I read not one, but two, books this weekend.  (Ah, pajama days!  Speaking of which, apparently there's an official pajama day in February.  Who knew?)

First up: Obedience, the debut novel by literature professor Will Lavender.  Meager characterization driven by convoluted plot yielding a B- beach read.  Would have worked better as a movie.  Lavender's biggest struggle seems to be in characterization.  His biggest strength? Coming up with a macguffin.  If you've got to read it, check it out from the library.

The second book, also a debut, is The Killer's Wife by Bill Floyd.  Perhaps because Floyd isn't trying so hard to be mysterious and literary, his debut is stronger than Lavender's.  The protagonist is the (ex) wife of a serial killer and Floyd provides her with an in-depth character and genuine emotions.  The plot runs a bit runny toward the end, nothing unpredictable or new...but it works because you care about the character.  Still a beach read, but an A-.  Maybe wait for it to come out in paperback.

On a side note, I think I'm about at the end of my crime reading rope.  Nothing really compelling out there these days and I find there are fewer characters about which the author's care to make me care.  Perhaps it's time for a little non-fiction?

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