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The Keeper by John Lescroart
Dismas Hardy Series Book #15
4.5∝'s
From the Book:
On the evening before Thanksgiving, Hal Chase, a guard in the San Francisco County Jail, drives to the airport to pick up his step-brother for the weekend. When they return, Hal’s wife, Katie, has disappeared without a clue.
By the time Dismas Hardy hears about this, Katie has been missing for five days. The case strikes close to home because Katie had been seeing Hardy’s wife, a marriage counselor. By this time, the original Missing Persons case has become a suspected homicide, and Hal is the prime suspect. And the lawyer he wants for his defense is none other than Hardy himself. Hardy calls on his friend, former homicide detective Abe Glitsky, to look into the case. At first it seems like the police might have it right; the Chases’ marriage was fraught with problems; Hal’s alibi is suspect; the life insurance policy on Katie was huge. But Glitsky’s mission is to identify other possible suspects, and there proves to be no shortage of them: Patti Orosco—rich, beautiful, dangerous, and Hal’s former lover; the still unknown person who had a recent affair with Katie; even Hal’s own step-mother Ruth, resentful of Katie’s gatekeeping against her grandchildren. And as Glitsky probes further, he learns of an incident at the San Francisco jail, where Hal works—only one of many questionable inmate deaths that have taken place there. Then, when Katie’s body is found not three blocks from the Chase home, Homicide arrests Hal and he finds himself an inmate in the very jail where he used to work, a place full of secrets he knows all too well. Against this backdrop of conspiracy and corruption, ambiguous motives and suspicious alibis, an obsessed Glitsky closes in on the elusive truth. As other deaths begin to pile up he realizes, perhaps too late, that the next victim might be himself.
My Thoughts:
Most of the story is told from the point of view of former homicide detective Abe Glitsky. Hardy has hired him to find out who killed his client's wife. Glitsky is a retired detective, so he knows what to do and wastes no time in doing it...but runs into road blocks that are doing more harm than good at every turn. Just when he thinks he will never be a "real cop" again the DA needs a new investigator to take over when one of his people is killed. Hardy talks the D.A. into hiring Glitsky so that it will give him back his police authority but still with the imperative to find out the truth. The truth takes many different turns and even though everyone knows what the truth is....a major problem is the truth can't be proven.
About half way through the book I was enjoying the story and was sure that Glitsky and I had it all figured out...but think again. Well done Mr. Lescoart. The story didn't seem to move along very fast in places but it was a excellent read but somewhat lacked t the usual amount of suspense. No court action...which Dismas Hardy is famous for in these books...which was a little disappointing.
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all—a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.
My Thoughts:
The dinner party was only next door and the hostess had specifically expressed that there be no children. When their babysitter cancelled at the last minute due to her grandmother's death, they were stuck and seeing as how they were the only guests at the small birthday celebration dinner for one of the hosts...Anne saw no reason why six-month old Cora wouldn't be an exception. Marco, her husband disagreed...Cora was a child. Anne said she's just stay home but Marco said that would also be unacceptable. After arguing the pros and cons they said they would leave Cora asleep in her crib and take turns checking on her every 30 minutes....it was only next door after all. All went well until...it didn't. Anne took her turn at 11:00 and stayed to feed and change the baby. Marco missed his turn at 12:00 since he was up to no good with the sexy, slightly intoxicated, hostess. When Anne talked Marco into leaving the party shortly after 12:30 they were faced with a parents worse nightmare...no baby. Cora was GONE.
This was Shari Lapena's first attempt at a suspense novel and I have to say she wrote a dozy. There are so many scenarios that make perfect sense. So many times that you think you know exactly what happened and who is responsible...only to have it take a different turn. You love the parents, the police detective, and the grandparents one minute and hate them the next. The story shows how one small bad decision can turn your world upside down in a heartbeat. Believe me when I tell you you won't figure it out...but you will have a blast trying.
Liar, Liar by M.J. Arlidge
Helen Grace series Book #4
5★’s
From the Book:
Detective Helen Grace has never seen such destruction. Six fires in twenty-four hours. Two people dead. Several more injured. It’s as if someone wants to burn the city to the ground. With the whole town on high alert, Helen and her team must sift through the rubble to find the arsonist, someone whose thirst for fire—and control—is reducing entire lives to ashes. One misstep could mean Helen’s career—and more lives lost. And as the pressure mounts and more buildings burn, Helen’s own dark impulses threaten to consume her
My Thoughts:
DI Helen Grace is faced with a new kind of challenge: a serial arsonist is terrorizing the city, seemingly intent on burning it to the ground. This arsonist shows no pity, targeting suburban homes in the dead of night while their residents are fast asleep inside. With ever-present bureaucratic roadblocks standing in her way, Helen finds herself in a race against time to identify the arsonist and stop him from condemning more innocent lives to his fiery infernos. Helen also has a new supervisor that she can’t decide if he is just overly friendly and genuinely concerned about her or if he has another agenda in mind. The story does have plot twists of its own. I certainly never saw the ending coming…never guessed who the arsonist was…and the story had more than enough momentum to keep me reading. M,J. Arlidge’s writing has the same fast-paced quality as that of Peter James…one of my favorite authors. I was not disappointed in the ending but it opens up a creepy possibility that I hope the author doesn’t forget to explore in future books
September 9, 2016 currently reading:TEXT - Surrender, New York by Caleb Carr, but it's so long, I'm reading library book club choices in between! Also State of Wonder by Ann Patchett for one of those book clubs.
The Watcher in the Wall by Owen Laukkanen
Stevens & Windermere series Book #5
5★'s
From The Book:
Kirk Stevens and Carla Windermere of the joint BCA-FBI violent crime task force have handled shocking cases before, but this one is different. Stevens’s daughter, Andrea, is distraught over a classmate’s suicide, but what the two investigators find is even more disturbing—an online suicide club of unhappy teenagers, presided over by an anonymous presence who seems to be spurring them on. Soon, it becomes apparent that the classmate wasn’t the first victim—and won’t be the last, either, unless they can hunt down this psychopath once and for all.
My Thoughts:
It appears that there is someone encouraging teenagers on a suicide website to enter into a pack with the administrator of the site to not only kill themselves but are encouraged to film their death. This person leads them to believe that they are also suicidal and will die with them. Stevens and Windermere realize that there is a very sick and evil internet predator that is preying on susceptible youngsters and selling these recordings on the black websites.
A back story is taking place at the same time. A 15 year old boy is brutally abused by his alcoholic step-father. For some reason he feels that he has the right to prey on his step-sister and encourage her to kill herself. He has been watching her for several months and seeing her die is the high point of his life and he tries again and again to reach this high point again by watching others die.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, the reader needs to be aware that it is a very, very dark topic. You will want so badly to tell the 16 year old girl that is on a bus from Tampa to Louisville to meet, what she believes is a 16 year old desperate boy named Brandon…to just turn around and run…DON”T get off the bus. Unfortunately the story has so much truth to it that it should scare every parent to watch what and who your child is meeting on line. Don’t be too busy or too trusting…they are children and don’t always have good judgment.
