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Reacher is back in another of his 'happenstance' thrillers. After receiving a ride into a small Tennessee town, Reacher comes across a man about to be ambushed. It turns out the guy is the town's recently out of work IT manager. The entire town's computerized grid is under a ransomware demand, yet someone is trying to stop officials from paying. As Reacher digs a little deeper, he learns that there is more to it all!

Reacher is back in another of his 'happenstance' thrillers. After receiving a ride into a small Tennessee town, Reacher comes across a man about to be ambushed. It turns out the guy is the town's recently out of work IT manager. The entire town's computerized grid is under a ransomware demand, yet someone is trying to stop officials from paying. As Reacher digs a little deeper, he learns that there is more to it all!

Just as Ashe is dealing with a missing woman and her murdered boyfriend, the rug gets pulls out from under him. His services are no longer needed and he’s sent packing. What could have triggered this? Surely his work as a PI was private enough. Perhaps he’s unearthed too much dirty laundry. As Ashe continues to work on his own, he uncovers more than could be fuelling the fire and there’s a chance people are lying!

Shadow continues his work with Wednesday, sent to different parts of the country to experience life there. He sets down some roots and makes some social connections, but cannot shake the fact that he constantly hears from his dead wife. Her messages are only slightly less daunting than the visits by various ‘gods’ who proclaim their power over others, and how America has lots its way. Eerie, yet also addictive, book!

Using the author's preferred and extended text in the 10th anniversary edition, I am able to get the full impact of Shadow, a man who has spent time in jail for seriously roughing up some men. When he is released, he learns that his wife has been killed in a car accident. Travelling to her funeral, Shadow meets Wednesday, a man with a mission who has a plan. Shadow begins work for Wednesday, visited by odd beings.

Ashe Caine may have had some run-ins while working for Chicago PD, but his time as a private investigator has been going quite well. When he’s hired to locate a rich twenty-something, the case turns out to be more than Ashe expected. When dealing with the rich, all the usual rules go out the window. His apparent victim had a huge fight with her family and is in love with a man who is definitely ‘across the tracks’.

Rachel Marin is back and has made a name for herself, working as a liaison for the local police. When she receives an email from her son’s teacher about needing to speak with her, she is shocked to discover he’s been murdered. As she begins to investigate, her son, Eric, is pulled into a gang by an older boy. Their apparent leader his a local businessman with powerful connections that could spell trouble for all!

As Harry’s harrowing adventure continues, it is decided that attending Hogwarts would be more dangerous than beneficial. While Ron and Hermione join Harry on the lam, they discover that the items gifted to them by Dumbledore have deeper meaning. This includes a collection of items called ‘the hallows’, which might be one way to defeat Voldemort. As the three travel along, more pain crosses their path, unfortunately!

Harry's got to be ready for his most intense adventure yet. With his 17th birthday inching closer, everyone knows this is when his protection will come to an end. A plan has Harry scurried away, using a number of lookalikes, as Voldemort is surely watching and ready to strike. While Harry is able to dodge the attack by Deatheaters, some fall prey to their soul-sucking nature. Now, it's time to attend a wedding!

As the investigation slowly progresses, Rachel Martin finds herself the target of vindication. Her desire to help had put her family in danger, something that she has been trying to avoid. With flashbacks to a time when Rachel was trying to create a foundation for herself, the reader can see how far she went to create a bubble of protection. What lurks in the shadows is anyone's guess, but Marin cannot live in fear!

As Harry shoulders the pressure of an upcoming battle with Voldemort, he is highly interested in the thorough discussions about the Dark Lord's past, hoping that it might be of help. There is also much taking place as Harry and the others are in NEWT level schooling, as well as a dash of romance for the boys (finally?!). The book takes a definite turn towards the darkness as surprises occur that may shock the reader!

As Year Six is upon Harry and his friends, news of their OWLs will help to shape their future (and NEWT classes at Hogwarts). Away from the scholastic preparations, news about Voldemort and some of his spies on campus becomes clear, as is a new and sinister plan to target Harry once and for all. As school commences, small things begin to occur and Harry learns of a powerful past student who may offer him help. Eerie!

After a horrible event at home, Rachel Marin and her two children move to the Chicago suburbs. After a body is found under a local bridge, the police feel that it may be a suicide, but Marin is not so sure. She reaches out to the detectives and explains why she’s sure this was murder, attaching herself to the investigation (without being asked). Her theories prove solid, though Marin is stepping on many toes daily!

It would seem that an educational upheaval is underway at Hogwarts, with Harry Potter in the centre of all the trouble. As the Ministry of Magic locks things down, issuing numerous scholastic decrees, Harry is being secretly trained to help him fight against the powers that Voldemort has been unleashing. Panic ensues and many are put in the crosshairs, but there is surely something even more menacing to come. Eerie!

While doing some research in the depths of the Vatican, Father Michael Dominic comes across an odd map-like item. It turns out to be tied to a long-secret group that possessed an important reliquary. The map is a cave, where a treasure awaits the curious searcher. Meanwhile, someone is looking for revenge within the Vatican and will stop at nothing to bring someone to their knees, reclaiming honour and glory again!

