Review: Track of the Cat

Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first entry in this long running series that’s been on my periphery for years, it only crossed my radar for real with the release of the new USA/Crave TV series adaptation, whose first episode takes the story of this book and transplants the setting from Guadalupe Mountain National Park in Texas to Glacier National Park in Montana. The series got me good because of how much it throws back to the Blue Sky era on USA Network, but this book is definitely a bite sized bit of darkness in comparison. It definitely has a certain Western eye for detail, especially with certain bits of political commentary about Texans and their conservatism and disdain for big government - some of which still hold up today, despite the right wing becoming the very big government they love to preach against. Unlike the TV series, these books, as I understand it, take place in different parks on each installment, which will be a fun vibe to see - especially since it makes me think of Reacher, but make him a lady ranger instead.

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Review: Coastal Views to Die For

Coastal Views to Die For by Sam Lumley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oliver and Ricky are back for a second travel assignment that turns into a murder mystery, this time set in the fictional Rose Beach on the Oregon coast. While the first book somewhat riffs on Glass Onion by dealing with a stupid and obnoxious tech bro CEO, this book is much more Knives Out as it deals with a toxic family whose secrets are coming out in the will. Additionally, the relationship between Oliver and Ricky develops in unexpected ways, not as sunshine and roses as the book’s cozy vibe would have you expect…but stick with it, and we’ll all be rewarded. This series is definitely one I’ll be following as long as it continues!

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Review: How to Have a Killer Time in D.C.

How to Have a Killer Time in D.C. by Sam Lumley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Here’s a series that’s just right for me: a gay, autistic travel writer based in the Bay Area gets an assignment in DC and becomes an unlikely detective after witnessing a death involving a self driving car. Being set in DC, there’s no shortage of political references, including some veiled jabs in the eye at Trump and his traitorous acts, but also a bit at Elon Musk, lampooned (as it were) by Moonshot Motors CEO Kelso King. Though King more closely resembles Musk’s brother Kimball with his Texas aesthetic (and he’s allegedly the son of an oilman), the faulty EV’s and absolutely obvious lack of critical thinking skills are so Musk, it hurts. But hey, this book gives us a far more positive autistic role model with Oliver Popp (DON’T call him “Ollie”), and his love interest Ricky (aka Tariq) is a very well fleshed out character too. Being biracial, Ricky’s very name is an example of code switching. And unlike the reserved Oliver, he’s gregarious enough to perfectly match his energy in an “opposites attract” way. I’ve already got the sequel coming soon on my TBR too, promising a trip to the lovely Oregon coast…

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Review: Stumptown, vol. 4: The Case of a Cup of Joe

Stumptown, vol. 4: The Case of a Cup of Joe by Greg Rucka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fourth and (sadly) final volume of Greg Rucka's Stumptown saga is absolutely the most Portland of them all, not least of which because it deals in a Barista Mafia whose members are all trying to outdo one another on the world-class PDX coffee scene. This book, more than either the second or third before it, would've made a terrific episode or arc in the ABC series - and it also makes the strongest case for why there needs to be a full fledged film series adaptation of Stumptown getting all four graphic novels properly adapted and then some. This series, this franchise, does not get enough love in the world, and I should've read these years ago when the ABC show first came out.

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Review: Stumptown, Vol. 3: The Case of the King of Clubs

Stumptown, Vol. 3: The Case of the King of Clubs by Greg Rucka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dex Parios returns with another kickass Stumptown case, this one rooted in the world of Portland soccer and its consistent rivalry with Seattle, represented by the tension between herself and Seattle PI, C.K. Baines. The ongoing storyline with Marenco's men also stands out as the kind of storyline that would've made engaging viewing on the ABC series, even if that series gave much more emphasis to Sue Lynn and her tribal matters. In the event of a film series picking up ABC's slack - and again, I must say, Stumptown reboot when? - that's a difference I hope the eventual film series splits by giving both Marenco and Sue Lynn's crews equivalent screen time.

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Review: Stumptown, Vol. 2: The Case of the Baby in the Velvet Case

Stumptown, Vol. 2: The Case of the Baby in the Velvet Case by Greg Rucka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reading my way through Rucka's original Stumptown graphic novels, with a storyline that would've been great to see on the show - rock 'n roll mystery, with a bit of ongoing drama from Dex's refusal to engage with Hector Marenco and his hydra of interests - makes me demand more than ever, Stumptown reboot when? And this time, it needs to be a series of films, one for each volume in the series, and actually properly filmed in Portland too the way the ABC series didn't get the chance to be.

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Review: Eyes of Kings

Eyes of Kings by Chloe Gong
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Chloe Gong finishes her first officially adult series, her first trilogy, with a long-promised epic war between the forces of Calla and Anton, and August and Otta...but after two books of frankly uninvestable characters, this third and final book feels like it never had a chance to get off the ground and be as amazing as it ought to have been. The worldbuilding was always slow to make itself known, and while Gong was always big on sharp sociopolitical commentary - especially about the state of China throughout history and today, too - the moments of insight were never great in number themselves. I'm amazed I picked up this series to begin with, but at least it ended more or less like how I expected. But as much as I'll always go to bat for Chloe Gong, it's not going to be for this series, I'm afraid.

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