Grab a Book & Play Booktivity! discussion
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Carol wrote: "
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes of making a ne..."
I'm glad you liked this, Carol. I have not read this one, but have read others by Rosamunde Pilcher and really enjoyed them. Glad you're willing to branch out a little from your "mystery world"! ;)
Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause by Mignon F. Ballard
3★'s
From the Book:
life in small-town America during World War II springs vividly to life as schoolteacher Miss Dimple and her fellow townspeople battle valiantly against worry, rationing, and crime at home as well as abroad.
It's September 1943, and the town of Elderberry, Georgia, including their beloved first-grade teacher, Miss Dimple Kilpatrick, has exciting plans for the Bond Rally to support the troops fighting the war abroad. Miss Dimple's friend, Virginia Balliew, has agreed to chair the big event, with the help of Buddy Oglesby. But when children discover a skeleton at the edge of a field, and Buddy disappears along with the war bond money, it's clear that something is amiss in the little town; and Miss Dimple, along with her fellow teachers, is soon on the case.
My Thoughts:
First I need to say that "Cozy" Mysteries are NOT my cuppa tea...at all. I read this one for two reasons...my mother loves "Miss Dimple" and it was for a sub-genre challenge on another group.
I guess I just don't get how these non-professionals without any training that would even classify them as private investigators, can insert themselves into crime solving situations...and manage to not only catch the bad-guy but live to tell the story. Not just once, mind you, but through 20 or more books.
It does have some historical value however. A small Georgia town during WWII is the setting and Miss Dimple, the heroine is a teacher. Soon she is joined by some fellow teachers and several locals. She's not very grateful for the extra help as she considers them to be in the way. I wondered how the local police viewed her. Even though I will never go out of my way to read this genre I do have to say that Mignon Ballard has managed to produce a pretty good period piece and will appeal to those that 1. love this slant on history and 2. don't care for lots of blood, guts and violence in their reading.
Terris wrote: "Carol wrote: "Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes ..."
Carol wrote: "Terris wrote: "Carol wrote: "Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of D..."
In The Cold, Cold Ground by Stuart MacBride
Logan McRae series Book #10
4★'s
From The Book:
Trouble is coming…Sergeant Logan McRae’s team find a body dumped in the woods – but is it the missing businessman they’ve been searching for, or something far more sinister? It doesn’t help that his ex-boss is taking over the case, a new Superintendent has it in for him, and Professional Standards are looming.
Even worse: Aberdeen’s criminal overlord, Wee Hamish Mowat, is dying and rival gangs all over the UK are eyeing his territory. There’s a war brewing and Logan’s trapped right in the middle, whether he likes it or not.
My Thoughts:
Stuart MacBride is one of my many favorite authors and Logan McRae is one of my many favorite series. Usually the series and the book would rate much higher with me than a mere 4 stars...but this book was on again-off again with me. Logan has always had problems with his boss, Chief Inspector Steel...but she is really over the top with undeserved attitude in this one. It became boring reading the back and forth bickering between not only her and Logan but the entire team. The story started off with an unidentified body that Logan and his team were investigating and that was interesting but then the story just went off in so many different directions that it lost the entire story line. Whenever it would pick up again with the investigation... I would begin to think that it had hope of being the great stories that this series has always been. A little more than half the book was very good and for that it gets the 4 stars. Better luck with the next one.
Carol wrote: "Terris wrote: "Carol wrote: "Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of D..."
Yes, Carol? Did you have something to say to me? ;)
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro, 4****sI really enjoyed this book, but I'd have to warn any Ishiguro fans: if you're looking for Remains of the Day, this books is not for you. However, if you are looking for a fairytale with ogres, dragons, and pixies, then start reading and have fun! I think that if the reader is armed with the knowledge that this book is different than others by this author, then he/she will enjoy it just fine :)
This Year It Will Be Different, and other stories
by Maeve Binchy, 4****sMaeve Binchy at her best! This is a collection of short stories all set at Christmastime! Each story has a different set of Christmas problems and, of course, the famous Maeve Binchy twist at the end. I would highly recommend reading this book, especially during Christmas :)
If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle
Bibliophile Mystery series Book #2
3.5★'s
From The Book:
Murder is easy-on paper. Book restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright is attending the world- renowned Book Fair when her ex Kyle shows up with a bombshell. He has an original copy of a scandalous text that could change history-and humiliate the beloved British monarchy.
When Kyle turns up dead, the police are convinced Brooklyn's the culprit. But with an entire convention of suspects, Brooklyn's conducting her own investigation to find out if the motive for murder was a 200-year-old secret-or something much more personal.
My Thoughts:
In spite of my continued avoidance of the cozy mystery genre I found that I did rather enjoy this one. Again I have to confess if it had not been for the sub-genre challenge on the Mystery & Suspense Extra group on LibraryThing I would never have picked the book up and would have missed this well written mystery that is populated with lots of devious suspects, daunting detectives, and a few humerus Scots. I even learned some very interesting information about book restoration.