With the beginning of the school year comes some changes that no one could have predicted. With a new professor on the faculty, Harry and his friends realize that things are getting tougher (and not only because this is exam year). It would seem the Ministry of Magic is cracking down on Hogwarts and thorough inspections of the teaching methods top the agenda. Harry worries and seeks some outside help from a friend!

While biding his time during the summer before his Fifth Year, Harry finds himself in a spot of trouble. He is forced to do the one thing that is forbidden, using magic away from Hogwarts. While this was ignored once before, this time it has proven to be serious and Harry is advised that he will be up for expulsion if found guilty. No one wants to se that and Harry is brought to a secret location to prep for the day!

Mabel Davison runs the motel and diner in a small Washington town, riddled with drugs. It’s the middle of the 1980s and Mabel’s just trying to make ends meet. When she witnesses a young couple fighting one night in the diner, she has a bad feeling. The woman is found murdered that same night, with the black boyfriend the sole suspect. Mabel sees just how divisive things can get in a town where race determines guilt.

As Harry is chosen to compete in the Tri-Wizard contest, he will have to prepare as best he can. With a little help from his friends, Harry is able to succeed where few thought possible and finds himself in the mix for the championship. However, there is a social aspect to the contest and it will force Harry to come out of his shell, if only for a moment. Additionally, he worries that someone still wants him dead.

As Ronin and her partner continue their investigation, they discover the victim may have been the target of a gang rape by a number of deputies. Each sports a uniquer tattoo and the victim's roommate was also preyed upon. Ronin has no issues stirring the pot, though she seems to be making more enemies by doing so. When she refuses to stand down, others express their concern, or ire, which only adds to the case.

Homicide Detective Eve Ronin and her partner are called out to investigate a skull that's been found in an area ravaged by wildfires. With little to go on, a forensic anthropologist is called in to help with the scene, at which time much of the body is discovered, scattered around the property. After identification, the victim's past comes to the surface, including a rape weeks before she went missing. More to come!

Harry wakes in the night with a burning feeling on his scar, unsure what it means. Meanwhile, he and Ron attend the Quidditch World Cup and have a blast before the start of Fourth Year at Hogwarts. When they arrive, the boys meet up with Hermione and learn about a special celebration taking place this year, one that will bring young wizards from elsewhere to show their abilities. Somehow, Harry is chosen to compete!

Bree Michaelson wakes up in her house, only to find that her husband and their six day-old baby are gone. Any sign that they were ever there is also missing. Bree has some tell-tale signs of having been pregnant, but using a midwife and delivering at home leaves her without much proof. When the police investigate, they find nothing. Bree's past pops its head up, making her story less believable. She's sure it's real!

With added security at Hogwarts, Harry can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for a time. However, there is no telling when danger will strike and everyone awaits the worst. Harry learns that his parents were not only killed, but betrayed by someone they trusted. Additionally, Harry might have been sent to live with the man who seeks to kill him now. Ron and Hermione can only do so much, but the action will not stop!

In this third novel in the Harry Potter series, things continue to get exciting for the reader. In preparation for his third year at Hogwarts, Harry is attacked by his adoptive family, all of who shun him for his being a young wizard. After he snaps, Harry is given quite a special reprieve before heading to school. When he arrives, Harry learns that a dangerous man has escaped prison and may be looking for him. EEK!

Harry is set to return to another scholastic year at Hogwarts. His excitement comes with a slight issue, having been scorned for using magic away from school, with a threat of expulsion. After a highly adventurous arrival back at school, Harry meets up with friends, only to find themselves in the middle of a new mystery. A secret chamber is made known to Harry, though accessing it proves another challenge. Onwards!

In this comprehensive biography of the 2020 Democratic nominee for US President, Jules Witcover explores the life and times of Joe Biden with a fine-tooth comb. From his early days in Pennsylvania before a move to Delaware, Biden was loved by all who met him. His passion for social interaction led him into a world of politics, where he discovered the US Senate and blossomed, while making his mark early and often.

Back for more analysis and investigative reporting, Bob Woodward offers readers another look at Trump and the Administration that seems to be rowing a boat with leaks all over. Focussing on three key men who were hired to do a job, only to have them neutered soon thereafter, the book explores the power hungry nature of POTUS and some of his bombastic decisions, with some COVID drama sprinkled in for good measure.

After Jenna Young learns that her father has died, she is unsure what to do. He has been helping her through a debilitating illness, offering her an experimental pill to keep the symptoms at bay. When she confides in another doctor about needing the pills and offers up the name of a man her father recommended, things soon turn violent. Meanwhile, a man is looking for Conclave, a group responsible for torturing many.

DI William Gibson is back with another BC-based mystery. When the body of a woman appears along the shores of Sidney, DI Gibson and his team seek to make sense of it. Signs of domestic abuse make the husband a likely suspect, but there is more going on than meets the eye. A boy who spends his time on the streets may be involved, harbouring his own secrets, something that DI Gibson has been doing himself. Another gem!