Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

OATH OF OFFICE by Michael Palmer: Michael Palmer, who is himself an M.D., has written 15 books in the genre of medical suspense, all of them well researched and able to grab the reader and bring him or her right into the story. Oath of Office is no exception. Dr Lou Welcome councils doctors who have run into difficulties based largely on the strains and pressures of their medical practices like alcohol abuse, mental problems and other issues that the huge pressures of their practices can cause. A doctor that Lou has worked with previously suddenly launches a shooting spree while working in his practice, killing several patients, his staff and than turning the gun on himself. Lou is blamed for releasing the doctor before he is was cured. In looking at the facts and causes of this sudden snap, Lou is plunged into several cases of mental snaps resulting in both deaths and great injuries. He isolates the apparent cause of these aberrations to one town and begins to narrow down the source of these mental lapses. In a related situation, the president has discharged from office his Secretary of Agriculture and replaced him. The president’s wife is placed in the position of learning that said Secretary was fired in error and starts her own investigation into the causes of the discharge. Her search and Lou’s investigation merge and both are thrown into a scheme to sell vast quantities of an artificially enhanced corn to China, in which the president is involved. Palmer brings in the possibility that seems to be viable for modern science to enhance one product by injecting the DNA of a living creature, and the actuality of such a project making that product bigger, better and much more abundant than it would normally be. Palmer has a talent for bringing his characters to life, imparting normal human strengths and weaknesses. Oath of Office is no exception, and the protagonists are brought to life during the action grabbing the reader. 3/12 Paul Lane

OBEDIENCE by Will Lavender: Students taking Logic and Reasoning 204 at Winchester University have been handed a strange assignment. They must, using logic, solve the hypothetical kidnapping of a girl named Polly. Each week they will be given a new set of clues and if, at the end of the six-week semester, the class has not solved the case, Polly will be murdered – hypothetically, of course. The assignment begins to bleed into their daily lives, consuming the students. They begin to see clues all around them and some even begin to believe that the case may be more than just some classroom assignment. With the clock ticking, can they really solve the case and maybe prevent a real-life murder? Will Lavender’s electrifying debut is brilliantly constructed. The clues are all there for you, the reader, to figure it out, but I guarantee that you won’t. Simply genius. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

OBIT by Anne Emery: This is the second part of a planned trilogy featuring Canadian criminal lawyer Monty Collins and Father Brennan Burke. In 2006’s Sign of the Cross, Collins clears the priest of murder charges and now sets out to explore the history of Burke’s father with the IRA. Brennan, along with Monty, is scheduled to officiate at the wedding of his niece in New York. Before they leave Halifax, Brennan’s brother Patrick sends him a cryptic obituary that appeared in a New York paper. Their father, Declan Burke, who fled Ireland 40 years earlier, understands it as a threat to his life, and sure enough, Declan is shot and wounded at the wedding. Monty is having his own marital problems while the Brennan family is being torn apart as they search for the truth about Declan’s past. Well written and leaves you ready for the promised third part. 12/07 Jack Quick

OBLIVION by Peter Abrahams: Very different and very interesting story about a private detective, Nick Petrov, son of a former KGB agent. Petrov came to fame for solving a serial killer case which was turned into a movie starring Armand Assante, which lent a touch of realism to the novel in a rather unique way. He is hired to find a missing girl but has health issues that affect his memory, turning a good mystery into something much more complex. Very well done. 06/05

OCEAN WAVES by Terri Thayer: Ah, the things I do for the good of the genre. At least there are no talking cats in Thayer’s latest Quilter’s Paridiso cozy. Dewey Pellicano is planning to mix a little pleasure with business at the Sewing-by-the-Sea Symposium in Asilomar, California, but in a rare free moment, as she sneaks a walk on the beach one foggy morning she witnesses a woman disappear into the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, when no body subsequently appears, everyone thinks she imagined the entire thing. Soon after an attendee disappears, an antique sewing kit is stolen, and conference coordinator Martha Madsen is found dead. Dewey must piece together the facts from an odd assortment of clues. (Did I really say that?) At least there is no cover up. With that, I’ve got to go. 04/09 Jack Quick

THE OCTOBER LIST by Jeffrey Deaver: Deaver has written a book in reverse, starting with the final chapter and ending with chapter one. It is definitely not a book that will appeal to everyone. It is something that the reader will either enjoy the technique very much, or dislike it and probably toss the book down in disgust. Gabriela Mckenzie is the office manager of a successful investment management company. She finds that her boss has suddenly disappeared and apparently taken all assets. She is approached by a man that demands a large sum of money from her that her boss owed him, and he wants Gabriela to pay him. To force her to do so he has kidnapped her daughter Sarah and indicates that if she does not find the money to pay him he will kill her daughter. Gabriela has met a man in a bar prior to getting the demand who moves to help her in rescuing her daughter. Her thoughts of him are romantic even with the pressures of rescuing her daughter from the kidnapper and the fact that she does not have the money required nor the means to get it since her ex boss has apparently taken everything before disappearing. The plot is well thought out, very well delineated and easily followed in spite of the book being written in reverse. Characters are fleshed out and in spite of changes in them outlined in the succeeding chapters are believable. A completely surprise ending is logical, and in spite of radically changing events as the book winds backwards very rewarding. An experiment by Deaver, and in my view a good one. As indicated the technique will not be satisfying to everyone, but using an open mind could prove very rewarding. 10/13 Paul Lane
ODD MOM OUT by Jane Porter: This former romance-turned-chick-lit writer switch hits for another solid hit in her newest effort after Flirting with Forty. Marta Zimmer, the “odd mom”, has had her heart broken and sworn off men. Determined to be a mom anyway, she goes the sperm donor route, and creates a very comfortable life for herself and her precocious 9 year old daughter in Manhattan. But her mom is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and an opportunity arises to set up the Seattle office of the advertising agency she works for out in Seattle near her mom, she jumps on it. But the agency is bought out and the west coast office closed shortly thereafter. Determined to not uproot her daughter again, Marta starts up her own company and finds success, but also loneliness. She doesn’t fit in well with the wealthy suburban moms whose days are filled with nail appointments, the country club and the PTA, but her two best friends from high school, very successful working women, convince her that she can make friends if she tries. Instead, she meets a man, the first man she’s had any interest in since her daughter was born. But the daughter and the career come first, can Marta make it work? Odd Mom Out is a fun read, perfect for whiling away a lazy Indian summer afternoon. (I live in south Florida, lucky for me Indian Summer lasts most of the year!) My only negative comment is that if a character is saying “fuck off” then she should say it, not have it represented like this: “F___ off”. That was just adolescent, disingenuous, and the greatest sin of all for any writer – distracting. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

O’FEAR by Peter Corris: Australian “enquiry agent” Cliff Hardy’s old friend, the shady Kevin O’Fearna, is awaiting trial when Hardy learns the last words of another friend Barnes Todd were “O’Fear”, Kevin’s nickname and hence the title. Todd is a trucking entrepreneur, photographer and painter and has left a note with his lawyer engaging Hardy to look into any accident that might befall him. Todd’s widow agrees and O’Fearna persuades Hardy to put up his bail, but is stabbed before his release. Hardy is being tailed and Todd’s widow’s house in ransacked. Is this all about Barnes Todd’s art or is there something else? Another well-paced outing for what I suspect is Australia’s premier Private Eye. 10/07 Jack Quick

OFF THE CHART by James W. Hall: With this one, you may need a scorecard to keep up with the body count. Thorn has a brief fling with Anne Joy, daughter of a Kentucky pirate wannabe family, who has come to the Keys after her parents are murdered in a drug running dispute. Years later her brother Vic, who has become a “land pirate” of sorts, decides he wants Thorn’s land and doesn’t respond well to Thorn’s refusal to sell. Vic then proceeds to kidnap the nine-year-old daughter of Thorn’s best friend which eventually leads Thorn into all out war against Vic, whose complement of U.S. helicopters and a small army of cutthroat international pirates are not nearly an even match for an enraged Thorn. In addition to pirates on land and sea, murder and mayhem, there are few juicy sex scenes and beautiful descriptions of Key West flora and fauna. What else could you ask for in a book, except perhaps a sequel fairly soon. 07/06 Jack Quick

OFF THE GRID by P.J. Tracy: It starts on a sailboat ten miles off the Florida coast. Grace MacBride, partner in Monkeewrench Software, thwarts an assassination attempt on retired FBI agent John Smith. A few hours later, in Minneapolis, a fifteen-year-old girl is discovered in a vacant lot, her throat slashed. Later that day, two young men are found in their home a few blocks away, killed execution-style. The next morning, the dead bodies of three more men turn up, savagely murdered in the same neighborhood. As Minneapolis homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth struggle to link the three crimes, they learn that there have been similar murders in other cities around the United States. The magic date appears to be October 31 and the Monkeewrench crew – Grace, Annie, Roadrunner, and Harley Davidson – are in extreme danger. 10/12 Jack Quick

Office of Innocence by Thomas Keneally: After side trips into history-writing and biography with The Great Shame and American Scoundrel, Mr. Keneally has again turned his hand back to fiction with Office of Innocence which should be nominated for several major awards by the end of the year.
Keneally’s story-telling often involves an ordinary man placed in extraordinary circumstances. In To Asmara, it was a journalist heading to battlelines in Eritrea and in Flying Hero Class (my personal favorite and a book ahead of its time) it was the manager of a troupe of indigenous dancers caught up in an air hi-jacking. Schlinder’s List, involving similar issues, became better known because of the movie that was made from it.
In Office of Innocence, the ordinary man is Frank Darragh, a young Australian priest caught up in the turmoil of the Second World War as the Japanese march ever southward through Asia, towards Darwin and Northern Australia.
Frank is a simple man, from a rural family and has not had a lot of experience with life or any great yearning for such experience. In other words, he was prime seminary fodder. Mr. Keneally’s ear as a story teller seems to ring true when he has more jaundiced seminarians translating “Memento homo quia cines es, et ad cinerem reverteris” into “Remember, squirt, that thou are dirt, and unto dirt thou shalt revert.” Frank’s innocence is bemused but not distracted by such by-play.
During his initial assignment as a parish priest, Father Frank finds hearing confessions rewarding and it becomes his forte. While his contemporaries and seniors are hardened to the routine sins they must hear over and over again, Frank responds to those on the other side of the screen and quickly becomes the most popular confessor in the area.
His lack of worldliness presents problems for Frank as he confronts the loneliness and selfishness that reach extreme levels under the stresses of wartime. It also presents problems for his superiors who fear scandal and wish that he would spend more time learning the “business” of the church.
At the heart of the story is the testing of Father Darragh’s faith and his innocence by a variety of parishioners and others – a dying woman in a non-traditional relationship, a trade union rabble-rouser, the lonely wife of a prisoner of war and an aggressive American military policeman. Frank’s background simply does not equip him to understand such people, but his desire to help is such that he must get involved. The core issue is whether he will gain understanding at the cost of his faith.
There is also a late-developing murder mystery contained within the story, the resolution of which costs Father Frank his position and his reputation, but gains him a new knowledge of himself and how he may play a meaningful role in the world.
This is another fine book from an extraordinary author. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

OFFICER DOWN by Theresa Schwegel: This first novel is a police procedural of the best kind – Samantha Mack is a police officer with a future. She drinks too much, picks the wrong men, and appears to have accidentally killed her partner. When the department wants to resolve it quickly and just call it an accident, Smack, as she is affectionately known, just can’t live with that. She can’t let a little thing like suspension from the force and investigation by Internal Affairs deter her from finding out exactly what happened. Lots of good twists and a terrific ending make this debut a winner. 11/05

OFFICER DOWN by Theresa Schwegel: Samantha “Smack” Mack, a chain-smoking, hard-drinking Chicago police officer, and her partner and ex-lover, Fred, storm a pitch-dark tenement house. Smack wakes up later with a nasty concussion, but Fred, shot during the attempted arrest, never does. Police officials decree that Smack’s “friendly fire” killed Fred, but she’s sure there were others in the room with them that night. Smack realizes that the only way to clear her name is to capture the child molester they had gone into the house to arrest, and she will have to do it alone, since all the bureaucracy is against her. Schwegel’s fast-paced action turns out an impressive, gripping first novel. 01/06 Jack Quick

OLD CITY HALL by Robert Rotenberg: Panned by Publishers Weekly and praised by Booklist, I found this to be a pretty good debut thriller, albeit a bit overlong with multiple threads and a few “coincidences” that might have been better handled. The story begins with celebrated radio host Kevin Brace (aka the Voice of Canada) confessing to the murder of his wife, Katherine, in their Toronto apartment. Afterwards, he refuses to say a word to anyone, even his attorney, Nancy Parish. The police presence includes homicide detective Ari Greene and ex-lawyer-turned-cop Daniel Kennicott (Kennicott joined the department after his brother was murdered – Green was the detective investigating that murder) while rookie prosecutor Albert Fernandez gears up for his first murder trial. Fernandez is from Chile and the chief prosecution witness, Mr. Gurdial Singh, who delivers the newspaper to the Toronto penthouse apartment of Brace, is from India. Add in the English French dichotomy of Canada and you have quite a stew for Mr. Rotenberg to stir. I ended up agreeing with Booklist that the good far outweighs the bad and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good legal thriller, with all sorts of nuances and international overtones. 09/09 Jack Quick

OLD MAID’S PUZZLE by Terri Thayer: There are two mysteries here. One, why would anyone want to run a quilt shop, and two, who left the dead body in the alley behind the store. Dewey Pellicano has inherited Quilter Paradiso from her mother along with problems with competition and employee relations. The employee is her sister-in-law which makes firing her problematic. Anyway, Dewey hopes the store’s 20th anniversary sale and appearance on national television will help her save the business. In the meantime, the killer better be found or there might not be a business to save. Heavy on the estrogen, but readable. 12/08 Jack Quick

OLD SCHOOL BONES by Randall Peffer: Nice concept but somewhat clumsily executed. A young black student dies in mid-winter at a New England prep school. Is it suicide or a racially motivated crime? The girl’s faculty advisor, Awasha Patterson, is racked with guilt because she turned the young woman away the night she died. There are rumors of secret societies allegedly banned years ago after a hazing death, but which may have simply went “underground.” Patterson will not rest until she gets to the bottom of the matter, even if it kills her. I had problems with the book jumping from scene to scene with minimal transitions making it difficult to stay within the plot. Not nearly as well done, in my opinion as Peffer’s 2005 Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues. 08/08 Jack Quick

ON BORROWED TIME by David Rosenfelt: This is the latest standalone thriller from the author of the hugely popular Andy Carpenter series. Rosenfelt has been alternating between standalones and series books and he just keeps stepping up his game. This time out our protagonist, Richard Kilmer, is a young journalist who has finally met the love of his life. They plan on getting married so they drive from their home in New York City, to her parent’s home in upstate New York to share the good news. But suddenly the weather changes, they find themselves in the middle of a storm and Richard ends up running his car off the road. He is knocked out, and when he comes to a few moments later his fiancée is gone. He is frantic and as the skies clear he searches but cannot find her. Even worse, when he drives back to her childhood home, her parents don’t seem to recognize him and deny they even have a daughter. Troubled, he goes back to the city and finds his apartment has gone back to its pre-girlfriend state and his friends, too, deny ever having heard of her. This is a terrific premise for a thriller and Rosenfelt, with his trademark humor, takes us along on Richard’s journey to the truth. This is a fast paced, truly enjoyable read and a real page turner – I couldn’t put it down. 03/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ON CHESIL BEACH by Ian McEwan: This novella centers around the wedding night of a young couple in the early 1960’s. Unlike their freewheeling, sexually permissive counterparts that were the hallmark of that decade, these two are both shy and sexually inexperienced. However, this is not a book about sex, but rather how one incident, one night, can cataclysmically change lives. McEwan gives us just enough background on each of them to see how and why they reach this point, but nonetheless it is still a heartbreaker. Beautifully written, this compelling yet simple story has the hallmark of a classic. 06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ON DEADLY GROUND by Michael Norman: Fairly ordinary tale about conflict between environmentalists and ranchers in Kanab, Utah. Environmentalist David Greenbriar is found dead, and newly appointed Law Enforcement Ranger, J. D. Books is co-opted into the case because he is a native returned home after a stint as a homicide detective in Denver. Books discovers that the victim’s widow has been having an affair with Lance Clayburn, who is tied to the killing with physical evidence. Throw in a corrupt Sheriff’s Deputy, the obligatory mob connected Las Vegas businessman and a very dangerous mob contract killer…. Good guys win in the end, as expected. 03/10 Jack Quick

ON EDGE by Barbara Fister: Konstantin Slovo is a vacationing Chicago cop who gets caught up in the events of the coastal town of Brimsport,. Maine. Initially rousted as a potential suspect in a recent child abduction, Slovo is freed when the local police chief discovers he is a cop. Slove ends up staying in town and makes friends with the chief’s daughter Ruth, who along with Slovo’s Doctor Chakravarty, fill him in on the town’s history of child molestation and abuse. Not the most pleasant subject matter, but well written and while you probably won’t want to invite Slovo to your next dinner party, he is the one you want on your side when things get tough. Well done and recommended. 01/07 Jack Quick

ON, OFF by Colleen McCullough: It is fall, 1965, and the torso of a young woman has been discovered in a storage refrigerator at the Hughlings Jackson Center for Neurological Research, aka the Hug. Detective Carmine Delmonico is convinced that the perp is a member of the Hug faculty. When the body is identified as that of a missing girl from a local high school, Delmonico discovers that this was not an isolated event — there has been a string of missing teenage girls in the area, all matching the same description. Suddenly, Delmonico is up against a shrewd and manipulative serial killer; a killer who is able to move about seemingly undetected. While this was an intriguing read, I had hoped for more details specific to the time period in which the book takes place. With the exception of the lack of DNA testing, this could have been any modern mystery. I expected McCullough, who is best known for her historical fiction, to have made more of an effort to clearly outline the time period in which the book took place. I think that the lack of support for the setting diminishes the overall effect of the story. 09/06 Becky LeJeune

ON THE LINE by S.J. Rozan: Rozan continues her series of alternating mysteries involving sometimes PI partners Lydia China and Bill Smith. Smith is featured in this high paced thriller. It starts with a phone call from Lydia’s cellphone. She has been kidnapped by someone from Bill’s past who tells Bill that Lydia is a hostage and Smith has 12 hours to locate her before she will be killed. Clues to her whereabouts come by phone, delivered by the heckling voice of a man obviously out for vengeance. Bill enlists the aid of Lydia’s nephew, a crackerjack young techie, who brings along his goth girlfriend, a force to be reckoned with all by herself. The trio, aided on the sly by Lydia’s cop-pal Mary, runs a race against the clock, finding little related to Lydia but a lot of kidnapped Chinese prostitutes who need saving, and a vicious pimp who thinks Bill is wrecking his business. This excellently written thriller goes right down to the wire. 02/11 Jack Quick

ON THE ROPES by Tom Schreck: There’s a new superhero in town – Double D – Duffy Dombrowski, mild-mannered social worker by day, Elvis aficionado, boxer, and beer drinker by night. Whatever you want to say about Duffy, he does care for his clients and his pledge to take care of the Muslim basset hound and find the missing daughter of one Walanda, a schizophrenic, crack-addicted prostitute, who is murdered, leads him into all manner of peril and evil doings. Thank goodness Duffy survives because he’s the kind of Robin Hood, supported by a band of drunken friends, whom you want to follow in further adventures. 09/07 Jack Quick

ONCE… by James Herbert: Four months ago, Thom Kindred would have considered himself a healthy young man. That was before the twenty-seven year old suffered an unexplained stroke. After months of physical therapy, Thom decides to leave London and return to his childhood home, Castle Bracken, to recuperate. Thom and his mother, Bethan, lived in a small cottage on the estate until Thom was ten. It has been seventeen years since Thom left for boarding school, seventeen years since his mother died and Sir Russell began sponsoring his education. Upon his return, Thom realizes that things are not as they once were at Castle Bracken. Sir Russell is nearing his own death and the estate has been allowed to fall into disrepair. Something dangerous lurks amongst the halls of Castle Bracken, and something magical has long awaited Thom’s return. Herbert combines both fantasy and horror elements in this very adult fairy tale. 12/07 Becky Lejeune

ONCE A SPY by Keith Thomson: Charlie Clark was bitten by horse fever early on and has spent most of his adult life chasing the ponies and avoiding his creditors. The son of retired appliance salesman Drummond Clark, Charlie is primarily interested in his old man, who at age 64 suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, because of his possible money that Charlie desperately needs to pay off the $23,000 he owes to Russian loan sharks. Soon after Charlie rescues Drummond from the Brooklyn streets, where he’d been wandering, the older man’s house blows up and the two barely escape with their lives. It turns out Clark Senior was, in fact, an agent involved in selling faulty nuclear detonators to would-be terrorists. He definitely knows too much and now is the target of trained CIA killers. When lucid, Drummond can hotwire vehicles and effortlessly deal with multiple assailants. Otherwise, he is liable to wander off in his pajamas. Off beat, exciting, and a worthy nominee for this year’s Dilys Award. 02/11 Jack Quick

ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY by Jennifer Rardin: On her last assignment as a Helsinger – a team of elite CIA agents charged with killing vampires – Jasmine Parks lost her fiancé, her sister-in-law, and her best friend in one fell swoop. Now, she suffers from frequent blackouts and has managed to disconnect herself emotionally from almost everyone around her. She’s also discovered that she can sense vampires. Vayle, one of the Company’s most respected and important operatives has requested that Jaz be assigned as his partner, and the Company willingly agrees. Part of his request is due to her new-found talent as a Sensitive, another is due to the fact that she has a death wish that makes her a reckless but effective agent. The two have been sent to spy on a well-known plastic surgeon who is suspected of having terrorist links. While on assignment, they discover that Vayle, or possibly even Jaz, has been targeted. By whom, they aren’t quite sure, but this person – or vampire – is quite possibly one of their very own. Rardin’s debut is compelling to be sure, but seems a bit uneven in the beginning. The story runs straight ahead with the action, but the explanations lag a bit behind giving the reader the sense that they missed something. Thankfully, the story does balance out shortly thereafter. Jaz is a quirky, sometimes goofy, and certainly damaged character and Vayle, the smoldering Romanian vampire, is equally absorbing. I’m interested to see just where Rardin takes this series. Overall, a great read – one that adds Rardin to the ranks of such authors as Kim Harrison and an earlier Laurel K. Hamilton. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS by Ronald Balson: I have read enough self-published books to know that it is rare to find a gem among the rubble; this is definitely one of those gems. The premise of the book is that a Holocaust survivor, Ben Solomon, thinks he recognizes Chicago society kingpin Elliot Rosenzweig as the Nazi “Butcher of Zamość,” Otto Piacek. At first he tries to kill him, but when that plot is foiled Ben decides to hire a lawyer and sue Rosenzweig in civil court instead. Rosenzweig is a big Jewish philanthropist who also claims to be a Holocaust survivor and hires his own private detective to prove that he is not Otto Piacek. Ben also has an investigator who recommends a lawyer, Catherine Lockhart, who has troubles of her own. Catherine reluctantly agrees to listen to Ben’s story, but it is a long story and she has other obligations. Nevertheless she gets drawn in, almost against her will, and her own life starts falling apart. There are a lot of Holocaust books out there, but what makes this book different is that Ben tells this mesmerizing story of growing up in Zamość, Poland, where his family takes in Otto Piacek when his mother deserts him. They grow up as brothers, and as the story unfolds, we learn how someone who has been brought up in one way could then end up a completely different way. That insight makes for fascinating reading; this is simply an unforgettable story. 6/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ONCE WERE COPS by Ken Bruen: Michael O’Shea is an Irish Guard sent to work with the New York Police Department on a sort of exchange program. Shea, as he likes to be called, blackmailed his superior to include him in the program and that’s just your first inkling that this cop is not one of the good guys. Shea is, in fact, a sociopath and a serial killer who is paired up with his NYPD counterpart, a rough street cop nicknamed Kebar. Kebar is under investigation by Internal Affairs with good reason, and things take a violent turn for the worse when these two butt heads with the mob. The writing is noir at its best; sparse and brilliant, and the characters both dark and yet somehow poetic. Graphic, violent and full of despair, this brief book is a hard-boiled triumph. 11/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ONE DOG NIGHT by David Rosenfelt: This latest entry into the Andy Carpenter series has an interesting twist. Noah Galloway is a recovering drug addict who is arrested for arson and the murder of 26 people who died in the fire. He admits his guilt, but his wife just can’t believe it. She turns to Andy Carpenter, the reluctant defense attorney, with a story he can’t say no to – Noah was the one who put Tara in the shelter when he could not care for her, and knew that Andy adopted her. Anyone who has read a Rosenfelt book knows the special relationship between Andy and Tara, the greatest dog in the world. Andy agrees to defend Noah and starts digging into the fire. This is another terrific story in one of my favorite series. 07/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ONE FOOT IN THE BLACK by Kurt Kamm: This is somewhat of a “factional coming of age” account of a wild land firefighter. Greg Kowalski is the son of an abusive firefighter in Saginaw, Michigan. As soon as he is old enough he flees to California to become a seasonal firefighter with CDF. In 48 hours he loses both his father to a fire in Saginaw and his mentor and captain to a wildfire they are fighting. Extremely detailed but interesting, the book takes you inside Kowalski’s training and shows how the profession creates bonds that can be even stronger than family. A first rate debut. 08/08 Jack Quick

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost: It’s been four years since the events of Frost’s debut Night Huntress title, Halfway to the Grave. Cat has agreed to work for Homeland Security tracking down and eliminating evil vamps, but she can’t help pining for the man that got away – or the vamp that she let go, in this case. She did it to protect him from her new employers, so she knows that it was for the best, and she’s finally going to attempt to move on. Unfortunately for her, someone has placed a significant bounty on her head and Bones has decided that they’ve been apart long enough. It seems he’d rather stay where he can keep a close eye on her and protect her, especially when his own sire decides that he would like the Red Reaper (the vamp nickname for Cat) for his very own. Course Cat’s boss and coworkers are none too pleased about the new setup, until they realize just what an asset Bones can be. Frost toes the line between the newly minted urban fantasy genre and paranormal romance. The book contains enough steamy sex to earn itself a place firmly in the romance genre, but in my opinion the series will still appeal to readers who aren’t normally too big into the romance aspect. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

One for the Money by Janet Evanovitch: and the rest of that series, I read them all in 2 weeks, then read them again! Her main character is a sexy, smart and sassy 35 year old single with an eccentric bent apparently inherited from her grandmother. Every character is a treasure. These books are laugh out loud funny! Read them in order please… Two for the Money; Three to Get Deadly; Four to Score; High Five; Hot Six; Seven Up

ONE GOOD TURN by Kate Atkinson: This follow-up to Case Histories finds Jackson Brodie and Julia, his girlfriend, in Edinburgh for the premiere of her new play. Left on his own to keep himself busy, Brodie stumbles onto a horrid assault. Mystery author Martin Canning is an unlikely hero in the event, throwing his laptop at a man who has gone after another man with a bat. Canning accompanies the poor victim to the hospital and ends up keeping a watchful eye over the man that evening. But Canning’s reward for being a Good Samaritan is a bit of an unwelcome surprise for the mild-mannered writer. Meanwhile, Brodie is busy finding and losing a dead body and later being accused of assault himself. And how does it all tie in with a local real-estate mogul who had a heart attack while in the company of a dominatrix? You have to read to find out. The intricacies of Atkinson’s plots are wholly entertaining. And even when things get to their most shockingly violent, the whole thing has a nice and proper ring to it. 12/11 Becky Lejeune

One Hot Summer by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera: One Hot Summer is one hot beach read! Happily married Margarita seems to have it all; a wonderful, wealthy husband who adores her, a beautiful son, good friends, a dream job as a partner in a big Miami law firm. But when her husband starts pressuring her to give up her job to have another baby and her college boyfriend blows into town, cracks start showing in that perfect life. This is a new direction for Ms. Garcia-Aguilera, author of the Lupe Solano mystery series, but she pulls it off beautifully, with grace and much good humor.