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin, 4****sThis is just an adorable book about a sweet, outgoing, intelligent girl with a wonderful optimistic view of life and how she touches the lives of those she comes in contact with. Yes, it's very similar to Anne of Green Gables, Pollyanna, and Heidi. But if you love those girls, you'll also love Rebecca!
Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture by Rosanne Welch, 4****sA very well-written, informative, insightful book about the influence of The Monkees on "Teenagers, Television, and American Pop Culture." I enjoyed it very much. Which Monkee was your favorite? ;)
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson, 4****sA wonderful history of English, with all of its eccentricities and word-play. If you like words, then you'll like this book! And if you are a Bill Bryson fan, as I am, you won't be disappointed :)
Esperanza Rising
by Pam Munoz Ryan, 4****sA wonderful story about a thirteen-year-old Mexican girl, Esperanza, from a well-to-do family who, after the death of her father, is forced to move with her mother and family servants to southern California. They must become migrant workers picking fruits and vegetables and living in a migrant camp. Through the eyes of this privileged child, the reader learns how it feels to "come down" in life, and also how it feels to be "looked down on" by others because of one's ethnicity and social standing, or lack thereof.
Esperanza also does a lot of growing up because of missing her grandmother who doesn't get to come along with them when they leave Mexico, and because of her mother's illness. She has to do a lot of growing up fast.
This story is based on the author's own grandmother's story, and it gives some of the history of migrant workers in the 1930's. It really is a story that includes several different issues that could be taught to younger children and middle-aged children. And even I, as an adult, was interested in learning of this era! Now I understand why it is on Amazon's Top 100 Children's Books List!
The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
Cotton Malone series Book # 3
4★'s
From The Book:
n 323 B.C.E, having conquered Persia, Alexander the Great set his sights on Arabia, then suddenly succumbed to a strange fever. Locating his final resting place–unknown to this day–remains a tantalizing goal for both archaeologists and treasure hunters. Now the quest for this coveted prize is about to heat up. And Cotton Malone–former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer–will be drawn into an intense geopolitical chess game.
After narrowly escaping incineration in a devastating fire that consumes a Danish museum, Cotton learns from his friend, the beguiling adventurer Cassiopeia Vitt, that the blaze was neither an accident nor an isolated incident. As part of campaign of arson intended to mask a far more diabolical design, buildings across Europe are being devoured by infernos of unnatural strength.
And from the ashes of the U.S.S.R., a new nation has arisen: Former Soviet republics have consolidated into the Central Asian Federation. At its helm is Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina, a cunning despot with a talent for politics, a taste for blood sport, and the single-minded desire to surpass Alexander the Great as history’s ultimate conqueror.
Backed by a secret cabal of power-brokers, the Federation has amassed a harrowing arsenal of biological weapons. Equipped with the hellish power to decimate other nations at will, only one thing keeps Zovastina from setting in motion her death march of domination: a miraculous healing serum, kept secret by an ancient puzzle and buried with the mummified remains of Alexander the Great–in a tomb lost to the ages for more than 1,500 years.
Together, Cotton and Cassiopeia must outrun and out think the forces allied against them. Their perilous quest will take them to the shores of Denmark, deep into the venerated monuments of Venice, and finally high inside the desolate Pamir mountains of Central Asia to unravel a riddle whose solution could destroy or save millions of people–depending on who finds the lost tomb first.
My Thoughts:
Anyone that is a history fan will surely find that this series is well worth your time to pursue. Steve Berry admits that he does take literary license with some of the facts but for the most part he does well planned research and stays as close to actual historical recollection as the story line allows.
The twists and turns in this book are truly amazing. I will have to confess that following the plot line from one place to another sometimes became truly exhausting. Also there is so much going on that it makes it nearly impossible for the reader to possibly solve the riddle. The characters however are extremely interesting and very diversified in personality. Overall it was a very good read but I believe I was more interested in the previous two books dealing with The Templar treasure and the lost library of Alexandria.
Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski, 3.5 ***sThis is a cute YA novel about Devi, as a high school senior, having the ability to call on her cellphone (mysteriously) back to her freshman self -- time travel! It is about how senior Devi tries to tell freshman Devi how to live her life to make things turn out better for her at the end of her senior year (got that?). However, every time freshman Devi does something different than she did in her original history, things change immediately for senior Devi which turns out to be pretty funny -- sometimes! But in the end both freshman and senior selves learn important lessons about life. It was light and enjoyable. I listened to the audio book and Cassandra Campbell did an excellent job of reading, as usual :)
Truly Madly Guilty
by Liane Moriarty, 4****sThis is an interesting story of three couples and how one afternoon barbecue changes all their lives. And in true Liane Moriarty style, the reader doesn't get to know "what happened" until at least half way through the book. So the mystery of trying to figure it out makes the story even more exciting. I have enjoyed three of Moriarty's books and will look around for more!
Seeking The Dead by Kate Ellis
Joe Plantagenet Series Book #1
4.5★'s
From The Book:
When Carmel Hennessy begins a new job in North Yorkshire, she finds the historic city of Eborby gripped by fear. A killer is on the prowl - a killer who binds and asphyxiates his victims before leaving their naked bodies in isolated country churchyards. The press are calling him the Resurrection Man.
