Rough Country by John Sandford

Rough Country by John Sandford is part of the series of books featuring Virgil Flowers.


Rough Country takes place in the countryside. This makes the book so unique.

There are many thrillers featuring crimes in the big cities, and hardly anything in the countryside. It is a change for me to read about the wild and beautiful countryside through this book.

The big cities are often depicted as crowded and dirty. The countryside in Rough Country by John Sandford shows a place where beauty lies, and where men and women can relax and ponder about life.

Rough Country by John Sandford is about Virgil Flowers. Virgil Flowers is a different detective from Lucas Davenport.

I find Virgil Flowers very talkative. He seems to discuss the case with every woman he meets. The very interesting part about Virgil Flowers is his habit to think about God every night. This trait of Virgil Flowers is running throughout this series.

The setting for the murder in this thriller is closely linked to a resort for women only. It seems so tranquil until Virgil Flowers discovers about the lesbians, and the sex with male prostitutes.

I like the intelligence of Virgil Flowers. He knows who is the murderer even before he discovers anything that points to the real murderer. That is the most frustrating part of the book.

The investigation seems to go nowhere, and there is no way to trap the murderer.

The action part of this book is rather disappointing. It gives me the impression of having a lot of air but no substance. Most books featuring Lucas Davenport are good at actions.

Compared to those blood chilling thrillers, Rough Country is a very cozy story. There is hardly a time when you need to worry about the safety of the detective. Virgil Flowers seems so immune to danger.

This book is not suitable for those people who enjoy clean language. Even though Virgil Flowers appear as a God-loving person who has a deep love for nature, he does not speak like a Pastor.

Rough Country by John Sa ndford is a most realistic book. It shows how a detective thinks, works, and the frustration of meeting with dead ends. It also highlights the fact that police can make mistakes.

The Confessor by Daniel Silva

I always seem to read thriller series the wrong way round.


The Confessor by Daniel Silva is part of a series of books featuring Gabriel Allon.

I have read the Moscow Rule, and A Death in Vienna earlier. I should have started with the first book, The Kill Artist, before reading the rest.

However, since I have borrowed the books from the national library, I can only grab whatever is available.

The Confessor by Daniel Silva is about the Pope, the Jewish people, Gabriel Allon, money and justice.

While The Confessor by Daniel Silva has the suspense elements throughout the book, such as the gun fights, the car chase and the escape, the readers will remember the spiritual depth of the book.

In the earlier part of the book, the new Pope seems like a weak person with great faith. However, at the end of the book when the truth is revealed, we get to see the Pope as a shrewd politician with great faith.

He is the one that sets into motion all the events taking place in this book, including the murders.

The Confessor by Daniel Silva highlights the wish of the author to see reconciliation of the Catholic church and the Jewish people.

The author hopes that the Catholic church can apologize for keeping silence during the Second World War. If the Catholic church had spoken against the murderous acts of the Nazi, probably less Jews would perish. It was a sin to keep quiet. It is a sin not to admit the mistake public and offers apology.

The only disappointing part about The Confessor by Daniel Silva is the part about the Leopard. The Leopard is a remarkable character in this book. The author could have written more about his background. The book never explains how Ari Shamron manages to find The Leopard. I think that is a real disappointment. The hunt for the Leopard could have made it more interesting.

The Confessor by Daniel Silva is a book worth reading. It brings the pain of the Holocaust back to life. It is hard for anyone who is not Jewish to understand the pain of seeing or hearing loved ones died in the concentration camp.

The pain is the shared pain of the whole group. It is more painful when the Catholic Church refuses to acknowledge the role it played during the Second World War.

The Confessor by Daniel Silva does not side any party. In fact, it brings us closer to the Catholic Church by highlighting the faith of the believers, and the simple love and faith of the nuns and priests.

Scales of Justice by Ngaio Marsh

Scales of Justice by Ngaio Marsh combines humor, murder and the charm of small English village. Scales of Justice by Ngaio Marsh is a mystery book without the suspense and thrill of modern thrillers. This book does not contain a single vulgar word.