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Death by Darjeeling / Laura ChildsAUDIO in the car:
The Geography of Genius / Eric WeinerPortable AUDIO:
The Art of Racing in the Rain / Garth Stein
Skeleton Coast by Clive Cussler & Jack DuBrul
Oregon Files series Boo# 4 (group read)
4 ★'s
From The Book:
juan Cabrillo and the crew of the covert combat ship Oregon have barely escaped a mission on the Congo River when they intercept a mayday from a defenseless boat under fire off the African coast. Cabrillo takes action, saving the beautiful Sloane Macintyre - who's looking for a long-submerged ship that may hold a fortune in diamonds. But what surprises Cabrillo is her story about a crazy fisherman who claims to have been attacked on the open sea by giant metal snakes in the same area.What begins as a snake hunt leads Cabrillo onto the trail of a far more lethal quarry - a deranged militant and his followers who plan to unleash the devastating power of nature itself against all who oppose them.
My Thoughts:
The story reads from start to finish like a James Bond movie. The crew of the Oregon barely has time to catch their breath before they find them selves in another battle.
Even though I didn't completely understand it all, I found Cussler's brief information on the evolution of hurricanes and the importance of ocean currents and water temperature in their development interesting. This book also offers yet more brief glimpses into the lives of the Oregon's crew. While this wasn't exactly my favorite book in the series it certainly rated very high. I recommend this series to anyone that wants a well formed and executed adventure with likable and believable characters even if they are a cross between James Band and Superman.
Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death series Book #43
5★'s
From The Book:
The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice-skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be. Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD but never one like this. A review of the security videos reveals that the victims were killed with a tactical laser rifle fired by a sniper, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the list of locations where the shooter could have set up seems endless, the number of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer. Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal. And when his computer program leads Eve to the location of the sniper, she learns a shocking fact: There were two—one older, one younger. Someone is being trained by an expert in the science of killing, and they have an agenda. Central Park was just a warm-up. And as another sniper attack shakes the city to its core, Eve realizes that though we’re all shaped by the people around us, there are those who are just born evil.
My Thoughts:
How can J.D. Robb, (Nora Roberts) have possibly produced 43 books in this series and still kept the series fresh and exciting and the host of characters growing and developing? I don't know the answer but she has succeeded beautifully. Even the relationship between Eve and Sommerset took a turn in this one. I have to say Ms. Robb succeeded in giving us a scary moment there. There were also moments of joy and celebration as little Bella turns 2 years old and Eve gets her first view of her new, state of the art, work station. Although many of the later books can be read out of order unless you are one of those people whose head will implode...if you are just starting the series you will benefit in learning how the characters develop and mesh together by starting at book 1, Naked in Death....and you'll have the adventure and the joy of 42 others...a marathon reading fest! I keep forgetting just how good this series is until I have the newest one in hand. Looking forward to two new ones in 2017.
No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill
5★’s
From The Book:
Darkness lives within ...Cash-strapped, working for agencies and living in shared accommodation, Stephanie Booth feels she can fall no further. So when she takes a new room at the right price, she believes her luck has finally turned. But 82 Edgware Road is not what it appears to be. It's not only the eerie atmosphere of the vast, neglected house, or the disturbing attitude of her new landlord, Knacker McGuire, that makes her uneasy - it's the whispers behind the fireplace, the scratching beneath floors, the footsteps in the dark, and the young women weeping in neighboring rooms. And when Knacker's cousin Fergal arrives, the danger goes vertical. But this is merely a beginning, a gateway to horrors beyond Stephanie's worst nightmares. And in a house where no one listens to the screams, will she ever get out alive?
My Thoughts:
Creepy… scary… super creepy… super scary...who could ask for more? She should have listened to the saying ‘If it looks to good to be true it probably is’ Her landlord Knacker McGuire and his dilapidated house give her the creeps. During the day she thinks she sees girls who turn out not to be there, and at night she is kept awake by weeping, whispers and footsteps. Just when Steph thinks that things can’t get any worse Knacker’s cousin Fergal arrives and soon Steph realizes that she will have to get out of the house at any cost, before she becomes trapped there too.
The bad thing about this book is it is a hefty tomb at over 600 pages but I never felt that it was a challenge; except to hold it I found that I was hooked from the time I red the fly-leaf until the brilliantly done ending. What characters we met! Knacker and Fergal are totally sinister giving the whole story a very overwhelming sense of foreboding from the start…Steph’s first night she hears scratching under the bed. Who has not in the dark of night put off looking under the bed until good daylight? You know something bad is going to happen, but the plot unfolds in such a way to make your dread build and build, and even when you think it’s all over at last…it’s not. This is definitely one of the best books of his I have read. To quote another reviewer “A menacing novel that gets under your skin and stays there.”
September 15, 2016 Currently reading:TEXT -
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng for a library book club.Personal AUDIO -
The Burnt House by Faye Kellerman--trying to read a title with the word "burnt" in it. I had books with "burning" and "burn", but not "burnt"! This is crazy!!
The Intercept by Dick Wolf
Jeremy Fisk series Book #1
5★’s
From The Book:
Days before the July Fourth holiday and the dedication of One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, an incident aboard a commercial jet reminds everyone involved that vigilance saves lives. But New York Police Detective Jeremy Fisk—from the department's Intelligence Division, a well-funded anti-terror unit modeled upon the CIA—suspects that the event is a warning sign that another, potentially more extraordinary scheme has been set in motion. So when a passenger from the same plane disappears into the crowds of Manhattan, it's up to Fisk and his partner, Krina Gersten, to find him before the celebrations begin . . . and time is running out.
My Thoughts:
Over all I found this to be an exciting thriller, filled with suspense from the creator of the Television show “Law and Order”…. and it reads a lot like a screenplay. The plot it’s self was a bit more complex than it needed to be, but it was in keeping with just how devious the planned attack was. He characters were all very real and Jeremy is going to be one of my new favorite heroes.
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The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir by Domingo MartinezAUDIO in the car –
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina BivaldPortable AUDIO –
The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman
The Guards by Ken Bruen
Jack Taylor series Book #1
3 ★’s
From the Book:
Still stinging from his unceremonious ouster from the Garda Siochana--The Guards, Ireland's police force--and staring at the world through the smoky bottom of his beer mug, Jack Taylor is stuck in Galway with nothing to look forward to. In his sober moments Jack aspires to become Ireland's best private investigator, not to mention its first--Irish history, full of betrayal and espionage, discourages any profession so closely related to informing. But in truth Jack is teetering on the brink of his life's sharpest edges, his memories of the past cutting deep into his soul and his prospects for the future nonexistent. Nonexistent, that is, until a dazzling woman walks into the bar with a strange request and a rumor about Jack's talent for finding things. Odds are he won't be able to climb off his barstool long enough to get involved with his radiant new client, but when he surprises himself by getting hired, Jack has little idea of what he's getting into.
My Thoughts:
Jack Taylor is the tough cop who loves books; the beating victim who insists on checking himself out of a hospital too soon…everyone’s and no one ones friend. The Irish seaside city of Galway is the setting for all of these books. Sometimes you can’t figure out if Bruen loves the town or hates it…but he has certainly put it on the literary map. His character of Jack Taylor is Galway born and bred and is such an unusual character. Taylor is a former member of the Garda Síochána, the Guards, Ireland's shadowy police force. Drink…not an unusual thing in Ireland… and general attitude has gotten Jack removed from their ranks and this has not made him exactly a bosom pal to the rest of the Guards. To support himself and also if the truth is told…his habit…Jack takes on the role of a private detective.