Tragic events from the past link Carmel with new-kid-on-the-block DI Joe Plantagenet, who, with his new boss, DCI Emily Thwaite, faces the unenviable task of identifying the killer before he claims another victim. The victims appear to have nothing in common but the manner of their deaths, but as Joe's investigations lead him to a pub with a sinister history, he is forced to consider that the case may have occult connections. Then Carmel becomes aware of a malevolent presence in her new flat and, when she starts to receive mysterious threats, it is Joe she turns to first. And that is when Joe is forced to get into the mind of a cunning and scarily ruthless killer.
My Thoughts:
I've been a long time fan of Ellis's Wesley Peterson series and had only read one or two from this one. I do believe that I have enjoyed this series as much or more than the Peterson series....which came as a bit of a surprise to me. The characters seem to have more substance and the plots moves along at a quicker pace. The structure of the plot is interesting and we learn of events from a number of different characters, including the killer. We are taken along parallel paths until events slowly start to merge and the killer is more easily identified. Great series and I would recommend it to all Kate Ellis fans or just someone that enjoys a good who-done-it.
Love You Dead by Peter James
Roy Grace series Book #12
5 ★'s
From The Book:
An ugly duckling as a child, Jodie Bentley had two dreams in life - to be beautiful and rich. She's achieved the first, with a little help from a plastic surgeon, and now she's working hard on the second. Her philosophy on money is simple: you can either earn it or marry it. Marrying is easy, it's getting rid of the husband afterwards that's harder, that takes real skill. But hey, practice makes perfect . . .
Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is feeling the pressure from his superiors, his previous case is still giving him sleepless nights, there have been major developments with his missing wife Sandy, and an old adversary is back. But worse than all of this, he now believes a Black Widow is operating in his city. One with a venomous mind . . . and venomous skills. Soon Grace comes to the frightening realization that he may have underestimated just how dangerous this lady is.
My Thoughts:
Another great read in this series featuring DS Roy grace and his "Serious Crimes" team. The characters have so much depth and are so incredible in their dealings with their investigative abilities and their vulnerabilities in their everyday lives that you can't help but love and admire them.
Grace and Chloe have almost more on their plates than they can handle with Roy and his team investigating a series of murders that a highly unlikable character is perpetrating on rich, older men and the resurfacing of Roy's first wife, Sandy... who he had previously had declared dead. Along with Sandy comes more trouble that I'm sure will be the subject of a future book.
I would highly recommend this series to all mystery & suspense fans and have to say that it is just an all round compelling read...as is most everything this author writes.
Haunted by Jeanne Glidewell
Lexie Starr Series Book # 3
2.5★'s
From The Book:
Lexie Starr, a widowed library assistant, converts her boyfriend's B&B into a haunted house for Halloween. But when a young college student is found truly dead in the makeshift coffin in the parlor, the Alexandria Inn has a second murder on the books.
My Thoughts:
I had a really hard time rating this book. It was a well written cozy mystery but that was my entire problem...it was TOO cozy for me...but I couldn't bring myself to NOT finish it. There was not nearly enough of a "mystery" and way too much rattling on about everyday life. How these people with no training ever manage to become involved with these cases that are not only dangerous but obviously best left to the police is the biggest "mystery" to me. That being said...it was more than likely an interesting book to those that are fans of the sub-genre.
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The Shooting / James BoiceAUDIO in the car -
Portrait in Sepia / Isabel AllendeMP3 Player AUDIO -
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena / Anthony Marra
Bodily Harm by Robert Dugoni
David Sloan Series Book #3
4 ★'s
From The Book:
Bodily Harm opens with a big win for David Sloane and his new partner, Tom Pendergrass, in a malpractice case centered on the death of a young child. But on the heels of this seeming victory, an unlikely character—toy designer Kyle Horgan— comes forward to tell Sloane that he’s gotten it all wrong: Horgan’s the one who’s truly responsible for the little boy’s death and possibly others—not the pediatrician Sloane has just proven guilty.
Ordinarily, Sloane might have dismissed such a person as a crackpot, but something about this case has always troubled him—something that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. When Sloane tries to follow up with Horgan, he finds the man’s apartment a shambles— ransacked by unknown perpetrators. Horgan has vanished without a trace. Together with his longtime investigative partner Charles Jenkins, Sloane reexamines his clients’ son’s death and digs deeper into Horgan’s claims, forcing him to enter the billion-dollar, cutthroat toy industry. As Sloane gets closer to the truth, he trips a wire that leads to a shocking chain of events that nearly destroys him. To get to the bottom of it all and find justice for the families harmed, Sloane must keep in check his overwhelming desire for revenge.
My Thoughts:
It's a story about correcting a wrong when what you thought you were doing was the right thing to do. It's a story about doing the "right thing" bringing tragedy and heartache. It's a story about good people helping other people even in the face of personal grief. Be warned that it will break your heart in many ways.
Also the reader will find a smooth, well written, thriller that moves along with action and suspense on every page. The character development, that of the friendship between Sloan and Jenkins, is excellent. Third book in the David Sloan series and I'm looking forward to reading number four.
