Movie Review for Runner on Angel

 

 

Last week I finally saw the feature film of Runner starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson along with a good support cast on the Angel App. The movie production is by 2521 Entertainment and A Broken Road Production with assistance by Angel Studios. Runner was written by relatively unknowns Miles Hubley and Tommy White who both also executive produced it alongside several team members including Owen Wilson. The director was Scott Waugh who has been known in the past for movies like Act of Valor, Hidden Strike and Need for Speed. This movie first was released in the theaters on September 11, 2026.

With Scott Waugh’s experience of directing action packed thriller movies, all he needed was to have a good script and production team alongside well known lead actors and you really can’t go wrong in making this film.

Alan Ritchson being known for the TV show Reacher and movies like War Machine alongside Owen Wilson known for the recent TV show Stick for Apple TV and blockbuster movies like Cars, A Night at the Museum and one of my personal favorites of his Drillbit Taylor, both have a great chemistry in this movie that is very believable. 

Ritchson plays a former soldier, Hank Malone, who seems to have moved to Australia and now is a courier and rewardist helping people while trying to deal with his past. As for Wilson who plays, Ben Bishop, a medical courier that flies into Melbourne, Australia trying to deliver a rare organ for a sick little girl brought over from the United States. With a great supporting cast of characters from bad guys to various other good people, this is a truly good movie even though it has some bad language and extreme violence at times but overall had a good message in the end.

Hank and Ben are pursued very early on by a gang of bad mafia type people led by Damian played by Rodrigo Santoro. Damian is trying to steal the rare organ for a client early in this movie by any means necessary.

Runner movie to me seemed to be a cross between Reacher and Tracker tv shows crossed with a more better version of The Godfather. Runner also has humor sprinkled in throughout making it similar to some other movies like this. There are twists and unforeseen moments that caught me by surprise.

Should you watch Runner? Yes you should. You might even want to watch it a second time. What do I give for a rating? It is a 8.5 out of 10 stars or a B+ rating. I really enjoyed it and of course I definitely wanted the bad guys to lose and the good wins over the bad. I think Ritchson and Wilson did a great job of leading this cast and hope they work together again in the future on projects.

The Thursday Murder Club Movie Review

   

Since I have posted two reviews in the last couple of days, one about a book and the other about a movie, I figured I ought to do a movie review that is based on a novel written by Richard Osman back in 2020 titled The Thursday Murder Club. The adaptation to the big screen was a written screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote. The movie was directed by Chris Columbus. Yes that Chris Columbus who directed Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, the first 3 Harry Potter movies and my personal favorite screenplay he wrote The Goonies back in 1985.

I have had this movie on my watchlist since August 22 of last year with the intent to read the book first and then watch the movie on Netflix. I have a long TBR list and wanted to see this movie because I have heard a lot of people have liked this story. The film is 2 hours long so I figured what the heck because I hoped it would at least be 90% of the material discussed in the book. I have talked with several people who had seen this movie after reading the book. The comments made about it was that the movie did justice to the book and I need to watch it and save my time reading the printed copy. 

The Thursday Murder Club stars Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant and several other supporting cast member actors. Mirren plays Elizabeth Best a retired sleuth. Brosnan plays Ron Ritchie a retiree. Kingsley plays, Professor Ibrahim Arif, as retired psychologist. Imrie plays a retired trauma nurse, Joyce Meadowcroft. Finally, Tennant plays Ian Ventham the co-owner of Cooper’s Chase.

The movie starts out with the viewers seemingly dropping in on a group of elderly amateur sleuths with a wide range of past experiences to give them abilities to solve murders. Their favorite cases were for their club called the Thursday Murder Club. They meet every month at the Cooper’s Chase retirement home and village where all of the characters of the story live.

As the murder club uncovers the clues and opens further the investigations that bring about other complications. One of the owners of Cooper’s Chase tragically is murdered. What a perfect time for this sleuthing club, to not only work on their cold case from 1973, but to help try to find the killer of their landlord of the property Ventham.

While this movie is just 2 hours long, it seems to be going at a fast pace revealing multiple layers to each character introduced and the parts they all play to the ultimate conclusions of all plots and subplots. I believe this movie has a good continuity throughout which is probably helped by the novelist Osman to be one of the executive producers of the film. However, it seemed to be a little too short of a movie and the ending was abruptly transpired but left open for a sequel so that is a positive.

I was very intrigued and invested with every character, setting and the flow of the picture from beginning to end. Finding out the important necessity of every person involved has made me want to possibly go back and read the actual novel and the subsequent novels in the Thursday Murder Club series. This movie is definitely worth watching. It is a Netflix co-production so you can find it on their service. What ratings do I give it? A thumbs up and 4.5 out of 5 stars because of the ending and the cinematography and direction by Columbus, giving the movie purpose and interesting qualities. I would love to hear your comments about this movie and if you have read the book or watched it. Please leave a comment below.

Matchbox The Movie Review

 
This week I watched Matchbox the Movie on Apple TV that premiered last week on the streaming service on October 9, 2026. It stars John Cena as Sean, Jessica Biel as Aimee, Arturo Castro as Ted, Sam Richardson as Crosby and Teyonah Parris as Charmaine as grown up versions of the kids that start at the story’s beginning. While growing up in a small town of Cartersville, Sean, Aimee, Ted, Crosby and Charmaine form a club as friends called the Matchbox club. They loved playing with all types of Matchbox cars and vehicles. This movie even tells of the fact of how the term Matchbox was coined many years prior by old man Smalley that ran a garage to fix cars and a great place for the kids to hang out after school. 

    Sean, as we find out early in the film, has a crush on Aimee and finds out she really loves one particular 1969 Chevy Camaro SS die cast. She also drops hints about it. Sean, as a boy, gets cold feet twice when he was trying to give her that die cast car he purchased for her.  When his dad tells him they have to move, his opportunity ended. Will he ever see her again?  Fast forward to an unknown point in the future. We see John Cena on screen and determine he is Sean and he is working on some kind of international mission or case. We find out soon that Sean Walker is an undercover spy and is unfortunately reunited with his childhood friends and they have to work together to save the world.