I have read several of the other books in this series and found them to be much better than this first attempt which is often the case. If I had not ROO (read out of order) and this had been the first one that I had read…I fear it would have also been the last one. It’s full of very predictable, standard crime novel cop cliques and several very nasty characters. Jack Taylor goes from a drunken cop to a drunken P.I. that meets his clients in a bar and laces his morning breakfast…also in the bar… with coffee. The one thing this book served to do was build the character of Jack Taylor…a man tormented by his demons and searching for something that seems to have evaded him his entire life. Believe me when I say that the series does get better and even Jack shows some promise.
The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths
Ruth Galloway series Book #8
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Known as England’s Nazareth, the medieval town of Little Walsingham is famous for religious apparitions. So when Ruth Galloway’s druid friend Cathbad sees a woman in a white dress and a dark blue cloak standing alone in the local cemetery one night, he takes her as a vision of the Virgin Mary. But then a woman wrapped in blue cloth is found dead the next day, and Ruth’s old friend Hilary, an Anglican priest, receives a series of hateful, threatening letters. Could these crimes be connected? When one of Hilary’s fellow female priests is murdered just before Little Walsingham’s annual Good Friday Passion Play, Ruth, Cathbad, and DCI Harry Nelson must team up to find the killer before he strikes again.
My Thoughts:
It doesn't seem possible that it's been 8 books ago that we first met this eclectic group of characters. The past is never far away from any Elly Griffiths novel and [The Woman in Blue] is no exception. We are introduced to a group of believers that are a bit over enthusiastic in some of their worship practices and of course we have a murder to solve. Elly Griffiths has again written an excellent murder mystery complete with creditable characters and enhanced by the wild and beautiful landscapes and history native to the region. The conflicted relationship between Ruth Galloway and Harry Nelson as well as several others provides an interesting counterpoint to the entire story.
The Ophelia Cut by John Lescroart
Dismas Hardy series Book #14
3★'s
What the Book Promised:
When a brutal rapist is murdered, a loving father stands accused of the crime and defense attorney Dismas Hardy must defend his brother-in-law and old friend Moses McGuire in a thrilling case that hits far too close to home.
What I Found:
Moses McGuire's flighty twenty-three year old daughter, Brittany... has horrible taste in men and frequently flits from one boyfriend to another. Brittany has begun dating Rick Jessup, who is not only politically connected, but also arrogant, narcissistic and if you look up "jerk" in the dictionary....there will be a big picture of Rick. She realizes much too late that her dream lover is a cruel and immoral misogynist. Major trouble ensues, and Dismas Hardy finds himself representing his brother-in-law, Moses, who finds the whole huge mess that could cost him his freedom.
That being said and when I am about 80% through the book...the bombs begin to drop and what started out as another great Dismas Hardy story...falls totally flat. It leaves most of the real questions unanswered and the final segment regarding the flaky Brittany...made absolutely no sense whatsoever. The plot had been interesting although it took way too long to conclude and I don't think the author knew just how to end the book. Up to this book this has been a well done, "can't wait to read the next book" series.
Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler
4★'s
"The White Rabbit beckons you to follow him, down the rabbit hole, into his world. He's a deceiver, a trickster. You won't know what is truth and what is a lie. He aims to best you. Beat you. And when he does, you die."
"A friend's brutal murder turns former homicide detective Stacy Killian's life upside down. Unwilling to trust Spencer Malone, the overconfident New Orleans detective assigned to the case, Stacy is compelled to return to the investigative role she had fled."
From the Book:
The investigation leads Stacy and Spencer to White Rabbit, a cultish fantasy role-playing game. White Rabbit is dark, violent -- and addictive. As the body count mounts, they find themselves trapped in a terrifying game that's more real than life and death. Because anyone can die before the final moment when White Rabbit is over . . . and the killer takes all."
My Thoughts:
For those of us that feed on mysteries the villain will come as no real surprise. What was surprising was how many red herrings Erica Spindler threw us and how many of those red herrings we believed.
Role playing games are the main focus of the plot line and you really need to know or at least have a general idea of exactly how these "games" work. One thing the reader does learn about them from this work is that sometimes they are not a "game" and many times they are even deadly. Anyone can be a victim and anyone can be a murderer.
As for the characters...they were okay. The author would have made Stacey Killian more believable if she had left her as still a member of the Dallas Police Department instead of an ex-member. Maybe the New Orleans Police would have been more grateful for her help and she would have come across more as helping not impeding a murder investigation. I'm amazed she wasn't arrested in spite of her good intentions. Overall...it was an enjoyable read with just enough intrigue to make it interesting.
Started Early Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
Jackson Brody series Book #4
2★'s
From The Book:
Tracy Waterhouse leads a quiet, ordered life as a retired police detective-a life that takes a surprising turn when she encounters Kelly Cross, a habitual offender, dragging a young child through town. Both appear miserable and better off without each other-or so decides Tracy, in a snap decision that surprises herself as much as Kelly. Suddenly burdened with a small child, Tracy soon learns her parental inexperience is actually the least of her problems, as much larger ones loom for her and her young charge.
Meanwhile, Jackson Brodie, the beloved detective of novels such as Case Histories, is embarking on a different sort of rescue-that of an abused dog. Dog in tow, Jackson is about to learn, along with Tracy, that no good deed goes unpunished.
My Thoughts:
Call me dense...call me stupid even...but I just didn't get it. I find it almost impossible to describe this book. I've read the other three in this series and really, really enjoyed them. I love the Jackson Brody character and I will have to admit that his parts in the story with the dog were beautifully done but the woman selling her child to Tracy or Tracy actually buying a child...I just couldn't wrap my head around the why of that at all. The skipping back and forth didn't help either. I probably would have given the book another half a star except for the unresolved issues at the end and the really depressing outcome for some of the characters.
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Help, I Am Being Held Prisoner by Donald E. WestlakeAUDIO in the car –
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise KiernanPortable AUDIO –
By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
September 25, 2016--currently reading:TEXT -
The Little Book by Selden Edwards for a neighborhood book club, and really surprised to find it a time-travel book. Wish I'd read it last month because the main character meets numerous famous people like Sigmund Freud and Winston Churchill.AUDIO in the car -
The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer by Skip Hollandsworth--takes place in Austin during the 1890's, and I got to hear the author at a book festival...Personal AUDIO -
You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott--a murder mystery with a family taken up with their daughter's training as a gymnast
by John Zunski
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Do the dead forgive? The question haunts Sondra McAfee. After the death of their three year-old son, Sondra and husband Travis escape Seattle’s society for a fresh start in the mountains of Montana, only to learn what awaits is as horrific as their past. On the fringe of civilization, something sinister lurks within moonlit shadows, preying upon the anguish of tortured souls. Feel Sondra’s isolation in a mountain cabin, the torment of a schizophrenic shut-in, and the desperation of a broken hearted musician as they struggle to overcome personal demons. Together, can they defeat what feeds upon their souls? The answer lies within this tale of horror, betrayal, addiction, and lust.
My Thoughts:
This sounded perfect and it met a challenge category that I had almost given up on. The book for it's wonderful description...started out really slow. I know the author had to set the stage with the little boys' death and the relocation of Sondra and Travis to the wilds of Montana...but I nearly gave this story up. I am so glad I didn't. It is one of the best horror stories that I have read in a very long time. There's the little boy in the woods that only comes to visit in the full moon and the footprints on Sondra's ceiling. The author brings the horrifying events to a slam - bang climax that may not be good for the weak of heart.
