Book Review: The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly (Lincoln Lawyer #8)

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mickey Haller is back in court, but now he's in civil court rather than criminal court, with a lawsuit against an artificial intelligence company.  A teenage boy was convinced to kill his girlfriend by interacting with a chat bot developed by Tidalwaiv.  Mickey was hired by the girl's mother to sue the company.  The book initially focuses on the investigation and preparation for court, then the latter half of the book is the riveting courtroom drama.  

I appreciate the fact that Connelly presented the AI background and knowledge in an approachable way and didn't overwhelm the reader with too many trivial and in-depth details.  Jack McEvoy, a character from three earlier Connelly books, has an important role in this novel.  I just read the first McEvoy book earlier this year, so it was nice to see him make an appearance.  

I am a huge fan of all Michael Connelly books and characters, and anxiously await a new one each year.  Even with Mickey Haller's left turn away from criminal court, this was an extremely compelling legal thriller.  Looking forward to more of his cases in the future.  

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/. 

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Book Review: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sybil Van Antwerp is a septuagenarian who writes letters every day.  To the casual observer she has had a very fulfilling life -- a career in law working for a judge, two successful adult children, grandchildren, a wonderful home on the water in Maryland, her expansive garden, and friends and pen pals.  However through the letters she writes and receives, we discover more about her -- missed opportunities, loneliness, medical issues, grief, regretted decisions, and much more.  

This epistolary debut novel is told entirely through letters from 2012-2022, revealing Sybil's life to the reader little by little.  It was a delight to read, one of the best fiction books I've read this year, plus one of the most unique in structure.  I am anxiously looking forward to another book by this ingenious author!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/. 

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Review: What I Ate in One Year

What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an absolutely wonderful food memoir and the title tells you everything you need to know. It's basically Stanley Tucci's journal throughout 2023, chronicling what he cooked, what restaurant he went to, where he traveled, who he was with, and what he ate. A fascinating individual and an enviable life!

Full disclosure, I love Stanley Tucci - both his writing and his films. He has such an interesting life and a very dry wit which really comes through in his writing. I read the print book, but I also have the audiobook on hold at the library and have been waiting very patiently for several months.

Stanley, I keep waiting for my invitation to your London house for Thanksgiving dinner with your wonderful family and in-laws (Emily Blunt and John Krasinski). I would love for you to make me one of your wonderful martinis!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

UPDATE - October 2025
I read this book again for one of my book clubs, and I think I enjoyed it even more with the second reading! Stanley Tucci is a true Renaissance man -- actor, chef, writer, artist, designer of cookware, family man, and documentary creator! I just heard that he is going to be joining NBC's coverage of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, Italy, to highlight the region's food, culture, and history! I will read / view anything this talented individual is involved with!

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Review: London Rules

London Rules by Mick Herron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jackson Lamb's group of Slow Horses once again team together to save London from catastrophe, something the folks at MI5 / Regent's Park seem to have failed at (continuously). The Slow Horses' IT brain, Roddy Ho, has been tricked by his "girlfriend" into divulging MI5 secrets and there have been two attempts to kill him.

Lots of plot twists and turns, plus many characters to keep track of. I love Mick Herron's atmospheric descriptions setting the scenes at Slough House. He also writes incredible dialog incorporating wonderful dark humor. It's best to read these books in order to fully appreciate them and the character development.

I'm really looking forward to viewing Season 5 of Slow Horses, plus reading the next book in the series.

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci

What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an absolutely wonderful food memoir and the title tells you everything you need to know. It's basically Stanley Tucci's journal throughout 2023, chronicling what he cooked, what restaurant he went to, where he traveled, who he was with, and what he ate. A fascinating individual and an enviable life!

Full disclosure, I love Stanley Tucci - both his writing and his films. He has such an interesting life and a very dry wit which really comes through in his writing. I read the print book, but I also have the audiobook on hold at the library and have been waiting very patiently for several months.

Stanley, I keep waiting for my invitation to your London house for Thanksgiving dinner with your wonderful family and in-laws (Emily Blunt and John Krasinski). I would love for you to make me one of your wonderful martinis!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/. 

UPDATE - October 2025 
I read this book again for one of my book clubs, and I think I enjoyed it even more with the second reading!  Stanley Tucci is a true Renaissance man -- actor, chef, writer, artist, designer of cookware, family man, and documentary creator!  

I love the fact that he once again includes several recipes in this book.  And also that he writes about his cooking success as well as his failures -- forgetting ingredients and overcooking!  Just like those of us who are cooking at our houses!

I just heard that he is going to be joining NBC's coverage of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, Italy, to highlight the region's food, culture, and history!  I will read / view anything this talented individual is involved with!

View all my reviews

Book Review: London Rules by Mick Herron (Slow Horses #5)

London Rules by Mick Herron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jackson Lamb's group of Slow Horses once again team together to save London from catastrophe, something the folks at MI5 / Regent's Park seem to have failed at (continuously).  The Slow Horses' IT brain, Roddy Ho, has been tricked by his "girlfriend" into divulging MI5 secrets and there have been two attempts to kill him.  

Lots of plot twists and turns, plus many characters to keep track of.  I love Mick Herron's atmospheric descriptions setting the scenes at Slough House.  He also writes incredible dialog incorporating wonderful dark humor.  It's best to read these books in order to fully appreciate them and the character development.  

I'm really looking forward to viewing Season 5 of Slow Horses, plus reading the next book in the series.  

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a very interesting combination of mystery, legal drama, true crime, and historical fiction. It’s the story of Elma Sands, a young girl who was killed in New York City in 1799. She lived in a boardinghouse with her cousin and her cousin’s family who were Quakers, so we also get a deep dive into the Quaker religion.

Rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr team up to investigate and conduct the trial together – the first murder trial in the United States. In addition to the mystery and the courtroom drama, we get a real feel for NYC at the turn of the 19th century along with the history of Hamilton and Burr.

Lauren Willig is an excellent author who conducted exhaustive research for this book, which is based on actual events. A 20-page Historical Note is included at the end of the novel which gives a lot more history and background information. The book started out a little slow, but picked up considerably when it came to the trial.

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

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