Jenn's Review: Psych's Guide to Crime Fighting for the Totally Unqualified

 Blurb:  GOT A MYSTERY TO SOLVE?
DON'T GET STUMPED. GET PSYCHED!You've seen him solve unsolvable crimes, stop unstoppable killers, and consume unconsumable breakfast cereals. Now Shawn Spencer, the mastermind from TV's hit show Psych, shows you how to become a fake psychic-and a real detective-using his patented methods of crime-fighting awesomeness. Along the way, he'll help you deal with whiny sidekicks (that means you, Gus), interfering police officers (including but not limited to Chief Vick, Lassiter, Henry, Buzz MacNab, and, ah, Juliet), and flashes of genius (like Evel Knievel's white leather jumpsuit). 

You'll discover:

How to set up a totally bitchin' office, where Wednesday = Ladies NightHow to convince your sidekick that he's really your partner, How to pick up women at a crime scene, Shawn's Stakeout Survival Guide, including sensible snacks, Gus's Scream-and-Run Method for confronting criminals,Unsolved mysteries like who stole Shawn's Sno-Caps in third grade,The ideal sleuth car: Magnum, P.I.'s Ferrari or Knight Rider's K.I.T.T.?  Who should play Shawn in the movie of his life: Christian Bale or Don Cheadle?  New names for detectives, such as Rico Solvé and Sherlock Homeboy

. . . and way more cool stuff.

Packed with insane pop quizzes, unbelievable case studies, unflattering photos, and off-the-chart charts, this all-in-one guide will have you solving crimes and catching crooks like a pro-even if you don't have a clue.

Review:  Oh, how I love Psych!  Next to Castle, I'd have to say it's my favorite show on television right now.  When I saw Psych's Guide to Crime Fighting for the Totally Unqualified was available I knew I had to have it.

If you visit our blog with any regularity, you may have noticed this has been in my currently reading section for a while.  That's because, well, imagine Shawn's rants, some of his longer rants.  Now imagine reading that for 300 pages.  Granted it's broken up by foot notes from the gang and the occasional section written by a 'guest,' but that's a lot of Shawn.  For me, it was really more of a coffee table book to be read in stages.

Was it funny?  Riotously.  Laughing out loud in public places funny.  Would you appreciate it if you aren't a fan of the series?  Probably not, but if you enjoy Psych, I'd say it's a must read.  

Final Take:  4/5

  Google+

Jenn's Review: Naked Heat

Summary:  Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook are together again in Richard Castle's thrilling follow-up to his New York Times bestseller, Heat Wave.


When New York's most vicious gossip columnist, Cassidy Towne, is found dead, Heat uncovers a gallery of high profile suspects, all with compelling motives for killing the most feared muckraker in Manhattan.


Heat's murder investigation is complicated by her surprise reunion with superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook. In the wake of their recent breakup, Nikki would rather not deal with their raw emotional baggage. But the handsome, wise-cracking Pulitzer Prize-winning writer's personal involvement in the case forces her to team up with Rook anyway. The residue of their unresolved romantic conflict and crackling sexual tension fills the air as Heat and Rook embark on a search for a killer among celebrities and mobsters, singers and hookers, pro athletes and shamed politicians.


This new, explosive case brings on the heat in the glittery world of secrets, cover-ups, and scandals.

Review:  This transmedia book is the second of the series from the Castle franchise on ABC.  While I'm not sure how much you would appreciate this if you aren't a fan of the show, it's a must for a die-hard Castle addicts such as myself.  This book came out last fall and I saved it for this summer when I knew the Castle hiatus would be killing me.  I love that it gives me a little piece of Castle for my very own.

As with Heat Wave, this is a culmination of Castle's time shadowing Beckett.  So it makes perfect sense that  the writers use some of the cases we have seen on the screen, but jumbling them up and mixing the stories together with an entirely new plot.  More to the point, they are very meticulous about keeping everything in Castle's voice.  You can really hear his character as the author.  It supplements the show with a depth of perspective on the character of Richard Castle. It's also amusing to see the characters made into characters.  However, although "Castle" includes a caricature of his mother in the book, he does not give his Jameson Rook a daughter. I think that says a lot about the man, and the protective father, Richard Castle is...

Everything has been getting more complex on the show, providing more to draw from and making for a more intricate novel with more plot twists.  Even the relationship between Lanie and Esposito makes it into Castle's book.  The story is attention grabbing so I stopped thinking about the story-within-a-story-within-a-story thing and just enjoyed it as it was meant to be. Heat is through with Rook, having kicked him out of her life professionally and personally after his article on the department turned into a feature on her. But her freeze out comes to an end when Rook's newest journalistic subject is murdered and his insight is needed once again.  It was a good case, and though I caught one of the clues planted early in the book, I didn't know the who and the why of it until it was revealed in the story.