The special effects and camera work in this movie are very well done. There were a few mistakes I found at various points but it did not ruin the flow of the story and the writing for this blockbuster movie just made for Apple TV. John Cena does an excellent job leading this good cast and the surprising performances of Jessica Biel and Teyonah Parris showing woman power. Finally, the director of this movie Sam Hargrave, has a history being known as a stuntman and actor working alongside the Russo Brothers on many of their projects. I know he has directed in the past but Matchbox the Movie will stand out for me as a very good family movie with no a lot of bad language which is a very important point for this movie. This film is not a 10 out of 10 and a stand out as one of the greatest of all time, but it is really good for your collection to watch one day and maybe a few more times for things you might miss watching the first time. 

 My rating is a 8 out of 10. It is worth watching with a family or a date. I would say kids 12 years and up can see this Matchbox film. Sorry I did not get a review out last week but with the Hurricane in the Southeast I wanted to double up this week. Look for another over the next couple of days.

The Ghostwriter Book Review

 

     Before I start discussing this novel by A. R. Torre or Alessandra Torre as some version of The Ghostwriter was published under, there are several very sensitive topics and scenes written that might not be read, discussed or have thoughts about as clearly as this manuscript. This review needs an asterisk and warning ahead. I hope that you will continue with my take on this suspense / psychological thriller story. Also you need to know that I listened to the audiobook version and have not read a word so comments you might have should be taken through that set of lenses.

While the story starts out with the main character of Helena Ross a very successful New York bestsellers romance novelist, finding out that she has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Brain Cancer. Helena had a husband and daughter in her past and now that she is faced with the thought of dying, she wants to write one more final manuscript to be published with a ghostwriter’s help. This novel is unlike anything she has written before because this is her story that needs to be told. This story will be a suspense and not a romance like all her others.

The pacing of this book is very slow at first and then the speed picks up for about half of the novel. After that, the pacing changes with some of it necessary. For example, Helena has to explain why her daughter is not around. Another is the first time Helena meets her nemesis Marka Vantly that she has despised but realizes that she still needs her to write the last great book for her legacy to be completely finalized, releasing her for the afterlife. Marka is brilliant in her storytelling she believes. When the reality of everything starts setting in and Helena can’t be the OCD controlling mean witch, this is when she has mysteries unveiled to her which is a foreshadowing of all the plots, lies and mysteries that she herself will unload as she writes alongside Marka Vantly who really is a man named Mark.

The subjects discussed through the narrative first person by Helena on why the past is actually really horrible with crimes committed by several people. The more you read the book or listen in my case, I could not stop and wanted to know what bad things her husband did to people in his past. The consequences for actions by people to people and against people is clearly discussed. Does the old adage “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words they can not hurt me” really apply and mean something? Torre addresses that along with other sensitive topics of death and smoke and mirrors through Helena. Helena shows throughout this shocking unwound story she writes with Mark’s help how decisions impact lives lost. The final takeaway I get from this whole novel is to make the most of your life. Always tell the truth even if it is stranger than fiction. The Ghostwriter is a contemporary fiction or psychological fiction. I give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I would be cautious about reading this story if you get triggered by death, murder or abuse in any form or trying to make your life seem all right even if you are wrong in your approach.

The Brink of War Movie Review

    In my continuation of the theme of 250th Anniversary of the United States of America this year, I will discuss the movie The Brink of War starring Jeff Daniels as President Ronald Reagan, Jared Harris as Mikhail Gorbachev and J K Simmons as George Schultz the Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan. It was a thorough account of the famous negotiated talks between the two biggest leaders of power in the world at the time. This movie originally came out into theaters on August 14, 2026. It was later made available on streaming services on September 1 of this year to Amazon Prime, Fandango and other services. This movie was released by Angel Studios. Angel has their own streaming service and this was the platform I chose to watch the movie last night.

The Brink of War was directed by Michael Russell Gunn who is known for being a producer in Hollywood. Mr. Gunn has also produced and helped write the acclaimed tv series Designed Survivor that premiered on ABC starring Kiefer Sutherland showing the behind the scenes of what happens in the United States government during the President’s State of the Union speeches and what could happen in what if scenarios. Finally, he has also worked as a producer on the TV show Billions on Showtime and has had many years of experience in Hollywood. 

His just released directorial debut film that discusses the 1986 Cold War, The Brink of War was his first time behind a feature film as a director and producer for the big screen in his directorial debut that discusses about the 1986 Cold War Reykjavik Summit between the 2 world leaders. Because of his extensive work dealing with Presidential historical moments, I believe Mr. Gunn did a good job bringing the famous story most historians know about the famous Cold War negotiations between the United States President Reagan and General Secretary for the Soviet Union Gorbachev in Reykjavik, Iceland. A historical fact is the movie was really played out in the actual house used by those famous leaders. I would assume the actors and film crews there must have had goosebumps knowing they were filming at the actual spot and in the very house used back in the 1980s.

The acting in this movie was very good. It was written, directed and the cinematography was well captured and made me feel like I was actually there in that most historical set of days for the talks on Human Rights, Nuclear disarmament, the famous Star Wars or strategic arms and ABM treaty.

J K Simmons as George Schultz was surprisingly strong and well portrayed and I felt Schultz was just as intelligent and powerful as the two mighty leaders of Reagan and Gorbachev and his foreign minister counterpart.

My only negative take away by the Angel Studios film was the unnecessary bad language for a faith based and family film company. I was happy to see that Angel has offered a version of the movie that has removed the bad language for the family to watch and not be concerned of the language and adult topics if a younger audience that is watching alongside their parents.

This movie takes us through all the various levels of talk and how we were at the brink of war. This summit was not long after Reagan’s assassination attempt back in 1981. The subplot characters of Nancy Reagan played by Hope Davis and Raisa Gorbachev the wife of Mikhail Gorbachev were described in an interesting way. I was not aware of their places in these important talks. I was only 14 years old when all of this transpired and a little young to remember all of this was going on back then.