THE ONE I LEFT BEHIND by Jennifer McMahon: For Reggie, growing up as the daughter of the final victim of a serial killer has left a permanent mark. Neptune plagued her small town in the 80s. He would kidnap an unsuspecting woman, cut off her right hand, and leave the hand boxed in a milk carton for the police to find. Four days later, the woman’s body would be discovered. The pattern never changed, until Reggie’s mother. Her hand was found just as with the others, but her body was not. Now, decades later, Reggie’s mother has turned up alive. She’s ill and not in her right mind, so no one is entirely sure what she remembers about the time since her disappearance. Reggie is determined to be there to care for her in spite of the fact that it means returning to the home she abandoned so many years before. For Reggie, it also means facing the memories she’s so carefully buried. And then Neptune strikes again, taking yet another victim who was once close to Reggie. As with McMahon’s previous releases, The One I Left Behind is masterfully plotted and plays out at an exquisite pace. The narrative is broken into two storylines –1985 and the present – and the characters are all hiding things. I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to figure out one of McMahon’s endings before it’s reveal and this was no exception. Another fantastic thriller from one of my favorites. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

THE ONE MINUTE ASSASSIN by Troy Cook: Someone is killing the candidates for California governor – and that may not be such a bad thing. The race includes such stereotypical candidates as a rap star named Two-Bits and a former movie star named Arnold “The Mountain” Schwarzkov. The frontrunners are a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical giant, a former child actor, and Mayor Eleanor Black, who is a member of a Kennedy-like dynasty. Her brother John is the anti-politician of the family, and spends his time hunting down dead beat dads until Eleanor is almost killed and he’s forced into the ring. Throw into the mix two bumbling assassins (reminiscent of Tim Dorsey’s excellent series) and you get a macabre mixture of murder and dirty politics. After Cook’s terrific, utterly original debut, 47 Rules for Highly Effective Bank Robbers, this sophomore effort is a bit of a disappointment. Although much of the humor is just plain silly, John Black is a very likeable protagonist and the plot is engaging, making this a very entertaining read. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THE ONE MINUTE ASSASSIN by Troy Cook: Think dumb and dumber in the world of assassination. Ex-football player Dennis “Nail” Nalen and his erstwhile partner Barry Jones have been hired by Richard “Tricky Dick” Steel to eliminate Steel’s competition in the race for Governor of California. Steel is a lobbyist for Pfester Pharmaceuticals that has two members of the Russian Mafia on its Board of Directors. His primary opponent is Eleanor Black, mayor of Los Angeles, whose mother is a senator and is known as the barracuda. John Black, Eleanor’s brother, is a PI who specializes in child molestation cases but gets involved when his sister is the target of an assassination attempt. Black calls upon his Crocodile Dundee look alike partner to use all of their quirky and unconventional talents to find out who is trying to put his sister out of commission. In spite of the stereotyped characters, the pace is good and the plot is marvelously twisty. Recommended. 09/07 Jack Quick

ONE MISSISSIPPI by Mark Childress: It’s the early ’70s and Daniel Musgrove’s father moves the family from Indiana to rural Mississippi. Daniel starts the 11th grade with a new best friend, Tim. When they double date for the junior prom, the teens have an accident on the way home and cause the prom queen to fall off her bike and hit her head. The prom queen of the newly integrated high school is black, but the injury leaves her believing that she is white. When I read Crazy In Alabama, I thought it was an unauthorized biography of my family. With One Mississippi, I realize my younger brother is Daniel. Childress captures the essence of growing up in the South during this era better than anyone. The only other book to come close was Bleachers by John Grisham. So if you grew up in this era as I did, this is a must read. If not, it’s still a damn good one. 08/06 Jack Quick

ONE MORE BITE by Jennifer Rardin: Jaz and team are back and this time they’re up against witches, ghosts, and worst yet, Jaz’s dad! When the CIA receives a report that a group of weres has taken a contract out on a Scottish coven leader, Jaz, Vayle, and Cole are sent to find the hit man, or in this case hit woman, and protect the witch. Jaz’s father decides to tag along and it takes all of her effort not to kill the man. Their mission is further complicated by the fact that the witch in need of protecting has some scheme up her sleeve that Jaz is determined to uncover. Problem is that this little plan may directly conflict with official orders to protect the woman. Oh, and one that’s not all. Jaz’s father thinks a ghost may be out to kill him and Jaz has been claimed by a dead Scottish King who wants her to rule the underworld with him. I love that each new installment to this series takes it in a new direction. New revelations about each character and what makes them tick, plus the new and original bad guys are what keep me coming back for more. Well, that and Vayl. 01/09 Becky Lejeune

ONE ROUGH MAN by Brad Taylor: In his first novel, Taylor, a retired Delta Force commander, introduces Pike Logan, a member of a super secret, off-the-grid unit of commandos authorized to work outside the law. Unfortunately, while Taylor has an excellent concept the execution is somewhat lacking. The author appears uncertain whether he wants to write a military action thriller with political overtones, or a political thriller with some military action sequences. The result is a book which never seems to catch hold. Logan leaves the team, called the Taskforce, after his wife and daughter are brutally murdered while he is overseas on a mission. A chance encounter with a woman puts him back in the game, and working without the help of his former team, he attempts to track two rogue terrorists in possession of a powerful weapon. With better editing, hopefully, this can develop into an interesting series, but it has a ways to go. 03/11 Jack Quick

ONE SHOT by Lee Child: Nine books now and each one is better than before. This time Reacher is called in to help solve an Indiana sniper case. The accused, James Barr, claims they have arrested the wrong man and tells them to get Jack Reacher. Reacher hears about the case on television, knows the accused, and comes to Indiana with astounding news. Is Barr guilty? Can Reacher help? How about the fact that the DA’s daughter is Barr’s attorney? Reacher is no friend of Barr’s. In fact he has evidence that could seal Barr’s fate. But did they arrest the right man? Russians in Indiana? There are unresolved issues down to the last two pages and no slow downs or pauses in between. Again, in my opinion, the best Reacher yet. Recommended. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

ONE SHOT By Lee Child: Another great entry from Lee Child in the Jack Reacher series. Ex-MP Major Jack Reacher is sunning his butt on on a Florida beach with a Norwegian dancer when he sees a tale on TV about an Indiana sniper named James Barr. Reacher heads to Indiana post haste to bury Barr. It turns out that this guy did this before, and because of politics, Reacher had to reluctantly walk away. Now he’s determined to wax this guy. Meanwhile, a young defense attorney, who happens to be the prosecutors daughter, enlists Reacher’s help as an investigator (something he does very well.) The police have a bulletproof case, but the more Reacher looks, the less he likes it. Eventually, Reacher knows that those aren’t the winds that prevail and he reluctantly becomes an advocate for the defense. He gets set up for a beat down in a local bar, which he avoids in typical Reacher fashion, and then realizes that this ain’t the usual sit/rep. One of the great things about these books is that Child maintains Reacher’s “invisible” status – a guy who can float loose in a post 9/11 world, a virtual impossibility by today’s standards. But he still manages to do it, and create major mayhem along the way. This one’s really good. Waiting on the next one breathlessly. A four star good read. 05/06 DOC

ONE SMALL VICTORY by Maryann Miller: Drugs killed her son even though he wasn’t a user. Unfortunately his friend, the driver of the car, was high and as a consequence Michael Jasik is dead. His mother vows revenge and also to protect her two younger children. So the small town Texas single mom becomes a CI – a Confidential Informant, whose activities are known only to Chief Gonzales. Her son and daughter notice Jenny is behaving strangely and report that to their father, who suddenly decides it is better if he has custody of the kids. Jenny is obsessed enough to make it all work, although not without sacrifice. While the war on drugs may not be winnable, there are occasionally small victories. Not bad. 08/08 Jack Quick

ONE SMALL VICTORY by Maryann Miller: Young Michael Jasik is killed in a car accident at the hands of his drug abusing friend, Brad Brennan. His mother, Jenny, a single mom, is destroyed by the news. When she learns that her son’s death was influenced by Brad’s drug addiction, she has to take action. She storms into the local police station and demands to be put on the undercover drug enforcement task force that she heard about on the news. Police Lieutenant Steve Morrity is leading the task force. While civilians aren’t typically involved in this type of police work, Morrity knows Jenny will take action on her own if she isn’t selected. So, after a grueling physical test, Jenny passes and becomes an undercover informant. She is forced to hide this from her two surviving children, Scott and Alicia. They notice a change in her behavior and contact their father, who has never really been a part of their lives. Jenny risks her life, and the custody of her children for this mission. I commend Jenny’s character for her strength, and the fearless acts she performed in an effort to bring down a big time drug pusher. ONE SMALL VICTORY is an amazing, heart pounding, emotional tale about one mother’s love of her children, and the steps she takes to protect them from harm. 09/08 Jennifer Lawrence

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus: Thoroughly engrossing fictionalized account of a true historical incident. The Chief of the Cheyenne tried to reach an agreement with President Ulysses S. Grant in an effort to promote peace and integrate the Cheyenne into Christianity; in a secret deal, the U.S. government would trade 1000 white women for 1000 horses. It didn’t get though Congress, but it did ignite the imagination of this author! He found his women, all volunteers, in a variety of places; prostitutes, imprisoned women granted their freedom for this, and women from hospitals for the mentally ill. One of the latter is the voice of this novel that is told in the form of her journal.

Only Child by Andrew Vachss: The newest title in the series finds Burke back where he belongs, in New York – with Max, Mama, the Mole and all the regulars in this realistic portrait of the seamier side of filmmaking. Burke is hired by a member of the Mafia to investigate the murder of his teenage daughter, and has to depend on her friends for help. Some great characters (that I hope will be back again) and flawless description in a story that is so dark and twisted I couldn’t put it down until I turned the last page.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL by Jeffrey Archer: This is the first book of the Clifton Chronicles, a multi-generational family saga, something Archer does better than just about anyone. In this story we are introduced to Harry Clifton, a gifted young boy who lives with his impoverished mother and uncle, a dockworker, in Bristol, and whose father is presumed dead in the first World War. We also meet the Barrington family, a wealthy family who owns the shipyard that employs the Cliftons. There is some interesting history between the families, and the story is told from various character’s points of view, which allows it to unfold bit by tantalizing bit until it ends with a major cliffhanger. Archer is one of the best storytellers of modern literature, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series. 09/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Open & Shut by David Rosenfelt: This legal thriller is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a while. I love finding new authors, and last week this book literally dropped into my hands. It immediately caught my eye, so I read the flyleaf and was hooked:

“I hate DNA more than I hate opera. I hate it more than I hate meaningless touchdowns by the underdog that cover the spread when I’m betting the favorite….I hate DNA because it’s boring, because I will never understand it, and because it almost always works against me.”

A legal thriller, humor and sports talk; what more could a girl want? I flew through this book in a few hours, alternating between sitting on the edge of my seat and laughing my head off. This is a legal thriller with enough twists to keep you guessing, and enough humor to keep you laughing, always a terrific combination. The mélange of the outrageous lead character Andy Carpenter, a self-deprecating lawyer with chutzpah, his strong female P.I., and even his whiny wife and her super-rich dad, stir up a terrific story.

Andy’s father, a former District Attorney, asks him to handle a convicted death row murderer’s appeal – one that he himself put away. The overwhelming evidence just seems too perfect, and Andy takes it on. Lots of interesting developments along the way, but it’s really the characters and the humor that will hold you spellbound. The good news is that this is the initial entry of a series; there are more Andy Carpenter books to come. You can read the first chapter online.

Open Season by C. J. Box: Well written suspense set in the wilds of Wyoming. First of a series featuring game warden Joe Pickett, a good guy who screws up occasionally, but gets the job done.

Open Season by Linda Howard: Exceedingly simple story; no words longer than three syllables and not too many of those; sticky sweet romance/suspense genre. I read it because the main character was a librarian and it is a best seller. Complete and utter fluff.

Open Season on Lawyers by Taffy Cannon: A serial killer is on the loose, killing the sleaziest lawyers in town. You’re not sure who to root for in this clever, fast paced thriller.

OPENING MOVES by Steven James: Thus far, each of the Bowers Files novels featuring FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers have been titled for chess pieces – The Pawn, the Rook, The Bishop, The Queen – and feature Bowers dealing with some of the most vicious serial killers. Now in the fifth installment, author Steven James takes readers back to Bowers’ beginnings in Milwaukee, 1997 where cops are convinced they have a Jeffery Dahmer copycat responsible for a series of gruesome kidnappings and mutilations. Bowers thinks the truth may be even more hideous in an investigation that becomes a nightmare of manipulation, brutality, and terror. Not for the faint of heart, it causes you to wonder if any one can battle such wickedness without losing his own soul. 9/12 Jack Quick

OPERATION NAPOLEON by Arnaldur Indridason: Mr Indridason is an Icelandic author who has written several mysteries centered around a detective based in Reykjavik. Some of these have been translated into English and serve to establish the author’s place as a good writer of mystery novels. Operation Napoleon is a stand alone piece involving an extremely intriguing idea. At the tail end of World War II a plane carrying both Americans and Germans crash lands into a glacier outside of Reykjavik. Snow and drifting ice quickly cover up the plane and the occupants who die of the extreme cold a few days after crash landing.
Over the years several searches are made for the plane and it’s contents by American interests but none bear fruit. Finally in 1999 the plane is spotted somewhat uncovered and the US launches a search for it blatantly bypassing the Icelandic government, and sending in special forces to unearth the wreck. A young skier and his friend spot the plane, but are captured by the American soldiers, the friend killed, and Elias (the skier) thrown into a crevasse by the troops. Elias before passing out manages to call his sister Kristin a young attorney working for the Icelandic government as a commercial consultant via his cell phone. Almost immediately after the phone call is over she is attacked by two killers demanding to know what her brother had told her.
Kristin begins the search for her brother after thwarting the killers, and enlists the help of several people, including her ex boyfriend Steve. The center of the plot is: what was the purpose of the plane manned by soldiers of both sides while the war was still on. Several ideas are brought out during Kristin’s search, and the final one, and the reason for the flight is one that has been presented in other books before but is still a rather interesting one and kept sufficiently illusive by the author to make the book very readable. 12/11 Paul Lane

THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE by Julie Buxbaum: Emily Haxby is a successful young Manhattan attorney. It appears as though she has it all—a successful job, a handsome, wonderful boyfriend, Andrew. But before Andrew has the chance to propose to her, she ends the relationship. Her life begins to fall apart—she’s assigned to work on a law suit she doesn’t believe in, working side by side with an attorney that is known to be overly friendly and her active, loving, Grandpa Jack is suffering from the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. Emily begins on a journey, aided by her close friends, to find herself and soon discovers what is important in life. We begin to learn the motivation for Emily’s choices. This debut novel was comical, but also incredibly raw and emotional. The author’s writing style is right on—she uses the perfect language to describe an emotion, or a setting, which makes the reader feel that they are part of the book. 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence

THE ORCHID SHROUD by Michelle Wan: Mara, Julien and the entire cast return in this follow up to last summer’s Deadly Slipper. While renovating the de Bonford estate, two workers discover the desiccated remains of a baby boy, hidden in the wall. In an attempt to protect the family name from subsequent media fallout, Christophe de Bonford enlists Mara’s help to find out who the child is and clear the de Bonford name. Meanwhile, animals and villagers are being savagely attacked by what is described as a giant beast. On the outset, Wan presents the beauty and tranquility of the Dordogne region. As she draws readers in, however, she scratches away at this façade to reveal the darkness that lurks in the corners of this sleepy French region. Some readers may cringe at the seemingly gimmicky nature of this series but I find that Wan’s titles toe the line of being a true “cozy” mystery. By combining history, mythology and orchidology, Wan is able to create original and interesting stories without falling into the “cute” trap that so many series fall prey to. 09/06 Becky LeJeune

ORDINARY HEROES by Scott Turow: Moving away from legal thrillers (Reversible Errors) and nonfiction (Ultimate Punishment), Turow has penned a searing story of World War II interwoven with personal family drama that is simply mesmerizing. Stewart Dubinsky is not especially close to his father David Dubin, even their names are different, yet his death prompts Stewart to try and find out more about this enigmatic man. He uncovers some startling information: that his father was engaged to another woman before his mother, and that he was court-martialed during the Battle of the Bulge. Dubinsky decides to write a family history, starts digging and uncovers a manuscript his father wrote about his war experiences that is alternately moving and horrifying, vindicating and vilifying and shines light on a side of his father, and mother, that he never knew. While some of the historical facts presented are not one hundred percent accurate, the emotional wallop of the book more than justifies the literary license and should secure its place in the canon of WWII literature. Ordinary Heroes is an extraordinary, unforgettable novel, which Turow notes was inspired by his own father’s military experiences. 11/05 Copyright © 2005 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

ORIGIN by Diana Abu-Jaber: Although I personally found this book disappointing, I suspect many women would like it. The plot – Lena Dawson, a fingerprint specialist in the Syracuse, NY forensics lab gets involved when there is a pike in local SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) cases. Is it an anomaly or is there a more sinister solution? Dawson is a former foster child with an ex-husband and a tenuous current relationship with one of the detectives, all of which are sources of stress as she pursues the mystery. Nicely written, but too slowly paced with too much estrogen content for me to really enjoy. 08/09 Jack Quick

ORIGINAL SIN by Allison Brennan: Moira O’Donnell was raised with one purpose: to serve a specific role in her mother’s coven. You see Moira’s mother, Fiona, is one of the strongest of her kind, but she wants more. Ever since her escape, Moira has been working to help a secret brotherhood of priests whose purpose is to defeat people like Fiona. In spite of the black mark of her heritage, Moira will be an important ally and a secret weapon when the final battle comes. Moira’s mentor knows this and has made sure that she will be prepared when that day arrives, but many of the brotherhood have their doubts, including Anthony Zaccardi. When Moira follows her mother’s trail to the tiny town of Santa Louisa, she finds signs of a terrible ceremony gone wrong. Fiona wanted to trap the demon incarnations of the seven deadly sins. Instead, she unleashed the demons on an unsuspecting world. Now, Moira is the only one who can stop the evil. Brennan’s first paranormal outing is a winner. I love the detail that has gone into this book and can’t wait to learn more as the series develops. 1/10 Becky Lejeune

THE OTHER GUY’S BRIDE by Connie Brockway: This is historical romance set in Egypt yet somehow it has a contemporary feel to it. Ginesse Braxton is a headstrong young woman from a family of archaeologists, determined to prove her worth in the field. By disguising herself as the affianced bride-to-be of a fort commander near where she believes the missing city of Zerzura lies, Ginesse finds herself escorted to the fort by a man she believes to be an American cowboy, Jim Owens. Ginesse is a disaster waiting to happen, and Owens saves her several times, discovering he has strong feelings for the commander’s bride and she has strong romantic ideas about him. This is a fast, fun read with the requisite happy ending, and I learned a bit about Egypt as a bonus. 3/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE OTHER SIDE OF SILENCE by Bill Pronzini: Rick Fallon is a corporate security office. His marriage became brittle when he lost his son, Timmy. It eventually came apart and he decides to take two weeks vacation in California’s Mohave Desert to get his life back together. Three days into the trip he finds Casey Dunbar, who’s tried and failed to kill herself after months of fruitlessly searching for her young son, who’s been abducted by her ex-husband. Fallon realizes that while there is no hope for his son, perhaps there is for young Kevin Spicer, Casey’s eight and one half year old son. There’s plenty of action in the resulting search-and-rescue. Pronzini once again shows why he is a Grand Master, with his ability to create strong characters, compelling plots, and excitement. Definitely recommended. 10/08 Jack Quick

OTHERS by James Herbert: Nicholas Dismas has been given a second chance to save his soul. This time around, he’s been cursed with deformities and handicaps. He also has no knowledge of his past life or the choice spot in hell his exploits once earned him. In this life, Nick, a private investigator, must make the right choice or suffer eternal consequences. Shelly Ripstone has hired Nick to find a missing person. Not just any missing person, her son. The problem is, Shelly’s son was pronounced dead at the time of his birth eighteen years ago. Recently, Shelly has been told by a psychic that her son is in fact alive and in desperate need of her help. Nick is ready to refuse the case immediately, but something urges him to move forward with the investigation. This brutally shocking and disturbing case will test Nick like no other. Herbert, one of the best in the horror business, brings to life a truly grotesque cast of characters. Probably the most frightening part of this gruesome book is the author’s note at the end, which states that the idea for this story stemmed from actual events in a London hospital. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

OUR LADY OF PAIN by Elena Forbes: A fairly straight forward, but interesting, police procedural featuring the Barnes Murder Squad of West London. The bound and nude body of art dealer Rachel Tenison turns up in Holland Park. In her mouth is a page of verse, eventually identified as an excerpt from Swinburne. When the squad learns of a similar crime a year earlier that claimed the life of university lecturer Catherine Watson, they wonder if a copycat killer might be at work. In the meantime, the Squad, led by Detective Mark Tartaglia uncovers evidence that the ostensibly prim and proper victim did indeed walk on the wild side, and that some people close to her, including her step-brother, an MP, have something to hide relevant to the murder. Solid second outing in this series after 2007’s Die With Me. 01/09 Jack Quick

Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson: As with his earlier books, Snow Falling on Cedars and East of the Mountains, Mr. Guterson has set his most recent tale in the Pacific Northwest. His portrayal of a depressed logging community is brutally honest, but without judgment. Just as the forests have been logged out without any thought of future consequences, so too have the people of North Fork been depleted of something vital and beautiful.
His story revolves around a young woman, living minimally in a campground and eking out a living by picking mushrooms in the forest. As Guterson is wont to do, she is described in detail, down to her sniffles. On one of her forays, she believes that she has a vision of the Virgin Mary who speaks to her and asks her to build a church on the site. A religious flash mob ensues, to the chagrin of the lumber company which owns the property and the Catholic church in the person of Father Butler who is sent to evaluate the “miracle.”
The honesty and accuracy of Mr. Guterson’s descriptions are one of the strengths of his writing here. However, this honesty seems to dictate a lack of feeling for or commitment to his characters and the forces moving them. That distance interfered with my becoming totally involved in his story.
This is a very good book, but I think that a little more feeling would have made it something more special. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

OUT OF MIND by Catherine Sampson: Robin Ballantyne returns to work at Britain’s largest news corporation and immediately raises hackles with a new documentary series on unsolved missing persons cases. Melanie Jacobs, an experienced combat photographer, has disappeared in Britain and it is obvious no one wants Robin to follow-up. Minding new twins and maintaining a fragile relationship with her policeman gentleman friend add to Robin’s challenges. In the end, solving the mystery becomes a matter of life and death. Before that we are treated to quite a rambling adventure, which seems to involve most of Britain’s adult population. Although I have encountered stronger plotting the descriptive writing is good and the suspense element is maintained throughout the book. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

OUT OF RANGE by Hank Steinberg: While this is Steinberg’s first novel his background does includes the creation of the hit TV show “Without a Trace. “Out of Range” is filled with the type of excitement and express train forward motion that the TV show included as a matter of course. Charlie Davis is a leading Journalism photographer that met and married Julie a woman that worked with International organizations that dispensed food and other materials to children in third world countries. They were living in Uzbekistan six years prior to the opening of the action in the book with Julie pregnant with their first child, when Charlie, covering a manifestation against the government was wounded by anti Rebel forces moving against that protest. He and Julie escaped with their lives and ended moving back to the US, living in Los Angeles. Moving to the present: Julie takes a four day trip to see her sister in New York and arriving back home takes her two children to Disneyland. She does not come home that evening although the children are safe. Charlie learns that she has been kidnapped and via high tech probing finds that she has been sent back to Uzbekistan. Prior to marrying Charlie, Julie had had an affair with a wealthy man whose father is high up in the Uzbekistan hierarchy but she turned around and left him to marry Charlie. Circumstantial evidence seems to point to Julie spending the four days she claimed she had spent visiting her sister with her former lover in Uzbekistan and while Charlie is understandably devastated he decides that he must try and get her back if only for the sake of their children. There is admittedly a good deal of literary license involved in Steinberg’s moving the book forward, but this does not in any way detract from becoming caught up in the fast moving action depicted. Many novels have such license employed with sequences of somewhat illogical action that does not spoil those books for the reader caught up in the crisp, and captivating prose and just enjoying a good book. The ending is in keeping with the action, and as it is said, “All’s well that ends well.” 6/13 Paul Lane

OUT OF THE BLACK by John Rector: A taut short novel about one man’s battle to save the one thing that he loves most in the world. Matt Caine lost his wife in an auto accident but has his daughter Anna with him after she survived the crash. He is in the midst of a financial crunch and has to work at any job that comes up via a temporary job service. He is also in debt to a loan shark, although that individual is somewhat of a friend to him. An old friend of his is released from jail and immediately begins tempting Matt with a scheme to kidnap a woman and get her obviously rich husband to pay a ransom. Jay, his friend, paints the crime as quick and without any danger of anything going wrong. WRONG – Matt finally agrees to go in with Jay and the world turns crazy. As part of the emerging disaster of the kidnapping going wrong Matt’s daughter Anna is taken and held by the family of the kidnapped woman. Rector keeps the reader immersed in the developing story and problems faced by Matt. Easily a book that lends itself to one sitting and keeps interest focused on the evolving events and their resolution. 9/13 Paul Lane
THE OUTLAWS by W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV: In this sixth presidential agent thriller the U.S. president has ordered Lt. Col. Carlos “Charley” Castillo to disband his secret organization, the Office of Organizational Analysis, and to “fall off the face of the earth.” After the president dies of a ruptured aorta, his successor wants the order to remain in effect. However, there is the no small matter of several kilograms of Congo-X—a very nasty, fatal bioweapon that Charlie supposedly destroyed, which appear in the United States. Castillo and his former colleagues race to find out who sent the stuff and what they intend to do with the rest of it. Oh, and the Russians are after Charlie; so is the American government but for (mostly) different reasons. Some people munch cashew nuts, others indulge in chocolate. Griffin’s military thrillers are my personal vice. I never tire of them. 03/11 Jack Quick

OUTRAGE by Robert K. Tanenbaum: It’s a shame when a series you have enjoyed for many years begins to lose steam. I have followed the adventures of Butch Karp and Marlen Ciampi and the growth of their children, Lucy, Zak, and Ginacarlo, but now its time, I’m afraid, to let them go. The plot revolves around the railroading of a shy Bronx teenager with limited social skills and only a rudimentary education for a series of horrific murders. The real villains, in addition to the dug-addicted psychopath who actually does the killings are, an ambitious young assistant district attorney, a disgruntled police detective who is willing to lie, withhold evidence, and kill to be labeled a hero, and of course, everyone’s favorite whipping boy, the media. The book plods along to its inevitable conclusion. Superman, i.e. Karp, saves the day, Marlene is in danger, and there are various and sundry domestic issues addressed along the way. Who was it who said it doesn’t end with a bang, but a whimper? 07/11 Jack Quick

THE OUTSIDE MAN by Richard North Patterson: The outside man is society lawyer Adam Shaw. First he is a Yankee and second he is in the South, which makes him a Damn Yankee. Then he finds the dead body of his best friend’s wealthy wife, and the friend is missing. No one other than Shaw really wants to open this can of worms, and the further it goes, even Shaw begins to have doubts. Patterson’s books all seem to have an underlying social theme that sometimes can get in the way of the story, but they are still good reads. 07/06 Jack Quick

The Outside World by Tova Mirvis: This captivating novel is really a comparative cultural study of Modern Orthodox and Ultra Orthodox Jews. Over the last century most Jews have slowly shed their strict laws, with modernization as the goal. But then the tide started turning back, and over the past couple of decades younger people seem to be going back to the older, stricter ways. Mirvis does a masterful job of illustrating their differences. Tzippy is 22 years old and unmarried, a very worrisome situation in the Ultra Orthodox world she lives in. Bryan was raised Modern Orthodox, and after he graduates from high school, he spends a year studying at a Yeshiva in Israel before he heads off to Columbia University, his father’s alma mater. But during his time in Israel, he has a spiritual awakening, changes his name to his Hebrew name, Baruch, and dons the black hat and clothes of the Ultra Orthodox. His only goal in life is to immerse himself in the study of the Torah, which causes his family to feel bewildered and inadequate. Meanwhile, Tzippy decides to escape the constant matchmaking of her community and insists on spending a year in Israel herself. And so they become a match made in heaven, or in this case, Israel. Mirvis obviously knows her subject and this is a very enlightening and engaging book. 05/04

OVERKILL by Joseph Teller: If you are a criminal lawyer like Harrison J. Walker – Jaywalker, then you can expect to spend a certain amount of time in court. That’s where Jaywalker was, minding his own business, when he was picked by a judge to take on the defense of seventeen year old Jeremy Estrada. Estrada had killed another boy after a fight over a girl – shot him point-blank between the eyes. Right off the bat, Jaywalker knows the SODDI defense won’t work. The SODDI defense – Some Other Dude Did It. So if Jaywalker is going to preserve his ninety-percent acquittal rate, he needs to cut a deal. It’s the first homicide trial for the prosecuting attorney and she says no deal – at least no reasonable deal. So all Jaywalker has left is the “yesbut” defense, as in: “Did you kill him?” “Yes, but….” Jaywalker is accustomed to bending the rules – this time he must stretch the law to the breaking point and beyond. I am so glad Teller quit lawyering and starting writing. His books are awesome. 08/10 Jack Quick