Currently reading:TEXT - Keep Moving: And Other Tips About Old Age by Dick Van Dyke--for a nonfiction library book club and Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson--for a senior book club (our theme this year is "censored books"!)
AUDIO in the car - The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
portable AUDIO - Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly for a neighborhood book club
Britt-Marie Was Here
by Fredrik Backman, 5*****sThe story of Britt-Marie started in Fredrik Backman's "My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry." And when I found out that it was the same character from that book, I didn't think I wanted to read it. I did not like her in that book at all. But, of course, she is supposed to be unlikable. However, you can't help but like her as you get to know her better.
In this book, she is going off by herself, after some traumatic experiences in her life, trying to start anew. She goes to the unemployment office (which is such a funny scene!) and is able to get a temporary job in a local village that is economically stressed and about to go under.
As Britt-Marie is a person who needs to be needed, she, in a rather unusual way, begins to fit in and find a place for herself. There are several dramatic things that happen that really pull at your heart. And I just loved it.
This book just spoke to my soul.
I know that it was probably supposed to be a light, funny story -- and it kind of was. But I got much more out of it, and it may be one of my favorite books! I think I identified with Britt-Marie because I am such a list-maker and rule follower, that I could see her point on a few things. But, of course, she was extreme. Also, she has no social skills or sense of humor. But as I said before, as you find out about her background, you get to know why she is the way she is. Many of the silly things she does, such as all the cleaning with baking soda(!), are self-preservation and self-defense mechanisms. And in this book she really begins to find herself and tries to learn to do things that she wants/needs to do - not just do for others which aren't always the right things for her.
Also, Fredrik Backman's style of writing in this book hit my funny bone in such a way that I just wanted to laugh and laugh (I read the first chapter aloud to my husband because I thought it was so funny!!)! I have no idea how others will feel, but already, on January 11th, I think I've just read my favorite book of the year!! :
Now I'm listening to
One Hundred Years of Solitude,reading
The Four Million and Other Stories on e-reader, and reading the hardback of
Don't Look Now and Other Stories.
Plague Ship by Clive Cussler & Jack Du Brul
Oregon File Series Book #5
4 ★'s
From The Book:
Captained by the rakish, one-legged Juan Cabrillo and manned by a crew of former military and spy personnel, the Oregon is a private enterprise, available for any government agency that can afford it. They've just completed a top secret mission against Iran in the Persian Gulf when they come across a cruise ship adrift at sea. Hundreds of bodies litter its deck, and, as Cabrillo tries to determine what happened, explosions rack the length of the ship. Barely able to escape with his own life and that of the liner’s sole survivor, Cabrillo finds himself plunged into a mystery as intricate – and as perilous – as any he has ever known and pitted against a cult with monstrously lethal plans for the human race . . . plans he may already be too late to stop.
My Thoughts:
Clive Cussler really hit on something when he created Juan Carbrillo and his Oregon crew. They are mercenaries with a conscience and an overwhelming sense of right and wrong. They incapacitate their enemies most of time instead of outright killing them.
I have been a huge fan of this series from the very first book and hope that Cussler and his writing team find enough material to long continue the adventures. This book gives readers an insight into some of the characters that make up the team but often have more of a back seat. As almost all of Clive Cussler's books begin with a look at a historical event...this one is no exception. Readers are presented with a possible discovery of the Ark and from there we are left to wonder how it will fit into the storyline...but it always does.
I highly recommend this series...and for that matter all his others...to any one that loves adventure and intrigue taken to the highest levels.
Night School by Lee Child
Jack Reacher series Book #21
3.5 Stars
From The Book:
It’s 1996, and Reacher is still in the army. In the morning they give him a medal, and in the afternoon they send him back to school. That night he’s off the grid. Out of sight, out of mind. Two other men are in the classroom—an FBI agent and a CIA analyst. Each is a first-rate operator, each is fresh off a big win, and each is wondering what the hell they are doing there.
Then they find out: A Jihadist sleeper cell in Hamburg, Germany, has received an unexpected visitor—a Saudi courier, seeking safe haven while waiting to rendezvous with persons unknown. A CIA asset, undercover inside the cell, has overheard the courier whisper a chilling message: “The American wants a hundred million dollars.” For what? And who from? Reacher and his two new friends are told to find the American. Reacher recruits the best soldier he has ever worked with: Sergeant Frances Neagley. Their mission heats up in more ways than one, while always keeping their eyes on the prize: If they don’t get their man, the world will suffer an epic act of terrorism.
My Thoughts:
I'm a long time fan of Jack Reacher. I even came to gripes with Tom Cruise portraying my hero in the movies...but this one was just "different". It was written in Reacher's past while he was still in the Army and the plot was so much more military than any of the others where Reacher is a wanderer running into situations that require his expertise. While it was interesting and the good guys overcame the evil ones...I much prefer the past books to this one.
This is Our Story by Ashley Elston
5 stars
From The Book:
No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The boys won't say who fired the shot that killed their friend, Grant; the evidence shows it could have been any one of them.
