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July 14
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Margaret
gave  to:
In the Shadow of Gotham (Hardcover)
by
Stefanie Pintoff
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my rating:
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read in April, 2009
Margaret said:
"It’s the year 1905 in Dobson, New York. On a mild winter evening, someone brutally murders Sarah Wingate in her bedroom while she’s visiting relatives. A brilliant mathematician, she had a promising future ahead of her. So why would anyone want t...more
It’s the year 1905 in Dobson, New York. On a mild winter evening, someone brutally murders Sarah Wingate in her bedroom while she’s visiting relatives. A brilliant mathematician, she had a promising future ahead of her. So why would anyone want to kill her?
After the death of his fiancée on the General Slocum ferry disaster in the summer of 1904, Detective Simon Ziele transfers to a police department north of New York, away from the city, to heal. He didn’t expect to encounter a vicious homicide involving a young woman. Twenty-four hours into the investigation, Columbia University’s noted criminologist, Alistair Sinclair, contacts Ziele and tells him that Sarah’s death closely resembles the fantasies of one of his research subjects, Michael Fromley, who has been missing for the last two weeks.
On the same day that Sarah is murdered, Stella, the housemaid, turns up missing. Did she witness something that terrified her, or could it be for some other reason that she fled the scene? The more Detective Ziele uncovers, the more puzzling the crime becomes, taking him into the shady world of gambling and gentlemen’s clubs.
In the Shadow of Gotham is a magnificent debut mystery. Clues are plenty and puzzling, challenging the reader to detect right along with Detective Ziele. He’s a well-rounded character with a tragic past, which makes him instantly likable and memorable—and I hope to catch him in future mystery novels by Stefanie Pintoff. More than just Ziele, though, all of the characters are unique and special in their own way, making them stand out from one another.
At the same time, Ms Pintoff manages to make the perpetrator look suspicious without giving his or her identity away until the end. That can be tricky thing to achieve, but Ms Pintoff pulled it off smoothly. And, in the end, I was both surprised and not surprised; I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t.
Though In the Shadow of Gotham is more about the procedure of catching a criminal than it is about the action, I still found the plot to be suspenseful, engaging, and interesting. Some authors can lay a story before you with smooth-flowing prose, making it easy to become engrossed in the plot, even when nothing heart-pounding is happening. Ms. Pintoff is one of those authors.
Don’t miss this deep, mesmerizing mystery by first-time author Stefanie Pintoff. You owe it to yourself to get lost in a great read like In the Shadow of Gotham.
First appeared in NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...(less)
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Margaret
gave to:
The Shore (Leisure Fiction)
by
Robert Dunbar (Goodreads author)
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Margaret said:
"On the New Jersey shore, in the small town of Edgeharbor, where the woods creep into the streets, a monster stalks out of the night and rips people apart. As a winter storm brews, the murders escalate, until everyone in town is afraid to be caught ou...more
On the New Jersey shore, in the small town of Edgeharbor, where the woods creep into the streets, a monster stalks out of the night and rips people apart. As a winter storm brews, the murders escalate, until everyone in town is afraid to be caught outside after dark. Whatever’s out there has no mercy or sanity—it just kills, frightening the townspeople far more than an angry ocean during a hurricane.
A stranger shows up in town, and he’s the only one who knows what the monster is. Barry Hobbes—as he calls himself these days—has been tracking a boy for months. This time, the child will not get away—cannot get away—because Bobby knows what he’s capable of, and he either has to bring the child to people who can help him or end his life.
Katherine Lonigan is a local policewoman, assigned to help protect the small harbor town, but most people consider her an outsider. Something about the town makes her nervous, and she often feels as if the night is watching her. Something massive and hulking moves out there—something nightmares are made of—but she’s not sure if she believes in monsters. When she encounters Barry, she’s determined to find out who he is and what he’s doing in her town—because he just might be the monster that everyone’s afraid of.
The Shore is the sequel to The Pines, but it stands alone well as a classic horror. I do recommend reading The Pines first, though, just so you’ll better understand who some of the characters are. It’s not crucial to the story, but it’ll have more meaning if you’ve already read The Pines.
Robert Dunbar brings the off-season of the Jersey shore to life, and readers will feel the biting wind, see the fog rolling off the ocean, and hear the horrified shrieks of hapless victims caught outside near the ocean on a cold winter night. Mr. Dunbar has an uncanny gift for pulling a reader deep inside the story, drowning out everything else around them. As I read, I actually felt as if I were right there in Edgeharbor with the characters.
