Nicci French introduced the protagonist of this new series --- psychotherapist heroine, Frieda Klein, in the novel BLUE MONDAY. Suffering from insomni...moreNicci French introduced the protagonist of this new series --- psychotherapist heroine, Frieda Klein, in the novel BLUE MONDAY. Suffering from insomnia causes Frieda to roam the ancient rivers of London by night and often turning up some scary things.
In the first novel, Frieda is faced with helping the police in the form of her reluctant partner, Detective Chief Inspector Karlsson, to find a kidnapped 5-year-old boy. Frieda is drawn into the case because the chief suspect may be one of her patients.
Frieda’s patients themselves can be somewhat scary characters and also play a pivotal role in the second and latest thriller in the series --- TUESDAY’S GONE. I guess I see a days of the week theme starting here…
The premise of TUESDAY’S GONE is centered on a chilling discovery at the top of the novel. A London social worker calls on the home of a psychotic client named Michelle Doyce. Amidst the clutter and obsessive hoarding that fills the apartment is a startling image. The long-dead body of a man, completely naked, is seated in Michelle’s sofa and she proceeds to serve it a cup of tea.
Based on the apparent mental instability involved, the police and DCI Karlsson call in Frieda to give an assessment on the sanity of Michelle Doyce. After Frieda and a colleague of hers meet with Michelle they initially diagnose her as suffering from Capgras Syndrome.
Capgras Syndrome involves a person believing someone close to them has been replaced by an imposter. Frieda struggles with this assessment and continues to dig further. It turns out, Michelle is definitely unstable and somewhat psychotic but may be speaking in some sort of code that Frieda and the police need to crack.
The body is identified as a Robert Poole. The only problem is Robert’s own brother claims he was killed several years earlier. As the investigation continues and dozens of people who knew Robert Poole are interviewed one thing becomes quite obvious --- no one really knew what Poole was about and it seems he was a notorious confidence man.
Seems simple enough, but Frieda has a sneaky feeling the mystery will not end there. To make matters worse, she senses that someone from her own life may be involved and possibly had reason to set her up to become the next victim.
Nicci French is actually a pseudonym for the husband and wife writing team of Nicci Gerard and Sean French. Where they succeed best is in building the level of paranoia that permeates every layer of this novel. Unfortunately, the much needed suspense is replaced by a dizzying amount of characters and back-story’s that only confuse the running narrative rather than keeping the chill factor up. All in all, an interesting trip into the minds of some psychotically evil people.
Over the course of six novels, author William Dietrich has introduced us to the refreshing character --- Ethan Gage. Set firmly amidst the Napoleonic...moreOver the course of six novels, author William Dietrich has introduced us to the refreshing character --- Ethan Gage. Set firmly amidst the Napoleonic era, Ethan Gage is an American swashbuckler with an allegiance that sways between America, England and France with each passing chapter.
I have previously referred to Ethan Gage as a delightful cross between Captain Jack Sparrow and Indiana Jones. To that must be added the keen and sharped tongue wit of a master salesman. Gage is a true scoundrel who is often misunderstood by those he aligns with as well as whoever his enemy seems to be at the time. Whatever he is, Ethan Gage has managed to continuously find himself at the center of some of the most important moments in European history --- to the delight of all readers!
THE BARBED CROWN is the sixth novel in the Ethan Gage adventure series. This novel starts off with a bang and never seems to let up, giving the reader little time to breathe. Throughout this series Gage has been part of everything from the Louisiana Purchase to the Barbary Pirates and even ancient pyramids in Egypt. Regardless of what side he may be operating on he has consistently wanted to accomplish one thing --- stopping Napoleon Bonaparte at all costs.
Freshly reunited with his wife, Astiza, and son Horus “Harry”, Ethan Gage plans to lead a band of rebels into Paris to do what they can to thwart Napoleon. This is easier said than done as Napoleon always seems to be one step ahead of Gage. Primarily, this is due to a never-ending stream of ‘comrades’ who consistently double-cross Gage leaving him odd man out every time.
This time, Ethan and Astiza believe they have just the thing to bring down Napoleon and shame the Corsican even in front of his loyal supporters. If they can replace a crown that Pope Pius is scheduled to place on Napoleon’s head during his coronation with an infamous religious artifact it should be enough to raise enough sentiment against the diminutive Emperor and bring him down. Alas, not everything Ethan Gage conceives goes as planned.
One mantra that has guided Gage through these novels is: “Men fear humiliation more than death, or there’d never be battles at all”. THE BARBED CROWN presents European and world history in such an accessible way you lose sight of the fact that you are gaining a great lesson because you’re too busy having fun reading what Gage is doing next.
