Summer of Fear by T. Jefferson Parker
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

"And her face! Amber's lovely, ageless, beguiling face - somehow lifted back now, flaplike, hinged on only one side, turned almost down, as if contemplating her own hair afloat in that pond of blood."

Summer of Fear (1993) is the eleventh novel by T. Jefferson Parker that I am reviewing here on Goodreads and the first one that I am unable to recommend. The overly complex setup gradually turns into a mess of an implausible plot.

The narrator, Russ Monroe, an ex-cop, is a moderately successful true-crime writer. He is telling the story of the Summer of Fear, in which he himself plays a major part. Amber, his ex-lover and the mother of his daughter, is killed; Russ finds her body. The words "SO JAH SEH," "AWAKEN OR DIE IN IGNORACE," and "MIDNIGHT EYE IS RETURN" are spray-painted on the walls at the scene of the crime. Moreover, Russ sees a friend of his, Marty, the Captain of Detectives of the Orange County Sheriff's Homicide Division, leaving the scene. Marty also happens to be the victim's ex-husband. Russ faces another drama: his wife is dying of brain tumor. Russ' and Amber's grown-up daughter is visiting after a long absence in his life

All this is just a part of the setup. We also have a suspected serial murderer, who calls himself Midnight Eye, on the loose in Orange County. Two couples have been murdered in a similar way, and Russ soon will be at the scene of yet multiple murder (apparently he has access to crime scenes because of his police connections):

"The smell was strong. Both bodies - smallish dark-skinned bodies - were opened and emptied like drawers. Their contents were everywhere [...]"

To me, the entire setup is so contrived that it has the feel of a cheap TV series. What's worse though, is that this setup devolves into a preposterous plot, with ridiculous plot twists, which I am reluctant to even allude to. This pains me because I love Mr. Parker's writing. I have very highly rated several of his novels. For instance, I have found his California Girl, winner of the 2005 Edgar Award, not that far from a masterpiece of the genre. Summer of Fear, on the other hand, in places reads almost as a parody of an actual crime novel, despite the accomplished prose, notable especially in the earlier parts of the story.

I have discovered from the author's website that he wrote the book as a "howl of protest" about his wife's struggle with cancer and death from brain tumor, a pained cry against the randomness of illness and crime. It is hard to imagine the degree of tragedy and horror that Mr. Parker had to endure. He has my wholehearted sympathy, but I have to be truthful in the review: I am unable to recommend the novel.

Two stars.


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Sandra Day O'Connor: How the First Woman on the Supreme Court Became Its Most Influential Justice by Joan Biskupic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"O'Connor enjoyed telling audiences that her husband joked, 'I think it is a tribute to American democracy when a cook who moonlights as a janitor can be elected to high public office.'"
"[...] journalist Howard Kohn described O'Connor in a profile for theLos Angeles Times as 'arguably, the most powerful woman in the nation' [...]"

For such a Supreme Court aficionado as this reviewer Joan Biskupic's biography Sandra Day O'Connor. How the First Woman on the Supreme Court Became Its Most Influential Justice (2005) is a wonderful read. It is a highly recommended read for anyone interested in the political dimension of life in the United States. After all, who sits on the Supreme Court is in many ways more important for the future of the country than who the current president is or which party holds the control of Congress.

[Warning: the following paragraph is a political rant.] Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court is a conservative. I am certainly not one, but nevertheless I am in awe of Justice O'Connor's tenure on the Court, her accomplishments, and of how much she influenced the lives of all US residents. The country needs conservatives as much as it needs liberals. What the country does not need is lying, self-serving scum embracing conservative slogans for personal gain and to wield power. [End of rant.]

This is a traditionally structured biography, where Ms. Biskupic describes, in considerable detail, the trajectory of the future Justice's life and career. The reader is offered interesting analyses of Sandra Day's childhood and early youth experiences on the Lazy B Ranch outside of Duncan, Arizona. We read about her undergraduate studies at Stanford, which she begins at 16. Then the Stanford Law School, where, coincidentally, William Rehnquist, the future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, is her classmate. In 1952, she graduates from Stanford Law in the top 10%, yet the only job she is offered is that of a legal secretary. Then comes marriage and birth of three sons, which is why her husband refers to her, in jest, as a "cook," and a "janitor."