Kate Marino's senior year internship at the District Attorney's Office isn't exactly glamorous-more like an excuse to leave school early that looks good on college applications. Then the DA hands her boss, Mr. Stone, the biggest case her small town of Belle Terre has ever seen. The River Point Boys are all anyone can talk about. Despite their damning toxicology reports the morning of the accident, the DA wants the boys' case swept under the rug. He owes his political office to their powerful families.
Kate won't let that happen. Digging up secrets without revealing her own is a dangerous line to walk; Kate has personal reasons for seeking justice for Grant. As she investigates with Stone-the aging prosecutor relying on Kate to see and hear what he cannot-she realizes that nothing about the case-or the boys-is what it seems. Grant wasn't who she thought he was, and neither is Stone's prime suspect. As Kate gets dangerously close to the truth, it becomes clear that the early morning accident might not have been an accident at all-and if Kate doesn't uncover the true killer, more than one life could be on the line including her own.
My Thoughts:
The book begins with the narration of what took place in the woods on the Sunday morning that five friends go out shooting in the woods. This is a normal activity for them to do...but this time, only four came back. The book then begins to revolve around the premise that Grant Perkins was shot by one of his friends...but which one and was it intentional or was it an accident?
We are taken through many different theories and possible scenarios as we get to know the friends. Kate Marino of the DA's office is in charge of Grant's case and she personally knows one of the boys but as she questions and digs for answers... she soon finds there are things coming to light that changes everything not only for her but for the four boys and the small town of River Pointe.
Loved all the twists and turns that the plot took on the way to discovering the truth of just what did happen on that fateful Sunday morning.
I just finished One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez! I'm so proud of myself for finishing it!Now I'm listening to The Sleepwalker
, Chris Bohjalian's new one, and reading Don't Look Now and Other Stories
by Daphne DuMaurier and The Four Million and Other Stories
by O. Henry.
First Family by David Baldacci
Maxwell & King series Book #4
4.5 ★'s
From The Book:
A daring kidnapping turns a children's birthday party at Camp David, the presidential retreat, into a national security nightmare.
Former Secret Service agents turned private investigators, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell don't want to get involved. But years ago Sean King saved the First Lady's husband, then a senator, from political disaster. Now the president's wife presses Sean and Michelle into a desperate search to rescue a kidnapped child. With Michelle still battling her own demons, the two are pushed to the limit, with forces aligned on all sides against them--and the line between friend and foe impossible to define . . . or defend.
My Thoughts:
This is and has been my favorite Baldacci series for quiet some time. There is not too much that he can do wrong as far as I'm concerned except maybe kill my two heroes and thus far he hadn't sone that.
This one was intriguing in that he did not try to paint the President and the First Lady as perfectly innocent and untouchable but instead as real people with real faults and problems. "Stand By Your Man" is one phrase that many women will understand all too well. As for King and Maxwell...they are larger than life and practically indestructible..but that's what I like about them. Their dedication to one another and their willingness to doggedly follow a trail until justice is served is admirable.
David Baldacci is famous for "the plot within a plot" and the end result is amazing. I was totally pleased with this finely tuned mystery that presented challenges in every chapter and surprises at the end.
Expecting To Die by Lisa Jackson
Alvarez & Pescoli series Book #7
3 Stars
From The Book:
The menacing woods of Grizzly Falls, Montana, are not for the faint of heart. But for some, they’re the perfect setting for partying and pranks. They don’t know there’s a rapt audience amid the tangled trees, a killer with a different kind of game in mind, for whom the woods are dark and deep—and perfectly deadly…
Some places earn their bad reputation through tall tales or chance. Grizzly Falls is different. Here, killers aren’t just the stuff of legends and campfire lore. Someone is in the nighttime shadows, watching the local teens play around in the moonlit woods. Waiting for the right moment, the right victim. Waiting to take away a life.
Detective Regan Pescoli is counting the days until her maternity leave. Exhausted and emotional, the last thing she needs is another suspected serial killer. Especially when her daughter, Bianca, is swept up in the media storm. When a reality show arrives in town, the chaos only makes it harder for Pescoli and her partner, Selena Alvarez, to distinguish rumor from truth.
Another body is found…and another. And as the nightmare strikes closer to home, Pescoli races to find the terror lingering in the darkness, where there are too many places to hide…and countless places to die.
My Thoughts:
It was an interesting enough plot...there was just too much backstory that really wasn't necessary. There was plenty of bodies for those of us that like a lot of murder and mayhem in our books. That may have been one of the problems. The plot that started off with the discovery of the decomposing body soon spun out of control and in so many different directions that it was almost impossible to follow by the end. I have never had a book from this series do this so hope it was just a fluke.
Jan 20, 2017 Currently reading:TEXT -
The Underground Railroadby Colson Whitehead--really enjoying it!Portable Audio -
Wilde Lake by Laura Lippman--one of my favorite authors, who used to live in San Antonio and wrote for "The Light"
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Breathing Lessons / Anne TylerAUDIO in the car -
The Husband / Dean KoontzMP3 Player AUDIO -
Maisie Dobbs / Jacqueline Winspear
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Portable Audio
..."I never knew Lippman used to live in SAT! One of her mysteries featuring Tess Monahan has her going to SAT ... and she eats at "Earl Abel's"!
