At Rogue Blades: The 87th Precinct

 This week over at the Rogue Blades site, I write about my love for Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels.

Books read on 2021: No. 12 -- The Empty Hours

by Ed McBain

Started: March 8

Finished: March 12

Notes: As I've just penned an article about my love for these 87th Precinct books, I'm in the mood to read one. This one isn't a novel, however, but a collection of three novellas.

Mini review: A young woman is murdered inside her apartment and leaves behind a string of mysterious statements in her check book. A rabbi is stabbed to death behind his temple and the letter J is painted on the wall above him. A detective goes on a skiing vacation in which two ski instructors are murdered. These are the three stories that make up this book, and each of them was quite strong. The last story, "Storm," was quite different from most 87th Precinct tales in that it didn't actually take place within the precinct but at a ski lodge. I'm always glad to read McBain because he always tells great stories.

Books read in 2021: No. 11 -- One for the Money

by Janet Evanovich

Started: March 3

Finished: March 8

Notes: If I didn't sometimes check out authors I'd never read before, I'd never discover authors I love. Which is why I so often do read authors I've never read before, which is the case here.

Mini review: Jersey girl Stephanie Plum is down on her luck and out of a job. To make ends meet, she goes to work for her cousin Vinny (yes, you read that correctly) as a bounty hunter, which seems entirely unlike Stephanie. Her first case? She has to find an ex-boyfriend of sorts who is wanted for murder. Oh, yeah, and he happens to be a cop. Hilarity ensues and Stephanie finds herself embroiled with a champion boxer, street hookers, cops, family, and lots of other characters. In the end, this was a pretty fun read. I enjoyed it. Not sure I'll ever go out of my way to read another of these Plum novels, but I also wouldn't turn one down.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Red Wolf

Beer score: 3.3

There was a time in the 1990s when "red" beers seemed to be all the rage in stores. This one was from Anheuser-Busch.

It was beer. You could drink it. Budweiser fans who wanted to live a little on the wild side probably drank this without getting too turned off. Otherwise, it was nothing special.

As can be expected, it pour a light amber color, almost yellow. There was a lot of corn in the smell and taste, and a lot of carbonation. It wasn't a great beer, which is probably why it's no longer around.

My Black Gate article this week takes a look back at a board game's origins. So, gentlemen, start your engines for Car Wars!

Books read in 2021: No. 10 -- Message in a Bottle

by Nicholas Sparks

Started: Feb. 23

Finished: March 3

Notes: Every once in a while I pick up a book by a popular author simply to study how they do what they do, and that is the case here. I've seen a movie or two based off Sparks' work and I enjoyed them, but I can't say I'm particularly drawn to these type of tales of love and melancholy. Still, maybe I'll be surprised, or maybe I'll learn something.

Mini review: This was a sad one that reminded me far too much of my own life. A widower throws bottles in the ocean, bottles that contain letters to his late wife. A newspaper columnist discovers a floating bottle containing one of the letters and decides to find out about the writer of the letters. They meet and fall in love. Of course they have troubles, but then tragedy occurs. This one hit a little too close to home for me as a widower myself, but I'm glad I read it. The writing style here is solid and makes for an easy enough read. My only real complaint is that the events and the characters felt a little too pat to me, a little too contrived, but it worked for the story as told.

Beer of the Week: Grimbergen Triple

Beer score: 5.8

Company: Grimbergen

ABV: 8.0
IBU: 5

This has got to be the sweetest beer I've ever taste. That doesn't mean the taste is bad, but it's so hard to get to it through all the sweetness. This was so sweet I couldn't finish a bottle (though it was a big bottle).

As for pouring, it has a nice, light golden color to it. The smell has some caramel and fruitiness to it.

Going down, there's some of that caramel and fruit flavors, but again, the sweetness here is just overpowering. It does have a strong alcohol aftertaste.

Only truly experienced beer tasters should think about trying this. Worth trying when you are in the mood for something unique.