Ice Hunt by James Rollins
5★'s
From The Book:
Carved into a moving island of ice twice the size of the United States, Ice Station Grendel has been abandoned for more than seventy years. The twisted brainchild of the finest minds of the former Soviet Union, it was designed to be inaccessible and virtually invisible.
But an American undersea research vessel has inadvertently pulled too close – and something has been sighted moving inside the allegedly deserted facility, something whose survival defies every natural law. And now, as scientists, soldiers, intelligence operatives, and unsuspecting civilians are drawn into Grendel’s lethal vortex, the most extreme measures possible will be undertaken to protect its dark mysteries – because the terrible truths locked behind submerged walls of ice and steel could end human life on Earth.
My Thoughts:
James Rollins has shown time and time again that he possesses one of the most creative imaginations of any writer I have ever read. Ice Hunt takes readers on a roller coaster ride of good guys, bad guys, could be good or bad guys, complications of Arctic weather and to make it interesting...a horde of monsters that have you on their dinner menu. In addition to all that Rollins has created a very interesting array of characters. If you like lots of action, suspense, narrow escapes, original plot lines, and likable characters, you really can't go wrong with or James Rollins in general.
The Stolen Ones by Owen Laukkanen
Stevens & Windemere series Book #4
4★'s
From The Book:
When you’ve got nothing left, you’ve got nothing left to lose. Cass County, Minnesota: A sheriff’s deputy steps out of a diner on a rainy summer evening, and a few minutes later, he’s lying dead in the mud. When BCA agent Kirk Stevens arrives on the scene, he discovers local authorities have taken into custody a single suspect: A hysterical young woman found sitting by the body, holding the deputy’s own gun. She has no ID, speaks no English. A mystery woman.
The mystery only deepens from there, as Stevens and Carla Windermere, his partner in the new joint BCA–FBI violent crime task force, find themselves on the trail of a massive international kidnapping and prostitution operation. Before the two agents are done, they will have traveled over half the country, from Montana to New York, and come face-to-face not only with the most vicious man either of them has ever encountered—but two of the most courageous women.
My Thoughts:
I read the first three books previously and they were all 5 star books. This one looses some of the rating...not because it isn't well written or as dynamic as the past three but because for one thing...it deals with a horrific subject...human sex trade trafficking...and two...because Windermere's horrible treatment of Mathers. If she doesn't want him to live with her just tell him and stop insulting him.
I really like Owen Laukkanen's writing style and will certainly read more of his works. I just hope he brings back the Windermere that we met in the first three books. She was flawed but she was at least reasonable in her thinking.
by Alex Kava
Ryder Creek series Book #3
4.5★'s
From The Book:
In Chicago, a young man jumps from his thirtieth-story hotel room; along the Missouri river, a hunter and his son stumble upon a lake whose surface is littered with snow geese, all of them dead; and in southern Alabama, Ryder Creed and his search-and-rescue dog Grace find the body of a young woman who went missing in the Conecuh National Forest...and it appears she filled her pockets with rocks and walked into the river. Before long Ryder Creed and FBI profiler Maggie O’Dell will discover the ominous connection among these mysterious deaths. What they find may be the most prolific killer the United States has ever known.
My Thoughts:
Ryder Creed and his amazing dogs take on an enemy that is virtually invisible until it makes it's self known when it is often too late. Some one is using human carriers to spread a newly concocted strain of bird flu. Creed's kennel of dogs have been trained to detect this virus along with many other virus and cancers. Of course the government is involved and are actually helpful. Creed works out a deal for additional dogs from a kill shelter by getting the government to agree to finance it to become a no-kill shelter with at least 20 dogs a month being trained as air sniffers and sent to other facilities to begin their new "careers". Good job Ryder. Wish reality was that simple and successful. Agent Maggie O'Dell has her place in the story line searching for a physicists that she has chased for over a year and is suspected of inventing the new bird flu virus and infecting the human guinea pigs. Overall...it was another good addition to Kava's newest series. I like her books as she is a dog owner and therefore no dogs are ever harmed in any of her books.
October 3, 2016 Currently reading:TEXT -
A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny for the fun of itPersonal AUDIO -
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud from my library Wish List, but I'm not crazy about it...
Traces of Guiltby Dee Henderson3★'s
Traces of Guilt by Dee Henderson
Evie Blackwell Cold Case series Book #1
3★’s
From The Book:
Evie Blackwell loves her life as an Illinois State Police detective . . . mostly. She's very skilled at investigations and has steadily moved up through the ranks. She would like to find Mr. Right, but she has a hard time imagining how marriage could work, considering the demands of her job.
Gabriel Thane is a lifetime resident of Carin County and now its sheriff, a job he loves. Gabe is committed to upholding the law and cares deeply for the residents he's sworn to protect. He too would like to find a lifetime companion, a marriage like his parents have.
When Evie arrives in Carin, Illinois, it's to help launch a new task force dedicated to reexamining unsolved crimes across the state. Spearheading this trial run, Evie will work with the sheriff's department on a couple of its most troubling missing-persons cases. As she reexamines old evidence to pull out a few tenuous new leads, she unearths a surprising connection . . . possibly to a third cold case. Evie's determined to solve the cases before she leaves Carin County, and Sheriff Thane, along with his family, will be the key to those answers.
My Thoughts:
This is a new author for me and a new series. The cold cases are very interesting and the main reason why I picked this book up to begin with. There is just too much side story involving Evie’s old and new romances. I am not a fan of romances so I found this annoying right off the bat. There was no real action to the story and I became rather bored just waiting for something to please happen. The good parts were…as I said…the cold cases and two wonderful dogs. It was too bad there wasn’t more time and effort devoted to those things. It isn't a bad book or an unreadable book...just not enough of the things that are interesting to me. I’m not sure if I will tackle another book by this author.
October 5, 2016 Currently reading:TEXT -
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett-one of my favorite authors!Personal AUDIO -
Ripper by Isabel Allende--also one of my favorite authors, and although the plot is preposterous, I'm loving the characters and descriptions already!
Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin
4.5★’s
From The Book:
It’s 1995. Tessa (Tessie) Cartwright, 16, healthy, happy, the star of her high school track team, is abducted near her home in Fort Worth. More than 30 hours later, battered and torn, she awakes partially buried in a field carpeted with black-eyed Susans. Sharing her grave are a dead college student and the bones of two other victims. Feverish news organizations dub the victims the “Black-Eyed Susans” with traumatized Tessie as the surviving Susan. Thus begins Julia Heaberlin’s brilliantly conceived, beautifully executed novel about one woman’s fight against relentless evil.
My Thoughts:
I found myself immersed in Tessie’s story. It’s a fascinating rendition for any fans of physiological novels. The story is told in alternating past and present sections that describe the two parts of Tessie’s life. One as a teenager in the months leading up to the trial of the man accused of abducting her and killing the others… and as a 34-year old adult resuming her story as the accused faces his long-delayed execution.
