BOOK REVIEW

Beat the reaper by Josh Bazell

In ten words or less: Mafia hitman becomes doctor in witness protection program; is discovered.

Review: Peter Brown is an intern at Manhattan's worst hospital. But he was not drawn to medicine by an altruistic nature. When he was a teenager, his grandparents--who raised him--were gunned down in their home. He was taken in by a friend's family. The dad, David Locana, is a Mafia lawyer, and helps young Peter (then known as Pietro) to seek revenge on the killers.

The violence is graphic, but Peter is a sympathetic killer, like Jeff Lindsay's Dexter or Lawrence Block's Keller. Will there be a sequel?

Why bother? Although cynical and violent, Peter has a unique outlook on life. This is a fast-paced mystery with enought twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Not for the squeamish.

December’s Books

Fill ‘er up by Jim Draeger is a terrific book on the history of gas stations in Wisconsin. There are loads of great photos showing the different types of architecture through the years. The first fifty pages are a history of service stations, the various oil companies, and the evolution from auto repairs to convenience stores. An interesting point was the promotion of clean rest rooms to appeal to the increasing number of woman drivers. The rest of the book devotes two pages to each of a number of stations, scattered throughout the state. There are photos of stations in their heyday, and photos of stations that became ice cream parlors or insurance offices. Very entertaining!

Romanov bride by Robert Alexander. Alexander
The story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Lady of the snakes by Rachel Pastan
Red tails in love by Marie Winn
Poe’s children: the new horror by Peter Straub
Fill ‘er up: the glory days of Wisconsin gas stations by Jim Draeger
May day by Jess Lourey
Writing mysteries by Sue Grafton
Make-a-mix by Karine Eliason