Opinion

"The Bat" is the first novel in the Harry Hole mystery series by Jo Nesbo. Set in Australia, it is an interesting and twisty introduction to the character Harry Hole.

Deep secrets must be uncovered to solve a mystery and give two brothers a second chance in John Hart's gripping novel, "Iron House."

"The Sentry" is Robert Crais at his best -- a fast paced, twisty plot with lots of violent interactions.

The murders of a man and his family bring a different style of justice in this second Joe Pike novel by Robert Crais.

Can a 90-minute cartoon about building blocks be any good? Well, it depends on what you build with them...

Eleven-year-old Byron and his sister and mother are driving through a summer fog. Something happens that changes everything, and only Byron can make it all okay again. "Perfect" is Rachel Joyce's second novel.

Hoping to get in step with the nominations for the Academy Awards, Bernie and Sand check out the black and white film, "Nebraska."

The first of Robert Crais's Joe Pike novels, "The Watchman," is fast-paced, edge of your seat entertainment.

Christine Smith(McFarlane) writes about issues that will hopefully bring about awareness of what is happening with Canadian First Nations.

"Tracks" is a deeply personal journey into Genni Gunn's childhood memories -- memories triggered by travel.

"Holy Orders" is perhaps Benjamin Black's most darkly psychological novel to date in his acclaimed Quirke series, haunting and resonating with a sense of doom and catastrophe.

Tantalized by the nominees for 2014 Acadamy Awards, Sand and Bernie trundle off to observe "American Hustle."

A convoluted and complex relationship between characters fuels this fifth installation in the Quirke mystery series written by John Banfield.

Dr. John Gray, a British writer, philosopher and atheist, maintains that evangelists have been blight on civilization. Piker staff writer Bernie, who considers himself an evangelist, agrees, and commends the BBC for providing a forum for civil discourse.

Benjamin Black's third novel in his Quirke series, "Elegy for April," sets the disappearance of his daughter's friend in Dublin, as Quirke himself struggles with his alcoholism.

"Pretty in Patchwork" is a book of patchwork sewing projects to last the whole new year.

Merry Christmas popcorn! Let's go see some fine acting by Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks!

Paul Harding offers deep insight into the passage of time, loss, and the importance of family in this highly literary work of fiction, "Enon."

The investigation of a serial killer near Mt. Tamalpais threatens and shapes the life of a thirteen-year-old girl in Joyce Maynard's novel, "After Her."

Violence, political upheaval, and illness are the reality which begins to intrude on Farida's dreams of life in Africa, and she must wrestle with love and make a heart-wrenching decision in Rebecca Walker's debut novel, Adé.

Jayne Anne Phillips brings back to light the haunting story of serial killer Harry Powers in her novel, "Quiet Dell."

The second movie in "The Hunger Games" series lures us into the theater for one of the fastest 2 1/2 hours on record...

Hanna Krall's novella, "Chasing the King of Hearts" is a story of love and survival during the horror of the Holocaust.

Bring on the Dark Elves and the popcorn, we're gonna watch Thor slam the bad guys!

Part memoir and part science, "What the Dog Knows" is Cat Warren's journey with a bigger-than-life dog as they go from novices to professionals in the world of the working K9.

P. D. Viner examines the weight of grief and its destruction of a family in the wake of a child's death, in this debut novel, "The Last Winter of Dani Lancing."

How much of a difference will there be between viewers who have and viewers who have not read the book?

A solitary orchardist in the Pacific Northwest, grieving for his sister's death, finds two traumatized young girls on his property in Amanda Coplin's novel, "The Orchardist."

What, the cheapskate Bernie coughed up the bucks to see a movie twice? Oh, the 3-D...

Bernie and Sand take their popcorn habit to check out Tom Hanks and the ocean in the movie "Captain Phillips."