Inspector Singh Investigates : The Singapore School of Villainy by Shamini Flint

Marathon marathon...finished the one about Bali last night, immediately start with this one about Singapore.

This round, Inspector Singh is in his home turf. A senior partner, Mark Thompson, in a big law firm was murdered in his office at night. The murder seems to be much closer to home since his wife's nephew was one of the suspects.

Not an easy case to solve as there are many suspects and all of them have motives to want Mark Thompson demise.

Could it be his current wife, Marie who is in need of $$? or could it be his vengeful ex-wife? Could it be Quentin who was the one last stout supporter of Mark? Could it be Ai Leen who was prim and proper but behind the scene she was sleeping her way up the cooperate ladder? or could it be Inspector Singh's wife's nephew who seems to have something to hide.?

I find this book very fast paced from the first page. Enjoyed it very much. One thing I don't understand was why in this book Inspector Singh was allowed to continued with the investigation when his relative was one of the suspect.

Overall I give it 3 stars out of 5.

I wonder when will the 4th book be out and where would Inspector Singh go next.?

Inspector Singh Investigates : A Bali Conspiracy Most Foul By Shamini Flint

Can you imagine my delight in finding this book from The Big Bad Wolf Sale recently?

I have read the 1st book "Inspector Singh Investigates : A Most Particular Malaysian Murder"  and found it absolutely wonderful. A friend who read the same book commented that it was bias. But for me, that's the good thing of fiction. You are allowed to be bias.

Anyway, back to this book. Once again this bubbly Inspector Singh was sent out from his country to help with investigation. He was sent to Bali to help with anti-terrorism efforts. Gosh! His speciality is in murder not anti-terrorism. His bosses really seems to have one on him.

But then a body was found...not body..but a piece of skull was found in the bomb site. There was a bullet hole in the skull. The man was murdered before the bomb exploded.

The Police there were too busy with investigation on the bombing. Hence he was "given" this case to investigate. He was also given a partner,Bronwyn, an Australian lady police who had nearly caused a scandal with her statement to the press.

Inspector Singh found out the identity of the victim. He was Richard Crouch. He and his wife, Sarah just moved to Bali to save their rocky marriage.

First glance, nothing much. But then as usual odd things emerged. Wife with boyfriends on the side, friend who is in need of money, his unusual outing with his Indonesia friends and their odd behaviour.

I find that this story very fast paced and exciting. Shamini must have travelled widely around Bali as she know the little quirks of the local Bali people.

However, the ending was a bit loose at some part. Could have been better.

Overall is a good read

Am looking forward to read the 3rd book tonight

Book Blogger Hop-November 26-29

I got to know about this Book Blogger Hop thru booksloveme.



It seems to be a weekly even. This week the event is hosted by Crazy For Books. So hop over to her blog to get more details about how to participate

This week question is "What is your favorite book cover?"

My answer is "Really Woolly Bible Stories" . The cover gave me a warm feeling.

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

A big THANK YOU to Chen Chzan for this early Christmas gift. She knew that I have been eyeing this book since it was first publish. Yup, am a die hard fan of Jodi Picoult book since reading her "My Sister's Keeper".

House Rules is about the family of a boy, Jacob, who have Asperger's syndrome. Asperger's syndrome makes it impossible for him to read social cues and expression himself well to others.

To him, a smirk is same as a smile. He can't differential between the two. If someone tell him to take a seat, he would go and pick up the chair. He takes everything literally.

His father left the family because he can't stand the attention that Jacob received from his mother. Hence, Emma(Jacob's mother) is left alone to raise up Jacob and his younger brother, Theo single handedly.

Emma have set up some House Rules for the family to follow. Among them is "Take care of your brother; he's the only one you have got"

Nevertheless Jacob is not a retard. In fact he is brilliant. He is very focus about forensic analysis. He had a Police Radio Scanner and he kept appearing in crime scene and "helped" the police to solve a crime.

This seems to be harmless until a girl was murdered. This girl was Jacob's tutor.

Suddenly hell break loose when Jacob was suspected for the murder. Even Emma and Theo thought Jacob murdered the girl. But the Emma subsequently able to accept that no matter Jacob did it or not, she would still love him.

In his trial he tried to tell the truth but nobody really listened to him. Things that he said in the Police Station and in Court sound so wrong. He can't get his message across. All evidences point to him.

This is really a good read. Jodi kept the suspense till the end of the story. Don't worry. This is not like My Sister's Keeper where you need a box of tissue. This one is more like gentle suspense story.

