John Hansen

At Bertram's Hotel

Miss Marple takes a vacation ‘At Bertram’s Hotel’ (1965)

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Marple is oddly disengaged in this crime story, but the slow-starting novel eventually kicks into high gear.

Firestarter Rekindled

‘Firestarter: Rekindled’ (2002) an interesting experiment 

Stephen King flashback (TV review): Not as bad as one would assume, “Firestarter: Rekindled” follows Charlie McGee and her troubles into her 20s.

Summer Movie Preview

Summer movie preview 2022: Calendar of releases, plus 10 films in spotlight 

Summer movie preview: Adaptations of Stephen King’s “Firestarter” and “Salem’s Lot” bookend a slate highlighted by “Jurassic World: Dominion.”

Severance Season 1

Brainy ‘Severance’ Season 1 comes together by the end 

TV review: Too grim off the bat, this sci-fi mind-bender ultimately succeeds with likable heroes and lots of questions to mull over.

Destination Unknown

‘So Many Steps to Death’ (1954) pulls back Iron Curtain

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Even considering it’s a spy yarn rather than a murder mystery, this is one of Agatha Christie’s most outside-the-box novels.

Firestarter

‘Firestarter’ (1984) has book’s plot but none of its heat 

Stephen King flashback (Movie review): The book is getting a remake soon, and it’s due for one. The ’84 adaptation is faithful but lacks a genuine spark.

There is a Tide

‘There is a Tide …’ (1948) soaked with good characters, case 

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Poirot comes in at the halfway mark, and his insights into people might be more important than his nose for clues.

Evil

‘Evil’ Season 2 (2021) down-to-earth and deliciously demonic 

Frightening Friday (TV review): Ironically, its grounding in reality makes “Evil” one of TV’s best supernatural series. Here’s my look at Season 2.

Branagh Christie films

Branagh delivers lavish adaptations of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (2017), ‘Death on the Nile’ 

Sleuthing Sunday (Movie reviews): Kenneth Branagh makes Poirot into a broad cinematic character. It’s not for purists, but the approach grew on me.

Firestarter novel

‘Firestarter’ (1980) burns its characters into our minds 

Stephen King flashback (Book review): “Firestarter” burns brighter than the superpower genre norm by making us care deeply for Charlie McGee and her dad.