Many vivid, strange, and sometimes suspicious characters march throughout the story. We have the psychiatrist and the chief prosecutor who work to manipulate Tessie to serve a purpose all their own. Then there is the handsome young attorney fighting to save the accused man’s life that soon finds his interest in Tessie becoming more than professional. Tessie’s closest childhood friend, Lydia is without a doubt the strangest one of them all. As a student, when the other wrote about the Beatles, Lydia wrote about Jack the Ripper. Lydia has always shared Tessie’s secrets but has not always kept them. When she testifies at the trial and then vanishes….more unanswered questions come into play.
I would have to say that Black-Eyed Susans overall is an exercise in the expert, and agonizing withholding of facts. The questions that have spanned more than two decades are chiefly … Who is menacing Tessa? Will the seemingly innocent Goodwin die? If he is innocent, who is the serial killer? Will he… or she…kill again? Finding the answers will hold you spellbound and are as astonishing as they are finally believable.
The Complaints by Ian Rankin
Book 1 in the Malcolm Fox series
4 ★’s
From The Book:
Nobody likes The Complaints--they're the cops who investigate other cops. It's a department known within the force as "The Dark Side," and it's where Malcolm Fox works. He's a serious man with a father in a nursing home and a sister who persists in an abusive relationship, frustrating problems about which he cannot seem to do anything.
Then the reluctant Fox is given a new case. There's a cop named Jamie Breck, and he's dirty. The problem is, no one can prove it. As Fox takes on the job, he learns that there's more to Breck than anyone thinks--dangerous knowledge, especially when a vicious murder takes place far too close to home.
My Thoughts:
Rebus has retired and Ian Rankin has provided us a suitable replacement…Malcolm Fox. Is he Rebus?…no. Does he share the same values as Rebus?...absolutely. Fox is a reformed drinker, and much like Rebus, in that he is honest and fights for the rights of the innocent. As the book opens we find that “The Complaints” as Fox's department is known, is investigating corruption within their ranks…other cops…that’s what the Complaints Dept. does. He and his colleagues are not particularly well liked as you can imagine.
Fox is asked to help investigate an officer, Jamie Breck who has been implicated as a pedophile. The problem is that Jamie Breck has found himself part of an investigation has begun in the death of Fox's sister’s boyfriend. Fox is asked to get close to Breck to find out as much as he can. What Fox does discover is that there isn't much evidence to support the accusations and he actually begins to like and trust Breck. That doesn’t mean there is nothing to uncover. What he does discover may bring down some high and mighty people that cannot allow…and will stop at nothing to keep their secrets from coming to light.
Ian Rankin has a well earned reputation of being the master of complex plots and characters and The Complaints has proven to be no exception. The book is a little too long and at times seems to go in directions that seem unnecessary to the storyline…hence the 4 stars….but overall If you do not compare Malcolm Fox to previous characters or the plot to previous novels...you will really enjoy the book.
by Van Reid
4.5★'s
[Cordelia Underwood: Or, the Marvelous Beginnings of the Moosepath League] by Van Reid
4.5★’s
From The Book:
Step back in time to Portland, Maine, in 1896. When the young, beautiful, redheaded Cordelia Underwood inherits a parcel of land from her seafaring uncle, it sets in motion a chain of events that leads to the unearthing of a family secret two centuries old. Cordelia soon crosses paths with Mister Tobias Walton and finds herself aided in her quest by the warmhearted gentleman, who has never heard of an adventure he isn't eager to join. Together with his hapless trio of friends, the Moosepath League, they embark on an entertaining and audacious adventure. Teeming with Cupid's arrows flying hither and yon, apparitions, a kidnapping, smuggling, and thievery, and filled with wonderment, romance, and adventure, [Cordelia Underwood] is a splendid yarn of the old-fashioned variety.
My Thoughts:
The book takes place in a much gentler by- gone time of1896 among the well-to-do of Portland Maine. It’s a romance, a treasure hunt, and a mystery all rolled into one beautiful package…with a touch of modern humor and sensibility. I stumbled onto this intriguing book as a recommendation as a Blind Date With a Book from “tealady” one of my friends on LibraryThing. The story is character-driven from beginning to end....and what fascinating characters and great tales they do tell. Everyone from 10 to 100 will absolutely love it and I am looking forward to making friends with the remainder of the series.
And Then There Were None aka Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie
5★’s
This is a new one for me!! I have often said I was the only breathing human on the planet that didn’t like Agatha Christie..so where in the world did those 5 stars come from? I will have to reevaluate my statement to I am the only breathing human on the planet that doesn’t like Agatha Christie…EXCEPT for And Then There Was None
A group of ten strangers is invited or hired for a long weekend on Indian Island, a mile off the Devon coast. It is somewhat improbable that these ten would all accept such a vague invitation from a host they do not know to a place they have never seen before, but each for his or her own reasons accepts. They include a doctor, a games mistress, a soldier of fortune, a rich playboy, a retired policeman, a judge, a spinster, a retired general and a married couple who are to be the servants. They arrive on a bleak rocky island to a completely modern house with all the amenities. The fires are welcoming, there is an ample supply of food, the servants are impeccable, but their host is absent. In each of the bedrooms, the Ten Little Indians nursery rhyme is posted on a prominent wall. It begins:
"Ten Little Indian boys went out to dine…
One choked his little self, and then there were nine.---
Drinks are served, and one guest chokes, turns blue and falls over dead. Now the tension begins to build. Fright runs in the hearts of the stranded people as one by one they are picked off…each in accordance with that cursed nursery rhyme. As the number of victims increase, the survivors' suspicions of each other also increase. When the police arrive and find them all dead….the question remains “Who is the murderer? It has to be one of the survivors…but which one?
And Then There Were None is told in short choppy chapters. The strange thing is that none of the characters are even likable. Christie toys with the idea of a serial killer long before such an animal was even heard of. This is an excellent story, and the author is so far ahead of the reader’s reasoning that you will never guess who the guilty party is. If you do manage to figure out the “who" and the "how" then you have my highest respects.
Carol wrote: "And Then There Were None aka Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie
5★’s
This is a new one for me!! I have often said I was..."
Simple Genius by David Baldacci
Maxwell & King series Book #3
4★’s
From The Book:
In a world of secrets, human genius is power.
And sometimes it is simply deadly . . .
Near Washington, D.C., there are two clandestine institutions: the world's most unusual laboratory and a secret CIA training camp. Drawn to these sites by a murder, ex-Secret Service agent Sean King encounters a dark world of mathematicians, codes, and spies. His search for answers soon leads him to more shocking violence-and an autistic girl with an extraordinary genius.
Now, only by working with his embattled partner, Michelle Maxwell, can he catch a killer...and solve a stunning mystery that threatens the entire nation.
My Thoughts:
I am probably one of David’s Baldacci’s top fans…especially of his John Puller, Will Robie and the newest…Amos Decker series… but Maxwell and King will always hold a favorite place in my heart. I was so sorry to see this series end. I was overjoyed when the Mystery & Suspense group voted to read this series as a book discussion. That being said…I had an issue with this book…not too serious but it did lose it half a star…at least for me.
In this… the 3rd book… we find Michelle Maxwell hitting an all time mental low as she nearly kills a total stranger for no other reason that he was dressed in military gear and he was simple there. The events after that incident offered some very good storyline and some very exciting moments. However…nothing is as it seems, in this tortuous tale.