In the 1960s and 1970s, Ms. O'Connor is active in Arizona state politics, including serving at the state senator. At the end of the 1970s, she assumes a seat on Arizona State Court of Appeals. On July 7th, 1981, president Ronald Reagan announces his choice of Sandra Day O'Connor as the first female justice of the Supreme Court. Ms. Biskupic's account of Justice O'Connor's 24 years on the highest court is a captivating read. Some highlights include observations about the dynamic of power on the court between Justices Brennan and O'Connor:

"In some ways, the start of Brennan's declining influence could be traced to O'Connor's appointment."

In other fascinating passages we read about the striking differences, in the later years on the court, between Justice Scalia, who always held definitive opinions on any issue, and O'Connor, who tended to hold open-ended and pragmatic positions in most matters.

Justice O'Connor's tenure on the Court might be illustrated by an ascending line of her influence on the rulings. The quote about her being "the most powerful woman in the nation" is hardly an exaggeration! What I particularly value about Justice O'Connor and what I believe might make it one of the most important justices in the entire history of the nation's highest court is that she was always a voice of moderation and compromise to the extent that she was sometimes accused of wanting "to have it both ways." She embodies the type of a conservative that I can live with: one who eschews ideology and embraces pragmatism.

An engaging biography of a great Justice, and a must read for anyone interested in the workings of the Supreme Court.

Four stars.


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Red Light by T. Jefferson Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Merci, who had once believed she had the answer to almost everything, realized again, to the embarrassment of her soul, that she had the answer to almost nothing."

An oceanfront condo on Pacific Coast Highway in San Clemente, California. Aubrey, a 19-year-old woman, has invited a man for dinner. A man whom she likes a lot. They eat, he leaves, but she expects his return. And yes, after a while, there is a knock on the door, and Aubrey feels happy that he is now in her control. But then

"[...] her smile died from the inside out and she formed her last thought: No."

Sergeant Merci Rayborn, with the help of another homicide detective, Paul Zamorra, investigates the case. They quickly establish two facts: that the victim worked as a call girl and that she was seen with Marci's boyfriend, Mike McNally, a vice detail detective. Mike becomes the main suspect in the case. Moreover, Marci is given an old and unsolved case of a 1969 murder to work on. The two cases gradually become intertwined.

The above presents the excellent - well-written and captivating - setup of T. Jefferson Parker's Red Light (2000), an Edgar Award nominee for the best novel, which follows the author's outstanding The Blue Hour . I loved the realistic, vivid portrayal of Marci in the former novel. The new book does not add much to the characterization of the female detective; fortunately, neither does her depiction lose any believability. Aubrey's character is also written well and, to me, realistic. Of the two male protagonists, the portrayal of Paul Zamorra seems stronger. There is something slightly out of focus about Mike's characterization. Naturally, the ambiguity might have been intended by the author and misconstrued by this reviewer.

As always, Mr. Parker is strong on descriptions of Orange County landscapes. Mike lives in Modjeska Canyon, a charming place on the western slopes of Santa Ana Mountains, a place I know from several visits. Just a few sentences of the author's prose bring the images of the canyon to life. Another great aspect of Mr. Parker's novels, which is on clear display here, is his skill of showing the mechanisms of Orange County politics: the interconnected workings of county government and various business interests. For me, the most memorable fragment of the novel is the compelling story of farmer Jesse Acuna beaten by right-wing assailants.

Another highlight of the novel is the dramatic moment when Merci visits Det. Zamorra's wife in the hospital - the fragment is so well written that it made me sick for a few minutes. No histrionics there; instead an almost clinical account of human pain and fear. And then, the powerful scenes of Det. McNally's interrogation. Alas, almost as a rule, my wonderful memories of the novel are spoiled by a cliché ending. Considering the ending, I would not put this novel on the Edgar Awards' shortlist. I would definitely put The Blue Hour there. Well, that's why I am not a literary critic.

A great read, anyway.

Three-and-three-quarter stars.

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