Michael Thomas Barry's Blog, page 2

Author: Carlene O'ConnorRelease date: February 25, 2020Pu...

Author: Carlene O'ConnorRelease date: February 25, 2020Publisher: Kensington BooksBuy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Irish-Cottage-Village-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07R7RXMKQ/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=charlene+O%27Connor&qid=1582665693&sr=8-6Family is everything to Siobhán: her five siblings; her dear departed mother for whom the family business, Naomi's Bistro, is named; and now her fiancé, Macdara Flannery. So precious is her engagement that Siobhán wants to keep it just between the two of them for a little longer.But Macdara is her family, which is why when his cousin Susan frantically calls for his help, Siobhán is at his side as the two garda rush from Kilbane to the rural village where Susan and her mother have recently moved. Unfortunately, tragedy awaits them. They find Susan, who is blind, outside the cottage, in a state. Inside, Aunt Ellen lies on her bed in a fancy red dress, no longer breathing. A pillow on the floor and a nearby teacup suggest the mode of death to their trained eyes: the woman has been poisoned and smothered. Someone wanted to make sure she was dead. But who?Devout believers in Irish folklore, the villagers insist the cottage is cursed—built on a fairy path. It turns out Ellen Delaney was not the first to die mysteriously in this cottage. Although the townsfolk blame malevolent fairies, Siobhán and Macdara must follow the path of a murderer all too human—but just as evil. . . .Carlene O’Connor is the USA Today bestselling author of the Irish Village Mystery series. Murder in an Irish Cottage is the eagerly anticipated fifth installment of the wildly successful series. Other books in the collection include Murder in an Irish Village (2016), Murder at an Irish Wedding (2017), Murder in an Irish Churchyard (2018), and Murder in an Irish Pub (2019).In Murder in an Irish Cottage, summer has arrived in the picturesque village of Kilbane, County Cork, where Siobhán and her brood are on a short 10-day vacation. We soon learn that she and fellow police officer Dara Flannery’s slowly evolving romance has now blossomed into a secret engagement. The action heats up when Dara receives a panicked call from his cousin, apparently his Aunt Ellen is in some sort of trouble. Distressed by the call, the pair heads off to find out what has happened and soon horrifyingly discover that his aunt has been murdered. We follow the pair as they try to unravel the mystery and find the killer.Wonderfully captivating, Murder in an Irish Cottage does not disappoint. Interwoven with charming descriptions of lush green Irish landscapes and tales of folklore and legends, it is a thrilling addition to the murder mystery series. Readers have over time bared witness to Siobhán O’Sullivan’s personal growth from the beleaguered caregiver of five siblings to self-confident police officer.“The meadow glistened and Siobhán could smell the peat and imagine how soft the ground would be beneath their feet. The sun was out now, and just as Siobhán had the thought, she turned and saw it; just behind the largest hill arched a magnificent rainbow. The colors were so bright and clear, it didn’t look real.”
Carlene O’Connor has continued to evolve the storylines of each of her characters into people that are likeable and engaging. She has done an outstanding job of crafting distraction and misdirection that is essential to any successful murder mystery. As the plot unfolds in this current tale, there are loads of twists and turns that keeps the reader riveted to their seats, guessing whodunit until the very end.The review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on February 25, 2020 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/murder-irish-cottage