No matter which direction you think The Shore is headed, you’ll be wrong. Just when you think you’ve figured things out, again, you’ll be wrong. Not until the last few pages will you get a glimmer of what and whom the monster is, and it’ll leave you feeling a bit astounded. Intelligent, mind-stunning horror plots delight me—and Mr. Dunbar is a master.
The Shore is intense, creepy, suspenseful, and horrifying. And since Stephen King is mostly retired, I’ll be turning to Robert Dunbar when I want a good scare along with a great read.
First appeared at NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...(less)
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Margaret
gave  to:
The Chameleon Conspiracy (Dan Gordon Thrillers)
by
Carmon Haggai
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my rating:
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read in July, 2009
Margaret said:
"As an experienced hunter who was trained by the Israeli Mossad—and who now works for the CIA—Agent Dan Gordon has been chasing a con artist known as the Chameleon for twenty years. For the last few years, the Chameleon has been off the grid, but ...more
As an experienced hunter who was trained by the Israeli Mossad—and who now works for the CIA—Agent Dan Gordon has been chasing a con artist known as the Chameleon for twenty years. For the last few years, the Chameleon has been off the grid, but then he resurfaces in Sydney, Australia, putting the CIA and Gordon back on his trail. However, he slips through Gordon’s hands once again, and the hunt continues.
The Chameleon is into more than just bank fraud; he’s an undercover sleeper agent, and the chase leads Gordon to Iran, where he’s put undercover to help keep the world’s power from becoming unbalanced. Danger and betrayal lurks on all sides, making it less likely that Gordon will make it out of Tehran alive.
With its tight plot, The Chameleon Conspiracy takes readers into the world of international law enforcement. A former legal intelligence-gathering operative, Mr. Carmon offers just enough information without crossing the line into issues of national security. He seamlessly blends fiction with fact, bringing his readers an intellectual read instead of a hair-raising one.
The Chameleon Conspiracy focuses more on how an agent does his job than it does on the action. As a result, I found it hard to stay interested in this story, since it often becomes bogged down with so much behind-the-scenes rubble that the action comes to a halt. In small doses, this can lend authenticity to a fast-paced read. Unfortunately, though, Mr. Carmon became heavy-handed with that particular saltshaker, and I found that I’d read a couple of chapters, get bored, and pick up something else.
If you’re highly interested in what goes on behind the scenes of a CIA operation, then you’ll enjoy reading The Chameleon Conspiracy. Otherwise, I recommend sticking with a Jason Bourne thriller instead.
First appeared at NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...(less)
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Margaret
gave to:
The Bone Factory (Mass Market Paperback)
by
Nate Kenyon (Goodreads author)
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Margaret said:
"When David Pierce first walked into the offices of Hydro Development, he wasn’t expecting much. For the last few months, he’d been searching for a job, but no one would give him a chance after his former employer fired him over a disagreement. Th...more
When David Pierce first walked into the offices of Hydro Development, he wasn’t expecting much. For the last few months, he’d been searching for a job, but no one would give him a chance after his former employer fired him over a disagreement. The money was beginning to run out, and David really needed some good luck. Well, as they say…be careful what you wish for.
Hydro Development sets David and his family up in a house on the edge of nowhere. It’s cold, isolated, and foreboding. David thought, though, that once they got settled in, his daughter’s nightmares would end—but they only seem to escalate. She dreams of a mysterious man she calls “blue man.” She says he’s coming to get her, and he’ll be here soon.
David then discovers that Hydro Development may have environmental problems, and he begins to wonder if his job is to clean it up or to take the fall for it. What once seemed like a good opportunity soon turns into David’s worst nightmare as he fights to save his family from both a disturbed stranger and an ecological disaster.
The Bone Factory is a character driven novel that will draw you deep into one man’s life as he struggles to survive in a cruel set of circumstances. You’ll feel for David because all he wants is a decent job so he can take care of his family, but life can be a pest when it wants to be, and it goes after David with both barrels blazing.
