Friday, April 26, 2013

ARC...Artful Reader's Club April Selection

Thanks, Mahalo, Merci, Obrigado, Gracias, Grazi, Danke, Arigato & Shukriyaa (शुक्रिया) 
for all the gracious comments on my March Selection Dreaming in HindiI was so inspired by all the FABulous pieces of creativity from the ARC creative ones. Special Mahalo to Darcy at art-and-sole.blogspot.com who continues to amaze!

My selection for April is RED MIST by Patricia Cornwell (A Scarpetta Novel).
This is Cornwell's 19th in the Scarpetta suspense series (2011, hardcover-512 pages)

Altered book art journal double page spread
Savannah Clues on Left...Prison Bars on Right
layers...layers...and even more layers!
Disclosure:  
I am a fan of the Scarpetta series and Cornwell's nonfiction offering Portrait of a Killer (2002).  RED MIST is a sequel to her previous novel Port Mortuary (2010)...the mist is her tie in. These are fast reads for me because I am familiar with the characters and their dysfunctional relationships. All the usual suspects are back in Red Mist...along with Kay, we welcome back Benton (FBI hubbie), Lucy (niece), Marino (homicide detective) & Jamie Berger (prosecutor).  

Close-up of Savannah, Georgia Clues & Textures
Dr. Kay Scarpetta (medical examiner) is lured to Savannah, Georgia to visit an inmate in the SG Prison for Women.  She soon discovers that this has not been a simple visit to Kathleen Lawler (a character from Scarpetta's past). Thirty-three years ago a connection set in motion a series of events that changed many lives. Scarpetta's goal has been to find justice for victims, however she  continues to be manipulated while investigating unexplained deaths of 'death row' inmates. Is there a prison conspiracy? 



This novel is told from Scarpetta's POV. Her dialogues are laced with insecurities, paranoias and self-doubt. Red Mist starts slow as Cornwell describes in detail the Savannah setting and prison characters.  The pace picks up in the second half as more bodies are discovered, but then the mystery wraps up too quickly in the last pages...to be continued in Cornwell's next book The Bone Bed... perhaps?

Letters veiled in white tissue & painted
Mini Spoiler Alert:  Quote from Page 479.
"evil alchemist who turns a drug meant to heal into a potion of suffering and death."  Did this 'alchemist' do the world a favor?

Rating: 4 out of 5
I embedded the grey moss like those hanging in Savannah Trees
on the left journal page.
The 'hinahina' or 'Pele's hair' grows in my garden.  

Hawaiian Phrase inspired by Red Mist.


He ʻōhuna nalo ʻole kāu i ka ʻike a kuʻu ʻohe nānā (song) 
yours is a secret that cannot be hidden from my telescope
(Pukui/Elbert 1986)

I will post reviews/art on 
Mitchell's Cloud Atlas (2004), Joanne Harris' Peaches for Father Francis (2012), Pavonne's The Expats (2012),  Morgenstern's The Night Circus (2011) and Strayed's Wild (2012)...a very eclectic selection indeed. Hope you will enjoy these as well as my ARC selections...
much aloha!





My May ARC selection is Alan Brennert's Moloka'i (2003). Now please surf over to 
art-and-sole.blogspot.com to find more inspirational goodness.


North Shore Sunset

A Hui Hou...until we meet again.







16 comments:

  1. Wonderful collage and an absorbing review of this month's book. So much to learn from you, thank you. North Shore sunset is just what I need - warmth - it is so cold here in Scotland.

    Janet xx

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  2. Awesome journal page! I love all the layers. ♥ I'm trying to discover each one and learn from it. I have troubles making layers, making them merge and look like they belong together...
    I haven't read any Scarpetta yet, there are so many of them I can't see myself read them all, still getting more and more curious... Thanks for a great review!

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  3. Hmmm....what a clever place to murder...death row...who's going to notice or even care?
    Love the texture on your page...especially the embedded plantlife :D XXX

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  4. I love the textures on your wonderful, red mist page!

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  5. Interesting premise...murders on death row...sounds like I'd enjoy this book as you obviouskly did! Great review and your art is wonderfully appropriate!!! :)

    Thanks for sharing.
    xox

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  6. I used to read these books years ago but i got a little board of them, maybe it's time to read another one :) your review was great and I am glad you enjoyed the read. Love your journaling. And your photos of your surrounding area are truly stunning Dxx

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  7. As a person who loves altered books, I am always impressed with any I get to see. After all, I don't see many altered book pages anymore, so this was a real treat. I was especially keen to read what you thought of Cornwell, as I have never read any of her books, but plan to review Portrait of a Killer later in the year. Your review was impressive, and the art made Red Mist come to life. Beautiful.

    I also want to apologize for taking so long to get here. As for the book I reviewed this month, it does NOT belong to me. I borrowed it from a friend's library. If it had been mine, I would have ripped it apart and altered it in a heartbeat!! Thanks for suggesting it, though.

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  8. Fabulous book pages. So much detail so carefully chosen. Sounds like an interesting book, thanks for the review.
    Jen x

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  9. I used to read Cornwell's books many years ago, but then her books got too dark for me. Very good review, though. I do admire the very textured and multilayered artwork. It includes so many aspects.

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  10. Love the review....love your art work even more...simply fabulous!
    I have all three of the Scarpetta books you mentioned on my bedside pile....that's how far behind I am with the series!!
    Hugs xx

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  11. Great review and I love how you gave dimension to your collage. Love it!

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  12. Great review, i am a fan of Cornwells books, mostly.. I haven't read this one, though I am not surprised t see you thought the end wrapped up too quickly...I find the endings odd in all of her books. Nevertheless you made a cool journal page from it, love all the elements and layers.

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  13. I've actually got it right - I think - and linked my review to the ARC. Please give it a look if you have a moment. Like I said before your art work is superb, full of texture and very edgy in your use of materials.

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  14. Your artwork has so many interesting layers, each one leading the eye into the next. The concept of the book is quite intriguing. Great review and piece of art.

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  15. I usually comment on the book first and then the artwork but WHOAAAAAA I LOVE your artwork so much I need to mention that straight away! :) It's wonderful, I could look at it all day!! As for the book, I am also a fan of the Scarpetta novels although I haven't read any for a while, and as this is a recent one I haven't read it yet. Too many books not enough time! :)

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  16. Great artwork, so much to look at in it! I haven't read Red Mist yet, I've found a number of Patricia Cornwell's recent books have a very hurried ending which means I'm a bit reluctant to read more even though they are sat waiting on my book shelf :)
    And that's a gorgeous sunset - very jealous! x

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