From the crosses and double-crosses to religious intrigue and finishing up with the bloody Battle of Trafalgar that depicts the demise of one of England’s most famous naval heroes, THE BARBED CROWN is swash-buckling historical fiction at its’ boldest. This series is so audacious and vivid it simply demands big or small-screen treatment so that the maximum amount of fans can enjoy the treats Dietrich displays on every page. I anxiously await the next entry in the Ethan Gage saga! (less)
Robert Wilson has risen to fame and much critical claim via the terrific Falcon series set in Portugal. With the release of CAPITAL PUNISHMENT he brin...moreRobert Wilson has risen to fame and much critical claim via the terrific Falcon series set in Portugal. With the release of CAPITAL PUNISHMENT he brings forth a stand- alone novel that will hopefully mark the start of a new series.
Charles Boxer is a unique character. His background consists of ex-military and ex-police experience and now has found his niche as a professional hostage negotiator. He is not without his own demons as he fights to keep down the darkness of his own past before it consumes him. Compounding this is the strange relationship he has with his ex-wife, and current Police Investigator, Mercy and the estranged teen-age daughter, Amy, they are both rapidly losing touch with.
In an effort to keep himself busy --- and possibly redeem himself for his personal failures with his own daughter --- Boxer throws himself full force into his latest assignment. The twenty-one-year-old half Indian/half British daughter of a famous Indian billionaire (Frank D’Cruz) has gone missing and appears to be the victim of a kidnapping. Alyshia D’Cruz went out for a night of drinking and bar hopping with some mates and jumps into a taxi at the end of the revelry to return to her flat. That is the last anyone sees of her.
Her mother, Isabel Marks, is contacted by a mysterious man calling himself Jordan. Unlike most kidnapping situations, Jordan is not asking for money. Frank D’Cruz will only trust Boxer to handle the situation. This case is quite unique as Alyshia’s captors seem to only want to engage in wordplay and exchanging of information and insist on only speaking to Isabel. The standard threat of not involving law enforcement is also given and Frank and Isabel are in a quandary as to how to best get their daughter safely returned to them.
Boxer complicates the situation by getting sexually involved with his ‘employer’, Isabel, and realizes this may compromise the case. He reaches out to his ex-wife, Mercy, of the Metropolitan Police Squad, in an effort to get their support should things get out of control.
It is obvious that the purpose of the kidnapping has something to do with Frank D’Cruz, but he is unable to pinpoint what potential enemy could be behind this act. Boxer and his police contacts conduct an investigation into D’Cruz’s ties and the web lies and deceit stretch between London and India revealing a trail that leads to some heavy underground mobsters.
The plot of CAPITAL PUNISHMENT twists and turns while introducing new characters with every passing page. As the true intent of the kidnappers is slowly exposed Boxer and his colleagues come to the realization that this kidnapping may just be a smoke-screen for a far more sinister plot --- possibly one of terrorist origins. Charles Boxer is a refreshingly complex protagonist and definitely worthy of his own series --- a consideration I can only hope Robert Wilson follows through on.
“The way I see it if the saints can experience divine visions, why can’t the sinners?” This quote by the elusive pyromaniac/serial killer nicknamed The...more“The way I see it if the saints can experience divine visions, why can’t the sinners?” This quote by the elusive pyromaniac/serial killer nicknamed The Burner provides the chills and thrills in the second Detective Ellie MacIntosh novel by Kate Watterson. CHARRED follows Ellie and her new partner, Jason Santiago, as they traverse the Milwaukee area to catch a killer with a deadly and fiery agenda.
Set during an unusually hot summer, the work of a serial arsonist is just the thing to turn up the oven-like heat by several degrees. The killer has mostly struck in broad daylight and uses a form of accelerant to not only burn the houses he chooses to the ground but also successfully cover up the evidence on the bodies he leaves behind.
Ellie and Jason do not have much to work on and the only pattern The Burner seems to have left behind is that the remains found at each fire all appear to be female. Each chapter opens with a peek inside the mind of the killer. The killer not only seems to be aware of each move the police make but also remains a step ahead of them at each turn. Houses continue to burn leaving behind charred corpses as the only form of evidence and the police seem incapable of stopping this madman.
Kate Watterson has created a novel that builds tension with each passing chapter and drops enough clues for shrewd mystery fans to piece together. Ellie MacIntosh is quickly isolated in this novel as she even distrusts her new partner. Her personal life is already complicated by the fact that her live-in lover was a lead suspect in her last case. The fact that the killer may be closer than she can imagine will keep readers frantically turning the pages long into the night with this well-plotted mystery. Here’s hoping Watterson has more Ellie MacIntosh cases up her sleeve.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Suspense Magazine (less)
Quite frankly, Steve Berry is incapable of writing a bad novel. Since his first terrific adventure, THE AMBER ROOM, he has continued to write tales of...moreQuite frankly, Steve Berry is incapable of writing a bad novel. Since his first terrific adventure, THE AMBER ROOM, he has continued to write tales of historical, speculative fiction that drive the imagination and never cease to thrill the reader while doing so.
In his latest effort, THE KING'S DECEPTION, he posits a controversial scenario --- what if Elizabeth I, daughter of the Tudor empire, was a fraud? Even more compelling, what if she wasn't even a woman? Supposedly the actual Elizabeth died at the age of 12. To hide this story from her criticlly ill father, King Henry VII,she was switched out for a male heir he was not even aware he had.