The word that is used for exclamation is just “Blast.”

This is a book featuring Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn, and Inspector Fox. In this book, Inspector Fox exhibits his emotional depth that is not common in other book.

Inspector Fox apparently has an interest in the jolly Nurse Kettle. It is just too bad that Nurse Kettle falls in love with Commander Syce instead.

I find Scales of Justice by Ngaio Marsh a very funny book. The focus of this book should be the murder victim. However, Chief Detective Inspector pays more attention to the trouts.

There are two different trouts present in this story. The big trout, nicknamed as The Old ‘Un, and another trout.

I do not know anything about fishing or trout. It seems that the scales of the trouts are as distinctive as our fingerprints. No two trout shares the same pattern in the scales.

The murderer in this case is quite apparent. The writer hints a few times in this book. However, the motive for killing is not apparent. The natives keep on telling us that the murderer is not one of them. That leaves only one person who can be the murderer.

I like the names given to the cats and car in this case.

The name of the cat, Mrs Thomasina Twitchett, is so funny and unique. I wonder who else on earth will name a cat like that.

I like the name that Nurse Kettle gives to her car. The car is known as Araminta. That sounds like a nice pretty name for a doll. I cannot imagine anyone naming their car in this manner as well.

The mystery was solved due to the present of scales of the trouts on the clothing of the murderer. That is why this book is aptly named as the Scales of Justice.

Scales of Justice by Ngaio Marsh is a cozy murder story that will never lose its charm. The combined elements of love, pets, hobby, countryside and spies are what make the book unique. I like the absence of vulgar language as well.

Let it Bleed by Ian Rankin

I find Let it Bleed by Ian Rankin the best of the Inspector Rebus series.


The underlying theme of the book is corruption. The author is telling us that corruption can come in different forms.

When the rich and powerful are bribing Inspector Rebus, they do not offer money.

They offer privilege, promotions, and the prospect of having friends in high place. These are the kinds of bribes that can never be caught, and will continue on to time indefinite.

Let it Bleed by Ian Rankin starts from simple detecting. The story starts from Lord Provost calling for police assistance to locate his missing daughter.

The stories develops into car chase over the alleged kidnappers. Inspector Rebus finds a business plan that seems like the work of amateurs. As the story develops, the pressure from up high tries to push investigation off the track.

Inspector Rebus does not give in to intimidation. Let it Bleed by Ian Rankin shows the inner struggle of Inspector Rebus, especially when the rich and powerful nearly convince him that hundred of jobs will be lost if he insists on exposing them.

There is only a part of the story that I find is unnecessary cruelty. Inspector Rebus locks the cat out of the house, and the cat ends up being torn to death by the dog.

That is really unnecessary, and does not serve any purpose at all.

Let it Bleed by Ian Rankin shows the inner working of the government. It also shows how individuals can scam the government by setting up paper companies.

The story does not evolve into a political story. It remains as a police procedural story. That is the best part of all.

I like to see the way Inspector Rebus thinks. I like the way he trusts his instinct. Let it Bleed by Ian Rankin has all the suspense of a modern thriller. However, the underlying theme of corruption makes us think deeper about how the society and the government works.

Spinsters in Jeopardy by Ngaio Marsh

I find that the title, Spinsters in Jeopardy , is very misleading.


I thought I will read about those funny spinsters who make up some of the Chief Detective Alleyn mystery series. I was not prepared to read about international drug ring.

Spinsters in Jeopardy by Nagio Marsh is too serious, especially the part whereby Chief Detective Alleyn relates the history of law enforcement against the organized drug rings.

It seems that the author makes use of this book to highlight the international drug dealings, and how the law enforcement teams in different countries are finally taking concerted effort.

Spinsters in Jeopardy by Ngaio Marsh is completely different from the other books featuring Chief Detective Alleyn.

