Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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About esmemoria

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In my walking around life, I miss my old, blind pug (the Ancient Mariner), help amazing college students become teachers, and tie an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. (Learn more about this Cannonballer: esmemoria's Quick Questions interview.)

esmemoria's Reviews:

It Serves Me Right

The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

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Bingo: Craft. The killer sees his murders as his carefully honed craft. I have no one to blame but myself. After a relatively scathing review of Jennifer Hillier’s Jar of Hearts, I claimed that was it for thrillers for a while. So what did I do? That’s right, purchased another of Jennifer Hillier’s books, The Butcher. And it was worse than the first one. This book is not about discovering who the serial killer the Butcher is. We find out right away: it’s retired chief […]

Decent Mystery Anthology

The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2025 by Ed. Don Winslow

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Bingo: Twenty-six. Printed on the back cover: “[Editor] Don Winslow is the author of twenty-six acclaimed, award-winning international best sellers.” The Best American Mystery and Suspense for 2025 is much like all the “Best American” mystery anthologies I’ve read (and I’ve read a lot). There are some standouts, a few duds, but most are average. I used to love anthologies of all kinds, but I discovered reading this one that I prefer mysteries that are novel length. I was always satisfied with a quick solution […]

Slow but Good

Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith

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Bingo: Sheep. The main character appears to be a meek lamb but proves to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Patricia Highsmith’s Deep Water is the story of a man who repeatedly swallows the humiliation of his wife taking continuous lovers during their marriage. Throughout the book, we follow Victor Von Allen, a seemingly mild-mannered man who runs a printing press for literary works. His wife Melinda is beautiful, dismissive, and chronically unfaithful, even going so far as traipsing her lovers in front of Vic […]

Okay, That’s Enough Thrillers for Now

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

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Bingo: Friends.  The plot revolves around a trio of friends and what happens when one is murdered. What an ugly, ugly book. Which is not to say Jennifer Hillier’s Jar of Hearts is poorly written. It’s not. But the plot is so dark with what eventually proves to be an unlikeable protagonist that I finished the book with a bad taste in my mouth. Yes, I know thrillers aren’t supposed to be light reads, but this book prominently features multiple violent rapes and an attempted […]

Losing Stamina for Recent Thrillers

Tell No One by Harlan Coben

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Bingo: You, as in me, who is desultorily dragging her way through yet another mediocre thriller. As I mentioned in my last review, I decided to break up my more mind chewy reads and go on a streak of thrillers and mysteries. So far, the mysteries are panning out fine. Unfortunately, my eyes grow weary of the standard, similar thrillers I’ve been reading as of late. I have one more from that stack, and then two promising mysteries to finish the project. So let’s get […]

Some Bodies are None of Your Business, Pal

Defending Jacob by William Landay

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Bingo: Or. Father, the main character and narrator, tries throughout the book to convince the police that there is an option to his son as the killer. A month or so ago I decided to go on a tear of 12 mystery/thriller books one after the other. I wanted a break from some of the heavier stuff I read. I found some lists of top thrillers and blindly bought a bunch. I also found some traditional mysteries at the used bookstore. Well, I’m starting to […]



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