Review of The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde

Author: Maja LundeRelease date: January 14, 2020Publisher: HarperViaPages: 304Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/End-Ocean-Novel-Maja-Lunde/dp/006295136X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=maja+lunde&qid=1579110586&sr=8-2In 2017, 70-year-old Signe sets out on a hazardous voyage to cross an entire ocean in only a sailboat. She is haunted by the loss of the love of her life and is driven by a singular and all-consuming mission to make it back to him.Twenty-two years into the future, David flees with his young daughter, Lou, from a war-torn Southern Europe plagued by drought. They have been separated from their rest of their family and are on a desperate search to reunite with them once again, when they find Signe's abandoned sailboat in a parched French garden, miles away from the nearest shore. As David and Lou rummage through personal effects from Signe's travels, their journey of survival and hope weaves together with Signe's, forming a heartbreaking, inspiring story about the power of nature and the human spirit.The End of the Ocean is Maja Lunde’s second foray into adult fiction and is a spellbinding read that focuses on the realities of climate change though the eyes of a father and daughter. Lunde is one of Norway’s most prominent authors and screenwriters, who is best known for writing the critically acclaimed international bestseller The History of Bees (2015). Her previous writings focused on children and young adult themes.First published in 2017 in Norway, The End of the Ocean centers on base level survival in the not too distant future. Mankind is facing possible multiple ecological calamities that include droughts and a lack of sustainable resources. The plot focuses on three characters: Signe, David, and Lou. Signe's narrative is based in present day Norway where she has lived a lifetime of activism fighting for conservation of natural resources. During her college years, she meets Magnus, and they become lovers. Both initially want to protect the environment, but after graduation Magnus takes a different path that leads him to harvest glaciers and sell the ice. Because of this the pair drift apart. The legacy of their actions impact the future.“All life is water, all life was water . . . It gushed from the sky as rain or snow, it filled the small lakes in the mountains, lay in the form of ice in the glacier, it flowed down the steep mountains in thousands of small streams . . . The ground, the mountains, the pastures were tiny islands in that which actually was the world. I called my world Earth but thought that is should actually be named Water.”Storyline two follows the father-daughter duo of David and Lou. They reside in France several decades in the future where mankind is struggling to survive in a world filled with chaos. Because of severe drought there are massive wildfires ravaging Europe and food, water, and medical supplies are in short supply.   “. . . the stores were emptied of food staples, and the city became emptier, quieter. And hotter. The drier the earth became, the hotter the air. Previously the sun had applied its forces to evaporation. When there was no longer any moisture on the earth, we became the sun’s target.”Chillingly frank in its discussion of our planet’s fragile ecological system and the fight to save our basic natural resources, Lunde’s two superbly written interlinking narratives are emotionally charged and the beautifully expressed underlying message of hope, love and forgiveness helps to soften the ominous realties that could befall humanity if nothing is done to reverse the bleak certainties of climate change.***This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on January 14, 2020 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/end-ocean-novel

Review of The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer

Author: Nicholas MeyerRelease Date: October 15, 2019Publisher: Minotaur BooksPages: 256Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Peculiar-Protocols-Adapted-Journals/dp/1250228956/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=nicholas+Meyer&qid=1571262619&sr=8-1
January 1905: famed detectives Sherlock Holmes and his associate Dr. Watson are summoned by Holmes' brother Mycroft to embark on a secret investigation. An agent of the British Secret Service has been found dead in the River Thames. In the agent’s pocket is a document that appears to be the notes of a meeting of a secret society that’s focused on taking over the world.Based on real events, the adventure takes the fabled private detective’s and other captivating characters through the heart of Europe aboard the legendary Orient Express. As they travel from Paris into the heart of Russia, Holmes and Watson attempt to trace the origins of the dangerous document. Hot on their heels are men of dubious loyalty, who will stop at nothing to prevent the release of the secret plans. The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols is Nicholas Meyer’s third Sherlock Holmes novel and in this highly entertaining murder mystery we are whimsically transported back in time. Harkening back to the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, Meyer’s capably takes the reader on a gripping journey where Holmes and Watson exposes a secret so massive it shakes the duo to their core. An Academy Award nominated film writer, producer, and director. Nicolas Meyer’s is also the author of three Sherlock Holmes novels that include The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1974), The West End Horror (1976), and The Canary Trainer (1995).In this newest adaption we find Sherlock Holmes contemplating his future in the new century. The year is 1905 and there are fewer and fewer mysteries to solve. The aging detective finds himself at a crossroads with technological advances. Just before he and his distinguished partner John H. Watson, M.D. are set to retire, they find renewed propose as they are drawn into another exhilarating murder mystery.At first the detectives are skeptical of the facts but as they wade deeper and deeper into the case it becomes crystal clear that the stakes are dire. Will Holmes and Watson be able to solve the mystery in time to prevent the secret organization from succeeding in their bid for global supremacy? It is set on the fabled Orient Express, which was made famous in the writing of Agatha Christie. Along the way, Holmes and Watson find themselves intertwined with several eccentric characters. As they contemplate the mystery that is currently unfolding they also ponder the changing world.“A revolution was taking place half a world away. Events were unfolding that, if the nearsighted chemist enjoying Holmes’s sherry was correct, could conceivably drag the rest of Europe into a conflagration in which massive quantities of British gunpowder might well be required.”Meyer’s expertise with Sherlock Holmes’ exploits are undeniably evident in this newest adaption. He effortlessly combines his screenwriting and storytelling skills into a fresh take on an old-fashioned murder mystery. While the exchanges between Holmes and Watson feel natural, Holmes’ side narrative of sibling rivalry with his older brother is undeniably entertaining.“How is your French, Sherlock?” Holmes endeavored to conceal his surprise. “Schoolboy at best, as you are aware,” he confessed. Mycroft, I knew, spoke at least six languages, claiming it took but eight weeks to master a new tongue, which Holmes sneeringly once asserted in my presence was a sure sign of idiocy.” “It will have to do for now,” his brother replied, handing him the envelope.”Invigoratingly engaging from start to finish, Nicholas Meyer has yet again created a fresh take on an old genre. The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols is a sure bestseller in which 21st century readers are gloriously transported back to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.  This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on October 16, 2019 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/adventure-peculiar-protocols