OVERKILL by Eugenia Lovett West: In this follow up to Without Warning, Emma Street is called to Italy to intervene when her opera singer niece gets involved with a rich playboy. It seems the girl is ready to throw everything away on a romantic whim. When Emma arrives, however, things take a drastic turn and the singer’s accompanist is found dead in her hotel room. Although it appears to be an obvious suicide, further investigation reveals evidence of foul play. Meanwhile, Emma and her niece are allowed to return home, where the girl falls ill as the result of an unknown virus. Emma finds herself once again involved in a grand conspiracy that threatens the safety of the nation. I enjoyed this mystery, though I’m not sure how much of it is entirely plausible. Fortunately, West does a good job of distracting readers with fun characters and an interesting plot. 01/10 Becky Lejeune

THE OVERLOOK by Michael Connelly: If this book looks a little smaller than is typical, that is because this is really a novella based on a serial that was run in the New York Times Magazine. I saw Connelly prior to its publication in that venue, and while he said he enjoyed the process, he felt somewhat stifled by the format of a set number of words each week. He prefers his chapters to have more of a natural flow, so this version of the story has had extensive revision from the original serial.
It is a Harry Bosch story, and it is excellent. As regular readers of the series know, we last saw Harry in Echo Park, which ended with some problems for him. In The Overlook, he has a new assignment, a new partner and a second go at FBI agent Rachel Walling. Bosch is now working the Homicide Special unit of the LAPD, and is basically training his young rookie partner, Ignatio. He prefers to be called Iggy but Harry just can’t bring himself to do that. Their assignment is a dead doctor who had access to radioactive materials. The fear of terrorism brings in the FBI and ratchets up the suspense to an almost unbearable point, especially with the twists it takes, making this short novel a very fast, very satisfying read. 05/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE OVERLOOK by Michael Connelly: Harry Bosch’s latest adventure was originally serialized in the New York Times. The expanded book version, although short, still provides plenty of action, and as a bonus, there is an additional chapter available at no cost from http://michaelconnelly.com/. Bosch has a new assignment, with LAPD’s Homicide Special Unit. His first case involves the murder of Dr. Stanley Kent, who had access to radioactive materials stored at hospitals throughout L.A. Bosch has to battle potential terrorists as well as various crime-fighting bureaucracies, including the FBI and Homeland Security, and former lover and FBI agent Rachel Walling, while breaking in new partner and rookie Iggy Ferras. This one may not be the usual Bosch concerto, but it’s a nice little piece to enjoy. 07/07 Jack Quick

THE OXFORD MURDERS by Guillermo Martinez: An unusual read. An Argentinean math student is studying at Oxford when his landlady is murdered. His hero, an Oxford don who has written a text on logical series, receives a note with a symbol. Another murder is committed – another note. The don fears that the killer may be testing him, thanks to a chapter in his book on serial murders. The police work is not very convincing and unless you are a math nut (I am) this one is probably not for you. 08/06 Jack Quick

PACIFIC GLORY by P.T. Deutermann: Well written, but somewhat derivative tale of Annapolis graduates involved in the three defining naval battles – Savo Island, Midway, and the Battle of Samar – of WWII in the Pacific. Marsh Vincent, who barely survives Savo and Mick McCarty, whose dive bombing at Midway sinks a Japanese aircraft carrier that helped devastate Pearl Harbor both love Glory Hawthorne, a navy nurse, whose husband Tommy Lewis, a classmate, was killed at Pearl Harbor. After Savo, Marsh fears he may not have the courage to face combat again. Mick, an Annapolis football hero, has problems with alcohol and authority. If you have seen Pearl Habor, Midway and In Harms Way then you know all the “big picture” moments, but Deutermann, himself a former Navy ship commander, fills in all the small details in a most entertaining way while being true to the overall history of the era. 04/11 Jack Quick

PAINKILLER by Will Staeger: First novel from an ESPN Television Network producer rambles a bit but is not badly written. A semiretired local CIA operative in the Caribbean is involved in something which may or may not be related to events in China which cause a young analyst in Washington forecast an invasion of Taiwan, possibly by North Korean troops. Throw in a touch of voodoo, self-serving higher ups and the usual politicos and you have a pretty convincing yarn. Written in short chapters alternating between the enigmatic W. Cooper in the BVI and ambitious Julie Laramie in Virginia, you will see the connection before they do. Book reads much longer than it is because for the most part it is two books until well past the half way mark. Recommend and look forward to more from Mr. Staeger. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

PAINTED LADIES by Robert B. Parker: In thirty eight outings Parker’s Spenser has come full circle, from 1973’s The Godwulf Manuscript to this final adventure. In both the first and the last, Spenser tries to retrieve a priceless work of art and deals with the rarefied and nasty world of academics. The plot this time plays off Spenser’s shame over the murder of a client. A college art professor asked him to provide backup during a delicate ransom exchange for a rare seventeenth-century Dutch painting. The exchange goes bad and Spenser, ever true to his modern-day chivalric code, cannot let himself off the hook for the professor’s death, even when his investigation unveils the professor’s avocation as a sexual predator of coeds. Halfway through the book, Parker writes a perfect valedictory for the much-loved Spenser: “Sometimes I slew the dragon and galloped away with the maiden. Sometimes I didn’t. . . . But so far the dragon hadn’t slain me.” I couldn’t have said it any better. 12/10 Jack Quick

A PALE HORSE by Charles Todd: Hmm. To start with, Charles Todd is really a mother and son writing team. She lives in Delaware. He lives in North Carolina. The book is decidedly British, with much of the action occurring not in the London we know but in Berkshire, specifically where cottages once built to house lepers stand in the shadow of a great white horse cut into the chalk hillside. The action occurs during that lull after the Great War and before the Great Depression. The protag, Inspector Ian Rutledge, is a World War I vet who regularly listens and often talks to Hamish, a ghostly character whose acquaintance he made in the trenches in France during the war. I am so glad I didn’t pay any attention to the above because this is one great book. A police procedural with a puzzle that keeps you turning page after page. Now I have learned this is the tenth outing for Inspector Rutledge so I have nine more treats in store. Awesome. 04/08 Jack Quick

PALE HORSES by Jassy Mackenzie: Sonet Meintjies accidentally jumps to her death off a swanky downtown Johannesburg skyscraper when her parachute doesn’t open in this fourth book in the Jade de Jong series. Her base jumping partner hires private investigator Jade de Jong to clear his name and find out what really happened. De Jong reluctantly takes the case and immediately finds much more than she bargained for; Sonet’s sister, an investigative journalist looking into the timely topic of genetically modified seeds, is missing. As de Jong starts digging around, all leads seem to point to a small, mysteriously abandoned farming community in Limpopo. In a another storyline, Ntombi Khumalo, a widow with a young son, is working as a driver for a man she is sure is a murderer. Her employer has effectively trapped her in his employ; she is completely dependent on him for all support, and he threatens her very existence. Khumalo is terrified, yet determined to protect her young son no matter the cost. De Jong is tough as nails and persistent, despite the fact that every clue leads down a dark, twisted and dangerous alley. The South African setting and culture are fascinating, the strong women characters intriguing, and the way the storylines eventually intersect adds another layer to this dark and disturbing tale. While not for the faint of heart, Pale Horses is sure to appeal to fans of Liza Marklund, Zoe Sharp and fellow South African crime writer Deon Meyer. 4/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

PANIC by Jeff Abbott: This fast paced thriller is based on a simple yet terrifying premise – what if everything you thought to be true about yourself and your family, your reality, turned out to be totally fabricated? That’s what happens to Evan Casher, a young, up-and-coming documentary film maker. He receives a panicky phone call from his mother, urging him home under mysterious circumstances. His new girlfriend slips out of his apartment without him realizing it, and his life as he once knew it begins to unravel, and fast. Enter the mysterious and dangerous Jargo – friend or foe yet to be determined. Ditto the CIA. And Casher’s father appears to be missing on top of all the other duplicity. The pages fly by, rife with international intrigue and a whirling cast of players who seem to be changing sides by the minute. Casher has no one to trust as the bodies start falling and the truth finally wins out. What a wild ride… 08/05 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PANIC by Jeff Abbott: Evan Casher is a successful documentary filmmaker in Austin, Texas, when his mother telephones him to come home immediately. Upon arrival, he finds her murdered and is almost killed himself. Thus starts an adventure where nothing is at it seems. A group of spies called the Deep is after him. His girlfriend is one of them. The CIA is involved. Is the CIA contact on his side or is he aligned with Jargo, a cunning, brutally efficient point man who believes that Casher has a computer file containing secret information about the organization’s contacts. Why does Jargo think he has the file? Where is it? Was Casher’s mother really a Deep operative? What about his father? Where is he and what connection does he have with Jargo? It was enough to make me panic, even if Evan didn’t. Well done, with a final twist that will leave you breathless. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

PANIC ATTACK by Jason Starr: Things were nearly perfect for Dr. Adam Bloom. Admittedly, he did have some bad dreams, but he and his wife Dana live in a luxurious house and his practice has given him financial security. All this is shattered when Marissa, their twenty-two-year-old college graduate daughter wakes him up one night and says, “Somebody’s downstairs.” Adam shoots one of the two intruders dead, but the other escapes, and this ends the Bloom’s orderly life. Adam no longer feels safe but refuses to move since he has lived there all his life. The ensuing stress takes its toll on their marriage. Then Marissa meets a young, talented artist named Xan. Adam feels that something’s not quite right with Xan, but his daughter ignores his warnings and falls deeply in love with him. Because this is a Jason Starr novel, you know these people going to make a train wreck of their lives. 06/09 Jack Quick

PANIC ZONE by Rick Mofina: A young mother in Wyoming is thrown clear of a devastating car crash. She thinks she sees someone pull her infant son from the crash. The police believe it’s a case of trauma playing cruel tricks on the mind, until the night the grief-stricken woman hears a voice through the phone: “Your baby is alive.”
Jack Gannon’s first international assignment is to find out whether his colleagues killed in a café’ explosion in Rio were innocent victims or targets, who got too close to a huge story. In the Caribbean, a cruise ship passenger has an agonizing death. How are these events connected? Robert Lancer is a top ranked counterterrorism official trying to determine whether someone has resurrected long-buried secret research, research that is now being used as a deadly weapon. With millions of lives at stake, experts work frantically against time as an unstoppable force hurls them all into the panic zone. Another first rate thriller from Mofina. 06/10 Jack Quick

PANIC ZONE by Rick Mofina: In this follow up to Vengeance Road, reporter Jack Gannon has left behind small-town Buffalo to join the World Press Alliance, a move that has more seasoned WPA journalists a little miffed. When a bombing in Rio de Janeiro kills two of their own and the Alliance is scrambling for coverage. Jack is sent to the scene itself where he quickly steps on locals’ toes, but what Jack discovers is more far-reaching that the purported drug bombing itself. Jack’s digging eventually leads him to Big Could, Wyoming where a recent widow has been investigating her husband’s death. The couple was involved in a devastating car crash and her husband was killed almost instantly. Authorities told the woman that her baby died in the accident as well, but she distinctly remembers seeing someone pull the infant from the wreckage. Jack may be the only one who will listen and together they will find themselves at the heart of a plot that has global ramifications. Mofina has certainly shown his ability to stretch his creative talents in this second Jack Gannon installment. From the beginning, I had no idea where the story was heading. The addition of a sort of bio warfare theme was an unexpected surprise. For some it may be too far, but I found it to be an interesting twist. 07/10 Becky Lejeune

THE PANTHER by Nelson Demille: John Corey and his wife Kate Mayfield are members of a joint anti terrorist task force based in New York City. John is an ex NY City police officer, and Kate is an active member of the FBI both posted to the group. DeMille has written other books involving them and their joint activities in fighting terrorism. They are called into their supervisor’s office and asked if they would join with a CIA sponsored operation in Yemen to hunt down and capture an Al Qaeda leader calling himself The Panther. Characteristically John wisecracks his thoughts about this and is reluctant to go but does so to go along with his wife who feels that such an operation will enhance her career. John has been in Yemen previously hunting The Panther who is acknowledged to be the mastermind of the attack on the US Cole and the killing of American sailors some years ago. He does have the need to complete the task of hunting down this murderer and putting finish to the job. Why John and his wife are asked to go and join in with the CIA in the hunt is one of the underlying motives in the plot and is well developed as events unfold once in Yemen. Demille reintroduces Paul Brenner (The General’s Daughter, Upcountry) and he becomes a part of the team that, under the CIA aegis, will hunt down and arrest the Panther. A good deal of DeMille’s personal opinions about the Arab world and the machinations of the CIA in carrying out it’s missions comes through in the book making it more engrossing. One of the highlights is the casting of the Panther as an American born Muslim, raised and educated in the US and his reasons for leaving, hating America and Americans, and developing into a terrorist leader. There is a logic in this that is shown to the reader and proves, right or wrong, very interesting. The ending is obvious, but mixed with several convoluted motives to keep the reader following closely. Obviously room is left for future novels involving John and Kate and possibly Paul Brenner. 10/12 Paul Lane

PANTOMIME by Laura Lam: While Iphigenia Laurus had never imagined running away to the circus, RH Ragona’s Circus of Magic becomes her refuge and home. She joins as Micah Grey, keeping her past secret and her secrets closely guarded. As Iphigenia, Gene for short, there were certain things expected of her: she was raised in high society and set to make a good match. But the constant reminder that she was different from those around her and the confined limits of her life forced her to leave. Now, as Micah, the sky is literally the limit. But the Laurus family is still searching for their daughter and life in the circus is turning out to be more difficult than Gene imagined. Laura Lam’s debut was not quite what I’d expected. In addition to the fantasy aspects and the unique world Lam has built for her story, the book deals quite a bit with issues of identity and acceptance. I was surprised that this was a debut – Lam’s writing is confident and her characters and world are all strongly developed. What’s more, she handles a quite difficult topic with what seems like ease. 2/13 Becky Lejeune

Paranoia by Joseph Finder: I haven’t been this excited about a book in a long time; Joseph Finder has taken the ordinary-guy-in-extraordinary-circumstances thriller to a new level. Adam Cassidy is a worker drone, but manages to use his computer skills to one-up his company by throwing an executive style $78,000 party for a retiring dock worker, and sticking them with the bill – or so he thinks. But he gets caught and much to his surprise, being fired isn’t an option. He is offered a choice – certain jail time, or the chance to infiltrate a competing company and pass along their secrets. Under intensive tutelage, Adam manages to work his way into a position as assistant to the competing CEO, thus avoiding the prison stint. But his new boss treats him like a son, and he finds himself with a deep moral dilemma – should he pull out, and even scarier, can he? The tension mounts almost unbearably as Adam is caught in the middle, making Paranoia impossible to put down. The technical stuff is handled masterfully – it’s obvious Finder knows what he’s talking about, but he isn’t the least bit condescending, and the writing is clear and concise and gives the reader enough information to make the story work without getting bogged down in details, which is a really tough ratio to find. Perfect pacing, and even more impressively, a perfect ending, should put Finder at the forefront of the thriller genre. 01/04.

PARANOIA by Joseph Finder: Adam Cassidy becomes an unwilling industrial espionage agent for Wyatt Telecom and its slick and relentless CEO Nick Wyatt. Cassidy is placed at competitor Trion Systems where he becomes personal assistant to Trion founder Jock Goddard. Adam comes to admire Jock and certainly is deliriously happy with all the trappings of his new position but he can’t get away from the demands of his former employers, or can he. The ending is a shocker. May well be Finder’s best yet. 03/06 Jack Quick

PARIAH by Dave Zeltserman: This is the second (after 2008’s SMALL CRIMES) of a planned “bad ass out of prison” series. Kyle Kevin was a power in the South Boston Irish Mob until a falling out with head mobster Red Mahoney lead to an eight year term in prison. Now Kyle is out, has come home, and wants revenge on both Mahoney and on his girlfriend Janet, who didn’t wait for him while he was sent away. Imagine his surprise when he finds his younger brother has gone straight, has a straight job, and a straight girl friend. Kyle lures his brother back into the life with unforeseen consequences that ultimately give Kevin the celebrity status he has been seeking. But all things come with a price. Its noir, its satire, and its Boston that you don’t see on Cheers. Nicely done follow-up to SMALL CRIMES. 10/09 Jack Quick

THE PARIS ENIGMA by Pablo De Santis: I don’t do many “historicals” but found this one to be first rate. The 12 Detectives, the world’s most famous sleuths, are scheduled to meet in Paris for the first time at the 1889 World’s Fair. Founding member Renaldo Craig of Argentina, is taken ill and sends in his place, Sigmundo Salvatrio, loyal assistant and last remaining member of Craig’s “Detective Academy” that was set up to pass along the skills of the master detective. Salvatorio is also the unwitting messenger conveying something from Craig to fellow Twelve co-founding member Viktor Arzaky. Shortly before the fair’s opening, Louis Darbon, one of two claimants among the 12 for the title of Detective of Paris, falls to his death from the Eiffel Tower. Arzaky takes Salvatrio on as his apprentice, and the pair struggle to solve the mystery before more victims are claimed. They soon realizes that the stakes involved are unimaginably high; they must not only catch the stalking murderer but also alter the fate of their precious brotherhood. Definitely recommended. 01/09 Jack Quick

PARISHIONER by Walter Mosley: This nameless house of worship near Santa Barbara is a sanctuary for the worst kinds of sinners: the congregation and even the clergy have broken all ten Commandments and more. But is there more to this Church? Xavier Rule—Ecks to his friends—didn’t come to California from Harlem in search of salvation but, thanks to the grace of this church, he has begun to learn to forgive himself and others for past misdeeds when a woman arrives to seek absolution for the guilt she has carried for years over her role in a scheme to kidnap three children and sell them on the black market. As part of atoning for his past life on the wrong side of the law, Ecks is assigned to find out what happened to the abducted children. As he follows the thin trail of the twenty-three-year-old crime, he must struggle against his old, lethal instincts—and learn when to give in to them. Unique. 12/12 Jack Quick

THE PARTICULAR SADNESS OF LEMON CAKE by Aimee Bender: When Rose Edelstein turns nine years old, her mother bakes her favorite lemon and chocolate cake. But when Rose eats it, it tastes strange and she realizes she is tasting emotion – her mother’s emotion. Then she starts noticing it in everything she eats; the hurriedness of one baker, the rage of another. She hates her gift but doesn’t know how to get rid of it or deal with it. Her brother also has a a rather supernatural gift, but this isn’t his story. It is a family story, a coming of age story, and a sort of reverse Like Water for Chocolate magic realism story. It also reminded me a bit of Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray, but that book was so much more developed and enjoyable and this one just misses. This book has been praised for its language, which I didn’t particularly notice, and has been a big hit with book groups. It felt wanting to me, it needed more developed characters besides Rose, and really more story. I liked the premise and was hoping to be transported into this magical world, but it just didn’t work for me. 09/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin: The end begins with an experiment gone awry. There were twelve chosen for the program—twelve convicts, plus one little girl. Amy was the last. She was different from all of the others. Almost a century later, humanity is on the brink of extinction. A group in California built a careful and precarious community that has somehow managed to survive. Amy’s return will prompt a small group of these survivors to begin a quest that will change everything. Mankind’s continued existence rests in the travelers’ hands. Whether they will succeed remains to be seen, but learning the truth about Amy will prove to be a pivotal part and could be their last hope. Folks have been talking about The Passage with great anticipation, making it what promises to be the big blockbuster book of the summer. I have to say that the hype is very well deserved. The first part of a projected trilogy, The Passage is a gripping and hefty post-apocalyptic vampire book that lived up to, in fact exceeded, every expectation that I had of it. Cronin builds a magnificent landscape filled with a rich history and a fantastic cast of characters that will sweep readers along on an epic tale of survival amidst the end of the world as we know it. [Note from the BookBitch: Director Ridley Scott owns the film rights, and it is in development] 06/10 Becky Lejeune

THE PASSING BELLS by Phillip Rock: In the summer of 1914, the most pressing things on the minds of Greville family of Abingdon Pryory are marriage and matchmaking. Alexandra is about to make her introduction on the scene and the eldest, Charles, is intent on settling down with an unacceptable match. Before much can be made of either, war breaks out in Europe and everything changes for the Grevilles. Charles enlists alongside his best friend, Roger Wood-Lacy, and Alexandra volunteers as a nurse. Hanna Greville’s American nephew was already abroad when the war began and he’s been tasked with covering the campaigns. Roger’s brother, Fenton Wood-Lacy, has been sent to France and witnesses the atrocities from its earliest days. Nothing will ever be the same for any of them. This first in Phillip Rock’s trilogy was originally published in the 70s and has been re-released thanks to Downton Abbey popularity. Frankly it’s a quite brilliant resurrection, in my opinion. Fans of Downton will likely expect The Passing Bells to closely resemble the show. In truth, while it does begin quite similarly, the story quickly takes a much darker turn with first hand narrative focused on the frontlines. The book quite graphically explores the brutality of the war and its effects on the people involved. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

PASSIONS OF THE DEAD by L J Sellers: “You can choose your friends, but not your family.” In this fourth outing, Detective Jackson is facing even more problems than usual. Will he fall victim to budget cuts that will cost him his job just before he finishes twenty years on the job? What about his now unemployed ex-wife? Add that quandary to the usual stress of solving violent crimes. A multiple homicide in which three members of the Walker family are killed and the fourth wounded takes Jackson’s mind away from the topic of job security, although unemployment seems to be a major factor in the slayings. The case quickly becomes a real basket case with multiple family connections and involvement of different family members. Sorting out all the suspects keeps the entire unit busy, as new information keeps pointing to first one, and then another family member. This is another outstanding effort from Sellers and sure to please any police procedural fan. 11/10 Jack Quick

PASSPORT TO PERIL by Robert B. Parker: Way back before Robert B. (B for Brown) Parker started writing about Spenser, there was another Robert B. Parker (B for Bogardus). The original Robert B. Parker is spotlighted in this Hardcase Crime Book Number 57 which takes you on a run behind the Iron Curtain. Parker, a World War II foreign correspondent knows the territory and this 1951 thriller originally published almost sixty years ago captures the fears and dangers of the era perfectly. So take a trip on the Orient Express back into time to a place that is no more – “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from Moscow.” 06/09 Jack Quick

PATIENT ONE by Leonard Goldberg: Doctor Goldberg works at the UCLA medical center and based on both his expository and medical skills has written quite a few medical thrillers in the past few years. He has also written technical material published for the medical field. While many of his novels have utilized a Forensic pathologist named Joanna Blalock as the protagonist, Patient One is a stand alone.
The principal character David Ballineau might become an ongoing character in future novels due the interesting characterization created for him. David is a former special forces soldier that left the military due to post traumatic stress disorder. He studied medicine after leaving the military and is an emergency room physician in a large regional hospital as the story opens. The president of the United States is hosting a state dinner for the Russian president in celebration of the signing of a new economic treaty between the two countries. Both presidents and many other diners become violently ill due to unknown causes and are rushed to the nearest hospital where David is on duty. The illness had been planned and orchestrated by a group of Chechen terrorists who seize the hospital and hold both presidents hostage. Their demands include the release of Chechens captured by both the US and Russia or people held will be killed.
Dr Ballineau manages to become active both in the care of patients in the hospital, including the presidents, and also utilizing his military training to help in the freeing of the prisoners. A bit of romance is introduced when Carolyn Ross, a trauma nurse helps David. Both have had crushes on each other for some time but have been quiet about it. Their work together in helping to end the crisis certainly brings them together. Like Michael Palmer, the medical descriptions of the novel are what would really be the case, and David’s reactions to the abnormal problems encountered in treatment of the patients is correctly based on his militarily trained reaction times. 5/12 Paul Lane
PATIENT ZERO by Jonathan Maberry: Maberry’s latest, and the first in a new series, begins with Baltimore cop Joe Ledger going up against a dead man, literally. Ledger is part of a task force tracking terrorist movement in the States when he kills a man named Javad Mustapha. Just days later, Ledger is picked up by some agents representing a group called the Department of Military Science. The DMS has been involved in a very strange and interesting case and they want Joe’s help, but first they need him to kill Javad, again. Seems someone has been experimenting with some pretty unique viruses and has managed to create killer zombies. No group has taken responsibility just yet and given what they’re up against, the DMS thinks Ledger could be just what they need to lead their new elite team. Joe and his fellow badasses vow to do their best to track the people responsible while eliminating the threat before the virus spreads, but when it begins to look as though someone in the DMS may be helping the other side, Joe gets pretty pissed. Patient Zero is part horror, part thriller and all action. Both horror and thriller fans alike are sure to love this one. A smart blockbuster novel. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

PATRIOT ACTS by Greg Rucka: Love your country. Fear your government. Know your enemy. Although bodyguard Atticus Kodiak is ready to settle down it is not to be. He is almost killed in an ambush that does take the life of one of his closest friends. Afterwards he and Drama, now known as Alena, try to break away from The Ten – a group of cold-blooded killers operating around the globe. A conspiracy that reaches high into the U.S. government will not allow this, so the two set to work to clear their names and avoid death in a desperate chase around the world. This is possibly the best ever Kodiak book. 01/08 Jack Quick

THE PATRIOTS CLUB by Christopher Reich: At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, a group of the founding fathers form “The Patriots Club” – to preserve the political special interest initiatives that the country’s founding fathers had defended in the foundation of this nation. Fast forward to the present and Thomas Bolden, a successful 32-year-old investment banker and Harlem Boys Club Foundation trustee, come into the sights of the successors of that group. Bolden chases a pair of muggers through Manhattan’s financial district after they rob his girlfriend, Jenny Dance. They abduct him at gunpoint, but a narrow escape reunites him with Jenny. Bolden already knows too much, though, and the Patriot Club begin to systematically dismantle Bolden’s life. He and a newly pregnant Jenny run for their lives, tracked at every turn by the well-connected “club,” which is headed by retired detective Francois Guilfoyle. Politics and wealth fuel the chase which ultimately leads to a satisfactory conclusion showing why Reich is still among today’s leaders in the international thriller genre. 09/09 Jack Quick

PAY THE PIPER: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple: A young adult book that doesn’t quite read like one; PAY THE PIPER offers a protagonist who is an adolescent girl with smarts. This short book is strongly written, well told by a mother and son team who combine their writing and music skills to tell an old tale.
Callie MacCallan knows that something is just odd about the appearance of big-name band the Brass Rats, in her town. For one thing, her parents loved the band when they were young and the band members don’t seem to have aged. And this isn’t exactly a major concert venue. When she overhears and sees some odd things, she wonders just who will believe her. When all the children in town disappear Halloween night – except for Callie who had to stay home, trying to write this very tough story for her school newspaper (they gave her the press credentials to cover the concert) – she knows that what she saw wasn’t to be ignored.
Interspersed with Callie’s story, is the story of the otherworldly band, especially lead singer Peter Gingras, an exiled prince of Faerie. He made some very bad mistakes in his youth (centuries past), and he owes the price, which is normally silver and gold. But a misunderstanding with the tour promoter leaves him with the other option – payment in souls, and thus the band takes the children of the town to pay Peter’s debt. And it’s the smart kid who finds a way out that works for pretty much everyone. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Andi Shechter.

PAYBACK TIME by Carl Deuker: A young adult title about football and journalism. High school journalist Daniel “Mitch” True wants more than anything else to have his name on page one of the New York Times. However, at the moment he is more concerned with getting to the bottom of a story closer to his Seattle home. Angel Marichal is obviously a very talented football player, with speed and strength to anchor the Abraham Lincoln High School football defense, but Coach McNully won’t play him. What is going on here and why? As True eats his way through the story, he soon learns that the law of unintended consequences applies to your actions in ways you never imagined. Not bad for what it is. 09/10 Jack Quick
PAYING THE PIPER by Simon Wood: Wow! Eight years ago reporter Scott Fleetwood was interjected into the case of the serial kidnapper called the Piper. At the time, Scott thinks he is dealing with that person, but instead, he and the FBI are fooled by a wannabe. The confusion leads to the real Piper taking his first life, that of the only child of wealthy real estate mogul Charles Rooker. Now the Piper is back and wants revenge. To start, he has kidnapped one of Fleetwood’s twin sons, and demanded $2 million ransom. But is it really money he wants, or Fleetwood’s help in tracking down the man whose imitation created the earlier problems. Its every parent’s nightmare and it affects everyone, Fleetwood, the FBI agent who was originally on the case, Rooker, the wannabe Piper, and of course the Piper himself. Hard to believe this is Wood’s sophomore effort. Delightfully twisty and an amazing climax. 03/08 Jack Quick

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger: I loved this beautifully written book about a family and a place – Minnesota and the North Dakota Badlands. Every character comes to life through the narration of 11-year-old Reuben Land, who suffers from asthma. I fell in love with his sister Swede, a 9-year-old writer of enchanting cowboy poetry with exquisite meter. But older brother Davy kills two boys that have been attacking this family and pays a steep price for it, sending them out on the road and into what surely must be some of most beautiful land in America. But it’s Reuben’s father, Jeremiah Land, conduit of miracles, who holds them all together. Suspend your disbelief and plunge headlong into the inspirational world of the Land family; you will not forget them.