The only part I like about Spinsters in Jeopardy by Ngaio Marsh is Alleyn’s son, Ricky. He is a 6 year old boy with very good manners.

I like the calm way he reacts after being rescued from the kidnappers. He manages to act very cool, and answers questions posed by Alleyn very calmly.

After the rescue, the family goes to lunch at Raoul’s family restaurant. “Ricky lowered his voice to a polite whisper. ‘If it isn’t a rude question!’ he says, ‘when’s dinner?’”

The children nowadays certainly are not so polite. They are rude and express themselves rudely. Hardly any kid would think whether if it is a rude question to ask whether the dinner is ready.

That is the best part of the book.

Spinsters in Jeopardy by Ngaio Marsh is not really a mystery story. The only mystery in this book is the identity of P E Garbel. P E Garbel is the cousin of Agatha Troy, Alleyn’s wife. However, she mistakes the M Garbel as Mr Garbel, when the M stands for Mademoiselle.

Spinsters in Jeopardy by Ngaio Marsh is better read as a thriller than a mystery story. There is no element of mystery in this story. The element of drug use and cult practice are the main theme of this story.

However, it lacks the element of suspense that is present in many outstanding thrillers today.

I do not like the fact that Inspector Fox and the team are absent from this story. I think that a mystery story featuring Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn is not so enjoyable without the usual team.

Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark

I like reading Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark.


I carried the copy of the book and read it on the way to and from work.

The fact that Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark has many short chapters make for easy reading. I like the fact that I can keep on turning the pages and keep up with the suspense of the story.

This book is a thriller featuring Caroline Enright, a film and theater critic for the national news network Key to America.

The theme of Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark is the existence of a sociopath.

This theme appears in a new play that interests Caroline Enright. Her interest is due to the fact that an established actress, Belinda Winthrop, plays the leading lady, Valerie. This particular show has the potential for a movie that will become a bestseller.


The story becomes exciting when Belinda Winthrop disappears. Added to the fact that a mysterious death occurs two years ago under similar circumstance, and three recent deaths occur just before the disappearance of Belinda Winthrop adds to the suspense of this book.

Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark provides many clues to the identity of the sociopath. The problem is that the play highlights the sociopath as a male, and the loving wife is the one who discovers that the charismatic husband is the sociopath.

That is why it is so surprising to see that the real sociopath in this book is a female.

In chapter 42 of Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark, about a third of the book, the author gives the clue to the identity of the real sociopath:

“Watching Belinda take her bows, Caroline was already mentally composing the review she would write, knowing that she had just witnessed a rare production. Brilliant, inspired, breathtaking - those were some of the words she wanted to include in describing not only Belinda’s performance but also the content of the play. Victoria Sterling’s creation deserved the Pulitzer Prize. How she had envisioned, and executed, the scenes leading to the unmasking of the Sociopathic husband was amazing. Caroline couldn’t help but feel that someone who had firsthand knowledge of sociopathy could have handled the subject so expertly.

What was the old saw? Write what you know.”

The part I love best about this book is when Caroline manages to gain the love and trust of her stepdaughter. However, knowing that her husband had a relationship with Belinda Winthrop destroys the almost fairytale ending to the story.

The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham

The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham is a detective novel that gets interesting only in the second half of the book.


The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham nearly bores me to death in the beginning. The paragraphs are long and depressing.

The fact that someone tries to stop Meg from getting wed seems like a stupid joke, instead of the start of a thriller.

The exciting part comes when the killer, Havoc, manages to escape from jail after killing a prominent doctor. That is the time when I sense a great story behind the prank plays on Meg.

This is my first and only book by Margery Allingham. The book features Albert Campion. However, I see nothing great about Albert Campion.

He does not have much contribution in this book. The only remarkable person is the killer, Havoc.

Even the police does not seem very smart here. They have underestimated Havoc. They seem to spend too much time and manpower doing nothing useful.