Review of Cold Stone Heart by Caz Frear

Author: Caz FrearRelease date: July 2, 2019Publisher: harper CollinsPages: 368Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Cold-Heart-Novel-Kinsella/dp/0062849883/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=caz+frear&qid=1563225707&s=gateway&sr=8-1Caz Frear has done it again. The author of the critically acclaimed bestseller Sweet Little Lies (2018), has created another can’t miss summer hit with Stone Cold Heart, the sophomore edition of the Cat Kinsella detective mystery series.    After a brief stint in the mayor’s office, Detective Constable Cat Kinsella is back at the London Metropolitan Police, wisecracking with her partner Luigi Parnell and trying to avoid the wrath of the boss, Detective Investigator Kate Steele.But for Cat and Parnell, it’s serious business when a young Australian woman turns up dead after a party thrown by her new boss. The initial investigation of Naomi Lockhart's murder points to Joseph Madden, the owner of a coffee shop around the corner from police headquarters. Madden insists he’s innocent, that he was home with his wife Rachel at the time of the murder. When police question her, Rachel contradicts his alibi, swearing that she was home alone.While the team builds its case against Joseph, Cat is tasked with getting to the heart of the Maddens’ marriage. Cat knows that one of them is lying—but the question of which one, and why, is far more complicated than she could have expected. As she tries to balance the demands of the investigation with a budding romance and unresolved family drama, Cat has to decide how far she’ll go to keep her own past mistakes buried.Caz Frear grew up in Coventry, England, and spent her teenage years dreaming of moving to London and writing a novel. After fulfilling her first dream, it wasn’t until she moved back to Coventry 13 years later that the second finally came true in 2018 with the publication of Sweet Little Lies.In Stone Cold Heart we witness the highly anticipated return of the unforgettable Cat Kinsella, the smart and sassy London Detective Constable. And like its predecessor this novel is spellbinding from start to finish. Frear effectively combines a family drama with a captivating psychological mystery, while incorporating effective descriptions of police procedurals. Blend all of that with an unpredictable and intelligently witty storyline and you’ve got a winner.“. . . pretending I haven’t heard him over the incessant gurgle of the coffee machines and the insipid soft jazz. I’m nearly out the door now. Just a few more strides and I’ll be safely outside, away from Casanova’s attention and basking in the scents of a grimy London summer. Warm beer. Bus diesel. Raindrops hitting the hot pavements. Bliss.”Our character, Cat Kinsella is a strong and feisty woman, who also happens to be an excellent detective. Her character’s sarcastic sense of humor is appealing on so many levels but most importantly her everyday imperfections allow her to stand out because she doesn’t let herself be defined by these shortcomings. This character continues to resonate with readers because of her struggles balancing a dysfunctional personal and family life with career. Although her personal development is less of a focus in this book, that minor fact does not diminish the novel’s appeal. If you haven’t read Sweet Little Lies, it is highly recommended to catch up on all of the happenings and to fully appreciate Kinsella’s multilayered and enchanting character. Efforts like this are rare in fiction publishing today, and Frear has succeeded in this sequel where many writers have failed.Overall, Stone Cold Heart is masterfully written, and Caz Frear’s trademark sense of humor shines brightly; add in a character worth cheering for and plenty of mystery and suspense (that leaves you guessing to the final pages), and you’ve got the recipe for a sure thing bestseller.This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on July 12, 2019 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/stone-cold-heart