THE PEACH KEEPER by Sarah Addison Allen: Sarah Addison Allen combines a little bit of mystery, a touch of romance, and the feel of a fairy tale in her latest. The Jacksons were once high society in Walls of Water. Thanks to changing industry in the 1930s, the family lost everything, including their home, The Blue Ridge Madam. Willa Jackson thought she left her life in the small town well behind her after high school. But when her father dies, Willa returns to be close to her grandmother. Paxton Osgood, a local rich girl who was never a friend of Willa’s, is experiencing growing pains. Still living with her folks, she throws herself into her work, trying to ignore the fact that she’s falling head over heels for the wrong guy. When renovations at the Madam unearth a secret that’s been buried for seventy years, Paxton and Willa find themselves unexpectedly drawn together and determined to learn the true story behind the discovery. The Peach Keeper is a sweet southern read about the magic of friendship. 10/11 Becky Lejeune

PEGASUS DESCENDING by James Lee Burke: Robicheaux is still going strong and sober in his fifteenth adventure (after Crusader’s Cross), only this time it’s personal. During the dark days in Miami, Robicheaux witnessed the execution of his friend Dallas Klein during an armored car robbery. Fast forward many years to New Iberia, Louisiana, where a young girl with everything to live for commits suicide, a homeless man is killed in a suspicious hit and run, and another young woman – Dallas’s daughter, Trish – is caught passing a hundred dollar bill with the telltale dye mark of stolen funds. Robicheaux hooks up with his former partner, PI Clete Purcel, who does a little private investigating and somehow ends up involved with Trish. While Robicheaux is obsessing over his cases and seriously butting heads with the politically ambitious district attorney, he also manages to unsnarl the mess and get the bad guys with his own inimitable style, while just briefly touching on the horror of Hurricane Katrina. With his superbly written prose and intricate plotting, Burke’s latest is sure to please his legion of fans. 07/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

PEGASUS DESCENDING by James Lee Burke: Dave Robicheaux can’t escape the past. Years ago when he “was still going steady with Jim Beam straight up and a beer back” a friend, Dallas Klein, was killed in an armored car robbery that Dave witnessed but was too drunk to stop. Now Dallas’ daughter Trish, a grifter and con artist, shows up in New Iberia apparently intent on getting revenge on the mobsters who caused her father’s death, mobsters who coincidentally now live in New Iberia. If possible, Burke continues to get better. Not only is the story riveting and the prose as elegant as ever, but he breaks the mood from time to time with outrageously funny moments and characters before ratcheting the tension up another notch. For instance, there is “Calamity Jane” AKA Betsy Mossbacher, an FBI agent originally from Chugwater, Wyoming, who deserves her own series. She begins by crashing her vehicle into a New Iberia police cruiser, insults the chief and generally acts more like the proverbial bull in the china shop than a heifer. Mixed in with the serious stuff are incidents like the 911 call from a meth addict who was outraged when his dealer showed up without the drugs the caller had paid for, thereby committing fraud, and according to the caller, added insult to injury by robbing him at gunpoint of seventy-eight dollars and his stash. It just doesn’t get any better. 07/06 Jack Quick

PELHAM FELL HERE by Ed Lynskey: Wow! If you are a Lee Child fan, then plan on grabbing this one to keep you going between Jack Reacher adventures. Frank Johnson has been around the block more than once. Like Reacher, Johnson is a former Military Policemen and now works as a PI and part-time gunsmith. When his cousin Cody Chapman is gunned down with a twelve-gauge shotgun, Johnson starts looking for answers. Before he gets them, two deputy sheriffs ambush and try to kill him. Two on one aren’t sufficient odds as he survives, but only by killing the deputies. Now he is both the hunted and the hunter. Thank goodness he survives, with a little help from his friends, because we want to see more of this guy. 06/08 Jack Quick

PELICAN POINT by Douglas Quinn: A worthy sequel to Quinn’s Blue Heron Marsh. All army veteran Webb Sawyer wants to do is relax in his North Carolina Outer Banks stilt house, fish, spend quality time with his cat Basil, and make the occasional casual foray with one of the local women.. It is not to be. When his college student son Preston makes the gruesome discovery of the body of the Director of Arts and Humanities with a letter opener stuck in the back of his head, Preston is tabbed as a primary suspect. Then Preston disappears leaving Webb and Preston’s girlfriend, Sunshine Bledsoe (got to love these character names), to discover what has happened to Preston and hopefully solve the professor’s murder that has set this chain of events in motion. Having lived in this part of the world for seven years, I can honestly say that Quinn gets the location right, and also tells a mean story well. Definitely recommended. (Author furnished book). 10/09 Jack Quick

THE PEOPLE COUNT by Robert M. Dias:The American dream is over, the political system is broken, corruption rules and the only hope to fix up this mess is a popular revolution by the people who have become victims of big money’s tyranny. This is the thesis of Dias’ book and he goes at it with all guns blazing. It is a novel rather than an essay, but since he does not try and flesh out the varied characters in the book it does come across as an extended essay. A lot of what Dias says is what many Americans feel is the truth. Congress is in constant stalemate, the Supreme court is not the objective body it was set up to be by our founding fathers, and big corporations run the country by payments to anyone that they feel can get things done for them. Dias lays the blame for most of the country’s ills squarely on the Republican party, but also takes shots at President Obama who, he indicates, began well but soon sold out to the Republican party and was neutered as a consequence. The book is not very well written with an overabundance of jumping around, poorly constructed scenarios and contrived conversations, but it is certainly entertaining and allows the reader to go along and agree heartily with what is said or vehemently oppose the ideas presented. Either way it does certainly openly criticize our less than effective government. While presenting a very unappetizing solution to the problem, possibly opening some much needed discussion about the problems and perhaps some answers. One of the areas he opens for discussion is the very real fact that the United States, if left unchecked, is drifting towards becoming a Banana Republic and thinking Americans must realize that such a situation taking place would most certainly negatively impact our quality of life. Read the book, not for great prose, but for some ideas that even if you don’t agree with will provoke and disturb. 6/12 Paul Lane

THE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR by Christopher Ransom: For Boulder couple Mick and Amy Nash, times are certainly tough. Money is tight and the current economy has not been kind to the family business. Their relationship is strained, their daughter, Briela, has been acting out, and their son, Kyle, is going through the usual teenage angst. When the new neighbors move in next door, things become even worse. To say the Renders are strange is an understatement. Vince Render rubs Mick the wrong way and both he and his wife, Cassandra, have a habit of turning up at the oddest moments. Vince tells Mick that he is there to help and that all the Nash’s worries will go away. But Mick and Amy will never guess just what the Renders have in store for them. What a fantastically chilling tale this was. Ransom has a talent not just for great writing but for great surprise twists that take the reader in unexpected and unpredictable directions. The People Next Door is now out in the UK. No US release date has been set, but it’s available through various special order means. 09/11 Becky Lejeune

THE PEOPLE WHO WALK IN DARKNESS by Stuart Kaminsky: Kaminsky continues his methodology of having the Moscow version of the 87th Precinct work on three cases simultaneously. This time, however, all three are interrelated, and Chief Insp. Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov only has nine days in which to solve them. He and Emil Karpo (The Vampire) are off to Siberia to investigate the death of a Canadian geologist who died in a Siberian diamond mine rumored to be haunted by ghosts. His son Josef and his partner Zelach are sent to look into the torture-murder of two black South Africans whose bodies were found seated in a cemetery and Sasha Tkach and Elena Timofeyeva are looking into the murder of a Moscow prostitute found dead in the most expensive private care on a train from Kiev to Moscow. The stakes are high – Rostnikov’s continued employment is at stake, and the time is short. One the best yet from an MWA Grand Master. 10/08 Jack Quick

PERFECT KILLER by Lewis Perdue: Project Enduring Valor has for seventy years sought the ultimate warrior drug – one that would turn ordinary soldiers into ruthless killers. Dr. Bradford Stone, “legendary Marine recon operative turned healer and scientist,” is contacted by a woman from his past with a baffling mystery. Why would a black civil rights attorney in Mississippi want to save a convicted white racist murderer on death row? What is the connection to Project Enduring Valor and who will be the next president of the United States? Add in a female sniper, a love interest, a massive conspiracy and the richness of the Mississippi Delta and you get a very exciting novel. 01/07 Jack Quick

PERFECT LITTLE LADIES by Abby Drake: It all begins with a pair of La Perla panties. Purple La Perla panties. And a ransom note for said pair of lacy undies. To the world, Elinor Young would seem to be the perfect Washington wife. But Elinor is hiding a secret behind her sweet suburban façade. Elinor’s been having an affair and is desperate to keep it a secret from her husband. Now she must appeal to her very best friends for help in retrieving the notorious underwear, tack down her blackmailer, and in keeping her trysts hidden from the rest of the world. As the five women band together in this light caper, they will each have to fess up to secrets of their own. Perfect Little Ladies is a quick and breezy read with more than a few laughs at the expense of the well-to-do upper crust of society. 09/09 Becky Lejeune

THE PERFECT LOVE SONG by Patti Callahan Henry: Jimmy Sullivan is in love. And it is this love that prompts him to write a song that many consider the perfect love song. The song is so perfect, in fact, that it gains enough attention to send Jimmy on a Christmas tour with one of country music’s most famous duos. Without his brother and the rest of his band by his side, Jimmy tells himself that the tour will be worth it all in the end. But as his vision of the song is twisted from one about undeserved love, inspired by Charlotte, the girl who captured his heart, into one that the tour manager, the magazines, and the music stations have turned into the perfect Christmas song, Jimmy starts to lose sight of everything that means the most to him. As his song inspires others throughout the holiday season, his brother and Charlotte start to wonder if they’ll lose him to the trappings of fame after all. A short and sweet holiday story that continues the one that started in When Light Breaks. 10/10 Becky Lejeune

Perfect Match by Jodi Piccoult: A legal thriller from a master storyteller. Nina Frost is a driven D.A. who specializes in convicting child molesters. Her world is turned upside down when her 5 year old son is sexually abused, the chief suspect a Priest. Nina knows all too well how the legal system fails children, so she takes the law into her own hands with devastating results. This is a very emotional, very intense story that is extremely well done.

PERFECT ON PAPER: The (Mis)adventures of Waverly Bryson, by Maria Murnane: It’s the day every woman remembers—her wedding day. For Waverly Bryson, it’s a day she’ll never forget. Before she can even walk down the aisle, her fiancée calls off the wedding, claiming that they weren’t meant to be. Waverly’s life goes in a downward spiral. In addition to the breakup, she has a horrible relationship with her father, and her job in sports PR isn’t quite as exciting as it should be. But one thing Waverly is able to retain is her sense of humor. When times are bad, she writes “honey” notes to herself, putting a humorous spin on that particular situation. Example: “Life has its ups and downs, right? Honey, if you’re talking about my weight and my bank account the unfortunate answer is yes, in that order. “Waverly’s “honey” turn out to be the key that opens to door to her success and happiness. PERFECT ON PAPER is a hilarious and addictive book. I guarantee you won’t be able to put it down. Waverly’s character leaves you laughing so hard you cry. Waverly, and her close network of friends, are unforgettable and easy to relate to. Each chapter begins with a “honey” note. I jotted several down myself. PERFECT ON PAPER is definitely a book I would recommend. 01/09 Jennifer Lawrence

PERFECT ON PAPER: THE (MIS)ADVENTURES OF WAVERLY BRYSON by Maria Murnane: Waverly Bryson finally had things in place: great career, great friends, and just two weeks away from walking down the aisle. But then her fiancé called the whole thing off. It’s now one year later, and Waverly is no closer to finding Mr. Right. As each new date turns into a total disaster, Waverly is also faced with the fact that her career isn’t what she’d hoped. Throughout it all, Waverly buoys her own spirits by creating “Honey” notes—funny little pieces of wisdom inspired by her daily life and experiences. But Waverly is not alone in her (mis)adventures and given the chance, she might be able to inspire others who share the same doubts and fears in life. Maria Murnane’s debut is a light and funny read about a twenty-something woman facing the same decisions and challenges as the rest of us. If you’ve ever felt like your life wasn’t going the way you’d planned, then you can’t help but connect with Waverly’s tale. 02/10 Becky Lejeune

THE PERFECT VICTIM by James McKimmey: Al Jackson was mostly talk but the townspeople of Willow Creek didn’t know that. So when the beloved town beauty ends up dead, murdered in her room above the Willow Creek coffee shop, and Al Jackson is the only stranger in town, its not hard to see why the folks of Willow Creek suspected Al, particularly since he had been coming on to her in the Coffee Shop. Published in 1957, this is a quick and easy read, about small town life and whether justice can be had. The clerk at the used bookstore said this one was “so old and so thin,” she would only charge me a quarter. Not bad for a Dell First Edition and paperback classic. 03/08 Jack Quick

PERMANENCE by Karl Schroeder: Schroeder’s Sun of Suns was on the less sciency side of SF, but Permanence is pretty much full-bore, spaceships-aliens-and-nanobots, convention-attending, total-nerd Science Fiction. And it is awesome. The setup here is that there is a big galactic civilization, with some planets orbiting actual stars and others farther out that orbit brown dwarfs—they give out enough heat to support life, but not enough to power the faster-than-light starships that connect the inner worlds. SO, there are these enormous ships called cyclers that travel (below light speed) between the outer worlds and pass on supplies and passengers, keeping the society connected and thriving. The only problem is that now the inner worlds have the fast ships, there are fewer and fewer cyclers, and the outer worlds are getting cut off. There’s a lot more to it, a whole political thing and a rebellion and so on, but that’s all mostly a MacGuffin—the main point of the story is more about the search for (and attempt to understand) other advanced alien civilizations, and whether any civilization can survive without annihilating itself or everyone else. I love books that have an interesting take on aliens (Vernor Vinge is another author who does this especially well) and I really recommend this book even though I suspect the hardcore SF aspect will put a lot of people off. Seriously, get over it and read this – it will make you think. 03/07 Jenne Bergstrom

PERSON OF INTEREST by Theresa Schwegel: Another gritty outing from Schwegel. Chicago PD detective Craig McHugh loses his objectivity in pursuing the source of a deadly batch of heroin. He goes undercover in an attempt to infiltrate the Fuxi Spiders Chinese gang. In the process he loses his partner, and is in jeopardy of losing his wife and daughter, his job and his life. Can he pull it all back together or will he be destined to go down the tubes? Not for the faint of heart with descriptions of the world of drugs and gangs and their effect on the rest of society. Above average. 09/08 Jack Quick

PERSONAL EFFECTS: DARK ART by J.C. Hutchins and Jordan Weisman: Zach Taylor, a young art therapist making a name for himself in his field, has been asked to take on the biggest case seen in the history of Brinkvale Psychiatric Hospital. Notorious serial killer Martin Grace is set to go on trial in just a short time, and it’s Zach’s job to determine whether the man is fit for the hearing. Grace has always claimed innocence, but there are two things that make his case stand out amongst the others: Grace suffers from psychosomatic blindness, and he claims that the person responsible for the killings is someone he refers to as “the Dark Man.” Zach soon finds himself confronting memories of his own mother’s death and questioning whether Grace may be linked to a dark and sinister force of a supernatural origin. This unique and innovative thriller takes the form of a patient file with props, or “personal effects,” websites, and even telephone numbers, that allow the reader to follow right along, and even interact, with Zach Taylor’s investigation. A very different delivery, a great concept, and a fun read besides. 06/09 Becky Lejeune

A PERSONAL HISTORY OF THIRST by John Burdett: No, this is not a treatise on alcoholism. The title is derived from the name of one of the key characters – Oliver Thirst, whose life and death shaped the lives of ambitious London lawyer James Knight, a defender turned prosecutor; Oliver Thirst, his former client; and Daisy Smith, a wayward American. Like Gaul, the book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Daisy is charged with Oliver’s murder. The second part is a flashback to the late 1970s, which establishes and develops the dark triangle. The third and most compelling and funny part of the novel returns to the present to cover Daisy’s trial, with all its manipulations and ramifications. Decidedly different and nicely done. This is the first of four books by Burdett, this one set in England, and three set in the Far East. 08/08 Jack Quick

Persuader by Lee Child: Newest installment in the Jack Reacher series. The book opens with ex-military police officer Reacher saving a young man from an apparent kidnapping. But the kidnapping attempt is a set up to get Reacher into the boy’s family home, where his father, Zachary Beck, a rug importer (and who knows what else he’s importing,) is under investigation by the FBI. A female agent is missing, there are steroid overloaded bodyguards hanging around the house, and Reacher finds out that an old enemy, Quinn, long thought dead, is alive and involved. Reacher wants Quinn, and agrees to help the FBI with their investigation. Intriguing characters, interesting setting and twisty story make this the best Reacher book yet. Don’t miss it.

PETTY MAGIC by Camille DeAngelis: The subtitle of this book “Being the Memoirs and Confessions of Miss Evelyn Harbinger, Temptress and Troublemaker” really sets the tone perfectly. Evelyn Harbinger, a 149-year-old witch (she prefers the term beldame) is still as feisty as ever, spending her Saturday nights dolling herself up—and making herself appear younger—hitting the bars and picking up men. Evelyn had one great love, Jonah, a man she met and worked alongside during WWII. Since then, her dalliances have been nothing more than fun ways to pass the time, never growing a more serious attachment than simple fondness. All that changes when Evelyn meets Justin, a man over a century her junior and more and more the spitting image of her lost Jonah. But Evelyn’s love life—past and present—and her antics are just part of the story. When Helena, one of Evelyn’s sisters, is accused of murdering her long-dead husband, the family must band together to prove her innocence, complicating matters in Evelyn’s life even further. Camille DeAngelis’s tale of love and magic is the perfect read in every way. Evelyn is truly one of the most enchanting characters I’ve encountered in a while and the flow of the story is such that it just begs to be read all at once. An amusing and fabulously rich tale of witches and true love. 10/10 Becky Lejeune

PHANTOM PREY by John Sandford: Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent Lucas Davenport, in his 18th outing, gets into the local goth scene at the request of his wife. A wealthy young woman has been kidnapped and presumed murdered. Her mother is a friend of Weather Davenport, and seeks Lucas’ help through Weather, in trying to gain closure regarding her daughter’s disappearance. Then there is a second death. It becomes clear there is a serial killer targeting Goths and anyone else who becomes involved, including Lucas. Although not the best Davenport, this one will still keep you involved late into the night. 07/08 Jack Quic

PHILIPPINE FEVER by Bruce Cook: Homeland Security Agent Sam Haine is tracking a cargo container of Chinese AK-47s destined for terrorists in Texas when he finds the American buyer of the weapons dead behind a sex club in the red light district of Manila. In order to stop the shipment, Sam must first find the killer. Sam soon finds himself deep into an unsavory stew of CIA covert operations, corrupt politicians, Al Qaeda and the international trafficking of sex slaves. Fast paced and not for the faint of heart. 07/06 Jack Quick

THE PHILOSOPHER’S APPRENTICE by James Morrow: This is a tale in three parts, each being equally fascinating and equally mind-boggling. In part one, Mason Ambrose is hired to act as tutor and moral coach to Londa Sabacthani, a young girl living on a private island off of Florida. As it turns out, the girl is actually one of three clones created so that their “mother” can experience every stage of motherhood before she dies. Part two begins ten years after the end of part one. Ambrose and Londa have not spoken in ten years. Londa’s grown, completed her own college education, and has in fact created her own sort-of utopian village using Ambrose’s philosophy teachings to create a better world. Her plan backfires, however, when a group of crazy religious fundamentalists gets wind of some of her varied “works.” In part three, Londa has abandoned her more positive approach to bettering society – she’s also thrown aside Ambrose’s well-meaning warnings in regards to her more extreme plan to exact change on today’s morally ambiguous society. Humorous, tedious, and enlightening are all appropriate ways to describe this book. Morrow is wonderful in his wacky and illustrative prose, but he can also prompt some pretty heavy thoughts despite his mostly light tone. A thought provoking, if somewhat confusing read. 04/08 Becky Lejeune

A PICTURE OF GUILT by Libby Fischer Hellmann: it has been three years since Ellie’s last adventure. Her thirteen going on twenty-one daughter is still a challenge. This time it’s the out-takes from one of her videos that puts her squarely between the mob and the FBI during a highly publicized Chicago murder trial. Johnnie Santoro is found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Mary Jo, in spite of Ellie’s video showing him elsewhere. Then Mary Jo’s best friend Rhonda tells Ellie she was with Mary Jo the night Mary Jo was killed and Johnny is innocent. That night Rhonda is killed in a one-car accident with no witnesses. Ellie decides to tell Johnny’s lawyer anyway, but the lawyer is killed in a botched robbery at his office. Then Ellie is locked into a video suite and the building set on fire. You’ll have to read the remaining two-thirds yourself. Recommended. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

PICTURES OF YOU by Caroline Leavitt: Suspend your disbelief and sink into this compelling story of two doomed marriages. Isabelle finds out her husband is not only having an affair, but that his girlfriend is pregnant. Estranged from her mother because of her husband, she nonetheless flees the marriage, heading out of town. April seems to have it all; Charlie, a successful husband who dotes on her, and Sam, her eight year old son. Sam suffers from terrible asthma, and April hovers so much that the nurses in the hospital avoid her. But April also has a secret, and as she prepares to leave town, she finds Sam hidden in the back seat of the car. There is a terrible collision, leaving one woman dead and the other wounded. Charlie is confused, he can’t understand why April was hours from home with Sam. The lives of these well drawn out characters intertwine in pain and love, making for a very interesting dynamic, and leading us to a satisfying conclusion that still leaves the doors of hope open. Very well done. 04/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PIG ISLAND by Mo Hayder: Journalist Joe Oakes has been recruited by the Psychogenic Healing Ministries to write a story about their community. After years of being labeled devil worshippers, the cult hopes that Oakes can paint a more socially acceptable light on the community. Oakes’s own motivation in agreeing to write the story stems from his past experience with the ministry. One of the many philosophies of the group is the belief that no medical intervention is necessary to heal. When Oakes’s aunt falls victim to Pastor Malachi Dove and his followers, Oakes exposes Dove for the fraud that he is. Now, years later, Oakes’s curiosity has gotten the best of him. Oakes suffers an unfortunate accident while on the island and is rushed to the mainland to recuperate. When he returns, he discovers that every last member of the ministry has been brutally murdered. Anyone who has not read Mo Hayder has been missing out, her shocking and brutal thrillers are maddeningly intense. Pig Island is somewhat reminiscent of Wicker Man but is much more satisfying, even if it is a bit predictable towards the end. 02/07 Becky Lejeune

PINES by Blake Crouch: Ethan Burke is on his way to the small town of Wayward Pines to find two fellow Federal agents who have gone missing. He has a bad car accident on the edge of town, waking up in the hospital and not at all sure of what is going on. The psychiatrist on staff tells him that he has suffered a brain injury and warns him not to leave, but he takes off anyway. The town sheriff is less than helpful, and, with no ID or money, Burke can’t reach his superior or his wife, and he starts fearing for his sanity (reminiscent of Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island.) Matters turn ominous when Burke finds the ravaged body of one of the missing agents and realizes he needs to run for his life. Clearly, despite the idyllic beauty of Wayward Pines, something is seriously out of kilter: a helpful bartender disappears, picnicking mothers turn homicidal, and seemingly innocent children display maniacal tendencies. The suspense builds to an almost unbearable point, culminating with a twist that ratchets it up even further. Fans of Stephen King, Peter Straub and F. Paul Wilson will appreciate this genre-bending, completely riveting thrill ride, which mixes suspense, horror, science fiction and dystopian nightmare all rolled up into one unputdownable book. 8/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2012 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

THE PINES by Robert Dunbar: This cult classic, originally published in a somewhat edited version in 1989, is now back in print, and in full. Pine Barrens, New Jersey is the home of the famous legend of the Jersey Devil. Robert Dunbar, an expert on this American folk tale, weaves an original narrative around this classic New Jersey horror story. Legend has it that in 1735 a woman called Mother Leeds cursed her thirteenth child and swore that his father was the devil. Upon its birth, the child appeared normal but quickly transformed into a terrifying beast. Now, Pine Barrens and the surrounding area are beginning to see an increase in unexplained disappearances and deaths. Athena is not from Pine Barrens. She only moved there after being swept off her feet by Wallace Monroe. After their marriage, he brought her back to the home he grew up in, but died shortly thereafter. Left alone in the dilapidated old farmhouse, Athena does her best to provide for herself and her son. The locals don’t like her and the only help she gets is from her sister-in-law, a woman who could never have kids of her own and now dotes on Athena’s. Athena knows there is something wrong with her son, that he’s not like other children, that the “Piney” blood that runs through him is at least partially responsible. It becomes clear pretty soon, however, that Matthew himself has some strange connection to the recent occurrences in Pine Barrens. A thoroughly satisfying horror read! Dunbar is reported to be working on a sequel to The Pines to be published in 2009. 10/08 Becky Lejeune

PIPSQUEAK by Brian Wiprud: New York taxidermy collector Garth Carson makes his living by restoring stuffed animals and then renting them out for photo shoots and the like. His girl friend Angie is a professional jeweler who does piece work at home for various manufacturers, gem setters and art jewelers, involving cutting tools, torches and exotic metals. Is it any wonder that this seemingly ordinary American couple is threatened by becoming involved in the recovery of one Pipsqueak the Nutty Nut squirrel, star of an old kiddies’ cartoon show, which also featured General Buster, Howlie the Wolf, Possum his sidekick, Magic File Drawers and the Milkshake Saloon. If you don’t laugh somewhere during this one, have the relatives call Carson to come pick you up. It’s time to get you stuffed and placed on a shelf along with Howlie, Possum and the infamous Pipsqueak. 06/07 Jack Quick

THE PIRATE’S DAUGHTER by Margaret Cezair-Thompson: It’s 1946 and Errol Flynn has just arrived in Jamaica. Ida Joseph’s father, Levi, is the only taxi driver and justice of the peace in Port Antonio. Both positions lead Flynn directly to him. The two become fast friends and Levi even begins a property search for Flynn after he decides to stay in Jamaica. Thirteen-year-old Ida quickly becomes enamored with the star and finds herself, just three years later, carrying his child. Her infatuation with Flynn never truly dies, and up until his death, she still believed that she could save him from himself. Despite years of hardship that follow the birth of Ida’s daughter, May, fortune finally smiles on them. Baron Karl von Ausberg marries Ida and buys Flynn’s estate on Navy Island. Meanwhile, the political and cultural atmosphere of Jamaica has begun a tumultuous period of change. May leaves the country to attend college, but is drawn back to the island. Neither Ida nor May truly fits into this new Jamaica, the land they still call home, and they are in danger of losing Navy Island as well. Both Ida and May must confront the ultimate questions: who am I and where do I belong? This gorgeous and phenomenal book has been earning well-deserved praise of late. It is a tale of amorous love and belonging, of family drama, political unrest, and cultural discordance as a result of colonialism. The Pirate’s Daughter is an amazing book. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

PLAY DEAD by Ryan Brown: By now everyone knows just how big Texas is on football. Debut author Ryan Brown takes it to a whole new level by adding zombies to the mix. When the Killington Jackrabbits make it to the final game before the playoffs, it looks like the historically losing team finally has a shot at going all the way. Their rivals, the Elmwood Elks are none too pleased. In fact, the Elmwood players are willing to do just about anything to make sure that the Jackrabbits don’t get that far. When threatening and maiming the star quarterback doesn’t work, the Elks decide to play a prank that has devastating results. Little do they know, Black Mona, Killington’s resident “witch” is a huge Jackrabbits fan and she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve. Excellent. Brown’s football playing zombies are definitely a win in my book. Great atmosphere, dark humor, and zombies in Texas, it just doesn’t get any better. 05/10 Becky Lejeune