The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham seems like a book of many coincidences. Havoc seems the only person who is able to plan and get what he wants.

His only disappointment is to hunt for the treasure that turns out quite valueless for him. A positively evil person certainly does not like the carving of Virgin and the Holy Child, especially as it has no monetary value.

The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham is more of a story with moral value than detecting procedure. The good is personified by Canon Avril, the pastor. The bad is personified by Havoc. When the good meets the evil in the church, even Havoc cannot bring himself to kill the holy one.

I like the ending of the story. Havoc manages to escape from the police. However, he does not manage to escape from his disappointment in himself. After losing all hope, he commits suicide by drowning himself in the deep pool of water.

This is a fitting ending to a long hunt.

The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh

The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh is the third book featuring Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn.


This is the book that sets the tone for the cozy collaboration between Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn and Inspector Fox.

The characterization of Inspector Fox is extremely well done.

The Home Secretary, Sir O’Callaghan was found dead after a successful operation. It seemed that those involved in the operation had both motives and opportunities to kill him.

His wife suspected that the death is not natural. She gave a call to Scotland Yard, and Inspector Fox answered the call.

That was how Inspector Fox entered the story.

I like the conversation between Lady O’Callaghan and Inspector Fox. It highlighted the character of Lady O’Callaghan whom Inspector Fox nicknamed as the Ice Queen, and the stolid Inspector Fox.

Lady O’Callaghan began the conversation by saying quietly that “I believe my husband to have been murdered.”

Inspector Fox “sat stockily, very still, looking gravely before him,” and said, “I’m sorry to hear that, Lady O’Callaghan. It sounds rather serious.”

The gift of Inspector Fox to mingle with the servants of the rich people is aptly highlighted in The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh.

Both Nigel Bathgate and Angel North play an important part in The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh. I like the part where they attend the communists meeting, and pretend to support communism.

The clue to the identity of murderer is sufficiently given in this book. The fact that Nigel Bathgate proclaims and bets on the murderer, however unlikely it seems, is the best clue to the identity of the murderer.

The story is still interesting even after you know who the murderer is. The problem is finding out how the murderer could have committed the murder.

The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh is a very interesting and exciting detective novel. It has all the elements of a good thriller, without the vulgarity.

The best part of The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh is in the reconstruction of the operation. That is the part where Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn shines.

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh is the second book in the Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn series.


Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh has a few unique features.

This is the book that introduces Inspector Fox. However, Inspector Fox does not play as important a role as Detective Sergeant Bailey.

The characterization of Inspector Fox is not crystallize yet.

In this book, Inspector Fox talks too much, speculates too much and does not come across as the steady Inspector Fox in later books.

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh also features a too high-strung Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn. The dealing between Alleyn and the leading lady is overdone.

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh is unique in a way that we know who is the murderer right from the beginning of the book.

The problem is that we cannot see a way for the murderer to substitute the fake bullets for the real bullets. There are too many motives in this story. The seemingly lack of motive for the murderer to commit murder is another stumbling block.


When I am reading Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh, I have a feeling of reading a detective story backwards. It is quite rare for the author to tell you who is the murderer even before the first chapter of the story.

This is what makes Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh so interesting. The fact that the murderer is known to the readers does not make the book less interesting.

Nigel Bathgate, the intrepid reporter, plays a major role in this story.

Alleyn sums up the uniqueness of this story when he says to Nigel:

“Thanks to you I was able to watch the murder in comfort from a fifteen-and six penny stall provided by the murderer.”

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh is an interesting story. I like the language used in this book. This book manages to convey a lot without graphical description. When Inspector Fox mentions that “Trixie Beadle was probably ruined by him,” it saves a lot of description of the sexual exploitation commonly featured in graphical terms in modern thrillers.

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh is a book suitable for those who love mysteries, and hate the vulgarity in many modern thrillers.

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh is the first of book of Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn series.


A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh is not the best of her books.

The plot is hardly original, and the writing style is too similar to Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.

