Hire Me or Fire Me

                Hire Me or Fire Me is the first book in the Trilogy of Truth written by Alexander McDonald. It is a coming of age memoir of the author’s beginnings in Scotland and subsequent move to Canada where he tried to settle in a variety of places, including Red Deer and Sarnia. The book is broken up into small stories that are like little snapshots into various events in Mr. McDonald’s life and I found this format to make the book flow smoothly and enjoyably. This book was a lot of fun to read and quite hilarious. The author has a way of writing that is upbeat and likeable, even during the poignant parts. So many things that he writes about are ones that reminded me of events in my own life. Haven’t we all had a teacher like Mr. Robbins? The story about the author’s job at the funeral home was both funny and touching. This is a really great book, both interesting and entertaining. The format was fine as I read it on my computer and I loved the cover which is what really drew my interest in the first place. Excellent!

Murder By the Dozen

                If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, and I am, you are sure to take an interest in Murder by the Dozen. Reminiscent of Christie’s mystery And Then There Were None, Murder by the Dozen is set on an oil tanker where the twelve person crew is being killed off one by one. Enter detective Jan Kokk who is tricked into sailing with the crew by beautiful security officer Kathlee so that he can find the murderer. I enjoyed the book and found it to be a good old fashioned mystery that doesn’t involve blood and gore but is still fast paced. The main characters are interesting and there is lots of information about how a tanker operates that I found to be interesting. My only criticism would be that there are so many minor characters who are suspects that I found it hard to keep them all sorted in my head. The book worked well on my ereader, both editing and the format. The cover and title is what originally drew me in because I am a sucker for any murder set on a ship. This is definitely a great read for those looking for a good old fashioned “whodunit”.

What the Hand

                What the Hand is not your typical book about the end of the world. It takes a tongue-in-cheek look at how humans have destroyed the world through various means and what happens to them when the Book of Revelations comes true. George is the main character who is left behind when his daughter is taken by the Rapture. The book is told from George’s point of view as he ponders his past sins while living in the outskirts of Heaven. The book flashes back to the past as George dwells on everything he has done wrong on Old Earth. This is probably one of the best satirical novels I have ever read. It explores politics, religion, the greed of big money and many other subjects that lead to a person’s downfall. However you do not have to have an interest or know a lot about any particular subject because the author presents it in an amusing format that makes it very entertaining. I have no interest in politics but even found those sections of the book amusing. It is black humour and rather dark reading at times but that is to be expected when reading a book about the end of the world. I found it funny with a lot of subtle truths in what the author writes about. The format and editing worked very well on my ereader and the cover drew me in. This is a perfect book for anyone who enjoys dark humour and great satire.