PLAY DEAD by David Rosenfelt: This is the latest in one of my favorite series, and it’s fabulous. All you need to know of the plot is that our hero, Andy Carpenter, millionaire lawyer who picks and chooses his cases based solely on whether or not he cares enough to do the work, takes on a new client who faces execution. This death row inmate, however, is a golden retriever accused of biting, and the law says biters get put down. The last minute stay of execution opens another can of worms, as Andy realizes that this golden is also the only witness to a five year old murder. As implausible a plot as this may sound, due to Rosenfelt’s writing skill it works on every level. You don’t have to be a dog lover to enjoy this romp, but I bet you will be one by the time you’re done. Don’t miss this laugh out loud funny, twisty mystery. 06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLAY DEAD by David Rosenfelt: Probably every shaggy dog joke ever created will work its way into one or more reviews of this, Rosenfelt’s sixth legal thriller featuring independently wealthy Paterson, N.J., lawyer Andy Carpenter. In this outing Carpenter takes on a death row case involving a defendant accused of attacking his owner. Owner? Yogi, a golden retriever, is freed from the animal shelter and joins longtime pet Tara in the Carpenter home. The real action begins when an ordinary street walk turns into a reunion of sorts when Karen Evans recognizes Yogi, AKA Reggie, presumed dead five years earlier after the conviction of Karen’s brother, U.S. Customs Inspector Richard Evans, for the murder of his fiancée, Stacy Harriman. Carpenter realizes this is a case he can really sink his teeth into (sorry I had to) and sets out to free Richard Evans to reunite him with Reggie, ah Yogi. Anyway its up to the high standards set by Rosenfelt in previous outings. 06/07 Jack Quick

PLAY DIRTY by Sandra Brown: Griff Burkett is probably the most hated man in Dallas. They take their football seriously there, and the Cowboys star quarterback got caught throwing a game. He did time in prison and when he gets out, he finds himself ostracized at every turn, not to mention the target of the cop who busted him. Rodale is convinced he got away with murder, and is terrorizing Burkett and everyone who is involved with him. Unable to get any sort of job, he’s desperate enough to take the one thing he is offered. Foster Speakman is the CEO of a Southwest Airlines clone, a paraplegic married to a much younger woman. Speakman offers Burkett a job, of sorts: he wants Burkett to father a child for him, the “natural way.” Mrs. Speakman is amenable, but then things really heat up. This is romantic suspense at its best; by turns sexy and scary but always thrilling. 08/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLAYING FOR PIZZA by John Grisham: Throw away any preconceived notions you have of Grisham and his books. Forget that he’s written some really excellent legal thrillers. Forget that he’s written some really mediocre legal thrillers. Forget the southern fiction and the true crime. Instead, pretend he’s a new author, first time out of the gate. Would this book land on the NY Times bestseller list in the number one spot two weeks after publication? Not in this lifetime. Is it worthy of a spot on the list? Probably not. Bottom line: is it a good book, and worth the time it takes to read it? Definitely; for one thing, it’s a small book (only 272 pages). And if you love football, and love Italy and all things Italian, especially the food, then it’s a great read. I loved it.
A friend who started reading it before I did said it reminded her of Heat, the Bill Buford book about Babbo, Mario Batalli’s restaurant, and having read it, I can see the correlation. There are a couple of chapters devoted entirely to food. Another to the churches in Italy. But most to the game of football, American football, that is played in Italy. Who knew.
The plot is a simple one; Rick Dockery is the third string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. Third string quarterbacks aren’t supposed to play, they rarely see field time except in extreme circumstances, and there’s a reason for that. Without giving away the entire first chapter, let’s just say Dockery becomes the most hated man in Cleveland and needs a new job, preferably out of town, and fast. His better-than-you-might-expect agent comes up with nothing but a few lies and a ticket to Parma, Italy, home of the world’s best prosciutto di parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the Parma Panthers, not the world’s best American-style football team. Italy’s rules allow three Americans per team, and Dockery runs off to join the Panthers as their starting, star quarterback, dreaming of beautiful Italian cheerleaders and not much else. While in Italy, Dockery eats really well and learns the meaning of home, friendship and loyalty during the short season. Football and Italy make for a magical, in the Disney sort of way, combination that worked really well for me. 11/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLEA OF INSANITY by Jillian Hoffman: Julia Vacanti is a prosecutor in Miami who’s fairly new to the job. She has a one night stand with the star prosecutor in the office, and the next thing she knows he’s insisting she second chair on a media-hot murder case. Dr. David Marquette is a successful surgeon who is accused of murdering his wife and three young children who is pleading insanity, claiming that he’s schizophrenic. Is he a psychopath just trying to fool the court-appointed psychiatrists or is he really insane? Julia has a little personal experience with that question; her brother murdered her parents, leading to all sorts of complications with this case. A very gripping read despite some holes in the story, and probably Hoffman’s best book since her debut novel, Retribution. 06/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLUM LOVIN’ by Janet Evanovich: In my grocery store they have something called “two bite brownies”. As Stephanie’s companion Lula would say, “You need a whole case of them little things to know you’ve had any.” Like Christmas 2002’s Visions of Sugar Plums, this is a “between-the-numbers” 2007 Valentine’s Day Stephanie Plum book that is too long to be a short story, but at 164 pages doesn’t offer the satisfaction of say, a dozen fresh Krispy Kremes or a large order of chili cheese fries. Not content with just two men in her life (Morelli and Ranger) Stephanie hooks up with Diesel to pursue an FTA (Failure To Appear). As the name implies, Diesel is kind of the “whitebread” Ranger with maybe a bit more muscularity. It’s the usual cast of characters and enjoyable if you’re already a fan and if you can get it free from the library like I did. If not, Stephanie playing Cupid for a shy butcher, a desperate vet, an overworked single mom, a 30-something virgin and the marriage-phobic fellow who just happens to be Stephanie’s pregnant sister’s boyfriend is probably not your cup of tea. 03/07 Jack Quick

PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich: I love the Stephanie Plum books, but these “between the numbers” books haven’t thrilled me as much, although this is probably the best of the three so far (Visions of Sugar Plums; Plum Lovin’.) It’s rather like eating the crumbs of Stephanie’s favorite Tastee Cakes, but us diehard fans will take what we can get until Fearless Fourteen comes out in June. So far, these books have been centered around holidays: Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and now St. Patrick’s Day. Grandma Mazur takes off with a duffel bag that she found on the street. It’s full of money, and she’s convinced she’s found the leprechaun’s pot of gold and it’s hers to keep. But the “leprechaun” wants his money back, and so do the gangsters he stole it from. Grandma takes off for Atlantic City, so Stephanie, Lula and Connie take off after her. Diesel shows up too; he’s looking for the leprechaun. The scene with Lula causing a ‘distraction’ in the casino was priceless, as anyone who’s familiar with that character can imagine. At well under 200 pages, it’s a very quick, very enjoyable read that will leave fans hungry for more. 01/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich: Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s objective in this one is her own Grandma Mazur who has found a duffle full of money on the street and taken off for Atlantic City. Unfortunately, the money was money was stolen from a notorious Trenton mobster. Stephanie and friend Lulu hot-foot it to Atlantic City to find Grandma and recover the money before Grandma is caught. Diesel returns and there is a new whack job – Snuggy, an ex-jockey who originally stole the money and is convinced he’s a leprechaun. Of course, it is all absurd and full of funny lines and hilarious situations, but isn’t that why you read Evanovich anyway. 03/08 Jack Quick

PLUM SPOOKY by Janet Evanovich: The further adventures of Stephanie Plum, via a “between-the-numbers” book. At least this one if almost full size, previous “between-the-numbers” books have been quite petite. Diesel is again the featured hunk, with brief appearances by on-again, off-again fiancé Joe Morelli and the hot, non-committing Ranger. This time out Stephanie is looking for Munch, a brilliant scientist who has hooked up with Diesel’s evil cousin, the other-worldly Wulf. Meanwhile a previous skip has dumped her pet monkey on Stephanie, with a note to babysit until she gets back from her honeymoon. Several visits to New Jersey’s infamous Pine Barrens (if you’re a Sopranos fan, you’ll know it well,) a free spirit who is hell-bent on saving trees and lab monkeys, and a plot to control the world’s weather makes this story even more far-fetched than usual, but with all those monkeys, you can be sure the laughs abound. Not the best Plum by any means, but enjoyable enough to get me through to June and the next book. 02/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLUM SPOOKY by Janet Evanovich: By now I think everyone knows the drill. Improbable bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, the pride of Trenton, New Jersey, muddles around and gets into troubles from which boyfriends Joe Morelli and Ranger have to extricate her. Throw Diesel in the mix this time, add a generous serving of monkeys, weird FTA’s (Failure to Appear, i.e. fugitives), Morelli’s brother Anthony, and things that go bump in the dark and you have a Plum that is Plum Spooky. It is lightweight, it has little plot, but it does have some laugh out loud moments and snappy dialogue such as: “Carl (the monkey) is eating Fruit loops, so that leaves leftovers from last night, peanut butter, hamster crunchies, and half a jar of salsa. Looks like you ate all the chips.” On the same page, describing her infamous partner Lula – She didn’t have any makeup on, and her hair was somewhere between rat’s nest and exploded canary. Lula has her own take on things as well, “I got a high skill level. I just shot a rat off a rafter.” “You weren’t aiming for it.” “Yeah, my skill level is so high I do things I don’t even try to do.” Read it for laughs. 04/09 Jack Quick

POE’S CHILDREN edited by Peter Straub: Horror readers should definitely not miss this extraordinary collection. Straub has put together some of the best in the genre. The collection features a selection of original and award-winning tales from some of horror’s brightest and most famous, including Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, and Straub himself. The collection also features some authors readers may be unfamiliar with, or may even consider outside of the genre, such as sci-fi and fantasy authors Neil Gaiman and M. John Harrison, relative newcomer (and son of Stephen King) Joe Hill, and short fiction author Benjamin Percy. Stories range from the super creepy like Dan Choan’s “The Bees” and the strange, M. John Harrison’s “The Great God Pan,” to the somewhat sweet “20th Century Ghosts” by Joe Hill (one of my favorites). Just in time for Halloween reading. 10/08 Becky Lejeune

POISON FLOWER by Thomas Perry: In this seventh novel in Thomas Perry’s celebrated Jane Whitefield series, Jane spirits James Shelby, a man unjustly convicted of his wife’s murder, out of the heavily guarded criminal court building in downtown Los Angeles. Within minutes, men posing as police officers kidnap Jane and, when she tries to escape, shoot her. Jane’s captors are employees of the man who really killed Shelby’s wife. Jane manages to escape but she is alone, wounded, thousands of miles from home with no money and no identification, hunted by the police as well as her captors. She must rejoin Shelby, reach his sister before the hunters do, and get them both to safety. In this unrelenting, breathtaking cross-country battle, Jane survives by relying on the traditions of her Seneca ancestors. When at last Jane turns to fight, her enemies face a cunning and ferocious warrior who has one weapon that they don’t. 6/12 Jack Quick

POISON PEN by Sheila Lowe: One of the advantages of being a reviewer is that you often find books that you would not otherwise have tried. This was one of those books for me, as my interest in handwriting analysis is negligible. Lindsey Alexander, a top Hollywood publicist, has apparently committed suicide. Claudia Rose, a forensic handwriting expert and acquaintance of Alexander’s, is hired by the publicist’s business manager to analyze the alleged suicide note. Soon Rose is in the middle of some sordid business dealings involving, among others, a United States senator and a prominent Beverly Hill plastic surgeon. Rose also has to deal with Detective Joel Jovanic, whose level of skepticism about handwriting analysis is even greater than mine. A well-written fiction debut evocative of Marcia Muller’s early works. The story wandered a bit for my tastes but Lowe does an excellent job of pulling all the disparate threads together for a satisfying ending. Recommended. 03/07 Jack Quick

POISON PEN by Sheila Lowe: Claudia Rose is one of the foremost experts in the field of graphology, or handwriting analysis. When a college “friend,” PR guru and overall nasty person, Lindsey Alexander, commits suicide, Lindsey’s business partner asks that Claudia analyze the suicide note. Claudia agrees with some reluctance as the man’s reasoning that Lindsey couldn’t have committed suicide hinge directly on the fact that the note was printed and she only wrote in script, and that the ink used was black rather than her signature green. Of course, he also reveals that if the death is ruled a suicide, the insurance won’t pay out and he can’t keep the business afloat without it. In searching for usable comparison handwriting, Claudia comes across one of Lindsey’s darkest secrets about her past. Then, Lindsey’s partner is murdered just moments before Claudia arrives to meet with him and Claudia has to admit that the evidence strongly suggests that Lindsey’s death was something much more sinister than the suspected suicide by overdose. Sheila Lowe herself is an expert in the field of handwriting analysis and the use of this rather interesting field as a background for the series is quite refreshing. Lowe develops her tale with an ease that is quite uncommon in many debuts. Poison Pen is a must-read for forensic mystery fans looking for something a little different. 10/08 Becky Lejeune

THE POISON THRONE by Celine Kiernan: The Moorehawkes are finally returning home, but the homecoming is bittersweet. In the five years since the king sent his Protector Lord to the north, things have fallen apart in the kingdom. The royal prince is missing and the king’s illegitimate son is being groomed to take the throne. The people of the kingdom are growing weary of events and beginning to make their discontent known with growing severity. As the kingdom splits into two factions—those who support the king and those who support the banished prince—Wynter and her father find themselves in a precarious position. The Royal Protector’s health has suffered greatly in the past five years and Wynter is in the dark about the cause of much of the trouble. Though things have changed greatly, Wynter’s loyalty to her loved ones remains the same and it is this that drives her to find a solution to the troubles that surround her. But can one girl reunite the king’s family and prevent the bloodshed that is sure to come? The Poison Throne is the first in a projected trilogy from Kiernan and is her US debut; an excellent introduction to a fine storyteller and I can’t wait to read more. High fantasy at its very best. 04/10 Becky Lejeune

THE POISON TREE by Erin Kelly: When Karen Clarke meets Biba Capel and her brother Rex, she finds herself completely entranced. Everything about their lives is so different from Karen’s own: from their carefree attitudes to their open lifestyle, she wants to be part of it all. But being a part of the Capel’s world also means leaving her own behind. As their summer together continues, Karen learns of the Capels’ secrets and finds that there are deep issues hidden beneath their laissez faire façade. Ten years later, Karen and her daughter, Alice, welcome Rex back into their lives. He’s served his sentence, but the tragedy that ripped their world apart a decade ago is far from forgotten. Erin Kelly’s debut is a tightly-plotted and well-executed tale of psychological suspense, a puzzle reminiscent of Ruth Rendell’s and Minette Walters’s best works. 1/11 Becky Lejeune

THE POLISH OFFICER by Alan Furst: Furst is as good as it gets when chronically the late 1930’s and early stages of World War II. Through his words you feel you are actually part of the fear and uncertainty of the era when death is potentially around every corner. This outing features Polish Army Captain Alexander de Milja who embarks on a harrowing rail journey to smuggle the Polish gold reserves out of the country at the start of the war and ends up as an operative of the Polish underground working against both the Nazis and the Soviets. From Poland to France to the Ukraine, de Milja takes whatever is dished out and squeals his way through situations of great personal danger. An excellent read. 10/08 Jack Quick

POLITICAL SUICIDE by Michael Palmer: A senator has been murdered and Dr. Lou Welcome’s friend Gary McHugh stands accused. Gary insists he’s not the killer but claims that he can’t remember anything that happened that evening. He’s struggled with alcoholism and admits that he’d been drinking heavily after his mistress—the senator’s wife—tried to break things off. Lou knows it looks bad for Gary, but believes him anyway. With Gary locked up and the police certain they have their man, Lou becomes determined to prove Gary’s innocence. Lou quickly discovers there was someone else with a motive to kill the senator, but when he brings his suspicions to the police they are seemingly unwilling to listen. Lou’s investigation does raise the interest of someone else, though, and he soon finds himself a target. Palmer combines politics and medical aspects in his latest to create a smart and intense page-turner. While this is the second book to feature Lou Welcome (after Oath of Office) it does stand completely on its own. 12/12 Becky Lejeune

POLITICAL SUICIDE by Michael Palmer: This is the second Dr. Lou Welcome but can be read as a stand alone. Dr. Welcome works for a group that treats other physicians for problems generally stemming from drinking or drug abuse. He is called by a friend of his and ex patient Dr. Gary McHugh for help. Dr. Mchugh had been involved in an affair with Congressman Eliot Colston’s wife and is caught drunk after a car wreck. He was seen leaving Colston’s house when Colston was shot to death in his garage. Mchugh insists that he was at the house only to visit his lover and get the news that she wanted to terminate the affair. Circumstances look bad for him: he is arrested and charged with murder and incarcerated pending trial. Dr. Welcome agrees to look into the crime as a favor to his friend and ex-patient. A completely different scenario than a love crime emerges, enveloping an official of the US government and an elite unit of the US Marines. Palmer has created a scientific possibility that could become real for both military and civilian personnel. In investigating the situation Welcome becomes involved with Sarah Cooper, Dr. McHugh’s attorney, a woman whose husband died as a result of a medical error and consequentially hates all doctors. The relationship between Sarah and Welcome is an important part of the book and to be continued. Michael Palmer has always drawn in his readers to his medically oriented novels and kept them glued to his books. It is almost a certainty that Lou Welcome will figure in future novels and I do look forward to reading them. 1/13 Paul Lane

PONTOON by Garrison Keillor: Occasionally you need a change of pace and no one steps outside the bounds of conventional writing nearly so well as Keillor whose stream of consciousness manner of presentation takes you completely away from the real-world and deeply into the trials and travails of his hometown, the fictional Lake Webegone, Minnesota. Ostensibly the story covers a week in the life of this imaginary town, which begins with Evelyn Peterson, a spry 82 year old dying in her sleep, except she has insomnia so technically that’s probably not correct. Daughter Barbara, who starts each day with a shot of Kailua in order to face her job at the elementary school lunchroom, discovers her body. Evelyn wants to be cremated and have her ashes encased in an emerald colored bowling bowl to be dropped into the Lake. The title comes from the pontoon boat that is to be used by Debbie Detmer, who made her fortune as an animal aroma therapist for the rich and famous, to hold a grand commitment ceremony to celebrate her relationship with a private jet time-share salesman. There’s obviously lots more, but I am already falling into Keillor’s meandering style so let me leave it with this – highly recommended if you need a good belly laugh. 10/08 Jack Quick

POP by Aury Wallington: I don’t read tons of Young Adult fiction but probably more than a lot of adults do. I find it a good way to keep up with teenage trends and since I have one (a 14 year old,) it’s important to me. This book has generated a lot of buzz because it deals with a teenage girl’s desire to lose her virginity, and graphically explains various sex acts, but the real cause celebre was Border’s decision not to carry the book in any of their stores. It is available from their chief competitor, Barnes & Noble, and most other bookstores, both bricks and mortar and online. But more importantly, it’s worth reading.
Marit is a high school senior and feels like the last virgin left on the planet. After a close encounter with a boyfriend with huge nostrils, her two best friends, Caroline and Jamie, point out that she tends to freak out and dump every boy who even gets close to having sex with her. Totally depressed about her apparent aversion to sex, she confides in her older sister Hilly, who advises her to find a “friend with benefits”. Hilly suggests Jamie, since he, too, is a virgin and cute and they are already friends. Marit decides that is the perfect solution so she approaches Jamie, who eventually agrees. But as everyone knows, sex between friends isn’t as simple and carefree as Marit thinks it will be, leaving her to deal with nasty gossip, friendships, a new boyfriend, and the newness and uncertainty of sex – the entire gamut of high school culture. The characters are believable, the plot moves along briskly, and the angst is balanced with humor. This book will appeal to a lot of teenage girls who are worrying about sex, and perhaps reassure them that their fears are normal, maybe even more importantly, so are their urges. 11/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

POP TART by Kira Coplin and Julianne Kaye: Like many young adults, Jackie O’Reilly is not really sure what she wants to do with her life. After dropping out of college and dabbling here and there, she decides that she would like to be a makeup artist in her native Los Angeles. She gets her big break when she’s sent out to do a video shoot for up-and-coming pop star Brooke Parker (think Miley and Britney all rolled up in one). The two hit it off, in a way, and Brooke soon becomes dependent on Jackie for friendship and support in her new role as teen pop diva sex symbol. Through their friendship, Jackie gets a glimpse of just how crazy, and wicked, the entertainment industry can be. This biting debut might just do for Hollywood what The Nanny Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada did for Manhattan society and the fashion magazine world. 07/09 Becky Lejeune
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross: Fascinating dive deep into the middle ages. This is the story of the legend of Pope Joan, a woman who disguised herself as a man to rise through the ranks of the Catholic Church, eventually taking the Papal throne for two years. Well written, well researched and well worth it.

POPPET by Mo Hayder: This latest installment in Mo Hayder’s Jack Caffery series finds the detective facing two cases. The first is that of Misty Kitson, a model who went missing from rehab in Skin. Caffery knows the truth about Misty and believes it’s time to bring the case to a close but can’t do so without the cooperation of another officer. Meanwhile, patients are dying at the Beechway psychiatric hospital. The wards at Beechway are plagued by chilling rumors of a creature called the Maude, and recent events at the hospital have caused a resurgence in supposed sightings. With every new mishap blamed on this mythical monster, the unexpected death of a patient only adds fuel to the fire. AJ LeGrande is convinced there may be some truth behind the stories. In fact, he suspects it could be linked to a recently released patient who’s now gone missing. If AJ is right, it’s possible blame could be set on the Beechway staff. He approaches Caffery in hopes the detective can begin an inquiry while keeping things under wraps. Believe it or not, Poppet does work quite well as a stand alone. I don’t recommend it as such by any means. Hayder is a one of my favorite authors. Readers diving in with Poppet will miss the evolution of Caffery and Flea as well as the brilliant plot that’s been building throughout the series. 5/13 Becky Lejeune

PORTRAIT OF A SPY by Daniel Silva: Gabriel Allon is retired and trying to enjoy life in England with wife Chiara when a suicide bomber pulls him back into the shadow world where one misstep can mean the difference between life and death. At the center of the new world wide terrorism threat is an American-born cleric in Yemen to whom Allah has granted “a beautiful and seductive tongue.” A gifted deceiver, who was once a paid CIA asset, the mastermind is plotting a new wave of attacks. Gabriel and his team devise a daring plan to destroy the network of death from the inside, a gambit fraught with risk, both personal and professional. To succeed, Gabriel must reach into his violent past for a woman with whom he shares a unique connection. It was Gabriel who killed her father who was financing terrorist activities. Suspenseful and twisty, no one captures the essence of the Middle East conflict like Silva. 10/11 Jack Quick

POSED FOR MURDER by Meredith Cole: Lydia McKenzie is a photographer on her way to the top, hopefully anyway. Her set of prints based on cold cases from an old book that she once read has finally landed her a showing in NYC, but opening night ends in disaster when the police arrive and notify her that one of her models has been murdered. Worse yet, the model was found in the exact position portrayed in one of Lydia’s photos. Lydia fears that the killer may be after more of her models and begins investigating on her own, in hopes of saving her friends. Of course, if the killer has targeted her models, it could be that he’s targeted her as well. Cole’s debut was winner of St. Martin’s Malice Domestic Award for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel in 2007. Though the concept seems a bit reminiscent of John Carpenter’s film, The Eyes of Laura Mars, the story is actually quite different. Posed is a quick read that toes the cozy line. I look forward to seeing what else Cole has up her sleeve after this one. 02/09 Becky Lejeune

THE POSTCARD KILLERS by James Patterson & Liza Marklund: A psychopathic couple is seducing and murdering young couples in Europe. One of the victims is Kimmy, daughter of NYPD detective Jacob Kanon. After Kimmy and her boyfriend were murdered while on vacation in Rome, young couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Stockholm have been found dead. Little connects the murders, other than a postcard to the local newspaper that precedes each new victim. Now Kanon, mentally and physically a wreck from the loss of his daughter, but still the most knowledgeable person about the psycho-couple, teams up with Swedish newspaper reporter, Dessie Larsson, who has just received a postcard in Stockholm–and they think they know where the next victims will be. Much better than other recent Patterson outings. 02/11 Jack Quick

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE by James M.Cain: Number One in an awesome anthology entitled CRIME NOVELS: American Noir of the 1930’s and 40’s. James M. Cain’s first novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice, published in 1934, is considered to be the noir novel that paved the way for all the noir fiction that followed. A drifter named Frank Chambers is dropped off at a rural diner where he meets and is attracted to Cora, the sexy young wife of the owner Nick. Cora sees Chambers as the way to a better life and, after beginning their clandestine affair, plots with him to kill Nick. Written in the spare style now used so effectively by Ken Bruen, there seems to be no socially redeeming values in any of the main characters. In the true spirit of noir, there are no winners, only losers. Violent, ugly, and mesmerizing. According to liner notes, this book “inspired no less than three great movies: Luchino Visconti’s classic Obsessions, in 1942; the 1946 remake, starring John Garfield and Lana Turner and directed by the extraordinary Tay Garnett; and Bob Rafelson’s underrated 1981 version with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. When you read the magnificent source for these movies, you’ll be astonished at how three different incarnations could all, in their own ways, be faithful to the novel.” 07/07 Jack Quick

THE POSTMISTRESS by Sarah Blake: A lot of the publicity surrounding this book invite comparisons to The Help by Katherine Stockett, and at first glance I wasn’t sure why. The Help is a debut novel set in the 1960’s south during a time of civil unrest and explores themes of class and racial division. The Postmistress moves between a small town in Massachusetts and Europe in 1940 at the beginning of World War II and explores themes of war and family. But after reading The Postmistress, I can tell you that both books will hold similar appeal for readers. Both deal with women’s lives and their roles in society, both the strong and the oppressed, each in a unique and fascinating way. While the Publishers’ Weekly review refers to The Postmistress as a debut, it is not; Blake also wrote Grange House, published in 2001 to fair reviews. It seems her writing has improved since then; Blake has garnered multiple starred reviews for her latest effort, and if I did that sort of thing here, I would star it as well.
The titular postmistress is actually Iris James, the single, 40 year old, new postmaster of the Franklin post office. Franklin is a small town on Cape Cod where everyone knows everyone else. The other newcomer to town is Emma Fitch, the young doctor’s new wife. When Dr. Fitch loses a patient, he decides he can do more good in London and off he goes, leaving his pregnant wife behind to frequent the post office in search of mail. Everyone in town listens to Edward R. Murrow and the first woman reporter in England during the Blitz, Frankie Bard, on the radio. When Frankie’s roommate Harriet, a young reporter, is killed, Frankie takes up her investigation into what is happening to the Jews of Europe. Murrow arranges for her to take the train to France, and then to Germany, interviewing refugees along the way and recording their stories. Blake skillfully weaves these stories and characters together into a mesmerizing tale of the tragedies of war and how people deal with it. The Postmistress is intelligent, deeply perceptive and utterly absorbing, and undoubtedly one of the best books of the year. Book groups will devour it. 03/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
POUND FOR POUND by F.X. Toole: This is simply the best fight book I have read since Fat City. Mr. Toole gets it exactly right. It is a tough, hard life. But that does not mean that the participants in the life are less than human. Their pain and humanity come shining through in his language.
The book’s central character is a young fighter from Texas named Chicky Garza. He leaves his drunk, addicted grandfather who fought under the name El Lobo, to seek the big time in L.A. L.A. is not a city that is kind to the innocent. Fortunately, in the nick of time, Chicky falls under the tutelage of a gruff Irish trainer Dan Cooley, who has lost everything in life that had any meaning for him. The story of their struggles separately and together makes for a powerful read.
This novel was published posthumorously after the success of the Clint Eastwood movie, Million Dollar Baby, which was based on Mr. Toole’s short story of the same name. 11/06 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

THE POWER OF THE DOG by Don Winslow: If you have not yet discovered Don Winslow, get thee to the nearest library now. It’s really simple: 1. Art Keller is a brilliant DEA agent who sometimes breaks the rules to serve justice. 2. Adan Barrera is an urbane drug dealer whose charm masks his brutality. 3. Nora Hayden is a high-class call girl whose heart is in the right place, and 4. Sean Callan is a taciturn mob hit man, a stone-cold killer who just wants out of the life. Winslow follows these four characters as they cross paths over three decades in the international drug trade, from Keller’s first encounter with Barrera in 1970s Mexico, through the drug cartels’ corruption of government officials in the U.S. and Mexico governments, to a final showdown on the U.S. border in 1999. Its complex, gritty, detailed, everything you could ask for in a thriller. Winslow’s depth of research and unflagging attention to detail bring the story alive. The only thing I can compare it is the early work of Harold Robbins, i.e. The Carpetbagger. Winslow is a winner. 07/10 Jack Quick

THE POWER OF THREE by Laura Lippman: In this departure from her Tess Monagham series, Lippman tells the story of a school shooting that affects three girls found in a bathroom. One is dead, one critically injured, and one minimally wounded and uncooperative with police. The homicide sergeant investigating the case seems more like a social scientist that an investigator and the narrative quickly becomes “CSI: Baltimore: Acceptable but somewhat disappointing. 09/06 Jack Quick

POWER PLAY by Joseph Finder: Finder, the CEO of the corporate thriller and the winner of the Best Thriller Novel from the International Thriller Writers for Killer Instinct, pens another winner in this tale that takes us out of the workplace and on to a corporate retreat for the top management of an airplane manufacturing company. One of the head honchos has a conflict, so he sends his assistant, Jake Landry, in his place. The retreat is at a very swanky lodge in British Columbia, but while the food and wine may be amazing, there are no televisions, computers, or even cell phone towers. They are virtually in an electronics-free zone, ready to go hunting or fishing and whatever other bonding exercises the new president of the company comes up with – except she’s a woman, and these men aren’t too sure they like her, or respect her. On the other hand, she smells a rat or two among her top staff, and is planning on using the weekend to ferret out the traitors. But all those plans are laid to rest when some men come in and take everyone hostage. They appear to be local mountain men, but Landry is suspicious because they seem to know quite a bit about these executives and the company they work for. The tension is almost unbearable as the hostage takers make their demands known and show no qualms about killing people to get what they want. Don’t plan on putting this one down until you turn the last page. 08/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PRAY FOR SILENCE by Linda Castillo: A sadistic and brutal crime like nothing Sheriff Kate Burkholder has ever seen rocks the community of Painters Mill in this follow up to last year’s Sworn to Silence. When an Amish family is discovered murdered on their own land, everyone is shocked. Murder in the Amish community is rare and though there are cases of hate crimes against them, those too are uncommon. The nature of the murders themselves is particularly disturbing, but a journal hidden by the family’s youngest daughter reveals secrets that hit very close to home for Kate. Though it seems that there is an abundance of damning evidence, narrowing down the list of suspects will prove to be more complicated than anyone expected. Faced with the toughest case of her career, Kate Burkholder will have to once again confront the demons of her past in order to move forward. Castillo pushed boundaries with her first in this series, but Pray for Silence blows all of those out of the water: her handling of the subject matter is impressive and the book is very well plotted. Again, not for the easily shocked and one that will utterly consume you as you follow Burkholder and her team. This series seriously needs a warning label. 06/10 Becky Lejeune

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving: I just re-read this book, having read it when it was originally published (1989) and it remains my favorite of Irving’s books. This is Irving at his best; well defined characters that draw you into their world, a story with twists and turns that somehow keep you incredulous yet believing. An emotional ride that is not easily forgotten.

