This reading list coincides with the dropping mercury. It took me a while to conquer the first book on this catalogue. A full three weeks lapsed before I finally crested Jo Nesbo’s latest crime thriller. At 490 pages, Killing Moon was both descriptive and too detailed. Unlike my previous forays, I persevered and topped my eight in his Harry Hole series. I promptly followed this up with a Holocaust chronicle. My Friend Anne Frank is the secret Times Best Seller that you must read next. The author may have passed away recently, but this memoir is a hopeful and lively insight into the horrors of WWII. Finally, acclaimed actor Sam Neill’s memoir represents the third leg of the tripod. To be honest, it’s not the best written book. Neill’s career, though, is littered with memorable turns and stories. He may not be the most decorated thespian but his body of work spanned decades. More importantly, he has outlived most of his contemporaries.

1. Killing Moon (Nesbo). This marks the thirteenth book in the Harry Hole series. The cover claims that Nesbo has sold over fifty-five million copies. Originally released in 2022, it was translated from the Norwegian. Down and out Harry has succumbed to his drinking demons. He becomes a penniless drifter in Los Angeles. When a kindred soul is ambushed by her debt collectors, it is up to Harry to save the day. At the same time, an alleged serial killer is slaying women in Oslo. The suspect, millionaire Markus Roed, spares no expense in hiring the dream team.

A bent cop, a drug dealing taxi driver, a cancer stricken shrink, and an alkie former detective comprise the ragtag foursome. Nesbo goes out of his way to craft a gripping tale. For most of the book, you’d assume that you know the killer’s identity. In this regard, it reminded me a bit of Connelly’s The Scarecrow. The slayer’s methods are troubling. Not only does he terminate his prey; he decapitates them and eats their brains. Nesbo must have been watching Heroes. See also: Sylar (Zachary Quinto).

Moon has short chapters, I’ll give him that. There are 54 chapters in 489 pages. Had there been less, I doubt I’ll be able to crest this one. Furthermore, it also has an interesting premise. Though it could sometimes be tough to digest, the action unfolds in four days. Harry’s new romance adds some colour to a heretofore bleak background. I almost smiled upon seeing Harry’s friend being memorialised in Schroeder’s. The latter is Harry’s favourite hangout, much like Central Perk in Friends. For most of the book, Harry grieves the loss of his wife. The killer’s backstory is likewise sad. As usual, the team races against time as they attempt to unmask and stop the serial sadist.

You might think Moon is purely a crime read. You’re wrong. There are canines and dog food. Parasites and autopsies. Twists and turns. The filthy rich and gigolos. I found the occasional language discrepancies. There’s also a media angle, where two inspired journalists try to one-up the other. Turns out the front runner had an inside source. His career was seemingly over when he’s handed a killer’s exclusive. Will ‘curiosity kill the cat’? In case you’re wondering, the title is derived from an eclipse that transpires in the book’s apex. A very good effort that sustains the Harry Hole brand. Certainly more readable than Police, the last book of his that I tried. This is the first instalment in three years. We should appreciate it while we can.

Rating: 4.56/5

2. My Friend Anne Frank (Hannah Pick-Goslar)

I first learned of this title while scanning the Times Best Sellers list. This was a recent release and people have been saying only good things about it. Two years ago, I read a Holocaust account. Eddie Jaku painted a vivid image of the suffering and pain that his fellow Jews bore. Regardless, as the title suggests, Hannah had a close friendship with Anne Frank. The latter is arguably the Holocaust’s most famous writer. Both Anne and Hannah were born in Germany. They migrated to Holland as kids and lived in the same building. While Hannah was shy and introverted, Anne was vivacious and outgoing. They quickly developed a friendship that, in time, grew deeper.

They went to school together and were practically inseparable. Hannah noted that her pal seemed to bring this diary everywhere she went. Anne though would not reveal the contents of her diary. She said that it was still a work in progress. From a tender age, Anne wanted to be a star and to be famous. She was smarter and older than her thirteen years would suggest. The pair would see their circle grow. Their families were both living in exile due to the Nazis in Germany. They wrongly assumed that the Netherlands was safe turf. Anne’s family would go in hiding while Hannah’s would end up in the camps. Her mother died in childbirth, a tragedy that brought great sadness to young Hannah.

In spite of the terrible ordeal, the world was full of kind souls. When she needed someone to babysit her toddler sister, Hannah would find lots of help. Altogether, Hannah would spend two years in the camps. She’d lose everyone but Gigi, her only sibling. For a brief time, she was able to talk to Anne. Alas, the reunion did not last and they never crossed paths again. After the dust had settled, most of Hannah’s contemporaries had met their Maker. No one wanted to discuss the genocide. The experience was too painful to recall.

Her father’s dream was to go to Eretz Ysrael, where they could make a home in their ancestor’s land. Hannah set out to accomplish this goal by herself. She recuperated and regained her strength. She found a husband from a similar background, started a family, and became a proud storyteller. While others balked at sharing their tales, she found the courage to speak. Her grandkids would even accompany her. They would never forget the daring and resilience of their forebears.

This is another gallant entry from the Holocaust. Not a book that you’d conclude in two days. It took me a long time to warm up to the sets and writing style. Once you’ve gotten past the awkward phrasings, ‘one pop is never enough’. Like Eddie, Hannah was a late bloomer when it came to writing her memoir. As Sister Isa loved to tell our sophomore class, ‘Better late than never’.

Rating: 4.75/5

3. Did I Ever Tell You This? (Sam Neill). This read makes it three new releases for moi. All three listed texts had an English release in 2023. This nonfiction title is also the only ebook on this catalogue. No offence, but this was easily the hardest to digest of the trio. The writing per se is dense. His dry humour has shades of his Irish roots. The excessive amount of detail was likewise distracting. There are also unhealthy helpings of famous celebrities. Sam has made it his mission to include all his colleagues in his biography. Most of these names are foreign to me. Moreover, a vast majority of them are deceased. He sports a surfeit of TV shows, architects, and winemaking techniques.

What can I say? It was a laborious read. I quit already, instead reading Nesbo and others, before giving it a second chance. I would’ve banished it for good, had I not already invested a lot of time. I admit that I had to skip a few chapters. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have completed the read. Thankfully, the chapters are short. Though the writing wasn’t exceptional, Sam does have some moving quotes. In one paragraph, he mentions an acupuncturist in Hong Kong who was so good that he stopped using crutches. This, after only one session. I also mentioned John, my acupuncturist, in my memoir. I said that he ‘clears away the cobwebs’. Neill also gives a description of wine stages for drinkers. He mentions how Vanuatuans are the by far the happiest people he met. Why? They have no possessions of any kind and they partake in the barest form of subsistence.

It helps that I know Sam Neill. I’ve seen his films: The Piano, the Jurassic Park franchise, Wimbledon, The Dish, and The Hunt for Red October. He also describes Coromandel, which I visited in 2013. On the whole, Neill is both very competitive and fortunate. Far from just acting, he has owned first class vineyards and stunning houses. His best friend is Aussie and it was in Sydney where his acting career truly took off.

Rating: 3.6/5

I’m currently reading Lolita by Nabokov. Like the aforementioned biography, I’m giving it a second chance. Lolita is generally considered one of the past century’s finest. It doesn’t make it any easier to grasp though.