Live By Night by Dennis Lehane
2.5 stars - not the fault of the book or the author
From The Book:
unflinching tale of the making and unmaking of a gangster in the Prohibition Era of the Roaring Twenties—now a Warner Bros. movie starring Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Zoe Saldana, and Sienna Miller.
Meticulously researched and artfully told, Live by Night is the riveting story of one man’s rise from Boston petty thief to the Gulf Coast’s most successful rum runner.
My Thoughts:
I almost hate to rate or review this book since I feel that I'm not being very fair to it or it's very talented author. I have to admit that I chose the book solely to help complete a challenge and not because I was in anyway interested in the content. I'm going to watch the movie in hopes that it will hold more interest for me. Anyone interested in this period of history will more than likely find the book entertaining but for me it was a struggle. Please know that it in no manner reflected on the author or his ability to write an interesting story. I have read others of his books and thoroughly enjoyed them
Book Concierge wrote: "Marilyn wrote: "Jan 20, 2017 Currently reading:Portable Audio
..."I never knew Lippman used to live in SAT! One of her mysteries featuring Tess Monahan has her go..."
Yup! Another favorite mystery writer who still lives in SAT is Rick Riordan--famous for the Percy Jackson series, he used to write wonderful mysteries set in SAT and other south Texas places, like San Marcos and Austin. I know his mom, who was a fellow teacher, only art instead of English like her son.
Inherit the Bones by Emily Littlejohn
Gemma Monroe series Book #1
4 Stars
From The Book:
Secrets and lies can’t stay buried forever in Cedar Valley.
In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town’s meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep.
Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe’s investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley’s future.
Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can’t trust and colleagues who know more than they’re saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.
My Thoughts:
I thought the title was intriguing. At first I didn't think it was going to have much to do with the bones found by Detective Gemma Monroe on a ski trip but soon the old story began to mix with the new story and the book was off to a good start.
The thing that really stood out was the character of Gemma Monroe. She balances a police career while at the same time tackling nightmares about a character that you only hope turns out to be a figment of her imagination. She had the task of not only solving a case that she actually thought had been solved years ago but working around the feelings of one of the town's leading and powerful families while expecting her first child and working through personal issues of her own. The setting was also an unusual one. The murder victim was a clown in a traveling circus that had spent a week in Gemma's town. I think I know now why I don't like clowns...but I really enjoyed this book.
False Friend by Andrew Grant
Detective Cooper Devereaux series
2.5 stars
From The Book:
An arsonist is targeting schools in Birmingham, Alabama—with devastating effect. Detective Devereaux—a man you can’t quite trust and should never ignore—must put a stop to the elusive pyromaniac’s reign of terror before more damage is done. Or worse, before students’ lives are lost. But as Devereaux sifts through the ashes of the case, a grisly discovery at a burned-out school sends the investigation spiraling in a new, terrifying direction. The detective and his partner are dragged into a nightmare world by revelations of gruesome rituals, the disappearance of local citizens, and allegations against city officials of shocking crimes that stretch back decades.
With innocent lives on the line, progress is hampered by friction between the police department and the FBI, and interference from factions of the local underworld complicate matters further. Devereaux doesn’t make excuses for his willingness to work outside the lines, but just as he needs to be at the top of his game, he’s rocked by echoes from his troubled past that threaten to engulf his daughter and girlfriend—and fracture the life he’s only recently begun to rebuild.
My Thoughts:
I've read better by this author. The story was okay but the characters were very hard to like at all. The adults are idiots and the children are brats and at least one of them is an outright, seven year old, sociopath. Cooper Devereaux is struggling with personal demons of his own. His policing methods are mostly on the edge and many times just short of illegal. The series thus far has been unbelievably grim with no light in view at the end of the tunnel. I don't think I will be continuing this one.
BetrayalBetrayal by Gregg Olsen
Empty Coffin series #2
3.5 stars
From The Book:
foreign exchange student Olivia Grant is stabbed to death after a party and the prime suspect is her best friend. But is everything as it seems? As twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan get pulled into aftermath of the crime, they realize nothing is what it seems. Could it be betrayal of the ultimate kind? Betrayal features real-life crime-solving techniques, heart-stopping suspense, plenty of red herrings and hard-hitting ethical questions. As the crime unravels, so does the twins' past, as they must face off against a family member who may unexpectedly have carried out the worst betrayal of all.
My Thoughts:
This series by Gregg Olsen is very much directed to a young audience, unlike all other true crime books he's written. The adult audience will more than likely find that these were mostly mindless, but extremely fun reading. I really enjoyed this one. Olsen stays true to his genre of crime stories but does a a really good job of adapting it for a younger audience. If you want a quick, easy read this series is excellent.
The Whistler by John Grisham
3.5 Stars
From The Book:
We expect our judges to be honest and wise. Their integrity and impartiality are the bedrock of the entire judicial system. We trust them to ensure fair trials, to protect the rights of all litigants, to punish those who do wrong, and to oversee the orderly and efficient flow of justice. But what happens when a judge bends the law or takes a bribe? It’s rare, but it happens.
