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Read about Books : Content , Reviews and abstracts:
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Most of these books reviewed and abstracted are available on www.secondhandbooksindia.com , Please log in to find the book of interest. We have reviewed a cross section of books to give the reader a insight into different authors and writing styles. We hope to stimulate more reading and improve and widen the readers choice of authors .
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Title :The Summer Of Katya
Author :Trevanian
This book tells the story of a young idealistic Doctor who spent a summer in the French Basque countryside . It is in first person and through the eyes of the Doctor we hear about his meetings with Katya , a young French Lady who is spending some time in the area. The story is set in the pre World War I era and has elegant dialogue and a stylish presentation which is very European . The mood throughout the story is one of sophistication and high style as the protagonist recounts how he falls in love with Katya .. A free spirited young French lady who does not seem to follow rules but instead lives life as it comes, enjoying and deriving pleasure from every small action , gesture and nature. The Doctor slowly but surely falls in love with her as he visits her to meet with her brother and scholar father.
The Brother is a twin . And he is bored in the Basque countryside. He seems to have a desire to live the easy life , is a champion kick boxer and a pistol marksman. The doctor over time starts wondering why is this seemingly sophisticated family and especially the young Katya wasting their life in the countryside with nothing to do , go to or visit . Are they hiding from someone ? Why ?. There is gossip in the village which does not seem to be correct.. As the Young doctor tries to understand the background of the DeTeville family , he realizes , things are not what they seem . There is some deep dark secret which is waiting to be revealed. As the Doctor proposes his love for Katya and tries to come close to her, the story explodes with action , romance and thrills which explore the darker side of the human mind ......
Title : Slay Ride
Author: Dick Francis
The Book is in first person as British investigator David Cleveland goes to Oslo to look for a missing Jockey. All books by Dick Francis have horses as a background and the story normally relates to some aspect of the horse racing business. This story is written in a wry tone with typical understated British humor which jokes at misfortune as well as success. As David investigates the mystery of the missing jockey who had come over from England for racing in Norway , he starts to uncover inconsistencies and inaccuracies.
Title: Whip Hand
He comes across the widow of the jockey in Oslo who refuses to go back to England. He convinces her to go back as he tries his best to uncover the truth . As he helps the widow settle down , there is a brutal attack at her home . As David tries to understand the reasons behind the attack , he finds himself oddly attracted to her .. At the same time , he is physically attracted to his best friend 's wife in Norway . This contradiction and triangle is delicious and part of the story . It adds zing to the mystery . As David starts getting close to the truth , his life comes under threat and with typical British doggedness he comes to a conclusion.. Unfortunately the truth is not something he likes , but he has to face up to it as he matures with the story.... The story has beautiful descriptions of the country of Norway .. Its horse racing fraternity , the empty spaces and the sea which is always close ......
Read the book for a story that takes time to mature . The book is to be enjoyed slowly and the details are to be digested as the reader lives the life of the detective. This thriller does not have explosive fights or frantic action but the tension builds slowly as the story hurtles towards the unexpected climax.
Author: Dick Francis
Sid Halley had been a champion jockey till a racing accident cost him his left hand .. his whip hand . He now has a new marvelous electronic substitute but of course, he has never gotten over his loss. He has however adjusted to his changed circumstances which has led to the loss of his two loves : Racing and the lovely wife. The wife is now an ex wife who now hates him and constantly bitches about him. She cannot accept that her retired father , an ex Admiral is her ex husband's best friend and rock solid support. Sid loves and respects the Admiral while Jenny can't bear his presence. This interesting situation is well developed by the author and the reader feels one with Sid Halley as he tries to balance his emotional and new professional life.
Sid is now a professional investigator working to solve crimes related to the racing world. As he investigates seemingly unsolvable mysteries with his assistant Chico , the criminals come after him with a vengeance . He is retained ( informally) by the Jockey Club security chief to investigate corruption in the security service of the Jockey club. As he moves towards untangling the nexus between a very powerful bookie , the Security service and the Race Horse trainers , he faces his ultimate fear .... The loss of his right hand .. Can he overcome his fear to do what is right .. or will the nightmare become a reality ...
As if this is not enough , the Admiral asks him to help Jenny ( his ex wife ) who is on the verge of being prosecuted for fraud... As Sid works towards finding out the whereabouts of Jenny's lover boyfriend who has taken advantage of her and left her in the lurch , he faces new physical and emotional challenges as he does not expect any thanks or money for his efforts and his ex wife wants him to fail .. and he realizes that he still loves her and he is attracted to her best friend ... A complicated and delicious thriller which confronts a man's worst fear as Sid Halley comes out triumphant against all odds.... A must read book.
Title :The Twentieth Day of January
Author: Ted Allbeury
It is on the twentieth day of January that the new U.S. president takes oath and starts his term in office. James MacKay an SIS officer recalls an old incident ( many years ago) where a young man was pulled of the streets by the police in Paris and put in jail after being beaten up. As he watches the U.S. presidential elections , he realizes with a start, that the campaign manager of the leading contender is that same young man who was arrested so long ago for a demonstration in Paris .. He recalls that that young man had a Russian girlfriend and was a card carrying member of the Communist Party... He checks back and comes to the startling tentative conclusion that this man may harbor a hatred for the United States which could be a potential for disaster as a trusted aide of the next U.S. president. What should he do ?.. He goes to the CIA who are non committal but agree to investigate . As they start to unravel the threads, they come to the startling conclusion that the Soviets could have influenced the elections in favor of the new President! The choices are very difficult and the onus for hard evidence is on two intrepid agents .. An impossible mission which will have no winners .... A spy story which is a must read. It shows how the American system of elections can be subverted and how the system will survive against all odds...
This is a novel based on an extraordinary situation but the characters and the story line is close to realism . As one reads this book , one can almost understand the cold war era and why the super powers played the dangerous games where the stakes were so high.