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Book Review: Four Blind Mice

by Lang Reid

Now released in paperback is the latest thriller from the inventive mind of James Patterson, Four Blind Mice (ISBN 0-7472-6692-1) is published by Headline Books in the UK.

The first chapter sets the scene where an American Army sergeant stands accused of murder of three women. The prosecutor is summing up and by the time he has finished, you the reader, are also calling for the man to be put away. Within six pages, author Patterson has you. However, by two pages later you have been informed that the wrong man is to be executed. You have already made an error of circumstances.

The principal characters are an American detective and his long time detective buddy, a friend of the indicted Army sergeant. Before you have got to page 60 you have been made aware of the fact that three ex-Vietnam buddies had been the perpetrators of the crime, a young boy who saw them outside the murder site had his testimony ignored and never used at the trial and a woman with an alibi for the man on Death Row is too afraid to come forward and be identified. You now have the conundrum that makes up the plot.

The two detectives keep on coming up against brick walls in their investigations on behalf of the Death Row inmate, even though you have been appraised of the true situation, and then become witness to another two murders. All this time, as the clock is ticking away for the condemned man, you are sure that “right” will prevail and you find yourself looking forward to the last minute reprieve that must surely come. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. And you still have two thirds of the book to go!

In those next two thirds you will come across more innocent people who are indicted for murder, murderers who are apparently innocent, voodoo items, confused people, a love story, a psychologically sick story, another love story and the thread of the US Army running through everything. By half way through the book you are as confused as the two detectives, but you’ll hang on in there! Author Patterson and his two detectives have by now taken you to the stage where you literally cannot put this book down. Believe me!

James Patterson uses a very brief chapter format for this novel, with a chapter typically being only two to three pages. By this ploy he certainly keeps the pace flowing, and despite what you might think, you do not lose the thread of what is going on. And oh yes, if you can speak Vietnamese there is even more of an horrific chill in this book. A stunner in this genre. A who-dunnit with a difference.

As a great way to snare the reader for another of Patterson’s books, the opening chapters of another thriller are appended at the end of the book. This is a very sneaky move. I now feel obliged to go and find out what happened in this next one.

The review copy was made available by Bookazine and came with an RRP of 395 baht.


Movie Review: Legally Blonde 2

By Poppy

The first movie was cute and fun to watch and I was looking forward to the sequel.

Having got through Harvard, Elle is now a rising young lawyer at a great firm. She has also now found her dream man and is making plans for her wedding. She discovers that her dog Bruiser’s mother is being used for cosmetic testing by a client from the company she works for, and decides to fight for the animal’s rights. How did her dog’s mother just happen to be from Boston when Elle got Bruiser in Bel Air? And how a detective could possibly find that out if Bruiser had been abandoned? So the perfectly groomed Elle goes to Washington to state her case.

Unfortunately, while it was believable that a college girl could be as dippy a female as Elle was in the first movie, she should have grown up by now.

Bob Newhart gave his usual great performance, using understated comedy. Sally Fields provides a rather different performance than usual giving the movie added weight.

Unfortunately the charm of the first movie never made it here.

Directed by Charles Herman -Wurmfeld

Cast:

Reese Witherspoon ... Elle Woods

Sally Field ... Rep. Rudd

Bob Newhart ... Sidney Post

Luke Wilson ... Emmett Richmond

Jennifer Coolidge ... Paulette Bonafont้

Regina King ... Grace Stoteraux

Jessica Cauffiel ... Margot

Alanna Ubach ... Serena McGuire

rest of cast listed alphabetically

Stanley Anderson ... Michael Blaine

J Barton ... Timothy McGinn

Elizabeth Beckwith ... Mira

Katarina Choi ... Delta-Nu #5

Lauren Cohn ... Amy

Erin Cottrell ... Sorority President

Bryan Cuprill ... Congressional Aide

Jeffrey Gelber ... Congressional Aide

Karen Gordon (II) ... Congressional Aide

Josh Holland ... Ted Hall

Dale Waddington Horowitz ... Seamstress

Dana Ivey

Aden Kadri

Desi Lydic ... Katie

Tane McClure ... Mrs. Woods

Bruce McGill

Masi Oka ... Congressional Intern

Matt Price (I) ... Cole’s Aide

Victor Raider-Wexler


Mott’s CD review: 

Waysted “The Good, The Bad, and The Waysted”

by Mott the Dog 
re-mastered By Ella Crew

5 Stars *****

With a band Called ‘Waysted’ and an album called “The Good, The Bad, and The Waysted,” this just had to be a fine Rock ‘n’ Roll album, but right from the first track it surpasses all expectations, giving you full on music right from the get-go.