The other nice thing about the novel is that it gives Castle-Beckett 'shippers' something to hold onto.  The romance between Rook and Heat is a virtual love letter to Beckett (and still she isn't ready to let him in...).  I also think it demonstrates that an on screen relationship could work with tension and interest still being maintained.

Heat Rises, the third book, is due out September 20, 2011 (along with the Season 3 DVDs) and it's definitely on my TBR wishlist, especially after the escalated, game-changing third season that the show had.  It will be fascinating to see what changes in "Castle's" writing and what gets pulled into the story.  I may not be able to hold out for a summer read again, though.  I'll probably read it when the show goes into winter hiatus.  The pull is that strong.

Final Take:  4.25/5

Books to TV: Rizzoli and Isles

Jenn's Thoughts: It was everything I expected it to be and more. Tess Gerritsen is a master of suspense and I think that really came through on the screen. I look forward to seeing how the writers maintain that and keep the camaraderie. Although with all the serial killer tension last week, I'm not sure viewer's who haven't read at least some of the series really got to know the character's very well. It will be interesting to watch them balance the suspense and the character development. And I loved that Jane saved herself from the situation last week.

I loved the cast ~it was great to see Angie Harmon on TV. I really think this is perfect for her. Sasha Alexandra is a great Isles, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from her character. It was nice to see Billy Burke too ~in the series Jane marries an FBI agent, and I'm wondering if that was the set up for that... I hope so because it would be nice to keep him around.

The network has to be pleased, too. The show set a series-launch record with 7.6 million viewers. Let's hope they keep pulling them in!

On another note, I was a little disappointed with the criticism floating around the Twitterverse that Rizzoli & Isles is a cheap knock off of Bones. The characters Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles have been around longer than Seeley Booth & Temperance Brennan (from Bones on television). Now if you want talk Andrew Ryan and Temperance Brennan (frow Reichs's written work), that's a different story. However, it's certainly not a fair comparison. Book-to-television-wise, Rizzoli & Isles is truer to the written word than Bones. And that's not a criticism, for as anyone who reads our blog regularly knows, I'm a huge fan of both Rizzoli & Isles and Bones as well as Tess Gerritsen's & Kathy Reichs's books. Appreciate it for what it is, people!

There is actually a comment on Twitter from a viewer that said she hated it but then again she hates both actresses... now every one's entitled to their own opinions, but I was sorely tempted to respond with a line from Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Well then it's a good thing you're going to a chocolate factory, you ungrateful little..." But I digress. What I'm trying to say is, if you are a fan of crime shows, keep watching. I'm expecting great things from this series.

What was the other thing wanted to say? Oh, yeah, and I'm glad it's Monday because I'll be tuning in again tonight!


Julie's Thoughts: Have I ever mentioned that I love Angie Harmon? Well when Jenn told me about Rizzoli & Isles being on TNT and she was a lead; I knew I would at least check it out. I have read a couple of Tess Gerritsen novels but it's been a few years. Apparently the first episode is based on the books I did read only because I remember the titles not the plot. I know that's pretty awful but pretty common among avid book readers.

I think the casting is superb on the show. Angie plays a great cop, as most of her fans know. I know that Sasha Alexandra looks familiar but I can't place it. She's a great Maura Isles. The supporting cast looks to be solid as well. I hope that Bruce McGill is on the show more than once. And well what else can you say about Lorraine Braco but what a catch for the show.

I know that some people have a problem when Hollywood gets a hold of characters from books but I don't. Maybe it will make people who love the show go pick up the books and get more background more detail.

Maybe Jenn and I will share Tess Gerritsen books. :)

If you love police shows then you should most definitely check out Rizzoli & Isles on Monday nights on TNT at 9pm CST. It is perfectly paired with The Closer.

Book to TV: Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli & Isles

I heard rumors that there was a new novel-based series coming to TV, but I don't know if I realized it was from Tess Gerritsen. I've read some of her medical thrillers (in my quest for more books along the same vein as Kathy Reichs & Iris Johansen) but somehow I missed her Rizzoli & Isles series. I'm currently reading an advance copy of Tess Gerritsen's upcoming release in the Rizzoli & Isles series, Ice Cold, and loving it... and it's got me excited about the premiere of Rizzoli & Isles on TNT this summer.

