book . So I have been productive..... just not with the blog. This short... and believe me temporary break... comes on the heals of two film bloggers ceasing operations. One ripped off the band-aid by saying " All things must pass...I’m outta here... " It got me to thinking that at some point in the future, this blog will stop. My world tilted slightly off axis for a moment. A conversation with a blogging buddy, Jared Case , led me to predict that this blog won't be around in five years, likely less. This bit of information depressed me to no end for a day or two, until I decided I couldn't be bothered. I wouldn't worry about updating the blog for a bit and just enjoy the spring weather.

Where has THD been? Why bother asking. Body Scissors - Micheal Simon I read this author's first book, Dirty Sally , a few years ago and dug the he-hi-heck out of it. But for one reason or another his second and third books never made it into my shopping cart. I found this in the overstock and was excited. I will probably knock this book off after The Redbreast and The Mark . The Bookman's Last Fling - John Dunning Booked to Die, the first in this series, was so much fun that I have always come back to the series, even if it has been mostly about diminishing returns. The lead is a former cop named Cliff Janeway. His current occupation is as a used and rare bookstore owner. As a collector of almost anything this spells doom to the pocket book. Down River - John Hart This book has been nominated for an Edgar this year. His first book King of Lies did the same last year. I am on the bandwagon to see what all the fuss is about. The Shotgun Rule - Charlie Huston Other than the ...

Maybe if I change the template of the blog faithful readers won't notice the lack of real content in almost three weeks! Seriously, some real content is in THD's near future.

I do apologize for the general lack of anything here as of late. My real life is intruding on my ability to get my act together in regards to this blog. And unfortunately that will continue for at least another week. There is a conference in my chosen field, and it is not only on the horizon, the conference is taking place here in Rochester. Indeed a portion of the events are to take place at my work. Oh dear! Privately, things have been slow for THD in regards to all things Crime Fiction. I won't be attending B'Con '07, and the books I have read as of late of been a bit underwhelming. Enough of the complaining! I should be able to get off a real post at least once next week, so see you then!

I plowed through Deathly Hollows last week. I actually finished late Tuesday/Early Wednesday morning. This book has played a large part in my absence from the blog. My super short review is that it is a fine finish for this series. I found the preceding books since Goblet of Fire to be a disappointment (Half Blood Prince) and a down right bore (Order of the Phoenix... didn't like the movie either). One could argue that Goblet deserved its epic length, but can anyone really say that about Phoenix or Half Blood? Deathly Hollows is not without problems as well. The middle third of the book veers from plot-less to naked exposition, but the last three hundred pages really close this book in exciting and dramatic fashion. The body count is high and capricious, but what are you going to do? I would like to say the Offices of THD are brimming with activity, but they are not. There is also a retreat to Seattle, Washington that most THD staffers are required to attend so additions to the blo...

Well I tried to keep this blog on a three post schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That lasted just two weeks. And I am sorry for that. The Hungry Detective was not in the office much last week due to some upgrades that required my attention at my palatial estate in Rochester New York's tony Upper North West Side. I added another set of shelves to the attic. This will free up some space in an overall general sense. However, not enough to truly make a difference. The larger issue is that I have books I don't really care about. Things bought and never read, and never will be read. I feel bad about that, not for the book, but my wallet. And there are the books read and more or less disliked. Do I need to display books that were a thorn in my side sheerly for the sake of volume, especially as I now have books spread through two separate rooms.... with no hope of bringing the collection together in its entirety? Answer? A resolute probably not. Moving to the house two ye...

Well..... I have been back since Saturday. Man it has taken me forever to get myself rearranged. Couldn't really sleep the first two nights..... I thought I was going insane. I am not exactly sure when I turned into a candy-ass. Possibly the third quarter of 2000. I am going to starting posting semi-regular this weekend...... I should be all the way back by then. One thing of note, I was B&N last night. All of their new overstocks were slashed with a black marker over the UPC code. DAMN! Reading? The Pale Blue Eye .

I'm going to India. Pune, India actually. There is a conference on Film Heritage, and I am presenting on 4 panels. Ehhhhhh.... So The Hungry Detective is taking a break. Posts have been scarce as of late in any case. Maybe the random post here and there.... about India. More than anything I will try and plan out some future articles for THD while I am on plane for 30+ hours round trip.

Well this is just disaster. Two weeks and nothing new to be found here. Reason? Laziness is usually suspect number one. Suspect number two is my somewhat impending travel plans to Los Angeles next week and my more ambitious plan to travel to Pune, India. LA is for a bit of fluff know as the Academy Awards. A friend of mine knows people and he can get me in to the show. Looks like I can see Scorsese finally get his Oscar. Ennio Morricone will also be getting an Honorary Oscar . Super-duper. At least one guaranteed amazing moment. India? Pune? A conference. Not worth talking about right now. I’m told there is a flight out of JFK to Mumbai(Bombay) that takes 15 hours! Just thinking about that makes me hallucinate strange colors. I've finished reading the Crais and Connelly books. Mini-reviews this weekend by which time I should be done with The Dead Yard by Adrian McKintry. Adrian, if you are out there .... Do you have a website?

I consider Get Fuzzy to be one of the best comics out there. Check it one while I deal w/ a bad tooth and a mental hangover from traveling to Canada. Toronto? I wish..... Dundas .