Review of Life with Picasso by Francoise Gilot

Author: Francoise GilotRelease date: June 11, 2019Publisher: NYBR ClassicsPages: 376Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Picasso-Review-Books-Classics/dp/168137319X/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=lisa+alther&qid=1560612767&s=gateway&sr=8-8Francoise Gilot was just 21 when she met Pablo Picasso, four decades her senior. He had first seen the young artist in May of 1943, during the German occupation of France at a restaurant on the left bank of Paris, near Notre Dame. Picasso was captivated by her charm and intellect, while Gilot’s first impression of him was a little less than pleasing, “I was a little surprised at Picasso’s appearance . . . his graying hair and absent look—either distracted or bored—gave him a withdrawn, Oriental appearance that remined me of the Egyptian scribe in the Louvre.”Gilot moved in with him in 1946, and during the following ten years they worked closely together. They never married, but they did have two children together. During their time together Gilot was often hassled on the streets of Paris by Picasso's legal wife, Olga Khokhlova, a former Russian ballet dancer, and Picasso himself physically abused her as well.Eleven years after their separation, Gilot wrote Life with Picasso (1964), a memoir that sold over one million copies in dozens of languages, despite an unsuccessful legal effort from Picasso attempting to stop its publication. From then on, Picasso refused to see the children. All the profits from the book were used to help her children mount a case to become Picasso's legal heirs.In 1970, Gilot married Jonas Salk, who pioneered the polio vaccine, and they remained married until his death in 1995. Gilot lives in Paris and New York, works on behalf of the Salk Institute in California, and at age 98, still continues to exhibit her own artwork internationally. New York Review Books has recently republished her timeless memoir with a brief introduction by Lisa Alther. She is the author of six novels, a memoir, a short story collection, and the book About Women: Conversations Between a Writer and a Painter, co-authored by Francoise Gilot.“I lay there in his arms . . . Until then he had been, for me, the great painter that everyone knew about and admired . . . From then on he became a person . . . Now my emotions and affections were involved. I had not thought before then that I could ever love him. Now I knew it could be no other way.”Brutally honest but even-handed, Gilot openly describes her often-turbulent life with the volatile genius. Picasso is revealed as brilliant but calculating, a man who despised sentimentality and mostly sought to shock the senses. It is filled with emotional and often surprising disclosures about the man, his work, his thoughts and his contemporaries such as Matisse, Braque, Gertrude Stein and Giacometti, among others.Evocative of the time and full of remarkably detailed commemorations of conversations between Pablo and his famous friends. Gilot provides a brilliant self-portrait of a young woman with enormous talent figuring out who she really wanted to become. She provides a detailed insider's view of the great artist at work and delivers a dynamic understanding of his inner thoughts. A captivating and monumental snapshot of a bygone era that still resonates 57 years after its first publication.Review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on June 14, 2019 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/life-picasso

