Is truth dead and nobody told me?

This is not a book review.  This is me being philosophical again.  You have been warned.

 

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, truth is a noun (a person, place or thing) that means the real facts about something.  In light of the recent events surrounding the tragedy of Malaysian Airline flight MH 17, I have been wondering if this noun truth can be found anywhere besides the dictionary.  Is truth dead and no one wrote an obituary?

I look at pictures of the disaster and see the remains of an airplane torn apart, burnt remnants strewn everywhere, some with flames still burning.  Then another photo shows what appears to be the wreckage in a pile as if the plane had landed and exploded on impact.  I have to ask myself - are the photos simply taken from different angles or different areas, or are these pictures even of the same plane or wreckage. 

 

No, I am not a conspiracy theorist.  But in this technological world it is easy to distort the truth, even help it morph into something completely different.  Words, images, and minds are easily manipulated.  We see what we want to see.  Or do we?  Or do we see what others want us to see?   Are we able to clearly see things that aren’t now or ever have been part of our individual frames of reference?  And is that really seeing or is it imagining with the help of visual aids?

 

I watched a video of the aftermath of this disaster and a hand in the video is shown holding approximately twenty different passports. Of course, which ones does the person open and display to the camera, the ones of children.  How and why did these passports survive the crash and the flames, but not the passport holders? 

The camera pans to suitcases, some of which have either opened on impact or been opened for the benefit of the cameraman.  The camera macabrely lingers over a bright pink suitcase packed with books etc. for a young girl, then on a child’s toy, and next a child’s drawing. The cameraman or video editor opportunistically includes only items guaranteed to wring every last tear from your eyes and permanently bruise your heart.

 Yes, this is a human tragedy, a tragedy of lost lives, dreams and lost futures.   But all the while pictures and videos are being shot of the human carnage let’s not forget what sells.  Or more importantly, “Did you get the shot?”  Don’t forget to post to Twitter, You Tube, Instagram and to share on Facebook.    And if you have to use some artistic license to doctor the photo for dramatic effect, that’s okay.  How many ‘likes’ did you say the photo got?

I find it disconcerting to see that the integrity of the evidence is at stake on the site in the Ukraine.  I also find it disconcerting to look at photos of grim-faced men, shown in gray tones, combing a field of brilliant yellow sunflowers looking for bodies or body parts.  The contrast between gray and yellow, grimness and beauty are stark and crude.  And again I wonder if it’s real or photo shopped.

At the moment it appears there are those who are working hard to find out what really happened to flight MH 17. But it also appears there are those who are working just as hard to destroy evidence and hide what happened.  All we know for sure is that the passenger list shows 283 passengers and 15 crew members boarded that flight.  Out of respect for the victims and their loved ones I hope truth is not the unidentified casualty in this tragic event.

 

 

I'm not the only one who has been struggling with the definition of truth lately.  Follow the link to one of my very favorite sites Humans of New York - photojournalism at its finest. You'll find an older gentleman sitting on a park bench who is writing a play on the nature of truth.

Russian Hill by Ty Hutchinson

The couple that slays together stays together.  At least that's the way it is for Jerry and Vicki Carlson,  a psychopath and a sociopath respectively.  The tie that binds them is simple - the thrill of the kill.

The Carlsons are involved in a game that requires travel to major cities to complete challenges.  Their current game is called "Chasing Chinatown" and it consists of five Attractions. When the story starts they have just completed Attraction number three and are eager to embark on number four.  The game is being played out in San Francisco and this particular variation of the Amazing Race always ends in murder.

FBI Agent Abby Kane has been enjoying her work on white collar crime cases, a break from serial killers and organized crime, her specialities.  When a hiker is found with an axe sticking out of her chest Abby somewhat reluctantly accepts the case.  Then when the local  precinct thinks they have a serial killer on their hands, they consult with Abby and she realizes there is a link to her murdered hiker and their cases.  She teams up with SFPD Detective Kyle Kang and the adventure begins.

The first part of the story seesaws back and forth between the viewpoint of the Carlsons and Abby. It is fascinating to read the thoughts of Jerry and Vicki as they methodically plan their moves as a team, play their creepy game and live a lavish and somewhat perverted lifestyle. 

 

At the other end of the seesaw is Abby, working diligently to track them down. She is a creative thinker who gives her grey cells a work out before acting. But that entails methodically going over her notes late into the night and sacrificing some of the wholesome family time and outings she so cherishes.

Together Kane and Kyle systematically follow-up on every possibility in their pursuit of the killers.  Just as the case appears to be wrapped up, the story smoothly steers us into the criminal underground world of San Fran's Chinatown. Kane and Kyle are both trained in martial arts and this helps to ratchet up the action scenes with the Chinese villains.  Abby relies mostly on her wits, but when she has to defend herself physically, her petite size is deceptive and she kicks butt with the best of them.

