Villa Incognito

Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins  256 pp.

Not the best Robbins novel, but it does have its charm. The story begins in Asia with the Tanuki God, who has a penchant for saki, sex with human females, and apparently enormous testicles. Then the plot morphs into a tale of three Vietnam MIAs who have made their home in Laos, a young woman with a chrysanthemum seed embedded in the roof of her mouth who may or may not be a Tanuki/human, and a cast of other odd characters. Of course, there is the usual Robbins disparaging comments on religion, government, the military, and big business along with Robbins' expertly crafted similes and metaphors: "The afternoon passed more slowly than a walnut-sized kidney stone." Fun but not the caliber of Still Life with Woodpecker or Jitterbug Perfume.

Far Side of the Sky / Daniel Kalla 426 pp.

An entertaining if somewhat predictable historical novel, set in Vienna and Shanghai during WWII.  A Jewish surgeon and his family flee Vienna to one of the few places that will accept them, the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai.  There the doctor meets a Chinese nurse, and a tepid romance ensues. For me the most interesting aspect was the portrayal of the Japanese Kempeitai, a horrifically brutal occupying force with the distinction of having no particular Anti-Semitic feelings.  Engaging but not thought provoking. 

The Redeemer / Jo Nesbo 456 p.

Another Harry Hole mystery/thriller set in Oslo. What I especially enjoy about Nesbo's books is that I always learn a slice of history or experience I was unfamiliar with before. In this story, we get an up-close look at the Salvation Army in Norway, which, it seems, occupies a far more prominent role in that society than in the U.S. Harry is on the trail of a hitman who has inexplicably murdered a top Salvation Army officer during the annual Christmas concert. His investigations take him into the world of Oslo's heroin addicts, and eventually, to its Croatian refugee population. A Nesbo novel isn't complete without at least one truly spectacular (and innovative!), murder, and this one is no exception.