My take on The Brink of War is that it is a good movie that people should watch at least one time. It might not be a movie that is 100% accurate but it is at least 95% in the storytelling. The fact they were able to use the actual location for the filming of this very important and historic event should tell you how they were trying to get it right and be accurate as possible. I give this movie a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Transformers 40th Anniversary Review

  

On Friday September 18, 2026 was the 40th Anniversary of the introduction of the Transformers universe to be introduced to us humans. The introduction came in the animated movie that first aired on television. The same movie made its big screen debut 40 years later in the theaters on the very day Friday. While I could do a review of that movie, I believe many of you that read my reviews probably would not try to find and watch that first movie. So instead, I am going to give you a review of a movie of the live action Transformers that was made with CGI effects on the big screen on July 3, 2007 starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight and John Turturro.

I am not sure where you can find the animated film after Friday since it is a one day celebration in the theaters. The live action Transformers or Transformers 1 and subsequent films can be found on Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ and Fandango to name a few streaming services. I personally own a few of these movies on Blu Ray. 

What can I say about Transformers universe? When I was a kid, I remember the television show and the toys that came out by Hasbro. I used to have a couple of them but they were lost as I have moved many times in my life. The first time I felt they made an indelible mark in many people’s minds was when the first live action Transformers movie came out directed by Michael Bay on July 3, 2007. It is crazy to think that this movie is almost 20 years old and the special effects that were used along with an epic movie soundtrack made the movie stand out. 

I remember the first time I watched the original one and when I first heard the beginning of  “What I’ve Done” song by Linkin Park at the beginning under the scenes with Sam Witwicky driving around the first time in his Camaro unknowing the importance of the car and the power it held before its unveiling as the famous Bumblebee. This movie had the most famous Autobots and Decepticons. I must confess that I am a Peter Cullen fan and hearing his first words in the movie as Optimus Prime sent goosebumps through my body knowing who it was and the first time on the big screen. Optimus is the leader of the Autobots. Fast forward to Friday while watching it for maybe the fifth time I had those same thoughts and emotions.

When I was a kid, the animated changes from a car, truck to the Autobots or Decepticons, never realized or made as much of an impression for the transformations like in this live action feature film. The special effects for the transforming was very good. I would give it an A- because I have seen some other movies do better but at the time when the movie was released was the best for a movie like it of its genre at that time in my opinion.

Transformers first foray on the big screen is the best of the series of movies that Michael Bay has been involved with to date. The cast of characters and actors were a good ensemble and it made it hard to find all of the bad guys and want to be bad guys. The heroes were the Autobots and Sam Witwicky which is fitting since his grandfather started this archeological exhibition of aliens and tried to fight a Decepticon that he found given the name Iceman. He left all of his clues to his son a unhip wannabe and the grandson that is a pivotal dealer to keep himself out of trouble.

The voice of the Transformers are legends in the voice world and in front of the camera as well. As stated, the leader of them all is Peter Cullen the voice of Optimus Prime. Cullen has been known as Optimus all the way until his unfortunate death last month. He is also known as the voice of Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh films. Cullen has been doing voice work for 50 years with over 40 of it just for the Transformers projects alone. The voice of the evil Deception leader Megatron for the movie was Hugo Weaving known for acting in front of the camera. The other voices were Mark Ryan as Bumblebee, Robert Foxworth as Ratchet and Jess Harnell as Ironhide and other Transformer characters. 

Transformers, the original in 2007, is definitely worth a watch and has a good easy to follow storyline and revelations are timed just right. I think this movie deserves a 9 out 10 stars.  I have seen many of the other movies in this universe and feel most of them are deserving a watch at least one time. Congratulations to all those associated with the Transformers universe!  R.I.P. Peter Cullen and Autobots roll out.

Ghosts of Honolulu Book Review

 
   

As I have written in previous blog posts, I stated that I will be discussing about various media dealings with American History since this is the 250th birthday year of the United States. I will talk about movies I think deal with that history or Americana as some people call it. I also said that I will try to find books that go into important historical significances of what has made America great, ways it can learn from its mistakes and the foundational structure from the government to the military and the business of how we have gone about existing as a great and most important Nation of all the world in my opinion.

Before I go into the review of Ghosts of Honolulu written by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll Jr.,  I want to say that if you watch “NCIS” t.v. shows where Leroy Jethro Gibbs played by Mark Harmon or a military / police drama show watchers then this book is not that fast. This book is not wrapped up in a bow and given a final conclusion in one hour. Leon Carroll Jr. not to be confused with Rocky Carroll that played Leon Vance on the NCIS t.v. show is actually a real retired NCIS agent and consultant. Also, I have personally been to Honolulu and more of Hawaii on multiple occasions. I have had the honor of going to Pearl Harbor and seeing the incredibly moving and impressive historical pieces and heard people tell the story that happened on December 7, 1941. “A date which will live in infamy” President Franklin D Roosevelt said after the attack. It is also moving to see the watery grave of the USS Arizona. When you go over it and know that sailors are buried in his sunken ship, it is a powerful solemn moment.

What can I now say about the Ghosts of Honolulu book? I was not sure what I was going to read. A history book used for a college classroom? A novel type approach to the stories you would find for your favorite fiction or historical fiction book? A diary unveiling like Gibbs does on the spinoff show “NCIS Origins?” Well, I believe its got a lot of all three except this is all true. It is a book that fillets open all of the known historical facts and stories known about the untold story of Pearl Harbor. It tells about Japanese spies and the beginnings of the Naval Criminal Intelligence Service and how the US Government and all the military branches dealings before, during and after the horrific attack on Pearl Harbor. The islands of Hawaii were not yet a state of the United States. It was a territory not unlike Puerto Rico today. Honolulu was a big place that America had their ships and planes stationed in the Pacific. Honolulu had a big Japanese population back in the 1930s and 1940s.

I took the seriousness of the book and the subject matter to really digest the information introduced and discussed very thoroughly. It’s detailed accounts of the Japanese spies like Douglas Wada and tells about the important places and events that unfolded to trick, deceive and manipulate both sides of Japan and the USA. This leads to all that is discussed in this deeply powerful and well written telling of this whole event. I thought I knew everything about it from studying it in school, watching movies like Pearl Harbor that came out in 2001 starring Ben Affleck and Josh Harnett and interviews and documentaries. I have to say that this book is the most detailed account I have ever read about the events and the deceptions of the spies to steal all the important information and catch America off guard to make it the deadliest attack on the American military at that time.