If such a wild accusation were true it would possibly dismantle the entire British empire. Specifically,the land grants and seizures made under Elizabeth of territory in Northern Ireland would be null and void --- completely illegal!
Such information is allegedly found in the text and diaries of her closest confidant, Robert Cecil. This allegedly can be found in the secret cache of treasures that the Tudor dynasty has sealed away for centuries. Until now. Enter Cotton Malone, who travels to England with his young son Gary. When Gary is kidnapped, Cotton springs into action with his clandestine service experience to get him back. It is not long before Cotton recognizes Gary is a mere pawn in a much bigger game that pits an ancient group --- The Daedulus Society --- versus those seeking to uncover and expose the Tudor secrets. Additionally, the impact on a modern exchange of prisoners involving a Middle Eastern terrorist could be threatened if mission King's Deception fails.
Throughout all of this intrigue is a story of family. Not only the Tudor legacy but the actual fight between Cotton and a rogue agent who may be his actual birth father. Compelling from beginning to end and, even though far-fetched to some extent, the King's Deception story is enough to make you scratch your head and enjoy the what-if scenario.(less)
Ridley Pearson's terrific Kingdom Keepers series, like the Harry Potter series, has officially graduated from YA to adult. With each successive releas...moreRidley Pearson's terrific Kingdom Keepers series, like the Harry Potter series, has officially graduated from YA to adult. With each successive release (this is now the 6th of 7 novels) the Kingdom Keepers have gotten far more serious and the danger that much more real than when the series started.
In DARK PASSAGE, the 5 DHI hosts and their alllies continue to battle the Over Takers for domination of all things Disney. Seeing the greatest Disney villains come to life and actually try to harm people is chilling and their greatest plan yet is to reinvigorate Chernabog whose wraath and evil will crush the Kingdom Keepers and allow for the conquest of Disney.
A true treat for fans of Disney --- this novel goes in-depth on the Disney Dream cruise ship --- Ridley Pearson has tapped into the heart and soul of Walt Disney and his Imagineers and create another brilliant novel that will have fans counting the days until the release of the 7th and final book in the series.(less)
In a novel that reads like a cross between THE ALIENIST and GANGS OF NEW YORK, author Lyndsay Faye has carved out a period thriller set in 1845 NYC.
Th...moreIn a novel that reads like a cross between THE ALIENIST and GANGS OF NEW YORK, author Lyndsay Faye has carved out a period thriller set in 1845 NYC.
The time is important because it marks the largest influx of Irish immigrants, fleeing mother Ireland and the potatoe famine, and the impact that had on the inception of the first Police Department in NYC. Two brothers are among the first class of Coppers --- Val and Timothy Wilde. It is the younger brother, Timothy, who finds himself embroiled in a brutal crime when a young girl who is covered in blood runs to him in a crowded street.
What Tim uncovers is a makeshift grave with the bodies of many children and thus begins a thriller set amid the Five Points area that will pit the Wilde's against a pious maniac who enjoys leaving notes signed The God of Gotham. A must read for fans of historical fiction and period crime.(less)
One of 2012’s most popular novels was GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn. It was inevitable that great success always breeds imitators. The debut novel by Kim...moreOne of 2012’s most popular novels was GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn. It was inevitable that great success always breeds imitators. The debut novel by Kimberly McCreight, RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA, has already drawn comparisons to Flynn’s best-seller.
The difference in the two novels is quite evident. GONE GIRL is a more tautly written novel by a veteran author at the top of her game. However, I found the final third of that novel to be predictable once the ‘puzzle’ was revealed. RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA keeps you guessing right up until the end and does something GONE GIRL does not. McCreight uses a combination of straight narrative, past reflections and depictions of multiple forms of social media (email, Twitter, texts, school newsletters) to piece together a thriller that will appeal to older readers as well as those who enjoy Young Adult fiction.
Amelia attends a co-ed prep school called Grace Hall located in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. Like most teens, she longs to be accepted and predictably ends up with the wrong crowd to achieve popularity. She has doubts about her sexuality and maintains a text relationship with a gay boy named Ben from Albany, NY, whom she has never met. All the while, her best friend Sylvia warns her of the opinionated but popular female gang who call themselves the Magpies.
Amelia’s mother Kate is a single-parent struggling to raise her daughter right while traversing the political landscape of the NYC law firm where she works. One day Kate receives a cryptic phone call from Grace Hall telling them she had to come down immediately and get Amelia who was in some sort of trouble. When Kate eventually arrives she sees the school surrounded by Police and emergency workers. Kate experiences every mother’s worst nightmare when she realizes they are there due to the fact that her daughter jumped to her death off the roof of the school building.
Kate is devastated and trying to come to grips with how this could have happened and what signs she may have missed. As she continues to search for an answer she receives an alarming text message that simply states --- Amelia didn’t jump. She shares this information with the police and joins forces with an NYPD Detective to hunt down and piece together everything available to them about Amelia. This consists of both physical things (diary entries, notes) and electronic records (texts, emails). At the same time, the messages to Kate continue and each one forces her to look into her own past for an answer as well dealing with the fact that she never told Amelia who her father was.