Review of The Paris Diversion by Chris Pavone

Author: Chris PavonePublish date: May 7, 2019Publisher: CrownPages: 384Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Paris-Diversion-Novel-Chris-Pavone/dp/1524761508/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=chris+pavone&qid=1557354574&s=gateway&sr=8-1Kate Moore is an expat mom being pulled in every direction, all the time—parenting that’s pulling her away from work, a perilous job pulling her away from her kids, and stressful professional travel pulling her away from her husband, from the damaged relationship she’s trying hard to repair. She’s also trying to remain relevant, clinging to an intelligence career that seems to be slipping away, with every day a chance to salvage it, or ruin it.So when a suicide bomber arrives at the Louvre, it’s not someone else’s problem. And as Kate digs into the dangerous events unfolding across the City of Lights— multiple bomb threats, a missing CEO, her husband’s risky business move—she discovers that today’s citywide attack is not at all what it seems, and that the past she hoped she left behind might be closer than she thinks. Much closer.Chris Pavone is the New York Times bestselling author of three award winning books that includes The Expats (2012), The Accident (2015), and The Travelers (2016). Since he burst onto the scene, Chris Pavone has continued to cultivate his craft and has become one of the elite writers of the thriller genre.“After the Charlie Hebdo massacre, sirens began to take on a new significance, triggering more vital concerns . . . These days, sirens could mean anything…The sirens are closing in . . . people finally begin to react . . . The bomb that Mahmoud is wearing under his windbreaker is the sort that can be easily identified . . . Everyone knows what this is. That is the point. The world has become prepared for this sort of thing, in the sorts of places where it makes sense. Places like here. Mahmoud is the delivery system.”The Paris Diversion is the second installment in the masterfully crafted Kate Moore series and much like its forerunner it’s jammed with nonstop adventures and electrifying action. Unlike other books in the espionage-thriller category it’s almost a requirement to have read Pavone’ first book. The plot has links to The Expats and without prior familiarity might tend to be a little baffling to the casual reader. Because the story is told from several viewpoints and given the fact that a few of these are from peripheral characters the casual reader who does not have prior understanding might be confused about their roles.However, once these viewpoints are understood the storyline transforms into a read that is appealing, absorbing, and intensely spellbinding. The twists and turns are never predicable, and the heart-pounding tension of The Paris Diversion effortlessly transports the reader through a labyrinth of hypnotic suspense, where nothing is ever what it seems to be.The review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on May 8, 2019 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/paris-diversion-novel

Review of Kushner Inc. by Vicky Ward

Author: Vicky WardRelease date: March 19, 2019Publisher: St. Martin PressPages: 320Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kushner-Inc-Ambition-Corruption-Extraordinary/dp/1250185947/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=kushner+inc&qid=1553878064&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are the self-styled prince and princess of America. Their swift, gilded rise to extraordinary power in Donald Trump’s White House is unprecedented. In Kushner, Inc.: Greed. Ambition. Corruption. The Extra Ordinary Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Vicky Ward investigates and debunks the many myths the couple has created, the most outlandish being that they are the only voices of reason in an otherwise irrational presidency.
Ward is a New York Times bestselling author who has penned several books that include The Devil's Casino: Friendship, Betrayal, and the High Stakes Games Played Inside Lehman Brothers (2010) and The Liar's Ball: The Extraordinary Saga of How One Building Broke the World's Toughest Tycoons (2014). She is also a contributing editor and investigative reporter for several magazines that include HuffPost, Vanity Fair, and Town & Country.
In Kushner, Inc. Ward skillfully unveils a grim and disturbing portrait of entitled offspring, whose greed, inexperience, vanity, and voracious need for power has caused chaos in the world and may even threaten democracy.
Ward follows the couple from New Jersey to New York City to the White House, where their many ventures into policy-making and national security have mockingly ridiculed long-standing US policy and practice. Ward contends that the Kushners have methodically and unapologetically pursued an unchecked agenda that has increased their wealth. She holds Jared and Ivanka personally responsible for their actions and discloses their self-serving motivations and how these actions have advanced them into the highest levels of government where no one has been able to stop them.
“Jared is as sinister as Donald Trump is . . . He’s not a pussycat . . . well dressed, well put together, and always saying the right thing, doing the right thing . . .”
“the reason Ivanka Trump so badly wanted to become a Kushner was that she’d never had a close-knit family; it appeared that she never felt her parents . . . desired her presence . . .”
“Ivanka Trump was critical in promoting her husband as the smoother, softer counterpart to her father’s volatility . . . One person who knew the couple felt she was in charge of their marriage . . . Ivanka was always giving Jared input . . . on the smallest of details . . . but she also played the role of devoted, traditional Orthodox wife.”
In this meticulously researched book, Ward reveals that Jared and Ivanka are not just the president’s chief enablers: they, like him, also appear indifferent to the rule of law and basic ethics. Clearly written accounts of the Kushner’s political and personal dealings paint a shocking and realistic image of their alleged corruption, inexperience, and possible criminal activity. For those readers who have a pretty good general knowledge of the endless chaos and confusion surrounding the Trumps and Kushners this expose will not be shocking or surprising.
Overall, this book definitely stands out head and shoulders above many of the recent books on the Trump family. It is not just a repeat of the reports of events but is well written account of what actually happened. But be warned if you really want to be creeped out and want a sleepless night, enter the unsavory and often seedy world of “Javanka” where ruthlessness, egotism, and pure ignorance run rampant.  This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on March 28, 2019 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/kushner-inc