Lacy Stoltz is an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. She is a lawyer, not a cop, and it is her job to respond to complaints dealing with judicial misconduct. After nine years with the Board, she knows that most problems are caused by incompetence, not corruption.
But a corruption case eventually crosses her desk. A previously disbarred lawyer is back in business with a new identity. He now goes by the name Greg Myers, and he claims to know of a Florida judge who has stolen more money than all other crooked judges combined. And not just crooked judges in Florida. All judges, from all states, and throughout U.S. history.
What’s the source of the ill-gotten gains? It seems the judge was secretly involved with the construction of a large casino on Native American land. The Coast Mafia financed the casino and is now helping itself to a sizable skim of each month’s cash. The judge is getting a cut and looking the other way. It’s a sweet deal: Everyone is making money.
But now Greg wants to put a stop to it. His only client is a person who knows the truth and wants to blow the whistle and collect millions under Florida law. Greg files a complaint with the Board on Judicial Conduct, and the case is assigned to Lacy Stoltz, who immediately suspects that this one could be dangerous. Dangerous is one thing. Deadly is something else.
My Thoughts:
I have to say that this is not his best work but it did seem to be the longest. There was sometimes so much explanations and back history that had really nothing to do with the current story, that it became boring. The plot is laid out way too early and you almost know by page 100 what and how it's going to turn out. In spite of all that, the idea of the corrupt judge and how the attorney came to be tried and imprisoned was interesting and frankly it's the only reason this one got 3.5 stars.
January 25, 2017 Currently reading:TEXT -
The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr--beautifully written short stories!
The Sleepwalker
by Chris Bohjalian, 4****sThis is the 16th book that I've read by this author and always enjoy them!
This one is about a woman (a mother & wife) who sleepwalks and one night just disappears. The oldest daughter, 21-years-old, tells the tale of trying to discover what has happened to her mother and why. It was very interesting -- I learned some new things about sleepwalking! And it was mysterious, even to the last sentence! I like that! And I would recommend this book :)
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The Jesus Cow / Michael Perry
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler, 4****sI really enjoyed this story of Zelda Fitzgerald, told in first person. It is the telling of her life as the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald during the 1920's and '30's. She was also known as "The First Flapper." It tells of how they met, fell in love, and lived an exciting life moving all around the world, partying, and rubbing shoulders with many famous celebrities of the time. But it all took a toll on her and on Scott. It is a sad but very interesting story. I recommend it, especially if you enjoy the era of the "Roaring Twenties"!
Peter Pan and Wendy by J.M. Barrie, 4****sThis is the original Peter Pan story written in 1911. It is so funny, and I really enjoyed it! After seeing all the movies and stories over the years, it was interesting to read the original author's words. I would recommend this one!
Watching the Ghosts by Kate Ellis
Joe Plantagenet series Book #4
4.5 Stars
From The Book:
DI Joe Plantagenet investigates a house with a disturbing past in the fourth of this popular police procedural series. - Boothgate House has a sinister past. Once an asylum for the insane, serial killer Peter Brockmeister was sent there on his release from prison in 1978. Three years later, it closed, and Brockmeister died in mysterious circumstances. Solicitor Melanie Hawkes is investigating the suspicious events when her young daughter is kidnapped. Meanwhile, Boothgate House resident Lydia Brookes is burgled. And why is a paranormal researcher fascinated by the building’s basement? As Joe uncovers the appalling truth, he faces an evil that threatens those closest to him – and puts his own life
My Thoughts:
This book seems to have every plot imaginable. Beginning with an 8 year old girl being kidnapped right under her mother's nose. Add a burglar that is going around piling up furniture against his victims' front doors so that he can make a quick getaway through the back door if the owners of the property suddenly returns home. There is also a historical element thrown in with Lydia having just moved into a newly converted flat located in what was a mental hospital in the historic city of Eborby. She is troubled by nightmares which feature a malevolent clock. With the description of the clock I didn't wonder that she was having nightmares. Enter DI Joe Plantagenet and his boss, DCI Emily Thwaite who are working to lower the rising crime rate in the area.
If you add into the mix a university researcher who has found something evil in the basement and a man with an obsession with a serial killer the result is spine chilling and a frightening read. The perfect story line for suckers for a ghost story like myself. I found it to be a fast paced, well written story with more than a hint of supernatural happenings.
The Girl in The Ice Robert Brydza
DCI Erika Foster series Book #1
4.5 stars
From The Book:
Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice…She is not the only one.
When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation.
The victim, a beautiful young socialite, appeared to have the perfect life. Yet when Erika begins to dig deeper, she starts to connect the dots between the murder and the killings of three prostitutes, all found strangled, hands bound and dumped in water around London.
What dark secrets is the girl in the ice hiding?
As Erika inches closer to uncovering the truth, the killer is closing in on Erika.
The last investigation Erika led went badly wrong… resulting in the death of her husband. With her career hanging by a thread, Erika must now battle her own personal demons as well as a killer more deadly than any she’s faced before. But will she get to him before he strikes again?
