Criminal Mischief (A Stone Barrington Novel)
Criminal Mischief
When I looked at a summary of the last year, one item that stuck out, and it didn’t have a place? In my list of books I read in the last year, one heading is just an author’s name, “Stuart Woods.” While no longer a list-topping best-seller, his body of fiction is popular enough that hardbacks are on sale. I can time the release of the latest with a trip to the bookstore. Regrettably, that release date often coincidence with my Tuesday Rock Shop residency. I can’t get the book until Wednesday. Not that it matters, there I am, in line, grabbing the latest. Looks like number 60?
I used the term, and the imagery, from venerable childhood recollections of The Hardy Boys series. While I recall little about the series itself, two brothers? I had a few of the books and wanted to collect them all?
The Stuart Woods books are like that, for me. Think I’ve got close to six running feet of the novels in hardback, first-edition form. One comes out every two or three months, and dovetails into what as previously released. While it’s possible to read them out of order, I prefer in sequential, serial format, now. Once a year, think he does between three and five books a year, but once year, it’s usually a “co-written with” format, and subsidiary character, doing something. Probably pastiche.
Don’t much care, right at — I’m guessing — 50K words. Rather enjoyable because it’s not something I would even consider reading, otherwise. The local (digital) library gets a copy in, and I check, only got it first one time, but there’s usually, “You’re number 3 in line,” and then the text is available, like, in a matter of days. Doesn’t take long to read one novel.
Which doesn’t lessen the meaning, depth and appreciation I have for the novels. Craftsmanship, and quality, stands by itself, and can easily withstand the buffeting winds of illiterate criticism.
“What do you know about Bitcoin?” “Not a thing. I don’t understand it. I just threw that in because it sounds good.” Page 35.
Sums it up, with an economy of words?
Fun story and I was thoroughly entertained to the point of not noticing it was way after dark on New Year’s Eve. Reading is important, and sometimes, more entertaining than real life. The library had several copies, and I noticed that there were four more in line, so I’m not alone in enjoying this material.
In my line of work, New Year’s Eve can count as a school night.