Author Nate Kenyon has created a cold, isolated setting and brought it to life, stirring in a dose of creepiness to give readers an extra chill. However, the focus is mainly on the characters, so don’t expect a fast-paced plot. It doesn’t need it, though, because the characters are well-drawn and interesting enough to keep you tuned in to their story. Then, near the end, the pace picks up, and it will leave you breathless as you rush through the pages, eager to find out how it’ll end.
In the mood for a well-developed horror novel that doesn’t use scare tactics to get your attention? Then The Bone Factory is an excellent choice.
First appeared in Nightsandweekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...(less)
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May 21
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Margaret
wrote GRAVE KEEPER: DARK OF THE MOON: Chapter One.
"Pitch black.
The trees.
The ground.
The air.
Even with "
...more
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Margaret
gave  to:
The Hunted: A Thriller (Hardcover)
by
Wayne Barcomb
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Margaret said:
"
I don’t normally label a book as “awesome,” but Wayne Barcomb’s The Hunted gets a triple-wow from me—because the ending shocked me right down to my toes.
As a child, Lucky witnesses a brutal murder—one that shapes her fu...more
I don’t normally label a book as “awesome,” but Wayne Barcomb’s The Hunted gets a triple-wow from me—because the ending shocked me right down to my toes.
As a child, Lucky witnesses a brutal murder—one that shapes her future in the worst way. She becomes a serial killer, stalking men who can’t normally attract a woman—especially an exceptional beauty like Lucky. Once her victim gets her back to his apartment and starts getting touchy-feely, she whacks him in the head with a wine bottle and beats her victim’s head on the floor until he’s dead. Then she shoves the neck of the bottle somewhere obscene. It’s meant to send a message, but it’s a message that only Lucky understands—along with one other person, who’s just been paroled and is looking to exact his revenge on Lucky, since her testimony convicted him of murder.
Detective Frank Russo is newly single and under a lot of pressure to solve a string of related murders. The killer leaves behind long strands of hair and the scent of Jean Nate, leading him to believe that the murderer is a woman. He suspects that she’s a prostitute, but anyone who’s seen the woman with the victim before he dies says that she doesn’t come across as a prostitute—and Jean Nate isn’t sexy enough for a hooker.
Author Wayne Barcomb skillfully weaves a tangled tale of revenge and silent rage, and The Hunted unfolds as an edgy, enthralling, can’t-wait-to-get-back kind of read.
Lucky is an unusual serial killer—not only because she’s a woman but also because you’ll find yourself empathizing with her. She just seems so lost and confused, and she’s still haunted by what happened when she was a child. It’s almost as if she’s not to blame for what she’s doing. That’s something I normally think is a bunch of bull, but it seems to work for this character.
Best of all, though, when the identity of the killer in The Hunted was revealed, I was so shocked that my mouth dropped open—and it stayed that way for at least ten minutes. I kept thinking, Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow, over and over. It’s such an awesome and unexpected ending, yet it’s completely plausible, too.
I don’t often like to compare authors, but, when it comes to thrillers, Wayne Barcomb ranks right up there with James Patterson. I highly recommend The Hunted, and I’m definitely getting in line for the next Detective Frank Russo police procedural.
This Review first appeared in NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...(less)
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Margaret
gave to:
The Ghost Downstairs
by
Molly Ringle (Goodreads author)
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Margaret said:
"I always love it when I come across an e-book that captures my imagination and delights me to no end. And Molly Ringle’s The Ghost Downstairs did just that.
After accidentally giving a terminal patient the wrong medicine, which results i...more
I always love it when I come across an e-book that captures my imagination and delights me to no end. And Molly Ringle’s The Ghost Downstairs did just that.
After accidentally giving a terminal patient the wrong medicine, which results in his death, Lina Zuendel quits her job as a nurse. Even though the hospital said she could remain on the staff, it just felt all wrong to stay. After several failed attempts to get hired elsewhere, she’s hired to take care of the elderly residents of Drake House—a retirement home.
Right from the beginning, Lina’s patients tell her about the ghost who wanders about the house during the night. Lina thinks nothing of it until the ghost starts switching off lights and moving her stuff around. When Lina shows an interest in the houseboy, Ren Schulz—and he in her—the ghost turns ugly, targeting Lina with dangerous pranks.
Something’s a little off with the houseboy, too. For some reason, he can’t leave the property. The only explanation Lina gets from her employer is that Ren is under house arrest for a crime that happened years ago. But that doesn’t stop her from falling in love with him and bringing down the wrath of an angry ghost.
