Book Review(s): We Were Liars & The Shoplifter's Shoe

We Were Liars

We Were Liars - E. Lockhart
We Were Liars has an interesting point of view narrative structure, employing allegories to reveal the psychological subtext of the story. The 'mystery' on the whole is fairly well-developed, although it feels quite shallow and superficial despite raising quite a few pertinent questions about racism, hypocrisy, greed and above all, the materialistic lives people tend to lead. Part coming-of-age, part suspense, the novel revolves around the "beautiful Sinclair family," an immensely rich, pretentious, and a spoiled lot held in high esteem in the society, whose customary tradition is to spend their summertime on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts.

And for Cadence (the narrator), Mirren, Johnny and Gat, aka "the Liars", it is the best time of their lives, indulging in fun and frolic like only they can year after year until on their seventh summer vacation together, a monumentally stupid act of theirs lets loose a Pandora's box of grief and suffering. To be frank, I didn't find the sibling/cousin relationships to be particularly engaging, but the climactic big reveal with its rebellious angle is pretty epic! That is, if you can overlook the stereotypical characters who are hardly worth emotionally investing in. And that's a shame because We Were Liars's entertaining kidult morality tale could have been much, much more if otherwise.

The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe - Erle Stanley Gardner
Perry Mason at his razzle-dazzle best! Mason and Della are busy lunching at a department store when a white-haired woman named Sarah Breel is approached by a cop and accused of shoplifting. Mason intervenes on the scene and makes him drop the charges, pointing out that you can't just arrest a person for shoplifting unless he leaves the store with an intention of not paying for the items. But this seemingly innocuous incident has far-reaching implications when Mason gets mixed up in a case of stolen diamonds, and eventually a double murder, with Sarah found unconscious in front of one of the victim's house after having struck by a car. What's more, her handbag contains a gun and her shoes are stained with blood. Is she the murderer? Intelligently plotted and witty, the courtroom scenes are undeniably exciting and well-staged, not to forget Mason's surprise legal manoeuvres that guarantee enough twists and turns to keep you engrossed till the end.