My Thoughts:
It is an interesting and intriguing beginning of a new series. Erica Foster didn't want the case...she wasn't even ready to return to work..but she found herself as lead in the investigation of a rich and powerful man's daughter. Not only did she need to tread softly with the family...but she found that she was not so popular with some members of the team she has been tasked to lead. Actually the only flaw I found with the book as a whole was the relationship between Erica and her boss, Marsh. He fought Erika and refused to listen to any of her theories at seemingly every turn. It just began to seem unrealistic and stupid on his part. There were loads of potential suspects and a few red herrings for the reader to try and find the killer among that the minor flaw become unimportant as a whole...but it was the reason it lost half star in my opinion. I will certainly pick up the next book in this series. Can't wait to see more of Erika and her team.
Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
FBI Profiler series Book #7
4.5 Stars
From the Book:
Is he a hero?
Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now thirteen years old, Sharlah has finally moved on. About to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner, Sharlah loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters.
Is he a killer?
Then the call comes in. A double murder at a local gas station, followed by reports of an armed suspect shooting his way through the wilds of Oregon. As Quincy and Rainie race to assist, they are forced to confront mounting evidence: The shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother, Telly Ray Nash, and it appears his killing spree has only just begun.
All she knows for sure: He’s back.
As the clock winds down on a massive hunt for Telly, Quincy and Rainie must answer two critical questions: Why after eight years has this young man started killing again? And what does this mean for Sharlah? Once upon a time, Sharlah’s big brother saved her life. Now, she has two questions of her own: Is her brother a hero or a killer? And how much will it cost her new family before they learn the final, shattering truth? Because as Sharlah knows all too well, the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you.
My Thoughts:
This is a book that you are either going to love or you're going to hate. There will be no straddling the fence here. The subject of child abuse is never an easy one to read about and more than likely it's probably not the easiest subject to write about.
Lisa Gardner's novels always seem to have a dark theme running through them and I thought that this one was not going to be an exception. However the further I read the more I found this one to be more sad than dark. It's not so much a mystery or a thriller but more of a drama and very character driven. I wished the Conner's had been more than a background filler but the book was very well written and well worth the wait for another Quincey and Rainie novel.
Below the Belt by Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington Series Book # 40
3.5 Stars
From The Book:
Newly ensconced in his Santa Fe abode with a lovely female companion, Stone Barrington receives a call from an old friend requesting a delicate favor. A situation has arisen that could escalate into an explosive quagmire, and only someone with Stone’s stealth and subtlety can contain the damage. At the center of these events is an impressive gentleman whose star is on the rise, and who’d like to get Stone in his corner. He’s charming and ambitious and has friends in high places; the kind of man who seems to be a sure bet. But in the fickle circles of power, fortunes rise and fall on the turn of a dime, and it may turn out that Stone holds the key not just to one man’s fate, but to the fate of the nation.
My Thoughts:
Thank you, Mr. Woods. Once again you have given us our "old" Stone Barrington and not the fast and loose playboy that he had been in some previous books. Good to have Stone back.
This one only received 3.5 stars from me...not because it wasn't interesting or well written...but because in places it had entirely too much politics. After our recent real election fiasco, I just didn't need anymore politics. There were some scary truths in the storyline though. The idea that a mega rich man could dare to think he could buy his very own President along with his own cabinet members while eliminating anyone that stood in his way...and nearly succeeding.
Like all of Stuart Wood's books it is a fast read and has absolutely no wasted words. He gets right to the point.
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Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
4.5★'s
From The Book:
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes of making a new life for herself. Gradually she settled into the comfortable familiarity of village life -- shopkeepers knowing her tastes, neighbors calling her by name -- still she finds herself lonely.
Oscar Blundell gave up his life as a musician in order to marry Gloria. They have a beautiful daughter, Francesca, and it is only because of their little girl that Oscar views his sacrificed career as worthwhile.
Carrie returns from Australia at the end of an ill-fated affair with a married man to find her mother and aunt sharing a home and squabbling endlessly. With Christmas approaching, Carrie agrees to look after her aunt's awkward and quiet teenage daughter, Lucy, so that her mother might enjoy a romantic fling in America.
Sam Howard is trying to pull his life back together after his wife has left him for another. He is without home and without roots, all he has is his job. Business takes him to northern Scotland, where he falls in love with the lush, craggy landscape and set his sights on a house.
It is the strange rippling effects of a tragedy that will bring these five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan.
It is in this house, on the shortest day of the year, that the lives of five people will come together and be forever changed. Rosamunde Pilcher's long-awaited return to the page will warm the hearts of readers both old and new. Winter Solstice is a novel of love, loyalty and rebirth.
My Thoughts:
It's a magical tale of ordinary folks. The Estate House in a small village in Scotland at the holiday season and filled with characters that exhibit both richness and depth. Through the author's descriptions, the reader feels as if they are sitting in the house with them planning the Christmas holiday and having a cuppa tea.
If it had not been my Blind Date With A Book, I don't know if I would have ever picked the book up but I have to say that I'm glad I did and I thank the person that recommended it for a delightful, heartwarming experience.