Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion

Hi Everyone,

Here's where we will be discussing Cards on the Table for our August 2022 Summer themed reread!

Feel free to start talking about this as soon as you're ready, just be aware of spoilers ahead.

Here's the discussion that we've had in the past: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I actually listened to the audiobook yesterday all in one sitting while crafting and it was a great, relaxing experience!

This is one of my favorites, likely because I've had seizures before and I've recently(since 2020) started reading tarot cards for myself on a daily basis.

I hadn't listened or read this one in awhile, so I didn't remember who'd done it, until halfway through when it became obvious, but not at all from my memory. lol. But I still could have been wrong because of one little tiny clue.

I had planned to listen to the audio version - that's the edition I have reviewed on Goodreads... but Audible says I don't have it ??? LOL, well I do own the ebook, so worst case I'll do it that way.

... I just re-read the old discussion post and I saw I posted that I wanted to listen to the audiobook, so this must be a sign I need to buy it!

The narrator isn’t one of my favorites, but he does a good job with a good story, and this is that. I recall listening to him do others by authors who weren’t that great at storytelling so the audiobooks weren’t that great. That was soo long ago though. Lol.

I need to reread the old comments too!

I stalled out on my current audio, so I
thought, what a perfect opportunity to listen to something I know I love.

Lillian wrote: "I stalled out on my current audio, so I
thought, what a perfect opportunity to listen to something I know I love."

That's a great idea!

This is a comfort read for me these days. Not very long, but just the right amount of story and character interaction.

Lori S. wrote: "This is a comfort read for me these days. Not very long, but just the right amount of story and character interaction."

Comfort reads are the best!

I put on the audiobook too. It's kind of nostalgic, re-listening this.

One of the comments in the book stood out to me. I didn’t write it down, but it was in reference to the dead woman’s husband and how he’d likely stalked her. He makes note that today we would call it stalking, but back then it was normal.

It sticks out to me especially because someone said something similar to me a couple of weeks back and I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it. Why do we have this idea that things in the past were okay because they were more widespread or “normal” behavior? This particular comment was in reference to tearing down statues of slave owners and the notion that it was “normal” back then.

That comment got me to start reading Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. She has this great part where she compares the US to an old house. If there’s a leak, you can’t just ignore it. You can’t just patch it up, you have to look at the original structure. I can’t do the quote justice, but it made a lot of sense.

Anywho, viewing all that, the comment here was of a similar nature. Back when this actress was alive it was seen as normal and okay for a guy to stalk his ex. What a frightening thought. And I’m sure many people today still think it’s okay. I saw a post the other day where some idiot guy claimed he didn’t want to rape women but he did want to frighten them by following them, and urged others to give it a try for the thrills. Ugh.

Gosh, I’ve gone down a dark rabbit hole. Apologies. I’ve forgotten the smaller details already, but this stuck out for me.

Has anyone else given this a reread? Or a first read?

Jordan wrote: "Has anyone else given this a reread? Or a first read?"

Of course. I've read it at least three times since end 2008 (!), when I bought the paperback.

I re-listened to the audiobook yesterday and this morning. I realized about mid-way through that I'd forgotten who the killer was... I spent awhile mis-remembering the plot and then remembered just before Tim figures it out.

I appreciate how Josh highlights the changes (and progress) between past and present day (to the story) Hollywood via Tim's thoughts and observations. For example, Tim describes the ex's behavior as stalking, rather than excusing it the way it was back in the day.

I also liked how Jack is finally very candid with Tim about his misgivings — how he's worried that Tim is taking chances with his well-being (as kind of a rebellion against the limitations in activities and choices the accident has caused?) and how that caused Jack to keep his distance.

I have this listed as read and listened to once before on GR, but something's not right because I can't find an ebook in either my Books or Kindle libraries... but I'm sure I read it before my GR read dates. My ebook copy may be lost in my old Calibre files on my old computer.

I have this as part of one of the early print anthologies I think.

I liked that about Jack too, he cares, he's realistic about the realities of the situation. And yeah, that pool scene was scary. He's damn lucky Jack could hear him and wasn't underwater or anything!

A brilliant early Josh story I first read in MLR's 2009 Josh Lanyon Novellas Vol 1. then later as a single release in ebook form. As much as I love Jack's and Tim's story, I cannot forget to mention the glorious cover created by Karan K. For me, it totally captures how this story looks and feels. COTT is an all-time JL favorite.

I finished the audiobook yesterday. I like this "early Josh story" (as Susan says) a lot and re-listened several times over the years.
I'm amazed how much relationship development can be packed in a short story. At several points my whole point of view pivots when a new piece of information is revealed for things between Tim and Jack.

The audiobook narration, unfortunately, feels a bit dated. There are so many excellent narrators out there. Maybe it will get a do-over some time in the future? (I'm not sure if it was in one of the short story collections, I have the stand-alone version.)

The narrator definitely isn't a favorite of mine. There were other audiobooks by him that I DNFed, but I think that was also due to poor writing. The writing here definitely boosts the book quite a bit.

And yes, it is amazing how much detail and development fits in such a short piece!