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UnderratedReads is devoted to discovering underrated books and under-represented authors. We highlight hidden gems from around the world–honest reviews only, never pay-to-play.
Author Archives: J D Jung
Great Again – Bill Day
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Ex-Marine Jack O’Mally is divorced and estranged from his adult daughter. He just can’t accept that she is married to a black musician and living in California. Jack is captain of his New Jersey neighborhood watch, … Continue reading
Posted in Immigration, Political fiction, World Issues
Tagged El Salvador, immigrants, racism, undocumented, Xenophobia
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: A Death in Valencia – Jason Webster
(Reviewed by JD Jung) When I visit a city for the first time, I like to go to a local English-language bookstore—if I’m lucky enough to find one— to discover novels featuring the town, incorporating its culture into the story. … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged corruption, crime fiction, gentrification, murder, Spain, Valencia
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Selamlik – Khaled Alesmael (translated from the Arabic by Leri Price)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “I am so glad I was born in Syria and get to be young in Damascus, no matter the fear and danger. I love Damascus even if she is cruel to me.” Our narrator Furat lives … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged homoerotic, immigrants, LGBTQ, refugees, Religion, Sweden, Syria, Syrian civil war
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The Yellow Dog – Georges Simenon (translated by Linda Asher)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Originally published in 1931, in English in 1939, and now re-released in English, The Yellow Dog offers readers a taste of Georges Simenon’s signature crime storytelling. Set in the small seaside town of Concarneau, France, a … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, French Literature, Lost and almost forgotten
Tagged cozy mystery, crime fiction, France
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America’s Best Idea: The Separation of Church and State – Randall Balmer
(Reviewed by JD Jung) For years Americans have taken for granted the most cherished and essential constitutional principles, one being the separation of Church and State. Historian and ordained minister Randall Balmer presents a timely, thoughtful, and deeply researched examination … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, History, Politics and Social Justice, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged American History, Christian Nationalism, Religion
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The Obsessions of Harvey Usher – David Putnam
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “ Eighty-three-year-old Harvey Usher is a recluse who still, after two years, mourns the death of his wife. When he finds a young woman inside his house who claims to be his wife, he’s sure that … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged Crime, crime thriller, psychological thriller
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Outside The Law: How An Ex-Cop Became America’s Most Prolific Bank Robber Since John Dillinger – Mark Ogden & Paul Ogden
(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) Outside The Law follows the life of Bruce Davidson, a decorated Marine, police officer, lawyer, and family man, as he heads down a destructive path of depression, alcoholism, divorce, and financial collapse, before finally … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction
Tagged alcoholism, Crime, depression, military, police
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A Friend of Dorothy’s – Richard Willett
(Reviewed by John Heilman) A Friend of Dorothy’s manages to capture a young gay man’s search for belonging while simultaneously describing another young man’s decline during the early days of the AIDS epidemic. The book is a powerful reminder of … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, World Issues
Tagged AIDS, death, denial, Illness, LGBTQ
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Invisible Helix – Keigo Higashino (Author), Giles Murray (Translator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “ If you’re searching for a crime thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go, Invisible Helix is the novel for you. When homicide detectives investigate a plausible murder: a man floating … Continue reading
An UnderratedRead Revisited: Tenth Commandment: A Cat Caliban Mystery (The Cat Caliban Mysteries) – D. B. Borton
(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) “I’m too tired. I just want to go to bed with a book.” In Chapter 1, sixty- one -year-old Cat was asked what she was good at. She thinks: “Certainly not marriage or motherhood or … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged book reviews, light fiction, murder
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