I've gotten fed up with a story arc that's been going through several books.

Now I'm stupidly intrigued to know what.

The one I just re-read was Cabinet of Curiosities. I knew I had already read that and Brimstone, but I wanted to reintroduce myself before hitting the next vein of books that I don't remember nearly as well. Though reintroducing Bill Smithback sucks a little since I know (some of) what's coming for him in the "zombie" book (I started before deciding I needed to relearn some characters) and I like the big dumbass.

There's a story arc in which it turns out Pendergast's wife, presumed eaten by a lion years before, is alive and hiding from some neo-Nazis who are running a eugenic program (she's part of it). There's the discovery that her death was not an accident (her gun was loaded with blanks), then who was responsible, then that she's alive ... and so on.

Pendergast's wife, presumed eaten by a lion years before

...What.

is alive and hiding from some neo-Nazis

...Okay.

who are running a eugenic program

...Um?

(she's part of it)

...I see.

Oh, wow. And I thought the zombie thing was gonna be ridiculous...

It's just ... it's one of those things I dislike - it's kind of like when CSI: Miami was all about Horatio Cain and the angst of having his wife shot. All personal angst, spread over several books. And, yeah, he's just a little too perfect for my taste.

I learned today that a friend of mine used to be Elmore Leonard's gardener in Detroit. She describes him as "truly sweet" an apparently he liked peanuts so much she spent a lot of time removing peanut shells from flower beds.

I agree with Toddson, the Helen Pendergast "trilogy" made me want to beat my head against a wall. Same with the preceding Diogenes "trilogy". (Trilogy in quotes, 'cause each storyline got THREE ENTIRE BOOKS, but I'm not sure they were billed as a trilogy.)

RIP Leonard, indeed. The man had an amazing hand with dialog.

I agree with Toddson, the Helen Pendergast "trilogy" made me want to beat my head against a wall. Same with the preceding Diogenes "trilogy". (Trilogy in quotes, 'cause each storyline got THREE ENTIRE BOOKS, but I'm not sure they were billed as a trilogy.)

I'm pretty sure I got through the Diogenes Trilogy before I wandered off last time. I don't think I started Helen's. Maybe I better just get out while the gettin's good.

I don't care for the Preston&Child books, but I liked Preston's Cities of Gold - A Journey Across the American Soutwest [link] very much.