First a little history behind the band. ‘Waysted’ was led by Pete Way who, from 1969-1982, had been the bassist and one of the chief songwriters with rock band ‘U.F.O.’ From their humble beginnings they went on to worldwide superstardom in the late seventies, with top twenty albums and playing concerts to 60,000 people at a time, and with an entourage of twenty-four. At the height of their heyday German guitar legend Michael Schenker left on the eve of an all-important American tour, and although replacements were brought in U.F.O. never really recovered. Way finally jumped ship in 1982, firstly to play bass in the Ozzy Osbourne Road Band. (Ozzy’s instructions to Way every night were “Go Mental” which was no problem to Pete Way.)

When it was time to look round and form a new band “Fast’ Eddie Clarke had just left ‘Motorhead’, so “Fastway” was formed. Jerry Shirley was at a loose end after the demise of ‘Humble Pie’ so he almost naturally filled the drum stool, and a young vocalist with the looks and voice of Robert Plant with the name of Dave King was given the front man role.

Sounds to good to be true: a real super group. Yup it was. Although it looked great on paper, the chemistry of the band never gelled and after a disastrous album and tour, Way split to look for pastures new, taking Jerry Shirley with him.

After various auditions and false starts ‘Waysted’ was formed with old ex-U.F.O. cohort Paul Chapman on lead guitar, replacing original guitarist Jimmy Dilella in time to co-write all of the band written songs for the first album proper, whilst a young Scot by the name of Fin Muir was brought in to front the band - not an enviable task for an unknown to stand out there with so much experience behind and beside him up there on the boards, or in the studio, but they breed them pretty canny up there in the Highlands and Mrs. Muir’s little boy went on to prove himself to be cut of the same cloth as many other fine Scottish rock singers (Frankie Miller, Alex Harvey, Dan Macaferty, and Bon Scott, to name but a few). By the time they got into the studio he was the star of the show.

For this CD release what you get is ‘Waysted’s’ first release, a mini album of five tracks, preceded by the official first album (nine tracks) by which time Jerry Shirley had been replaced by Andy Parker bringing the ex-U.F.O. contingent up to three, and a final bonus track. As there is not a duff track amongst them, extremely good value for money.

From the guitar riff-raff of the opening song, “Hang ‘em High” the music literally gallops out of the speakers. Fin’s vocals give the band a bit of an early AC/DC sound, but with Paul Chapman’s guitar rounding off any rough edges, especially when allowed to stretch out on some of the longer songs, like the superb “Manuel” - a really earthy rocker that clocks in at just under six minutes. When these guys really want to Rock ‘n’ Roll the roof just flips off.

There is only one cover song on this collection, and the band wisely chose Chuck Berry’s “Around and Around” which they rip apart and then put back together in fine Rockin style, with a tongue in cheek spoken intro by Fin before the band come in, Fin changing the words slightly to incorporate the band’s moniker in:

“We were Rockin’ goin around and around,

Yeah reelin’ out and rockin,

What a Waysted sound.”

Then finishing the song with a cheeky “Alright Chuck”.

Ah, Rock ‘n ‘ Roll - you can’t beat it. Unfortunately, as good as this band was, within six months it had all fallen apart again. Too many egos to pacify and too much of the over indulgences of their chosen lifestyle. Paul Chapman went into virtual retirement in his beloved Wales, Way and Parker to various reincarnations of U.F.O. and Waysted, Jerry Shirley to this day is beating the skins for a reformed ‘Humble Pie’ and poor old Fin Muir has disappeared without trace. Shooting stars burn short, but bright.

The legacy that this version of Waysted left behind is a testament to a fine band. If you like your Rock ‘n’ Roll with plenty of raunch, get yourself ‘Waysted’.

The Players

Pete Way/Bass

Fin Muir/Vocals

Jimmy Dilella, Paul Chapman/Lead Guitar

Jerry Shirley, Andy Parker/Drums

The Songs

Hang ‘em high

Hi Ho my Baby

Heaven Tonight

Manuel

Dead on Two Legs

Rolling out the Dice

Land That’s Lost the Love

Crazy ‘Bout the Stuff

Around and Around

Won’t Get Out Alive

The Price You Pay

Rock Steady

Hurt so Bad

Cinderella Boys.

Ball and Chain

To contact Mott the Dog email: [email protected]