A PRAYER FOR THE DYING by Jack Higgins: Another classic Jack Higgins thriller now available as an ebook from Open Road Publishing. Main character Martin Fallon was a ruthless hitman and executioner for the IRA when he made a mistake that resulted in a school bus loaded with children being exploded. Now retired from that life, he is threatened by the Meehan brothers to make one last hit. Father Michael De Costa is a witness to the killing of Jan Krasko and now everyone wants De Costa dead except Fallon, who is determined to protect him as a way of gaining redemption for his own prior deeds. Jack Higgins is the New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty thrillers that have sold over 250 million copies worldwide. 10/10 Jack Quick

PRAYER OF THE DRAGON by Eliot Pattison: In this fourth novel of Eliot Pattison’s mystery series, former Beijing investigator and escaped prisoner Chan is called to a Tibetan mountain village even more remote than most. His ancient monk friends and fellow escapees, Gendun and Lokesh, have preceded him. He finds them chanting over the body of a comatose man who is suspected of murder. The man, ostensibly Tibetan, turns out to be an American Navajo on a quest with his anthropologist daughter, who disappeared at the same their two companions were ambushed, murdered, and mutilated. That is only the tiniest tip of the iceberg that is Dragon Mountain, which proves to be by far the strangest and darkest place Chan has come to yet. If Chan cannot find the daughter and prove the man innocent, Gendun will be tortured by the village head man and most likely he and the monks will be killed, along with the Navajo.
Unexpected bits of contemporary Chinese and international life penetrate the remote setting from time to time, in jarring but revealing clashes of old vs new. Dragon Mountain is saturated with Bon, the old religion that preceded Buddhism; Bon gods are fierce and uninterested in compassion. It is a place where even the best possible outcome leaves any survivors exhausted and still questioning. Truth be told, this series is not easy to read and its fourth book is the most difficult yet. It is also the most rewarding. 01/08 Dianne Day
PREACHING TO THE CORPSE by Roberta Isleib: Just in time for Christmas, Isleib’s second mystery featuring advice columnist and psychologist Dr. Rebecca Butterman involves a postcard-perfect Connecticut Christmas, perfect except for the dead matron whose demise may be connected to the search for a new assistant pastor at the Congregational Church. Dr. Butterman not only has to deal with the twelve days of Christmas, she is also contending with Commandments number six and seven – “Thou shalt not murder” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Actually the broken Sixth Commandment is the one that is rapidly leading to the issue of Commandment Seven – with a very married detective who is trying to prevent her from being broken Commandment Six, Part II. Dr. Butterman is one of the more interesting amateur sleuths. 12/07 Jack Quick

PRECINCT PUERTO RICO by Stephen Torres: A police procedural with a twist – Sheriff Luis Gonzalo of Angustias, Puerto Rico, helps recover the bodies of illegal Dominican immigrants washed up on shore near his sister-in-law’s village. He can tell that one was murdered, but then the body disappears. It becomes apparent that not all is as it seems and that maybe there is corruption in high places. First of a series, it has promise with its laidback protagonist and somewhat exotic locale. 02/06 Jack Quick

PRECIOUS by Sandra Novack: It’s the summer of 1978, a summer that will prove to be disastrous in many ways. Sissy Kisch will always remember it as the summer that her mother left and the summer that her best friend disappeared. Sissy’s sister, Eva, will begin her senior year in August, but that summer she makes a mistake. Eva has been rebelling for quite some time, but her anger over her mother’s abandonment and her father’s reaction to it leads to an affair with a married teacher. In many ways, the disappearance of Vicki Anderson, or even Natalia (Eva and Sissy’s mother) and her abandonment are the catalyst for everything that happens to the Kisch family. Everything changes for Sissy and her family that summer. This is by no means a happy family tale. In fact, if you’re looking for a happy ending, this is not the book for you. The Kisch family’s circumstances and the eventual revelation about the missing child are a bit unsettling. Sandra Novack reveals the secrets that lie behind the closed doors of one typical American family, and makes you wonder what your own neighbors could be hiding. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

PRECIOUS CARGO by Clyde Ford: PI Charlie Noble is about to set off on his first boating trip with his new girlfriend when a couple approaches him and asks that he take on a new case. The couple had been about to leave on their yearly cruise to Alaska when they brought up a woman’s body with their anchor. Having lost their own daughter with no explanation, they want Charlie to discover the woman’s identity so that her family will not suffer as they have. The police are involved but have already admitted that this case is not top priority in the department, so Charlie agrees and sets his own plans on hold as he begins his investigation. He hires local salvage man and diver Dan “Raven” Ravenheart Washington to help him dive the area where the body was found in hopes of finding some evidence. Instead, the two discover more bodies. Now Charlie is embroiled in a murder investigation with connections to human trafficking and prostitution, and the players involved are not pleased about the attention their affairs are attracting. Ford has a great twist in that the novel has a heavy nautical theme. It’s a great gritty PI novel with an original spin. Precious Cargo is technically the second book to feature Charlie Noble. Red Herring, Noble’s first appearance, does appear to be out of print at this time. Cargo has just been re-released and Ford is rumored to be working on a third Noble story. 10/08 Becky Lejeune

PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL by Kara Taylor: Switching schools mid year is definitely not ideal, but after Anne accidentally catches part of her school on fire, she doesn’t have much of a choice. Her father does manage to pull some strings – on short notice and even considering his daughter’s new record as an arsonist – and gets Anne a place in an exclusive Boston boarding school. All in all it’s not so bad at Wheatley, at least not in the beginning: Anne’s roommate is nice and she does make other friends at the school fairly quickly. But when Anne’s roommate is murdered, she is determined to see the killer brought to justice. After all, if she’d stayed in and hung out with Isabella instead of going to a party, the girl might still be alive. But why was Isabella out that evening at all? And who would want to kill her? Kara Taylor’s debut is pretty fabulous. Technically it’s a teen mystery but the plot is quite clever and sure to appeal to long time mystery readers as well as its intended teen audience. It’s also the first in a new series and one that I’m definitely looking forward to continuing. 8/13 Becky Lejeune

THE PRESERVATIONIST by Justin Kramon: Sam is sure that he and Julia are meant to be. He noticed her on campus and was undeniably drawn to her, and when she returns the sentiment it’s certain. For Julia, it seems that Sam is the kind of person she can truly be herself with. But before Julia met Sam, she was dating Marcus and though their relationship was short, Marcus seems unwilling to let Julia go. As if settling into college weren’t stressful enough, now Julia has to deal with the growing tension between Marcus and Sam. And then there are the reports of attacks on campus as well. Freshman year is definitely not shaping up the way Julia had imagined. Kramon’s second release is an edge of your seat thriller that begs to be read in one go. It’s a story with a lot of twists, and while some are a bit predictable, there are plenty of others that are complete surprises. In fact, Kramon does an excellent job of gradually increasing the level of suspense throughout the story. 10/13 Becky Lejeune

THE PRESIDENT’S VAMPIRE by Christopher Farnsworth: Nathaniel Cade and his handler, Zach Barrows, are back in this follow-up to Farnsworth’s debut, Blood Oath. This time, the vampire is sent out to fight a strange mutated creature he calls Snakeheads. As Cade hunts down pockets of the enemy around the globe, Barrows is forced to stay behind and work alongside a group of secretive CIA operatives who have a motive of their own. It soon becomes clear that the Shadow Company—a covert group that Cade has long been trying to bring down—is involved and that the case ties in to one from Cade’s past, in a tiny village called Innsmouth. I love what Farnsworth has done. His tidbits of conspiracy theory and, in this case, ties to some of Lovecraft’s most famous tales, provide a unique and stand-out element in this series. 05/11 Becky Lejeune

PRESSURE by Jeff Strand: Darren Rust, budding sociopath – Alex Fletcher, shy and scared – meet first at Branford Academy, a “dumping ground” for problem children whose parents can afford the tuition. Their lives diverge until college, when Darren pops up at Alex’s college campus. Friends, yet enemies, for how can you be friends with a monster? Now Alex is all grown up with a wife and family, when Darren re-appears. Not for the weak hearted, or as Darren would say, “I’m a strangler, not a decapitator.” Best read during daylight hours. 09/06 Jack Quick

THE PRESSURE OF DARKNESS by Harry Shannon: Jack Burke earned his stripes as a Special Operations agent near Somalia in 1993, refined his skills in the Las Vegas PD and is now an unlicensed PI in Los Angeles. Nicole Stryker hires him to look into the gruesome death of her father, horror author Peter Stryker. The death has been labeled suicide but Burke picks up indications that it was, in fact, murder. Enter Burke’s former employer, the CIA; drug cartels, religious cult leaders, murder and mutilation of homeless people, a Mexican connection – and it just keeps getting more nerve racking, fast moving and complicated. This is definitely a horror, mystery, PI, military/adventure, techno-thriller with religious overtones, romantic angles and enough guts and gore to satisfy the most blood-thirsty. Amazingly hard to put down even though it runs well over 400 pages. This may be the break out book for Shannon, who has written two previous Mick Callahan novels. 11/06 Jack Quick

PRESSURE POINT by Dick Couch: Interesting techno-thriller with a twist. Palestinian terrorists hijack a Puget Sound ferry and then use it to capture and tow away a Navy Trident submarine with its nuclear weapons intact. It is up to Delta Force and the US Navy SEALs to deal with the threat but it is ferry Captain Ross Peck and First Mate Janey McClure that are instrumental in bringing this episode to an end and saving passengers’ lives. Nicely done with lots of detail on modern antiterrorist tactics, but hopefully not an accurate picture of lax security at a major nuclear naval base. Recommended. 11/09 Jack Quick

PRESUMED DEAD by Shirley Wells: “Dylan (Scott) wondered if life could get any worse. He was thirty eight years old, he had no job and little hope of getting one, his wife had thrown him out, his mother had moved in, and he’d had to hunt through a pile of laundry currently lying in front of his as-yet-unused washing machine for the shirt he was wearing.” So begins the saga of an ex-cop thrown off the police force for assaulting a suspect and all his resulting troubles. So when Holly Champion begs him to investigate the disappearance of her mother thirteen years ago, he could hardly refuse, could he? The local police still believe Anita Champion took off for a better life, but Dylan’s inquiries turn up plenty of potential suspects: the drug-dealing, muscle-bound bouncer at the club where Anita was last seen; the missing woman’s four girlfriends, out for revenge; the local landowner with rumored mob connections, among others. Who knows what other secrets this one sleepy little town holds and will Dylan survive the inquiry. Interesting ex-police procedural from the author of the Jill Kennedy and DCI Max Trentham series. 08/10 Jack Quick

PRESUMED INNOCENT by Scott Turow: Why am I reviewing a book originally published back in the 1980’s? Because that’s when I read it the first time, and there is a sequel, Innocent, coming out May 4, so I wanted to revisit the first book again. I remembered that I loved it, and that it was probably the first legal thriller I’d ever read and I’ve been hooked on them ever since. But I’d forgotten how beautifully it is written, how richly developed the characters are, how twisted the story is, and how shocking the ending was. And even more to Turow’s credit, it holds up remarkably well today; there are no jolts that scream “1987”, and the only thing missing from the courtroom is DNA evidence.
A prosecuting attorney, Rusty Sabich, has an affair with a co-worker who apparently liked to do that sort of thing – a lot. Several months later she is found raped and murdered at home. Sabich’s boss is running for re-election and one of the other prosecutors is working for the opposition. The politics of it all becomes part of the trial when Sabich is accused of the murder. Publisher’s Weekly had called it “spellbinding” and that was the perfect word for it, I hated to put the book down and when I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Not much higher praise than that. 03/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PRETTY LITTLE THINGS by Jilliane Hoffman: When thirteen-year-old Lainey Emerson meets Zach online, she thinks he’s the perfect guy. Nevermind the fact that he’s a senior in high school, he’s hot and he seems interested in her. Lainey’s only worry when Zach suggests they meet in person is that the high schooler will discover her real age. Two days later, Lainey’s mother reports her missing. Bobby Dees, an officer with the Crimes Against Children Squad, is called in to investigate. Though most are sure Lainey is just another teen runaway, Dees is not convinced. Turns out he’s right and the case is much more complicated than anyone imagined. Soon a killer begins sending personal messages to Dees, messages that include gruesome clues linking more missing girls in the area to Lainey’s case. This latest from Hoffman is an intense thriller about a very timely subject. I don’t know if there are any plans for more Bobby Dees stories, but I could easily see this developing into an intense series with lots of possibilities. A definite recommended read for thriller fans. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

THE PREY by Andrew Fukuda: This second in Fukuda’s post apocalypse vampire series picks up right where last year’s The Hunt left off. Gene, Sissy, and the others have managed to escape their pursuers, traveling up the river on a boat left behind by the Scientist – Gene’s father. But the vampires aren’t so easily dissuaded. They continue to hunt the humans by day and are willing to die trying to capture these last remaining hepers. Following instructions left by the Scientist, they take the river to its end and discover a small settlement of humans. With protection and abundant resources, they seem to finally be safe. Unfortunately, it isn’t long before Gene and Sissy realize that there’s something strange about their newfound sanctuary: the settlement is led by a handful of older men called Elders who have set forth a strict series of rules for the town to live by. What’s more, there are no men or boys present other than the Elders themselves. It soon becomes clear that there is no salvation to be found here. But the Scientist’s trail seems to be at an end and Gene isn’t sure who to trust or where to turn next. Fukuda ramps up the suspense more and more as this trilogy continues and I am dying to find out what happens next. This is a great read for adults and teens. 2/13 Becky Lejeune

PREY by Rachel Vincent: It’s been nine months since Faythe has last seen Marc. Nine months since her trial for killing and accidentally infecting a human in Pride. Nine months since Marc was exiled. The plan was to meet Marc in the free territory—territory not under Pride control—so that he can help escort them to where Manx will now face the council for her own crimes. While on their way, the team is attacked by a pack of strays. Strange as it is that a group of strays would band together, the team has much worse to worry about when Marc is captured. They fear he may be dead, but Faythe knows differently. Still, time is running out and a war is about to be waged between the Prides as Faythe’s own family comes under siege from enemies within the werecat community. This fourth in the series will leave readers breathless waiting for the next installment. Conflicts that have been building in previous books are finally coming to a head and I’m just dying to see what will happen next. 06/09 Becky Lejeune
THE PREY by Allison Brennan: It has to be a crime writer’s worst night mare. Rowan Smith’s books have done very well, so well that two have been made into movies and she is now in a rented Malibu beach house working on the screenplay for her third movie. Then the press shows up, followed by the police and the FBI. A woman in Colorado with the same name, looks, and occupation as a character in one of her books is found dead in Denver. Then another person is killed in a direct rip off from the pages of her books. Is there a connection with her former career as an FBI agent, or is this a fan expressing his devotion in a most disturbing fashion. Terrific plot and good characterization. I definitely will read more by Ms. Brennan. 04/08 Jack Quick

PREY by Michael Crichton: The Military is always looking for the better weapon. This one is called Nanotechnology. Imagine if you could put an entire Army on the head of a pin, then transport them to the battlefield, and bring them back to full fighting strength. It’s every four star’s cream dream. Of course the “government” has been pursuing this for years, Thank God it’s not been proven successful yet. Crichton tells a classic story of the “unintended consequences” theory to great effect. The problem here seems to be that the technology, while feasible, has some major problems. Basically the problem is if you give these things the gift of reason, they’ll eventually outsmart their creators and conquer them. A group of really besieged scientists are the last line of defense here, and you’d better hope they win. 03/06 DOC

THE PRICE by Alexandra Sokoloff: Horror fans were in for a treat with Sokoloff’s amazing and original debut, The Harrowing. Her sophomoric effort is no less amazing. How far would you go to save the life of a loved-one? To save yourself? This is the question that Sokoloff poses in The Price. Miracles happen all the time. Hospitals make a business out of them. Brilliant doctors make new discoveries in science everyday. People are cured, seemingly miraculously, and go on to live long and healthy lives. Something different is happening at Briarwood Medical Center, though. Within these hallowed halls someone waits. He listens, intent on hearing those four magic words, “I would do anything.” Will Sullivan is about to discover just how far one will go to experience the hope of a miracle. Extraordinarily creepy. Sokoloff infuses even the most innocent scenes with an undeniable sense of dread. You know something bad is coming but it still sneaks up and scares the pants off of you. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

THE PRICE OF BLOOD by Declan Hughes: If you are a fan of Ken Bruen and have not yet tried Declan Hughes, you have a treat in store. Written in the same gritty manner but with a bit more lavish detail, Hughes follows Dublin PI Ed Loy, first in 2006’s The Wrong Kind of Blood, 2007’s The Color of Blood and now in The Price of Blood. When you have both Michael Connelly and John Connolly among your fans you have to be doing something right. In this outing Father Vincent Tyrrell hires Loy to find Patrick Hutton, a jockey missing for 10 years. There is not one, but rather two grisly murders with which Loy becomes involved. Before the final conclusion at a famous Irish horse-racing festival Loy will be beaten up, warned off, and blamed for actions taken and not taken. Parts are brutal – but it couldn’t be any other way. So pour yourself a pint and enjoy. 04/08 Jack Quick

PRIDE by Rachel Vincent: Following right on the heels of the events of Rogue comes the third installment to Vincent’s fabulous Shifters series. It is finally time for Faythe to go up against the council and plead her case. Infecting a human is a capital crime among the Prides and though Faythe has evidence to back up her claim that she accidentally infected her human boyfriend, certain members of the council are still convinced she is lying. Not only that, but they believe that she killed him, not to defend her life as she claims, but to cover up her crime. With part of the council pushing for death, Faythe will be lucky to get out of this one alive. She is granted a brief reprieve, however, when a local Bruin (were bear) appears at the meeting to make a complaint. It seems a group of Strays has been hunting in his territory and he wants them gone. When a human couple goes missing in the area, Faythe’s fellow werecats all agree that they must act fast in order to keep their existence secret. As the series continues, Vincent’s carefully constructed mythology keeps getting more and more intriguing. Just like Rogue, Pride ends with a major cliff-hanger that will have readers waiting anxiously for Prey (book four) to hit shelves later this year. 01/09 Becky Lejeune

THE PRIEST by Ken Bruen: After the tragedy that ended THE DRAMATIST, Jack Taylor has spent the last five months in a mental hospital. Now that he has recovered (?) he takes on three new cases involving a beheaded child molesting priest, a stalker, and the missing father of the girl who died while Taylor was babysitting her. This one is dark even by Bruen standards, but if you are into Bruen, its great. If not, this one won’t change your mind at all. Personally, I liked it. 01/08 Jack Quick

PRIME TIME by Hank Phillippi Ryan: Charlotte McNally is a seasoned reporter in the cutthroat world of television journalism. An apparently innocent e-mail may hold the answer to a murder, mayhem and multimillion-dollar fraud ring. Is she going to pursue the matter? You bet. Is her investigation going to lead her to a hunky guy whose appearance makes her want to overlook his apparent inability to tell the truth. Raging female hormones at 10 PM with the rest of the story. Somehow, I couldn’t get over the Harlequin imprint on the cover and take this one that seriously….. 11/07 Jack Quick

PRIME TIME by Hank Phillipi Ryan: Investigative journalist Charlotte (Charlie) McNally is not about to let her career end without a fight. After a string of Emmy awards, she’s always on the lookout for the next great story. And as a forty-something in an industry that’s so focused on youth and beauty, she knows that her talent is second-to-none, but she has to continue to prove it. When she is called to fill in last minute at the news desk, a story of a local man reported missing sparks her curiosity. Later, the man is discovered dead and his case is deemed a suicide. But Charlie is not so sure. Is it a coincidence that the man worked for a local pharmaceutical company that has recently been taken to court for dirty billing practices? And, when she discovers that the dead man tried contacting her very near the time of his death, she becomes more than convinced that something fishy is going on. Prime Time is the first title to feature spunky reporter Charlie McNally and her fellow cast of characters. The plot is great and will leave readers wanting more. 08/09 Becky Lejeune

PRIMITIVE by Mark Nykanen: Think Al Gore, with dialogue provided by Dan Brown. A “neo-primitive” cult, possessing secret government documents filled with terrifying information about global warming, kidnaps a famous fashion model and holds her hostage, forcing her to act as their spokesperson. Big government, big oil, big problems – all in this nicely done eco-thriller. Read it if you enjoy thrillers, read it and shudder if you have concerns about the future of our environment. 1/11 Jack Quick

PRINCE OF FIRE by Daniel Silva: The fifth novel featuring art restorer/Israeli agent Gabriel Allon continues the series place among the tops in spy fiction. This time Gabriel is pulled from his cover to hunt down terrorists who have bombed the Israeli embassy in Rome. The mastermind behind the bombing is French archeologist Paul Martineau, aka “Khaled, son of Sabri, grandson of Sheikh Asad. Khaled, avenger of past wrongs, sword of Palestine.” Khaled is also the adopted son of Yasir Arafat, who has sent him to exact vengeance on the enemies of Palestine and the PLO. Gabriel’s team of agents is able to track down the terrorist, but then there is a stunning twist. Gabriel’s mentor tells him “You’re the one who defends Israel against its accusers. You’re the angel of judgment – the Prince of Fire.” Hopefully there will be future missions. 01/07 Jack Quick

The Princess Bride by William Goldman, Ballantine Books: I know you think you know The Princess Bride, but I’m writing to tell you you don’t know it until you’ve read the book. I found myself with 3 hours to kill and a copy in front of me, and I’m so glad I picked it up. Bring itto the beach one sunny day and you’ll be glad you discovered it. It’s funnier than the movie, more interesting than the movie and much more lively than the movie – and I really enjoyed the movie!

PS: Where it tells you to write to Urban del Rey at Ballantine Books you ought to know that Ballantine has moved from 201 East 50th St to 1540 Broadway NY, NY 10036. I have no idea about Urban. Read the book to find out what I’m talking about!!! ~This review contributed by Ann Nappa

PRIOR BAD ACTS by Tami Hoag: Former state prosecutor Carey Moore becomes a criminal-court judge, but feels like she must be above reproach in her rulings so as to not give rise to charges of favoritism. The cops and prosecutors are sure that Karl Dahl is the one who brutally raped and murdered a mother and her two children, but Moore won’t allow Dahl’s “prior bad acts” to be admitted into evidence. Next Moore is brutally attacked and Dahl escapes. Homicide detectives Sam Kovak and Nikki Liska give chase in this first-rate thriller with a mind-blowing finish. 07/06 Jack Quick

THE PRISONER OF HEAVEN by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: In the time since The Shadow of the Wind, Daniel and Bea have married and are now parents to an infant son. The holiday season is upon them and Sempere & Sons is struggling. If their customers don’t return soon, Daniel and his father may have to make some tough decisions. But there’s good news as well, Fermin is to be married and everyone is ready to celebrate the big day. Daniel is alone in the shop one afternoon when a strange customer arrives and purchases a very rare edition of The Count of Monte Cristo. The customer informs Daniel that the book is a gift and he would like Sempere & Sons to deliver it to the recipient themselves. When Daniel realizes this is because the gift is in fact intended for Fermin, he becomes suspicious and decides to follow the man. Later, when he confronts Fermin over the issue, his friend is visibly shaken and warns Daniel to back off. Of course Daniel is reluctant to do so, believing that his friend is in trouble. When he learns the truth behind the visitor and Fermin’s past, however, Daniel discovers that his friend has been hiding some very strange secrets, one of which concerns Daniel and his family. Fans of Zafon’s work will love this return to the setting and the characters introduced in both The Shadow of the Wind and Angel’s Game. Anyone who has yet to read the prior releases should be wary, however, as it is necessary to read both books before diving into Prisoner and though Angel is technically a prequel, I’d recommend reading them in order of release: Shadow followed by Angel and then Prisoner. Word is there is one more book to come. 8/12 Becky Lejeune

PRISONER OF MEMORY by Denise Hamilton: Having tackled Southern California’s Asian and Latino communities, its time for Eve Diamond to check out the Russians. In this fifth outing, Diamond, an ambitious LA Times reporter, is checking out reports of a mountain lion in Griffith Park when she finds the dead body Dennis Lukin, teenage son of recent Russian immigrants. The mountain lion isn’t responsible unless he was armed with a 9mm Glock, but the experience quickly leads to further involvement when Mischa Tsipin, an illegal Russian immigrant running from gangsters to whom he owes money, appears claiming to be a cousin of Eve’s (her mother was Russian). It’s a regular who’s on first and I don’t know with Eve, FBI agent Thomas Clavendish, and reporter colleague, Josh Brandywine helping her solve the riddle. Not the best of plotting, but well written and enjoyable. 07/08 Jack Quick

PRIVATE WARS (QUEEN & COUNTRY) by Greg Rucka: In this sequel to A Gentleman’s Game (2004), Special Operations Officer Tara Chase is now the mother of an infant daughter. The baby’s father was killed in an unsanctioned operation for the British Secret Intelligence Service. Afterwards, Tara quits the service only to find retirement is not as easy as it looks. Paul Crocker coaxes her back into the game with a chance to vindicate herself and perhaps obtain revenge for her dead lover, Tom Wallace. Edgy and contemporary, the Tara Chase series are evocative of Adam Hall’s Quiller novels as well as the works of Len Deighton. (Faith, Hope, Charity, Hook, Line, Sinker). Let’s hope there are many more. 01/07 Jack Quick

PROBABLE CAUSE by Theresa Schwegel: Did you ever get stopped at a road construction project in the summer where the oily hot asphalt fumes also seemed to bring a fine coating of road grit that couldn’t be washed off? That’s the best way I can describe Schwegel’s writing. Its gritty. Ray Weiss didn’t join the Chicago PD to be a thief, but he quickly learns that in order to be initiated, he has to participate in a jewelry store robbery. Only when he breaks in, he finds the owner there – shot dead. From there it’s double-crosses, illegal immigration and cover-ups. Weiss’ father is a cop, but whose side is he on? Is he really helping Ray, or is he part of the problem? Not for the faint of heart. It’s hard to be sympathetic toward anyone, even the bumbling Ray who is trying to do right. 04/07 Jack Quick