This book is very well done and a definite MUST read for the history buffs and those wanting to understand better of what happened from successes to failures. I was also impressed that the authors put the whole speech, word for word, after the attack on Pearl Harbor in the book. It fits to what they were presenting about it to give a clear complete picture of the aftermath even years later. I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. Very well done and loved all the pictures included and all the prologues and epilogue to this American history event.

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning Movie Review

 

When you watch a movie, do you care if it is a prequel, sequel or ending of a series of films when watching it? Is it important to watch a previous film or films if it is a continuation and a previous story? In the case of the eighth installment in the Mission Impossible universe, I believe it to be the final installment of the Mission Impossible nine part saga. I would say yes you definitely need to see the previous movie called The Dead Reckoning that came out in 2023 to fully understand the conclusions and plots for this film. This movie made its screen debut on May 23, 2025 in the theaters to a moderate level of success in the United States. A few months later in December 2025, it made its streaming debut. So why has it taken me so long to finally see this movie you might ask? While I am not a fan of Tom Cruise, I do appreciate the movies that he acts in and also that he performs his own stunts. I watched the first movie called Mission Impossible in the theaters in May 1996. The date of the first movie release was May 22, 1996. There is an important moment using that date for The Final Reckoning. With the movie theaters not providing a lot of consistent good options to watch and streaming prices going up and up, I am finding more and more great quality movies I can watch on whatever streaming service I subscribe to with movie theater quality using Dolby Atmos, IMAX, 4K, all of them in my house. For this week’s pick of The Final Reckoning is on most streaming services. I have Prime Video and Paramount+ and through it I decided I wanted to see the conclusion to this saga. I am really glad that I finally have watched it and really liked it. The film is just under 3 hours at 2:50. The story is dealing with Ethan Hunt and his team who yet again save the world literally. The villain this time is believed to be A.I. also called “The Entity”. 

 A.I. is discussed a whole lot these days from movies, novels, news and other outlets. I felt this movie and my last movie review of Mercy gives us all a good look as to why we should never consider AI in the future to dictate our lives. It can be a poison pill in the wrong hands.

While the film felt a little long, I didn’t feel it was necessary to wrap up the two part film and overall saga’s epic quicker. There were flashbacks to the first film and other movies in this series. To help with explaining the plots throughout there were several foreshadowing moments to help the audience along with flash images and videos of the future and how it could all play out. I was happy to see all of the same beloved cast reappear in both The Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning. I will miss seeing Benji, Luther, Kittredge and of course Ethan Hunt in the future but this was a good sentimental sendoff to the series. What is my rating for this final installment? A 8.5 out of 10 stars. It was a satisfying conclusion and happy that I finally saw this and maybe you can as well if you have not taken the time. If you have seen it, what are your thoughts on this movie? Leave them in the comments or what you thought of my review to this one.

Mercy Movie Review starring Chris Pratt

 

Mercy is a film that is set not very far in the future. It is a glimpse into what it would be like if the court system was run by an A.I. judicial program designed to make the defendants that appear before the AI judges to be guilty unless they can prove their innocence in 90 minutes or less. Chris Pratt plays a police detective Chris Raven that was a part of the group helping create this new AI system called Mercy.

As the film opens up, we find Raven strapped to a seat ready for a potential execution if he can not prove his innocence having being charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Raven played by Annabelle Wallis. The A.I. judge is portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson. She has no feelings or emotions but only logical infer and determines all crimes on a fact driven basis.

Chris Raven spends the next 90 minutes using a wide range of sources from his and other cell phone data and videos to whatever is necessary to show the not guilty evidence. Yes, a phone a friend option is used so to speak.

We find out the crime happened on one day, with the trial occurring on the next since there are no humans used for the judiciary and humans defendants. Chris Raven is essentially both his own attorney and defendant at the same time and always on the “stand” until the clock’s ticking completes with a final verdict. Raven’s daughter, Britt, played by Kylie Rogers is an essential part to the story plots and the actress played her well.

The movie’s plot lines are 100% believable and the concept ideas are scary imaginative scenarios that can be a reality in our U.S. court systems one day. At the time of this review there are a lot of discussions about the building of data centers and expansions to the use of A.I. in the near future as a reality. Can we as a humanity really put our heads in the sand and not believe anything like this is possible?

In the movie industry’s past we have had movies like Back to the Future that have discussed life events that have jumped off the screens becoming realities as recently as in the last few years. I realize that movies are fictional accounts and escape from our current reality but we cannot live our lives in fear nor 100% accepted things discussed as facts. We all need to be aware of everything we do and fight for humanity to always stand up and win over computers and technologies. Yes even A.I. as one example.

What do I rate the Mercy movie? I give it an 8 out of a 10 stars. Good stories and plot lines.

There were CGI glitches in a few places throughout but felt the overall movie was good from the beginning to a satisfying and surprising end. I didn’t see the movie’s conclusion coming at all. The way it was written and filmed by the director made this a very well done performance by all cast and crew members. I probably will watch this film again in the future.

Movie Review for Enola Holmes 3

 

For this week’s movie review I chose Enola Holmes 3 that can be found on Netflix. While this is the 3rd movie in the series for Enola Holmes, I felt while watching it, I could do so without knowing anything about the previous two movies. The entertainment and excitement with the fast paced mysteries that are unveiled in Sherlock Holmes movies of the past or other movies that have sneaky clues throughout the story presented is present for this one. The way all great mystery movies we have watched will give us an ability to solve the film’s plot and storyline with the big reveals at the end is extremely important. While I watched this third movie and second sequel, I believe the Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes) led project was definitely a home run this time. Brown is also one of the movie’s producers.

Enola Holmes 3 starts out with the idea of Enola trying to get to an impending wedding with Tewksberry played by Louis Partridge who was also in the previous film playing her rich heir husband to be is in this film. Not long into this movie we find out that Sherlock Holmes played by Henry Cavill who was also in the two previous movies is kidnapped. Just like Sherlock, Enola has the same gifts to be able to solve / decipher clues and puzzles to find the killer or whatever the mystery needs in the cases.

Without giving away the plot lines of this project, this story like all of the Sherlock Holmes series of adventures and mysteries has the same characters showing up in this series of Enola Holmes movies like those. If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, have seen the previous Enola Holmes movies, read any of the books for either character, then you need to see this potential finale film of the series.