Characters, clues and assorted red herrings abound in RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA as Grace Hall is far from your average school and Amelia quite a unique young woman. It is when Kate comes face to face with her own past and decisions she made that she realizes every choice you make must produce a result --- not always the one you are expecting. The mystery remains in place right up to the final pages and this is destined to become one of the more talked about novels of 2013.
When a new Donna Leon novel featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti is released it typically rises to the top of my 'to read' list. This series, now deca...moreWhen a new Donna Leon novel featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti is released it typically rises to the top of my 'to read' list. This series, now decades old, is easily among the best being written today.
What sets these novels apart from other mystery/thriller fare is the deeply written characters and a depiction of modern Venice as a corrupt and troublesome place for the law to do their job. In THE GOLDEN EGG, the series takes a departure from its social commentary on the difficult Venetian landscape. The end result is a novel unlike any other in the series.
The Golden Egg of the title refers to a man described as 'deaf and retarded' who is the victim of an apparantly accidental overdose of pills. The man in question, Davide Cavanella, was a cipher and someone who was consistently underestimated and easily forgotten. Yet, everyone in town knew who he was and those neighbors closest to him carried strong opinions about his mother, Ana,and rumors circulate about his being abused as well as used byy her for unknown profit.
Brunetti, spurred along by his wife Paola, makes it his business to uncover the truth behind who Davide actually was. What he discovers will fill him with shame and points a finger at every member of society who allowed the mistreatment of one of their own to happen under their very noses. An important and chilling read.(less)
‘I thought about the word hard-boiled. Marlowe was hard-boiled. Spade was hard-boiled. Was I? Maybe they were scared, too, then, these heroes of mine,...more‘I thought about the word hard-boiled. Marlowe was hard-boiled. Spade was hard-boiled. Was I? Maybe they were scared, too, then, these heroes of mine, scared, but with their fear kept separate and suspended from everything else.’
This is just a sample of the stream-of-consciousness inner monologue that plagues the protagonist of FOLLOW HER HOME. Her name is Juniper Song. Part Korean but all-American she inhabits a persona that is well-read in the classic noir novels of Raymond Chandler and Ross MacDonald and longs to be like them.
Song is not a detective, but filled with what she has gleaned from Chandler and armed with a pack of Lucky Strikes she is ready to give it a go. It looks like she finally has the opportunity to put her skills to work when her good friend Luke approaches her with the suspicion that his father, Mr. Cooke, is having an affair with a young paralegal from the firm where he works.
Sounds easy enough. Tail the father and/or the alleged lover and see where it leads. However, like the tangles often met by her favorite literary characters, things are never as simple as they may seem to be on the surface. Song’s first job at tailing one of the suspects results in her getting knocked unconscious and waking up on a park bench. To make matters worse, she returns to her car to find a dead body in the trunk. Now, the real fun begins!
FOLLOW ME HOME is filled with references to classic noir with Luke’s Los Angeles apartment being named the Marlowe Apartments of Hancock Park. Song admits to having read THE BIG SLEEP when she was 13 and then consuming everything that featured Phillip Marlowe. She reflects on how her literary hero also got knocked out in nearly every case he took in --- she just didn’t realize how much it would hurt.
Steph Cha’s debut novel is well written and dripping with homage on nearly every page. The story itself dangles on the precipice of merely being ordinary and at times not very interesting. What pulls it back is how firmly grounded it remains in its reflection of the noir work that is so often mentioned. Even more moving is Juniper Song’s own back-story. Cha deftly balances the action of the narrative with an interspersing of Song’s family history and as each page is turned the reality of the challenges she has faced on that front provide all the fuel required to drive her forward in her pursuit of uncovering all the secrets in her first case. I look forward to seeing more of Miss Juniper Song.
Reviewed by Ray Palen a.k.a. Chandler Marlowe for New Mystery Reader
Andrew Gross has built a reputation for creating lightning fast thrillers with smartly crafted plots whereby the story can change on a dime. In the ac...moreAndrew Gross has built a reputation for creating lightning fast thrillers with smartly crafted plots whereby the story can change on a dime. In the acknowledgements at the end of the novel Gross he indicates that his books always seen to start out as simply a story line and then grow into something far more personal.
His latest thriller, the stand-alone novel NO WAY BACK, begins with a horrific and tragic murder. Three College students, travelling through Mexico, are gunned down by a local gang --- seemingly the victims of wrong place/wrong time. We are then introduced to two different women whose narratives will drive the rest of the novel to its’ neat conclusion.
Wendy Gould, a former Nassau County Police Officer, is killing time at a midtown NYC bar while waiting for her train home to Westchester County. While there she is stood up by her girlfriend and hit on by a charming younger man. The man ends up being on the performance list at the bar that night as an accomplished jazz pianist. Even though she is married, Wendy is enthralled with the man named Curtis and accompanies him to his nearby hotel room.