However, A Man Lay Dead has the unique humor of Ngaio Marsh.

I like this particular paragraph:

“Alleyn asked for an adjournment; the whole affair ended, leaving the onlookers with a sense of having been served with treason when they ordered murder.”

This is the kind of humor only Ngaio Marsh possessed. It is hard to link murder and treason with food ordering.

I do not like the part about the Russian spies. This is completely out of the norm in the Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn series. It makes a simple and cozy murder so complicated.

The other missing factor is the Inspector Fox. Without the presence of Inspector Fox, the detective story is not so enjoyable.

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh is the book that introduces Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn. The Alleyn describes in this book is not much different from the Alleyn in all the other books. That is the most consistent element in Ngaio Marsh writing.

The plot in A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh is very simple. A murder game ends with a real corpse. The way the murder is done is fantastic. It is hard to imagine a person slides down from the barrister, grabs the knife and kills a man.

The characterization is much better than the plot. The description of Nigel Bathgate follows the style of Doctor Watson in Sherlock Holmes series, and Captain Hastings in Agatha Christie books.

Fortunately Ngaio Marsh departs from the norm of using Nigel Bathgate as the substitute for Doctor Watson or Captain Hastings in later detective series.

Inspector Fox is a much better companion.

The characterization of Angela North is very well done.

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh is not a bad book. However, it is definitely not the best book in the series.

How to handle a break up with dignity

You have enough fights with your partner. You know the relationship is finished for good.


You want to make a clean break and get out of this energy draining relationship.

You even think of just packing up and go. However, you know that this is not the right way to handle a break up.

You wonder how to handle a break up with dignity.

After all, you do not have experience in this matter of how to handle a break up with dignity.

It is hard to find true love. It is even harder to handle a bad relationship with dignity.

How to handle a break up with dignity?

There are a few steps involved. Your partner will definitely not walk away with a smiling face. However, you can limit the emotional damage to a minimum.

How to handle a break up: Reasons

You can prepare a list of the core reasons leading to the deteriorating relationship.

Bear in mind to avoid personal attack. Instead of saying that she is not a good listener. You can say that communication problem leads to quarrels.

How to handle a break up: Honesty

Honesty is the key to handle the break up with dignity. This is likely to be the last meeting. There is no reason not to speak the truth.

Your partner deserves the truth.

How to handle a break up: Time

Arrange a time to break the news to her. You must choose a mutually convenient time at a neutral location.

It is not good to choose the lunch break. You do not have enough time for her to absorb the news.

You must not choose your house or her house.

Choose a convenient yet private place for the discussion.

How to handle a break up: compassion

Do not put your partner into defensive. You must exercise compassion when you break the news.

Since you were deeply in love with her once, you can conclude the romantic ties in friendly tone and compassionate voice.

Bear in mind that old love does rekindle. You do not know whether this is true 10 years later.

How to handle a break up: Do not take it personally

Your partner has a shock of her life. She may insult you with all the hurtful words she can think of. Do not take it personally. She just wants to make you into a villain so that she can feel better.

Just ignore the words, and keep quiet.

How to handle a break up: make it final

Once you break the news of your decision to end the relationship, make it final. No more try again. No more second chance.

Both of you have tried so many times and it does not work. That is why you are so miserable.

Let it be known that you want to get on with life, and encourage her to get over the hurt.

It is always best to end a relationship with a clean break and move on.

Resource: Magic of making up

Chinese history on the story of Bai Qi

Bai Qi was an outstanding General in Chinese history. In all his thirty-seven years of military conquests, he had never lost a single war. The Chinese history book named him as the General who had never lost a single time in battle.

Bai Qi lived in the Warring States, serving the King of Qin, just before the unification of China by Emperor Qin Shi Huang. In fact, without the conquests of Bai Qi, the unification of China would not happen. Chinese history would be very different.