The Ghost Downstairs is just what a light-hearted ghost story should be. It’s delightful, funny, and intriguing, with just enough chills to give you goose bumps. You’ll also get caught up in the mystery of Drake House—a former 1940s sorority house, where an accidental murder and suicide once happened.
All of the characters are unique and likeable in their own way. I especially loved the spry elderly characters who seemed to enjoy life to the fullest, even at their age. And I could so relate to Lina. She’s at a point in her life where she questions everything she’s ever done or ever will do—erring on the cautious side—and she wishes she could just let it all go, throw caution to the wind and live. Ren is the perfect, charming hero, with a wonderful sense of humor, and you can’t help but to love him, no matter how mysterious he may seem.
If you’re in the market for e-books, I urge you not to pass up The Ghost Downstairs. It’s one of the most well-written and entertaining e-books I’ve come across to date. Do yourself a favor, and pick up your copy today.
This review first appeared in NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...(less)
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Margaret
gave to:
Lords Of Corruption (Hardcover)
by
Kyle Mills
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Margaret said:
"Josh Hagarty has had a lifetime of bad luck. Due to a felony conviction in his past, he can’t get recruited by a high-paying company. It doesn’t seem to matter that he turned his life around and worked like a dog to graduate at the top of his cla...more
Josh Hagarty has had a lifetime of bad luck. Due to a felony conviction in his past, he can’t get recruited by a high-paying company. It doesn’t seem to matter that he turned his life around and worked like a dog to graduate at the top of his class. All anyone sees is the time he spent in prison. So when he’s approached in an unconventional way by an American company that’s giving aide to Africa, he’s suspicious, but he takes the job anyway. He really doesn’t have much of a choice.
Recruited by the charity to manage their activities in a war-torn region of Africa, Josh heads into a future that he hopes will make life better—not only for himself but also for his baby sister, Laura. Instead, he’s faced with a genocidal dictator, a sadistic thug who’s sent to guide him through Africa, a cynical journalist who claims that the charity is a fake, and rumors that his predecessor was hacked to pieces in the jungle because he asked too many questions.
To Josh, the only bright spot in the whole African mess is Annika Gritdal, a Scandinavian aid worker. But when she helps Josh translate a suspicious recorded conversation, she becomes involved in something that could get her killed, along with Josh and millions of Africans.
Josh Hagarty is one of the grittiest, most tenacious and appealing characters to grace the pages of a book. If you’ve ever felt like Eeyore with the little black rain cloud over your head, you’ll be able to relate to Josh Hagarty on a deeper level, like I did. Though it’s obvious that he’s been to the school of hard knocks most of his life, he keeps on keeping on—and that’s why I like him so much.
Africa can be a beautiful country, but that’s not the side that’s portrayed in Lords of Corruption. Instead, the reader is taken into the seedy underbelly, where sadistic dictators rule, tribes are at war, blood is shed on a regular basis, and the people struggle to survive from one day to the next.
With high-speed action, well-defined characters, and an elaborate plot, Lords of Corruption will leave you breathless and keep you entangled in a thriller that’s unlike anything you’ve read before. It’s one of those suspenseful stories that you wish you could read from cover to cover, uninterrupted. In short, I absolutely loved it. I simply cannot wait to pick up another novel by this talented author.
This Review first appeared in NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...
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Margaret
gave to:
Tangled Souls (Paperback)
by
Sherry Hall Mauro
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Margaret said:
"Stories centered on spooky old houses are always a favorite of mine. In Tangled Souls, Sherry Hall Mauro brings readers to the deliciously evil Rambling Rose—a creepy, disturbed house, inspired by the Winchester Mansion in California.
In...more
Stories centered on spooky old houses are always a favorite of mine. In Tangled Souls, Sherry Hall Mauro brings readers to the deliciously evil Rambling Rose—a creepy, disturbed house, inspired by the Winchester Mansion in California.
In this third installment in the Tate Mansion series, Sabrina Devour Tate settles into married life while caring for her infant daughter, Amelia Rose. The evil within Tate Mansion has fallen into a deep sleep, and Sabrina prays that the house will remain dormant forever. But it’s not to be. Out of the night, someone shows up and awakens the malevolence to stalk Sabrina—and her daughter—once again.
