A mystery blog about – nothing!
Well, I tried, God knows, I tried! Over the last few days I have opened and tried to read FIVE mystery novels. How many passed my 50 page rule? ZERO! How sad is that? Least you think I’m scrounging in the library stacks for unknown or little know writers, I’m not. I tried to read “LA Outlaws” by T. Jeffereson Parker. Nope. How about “The Closers” by Michael Connelly? Ahhhh, no. Boy that one was REALLY slow and boring. There were a couple other books by author’s I wasn’t familiar with – and won’t be – they didn’t hold my attention for those precious first 50 pages.
In desperation, I even picked up a horror novel. I used to love reading horror and was a HUGE Stephen King fan – until he started publishing all those overwritten novels. I still think “Misery” is one of his best books -short, basically two characters and he didn’t wander all over the place. Anyhow, I picked up a paperback called “The Shore” that sounded good from the back of the book blurb. I read about 30 pages and was SO BORED, I gave up. There was a lot of very flowery description – no dialogue what-so-ever and….for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what the heck was going on! I keep asking myself – how do these books get published? Obviously SOMEONE liked them!
Oh, I can understand Connelly and Parker – they have a following. The publishers print those suckers by the thousands, knowing fans will run out and purchase the books. But for how long? Sometimes I think I’m too picky, so I’ll go to www.amazon.com and check reviews on the books I don’t like. I’m usually correct in my assessment.
I still have a couple of books on the shelf and several “emergency” books stacked up in my office. You know, those books for when the library is closed, you’re out of reading material but….you gotta read something! Hopefully I’ll stumble on a good book and be able to read it and report back here.
Wish me luck!
Tags: Boring selection, didn't pass my 50 page rule, where are all the good authors hiding?