Wendy puts on the brakes before things go too far and heads to the bathroom to clean herself up. While in there she hears voices coming from Curtis’ room. In listening through the crack in the door she hears a brief verbal altercation followed by a few gunshots and the mystery shooter stating: “this is for Gillian’. Using her former police instincts, Wendy confronts the gunmen. She grabs the gun that was planted next to Curtis’ gunned down body and draws on him. In the heat of the moment, she fires and kills him. Afterwards, she goes through his pockets to find an ID identifying him as a member of Homeland Security.
Wendy barely avoids getting gunned down herself by a partner of the man she just shot. In returning home to her husband, David, she openly confesses all to him. Even though he is hurt by the situation he recognizes they must go to the police. While pulling out of their driveway, Wendy and David are shot at by unknown assailants and David is killed. Thus begins Wendy’s life on the run as she attempts to clear her name and find out who this Curtis was and why he was murdered by Homeland Security.
The next part of the novel introduces us to Lauritzia Velez. She is in her early twenties and the nanny for two children from a wealthy Westchester family. During an excursion to the local Mall, a crazed gunman opens fire on the crowd striking and killing a handful of innocent people before being gunned down himself. After returning to the family home with the children safely in tow, Lauritzia attempts to run away via train. The family tracks her down before she gets on the train and she then confesses that she has no choice but to leave. It seems that the gunman was not a crazed lunatic randomly targeting innocent victims at a shopping mall but a hired hit man sent to target Lauritzia!
Of course, the inevitable happens as both Wendy and Lauritzia are each on paths that will soon cross and bear a common denominator that links the fateful pair. It is only during the last part of NO WAY BACK that things slow down and become somewhat predictable. Up to that point, the paths each woman takes is full of suspense and the threat of death lurks around every corner. This is far from the best thriller from the immensely talented Andrew Gross but a worthwhile read.
Mark Alpert has been called the 'heir to Michael Crichton' and the release of EXTINCTION may very well support that high compliment.
There have been ma...moreMark Alpert has been called the 'heir to Michael Crichton' and the release of EXTINCTION may very well support that high compliment.
There have been many novels that warn about the threat of technology going too far and supplanting the human race. We already have machines that think for us on a daily basis, yet pay no mind to the underlying message that conveys. EXTINCTION is aptly titled because that is the ultimate goal of a computerized artificial intelligence system known simply as Supreme Harmony whose goal is wipe out the human race.
A former military intelligence officer and now inventor of high-end prosthetic devices, Jim Pierce becomes one of the first to recognize that his own technology may be going too far. His daughter, a freelance writer for a publication based on Wikileaks, is captured by the Chinese military because of her plans to expose their Supreme Harmony plot. What follows is an eye-opening, chilling and frighteningly plausible thriller that calls to mind Asimov's "I Robot", Orwell's "1984", Huxley's "Brave New World" and many similar works by the afore-mentioned Crichton.
EXTINCTION is truly nightmare-inducing, intelligent fiction and sure to be one of the best of 2013.(less)
James Sheehan was a successful trial lawyer and currently teaches it at the Stetson University College of Law in Tampa, FL. He clearly knows his stuff...moreJames Sheehan was a successful trial lawyer and currently teaches it at the Stetson University College of Law in Tampa, FL. He clearly knows his stuff as well as possessing a firm understanding of the Florida legal system. THE LAWYER’S LAWYER is his third legal thriller and previous reviews indicate he is a welcome addition to the genre.
The hero of THE LAWYER’S LAWYER is Jack Tobin and the title of the novel reflects the moniker that has been given to him. He is highly respected and feared in the legal arena and now spends his early retirement fishing and occasionally offering his services to an organization focused on freeing unjustly incarcerated death row inmates by the name of Exoneration.
While spending his time away from his Miami base in the north central part of the state he is approached to represent the most controversial figure he has ever been associated with. Tom Felton is on death’s row and weeks away from execution. He is a convicted serial killer and his most high-profile victim was the wife of Sam Jeffries, the Police Chief leading investigation against him.
The Felton case is not new to Tobin for he had a brief affair with a Detective named Danni Jansen who was a critical part of that case. As Tobin looks deeper into the case he finds overlooked clues and even an indication that facts may have been stretched to insure a conviction. It’s enough to have Felton rescued by the Governor at the zero hour just prior to his scheduled execution.
While free pending a new ruling on his case, Tom Felton disappears. While he is gone, Katherine Jefferies, daughter of Sam Jeffries, is brutally murdered. Tobin and those close to him realize this is not a coincidence and also that the newly retired Danni Jansen may be next in the line of vendetta victims of Tom Felton.
Tobin goes to Danni’s home to warn her and finds Felton lurking in the woods outside her home. It appears to Tobin that Felton is drawing a gun on him and he fires with his own gun. He and Danni call Jeffries and local law enforcement to come to her house immediately and they respond quickly.
