I know I’m violating Patti Abbott’s “one author, one book” rule, but C. J. Sansom’s Sovereign was so good, I couldn’t resist reading the newest Matthew Shardlake mystery, Revelation. It takes place in 1543, after the surprising events of Sovereign. One of Shardlake’s friends is brutally murdered and dumped into a fountain. Shardlake investigates and learns that this murder is the third in a series of murders based on the murderer’s interpretation of the Book of Revelation. Once again, C. J. Sansom delivers a moving portrait of London on the verge of chaos with political conspiracies and religious violence. This is a historical mystery novel of the first rank. GRADE: A.

Sovereign is the third Matthew Shardlake mystery. It’s set in England in 1541. Henry VIII is on the throne and busy chopping people’s heads off. He decides to take a journey to York to pacify the rebellious locals. Shardlake, a lawyer, is recruited by Archbishop Cranmer to settle some petitions in York and to interview one of the captured York conspirators, Sir Edward Broderick. C. J. Sansom’s meticulous historical detail renders the majesty and the misery of a Royal visit. A murder is committed and Shardlake is drawn into the investigation. As Shardlake learns more about the conspiracy, he is attacked and nearly killed. Then three more attempts are made on his life. Not only is the plot suspenseful, the tension of the mystery is heightened by the historical context. If you enjoy historical mysteries, Sovereign should go to the top of your list. GRADE: A

THE READER deals in sadness. It starts as an affair between a woman who works as a ticket taker on the Berlin trains and a 15 year old boy who is half her age. Before making love, the woman–played by Kate Winslet–makes the boy read to her. The summer affair comes to an end and years later, the boy–played by David Kross–now a law student, attends a trial of Nazi prison camp guards. To his shock, he discovers his former lover is being tried. There are some moral questions, some awkward decisions, some missed opportunities, and an overwhelming sense of melancholy in this film. Ralph Fiennes is largely wasted. David Hare’s script likes to jump around annoying. I don’t think Kate Winslet will win an Oscar for this role. GRADE: B.

I picked this up at Sam’s Club for $27.46 (Amazon has it for $31.99). Essentially, it’s a four DVD compilation of the best of the Borg episodes from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager. Apparently, 200,000 Star Trek fans voted online for their favorite Borg episodes. Sam’s Club had two other DVD collections: Q (who I never cared for) and Captain’s Log where each of the actors who played a Star Trek Captain picked their favorite episode and, of course, the fans picked their favorite episodes (I bought this set, too). Other Star Trek DVD collections include Alternate Realities and Time Travel (hopefully, they’ll show up at Sam’s Club so I can buy them, too). If you’re a Trekkie, or even a casual fan, these sets are great values.

“Emma Lathen” was the pen name of attorney Mary Jane Latsis and economic analyst Martha Henissart. Their “hero” is the supremely confident John Putnam Thatcher, senior vice-president of the Sloan Guaranty Trust, the third largest bank in the world. Banking on Death, the first book in a 24 book series, deals with a trust set up decades ago by an industrialist. He leaves a considerable fortune to his family. But one of the family has disappeared. And, just as the trust is about to be distributed, that missing family member ends up murdered. The investigation is fairly routine. What makes all of Lathen’s works special is that through the unwinding of the plot, the reader learns about interest rates, bonds, stocks, trusts, wills, and other financial instruments, painlessly, through osmosis. All of Lathen’s works blend business and mystery. My favorite Lathen novel is Accounting for Murder.

I had some eye problems last summer and it prompted me to consider a future where I might not be able to read. I decided I needed to get acclimated to audio books. I’ve listened to audio books from time to time, especially when I’m taking a long driving trip. But, given the choice, I’d rather read a book than listen to it. Tim Harford’s The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World is eight hours long in the unabridged audio version. I can read the book version in about two hours. However, I’m going to persist in listening to audio books on a regular basis…just in case.

I’m not a big reality TV fan, but my daughter got me into Top Chef last year in Season Four so I just continued watching Season Five. The premise is simple: 17 chefs are brought together and then they compete in a number of cooking challenges. At the end of each episode, one chef is told “Pack your knives and leave.” Currently, we’re down to the four chefs pictured above. From left to right we have Stefan, Hosea, Fabio, and Carla. Stefan is the best cook, but he’s arrogant and egotistical and nobody likes him. Hosea is the weakest chef, but he owns a seafood restaurant and this last segment of Top Chef takes place in New Orleans, a seafood mecca. This may work to Hosea’s strength. Fabio oozes Italian charm. He’s the most uneven chef. Fabio either hits home runs with his food or he completely strikes out. Finally, Carla is the wild card. She’s the oldest chef. Carla got off to a slow start in the beginning episodes, but she’s a classically trained chef who has come on strong in the competitions that count. I’m predicting Hosea will be sent packing at the end of tonight’s episode on BRAVO at 10:00 P.M. Eastern Time.

Okay, it’s a corny movie. But any movie with Ming the Merciless will attract my attention. Flash Gordon: The Saviour of the Universe Edition includes an interview with Alex Ross, the Comic Book artist, on how Flash Gordon influenced him. Also included is a Flash Gordon 1936 serial episode, Planet at Peril! and an interview with Lorenzo Semple, Jr., screenwriter of the original Flash Gordon. And who can resist Dale Arden?

I’m constantly amazed at the number of Americans who have NOT read The Federalist Papers. After the Constitution, I consider The Federalist Papers the next most important political document in our history. These essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay explain how the machinery of government is supposed to work. This edition includes a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. Once you’ve read The Federalist Papers you’ll want to enjoy Garry Wills’ insightful Explaining America: The Federalist. You can’t find a better analysis or a better companion to this great work.

There are just two reasons to see He’s Just Not That Into You: Gennifer Goodwin and Scarlett Johansson. Gennifer is very cute and Scarlett plays her vamp role to perfection. Jennifer Connelly and Drew Barrymore are largely wasted. Jennifer Aniston looks all of her 40 years and more. Since all the male actors play idiots, their “performances” can safely be ignored. Based on the best selling self-help book, this fragmented movie has its moments: mostly when Gennifer or Scarlett are on the screen. GRADE: B-.