I haven't seen a lot of promotion for this, but I don't start watching TNT until Leverage and The Closer return, so that's not a huge surprise. It stars Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli, detective, and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles, medical examiner. If you're not familiar with the series, here's TNT's official summary:

RIZZOLI & ISLES follows Boston detective Jane Rizzoli (Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander), complete opposites and good friends who solve crimes and bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals. Growing up at opposite ends of the economic spectrum, the two remain strikingly different from one another in many ways. Jane, the only female detective in Boston’s homicide division, is a tough and gutsy cop who doesn’t let her guard down (except with Maura), dodges her overprotective mother and is better at basketball than her other. Maura, meanwhile, is usually more comfortable among the dead than the living. She is always impeccably dressed in designer duds with a steady, sometimes icy temperament. And she is working on curbing her tendency to diagnose the people she meets – including her first dates. Jane and Maura often find themselves working together as both use their brilliant minds and expertise to figure out the “who done it” as well as the “how done it” of Boston’s most complex cases.

Despite their many differences, Jane and Maura are best friends, with a quirky and supportive relationship. As Tamaro explains, “That Jane and Maura are so different and yet so effective as a team makes them unusual.… There’s something rare about their relationship that I see in the world but not enough on television: two smart, strong, competent women who instinctively drop the protective shield when they’re with each other.”

Is there room in the TV repertoire for another crime show, especially a book to small screen series? I think so. While Patterson's Women's Murder Club failed at it's attempted jump to the little screen, Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan series has thrived with Bones going into it's 6th season with a 7th season already signed. I think Reich's series had an edge because it was so different and well scripted whereas WMC seemed to have some plot direction problems.

Will Gerritsen's series be able to hold it's own? I hope so. It's not under as much pressure being a summer show on TNT. Angie Harmon is a perfect choice ~I love her and am thrilled to see her back in this type of roll (although she is still the voice of Lindsay Boxer, even as I read). TNT has also taken a leaf out of Castle's book and they have created twitter accounts for their characters which is great transmedia without being too much (like Heroes online comic books that I never had time to keep up with).

There is a niche out there for this kind of show and I think this might fit the bill. TNT does 'know drama' and I look forward to this new venture. I know I'll be tuning in July 12th at 10pm!

Jenn's Review: Heat Wave

Summary: A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest. PulitzerPrize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat.

Review: This book is a transmedia part of the show Castle on ABC and I really can't discuss one without discussing the other. The premise of the show is that Richard Castle, a famous mystery novelist, follows around Detective Kate Beckett of NYPD homicide as research for a new series he's writing after having helped her solve a copy-cat murder based on one of his novels. The book is the first installment of Castle's new series with the lead character, Nikki Heat, based on Beckett.

Obviously, I like the show or I wouldn't have picked up the book. The dialogue is quick and witty and the characters are likable ~ in that way, it's almost like a Bones-lite. Also, as with Bones, I like the fact that the viewer doesn't figure out the whodunit ahead of time (I usually pick them out within the first 5 minutes of Mentalist, but not so here). I love the cameos by actual authors too such as Stephen J. Cannell, James Patterson ("Only one book a year, Rick?!?"), and Michael Connelly who all play poker with Richard Castle. Actually in the beginning of Season 1 they used to do this really awesome cinematography of the crime scenes to start each show and I kind of miss that... but I digress.

The book is supposed to be Castle's novel based on his exploits with Beckett and the NYPD homicide division, so it is loosely references several episodes of Castle. In that way, it was a lot like reading an episode of the show with the luxury afforded of being able to go into greater detail. It was a little strange at times because the reader is immersed in a fictional character's work of fiction. I could really 'hear' Castle's voice as the author... which is Nathan Fillion, but not because it's actually that the writer's of the show. So you can see how it could be a little mindboggling to me at times due the fact that it was a story in a story in a story, so to speak, not to mention the dejavu moments ('Oh, I remember this scene!') from different episodes of the show. Although, that means the show writers have voiced a solid character and that the continuity between book and show is flawless.

I thought it was a great addition to the Castle franchise and a winning idea from ABC (believe me, you don't hear me say -or read me type, in this case- that very often). It's a nice tie in and aussuaged the post-television-season blues. The second installment, Naked Heat, is due out in September and I've added it to my wishlist. Would you enjoy it if you haven't seen the show? Perhaps. Perhaps not. I don't know how much I would appreciate the voice of Castle-the-author if I didn't know the character. Then again, it's not quite 200 pages and a great plot with lots of twists and turns. It might just be a perfect summer read.