Do you need to have seen Enola Holmes 1 or 2? No, but if you know nothing of Sherlock or more importantly Enola Holmes and their characters you definitely need to binge watch the first two movies to understand the nuances and cadences of each character and the way the various plot lines work and flow. Enola Holmes has 10 books in the series for readers to choose from and likely producers and writers could decide one day to come back to Enola and spin another web of story lines and uncover more clues for another mystery in the future.

What would I give this movie?  4 out of 5 stars. The setting was excellent. The content was excellent. Characters were good and especially rememberable for the most part but the ending was very hurried I felt, this was to make it under 2 hours, long a Netflix requirement for most movies on their platform. I also thought the summarization of who the guilty were and the parts they played in the schemes was also rushed. All in all Enola Holmes 3 is a great family film. I hope there will be future sequels yet to come that are also original.

My Thoughts on the book "Being Henry" by Henry Winkler

 

As I have started my blog page, I have felt that I am developing a theme at least for this year 2026 which is Americana since it is the 250th anniversary year of the United States of America. How have I gotten to this theme? One can say is by happenstance or maybe the instinctual draw to all things that has, is and can still make America great. No this is not my endorsement for Donald Trump or is it even political. I believe America has been great in the past and with real human writers like me and not an unemotional AI prompting us how we should feel. My story shown through these blogs hopefully will show you how important it is to recognize the importances of life with important themes, books, movies, stories and education to help us unwind with our lives. I am hoping that as I continue you will still be interested in my review thoughts and know I am not trying to be overtly political except for acknowledging Presidents and important moments in the United States history and landscape so it might encourage you to read those books or watch those movies I discuss. I am also going to be pointing out pieces of the fabrics of Americana that are also non political and show how important moments and famous people but mostly not, that have important things to say. By showing that will help us all be glad we acknowledge things that can make us thankful and better for the stories.
Enough of the build up…. On with the review of Henry Winkler’s book Being Henry.

REVIEW: When I look back on past moments in American history that help me understand the good things of my childhood and growing up, I look at the TV shows, books, movies, music and events I can say this is my Americana. American history is very important so we can know that which is good and no good about America. I am choosing to highlight that which I feel are good. When I was a kid the good things in life were hot dogs, apple pie, lemonade and good TV shows. My favorite show was the Dukes of Hazzard. Also up there on the list is Happy Days, Mork and Mindy, The Incredible Hulk and The A Team. One of the types of books over the years I have read are the behind the scenes of actors, musicians and anyone that has found success and learn from their biographies or autobiographies from any secrets and stories of how a TV or movie was made or album projects laid down on reel to reel tape. Oh to be a fly on the wall, I can through their words get a glimpse at it.

When Happy Days came out in 1974, I was just 2 years old I watched the later seasons and then the spinoffs of Laverne and Shirley and Mork and Mindy. As the show aired, I was hearing the stories from my parents and friends parents that grew up in that time period. 

Fast forward until today,  I picked up the biography written by Henry Winkler Being Henry in hopes he would share the stories about being Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli and hopefully all of the TV shows he produced and the more recent ‘The Waterboy” movie with Adam Sandler. Boy was I surprised and happy with all the stories that Mr. Winkler discussed and the famous people he met. This book starts from his childhood and goes all the way until 2022 right before this book came out in October 2023. 

It is crazy to think that shows I watched when I was a kid are 50 years or older now. I was thankful that Henry Winkler wrote a personal diary type memoir about his years in the entertainment industry. It was a very revealing and unexpected look into his life and career and how he reached beyond The Fonz and sprinkled in more recent projects like MacGyver and Arrested Development. His little nuggets of wisdom, revelations and candor were a nice read even if you might be only slightly interested in his career. I am a nerd so I want to know as many details of the entertainment genre as I can and hopefully learn and adapt lessons learned as an application to success.

What do I rate this memoir? I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. It may not be a perfectly written biographical story but, I think it is perfect to me and that is all that counts in my opinion.

Masters of the Universe Film Review

For this week’s review I decided to watch Masters of the Universe. It is the fifth most watched streamed movie of all streaming services and number one on Amazon Prime. Amazon MGM is the primary production studio. Why did I? By the power of Grayskull, I have the power.  Ha! This movie stars Nicholas Galitzine as Adam the Prince of Eternia. Galitzine was last seen in the movie The Sheep Detectives as a blond mystery reporter Elliott Matthews. When a young Adam’s family and kingdom are attacked by Skeltor played by Jared Leto to escape the carnage and potential death, young Adam is sent with the Sword of Power where he loses it and has him lost and away from his family and home planet for 15 years. 

When we first see grown up Adam, he is stuck on planet Earth until one day he finds the sword ironically in a comic book / toy store. This is when the audiences are first introduced to Galitzine playing the now grown up Adam before he changes into his powerful alter ego. 

I must confess that I have been a fan of He - Man since I was a kid all the way back in 1983 when the animated show came on television. I know I can’t be that old you say? Well I am just a little bit older. I even played with the few toys made by Mattel. I bring that up because Mattel was the other co-production company with MGM to make this film get reimagined as a better reboot then the movie first starred Dolph Lundgren as He-Man back in 1987 on the silver screen.

I felt like I was in the movie playing alongside all of the characters that I first saw many years ago and felt they just jumped out of the TV into real life. Masters of the Universe is a trip down memory lane for those of us old enough to remember the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe on television. I believe this is the best live action version I have ever seen of this Mattel brand. Nevertheless, I would not go as far to say it is as great as a Marvel movie or you name it special effects comic book / CGI film. The Easter eggs and hidden gems and surprise appearances in the movie were a nice touch as well.

The original film with Dolph Lundgren as He-Man I would rate it as 5 out of 10. For this reboot and new origin story I felt was better written and the quality cinematography making me give this film version a 7.5 out of 10. I would recommend the nostalgic fans that haven’t already seen this movie to give it a chance. The movie does have some bad language scattered through out and a little demonic in some parts but not over the top. Parents, you might want to watch this movie first before you let a 10 - 13 old see it as not to be scared or observe something they shouldn’t. I hope this review helps in your decision on what to watch this weekend. See you next Friday for the movie review of the week!