His actual year of birth was unknown. The King of Qin ordered Bai Qi to commit suicide around the year 258 BCE. It was a pity that Bai Qi became too arrogant, and did not live to see the unification of China. Unification of China was such a turning point in Chinese history.

Bai Qi was from humble background. Chinese history had no record of his family. Bai Qi was just a poor commoner who joined the army to make a living. Bai Qi worked his way from a lowly soldier up to the rank of Commander for the State of Qin.

Chinese history reveals the Spring Autumn period, followed by Warring States period, as periods of constant wars, brilliant military conquests, profusion of philosophers and many inventions.

Even if you are not familiar with Chinese history, especially the Warring States, you would have heard of the famous Art of War military classic and other military classics. You may also know of famous philosophers, Lao Zi, founder of Taoism, and Confucius. You can also associate the Great Wall of China with that period in Chinese History. After all, Emperor Qin merely joined the existing walls into the Great Wall of China.

This period in Chinese history is also a period of enlightenment. Many warring states were using men of talents, regardless of educational or family background. Many commoners became famous for their courage, talents, and contribution to the states that hired them.

The four famous Generals of Warring States in Chinese history came from humble background, and developed their war strategies from personal experience.

Bai Qi was notorious for his cruelty in Chinese history. Bai Qi earned the nicknames of the Slaughterer, War Devil, and God of War. Chinese history showed that he won more than 70 battles, and never lost a single battle. Bai Qi killed more than one million six hundred and fifty thousands soldiers in his lifetime. There is no other act of cruelty in Chinese history to match his record.

There were detailed records in Chinese history of his command to slaughter all the defending soldiers who surrendered. Bai Qi did not consider capture of city as military victory. Bai Qi sought to annihilate the defending army, and to destroy the armed forces of the six states. At that time in Chinese history, annihilation was the purpose of war. Even then, most generals did not attempt to kill every single soldier. After that period in Chinese history, annihilation warfare became less common.

Obviously, the concept of prisoners-of-war was not in Bai Qi’s dictionary.

Chinese history reveals that in the famous battle of Changping, about four hundred thousands (400,000) Zhao soldiers surrendered. Bai Qi spared the lives of only two hundred and forty (240) soldiers who were not more than fifteen years old.

Bai Qi ordered the archers to kill most of them, and buried alive the rest of the four hundred thousands soldiers. In that battle, he killed more than four hundred and fifty thousands (450,000) Zhao soldiers. The battle of Changping was one of the bloodiest battles in Chinese history.

Bai Qi aroused jealousy among the Ministers with his brilliant military conquests in the State of Qin. Bai Qi was rather arrogant and tactless in his dealings with other Ministers, and this in turn led to his death.

When Bai Qi was sick, the King of Qin decided to attack the city of Handan. The Qin army lost. After Bai Qi recovered from his sickness, the King of Qin ordered him to lead the Qin army to attack Handan.

Bai Qi refused because he disagreed with the timing of the war. Bai Qi felt that Qin army had not recovered from the earlier defeat, and would not win the battle. Bai Qi refused to obey the command of King of Qin.

The King of Qin went ahead to attack Handan. However, Bai Qi was right, the Qin army was not ready, and they lost the war again. When Bai Qi heard the defeat of the Qin army, he reportedly scorned at the stupidity of the King of Qin. The King of Qin demoted him to commoner.

Prime Minister, Fan Ju, who was jealous of Bai Qi, asked King of Qin to execute Bai Qi. Fan Ju warned King of Qin that Bai Qi would join other state, and became a threat to Qin. The King of Qin sent over a sword, and ordered Bai Qi to commit suicide.

A brilliant military commander, Bai Qi, who had not lost a single battle to outsiders, suffered defeat at the hands of his own people.

According to Chinese history books, Bai Qi did not write any military textbook. However, Chinese history has detailed record of his numerous battles. We can learn his military strategies from reading the accounts in Chinese history. Many later military writings in Chinese history analyze the war records of Bai Qi, so that we can learn from his war tactics.