The plot has a number of twists with just enough evil and danger lurking around corners to create a nice tension. Some scenes are a bit graphic, but Hutchinson lightens the mood  by providing off duty moments for some of the characters and witty banter between Abby and Ken to achieve a nice balance.

An engaging, entertaining, and quick read that I read in one sitting on a rainy afternoon.  Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.  Oh, and I love the cover art.

http://tyhutchinson.com/

A Swollen Red Sun by Matthew McBride

Open Road Integrated Media
Mysterious Press

 

Normally when I start a book I want to be drawn in by the first sentence, the first paragraph or first page.  By the time I had finished the first page of A Swollen Red Sun all I wanted to do was hurl.  Page two never looked so good. 

Now, before you get the wrong idea, it wasn't that the writing was bad; it was the scene and the unfortunately good description.

The setting for this novel is Gasconade  County, Missouri, which was once called the methamphetamine capital of the world.  The essential premise is a deputy sheriff stumbles across some drug money and although he is basically an honest guy, this time he decides to keep the money.  This one impulsive decision sets into motion a series of actions that are disastrous and deadly. 

Except for the main character Deputy Sheriff Dale Banks and his family, the majority of the characters are involved in the drug trade both as producers and users.  McBride takes us inside their heads so we can see how they see themselves and their dreams, especially when they are high, and leaves us to compare it to their downtrodden reality.  Life in Gasconade county is hard with very few rewards.

The character of Olsen Brandt is well drawn.  He is a lonely old man living out his days with his cherished dog on what is left of his farm.  Olsen is a sympathetic character whose strength is tested on a daily basis.  A tragic accident killed one of his sons at a young age, the surviving son is serving time in prison, and since his wife died a year ago all he wants to do is join her. 

Some of the characters are true degenerates like the very unsavory self-appointed Reverend,  Butch Pogue.  Yup - the name says it all. 

When thinking about this book I decided this simply isn't my type of book because it contains some rather graphic scenes.  Yet I realized I have read other books with scenes at least as violent, perhaps even more violent.  It's McBride's writing.  He can turn simple words into very powerful images.  The descriptions of the dry rural landscape in the humid heat, the dusty back roads with their "buffet" of potholes will leave you feeling parched. I particularly liked this description:

The sun went down behind the mobile home like a burst of egg yolk that dripped from the sky and consumed the trees. Sycamores on the river cast long shadows in the burnt auburn hue, and golden shafts punched holes through plump clouds that looked ripe to carry wetness for days.

The story itself is slow paced to start but picks up speed about two thirds of the way through.  All the loose ends are nicely tied up and will leave you feeling satisfied that some justice has been served.

If you like your suspense stories with a touch of red neck then this one is for you.

Author's tweet

Face Value by Michael A. Kahn

Poisoned Pen Press

The body of a young attorney is found in an alley beside a 10 floor parking garage.  The police rule the death a suicide, something not uncommon amongst those stressed out by the high demands of being a young law associate.  Stanley Plotkin, a mailroom employee from the same firm as the young attorney Sari Bashir, is convinced that Sari didn’t commit suicide but was murdered. 

Stanley approaches Rachel Gold, a lawyer he knows, to say that he has proof Sari was murdered. He points to a broken heel from a high heel shoe and a tube of lip balm found four spaces down from Ms. Bashir’s parking space. He also brings into play his knowledge of FACS, the Facial Action Coding System that correlates hundreds of facial muscle actions to specific emotions and mental states.

Stanley may have Asperger’s but his knowledge of FACS is nothing short of genius. This knowledge tells him that in the days preceding her death, Sari may have been preoccupied or agitated, but she was definitely not suicidal.  Rachel agrees to look into the matter and along with her team she investigates the top lawyers at Warner & Olsen, an investigation that leads to secrets, cover ups, questionable ethics and finances.

This is my idea of a cozy mystery.  A main character supported by a group of other characters, some zany and others either really smart or really lucky.  Stanley is an original character, so much so that I felt at times he overshadowed Rachel. There are no gory scenes and the plot moves along at a moderate pace with little gems of humour incorporated into some well written dialogue. 

The author is a lawyer and the legal and financial information is well presented in a readable and informative manner that doesn't detract from the story.  Kahn also provides Rachel the ingenious idea of creating a memorial video about the victim, enabling Stanley to design the questions to ask each suspect and see their responses without having any social interaction with them, since social interactions can be very difficult for someone with Asperger's.  As ingenious as the idea is, and as well as it works as a device for plot development, it doesn't always make for great reading.

I loved how Kahn has the ability to make the setting of St. Louis seem so familiar and the characters so comfortable to be around, like old friends.  Even though this is the ninth book in a series I can vouch for it being a stand alone since I haven't read any of the others and I didn't feel that it made a difference.

Overall I found this a fun, interesting and worthwhile read - just not a nail biter.

To read an excerpt go to:

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/face-value-michael-kahn/1117166469?ean=9781464202803 

 

Author and publisher links:

 http://www.michaelakahn.com/

http://www.poisonedpenpress.com/michael-kahn/