As Tobin is brought down to the Police Station for routine questioning he has no idea that Sam Jeffries is out for retribution of his own and it Jack Tobin who is going to make pay for the murders of his wife and daughter. Using greed and the possibility of great financial gain as a motive, Jeffries and the State’s Attorney conspire to convict Tobin of the pre-meditated murder of Tom Felton. Even though Jack gets great legal representation in Tom Wylie --- the deck may be too stacked against him to make a difference with the jury.
James Sheehan succeeds in creating an atmosphere of suspense and brings forward a plot that is uniquely original. The only issue is that once we get to the Tobin trail things all seem very routine and inevitably predictable. I would have liked to have seen more exploration into the ethical and moral issue surrounding the defense attorney who is seeking to free a convicted serial killer. This being said, THE LAWYER’S LAWYER makes for an entertaining read and is by all means above-average for a genre that has been in desperate need of a kick-start since the early days of John Grisham.
When Stephen King blurbs a novel my interest in usually piqued. When I found the entire back cover of Stephen Dobyn's THE BURN PALACE featuring a full...moreWhen Stephen King blurbs a novel my interest in usually piqued. When I found the entire back cover of Stephen Dobyn's THE BURN PALACE featuring a full paragraph by SK where he refers to the novel as the best he has read in years, this faithful reader was compelled to dig in.
I was not disappointed. Set in a very King-like town --- Brewster, Rhode Island --- and with the feel of one of King's Derry tales, I was instantly engaged. The subject matter runs the gamut from witchcraft, satanic cults, baby-napping, police procedural, Samhain,shape-changing and organ/full body harvesting.
The charactersare interesting and the prose fresh and snappy. I felt like I was visiting the small Alaskan town that the TV Show "Northern Exposure" was set in --- if it had been strained through the obscure oddness of David Lynch's "Twin Peaks".
The ending could have been a little less earth-bound, but the ride there is definitely worth the trip!(less)
I don't want to issue a Spoiler Alert as much as a word of friendly advice about WORLD WAR Z.
If you are NOT completely enthralled with and highly know...moreI don't want to issue a Spoiler Alert as much as a word of friendly advice about WORLD WAR Z.
If you are NOT completely enthralled with and highly knowledgeable to all things living dead or zombie than this is NOT the book for you. If you are seeking the action and gore of a series like "The Walking Dead" or one of the many Romero Living Dead films then you are in for a rude awakening.
For those still with me, what Max Brooks has created with WORLD WAR Z is nothing short of sheer brilliance. Reading almost like a history text book, this novel depcits an in-depth oral history of a fictional World War pitting all of humanity against the legions of living dead that have risen up to destroy us. The nameless writer who provides the narrative travels around the globe speaking with key figures in what has been labelled World War Z and providing different perspective with each visit.
There are some horrific moments --- such as the living dead that can walk the ocean floor or the thousands that inhabit the catacombs beneath Paris --- but the bulk of this novel is spent on recounting history of the events for the purpose of sharing this oral tradition and passing it down for preservation and to educate the generations to come.(less)
What if you could live life over and over again and learn from each mini-life you led in order to make changes during your next go round?
Thus is the s...moreWhat if you could live life over and over again and learn from each mini-life you led in order to make changes during your next go round?
Thus is the saga of young Ursula who in some cases lives as little as few brief moments through several decades. With each 'death' she is reborn with the opportunity to do it all over again and enact a different outcome. Taking place in the years leading up the second World War,will Ursula learn enough to change the outcome of history?
I could not make my mind up whether this was a work of genius or merely just a tedious novel that at times was difficult to continue with. Knowing it was Kate Atkinson, I trusted her intentions and stuck with --- however unbelievable parts may have seemed. The subject matter of moving around in time in order to change the present/future has been done many times before but the continous deaths of Ursula make LIFE AFTER LIFE a unique reading experience.(less)
With her sophomore effort, British novelist Elizabeth Haynes has fallen prey to the trap laid out by extremely high expectations following a terrific...moreWith her sophomore effort, British novelist Elizabeth Haynes has fallen prey to the trap laid out by extremely high expectations following a terrific debut novel. INTO THE DARKEST CORNER was an instant international classic and one of the best thrillers of the past ten years. Detailing the horrors of an abusive relationship that novel pulled no punches and left quite an imprint on the reader.
With DARK TIDE, originally released in the U.K. as REVENGE OF THE TIDE, Haynes has created a solid, if sometimes formulaic, thriller with a different kind of protagonist. Genevieve Shipley is a driven and determined woman trying to find her place in the world. She worked at a boring, dead-end office job during the day and then began to moonlight at a Gentleman’s Club called The Barclay to make some extra cash.
Genevieve’s dream is to own a houseboat and live on it. To escape the hustle and bustle of London and dock her ship in the port of some sleepy British village. She does so well as an exotic dancer that she no longer needs her day job and resigns it without notice. It wouldn’t be a thriller without danger and there are plenty of dangerous characters involved with The Barclay.