Movie Review for The Sheep Detectives

Well it is Friday and you know what that means, another movie review but this Friday is a little different since this is my second review posted for the day. I have had a very busy week so I want to post the first review of a book that I will try to do every week. I am going to also be posting a movie review as well.  My movie reviews will also be on a Friday so you can have an idea of a movie to watch with your family or significant other. I hope you will understand that I might not have a definite schedule for a book review of a certain day but movie reviews will always be on Fridays. I will try to post one one week for the theater and the next week the review will be for a streaming service.  If you would like more movie reviews, then comment below and I will try to post both types each week if time permits.

Now, on to my review of The Sheep Detectives starring Hugh Jackman as the good shepherd. The movie I watched is an Amazon MGM studio production that is on Prime Video. It is written for the screen as an adapted story by Craig Mazin taken from the book “Three Bags Full” and directed by Kyle Balda. The novel was written by Leonie Swann in case you want to find it and read to your children one day. Hugh Jackman is the lead actor who played the Shepherd George Hardy. Also making their vocal appearances as the various sheep were Brett Goldstein, also known from as Roy Kent from Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame, Regina Hall and many more screen actors like Emma Thompson and Nicholas Braun.

The Sheep Detectives is a story of a Shepherd who truly loves his sheep and would read to them a book every night before he would end his day. The stories were a detective or mystery novel and we find out early that when no humans are around the sheep talk amongst themselves or to other animals. These smart animals always try to figure the who done it or solve the stories before they were finished. Not long into this movie tragedy befalls George Hardy causing him to lose his life. It is up to the sheep to go into detective mode and solve the death of George because they know how much he loved and cared for them. They know he would have done the same thing for any one of them. Alongside a dim witted at times police officer and unofficial detective of the towns police force played by Nicholas Braun makes this a wholesome and fun mystery movie.

The Sheep Detectives is just under 2 hours long and rated PG. I believe this film can be watched by the whole family. While the budget for the movie was a low $85 million, I did not feel the production, story and editing lacked at any point. I would definitely also consider watching this movie again. It seemed to be a come of age and nostalgic type story that I would liken it to Secondhand Lions meets Babe movies.

I would rate this movie 9.5 out of 10 stars. Definitely give this movie a watch whether you are a Hugh Jackman fan or not. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised how good this movie is. You can also watch this on Blu Ray or rent it on whatever media platforms you use.

 

My Book Review for "Big Trouble Ahead" by Allen Jackson

 

In my initial post restarting this blog page back last month, I stated that I would post my reviews on books of various types with the primary ones being suspense and general fiction and movies of various types that I feel can be a help in our collective pit stops and problems in our lives so that we can hopefully all make it to the preferable checkered flags at the end of our lives well. I also said that I would post life observations that I feel necessary for if no other person than me but hope it will be something we all can learn and use in our lives to better our futures whether from a book or just my journal for that day or week.

Today I want to bring to your attention to a book written by a pastor named Allen Jackson called Big Trouble Ahead. He leads the congregation at World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He has seen a lot of growth and lesson learned through scripture and observations with his world travels and degrees from several schools over his lifetime.

I will say at the time of this book’s writing, the subjects that Mr. Jackson brings up and discusses, I feel, still are as relevant and more so now than when he was first going through them coming out of the pandemic Co-vid 19 outbreak.

The book’s title is described as a description for tribulation that is found in the Holy Bible and explained thoroughly in the first few pages of this christian living genre book. The one thing I liked about this book is Jackson uses a lot of scriptures to explain his subject points and chapter titles and sub sections in each chapter. The subtitle that says a real plan for flourishing in a time of fear and deception could not have been a better wording when dealing with all of the news and stories we see, hear and experience on a daily basis now in 2026 but he wrote the book in 2022. The book starts with the Lord’s prayer explanations and what is the Prosperity Gospel. The pastor further discusses topics ranging from how to build a proper foundation in your life and what can and should you do when life’s storms come, what is the Trinity when it is not in the Bible and how to handle other sensitive topics we see in our workplaces and news daily. Topics such as misremembering, the Lord’s prayer and the prosperity gospel, what various governmental philosophies we observe are in our every daily lives around the world and how to make sure readers can be educated from past Biblical accounts through the scriptures that can be applied to our lives today. Why is it important to understand what, why and how reasons for Jesus and his disciples were so prevalent many years ago and applying it to today’s life challenges and give us encouragements? The unpacking of the information provided with scripture references in each chapter with a given summary after each one to discuss and help ponder what was written. I found clarity in what was written for each chapter through these summaries. The book provides hope and understanding that we can find all things possible through Jesus Christ. His sacrifice is the bridge to all things that can be possible as Pastor Allen Jackson references from Mark 10:27. Hopefully, you will come to understand that with a better armor provided by God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit we can be better prepared for the big trouble ahead. If we can be more like Jesus, his light through all men shine for all to see and make things better and new. This is my brief take on all things discussed in this book. 

To bring this to a close, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. In my 40+ years as a Christian, I am still learning things and trying to better myself daily. Since Allen Jackson has written this book, he has authored several other books that talk about several topics including a book about his dad. Further he has created a podcast called Allen Jackson Ministries & a TV show called Allen Jackson Now. Whether you decide to read or listen to an audiobook version of this book, I believe you should start with this one in case you are looking for a christian living or guidance book. Of course, I would encourage you to read the Holy Bible first with these resources as additions. This last sentence is definitely for me.

My Thoughts and Review on Spiderman: Brand New Day

 On the last day of July 2026, I cannot believe we are this far into the year, I saw one of the many showings at my local Regal Cinemas of Spiderman: Brand New Day. This is my first Marvel movie in the theaters on opening day or weekend since Avengers Endgame. I felt this movie deserved my time and attention by seeing it on opening day. Why you might ask? Because the trailers looked so good. The last movie Spiderman: No Way Home with its writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers and director Jon Watts had great vision and presentation of the multiverse and new growth with Spiderman through all the mistakes and failures to then rise up and lead the ensemble of the two other Spidermen and supporting cast to make the ending great but sad. Even with all of that conclusion, I was still excited for another chapter yet to come. The chapter is now. It’s called Spiderman: Brand New Day.