THE PRODIGY by Charles Atkins: Charles Atkins is Dr. Charles Atkins, a practicing psychiatrist and Yale professor published both in Psychiatric News and Writer’s Digest along with two other novels prior to this one. Who better to take you inside the head of a dangerous sociopath with the opportunity and means to act on his every impulse. James “Jimmy” Martin IV should never have been released, but the combination of incredible wealth and a devoted twin sister, can trump even a lifetime sentence in a mental institution. The product of sadistic parents, Jimmy and his twin Ellen are cunning, ruthless, amoral and capable of just about anything. Better read with the lights on. 04/08 Jack Quick

THE PROFESSION by Stephen Pressfield: This over the top thriller takes place in 2032 after the third Iran-Iraq war which has left the region open for grabs. Oil companies, multi-national corporations and banks employ powerful, cutting-edge mercenary armies to control global chaos and protect their riches. Even nation states enlist mercenary forces to suppress internal insurrections, hunt terrorists, and do the black bag jobs necessary to maintain the new New World Order. Force Insertion is the world’s merc monopoly. Its leader is the disgraced former United States Marine General James Salter, stripped of his command by the president for nuclear saber-rattling with the Chinese and banished to the Far East. Opposing him is the novel’s narrator, Gilbert “Gent” Gentilhomme, Salter’s most loyal foot soldier and as close to him as the son Salter lost. Its a nicely done thriller although I tended to get bogged down in some of the technical details and found myself going back to re-read some sections where my focus had drifted. 08/11 Jack Quick

THE PROFESSIONAL by Robert Parker: In this 37th Spenser novel, Parker presents an interesting challenge to our Boston-based PI. Four attractive women, each married to an older rich man, have had affairs with a sexual predator calling him self Gary Eisenhower. Now Eisenhower is threatening to blackmail them and a lawyer associate of Rita Fiore has recommended Spenser to solve their problem. They want Eisenhower to go away, but they won’t press charges or testify because of the impact on their marriage and husbands’ careers. They say they don’t want him hurt (one is still seeing him, even now) and Eisenhower has indicated to Spenser that nothing short of someone killing him (Eisenhower) will stop him. Can Spenser find a non-violent solution to the dilemma or will he have to rely on Hawk’s willingness to put the matter to rest? Nice read. 12/09 Jack Quick

PROMENADE OF THE GODS by Koji Suzuki: Shirow Murakami receives a disturbing phone call late one evening from Miyuki, his best friend Matsuoka’s wife. It’s been two months since Matsuoka walked out on his family. All seemed fine with the couple, but after watching tv one Sunday evening, he just left. Miyuki has received a few phone calls, but has seen nothing of her husband since that evening. With no real education and no means to support herself but her dwindling savings, Miyuki is becoming somewhat desperate to discover what happened to her husband and Shirow is the only one she can go to for help. The two begin looking into Matsuoka’s past and they discover that this is not the first time he has run off. Shirow begins to suspect that Matsuoka may have fallen victim to some strange cult. Like Ring the main character is once again thrown into an investigation into the unknown. Fans of Suzuki’s horror might recall mention of one of the key characters and will recognize many similarities in theme. Promenade is a stand-alone, though, and is a great place for readers to begin to familiarize themselves with Suzuki’s work. 09/08 Becky Lejeune

PROMISE NOT TO TELL by Jennifer McMahon: The children of New Canaan and the surrounding areas still love to tell ghost stories about the Potato Girl. Del Griswold, aka the Potato Girl, was an unfortunate victim of circumstance. A farmer’s daughter in a family full of boys, Del suffered at the hands of schoolyard bullying. Kate Cypher never intended to become friends with the Potato Girl. Living in a nearby hippie community, Kate struggles to fit in amongst her classmates as well. Her shortcut home cuts right through the Griswold farm, though, and this is how two outsiders found each other and became best friends. Unfortunately, the friendship was short lived and Del’s murder was never solved. Kate had escaped her past and moved to Seattle but is forced to return to New Hope when her mother’s Alzheimer’s begins to threaten the safety of the few remaining members of New Hope. On the night of her arrival, a group of kids sneak up to the Griswold farm and another girl is found murdered. The scene is shockingly reminiscent to that of Del’s murder. McMahon’s powerful debut is one that will shake readers to the core. A story of childhood betrayal and the loss of innocence, Promise Not to Tell is a brilliant mystery. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

PROOF OF INTENT by Walter Sorrells: I recently learned Walter Sorrells is Lynn Abercrombie is Ruth Birmingham. Whatever the name, the result is a good tale. Charley Sloan had a bad day yesterday but today is worse. Local author Miles Dane calls him to his house in the wee hours of morning where Sloan finds the author and Dane’s dead wife. Dane tells his tale to Sloan who calls the police. Upon their arrival he proceeds, in front of Sloan, to tell the investigators a different story. So Dane is a liar? But is he a murderer? Did he kill his wife or is he trying to take advantage of the event to revive his flagging career? A different take on the ordinary whodunit and Sloan must find out the truth. It really gets dark when evidence surfaces that Dane seems to be following a script based on one of his own novels. Stay tuned for this finish. This one goes to the wire. 05/09 Jack Quick

PROOF OF PURCHASE by Richard B. Schwartz: Ex-Army Colonel Jack Grant is a sometimes private investigator and most times alcoholic who is called in to investigate the missing Cynthia Bladen, who happens to be Jack’s ex- girl friend. When Bladen’s mutilated body is found, Jack teams up with Lieutenant Diana Craig, a tough-as-nails tracker, whose razor-sharp insights and intellect give Jack a run for his money. They go from wary rivals to a relationship marked with cozy banter and growing trust. The investigation reveals ties to organized crime and Jack tries to remember if anything in his prior experience could have an effect on the case. Interesting. Hope we get to see more of Jack Grant. 03/07 Jack Quick

PROOF OF GUILT by Charles Todd: Inspector Ian Rutledge’s latest case involves the body of an unidentified man. The body, found lying in the street, seems to be the victim of an automobile accident. But there’s evidence the man had been dragged quite a way and all identifying items are missing, causing the first officer on the scene to suspect something more sinister than an accident. Rutledge discovers a unique and expensive watch on the man and is able to trace it to a pair commissioned for a local wine merchant family. The watches were gifts for brothers Michael and Lewis French, the elder of whom was killed in battle. When Rutledge attempts to call on Lewis French, he discovers the man is missing. Unfortunately, French’s sister claims the body is not her brother’s. As Rutledge continues his inquiries in an attempt to identify the dead man and now locate French, more and more questions pile up. With his superiors pushing for a resolution, Rutledge is running out of places to turn. This latest in the Rutledge series is an interesting and quick read. The plot is smart but the slew of red herrings and the abundance of investigative avenues pursued by Rutledge does border on becoming a bit too confusing by the time things begin to wrap up. The book works fine for readers who are just starting the series, but having read the earlier installments no doubt gives the reader a better handle on Rutledge himself. 2/13 Becky Lejeune

THE PROP by Pete Hautman: Peeky Kane has a most unusual job. The attractive middle aged woman works as a “prop” at a Native American owned casino near Tucson, Arizona. Whenever they need someone to fill in a shorthanded poker game, Peeky comes in earning a salary, health insurance, and any winnings she can pick up. Things are going reasonably well for Peeky until she becomes the unwitting accomplice of some crooked dealers who have come up with a new way to steal money. Hautman seems to know his gambling and keeps the action going at a good clip. The book is similar in setting to the James Swain series, but with less emphasis on mechanics and more on action. Enjoyable, even if, like me, you aren’t into Texas-Hold’em. 11/06 Jack Quick

PROPHECY by Paul Mark Tag: Its 1889, and over 2,200 people are about to perish in one of the greatest environmental disasters to befall the United States. More than 400 more people would die in the Johnstown, Pennsylvania flood than would be killed by Hurricane Katrina over one hundred years later. Minutes before the poorly maintained sporting dam above Johnstown gives way a nineteen-year old girl enters a local church and places a letter in a bottle, and secures the bottle in a safe. One hundred ten years later in 2009 the safe is unearthed. At the same time, Russian laboratory experiments would seem to confirm the contents of the letter – the author of the letter knew of the impending flood. In what could prove to be the scientific discovery of the ages, researchers uncover a rare genetic mutation that could scientifically explain the clairvoyant powers exhibited by prophets of old. Now the hunt begins for a present-day carrier who could confirm the gene’s potential. The stakes: theological chaos for the world’s religions-and the power to control the planet. Fasten your seat belts and hang on. This one has a bit of everything and Tag manages to pull all the threads together nicely. 11/07 Jack Quick

PROSPECT PARK WEST by Amy Sohn: Way too much whine and wine for me in this tale of Park Slope mommies and all their tired, trite problems like husbands who travel too much, husbands who don’t want to have sex, and husbands who cheat. Then there are the mommies who are so lonely that they condescend to semi-friendship with other mommies met on the playground, mommies who are famous actresses trying to prove they are down to earth by living in Brooklyn, mommies who are really lesbians, mommies who are bordering on psychotic yet in Sohn’s hands, somehow are also exceedingly dull. Only one of the mommies actually lives in Prospect Park West and she is desperate to move up to the Slope. This is a collection of stories about women who are too boring, too neurotic and too self centered to generate any interest in their banal, superficial lives, despite an occasional glimmer of humor or human interest. For me, this was a complete waste of time I could have spent on something more interesting, like cleaning my oven. (Note to self: if you don’t particularly care for an author’s work, like Lauren Weisberger, don’t trust their blurbs, either.) 11/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Protect and Defend by Richard North Patterson: Impeccable research and excellent writing make this novel about the political hot potato of late term abortion a riveting read. The only negative is the physical problem with this hardcover book; the spine breaks, causing the book to literally fall apart with more than one reading. I love cloth books (hardcovers) but if you want to keep this one, you’re better off with the paperback.

THE PROTECTOR by Gennita Low: Lt. Jazz Zeringue is a Navy SEAL on assignment in an unspecified foreign country working to stop terrorists from smuggling weapons. He meets Viviviene Verreau, a government agent, working to stop the same terrorists from selling women of all ages into prostitution against their will. Sparks fly between the two before they finally realize they have a common goal. Middling adventure, but not top rank. 10/08 Jack Quick

The Protector by David Morrell: This is a page-turner from the get go. Cavanaugh is a protector, one notch up from a bodyguard – a specially trained ex-government agent for hire. Daniel Prescott has invented a powerful new drug, and everyone from the drug cartels of South America to the U.S. Federal government is after him, and he hires Cavanaugh to protect him. But Prescott kills Cavanaugh’s associates and tries to take Cavanaugh out too, then takes off, and Cavanaugh goes on the hunt for Prescott. The action is non-stop in this well written and well researched book. Morrell suffered a broken collarbone researching one of the weapons used – the knife on the cover of the book. Yet another Morrell book that I could not put down – I stayed up until the middle of the night to finish it. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PULSE by Jeremy Robinson: Jack Sigler’s team, a Delta squad nicknamed Chess Team thanks to their call signs, has the week off and Sigler himself is on his way to Peru to help with private security on a friend’s archaeological dig. In Herculean mythology, Hercules killed the Hydra and buried its immortal head. Though the story has long been thought to be just that, a story, recent discoveries point to Hercules as being a real person. But if the Hercules was real, what else about his legend was real as well? The discovery in Peru is unprecedented and more than one person is convinced that the real Hydra is buried there. Manifold Genetics and its founder, Richard Ridley, believe the Hydra’s remains hold the key to regenerative properties that can be sold to the highest bidder. Their experiments in this area have so far led to disastrous and gruesome results, but the find in Peru might finally be the key. They take the site by force, but Sigler survives. Now Sigler and his team are on Manifold’s tail and they’ll stop at nothing to ensure that they bring Ridley down for good. Robinson kicks off his Jack Sigler series with a bang in Pulse. Though the story lacks some depth, the premise is interesting. Pulse makes for fun reading and pure entertainment in the book equivalent of an action movie (or video game). 04/11 Becky Lejeune

PUMPED FOR MURDER by Elaine Viets: This tenth entry in the Dead End Job Series follows a new path since Helen and Phil are married. They’ve started their own P.I. firm, Coronado Investigations, so how to get Helen in another dead end job? Easy when their first client wants to know who her husband is fooling around with. He’s been working out for hours a day at the gym, so Helen gets a job there as the receptionist to see what she can find out. Their second client, Gus, wants them to follow up on a 25 year old cold case that had ruled his brother a suicide, but Gus is convinced was murder. Then a dead bodybuilder turns up at the gym, and Helen and Phil really have their hands full trying to solve all three cases. Viets once again writes a tight story with lots of laughs amid the murder and mayhem. I couldn’t put it down. 05/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PURE by Julianna Baggott: After the detonation, the world became a very different place. Partridge, a Pure, was protected by the Dome when the detonation happened. Raised by his father, he’s expected to be one of the best and the brightest, but Partridge longs for something more. Pressia was just a child when the detonation occurred. Like those around her, she is permanently marked by the event. When Partridge escapes the Dome, it is Pressia who comes to his aid. But Partridge and Pressia are part of something much bigger than either of them can imagine. In Pure Julianna Baggott presents a nightmarish vision of the post-apocalypse. The world building alone is remarkable and sets the stage for something that promises to be huge. This is the first of a highly anticipated trilogy, one that delivers on all counts. 2/12 Becky Lejeune

Pure by Rebbecca Ray: When I was (a very wild) 14, I remember reading books about teenagers and thinking these people don’t have a clue what it’s like. I always wanted to write a book about the truth and now I don’t have to, Ray did it for me when she was 16 years old. It’s a very dark, very fast read.

PURGATORY CHASM by Steve Ulfelder: Steve Ulfelder’s initial crime fiction effort comes at a good time. With the passing of Robert Parker and Spencer, there is room for a new crime/problem solver in that portion of New England south of Archer Mayor country. And Purgatory Chasm is a pretty good first effort.
The hero of Purgatory Chasm is a competent, if itinerant, automobile mechanic named Conway Sax. He has some issues in life – he is on parole and faithfully attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. But he is an honest and likeable fellow who is potential series material.
Since this is crime fiction, Conway doesn’t always deal well with women, but that is a part of the formula. The dialog in those interactions and his internal reactions seem, well, honest and likeable.
The mystery, or problem in this case starts with his attempts to get a fellow AA-er’s car back from an auto repair shop. Pretty soon, Conway is wrestling with both law enforcement and organized crime to solve both a murder and a nice missing money problem.
I enjoyed the book. It is faithful to the genre and well-written. My only quibble is with Ulfelder’s creation of a vengeful AA group as a device to generate and move the plot along. For an accurate depiction and use of AA in crime novels, you have to look to Lawrence Block and Matthew Scudder. Ulfelder is not a Lawrence Block yet, but I hope that he keeps trying. 05/11 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

THE PURE IN HEART by Susan Hill: Once in a great while, in this uneven experience called life, everything comes together in a way that is so remarkable, so perfect, we instinctively know we’ve been given something significant to treasure. I think that is what happened for Susan Hill when she conceived her character Simon Serrailler. Now she has passed along the gift to us in THE PURE IN HEART. I admit having been skeptical about this series after reading its first book, THE VARIOUS HAUNTS OF MEN, but no longer. Serrailler is the most enigmatic, complex, fascinating man to come down the pike of British police procedurals in a long time, and well deserves comparison to PD James’ detective Adam Dalgleish.
The crime that brings the Detective Chief Inspector home from a vacation sketching in Venice is the disappearance of a nine year-old boy from Lafferton, Hill’s fictional catheral town. Serrailler sets his flawless team, headed by brash, bright Sergeant Nathan Coates, into action and keeps them motivated through a frustrating investigation. Lafferton is a small place, where the disappearance of a child touches everyone, including Simon’s family, and we readers are touched too. The best thing about THE PURE IN HEART is that all the characters are so real, you forget you’re reading a book and simply participate in their lives. And so, page by page, you realize that not all mysteries are handled in police stations, and there may be as much satisfaction in illuminating dark corners as there is in solving crimes. This book goes on my short list for best of 2007. 12/07 Dianne Day

PURGATORY CHASM by Steve Ulfelder: “Tander Phigg was an asshole, but he was also a Barnburner. Barnburners saved my life. I help them when I can. No exceptions.” The job seems simple. Conway Sax, a no-nonsense auto mechanic with a knack for solving difficult problems, has never liked obnoxious blowhard Tander Phigg. But a promise is a promise. Tander’s a Barnburner, a member of the unique Alcoholics Anonymous group that rescued Conway, and when a Barnburner has a problem, Conway takes care of it. This time the road is long and twisty and Conway learns new things about himself while re-discovering his father and helping Try Phigg, Tander’s son, learn about his own family. 1/12 Jack Quick
PURSUIT by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Rosa: Saturday Night Live once had a skit featuring a Hispanic television game show parody entitled Who is Most Macho? In this fifth Inspector Espinosa installment, the sub-title might be who is most crazy? The tale involves a psychiatrist, his family and a patient, as well as the good Inspector. The point of view is sometimes that of his doctor, of his daughter, of the patient, and occasionally, Espinosa. There is murder and revenge, which may or may not be appropriate, some chilling moments and unusual insights. Nothing in the book will enhance your opinion of the profession of psychiatry, or as the Amish would say – all are crazy, except me and thee, and I sometimes wonder about thee. It’s a love/hate book, which I liked. 01/06 Jack Quick

THE PURSUIT OF PERFECT by Tal Ben-Sharar: Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D., is the New York Times best-selling author of Happier. He taught the most popular course at Harvard University and currently teaches at the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel. He consults and lectures around the world to multinational organizations, the general public, and at-risk populations. He obtained his Ph.D. in organizational behavior and his B.A. in philosophy and psychology from Harvard. This new book should sell well as it is a straight forward easy to read self-helper with a simple proposition. The Perfectionist views life’s journey as a straight line while the Optimalist realizes it is an irregular spiral. The Perfectionist fears failure while the Optimalist uses failure as feedback. The Perfectionist is rigid, critical and defensive while the Optimalist is adaptable, forgiving, and open to suggestions. The Perfectionist focuses on the destination while the Optimalist focuses on the journey as well as the destination. Obviously Optimalists have more fun and play better with others. The good Doctor shares ways to improve you Optimalist quotient, along with specific examples and simple exercises you can do yourself. Recommended. 03/09 Jack Quick

PUTTING MAKEUP ON DEAD PEOPLE by Jen Violi: There’s no way around it. Death changes people. For Donna the change began four years ago with the death of her father. At that time, Donna withdrew from her family and friends. That’s normal. Fast forward four years to the spring of her senior year. Here, at the funeral of her classmate, she discovers she is more comfortable around dead people. Well, not so normal. Also, not the future her mother has in mind. High school graduation is a point where change cannot be avoided. While her friends receive acceptance letters from high profile colleges, Donna seeks entrance into mortuary school. With her past weighing heavily on her and a secret sure to cause unbearable strife at home, Donna seems to be stuck in neutral. In Putting Makeup on Dead People, Jen Violi provides a fresh angle on the coming of age story. She successfully weaves elements of a family struggling to move past death, the faith of a new friend, the power of reconciliation, the infatuation of first love and the classic boy-next-door to create an altogether believable tale. Sometimes destiny comes in strange packages. This one is sure to have wide young adult appeal. Of note, however, is one scene where manual stimulation is vividly depicted. 08/11 Kimberly Bower

PYRES by Derek Nikita: Lucia Moberg is 15 years old when she convinces her college professor Dad to take her to the mall. He hangs out in the bookstore while she almost gets caught stealing a CD, so she whisks him out to the car, only to witness him being shot to death in the front seat. And the chase is on, to find the truth about the Moberg family and the killer. Motorcycle outlaws and a pregnant dumb blonde with a violent boyfriend lead the cops on a not-so-merry chase, and the reader on a ride they won’t soon forget. But this is Lucia’s coming-of-age story, and it’s told very well. Nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Novel with damn good reason. 03/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PYRES by Derek Nikitas: Luc (Lucia) Moberg will always regret begging her father to take her to the mall on that horrific day. She had planned to steal cds as gifts for her friends’ upcoming birthdays, but barely manages to evade mall security and feigns sickness in order to leave. While hiding in the backseat of the car, Luc is the only witness to her father’s murder – she never saw who pulled the trigger. Now, Luc is forced to come to terms not only with the loss of her father, but her mother’s seeming inability to cope with the tragedy. Her mother attempts suicide and awakens unable to remember the past fifteen years. Unfortunately for Luc, her mother knew something about her husband’s death and the killer isn’t finished. The climactic chain of events that follows Oscar Moberg’s death will claim the lives of many before it is through. An interesting debut with three parallel stories: the Mobergs, the criminal, and the determined cop on the case. It’s a somewhat literary thriller that is both captivating and thought provoking. The pacing is insistent and the book begs to be read in one sitting. Pyres is a haunting tale about the illusion of the perfect family. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

QUANTICO by Greg Bear: It’s the not too distant future and the FBI and other assorted alphabet agencies are on the track of gene-keyed anthrax (Remember 2001?). The focus of the book is on two classmates at the FBI Training Academy. One is William Griffin, son a legendary FBI agent, who ends up following a case in which his father is almost killed. The other is Fouad Al-Husam, who ends up on super-secret missions to the Middle East. Bear does an excellent job of interweaving their stories with that of the terrorists in a very believable scenario. At the end it’s up to Griffin, Al-Husam, and veteran agent Rebecca Rose to pull the plug on this potentially devastating group. Well done. I want to go back and read his previous, Dead Lines. 05/08 Jack Quick

Quantico Rules by Gene Riehl: F.B.I. agent Puller Monk is the damaged protagonist of this first novel by a former F.B.I. agent, whose experience shines through every page. Monk is a gambler, barely managing to keep on the right side of a bad habit. He is assigned to the SPIN unit, short for Special Inquiries, and his inquiry is into a Supreme Court Judge nominee. An almost insignificant discrepancy is on her security paperwork, a missing week during her college days, but that turns into something considerably more sinister. This is a page turner for sure, but for some reason, nothing really surprised me here. A decent first effort, but I’m hoping for more in the next installment – more tension, more twists, more suspense. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

QUANTICO RULES by Gene Riehl: Puller Monk, FBI agent, compulsive gambler, and accomplished liar is head of the SPIN squad; i.e. Special Inquiries. Right now he is checking out Judge Brenda Thompson to make sure she’s squeaky clean before the confirmation hearings begin for her nomination to the Supreme Court. When a minor discrepancy shows up in Thompson’s record, Monk’s boss wants the investigation shut down. This is akin to waving a red flag in Monk’s face and away we go. Monk is a strong but believable character full of contradictions and obsessions. This could be the start of something good. 06/06 Jack Quick

QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE by Max Allan Collins: Hardcase crime number 61 brings back Quarry, the contract killer featured in, among other titles The First Quarry which detailed the start of his career and The Last Quarry which covered the ending. Not surprisingly Quarry in the Middle, set in the mid 1980’s bridges the two. The Broker is dead and Quarry has taken his files. Using them he gets hired killer’s targets to hire him to kill the killers. Still with me? So Quarry goes to Haydee’s Port, Illinois (locally known as Hades) following a fellow contract killer named Monahan who is gunning for Richard Cornell, owner of the Paddlewheel Casino. Monahan’s employer is one Jerry G, son of mob-connected Gigi Giovanni, owner of Cornell’s main competition, the less-classy Lucky Devil. So now it is up to Quarry to eliminate the Giovanni’s. Actually it is a much better read than my explanation. Try it. 11/09 Jack Quick

QUARRY’S LIST by Max Allan Collins: A thirty year old effort from Collins but still imminently readable. Quarry is a hit man. All you need to know about him is that he has a job to do and he does it, professionally – unless someone else gets him first. Reads a lot like a Mickey Spillane, or maybe just everyone is thinking about Mickey these days. Another one of this finish in one setting shoot ‘em ups. 08/06 Jack Quick

QUEEN OF BABBLE by Meg Cabot: The first in this new series for adults by Princess Diaries author, Meg Cabot, finds Lizzie Nichols in a bind. Lizzie has an awful habit – she can’t keep a secret. That’s the least of her problems when she finds herself broke and sleeping above the washing machine in her English boyfriend’s parents’ house. She quickly realizes that this relationship is not meant to be. Could it be the hideous Michael Jackson style jacket he insists on wearing? Or maybe it’s the fact that he lied about his job, lives with his parents and expects Lizzie to loan him money to pay his debts! Lizzie hops a train to France where she spills her own mortifying secrets the hottie sitting next to her. Normally, this would not be a problem. What are the chances that she’ll run into him again, right? Unfortunately, the hottie just happens to be her best friend’s boss! This hilariously sweet and cute novel is a refreshingly light and easy read. 10/06 Becky LeJeune

QUEEN OF BABBLE GETS HITCHED by Meg Cabot: Lizzie Nichols is confused, and rightly so. When we last left Lizzie at the end of Queen of Babble in the Big City she had just spent the night with Chaz, her best friend’s ex, and discovered that Luke, her own ex, was down on one knee on her doorstep. After accepting Luke’s proposal though, she begins to get nauseated and break out in hives at the thought of the actual wedding. Plus, what are all these confusing feelings she has about Chaz all of the sudden? Luke is a prince, for real, and he’s perfect. Chaz, on the other hand, has no fashion sense and has sworn off marriage. But it’s Chaz, not Luke, who remembers that Lizzie likes a glass of ice on the side with her wine and it’s Chaz, not Luke, who is there for Lizzie when she really needs him. Then Luke drops the big one on Lizzie and tells her he’s going to France for the summer. And what, does he expect her to just up and leave what with her newfound success in the New York wedding gown scene? It’s enough to drive a girl insane. Poor Lizzie, her adventures do make for some pretty amusing reading, though. I absolutely love Meg Cabot’s books, she never lets me down. They’re light and funny and they just always make you smile. 06/08 Becky Lejeune

QUEEN OF BABBLE IN THE BIG CITY by Meg Cabot: Lizzie Nichols is back. Following the events of her last tale, Queen of Babble, Lizzie has relocated to the Big Apple with her boyfriend Luke (the Prince). At first, she and her best friend Shari are supposed to find a place together but then Luke asks her to move in and Lizzie can’t help but say yes. This leaves Shari living with her boyfriend Chaz. Everything should be perfect, but it’s far from it. Lizzie is having trouble finding her dream job, restoring vintage clothing, until a neighbor turns her onto Monsieur Henri and his wedding restoration business. One problem, Lizzie is so desperate that she offers to work for free. Chaz is there to bail her out and lands Lizzie a part time job with his father’s law firm. Things are still not quite rosy for Lizzie and her pals. Chaz and Shari’s relationship is on the rocks and Lizzie thinks her boyfriend’s mother may be having an affair. She’s doing her very best to keep her mouth shut this time, the results of which are nothing short of hilarious. If you haven’t tried Cabot’s adult titles, I highly recommend them. They’re light, easy, and just plain fun. 07/07 Becky Lejeune

THE QUEEN OF PATPONG by Tim Hallinan: Hallinan’s fourth Poke Rafferty thriller focuses primarily on his wife/girlfriend Rose, who was once an innocent country girl named Kwan who was persuaded to come to Bangkok to prevent her father from selling her. There she met American Howard Horner who charmed her and led her to the dark side. Now Horner, whom Rose thought was dead, has returned to Bangkok and is stalking Rose and all who are dear to her. Hallinan paints a grim but non-judgmental picture of the life of Bangkok’s sex workers who often have to choose the least bad of all the unappealing options available to them. You sense that in some ways this may have been a painful book for Hallinan to write as it seems in some places to provide a catharsis for his hero Poke who is caught in the middle of violent emotions with potentially dire consequences and perhaps, even an end to the life he has made with Rose and adopted street daughter Mia. All in all, this one lives up to all the praise from fellow authors Gregg Hurwitz, Ken Bruen, Brett Battles, John Lescroart, Lou Berney and Jay Schwartz who blurb the book. Definitely recommended as the best Poke yet. 10/10 Jack Quick

QUEEN OF DIAMONDS by R. O. Palmer: Ngoc Soan is a Vietnamese refugee who, following in her father’s footsteps, has built a thriving diamond company in Philadelphia. She decides to defy the De Beers diamond cartel which controls the world supply, by seeking to exploit a revolutionary mining discovery – a discovery that De Beers will do anything to suppress. Other characters include a sinister Russian, a brilliant geologist, a rival tycoon and Ngoc’s own ambitious niece. Add in Paul Weeks, master of surveillance can disguise and you have the makings of a great read. Enjoyable. 02/07 Jack Quick