The Highly Effective Detective By Richard Yancey

I bought this book from The Big Bad Wolf Sale last year. A relatively new author to me. But since the price was only RM8, I think it was worth while to take a chance on this.

The story is about Teddy Ruzak who is not the brightest man in the world. He have been living with his mother and work as a security guard since he was kicked out of the Police Accademy.

He have dreamt of being a detective since he was just a kid. After the death of his other, he inherited a huge sum of money. He decided to pursuit his dream of opening a detective agency.

He hired his favourite waitress from the local diner as his Girl Friday.

His first case? It can be said as "wild goose chase". He was hired to find the "murderer" of a bunch of gosling.

But this wild goose chase turns deadly when he stumbled upon a murder case.

He managed to solve the case in the end but the life of his Girl Friday was threaten if he tells the truth. It was a real fix for him.

The plot of the book is good and it's fun to read.

Thank you to BookXcess for bringing this book to BBWS

Book Giveaway!!!

Hey! everyone. Check out the blog by booksloveme

It's their 4th Anniversary and they are having a  Book Giveaway for FOUR lucky winners.

Do try your luck

And Happy 4th Anniversary to  booksloveme !

Big Bad Wolf Fire Sale 2010

I went to the Big Bad Wolf Fire Sale this afternoon. Books were going for RM5.Magazine was RM3 each. Buy 5 magazine free 1 magazine. 

Vast difference between books during the preview and 1st day. Most of the popular titles are gone. Grabbed by people. Nothing much left in the kids section nor the magazine section

Nevertheless, there are some really good books left for fiction and non-fiction.

At RM5 per book, it is worthwhile to try out new authors. Now it's time for me to hibernate with my hoard of books

Following The Wrong God Home By Catherine Lim

Yin Ling is beautiful and has the soul of a poet. She is also engaged to a wealthy man and politically ambitious man, Vincent Chee.

She came from a poor family and Vincent had helped her family a lot especially paying for her mother's cancer treatment. He even tried to tolerant her eccentric old servant, Ah Heng Cheh who is obsessed with the mysterious status of a God which she brought to Singapore from China.. In fact, Yin Ling loves Vincent most when he help out her loved ones.

However, Vincent measured out his love in portion. There is always "I love you but......".

He takes her love for poetry lightly.

Then Yin Ling met Ben Gallagher, an outspoken American Professor. Her poetry brings them together and also because of Ah Heng Cheh.

Vincent came to know about the love blossoming between Yin Ling and Ben. He forgive her. Yin Ling felt obligated to let go of her love to Ben because she felt indebted to Vincent.

They got married and had a baby. Yin Ling loves her son the most. But she can't let go of her love to Ben. When she got to know that Ben have been writing to her and that her mother had intercepted the letters, her hope revived. At one part, she was delighted that Ben still love her but at another part she was reluctant to keep contact with Ben. She loves her son very much

Some things happened and Vincent found out about Ben.They had a confrontation. Vincent is again willing to forgive Yin Ling but.......he can't forgive Ben.

What should I say about this book? At one point, I pitied Yin Ling for marrying someone which she said she love and giving up her true love. A really tormented soul. It's all because of her sense of duty. But at another part, I disliked her for destroying so many life.

2nd Round at Big Bad Wolf Sale 2010

Okay...I am officially CRAZY!! Crazy in love with The Big Bad Wolf.

Went to the sale again today...hmm or rather yesterday.

Arrived there around 4.30p.m. No need to queue up to go in but there is still a crowd inside.

Staffs were busy replenishing the books and the customers are grabbing them like hotcakes.

Anyway, I managed to grab 5 books which I missed yesterday. Irene alerted me on that. Bumped into her at the Preview yesterday.

Am comtemplating whether to go for a 3rd round or not.

Big Bad Wolf Sale 2010

My hoard from BBWS Preview. Average RM8. The cheapest is RM2 and the most expensive is RM30

Forget Me Not by Isabel Wolff

Bought this book from Bookxcess not long ago for RM9-90.

The story is about Anna. At the sudden death of her mother, she realises that life is too short. She need to be doing something which she loves. She gave up her job at the share market to become a Garden Designer.

That very night when she gave up her work to start a "new Life" she had no idea that the new life comes with a baby .

That night she met a handsome man, Xan(Short for Alexander) and they got drunk and a new life was made.