Important note: When this movie begins you first get caught up with what happened after the last movie ended. Why is this important to know? If you have not watched the last movie then I would recommend you to see No Way Home before you see Brand New Day. It will make your viewing experience a lot better in my opinion.

Brand New Day has brought back the same team of writers and new director Destin Daniel Cretton. This was awesome to hear the writers were back when it was announced because they have been carefully crafting the continuation of the stories and launched Spiderman deeper into the comics written by Stan Lee. Since McKenna and Sommers have done the other stories of the Spider-verse with Tom Holland’s Spiderman / Peter Parker, mental continuity and acumen by these gentlemen made me feel it was going to be a great next chapter.  Peter Parker in this movie is a nobody which leads to abandonment, depression and questioning his abilities when new powers morph in his body after Spiderman gets together with the Punisher as shown in the trailers previously released. I really was excited to see if any other Avengers or Marvel members would appear and set up the next movie in the Marvel saga of films. Also previously announced for Phase 6 of films, there will be the highly anticipated two ensemble Marvel Avengers films with the titles of Avengers: Doomsday in December 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars coming in 2027.

Keeping all of this in the back of my mind, could we be seeing glimpses or tie ins of characters in this movie answered I felt without giving away spoilers? I will say Brand New Day has excellent performances by Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spiderman showing his genius ability to create technologies to help him and others, just like he did in No Way Home, along with Zendaya as MJ, Jon Bernthal as the Punisher and several other well known and for some the unknown characters that make their appearances throughout the movie. 

Because I am a follower and have read some of the comics in the past dealing with this whole universe, it was great knowing that ties from other comics outside of Spiderman and the New Avengers series helped this reviewer feel happy about how they pulled all of this together using comedic banter, the special effects, the story dialogues and explanations of the past movie issues for the next launch in the Marvel universe with past and future colliding. The writers and director made this chapter of the Spiderman saga my favorite of the movies with Tom Holland starring as the web slinger. How the writers brought in recent past links to the Spiderman movies and how the 5 year blip in the Avengers timeline after Endgame ties in with the characters introduced and reintroduced during the progression of the storylines arc for this third sequel film was satisfying.

As of the time of this review, this movie is believed to be on pace to set new records at the box office this weekend and beyond. If this is true, it will make Brand New Day the highest grossing movie ever for any Marvel production. In my opinion, Tom Holland would become the most successful lead actor of the whole Marvel series even after adjusting for inflation. I hope that Holland will continue being Peter Parker for as long as he can. But I know as a comic book fan, there are variations of Spiderman yet to come.

In closing, What is my rating?  I give it 9 out of 10 stars. Do you need to see this movie in the theaters? Most definitely to get the total immersive experience and to see and hear all of the visual and sound effects in Dolby sound so you can feel it. It was excellent and I felt I was right beside them. Kudos to the whole team for this movie. In my opinion, this is my favorite Spiderman with Tom Holland at the helm because I finally have seen Holland grow up and mature into the character and really think he has made it his own. Let all of the debating begin. Oh and one more thing, if you don’t stay until the end after the credits for the easter egg which all veterans of Marvel movies should know to do already.  I am sure you can find it online already somewhere.

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi Book Review

 The debut novel of Allen Levi was given the number 1 book position for 2025. With that announcement does that really mean it is fact or just a bought position by a publisher to the New York Times Best Seller’s list? The book was originally self published by Levi in 2023. It was later acquired by Atria books and released November 2025. You read that correctly…. Late release in 2025 so is it the best for the whole year?  The short answer is yes. There are many who are still giving this book praise for their book lists from celebrities to neighborhood small group book clubs.

I had been made aware of this book by several friends and really needed to read this novel, not just read it but allow it to imprint my mind, heart and soul. Wow! If Theo of Golden is that powerful, then I did need to read it.

When I first started this book, I felt it was not grabbing my attention. It was slow getting out of the gate. I was not sure where this was going to go because the Prologue, I thought, was a good introduction and timeline of the length of this story about a mysterious man named Mr. Theo. The description was just mysterious enough that it intrigued me. Unfortunately in the first few chapters, I felt Mr. Levi lacked pacing and getting to the points he was trying to make. I generally have a rule that if a book doesn’t grab me by 30 to 50 pages in, I will not read it or at least put it down and try it again later if my friends and family want my honest review of a book. So with the desire to keep giving it a chance for friends, I am happy to report that I am glad I stayed with the book and believe it will go down as one of my favorite nostalgic and southern story novels ever. There are only a few other books that I can say Theo of Golden is in company or comparison with since it is set in the south. The first is The Shack by William P. Young and another one is Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg. Why you might ask? Setting for the story in Georgia, type of characters used in The Shack is similar in Theo of Golden and finally the dry sense of humor found in all three books and definitely in Fried Green Tomatoes.

While the town of Golden is fictional, all the information seems real and even uses places that you can definitely find around the world. Mr. Levi, I realized, was writing this debut novel like you cook Gumbo or put BBQ meat on a smoker for dinner. It was slow at first but as he introduced the various main characters you realize he has made an interesting set of ingredients like a Gumbo for his story.

You see the main character, Mr. Theo, is an old 86 year old mystery man that only goes by his first name. Some of the other main characters we introduced to are Mr. Ponder, Mrs. Gidley, Asher Glissen, and Minnette. Theo of Golden is full of mystery, suspense, spider-webbed stories taking you the reader through a wide array of emotions with humor and southern charm that even had me laughing, shocked and also crying a few tears at times. Mr. Levi unveiled his layers of the Gumbo of a story that definitely didn’t have me thinking of the way the story ends in the last 40 or so pages.  

I really am glad that I read Theo of Golden and recommend it for your TBR (to be read) list. Do I think it is the #1 book for 2025? That is for each individual opinion but it has to be in the top 5 of the year for sure. I am hard pressed to think of a better fiction book like this as I write this review. My rating for the book is 4.5 out of 5 stars. I will be looking with hope for any future book by Allen Levi and have added him to my follow list on Goodreads. You can find this book on Amazon or at your local bookstore. Please leave comment or a question on what you think of my review and if you have read it.

Toy Story 5 Movie is a Must See Film Review

What can I say about the Toy Story franchise that hasn’t already been said? This is the best ever they say. The writing can’t be any better it’s said. Then the opposite that stories are getting too predictable and need to end with story five with this series. If you disagree and believe it can get better, this is not predictable and there is newness and original non cookie cutter approach in the fifth film as your answers then this movie is for you. 