As Michelle struggles with her emotional problems, Sean nearly bankrupts himself and their company paying for Michelle’s much needed help which brings us to his taking a job from his former lover, Joan, to investigate a compound of geniuses that have super computers and complicated codes at their finger tips. Here is where the majority of the remainder of the book takes place. Be warned…unless you have a degree in physics and computer sciences…you will want to skip over some parts of this or your head will implode. From here on it reminded me of the old adage, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely ". It is hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys and involves every spook agency in the government. I did find the look into code breaking and Alan Turing's work cracking the Enigma Code during WWII fascinating and very much enlightening.
The ending of the book…while diffidently being a wild ride of twists and turns was what lost it the extra half star that I had originally awarded it. David Baldacci is a superb writer…one of my favorites… who keeps the reader turning pages, and there is plenty of suspense, mystery and action….character development galore. You really get to know much more about King and Maxwell. It was exciting, fun, with an excellent plot. Those were the good points that got it the 4 stars to start with. What I had the main issue with was that Baldacci turned all the good people into bad people, the bad people into good people, and in one case back into a good person saying he was “just following orders”. Now where and how many times have we heard that excuse for bad manners, behavior and judgments? That defense failed at Nuremberg and it fails here.
Without Mercy by Jefferson Bass
The Body Farm series Book #10
4★’s
From The Book:
Forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton has spent twenty-five years solving brutal murders—but none so bizarre and merciless as his latest case: A ravaged set of skeletal remains is found chained to a tree on a remote mountainside. As Brockton and his assistant Miranda dig deeper, they uncover warning signs of a deadly eruption of hatred and violence.
But the shocking case is only the beginning of Brockton’s trials. Mid-case, the unthinkable happens: The deadliest criminal Brockton has ever foiled—the sadistic serial killer Nick Satterfield—escapes from prison, bent on vengeance.
But simply killing Brockton isn’t enough. Satterfield wants to make him suffer first, by destroying everything he holds dear: Brockton’s son, daughter-in-law, grandsons; even Miranda, his longtime graduate assistant, now on the verge of completing her Ph.D. and launching a forensic career of her own.
The dangers from all directions force Brockton to question two things on which he’s based his entire career—the justice system, and the quality of mercy—and to wonder: can the two co-exist?
If not, which will Brockton choose in his ultimate moment of truth?
My Thoughts;
Anything that deals with forensic science or anthropology interests me. That is one big reason why I have always been fond of The Body Farm series. Following Dr. Bill Brockton through the times of his life since he established the research facility known as The Body Farm’ located just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee at the University, has been an adventure in itself. Yes…the facility does indeed exist but Dr. Brockton is fictitious.
I have enjoyed the previous 9 novels and #10 was no exception. However I found myself struggling with it. The story was interesting enough…a man chained to a tree…perhaps for weeks…perhaps even months…. and kept alive by his captor as bait not only for the bear that killed him, but as bait for Dr, Bill Brockton. Somehow the story felt climatic. I just had the feeling that something dramatic was going to happen that would change the course of the entire series. Miranda was graduating…The sheriff’ officers from Cook County that had been such a big part of the stories previously, just didn’t come across as their usual selves…and Bill Brockton was visiting the past more and more often in his thoughts. Those particular feelings played out for me throughout what was actually a very good plot but I just could shake it. I won’t go into the ending as it would really be a spoiler. You just have to wonder if this is the end of the series. I hope not.
Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little
2.5★’s
From The Book:
Former “It Girl” Janie Jenkins is sly, stunning, and fresh out of prison. Ten years ago, at the height of her fame, she was incarcerated for the murder of her mother, a high-society beauty known for her good works and rich husbands. Now, released on a technicality, Janie makes herself over and goes undercover, determined to chase down the one lead she has on her mother’s killer. The only problem?... Janie doesn’t know if she’s the killer she’s looking for.
Janie makes her way to an isolated South Dakota town whose mysteries rival her own. Enlisting the help of some new friends (and the town’s wary police chief), Janie follows a series of clues—an old photograph, an abandoned house, a forgotten diary—and begins to piece together her mother’s seemingly improbable connection to the town. When new evidence from Janie’s own past surfaces, she’s forced to consider the possibility that she and her mother were more alike than either of them would ever have imagined.
My Thoughts:
Jane Jenkins is a smart-alack. Every word out her mouth is laced with sass or worse. She’s also a silver spoon fed and bred rich girl that has been imprisoned for 10 years for the supposed murder of her equally disgusting mother. At age 27 her murder conviction has been overturned and she’s set to be released from prison. Too bad she didn’t have any lessons in how life really works in those 10 years.
Jane’s conviction is overturned because of an “ongoing investigation into the deliberate mishandling of evidence by LAPD crime lab technicians.” This doesn’t mean that the general public buys her innocence though. This point of view is especially noticeable from the vicious rants of a blogger calling himself Trace Kessler who has been writing Jane letters for the past 10 years that she’d been imprisoned. Free now and with the help of her lawyer Noah Washington, Jane plans to disappear from public life somewhere near Chicago — at least this is what she’s told Noah. Jane has other ideas and is soon ensconced on an out of state train with quite another destination in mind. From this point on the stupidity takes on an entire new meaning and we begin to suspect that she just might be as guilty as sin… or at least you hope she is so she can just go back to prison and shut up!
She makes believing her innocent difficult for the reader with all her “I’m smart and important and can take everything I want” attitude that she carries throughout the story making her impossible to like or feel one shred of sympathy for. Let’s see…she can be described with adjectives like bitchy, vain, annoy, shallow, and always with a need to look "hot". This seemed to be an “I loved it” or”I hated it” novel with almost no in betweens. 2.5 stars. Guess which camp I’m in.
Winter Chill by Joanne Fluke
3 ★'s
From the Book
The moment Marian Larsen sees the patrol car stop outside her house; she feels a shiver of foreboding. The news is even worse than she feared. Marian's husband and young daughter have been in a snowmobile crash. Dan is paralyzed and Laura is dead, her body broken on the icy ground. .
Friends and colleagues in Marian's Minnesota hometown rally around to try and ease her grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents. Then the rumors start--that these are not coincidences at all, that someone is picking off victims one by one. And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow.
My Thoughts:
The story started out tragically and progressed to a haunting tale of two people’s unresolved grief. A mother that couldn’t come to grips with her young daughter’s accidental death and a father that is suffering from what his doctor calls hysterical paralyze.
We follow these two people…both teachers…as they are caught in the crosshairs of a situation that is having deadly results for everyone in their small town. The book had its good points but they were mixed with far more unexplained, dangling suppositions. To begin with there was no investigation what so ever by the local lawman into what turned out to be the deaths of six people in the course of a month. When someone told the sheriff who they thought the killer might be… instead of opening an investigation he runs off and tells the doctor and between them they set up a competency hearing in secret no less to have the man committed.
All through the book the reader will switch back and forth between the most likely killers. However contrary to what the description says…the ending was disappointing because there simply wasn’t an ending and we are still not sure exactly what happened or who the real killer was. That seems to me to be unacceptable when a reader spends the time to read the book you wrote and sold.
3 stars for a book there carried a great deal of promise but never really delivered.