Xan is not one who is into being tied down. At first theirs were the open kind of relationship. That is until Anna discovered that she is pregnant. Xan have news also. He was going to break up with Anna coz he was given an opportunity to go for an overseas posting. When he knew about the pregnancy, he wanted her to have an abortion. Even said that the baby might not been his.

During her pregnancy, she went for the pre-natal class alone. There, she met some interesting ladies. Most have a husband and partner. Only she and another lady, Jenny who is a single mother also. They got on well together.

When Anna gave birth, Xan was not around. Through the stages of the baby(Milly) growing up, Anna continued to e-mail Xan to up date him on Milly progress. Xan have to admit that the baby is his as she has his features.

After birth Anna had to start working again and she met some one new, Patrick. Romance blossom. But the Xan came back and seems to have taken intense dislike to Patrick. Hence start another round of dilemma. Patrick seems to be a "perfect" man but somehow, she still have some feelings towards Xan

Not a bad read. Not your typical Chit-lit also. However, there is room for improvement. Wish she had elaborate more on the part of her father and about Anna's brother, Mark. The explanation at the end was quite abrupt. There was not really anything much that build up to the grand finish.

The Catherine Lim Collection

Found this in the storeroom when sorting out the books the other other day.  I bought this book from the BIG BAD WOLF SALE last year. Have read this almost immediately. Very really good book.

There are 4 books in this collection.

1) The Serpent Tooth

It's something like Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club. Each family have skeletons in the closets and this sometime best left untouched.

There is a lot of flash back from past and present.

Best to be read slowly to enjoy the flavour

2) They Do Return...But Gently Lead Them Back

This consist of 15 short stories mainly about ghosts and  superstitions

I have heard some of the superstition before like the one about knocking noise from a coffin means someone will be dying soon; the one about boy being dress like a girl to deceive bad spirit/God; and about dead spirit lingering on earth.

3) O Singapore! : Stories in Celebration

8 tales about Singaporean and their "kiasuness".

Look out for the story titled "Write, Right, Rite" ; or "how Catherine Lim Tries To Offer Only The Best On The Alter Of Good Singapore Writing". Very entertaining

4) The Woman's Book of Superlatives

Stories about the sufferings of women in the hands of men. Sad.

Overall, am glad that I managed to lay my hands on this book. RM8. Not bad ya.

I wonder why Catherine Lim's books have a certain kind of "sadness" in them

Wanted : One Special Kiss by Judi McCoy

Lila is the over-shadowed twin and had "escaped" from her planet to seek her freedom on Earth. She is also determined to complete the mission that her mother Planet sent her to Earth to for.

This mission is connected with Paul Anderson. Paul is a small town doctor whose wife ran away with another man. She left him with their twin toddlers. Paul was really desperate for help when Lila show up on his doorsteps.

She seems to be perfect in every way. He was real attracted to her. Lila too was attracted to him

But is in danger too. There is a group of people trying to capture her.

I like those book very much. Something different from your usual romance story. Lila was a wonderful and refreshing.

The Associate By John Grisham

This book have been gathering dust in the store room for quite some time. Finally managed to dug it out.

The story is similar to The Firm. This round, Kyle McAvoy, a brilliant law student who is going to graduate soon. All big firms wants him.

That is when something which he did in the past came back to haunt him. He was involved in wild parties in his University days. And someone had recorded a video of him and his mates doing something which would destroy his future should the video be revealed.

He was then blackmailed. Surprisingly, instead of money, the blackmailers wants him to join one of the largest law firm in New York that would pay him USD 200K a year instead of the measly USD32K which he was thinking about.

Their "request" is that he was to pass them documents on a Billion dollars lawsuit that the firm had undertaken.

Kyle had to do what they wanted. He join that firm but he tried his best to avoid from being assigned to the said case. At the same time he also tried to extricate himself from this mess.

I found this book unsatisfying. Most of the things was mentioned briefly. Like how he didn't tell his dad about being blackmail. Also briefly about his girlfriend and his colleague who were working half dead. To me the story was loosely woven. I really miss the way he wrote in The Firm, The Pelican Brief and Runaway Jury.

Sorry to say that I deem this book worth 1 star out of 5.

A Voyage By Dhow - Norman Lewis

Bought this book some time ago from TIMES Warehouse Sale at RM10 for 3 book.

From the synopsis it seems interesting. It's about travel by Norman Lewis. He had travel far and to places where not many would go. Here it detailed 7 places where he had went to.

With each place there is a story.  Some are life threatening.

I should have enjoy this book but sad to say I did not. Story too long winded. If only there is some photographs.

This book is just not for me. Maybe others  will think differently.