Final Take: 4.0/5

Weekend Today Show Segment: Winter Books

I happened to have the luxury this morning of watching the Today Show's Weekend Edition. During the brief time I could watch it they did a segment on Great Winter Books to read and while I knew some of the books they were discussing, I was even more excited when they mentioned The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff. I'm very excited for Lauren that she's getting this much press for her first novel.

Here it is!!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22965059#22965059

Thanks to Julie P for locating it for me!! Sometimes I'm not very internet literate. ;)

A Word about Women's Murder Club Part Deux

I did end up tuning in, thanks to DVR I watched it on Saturday while my daughter napped and I will be tuning in again. It's been long enough since I've read the 1st book in the series that I wasn't nitpicking the characters or the storyline. I like Angie Harmon as Lindsay Boxer but I was even more delighted by Paula Newsome as M.E. Claire Washburn. I actually think I identify with her..she cuts to the chase and tells it like it is. :)

I like that they will have individual cases but there will be a season long murder mystery that they need to solve. Not only did it cause Lindsay professional strife but it seems to have caused her marriage to disolve. I'm happy to see Rob Estes back on tv and they don't seem to have him playing the jerk ex-husband, he actually seems like a good guy.

It seems like I wasn't the only one who tuned in this week. (ratings)
Now we just have to wait to see if it holds it's audience. Not like there is much else on TV on Friday Nights.

Hope you guys enjoyed and will continue to watch.

A Word About Women's Murder Club

It is rare that I look forward to a book adaption whether it be tv or film, like I am to this new series, Women's Murder Club, premiering on Friday on ABC. I'm actually surprised that it has taken this long to make one of James Patterson's books into either a movie or a tv show. Although there was two tv movies made from his books Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas and 1st to Die. I didn't happen to catch either of them, even though the 2nd one is the first in the Women's Murder Club books.

I've read 1-5 (waiting on 6 from my dad) and have thoroughly enjoyed this series because of the group of strong women who know what they want and work together to solve crimes. I like the books because they pull from different areas of law enforcement and even include a reporter who they bring into their group. My favorite character has always been Lindsey Boxer, played in the series by the wonderful Angie Harmon.

I know that in all the promotions for this it says "based on" the series, so I'm interested to see where they've made changes. James Patterson is listed as a writer for the show along with 2 female writers, so I'm encouraged that it will be true to the characters he's written 6 novels about.

If you haven't read the series but like crime dramas with strong female characters, I encourage you to read the books. And if you aren't sure about reading the books, check out the show and see if it peaks your interest.

There's one thing us book lover's know..it is that the books are always better than the tv show or the movie.

I'll be tuning in on Friday to check this show out.

A Word about Pushing Daisies

Now this show is not based on a book in any way, shape, or form, however, I wanted to profile it. I haven’t previewed this show or anything like that, but I am hearing wonderful things about it. In addition, the creator, Bryan Fuller, a former writer for Heroes, is the same one who brought us the brilliantly quirky shows Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me (RIP). Neither of these shows lasted as long as they should have, and I want to do my part to try to make sure that Pushing Daisies doesn’t suffer the same fate.

About Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is a "forensic fairy tale" that focuses on Ned (Lee Pace), a piemaker with a mysterious ability to make the dead live again. The gift is not without its complications, however: if he touches this being a second time, they'll be dead permanently. If they live for more than 60 seconds, somebody else nearby will die. (Quote: "It's a random proximity thing"). It's a gift that he puts in good use to help a private investigator friend, Emerson Cod and his childhood sweetheart, the once-dead Charlotte "Chuck" Charles.

Source: Wikipedia

Chicago Sun-Times says:

"The premiere is lovely in scope, ambition, casting, acting, narrative, writing and direction."

I say: "That's not to be argued with!"

Pushing Daisies premieres tomorrow night at 8:00 pm EST on ABC.

Let's all watch this show! I mean, the first episode is the Pie-lette. Not Pilot. Get it? How cute is that?!

And while you're at it, how about some Money at 10:00 pm - some DirtySexyMoney that is. This show is just so much fun. If you haven't wacthed it yet, check it out!

A Word About Bones

For the last couple of weeks I have been catching up on the tv show Bones (thanks Jenn). This show is based on Kathy Reichs' Temperence Brennan novels. As both Jenn and Jules have mentioned, the tv show and characters are quite different to the ones in the series. Now, I must admit that I have yet to begin reading the series, but catching up with the show has certainly increased my desire to do so.

The shows new season premiered this evening with another great episode. If you ever feel like taking a break from reading this is a good one to watch. Don't worry about feeling too guilty, because it is based on books.

Don't you just love that theme song?