When I first saw the trailers for this movie, I knew it was going to deal with technology, new toys with screens and not so much of the old fashioned characters like Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the gang. When the last movie came out it was a story about the new girl Bonnie who was adopted and an only child getting Andy’s toys since he outgrew them. That was a sad nostalgic move but a very touching way to end the series with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Slinky Dog and the rest of the crew in Toy Story 4. I think people would have been fine with it ending that way. 

With Toy Story 5, the story begins with an army of Buzz Lightyears being washed up on an island after a cargo container crashes on the shore for some reason. This army of Buzz played an interesting and important part of the story all the way until the movie’s end. Toy Story 5 is the first movie in the series I believe under the co-production of Disney and not just Pixar for the very first time. There are various Easter eggs throughout the movie that give a nod to Disney with music scores and a couple visual glimpses. I don’t want to give away spoilers. See if you can figure them out and leave your guesses and comments in the Comment section below. 

I love how this movie picks up in the future with Bonnie and her playing with all the nostalgic toys led my Jessie, her horse Bullseye and her vivid imagination dreaming a sci fi story. This is before she starts feeling lonely and sad. When her parents recognize this they decide to buy a LilyPad gaming toy for educational fun. Instead she played with her friends from school online. 

The theme of this adventure movie is how kids are being affected by the new age of digital technology and its impact on them. Jessie realizes it is not a good idea and tries to get Bonnie to not interact with the device and be a playful kid. When Jessie, Bullseye and the gang are discarded by Bonnie since she is 100% involved and devoted to the LilyPad, she tries to rescue her when things go wrong with her so called friends. 

I was surprised how little Woody makes an appearance in this story but was a big help with the whole gang. There were emotional moments and one big surprise toward the end. Now I know some people might take a negative shot at how Pixar handled the Digital technology stuff but I think it is very well done and not preachy but a touching believable set of situations and conclusions. 

In conclusion, I can see this might be some people’s favorite sequel of the Toy Story series. I am a sucker for the original and think it’s still the best. Second is Part 2 and then this one is my third favorite. I give this movie a 5 out of 5 stars. It was well done. Everyone should go see it at the theater with the family and then again at home when it gets on streaming so you can find those Easter Eggs and things you missed.

My Review for Celebrity Pastor by Creston Mapes

 Celebrity Pastor deals with issues that seems to be right out of the newspaper but somehow I thought I would never be interested in reading the subject matters in this novel. The way author Creston Mapes has an easy to follow set of stories from varied cast of characters in the overall story, Celebrity Pastor, kept me captivated all the way until the end. What happens when you are the Pastor of a Mega Church, in this case of fictitious Vine & Branches Church lead by Pastor Neil Gentry, can you handle the Celebrity power status? If unholy behaviors / sins surface what do you do when those sins are brought to light? How do you deal with them? Do you address them or let others help keep them buried? This book is slow developing and somehow really picks up a faster pace as the events unfold. I really like the scenery descriptions of various places in the Metro Atlanta area. I might be biased since I live in Georgia and around the Atlanta area my whole life. Makes me think I am right beside them in each chapter. This is another great captivating novel by Creston that is a stand alone novel in my opinion. If you are looking for a book that is fiction but seems to be a true story, then this is the book for you. I give it 4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars. I will be reading another one of his books or series in the future. He has become one of my top favorite authors to go to even when I have many books to read which is always. His next book that is out now is Sapphire Island. Stay tuned I will be doing a review for that one in the future.


If you have Kindle Unlimited with Amazon as of this post it is available for free through the Kindle App.

Young Washington is a Historic movie Must Watch

I saw this movie on July 4th. Felt it was necessary for me to see this since George Washington having been our first president and needed to be included on the 250th anniversary of the founding of America. I went in with the hope that it was historically accurate even if it was 99%. Because we all know that most Blockbuster history moments made into movies have creative liberties and licenses. I felt this movie did not disappoint at all. It seemed to me to be portrayed accurately based on documented accounts about young George Washington. Whether from his personal diary entries or the truthful mistakes and redemptions he made from the battlefield to winning important battles found in other history books. William Franklyn Miller is a great lead actor who played George Washington. We will hear about him again in other major roles in my opinion in the future. I was left with wanting to see more after watching this. I hope there are sequels depicting from this movie's end all the way to his election as the first President. Young Washington is a movie that needs to be shown in school in American history classes. This is a must see movie! I give this movie a 10 out of 10 stars.

My Review on Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon & Harlan Coben

I have read Harlan Coben books in the past. I have liked most of them. However, this book was different because I could notice when the story was in Reese Witherspoon's voice as it unfolded and when Coben's voice was made known. Knowing that Ms. Witherspoon has written scripts for movies in the past I felt she was trying to write in that mindset as the book began. As the novel progressed it seemed to change in an author's novel voice and more of a book form until the conclusion. Gone Before Goodbye, being the first novel for Ms. Witherspoon, was slow in development in the first half of the novel. This is where I felt Coben came in and he probably was writing the male characters, while she was the voice on Maggie McCabe the main character / narrator and maybe the other female characters. This is where the story seemed to really take off. It seemed more interesting from the beginning of the second half to the final parts of the story as Maggie deals with many points introduced from the story's early layout. She had to come to terms with her past, the attention using her acquired skills as a plastic surgeon and her relationship with Mark her husband, Pork Chop her father in law and other characters introduced throughout. This pacing seemed to increase faster as the story was progressing to its conclusion as Maggie deals with her grief losing her husband and having to deal with Russian interests. A conclusion which I did not see coming. I decided to not read this printed book but instead listen to the audio book because I heard there was going to be something different for me in the recording. The introduction of an ensembled voice cast of actors. Some were screen actors like Reese as the narrator and the voice of Maggie. Another screen / voice actors were Chris Pine as Mark for another example. I liked this audio book. This might be better than the written page because of the performances of the cast of voices helping the story flow better in my head for the plot, setting and character structure with voice separations. This is a well done book and worth the attention if you are looking for a suspense thriller and you have been or are a Harlan Coben fan.