The boss, a gruff bloke named Fitz, is prone to having some of his special clients over for private parties and dinners where only the most select dancers are invited. Assisting Fitz is his ‘bodyguard’, a large fellow named Dylan. Genevieve begins to become one of Fitz’s top employees and that puts her directly in contact with some clients who do not have the best of intentions.
Dylan and Genevieve begin to show feelings for each other and he wants to get her away from Fitz and the club. He offers to spot her 50K to help her get her boat and only asks that she take a ‘package’ of his with her and keep it unopened and hidden until he contacts her on a private cell phone and requests it.
Genevieve purchases her houseboat, curiously named Revenge of the Tide, and puts The Barclay behind her. She decides to throw a party on her new floating home and invites a mix of London chums and fellow houseboat neighbors. Unfortunately, Genevieve’s past literally catches up with her as the party is disrupted by a floating body that has washed up next to it. The corpse looks very much like a fellow dancer from The Barclay who had been invited to the party. Thus begins the thriller portion of DARK TIDE as Genevieve finds herself completely in the dark as to what is happening and trapped between a police investigator she instantly falls for, thugs who tie her up and wreck her boat, calls from the mysteriously absent Dylan about his package and overly curious neighbors who put their noses where they shouldn’t.
DARK TIDE is a decent read and Haynes’ writing keeps things suspenseful. It’s just difficult to figure out the motivation of her protagonist, Genevieve, who should be a little less clueless as to the circumstances she finds herself in. Most dangerous of all, DARK TIDE falls prey to the Achilles heel that derails many well-intentioned thrillers, it has too much heart.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader (less)
The opening sequence of this novel immediately sets the tone for what is to come and will chill readers to the bone. An apparent serial killer has sta...moreThe opening sequence of this novel immediately sets the tone for what is to come and will chill readers to the bone. An apparent serial killer has staked out his next target --- an elderly woman wandering all alone with a walking stick by the banks of a tucked away river bed. He proceeds to confront the woman, duct tape her mouth closed and toss her into the back of his van which doubles as his killing chamber.
The novel then quickly jumps back in time ten days and this opening sequence remains seemingly unrelated. We are introduced to retired FBI Agent, Brigid Quinn. At age fifty-nine and several years as part of the FBI hunting serial killers she has seen her fair share of horror. She successfully keeps this part of her past from partner, Carlo, himself a former priest.
Brigid has her tranquil new life with Carlo disrupted as she is called back into action to serve as an advisor on a case. Though initially reluctant, she springs to duty when she learns that the case involves the still unclosed Route 66 killer. She lost one of her young colleagues to this uncaptured killer and latest reports indicate the FBI may have not only found the killer but also the remains of his last victim who may be the missing agent.
Floyd Lynch shows all the signs of being the Route 66 killer and knows details that only FBI and law enforcement were privy to. He is quickly arraigned and cuts a deal for a life sentence in return for information on the bodies of other victims. It all seems too neat for current FBI Agent Laura Coleman. She has doubts that they have in fact caught the actual Route 66 killer and shares these concerns with Brigid. Brigid is reluctant to believe these allegations until Coleman herself goes missing.
We are soon brought to the prologue sequence where --- to no one’s surprise --- the old woman that is abducted by the serial killer turns out to be Brigid herself. Using her guile and years of experience she is able to thwart the killer and deliver a fatal blow with the blade connected to the end of her walking stick. Brigid realizes that this killer was sent for her --- a true sign that the real killer is not only still out there but may be operating a team of killers to do his bidding.
Now throwing herself fully into the investigation, mostly ‘off the grid’, Brigid uncovers clue after clue to lead her closer to finding the real killer and also the whereabouts of Agent Coleman. Little does she know that the answers may be closer than she ever could imagine. However, Brigid Quinn is a self-proclaimed woman of a certain age, raging, and a force to be reckoned with.
Becky Masterman has put together a stellar debut effort. The serial killer genre that was made popular by Thomas Harris and his Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling novels has seen many imitators over the decades since their release. Most attempts at this genre are clichéd and tired while at the other end of the spectrum lie authors like Jeffrey Deaver and Robert Walker who have excelled at it. It is safe to add Becky Masterman to the list of authors who have truly captured the horror of the serial killer genre. I would have liked to have gotten more into the head of the killer/killers in RAGE AGAINST THE DYING, but the characters and suspense are so good I am confident Masterman can dig deeper in her next effort. Welcome, Brigid Quinn!
Her best friend defected to America, her co-worker Saj is injured in a freak car/pedestrian accident, an old man who knew her estranged mother is murd...moreHer best friend defected to America, her co-worker Saj is injured in a freak car/pedestrian accident, an old man who knew her estranged mother is murdered, a rare Modigliani painting is stolen, she receives death threats from Serbs and is later attacked in her own office and almost drowned in a bucket of water.
All of these events happen within the span of a few days in the life of Private Investigator, Aimee Leduc. The action starts in the Montparnasse section of Paris --- a bohemian area that appears untouched since the 1920’s. Aimee is hired by an elderly Russian named Yuri Volodya. Her mission is to protect a rare and priceless painting in his possession. The painting is allegedly by Modigliani and it depicts the famous Russian leader and revolutionary figure --- Vladimir Lenin.