The Original Battle Creek Crime King: Adam "Pump" Arnold's Vile Reign by Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Adam "Pump" Arnold was both feared and regaled in Victorian- era Battle Creek. He was a bootlegger and a pimp, a robber and a con artist, an arsonist and a loan shark and even an assassin. Arnold faced off with the city over illegal liquor sales and flaunted his victory with a life-size statue of the mayor dressed as a hobo. Called the "greatest criminal in the history of Battle Creek," Arnold was convicted in a captivating public trial for the murder of his own son. Join authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester as they explore the life and misdeeds of the unabashed criminal mastermind who rocked Battle Creek to its core.
My Thoughts:
There were actually several reasons why I read this book. 1. Blaine Pardoe is a Battle Creek, MI native and I felt some "home town loyalty" as I have lived in Battle Creek a few years longer than I lived in my native Florida. 2. He has written and given local discussions on two other books that he wrote about murders that currently remain unsolved that took place in Battle Creek and 3. The man is a wonderful presenter and careful researcher. My husband and I had the privilege last evening attending his discussion of this recently published book. Now before anyone thinks that we live in the crime mecca of the country let me assure you that it's not so but we have had some interesting ones.
This "Crime King" would have been better portrayed as "The Crime Jester". A comment that Blaine Pardoe opened with says a great deal about Mr. Arnold. "If you are going to partner with someone to run a con scam be sure you don't chose someone that is dumber than you are."
It was an interesting look at how crime was treated in that era. I couldn't believe all the crimes "Pump" got away with. He was a criminal and treated by the law as just a rascal. His trial...when it finally happened was a joke. The man argued with his attorney and actually sued him as was his habit when anyone dared to disagree with him about anything. He slept through 98% of the proceedings and even had a couch delivered to the courtroom and rugs delivered to his cell. He was joined in his crime spree by his son George who he later had murdered and dumped in the river and then had the river drained to "search for the body." The amount of stupid crimes he managed to enact and have the authorities look the other way was unbelievable and would fill this entire page and then some.
Anyone that likes true crime and needs an afternoons reading...it's only 176 pages...check out this interesting and informative little treasure.
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Midaq Alley by Naguib MahfouzAUDIO in the car –
Dracula by Bram StokerPortable AUDIO –
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
October 2016 - currently reading:TEXT -
Death Is a Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury--spooky murder mystery of all things, set in Venice, California and 
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel--for a library book club, but I definitely am NOT going to finish it in time!AUDIO in the car -
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson--a reread for 2 book clubs next month!Personal AUDIO -
The Romanovs: The Final Chapter by Robert K. Massie--not nearly as fascinating as Nicholas and Alexandra, one of my all time favorites.
The Harvest Man by Alex Grecian
Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad series Book #4
4.5★’s
From The Book:
When London discovered that Jack the Ripper was back, it sent Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad into chaos. But now it is even worse. There are two of them. When the Harvest Man begins killing, carving people’s faces off their skulls, the men of the Yard know they need Inspector Walter Day to find him before more families are murdered. Meanwhile, Saucy Jack is playing his own games—and when the two killers come together, the men of the Yard may never be the same.
My Thoughts:
This was the most suspenseful and the most enjoyable of all the books thus far…even with… or maybe I should say especially with… the rather grotesque murder gains a much deeper insight into the lives of Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith. Grecian has provided a deeply atmospheric book that is rich in historical detail as well as filled with intense plotlines, deplorable murders, intriguing characters and family situations of the era…interspersed throughout the book. The level of tension and excitement will keep the reader turning the pages. I would recommend The Harvest Man to anyone who enjoys historical thrillers and have been fans of Grecian’s previous books.
Book Concierge wrote: "Oct 16 – currently readingTEXT –
Midaq Alley by Naguib MahfouzAUDIO in the car –
Dracula by [auth..."Dracula and Anne at the same time? That's pretty extreme! ;)
The Motion of Puppets by Keith Donohue
3 ★’s
From The Book:
In the Old City of Québec, Kay Harper falls in love with a puppet in the window of the Quatre Mains, a toy shop that is never open. She is spending her summer working as an acrobat with the cirque while her husband, Theo, is translating a biography of the pioneering photographer Eadweard Muybridge. Late one night, Kay fears someone is following her home. Surprised to see that the lights of the toy shop are on and the door is open, she takes shelter inside.
The next morning Theo wakes up to discover his wife is missing. Under police suspicion and frantic at her disappearance, he obsessively searches the streets of the Old City. Meanwhile, Kay has been transformed into a puppet, and is now a prisoner of the back room of the Quatre Mains, trapped with an odd assemblage of puppets from all over the world who can only come alive between the hours of midnight and dawn. The only way she can return to the human world is if Theo can find her and recognize her in her new form. So begins the dual odyssey of Keith Donohue’s The Motion of Puppets: of a husband determined to find his wife, and of a woman trapped in a magical world where her life is not her own.
My Thoughts:
Not sure what to think about this book. It wasn’t actually what I was expecting but it had some very good parts…so I believe it was deserving of the 3 rating. Those that are true fans of the horror or the science fiction genres will probably rate it higher.
I think that the author did an excellent job of making the reader feel the helplessness/hopelessness of the unknown and the fear that Kay and her poor husband, Theo were feeling throughout the story. Of course the believability was absent since I’m sure no one reading this actually believes that someone can be turned into a puppet or a big red ball or any other inanimate object. We can build our own conclusions based on the glimpses we are given of what Kay and Theo’s lives were like before this event and what they may now possibly be destined to become.
The story is intriguingly creepy in spite of being a bit slow getting started. I found myself wondering how much of our actual being is perceived and how is it perceived by those that are supposed to know us best? This question became important since the only way that Kay could return to her human form was for Theo to find and recognize her in her puppet form. I felt that in spite of the creep factor… it left many unanswered questions and Kay’s attitude throughout her “puppet life” bothered me a bit. Overall…it can be summed up as “horror without the blood and gore.”
Even in Darkness by Lynn Hightower
3★’s
From The Book:
Joy Miller, once a famed TV evangelist, retired years before when two tragedies struck her family: the first leading her husband to suicide; the second leaving her son dead and his wife and daughter estranged from her.
She now lives a lonely, reclusive life, until a package arrives in the mail containing graphic photographs of three people she knew long ago - all brutally murdered. When Joy reads the note in the package, she knows immediately who it's from: a ghost from her past, a dangerous individual who knows far too much about the skeletons in Joy's closet. Then people start disappearing.
My Thoughts:
The best thing about this novel was that it was short. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. There just wasn’t enough “meat” on the bones of this book to keep it going.
The beginning did a great job of setting the plot but Joy’s interaction with some of the characters did nothing to bring it forward. Understanding the reasons that Joy isolated herself was easy but her reactions to her fellow “bookmates” didn’t come across with any ring of truth. Her relationship with her dog was, as our Brit friends would say, “spot on.” Actually thinking about it the dog was the best character in the book and added more to the storyline that the heroine. In a nut shell…it’s not a bad book…just not a memorable book. If you want to read Lynn Hightower at her best read The Piper.
The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
Cotton Malone Series Book#2
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Cotton Malone retired from the high-risk world of elite operatives for the U.S. Justice Department to lead the low-key life of a rare-book dealer. But his quiet existence is shattered when he receives an anonymous e-mail: “You have something I want. You’re the only person on earth who knows where to find it. Go get it. You have 72 hours. If I don’t hear from you, you will be childless.” His horrified ex-wife confirms that the threat is real: Their teenage son has been kidnapped. When Malone’s Copenhagen bookshop is burned to the ground, it becomes brutally clear that those responsible will stop at nothing to get what they want. And what they want is nothing less than the lost Library of Alexandria.