Review of The Good Lie by Tom Rosenstiel

Author: Tom RosenstielRelease date: February 12, 2019Publisher EccoPages 352Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Lie-Novel-Tom-Rosenstiel/dp/0062475398/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
When a covert American diplomatic compound is attacked in North Africa, the White House is overwhelmed with allegations of incompetence. Numerous conspiracy theories begin to circulate and eager to learn the truth, the president and his staff turn to political fixers Peter Rena and his partner, Randi Brooks for answers. As they delve deep into the secretive world of espionage and national security, hoping to do their work surreptitiously, they quickly discover that will be impossible, when everything is leaked to a reporter and a bombshell exposé is published. Caught in the middle of the scandal, they hope to deflect some of the harmful fallout from the president.“Twenty-five months earlier James Barlow Nash defied nearly all prognosticators and won a second term to his enigmatic presidency . . . As he moved to national prominence in an ear of political alienation, the condescending distrust of both party establishments turned to be one of Nash’s strongest political virtues.”Congressional hearings are opened, the military appears to be in shutdown mode, the press is eager for another big story, and political enemies are plotting their next move. Rena and Brooks learn the hard way that secrets in Washington are hard to keep and often come with a very high price.The second installment in the Peter Rena series, The Good Lie by Tom Rosenstiel provides plenty of intrigue in this electrifying political page-turner. Rosenstiel is the author of numerous books that includes the critically acclaimed series debut, Shining City (2017, Ecco). He is also the executive director of the American Press Institute and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.Set in the cut throat, eat or be eaten world of Washington politics, in The Good Lie, Rosenstiel does an excellent job of balancing political intrigue and mystery, while providing poignant observations of the complexities that engulf and often incapacitate its inner circles of power.Our protagonists, Rena and Brooks, bob and weave their way through sticky entanglements and are blocked at every turn. Faced with lies and coverups, they cleverly maneuver through these obstacles, which gives them even more motivation to uncover the truth.In The Good Lie, Rosenstiel provides an accurate and enlightening portrayal of the delicate interplay that exists between the various departments within Washington politics. As a seasoned journalist, Rosenstiel knows what truly motivates politicians and because of this inside information, he is able to expertly convey these tendencies to the reader.For those who pay attention to real-life political scandals, this novel offers a riveting description of what really happens behind those closed doors of Washington’s flawed and dysfunctional traditions. The Good Lie, much like its predecessor, Shining City, is an entertaining and suspenseful read that skillfully reconnoiters the world of power and corruption, secrets and ambition.Review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on February 12, 2019 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/good-lie-novel-0

Review of Summoned to the Thirteenth Grave by Darynda Jones

Author: Darynda JonesRelease Date: January 15, 2019Publisher: St. Martin's PressPages: 304Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Summoned-Thirteenth-Grave-Charley-Davidson/dp/125014941X?keywords=darynda+jones&qid=1547654104&sr=8-1&ref=sr_1_1Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper extraordinaire, is pissed. She’s been kicked off the earthly plain for eternity, which is the appropriate amount of time to make a person stark raving mad. But someone’s looking out for her, and she’s allowed to return after a mere 100 years in exile. Is it too much to hope for that not much has changed? Apparently it is. Bummer. She’s missed her daughter. She’s missed Reyes.

She’s missed Cookie and Garrett and Uncle Bob. But now that she’s back on earth, it’s time to put to rest burning questions that need answers. What happened to her mother? How did she really die? Who killed her? And are cupcakes or coffee the best medicine for a broken heart? It all comes to a head in an epic showdown between good and evil.

In Summoned to Thirteenth Grave, New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones brings the beloved paranormal Charley Davidson series to a satisfyingly brilliant conclusion. The winner of numerous literary awards, Jones has penned over two dozen novels that includes the wildly successful YA Darklight trilogy series.

Charley Davidson is back from exile after “One hundred seven years, two months, fourteen days, twelve hours, and thirty-three minutes.” She’s been tormented by dreams of a husband she could not touch and a daughter she could not protect. Davidson finds upon her return that an evil force has emerged out of the hell dimension. A portal that she unintentionally opened and it’s taking over Albuquerque. “. . . did we just start the zombie apocalypse? Is the extinction of the human race going to be on our heads?”