Sabrina’s sister—who disappeared in the Tate Mansion many years ago—blows in with a midnight storm. Something about her seems strange, but Sabrina ignores her feelings of uneasiness, happy to have her sister home after all these years. But then the house awakens and takes someone precious and dear to Sabrina, and it warns that it’s coming for her next.
When Sabrina’s husband, Richard, dismisses her fears as silly nonsense, Sabrina turns to an old flame. She believes he can save her and the one she loves the most, even though it might destroy her marriage or her very soul.
In order to get the full impact of Sabrina Devour’s story, you need to start from the beginning, with Even Angels Fall, followed by The Face of Heaven. Otherwise, on occasion, you might not understand certain aspects of Tangled Souls. It shouldn’t be too much of a chore, though, because all three books are a pleasure to read, with a constant creep factor that keeps your spine tingling.
Ms. Hall brings to life a tragic heroine in Sabrina, surrounding her with characters you’ll both love and hate. I especially disliked Richard. He treats Sabrina with constant disdain and disrespect, and I found myself wanting to reach inside the book to slap him.
My favorite character in Tangled Souls is the house itself. It breathes with life and leaves you feeling watched by unseen eyes. At the same time, though, you’ll want to explore the mansion and uncover its secrets, no matter how frightening they may be. While reading Tangled Souls, I definitely got a few chills—and I often jumped at random noises outside my house.
Dark, gothic, paranormal romance awaits you inside Tangled Souls. If you dare to enter Rambling Rose, one small warning: don’t wander off by yourself. The house may take you, and you might never resurface again—or at least not until you smell dinner burning in the kitchen
This Review first appeared in NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article... (less)
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May 05
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Margaret
gave to:
Angel of Wrath: A Novel (The Voice of God series)
by
Bill Myers
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my rating:
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read in April, 2009
Margaret said:
"Former FBI Agent Lisa Harmon returns home at the request of her brother, Thomas, the preacher at the mega church founded by their father—a father she despises because he sexually abused her when she was a little girl. Still, Lisa swallows her hate ...more
Former FBI Agent Lisa Harmon returns home at the request of her brother, Thomas, the preacher at the mega church founded by their father—a father she despises because he sexually abused her when she was a little girl. Still, Lisa swallows her hate and her dread of returning home so she can help her brother get to the bottom of the strange deaths occurring among his parishioners. Whoever’s killing sinners has now put Lisa and her father on their list, and though Lisa hates her father, she might have to fight to keep him alive.
When things turn bizarre, Lisa calls Special Ops Agent Charlie Madison for help, even though she’s reluctant to call him because of his feelings for her. Still, he’s a good man to have around when tracking an elusive killer who thinks he’s carrying out God’s orders.
At the same time, Charlie’s niece, Jaz, gets involved with a group of teenagers who perform satanic rituals in an out-of-the-way section of L.A. The teens accidentally unleash a terrifying entity, similar to the Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, that digs into people’s mind and convicts them of their guilt-ridden pasts.
The creature and killer soon combine forces, and no one is safe from their wrath. It’s up to Lisa, Charlie, and his deaf niece to fight evils from this world and beyond.
I couldn’t really warm up to Lisa in this novel, mainly because she spends a lot of time arguing with everyone, and it kept getting on my nerves. Also, something about Charlie makes him unrealistic as a Special Forces soldier. Maybe it’s his underlying lack of confidence—something about his Special Forces personality is missing, but I can’t pinpoint it because it’s mostly just a feeling that I have. However, Jaz, with her quirky personality, is an absolute delight to read, and she helped me overlook the flaws in the other characters and enjoy this clever plot.
Christian horror sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s my favorite kind of encouraging read. I just wish there were more authors like Bill Myers, who writes with non-preachy, spellbinding, and oftentimes creepy intrigue. Angel of Wrath will send chills down your spine while, at the same time, reminding you that, with God, you’ll never stand alone against evil.
If you’re a fan of Christian horror author Frank Peretti, which I am, you’ll also like Bill Meyers’s Angel of Wrath. Mr. Meyer brings his readers a fast-paced, intelligent, and sinister story in his latest novel. If you’re a Christian looking for edgy, moralistic fare in your inspirational choices, then Angel of Wrath is the book for you.
First Appeared in NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/article...
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Dark Secrets of the Heart
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tweet you soon...http://www.billhazelgrove.com
Hi Margaret,