My Thoughts:
Great story with loads of action and excitement. Is it 100% accurate? No.. and for those that are looking for that element it can be found in your library under the category of "Non-Fiction". Is some of it accurate? Yes. The author has taken some fact and some historical real people and mixed the combination in with just enough of his rich imagination to create a fast-paced, work that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat and guessing until the very climatic end.
If you wish to read this series start with Book #1 The Templar's Legacy. Not that one has anything to do with the other, but you will better understand the working relationship of some of the major characters.
Walking By Night by Kate Ellis
4★’s
Joe Plantagenet series Book # 5
From The Book:
When taking a short cut beneath the ruined abbey in the centre of the historic North Yorkshire city of Eborby, a teenage girl on her way home from a night out reports stumbling across a body. She also claims to have seen a mysterious nun-like figure watching her from the shadows. But during the subsequent search, no body is found. Due to the girl’s inebriated state and troubled history, the police are skeptical of her story. Only Detective Inspector Joe Plantagenet is inclined to believe her.
Then a woman is reported missing, and Joe finds himself caught up in a complex investigation involving a production of The Devils at the local Playhouse. Could the play, with its shocking religious and sexual violence, have something to do with the woman’s disappearance? And is there really a connection with the tragic death of a young nun at the site many centuries before? As Joe is about to discover, nothing is as it first appears
My Thoughts:
Detective Joe Plantagenet, is so thoughtful, dignified and with such complexity in his history and in his personality that you can’t help but like him right off the bat. He had studied for the priesthood at one time and gave t up to marry the love of is life only to have her die in a horrible accident a mere year later.
This is the fifth book in the series although it reads like a standalone. Joe has always show a great deal of compassion for the underdog…the unbelieved…the person that just doesn’t know where to seek help. In this case a young woman walking home in the thick fog and believes she is being followed. In her attempt to avoid detection she slips into an alley way and stumbled over the body of a woman in a long coat. No one but Joe believes her. However the story becomes more believable when a woman is reported missing. Does it have something to do with a local play dealing the religious and sexual violence? Or could it even connect to the death of a young nun centuries before?
Kate Ellis captures the reader’s attention from the very first with the combination of a young woman, fog, an abandoned abbey, the sense of being followed, and a dead body. For what more could one ask?
Escape Clause by John Sandford
Virgil Flowers series book # 9
2★'s
From The Book:
The first storm comes from, of all places, the Minnesota zoo. Two large, and very rare, Amur tigers have vanished from their cage, and authorities are worried sick that they’ve been stolen for their body parts. Traditional Chinese medicine prizes those parts for home remedies, and people will do extreme things to get what they need. Some of them are a great deal more extreme than others—as Virgil is about to find out.
Then there’s the homefront. Virgil’s relationship with his girlfriend Frankie has been getting kind of serious, but when Frankie’s sister Sparkle moves in for the summer, the situation gets a lot more complicated. For one thing, her research into migrant workers is about to bring her up against some very violent people who emphatically do not want to be researched. For another…she thinks Virgil’s kind of cute.
My Thoughts:
Well...a first for me. A John Sanford book I didn't care much for. It wasn't the writing or the characters...all of that was the usual magnificent talents of John Sandford. It was the subject. A great portion of the book dealt with the trade in exotic animal parts and skins with the sacrifice two endanger Amur tigers, stolen from the Minnesota Zoo, becoming the first victims. I know this goes on...still...in spite of stricter laws... although perhaps not as much as it did 15 or 20 years ago, but still a terrible waste of an innocent, beautiful animal's life. I also know that the author was more than likely trying to make people aware of this despicable practice since he doesn't regularly destroy animals in his books. it was just more than I cared to read about from an author that I have so enjoyed all his books.
I have read some of the other reviews and people describe the book as humorous, quirky, exciting, light and breezy. Sorry...but I couldn't get past that tiger hanging from a hook. If I didn't give Mr. Sandford's book a fair shake...I sincerely apologize. I will certainly continue this series. Just hope there are no more on this subject.
A Gathering In Hope by Philip Gulley, 4****s
Philip Gulley has done it again -- he has lifted my spirits and made me laugh at the antics of his Quaker congregation! In this "episode"a deceased parishioner has left their Quaker church a million dollars and minister Sam has to try to keep everyone in line as they decide what to do with the money. A few of the group decide that they should build an addition onto the church. But when they apply for a building permit, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) finds that the church attic and surrounding trees are filled with endangered Indiana brown bats. And when someone in the church kills over 100 of the bats and someone else cuts down two of the trees that the bats were living in, the DNR is not happy, and Sam must try to keep his little church together and try to keep them from going to jail!
So funny! And also apropos in the area where I live, as only 30 miles away reconstruction on a fairly large bridge had to be delayed because the endangered Indiana bats cannot be disturbed during their mating season: April 1 - October 1. So work had to be stopped until after October 1st!
This is another good book by Philip Gulley and I highly recommend it! :)
October 23, 2016 Currently reading:TEXT -
Coraline by Neil Gaiman--escape from Wolf Hall!Portable Audio -
The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro--a change of pace from Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough, which I just finished, about Theodore Roosevelt's life as a boy and young man.
An Evil Mind by Chris Carter
Robert Hunter series Book #6
4.5★'s
From The Book:
A freak accident in rural Wyoming leads the sheriff’s department to arrest a man for a possible double homicide, but further investigations suggest a much more horrifying discovery: a serial killer who has been kidnapping, torturing, and mutilating victims all over the United States for at least twenty-five years.
The suspect claims he is a pawn in a huge labyrinth of lies and deception—but can he be believed?
The case is immediately handed over to the FBI, but this time they’re forced to ask for help from ex-criminal behavior psychologist and lead detective with the Ultra Violent Crime Unit of the LAPD, Robert Hunter. As he begins interviewing the apprehended suspect, terrifying secrets are revealed, including the real identity of a killer so elusive that no one, not even the FBI, had any idea he existed…until now.
My Thoughts:
This was a reread for me. I really liked it the first time I read it so when my little brain finally grasped the fact that it sounded familiar because I has already read the book....I was so hooked into the story that I continued to read and I'm very glad that i did.
The story was a tad different form others that I'd read since the majority of the book had the killer already behind bars. LAPD detective and expert on Criminal Behavior, Robert Hunter, was on loan to the FBI because the killer had asked for him...would only speak to him and him alone. Robert Hunter knew the killer...had gone to college with him and during that period of time, was his roommate. So how could he refuse?
Thus begins the interview and the story is slowly rolled out of how this monster...who Robert thought was his friend...had killed 31 known victims and possibly more... because death fascinated him. During the interview he delivered the final atrocity...his last capture was still ALIVE...SOMEWHERE. At this point the reader knew where this was headed but were still hopeful. Without revealing the unbelievable ending I will say that the end had quite an interesting twist. Seriously people...this book should only be read by those that are willing to take a trip to the very, very dark side.
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TEXT - The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan--about the creation of national parks by Teddy Roosevelt, and a historic forest fire in 1910; for a library book club
Personal AUDIO - Some Luck by Jane Smiley--now that I have all 3 books in this trilogy, I've decided to start reading them!
AUDIO in the car - The Burning Room by Michael Connelly--several books about burning this month!