How appropriate is it that this is the 13th and final installment. A brilliant and fitting ending to a wickedly adored series. It is choke full of everything a reader of the genre would want, humor, suspense, and most of all, the ultimate love story between Charley and Reyes.

What is most impressive is how Jones balances wit, suspense, and sultry sexiness, while adding crazy new developments to the plot. She effortlessly manages to tie up the loose ends for the each of the main characters, which is a daunting task, but Jones does it easily and effectively. Charley Davidson and her snappy and often sarcastic sense of humor will be missed.

“...bring one person back from the dead and bam. Banished for all eternity. Exiled to hell with no light, no hair products, and no coffee.”

Davidson is an amazing character augmented by a cast of extraordinarily engaging secondary characters. The entire series hasn’t been solely about resolving mysteries or fighting evil, it was about building bonds of friendship. These relationships are at the center of the series and this is the essential reason why these novels have been so successful.
With a whimsical plot and is an astonishingly bitter sweet, yet satisfying conclusion, Summoned to Thirteenth Grave does not disappoint. Fans of this series will be delighted and while the number 13 is considered by some people to be unlucky, the only unfortunate ones will be those that don't pick up a copy of this book.

This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on January 15, 2019 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/summoned-thirteenth

Review of Children of God by Lars Petter Sveen

Author: Lars Petter SveenRelease Date: October 16, 2018Publisher: Graywolf PressPages: 256Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Children-God-Lars-Petter-Sveen/dp/1555978207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540394413&sr=8-1&keywords=children+of+god+lars+Petter+Sveen“Jesus turned to all the others gathered there. He raised up his hands and said, Demons have occupied this land, they’re the army of darkness. A legion of them is moving across the land . . . Their evil fills us until we can’t take any more, until we carry out the most abominable acts. Their darkness makes abode in us, their evil becomes our evil . . . I will drive out those demons. I say to you, I will push them out, I will throw them into the abyss.”Lars Petter Sveen was named one of Norway’s ten best authors under 35 and has won numerous literary awards. Children of God is his first book to be translated into English (Guy Puzey) and was first published in Norway where it won the Per Olov Enquist Literary Prize. Thought provoking and reflective, Children of God sheds light upon obscure stories and people of the bible who have been marginalized. It gives voice to those living on the peripheries of the New Testament such as thieves, Roman soldiers, prostitutes, lepers, healers, and the occasional disciple. Sveen delves into well-trodden territory but delivers a marvelously refreshing and unusual fictionalized literary interpretation that’s devoid of judgement or preaching.In 13 easy to read chapters Sveen explores such poignant story’s such as the detachment of Roman soldiers who question and hesitate to carry out King Herod’s decree to kill all the young male children of Bethlehem. Other accounts include a group of thieves who encounter no good Samaritans but themselves on the road to Jericho. While another follows a woman searching for her dead lover but cannot find comfort.At critical stages throughout each of these stories evil appears, urging each of the characters to give in to their shadowy impulses. The battle between good and evil is never ending and as each of these uniquely intertwined accounts unfolds, the moral and ethical dilemmas never fail to surprise. “We’d stared off counting all the children, but lost track of the number as the night went on. Our orders were hopeless: this wasn’t what we were fighting for . . . we’d been sent to this place at the edge of the Empire, where everything was so mixed up, so confusing . . . The chorus of wails had not died down and could still be heard like a wind blowing from the wilderness . . . but this was something different . . . It belonged to the wind or the rain or the sea or whatever grows in the depths below . . . We did whatever we could to put off having to shut our eyes and be left alone in the dark.”Children of God brings the stories of the New Testament into a fresh light by focusing on the importance of storytelling as it relates to religious interpretation in the 21st century. Sveen is convincing and conclusive as he reflects on the challenges of traditional religious beliefs as they pertain to the neverending fight between good and evil. A truly spellbinding and original read that captures the chaos and confusion, as well as the fear and uncertainty that followers of Jesus experienced.Michael Thomas Barry is a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of Books and the award winning author of eight nonfiction books.This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on October 23, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/children-god-novel