Making matters more interesting is when Yuri claims to have known Aimee’s estranged mother --- who walked out when she was a young girl. When Yuri’s tortured body is found a day after meeting with Aimee it appears that initial evidence reveals her mother may very well have played a part in Yuri’s murder.
Aimee does not have the luxury of time to dive into this investigation as she immediately receives death threats from Serbian gangsters and is shortly thereafter attacked in her own office and dunked repeatedly in a bucket of water until she reveals what she knows about the painting. Escaping these predicaments only makes Aimee more curious and the connection to her mother pushes her curiosity that much further.
The plot of MURDER BELOW MONTPARNASSE gets more complex with each passing chapter as Aimee is embroiled firmly in the world of international art theft. Serbs, Russians and fellow Parisians all join the mix --- each group seeking the same thing. Aimee is conflicted as she must protect herself from the ‘hit’ that has been put out on her while still trying to locate her mother and the missing painting. Could Modigliani’s depiction of Lenin be enough to rock the foundations of Russian history itself and is it worth killing for?
Any Aimee Leduc novel is a welcome read and with Cara Black as your tour guide the reader is given a glimpse of Paris and all its’ diverse neighborhoods that make you feel like you are actually there. The smell of baguettes seem to waft off the very pages as the rich Parisian atmosphere plays like a living character in a recurring mystery series that is among the best in the genre today. MURDER BELOW MONTPARNASSE is an instant classic and one that reveals the very human and susceptible side of protagonist, Aimee Leduc. The extremely satisfying ending only leaves the reader wanting to spend more time with Aimee and her friends --- a request that Cara Black will certainly fulfill in her next adventure. (less)
It is always refreshing to read a talented new voice in the mystery/thriller genre. Those successful in this arena are able to pay homage to the more...moreIt is always refreshing to read a talented new voice in the mystery/thriller genre. Those successful in this arena are able to pay homage to the more popular writers in the field while still forging their own way with a unique voice. I am pleased to say that Stephen Talty has successfully blended the best of both in his first fiction novel, BLACK IRISH.
These days it seems many mystery/thriller novels are set against bleak landscapes making them that much more chilling and terrifying. Talty has chosen Buffalo, NY, an area that can be as dark and cold as any part of the planet during the height of winter.
It is in this territory that Homicide Detective Absalom” Abbie” Kearney earns her keep. She is returning to this area she calls home and follows in the footsteps of her famous father and former police hero, John Kearney. Abbie is referred to as being ‘black Irish’ --- a reflection of her midnight black hair and deep Irish roots.
The Kearney’s are from the South Buffalo section called the County and it here where a series of brutal murders have taken place. The first victim is Jimmy Ryan. While Ryan may have been a shady character he was not deserving of the brutal demise he suffered --- left as a mangled corpse in a local church basement with a sinister message carved into his body.
Abbie’s search is thwarted at every turn and residents of the County are far from forthcoming. It is only when her investigation leads to the local Gaelic Club that she begins to find some answers. She learns about a secret sect known as the Clan na Gael--- a group reminiscent of the infamous IRA and just as deadly.
As succeeding horrific murders occur Abbie begins to feel her grip on the case slipping. To make matters worse, fellow investigators in her Department are following the case closely and even begin to present the possibility that Abbie herself may be behind the murders. Fighting for her career, life and the truth will push Abbie Kearney into dangerous territory and put her face to face with her own family history.
BLACK IRISH moves quickly and Talty keeps the suspense building with each passing chapter. The description of the County put the reader right in the middle of this stark area once referred to as the ‘original Detroit’. Abbie Kearney is a welcome new voice on the hard-boiled detective front and I hope to hear more from her in the future.
The body of a gunshot victim makes its' way to a morgue in Santa Fe which results in the remarkable discovery that the body was over a hundred years o...moreThe body of a gunshot victim makes its' way to a morgue in Santa Fe which results in the remarkable discovery that the body was over a hundred years old. Additionally, the body was riddled with smallpox scars and part of a musket ball was found lodged in the leg.
Thus begins Dean Crawford's second novel, IMMORTAL. As dynamic as this initial premise is the end result of the novel proves to be far more complex and (of course) contain the highest levels of espionage, government concealment and corporate greed.
Turns out there may be others like this initial victim who are still alive. If they were to fall into the wrong hands (corrupt billionaire biotechnology magnates or power-hungry government leaders) the results could be devastating.
It is up to former war correspondent Ethan Warner and his partner Nicola Lopez to stop this conspiracy at every level before the new 'fountain of youth' can be tapped and served up to the rich and powerful while the rest of mankind is left to perish.
Crawford approaches James Rollins and Steve Berry territory with IMMORTAL, but is not quite there yet. An enjoyable read that is occasionally bogged down with stilted dialouge and confusing plot elements ---- I am confident the Ethan Warner series will only improve with time.(less)
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