QUEENE OF LIGHT by Jennifer Armintrout: The world has been split. After discovering magic folk around them, humans banish them underground. Now, there is the Lightworld and the Darkworld. Lightworld, where Queene Mab and her fae court live, is home for Ayla, a half human, half faery assassin. When an assignment takes her to the Darkworld, Ayla makes what could be a fatal mistake. Her human side gives her an advantage over Malachi, an angel of death who has followed her into that realm. One touch leaves him mortal and desperate for revenge. Ayla should have killed him then, but she spared him, breaking her vow to the assassins’ guild. Broken and left by his own kind, Malachi becomes obsessed with finding Ayla and the unlikely pair become undeniably drawn to one another. Their union could mean terrible consequences, especially when Ayla is drawn into a conflict that has severe ramifications for the Lightworld and its occupants. Queene of Light is the first in a new trilogy that will appeal to readers of paranormal romance, high fantasy, and urban fantasy as well. A great and imaginative tale and the start of a story that will no doubt be amazing in scope. 09/09 Becky Lejeune

QUEENPIN by Megan Abbott: I don’t know if its noir or not, but I like it. In this short but sharp tale, the unnamed 22-year-old female narrator becomes the protégé of Gloria Denton, the hard as nails long legged collector for the mob. Gloria recognizes the same hardness in her, takes her under her wing and teaches her how to dress, move, behave and act as she begins to assist her in the pick up, transport, and distribution of payoffs and winnings. But then love or lust enters the picture in the form of smooth talking Vic Riordan. The result is inevitable and suddenly you find yourself in the middle of a tawdry ness that was there all along under the glitz and glitter. Eagerly awaiting her next book. 08/07 Jack Quick

THE QUEEN’S BASTARD by C. E. Murphy: Belinda Primrose has been raised to believe that her parents died years ago in an accident. Just before her twelfth birthday, the truth about her birth is finally revealed. Her mother is none other than Queen Lorraine and her father is the man she believed to be her uncle. She can never reveal the truth of her heritage, and she must help to ensure that her mother’s seat on the throne remains unthreatened, at all costs. After spending ten years training and acting as an assassin securing the Aulunian queen’s interests, Belinda is given a new task. She is to infiltrate the royal family of a neighboring kingdom and find out if there are plans against Lorraine. Belinda seduces the prince and discovers that they share a common bond. The two have special abilities, powers that have lain hidden in Belinda until now. With these abilities becoming more and more powerful each day, Belinda finds herself in a position of power and possibility that has remained unattainable to the bastard child. The question is whether she can overcome the evil and greed that has begun to taint her and stay loyal to her mother, or if she will be the instrument that will bring the Titian Queen down. Belinda’s dilemma is an interesting one that elicits many emotions from readers. At times she is not at all a likeable heroine, at others it is impossible not to sympathize with her. With so many aspects left to explain and a cliffhanger of an ending fantasy readers are sure to be on edge until the next installment of the story hits shelves. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

THE QUEST by Nelson Demille: In 1975, two Journalists and a photographer, covering the Ethiopian Civil war get lost in the jungle, and while bedded down for the evening meet an old priest that wanders into their camp. He is sick, dying, and advises that he just escaped from a prison where he was held prisoner for 40 years, or since the days when the Italian army came to Ethiopia to conquer the country. He relates an incredible story of having found the Holy Grail, the cup that Jesus drank from at the last supper before his crucifixion. The priest indicates that it is being held for safe keeping in a monastery in the jungle near to the site that the four are currently at. The monks, afraid that he would reveal what he has seen give him over to the army that holds him in a cell for 40 years without any communication at all. The next day, the priest passes away and the trio resolve to find the grail. Their plans are stopped when they are captured by elements of the rebel forces. Once freed they decide that they will mount an expedition to find the monastery and take the holy grail. They ally themselves with a British officer who had also been held by the rebels and all four set out to find the monastery and recover the grail. The photographer, a beautiful girl, had originally been traveling with the elder of the Journalists, and was actually his lover. Along the way the love interests change and she and the other Journalist find themselves in love. A well constructed book that covers 40 years of warfare in Ethiopia, paints a picture of a land covered with jungle, and ends with a surprise set of true events that bring the reader into a country in the midst of transition. Another memorable achievement for Demille who has never failed to keep his readers glued to the pages. 9/13 Paul Lane

A QUESTION OF BLOOD by Ian Rankin: John Rebus and his younger partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke, are trying to close the case of a withdrawn ex-soldier named Lee Herdman, who apparently shot three teenage boys at a Scottish private school, leaving two of them dead, before turning the pistol on himself. But is the case that straight forward or is there more to the story? Rebus is handicapped because of badly burned hands, an injury he insists has no connection to the burning death of a small-time crook who’d been stalking Siobhan. Like a fine wine, Rebus only gets better with age and in his 14th outing he comes very close to going over the edge and losing his police position. At 525 pages, it’s not a “short read” but it is a good one. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE QUESTORY OF ROOT KARBUNKULUS by Kamilla Read: Root Karbunkulus’s life sucks. Really. She’s fourteen and being raised by her two disgusting aunts who she’s expected to wait on hand and foot. In fact, at one point she’d all but given up on any sort of different life. All that is about to change for Root. She’s about to discover that everything she’s ever known about herself is absolutely wrong. For one, she’s not related to her yucky aunts in any way. In fact, she’s not even from this world. She hails from a world called DréAmm and she and just over one hundred other kids are about to embark on a treasure quest that will change their lives forever. This is just the beginning, though. First in an ambitious new series, Questory will appeal to young Harry Potter and fantasy fans everywhere. Parents will get a kick out of reading it, but I’m not sure if it will have the same universal appeal as HP. We’ll just have to see. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

THE QUICKIE by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge: Okay, I admit I picked this one this up based on the title and the fact that Patterson’s output is like potato chips – not necessarily satisfying, but still hard to resist picking one up on occasion. This one is quite simple. NYPD cop Lauren Stillwell decides to exact revenge on her husband after seeing him leaving a hotel with another woman. However, in the process she witnesses a shocking crime. Now it’s not only her marriage that’s in jeopardy but also her job and perhaps even her life. A quickie read, hardly more than a couple of beers, and oh, could you pass me over that bowl of potato chips. 08/07 Jack Quick

A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS by R.J. Ellory: This literary mystery and coming-of-age tale is an absolutely amazing read. Eleven-year-old Joseph Vaughan could have lived out an unassuming life in his small rural Georgia town. But over the years, Joseph faced events that many would never experience; events that shaped his life in unexpected ways. It is 1939 when his father dies. Joseph, a bright student, is encouraged by both his mother and his teacher to develop his promising writing skills. When a girl in his class is kidnapped and murdered, Joseph takes a special interest, collecting facts about the murder and even forming his own band of Guardians to track the killer. As more girls are found, Joseph becomes entangled in the case, eventually discovering one of the bodies himself. For decades, the girls would haunt him, until he is faced once again with the death of someone close to him, someone whose murder resembles those of so long ago. Joseph’s pursuit of the truth sends him down a path that will change him forever. As he struggles with growing up, with prison, and even with fame, Joseph never forgets the murders that plagued his hometown or the body that he found. Ellory’s American debut is a brilliant read—enthralling and lyrical prose paired with a smart mystery that will literally leave you guessing until the very last page. 09/09 Becky Lejeune

A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS by R.J. Ellory: Whenever a grandchild is misbehaving, sweet wife also asks – Where is the parent? With this American debut from British author Ellory, the question is where is the editor? The plot is fairly straightforward. . In 1939, in rural Augusta Falls, Ga., someone brutally rapes and murders a classmate of 12-year-old Joseph Vaughn, the first in what will become more than 30 similar crimes over decades. Vaughan gathers together a group of local boys and forms the Guardians in the hope of preventing more attacks, but the failure of the group eventually drives Vaughan to Brooklyn, where he gets caught up in another murder linked to the killings back home. The problem is the basic story tends get lost in the subplots and among the huge cast of characters Ellroy has included. Bottom line – well written, but poorly edited. 08/10 Jack Quick

QUINCANNON’S GAME by Bill Pronzini: Former Secret Service agent turned detective John Quincannon is featured in this collection of four short stories. The first, involves a serial burglar, and the others feature a fraudulent rainmaker, a bogus psychic, and a couple of con artists. Combining two genres–detective story and western, in this case–is always tricky but Pronzini, a veteran of both, blends the two seamlessly but isn’t that what you would expect? 04/06 Jack Quick

THE RACE by Richard North Patterson: A war hero is seeking the Republican nomination for President in this timely, fast-paced yarn. Republican Senator Corey Grace leans to the left – he’s pro choice, stem cell research and gay marriage – and he’s one of the top three contenders for his party’s nomination. His competitors are favorite son Senator Rob Marotta, who will pander to anyone and do anything to get the nomination, and the Reverend Bob Christy, a right wing preacher with a national following. Grace has a few other stumbling blocks as well: he votes his conscience instead of along the party line, and even worse, he’s divorced and dating a beautiful, famous African-American actress. This is a well researched, in-depth look at the voting process in America, examining the unbridled lust for power of a right wing media magnate and a power-crazed lobbyist looking for complete hegemony by seating the next president. A three way tie at the national convention leads to a fairy-tale ending, but it’s the wild ride to get there that’s so much fun. 11/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2007 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THE RACE by Richard North Patterson: What a perfect read to start on Super-Duper Tuesday. Across the top of my ARC is the question CAN AN HONEST MAN BECOME PRESIDENT? Unfortunately, I think we all know the answer to that. Anyway, in the book, Corey Grace, former decorated Gulf War Air Force pilot and current Senator from Ohio is in a fierce presidential primary battle with the party establishment favorite, and a charismatic leader of Conservative Christians. Sound familiar, so far? Grace’s dalliance with African-American movie star Lexie Hart is a complicating factor. THE RACE has it all – racism, terrorism, religious fundamentalism, gay rights, and powerful media monopolies with their own agenda. Grace must endure betrayal, excruciating moral choices, and secrets that can destroy lives only to arrive at a deadlocked party convention where he must choose between Lexie and his presidential ambitions. With his fifteenth novel, Patterson has definitely raised the bar, and produced a must read for anyone into this year’s US Presidential politics. 02/08 Jack Quick

THE RACKETEER by John Grisham: One of the key ingredients of a Grisham book is the author’s ability to immediately capture the reader and involve him or her in the proceedings. The Racketeer is no different than any of his others have been. There is the need to look askance at a less than believable plot, but in spite of the necessity to accept non logical events it is a captivating read. Malcolm Bannister is an attorney caught up in a crime in which his physical presence causes him to be found guilty and sent to prison for 10 years. It looks like in spite of his innocence he will have to serve the sentence and leave prison with his life ruined by the Federal government, his wife divorcing him, and no way to earn a living as a practicing lawyer. In the fifth year of his sentence, Raymond Fawcett, a Federal Judge, and his girlfriend are killed and the safe in the Judge’s house found open and emptied. Malcolm knows who did it and negotiates with the government for his release and entrance into the witness protection program in return for information leading to the killer. With the negotiation successful and ensuing events unfolding Grisham spins a tangled web with twists and turns that keep the reader going on with the book. Predicting the ending is almost impossible, but within the realm of what is happening is logical, and rewarding. Like his other books, The Racketeer is not easy to put down, and it is possible for the reader to go along with the considerably less than logical sequence of events. 11/12 Paul Lane

THE RADLEYS by Matt Haig: It’s true that parents sometimes lie to their kids. They lie to protect them. And Helen and Peter have been lying to protect their children all their lives. Rowan and Clara have no idea that the real reason for their sensitivity to light and allergy to garlic are anything other than what their parents have always told them. But when Clara decides to forgo meat, in an attempt to get animals to like her better (they truly despise her and she’s not sure why), it kicks off a chain of events forcing Helen and Peter to finally reveal the Radleys’ long-hidden secret: they’re vampires. As abstainers, Helen and Peter have made a nice life for themselves and their children, but it’s all about to fall apart. Though they’re bloodsuckers, the Radleys deal with all the same problems any family drama would tackle, but with a delightful paranormal twist. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Haig’s quirky style and his fantastic characters. 1/11 Becky Lejeune

Rag Man by Pete Hautman: Serio-comic novel that takes a business partnership gone bad to a new dimension. Throw in ethical and moral dilemmas and the age old question of good versus evil and there you have this quick, funny read.

THE RAGE by Gene Kerrigan: Welcome to Dublin, where the economy has tanked and violence has surged. Vincent Naylor walks out of prison and right back into the same business that landed him there; armed robbery. Working with his dimmer brother Noel and some friends, they kidnap an armored truck driver to learn how the system works, setting up for their biggest score yet. Detective Sergeant Bob Tidey is working the murder of an investment banker and contemplating perjuring himself in an upcoming trial when he gets a tip from an old nun that a strange car has been parked on her street for some time. That car turns out to be the getaway car, and that phone call changes lives when two of the men involved in the robbery are killed in the street. Vincent Naylor takes off on a violent revenge spree, and Tidey can’t help but reexamine his own life. The sparse writing exemplifies Irish crime fiction while at the same time adds an additional dimension to the story. Winner of the Gold Dagger award for best crime novel of the year, fans of Ken Bruen, Declan Hughes and Declan Burke won’t want to miss this one. 2/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

RAGE AGAINST THE DYING by Becky Masterman: Brigid Quinn is a retired FBI agent who gave her all to the bureau until she was forced out over shooting an unarmed man. She spent her career undercover, working on sexual predator cases, and trained her protégé, Jessica, to follow in her footsteps. Jessica went missing while working on a serial killer case and Brigid never really recovered from the loss. Several years later she is happily married and living an idyllic life in Tucson, when she learns that there has been an arrest in the case, but the new agent working it, Laura Coleman, thinks it is a false confession. When Coleman disappears and the Bureau doesn’t seem to notice, Brigid finds herself in the thick of things once again, only this time she is worried about losing another agent, her husband and her new found happiness. Brigid is a marvelous, well-developed character and her skills are fearsome for an old broad. Although she sometimes takes things too far, stretching the bounds of credulity, it is worth the suspension of disbelief to hang with her. Fans of Lisa Gardner and Tess Gerritsen will love this book. 3/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

RAIN GODS by James Lee Burke: With apologies to all my author friends, but if there is a better book published this year, I doubt I will be able to stand it. Thirty eight years after Burke’s 1971 Lay Down My Sword and Shield, he brings back Hackberry Holland, former defense attorney, Texas congressional candidate, maverick alcoholic, ACLU staffer and now small town sheriff. His beloved wife Rie is dead of uterine cancer, his twin boys have left home and he is left to deal with life. Holland gets involved with former New Orleans bad guys relocated after Katrina. His experiences as a POW survivor in Korea have enabled him to continue to function after discovering the burial site of nine massacred Thai women, a crime that brings FBI and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials running. Preacher Jack Collins has been called in to dispose of Pete Flores and his girl friend (Pete is a possible witness to the massacre). The FBI wants to us them for bait and Holland must try to save their lives. Lowlifes, strong female characters, violence, a battle of wills and wits, but most of all lyrical writing that may be the best ever from even such a master as Burke. From the opening sentence – “On the burnt-out end of a July day in Southwest Texas, in a crossroads community whose only economic importance has depended upon its relationship to a roach paste factory the EPA had shut down twenty years before, a young man driving a car without window glass stopped by an abandoned blue-and-white stucco filling station that has once sold Pure gas during the Depression and was now home to bats and clusters of tumbleweed.” – to further observations like describing the actions of a local bootlegger – “Ouzel tries to keep it simple. No tax stamps or labels to create undue paperwork.” – this is writing that transcends any genre pre-conceptions. 08/09 Jack Quick

RAINSHADOW ROAD by Lisa Kleypas: This was my first Kleypas book and now I’m a fan. This is the first book of a new trilogy with a touch of magic. Not the clichéd magic of getting lost in a good book or the magic of love, but rather the two main characters each have a magical gift. The logical part of my brain usually says no no no you’re not going to like that, but I my emotional side says that if it’s done well, that I really do enjoy it. I loved the magic in Gabaldon’s Outlander series and Morgenstern’s Night Circus and in Ivey’s The Snow Child and now here in Rainshadow Road. I haven’t read enough romance to know a whole lot about the genre, but one of my co-workers is a huge romance reader and we have talked at length about the genre. I am used to series books in mystery and thrillers where the same characters appear in each book and carry a different crime story. But in romance, that doesn’t usually happen. Romance, by definition, has to have a happy ending, usually culminating in the marriage of the main protagonists, so unless they repeatedly break up and get back together, I couldn’t understand how a romance series would work. My co-worker explained, and Kleypas illustrates here, exactly how it works. There is a minor character in this book that will be the main character in the next. The first chapter of the next book is in the back of this one so once I read that, I understood immediately. This book is about a woman who is dumped by the boyfriend that she’s been living with for 2 years because he has fallen in love with her sister. Heartbreak ensues until she meets the local vineyard owner. She knows she is not ready for another relationship and he insists that makes him perfect because he is a total commitment-phobe. The characters are likeable, the story is compelling, and I really enjoyed this contemporary romance. In fact I can’t wait for the next book in the “Friday Harbor” trilogy. 4/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RAISING ATLANTIS by Thomas Greanias: Archaeologist Dr. Conrad Yeats, the son of a US astronaut, is apprehended by U.S. Special Forces in Peru and sent to Antarctica, where a glacial earthquake has exposed a mysterious monument older than the Earth itself. In Rome, the Pope summons environmental activist Dr. Serena Serghetti to the Vatican…and reveals a terrifying vision of apocalyptic disaster. She too, is dispatched to Antarctica. In space, a weather satellite reveals four massive storms forming around the South Pole…and three U.S. spy satellites disappear from orbit. Are these the end times, when the legends of a lost civilization and the prophecies of the world’s great religions come together to lead one man and one woman on the ultimate voyage, a journey to the center of time, as awe-inspiring as the dawn of man–and as inevitable as doomsday. Nicely done thriller obviously over the top but with solid roots. I am looking forward to the second and third volumes in this series. 03/10 Jack Quick

THE RANGER by Ace Atkins: Quinn Colson is no Jack Reacher, but he is a Ranger “You a Ranger?” Keith asked. Quinn nodded. “Goddam”, Keith said, “I saw two Rangers get into a bar fight one time in Memphis, and they done beat up the bouncer and two cops. Took about a dozen men to control them, and they was still fighting. Y’all are crazy as shit.” Northeast Mississippi retains its reputation for wildness dating all the way back to the War between the States, but its different when Quinn returns from his latest tour in Afghanistan. He comes home for the funeral of his uncle, the county sheriff. He is told that his uncle’s death was suicide but Quinn quickly learns it wasn’t necessarily the old man’s gun that killed him, but rather his poking around into the local meth and marijuana manufacturing and selling that ultimately ended up in the shot into his face. Nicely done and will be pleasing to all those who enjoy Lee Childs and James Lee Burke. Atkins grows stronger with each outing. 06/11 Jack Quick

THE RAPTURE by Liz Jensen: Gabrielle Fox is an art therapist who has survived a terrible accident. But it’s come at a cost: the accident claimed the life of her lover, and Gabrielle herself has been left paralyzed from the waist down. Wheelchair-bound and determined to return to work in spite of her superiors’ recommendations otherwise, she takes a post at an asylum for adolescents. Here she meets Bethany Krall, a 16-year-old who stabbed her mother to death with a screwdriver. Bethany’s treatment involves electrotherapy—the only thing that seems to bring her back to reality—but one side effect of the therapy is the delusion that she can see terrible events around the globe before they occur. Gabrielle’s whole world is turned upside down when she comes to believe that Bethany does in fact have the ability to predict these events. But who will believe Gabrielle and is there anything that can be done to prepare people for what is to come? The Rapture is a dark thriller with an apocalyptic view of our effects on the world. It’s also a very smart read with a well-thought-out plot. Definitely a book that stands out amongst the crowd. 08/09 Becky Lejeune

THE RASNER EFFECT by Mark Rosendorf: Ever ask a Mainer for directions and he says “Ya can’t get there from here.” That phrase would seem to define Rick Rasner. Rasner is a therapist at the Brookhill Children’s Psychiatric Residence, a retro type facility for troubled urban teens run by an oppressive director named Katherine Miller who bullies staff and patients on an equal opportunity basis. Rasner’s path to this position was set years ago when he barely survived a terrorist attack on a New York City bridge which left his car destroyed, his family killed, and his own near death experience (he flat-lined multiple times enroute to treatment). The trauma left him with virtually no memory although his communications skills were not affected. The attack also derailed the career of mercenary Jake Scarberry who was deemed responsible for not stopping the attack. Now the Duke Organization which caused the initial explosion has resurfaced, putting Rick Rasner and Jake in mortal danger. Also at risk is Clara Blue, one of Rick’s patients with whom he has developed a close relationship. Complex but exciting, this is a thriller that will leave you wondering who is good and who is evil, and who should win. 12/09 Jack Quick

RATLINES by Stuart Neville: World War II has been over for 17 years but Irishman Lieutenant Albert Ryan of the Directorate of Intelligence, who fought for Britain in the War is pulled back into the fray. Ireland is preparing for a visit from President John F. Kennedy to the land of his ancestors and three foreigners have been murdered. It turns out all three of the dead men were Nazis granted asylum by the Irish government in the years following World War II. Minister for Justice Charles Haughey wants the killing to end to maintain this shameful secret. When Ryan closes in on the killers, his loyalty is torn between country and conscience. Why must he protect the very people he fought against twenty years before? Interesting and authentic. 1/13 Jack Quick

THE RATS by James Herbert: The war has long since ended but London still bears the scars of the battle. The East End is by no means the posh urban setting that London is famous for. No, the East End is where the downtrodden and poor live. The East End is where the rats first appear, swarming up from the underground and attacking people in the subway, hiding in the trash heaps and killing innocent bystanders, plaguing the poorest part of the city – the part no one cares about. Harris cares, though. He grew up in the East End and when the rats attack one of his students, and later the school where he teaches, he knows he must step in and help. Originally published in 1974, The Rats marked the beginning of James Herbert’s career as a published author. For over three decades the “British Stephen King” has been scaring the pants off readers with his gory and violent tales. This is the book that started it all. Herbert should be on every horror fan’s reading list if he isn’t already. The Rats is still in print and available in the US and is the first in a trilogy, followed by Lair and Domain. The Rats is essentially a creature feature with a social message that is still very relevant today. 11/08 Becky Lejeune

RAVENOUS by Ray Garton: The town of Big Rock has some big problems. A serial rapist has been stalking women in town, and now it looks as though Emily Crane, the receptionist at the local sheriff’s office, has become the latest victim. The thing about it is Emily’s description of her attacker is vastly different from the other rape reports. Emily did manage to stab her attacker before she passed out, but Sheriff Farrell Hurley has just witnessed the body walking out of the coroner’s office. Minutes later, one of his deputies is ripped apart in what seems to be an animal attack. Two more bodies are discovered, torn to pieces like the deputy, when a stranger appears and tells Hurley that he has a werewolf infestation on his hands. Of course the sheriff doesn’t believe it, and things are made worse when the stranger tells him that it spreads like a virus and is transmitted through sex. Hurley and his men must get the outbreak under control before it spreads too far. It’s an interesting twist on the classic werewolf mythology. Garton’s style is reminiscent of the campy horror films we all love – lots of gratuitous gore and violence, and a killer ending. Werewolves haven’t seen this much action since the 80s. 04/08 Becky Lejeune

RAVENS by George Dawes Green: Childhood friends Romeo and Shaw have a plan that is finally going to get them to the big times. While passing through Georgia on their way to Florida, Shaw overhears news of a recent big-ticket lottery win. He is able to find out who the winning family is and hatches a scheme that will make both he and Romeo rich beyond their wildest dreams. There’s just one catch: the winning family has to be completely compliant in the plan. To do this, Shaw puts his friend in the role of enforcer and hit man, something the somewhat sweet-tempered Romeo is having a little trouble swallowing. But Romeo is willing to do anything for his friend. Soon, Shaw has a slew of people under his spell, and even the family themselves have started to fall for it. But in this kind of story, things can’t possibly end well. Or could they? George Dawes Green throws readers a curveball that they may or may not see coming. Either way, this is the kind of story that drags you along for the ride—before you know it you’re totally sucked in. 07/09 Becky Lejeune

RAZOR GIRL by Marianne Mancusi: Molly Anderson wanted nothing more than to be a normal teen with normal parents. Unfortunately, her father had other plans. A brilliant scientist who was once contracted by the US government to create an army of super-soldiers, Molly’s father knows all too well that the end is near. Molly is to be his most perfect creation – cybernetically enhanced and trained to survive the coming apocalypse. Six years have passed since Molly and her mother entered the underground bunker that her father had prepared for them. Six years without contact with anyone other than each other. Six years with no news from the outside. Molly emerges, alone, to discover that although the scenery has changed little, the people are all gone, turned into zombies or killed by the virus that had just started to break out when she went into hiding. She joins a small band of survivors and sets off to find her father, sure that he has survived and that he can help them to start anew. A post-apocalyptic/futuristic romance with zombies. It just doesn’t get much better. Light-cyberpunk with inspiration drawn from William Gibson, Razor Girl is great for readers who are looking for something a little different in the romance world. 08/08 Becky Lejeune

THE REACH by Nate Kenyon: Psychology major Jess Chambers is top her class and has been pegged for a special project by her professor and mentor, Dr. Shelley. It seems Shelley is guardian of a very special little girl, a girl who until now has been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Strange considering the girl was diagnosed such at just six years of age and schizophrenia usually begins to show around puberty. The girl has become unresponsive, almost catatonic even, and the doctors think that a new face may be just the thing to bring her back to reality. Jess agrees and instantly can see that there is something much more going on with this case than her superiors are willing to share. As Jess grows to know the girl, she can tell that there is something terribly wrong with what she’s been told. Meanwhile, scientists have also come to notice the young girl and hope to cash in on a new drug designed to enhance powers that have manifested in the child. These powers are beyond Jess’s belief, but she will have to open herself to their possibility in order to help the girl as best she can. Kenyon’s second release is an extremely satisfying horror read that’s already earning him comparison to Stephen King himself. The story is certainly reminiscent of classics like Carrie and Firestarter, but I believe Kenyon has a voice and style that are all his own, both of which will place him firmly at the top of any horror fan’s must read. 12/08 Becky Lejeune

READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline: In 2040, James Halliday, creator of OASIS—a hugely successful, multi-player, online game environment—passed away, leaving no heirs. Instead, his last will and testament stated that he’d hidden three keys and three gates within OASIS that would lead to the ultimate Easter egg. The first player to find the egg would inherit all of Halliday’s wealth and control over OASIS. For five years, gamers searched the online world high and low for clues, trying to unlock the hints left hidden inside the games, videos, music, and tv shows of Halliday’s youth. Five years and not one name appeared on the scoreboard. Until eighteen-year-old Wade Watts finds the first key and unlocks the first gate. The race is on and some of the players are willing to use any means necessary to win. Ready Player One is a futuristic video game quest in the spirit of all past video game quests, with references to most of them as well. But you don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate it. Cline’s debut is excellent fun and an ‘80s child like me truly appreciated all the pop culture references of the era. 08/11 Becky Lejeune

REAPERS by Frederick Ramsey: The World Cup competition in South Africa earlier this year is the background for this somewhat rambling effort, in which Sanderson, the Game Ranger in the Chobe National Park, finds a body. She and Inspector Kgabo Modise find evidence of local bribery, then smuggling, and finally what could well provoke an international incident. With Americans, North Koreans, Arabs, French, Chinese, and Russians all scattered among the various lodges and hotels in the country before, during and after the games, the potential for disaster is enormous. Included at no extra charge are various side excursions into the lives of silverback mountain gorillas, peace organizations that believe they will purify the continent, rid it of drought, poverty, and HIV/AIDs, as well as bloody war lords fighting the seemingly endless civil wars that plague the region. Can someone use their vuvuzela to summon an editor? 09/10 Jack Quick

REBEL ISLAND by Rick Riordan: Tres Navarre and his new bride are honeymooning on Re bel Island, a place Tres and his family visited when he was growing up. Newly married but with a baby on the way very soon, Tres is dismayed to find himself in the middle of a hurricane, stranded on the island, with the possibility of a serial killer on the loose. A reminder of the past shows up in the form of a corpse shot dead in room 12. As more guests die, it is up to Tres to sort out the reasons and relate them to the summer that changed everything in his life. A summer he could never forget but never entirely remember either. This series just keeps getting better and better. 12/08 Jack Quick

RECKLESS by Andrew Gross: A family is brutally murdered in Greenwich, Connecticut which starts off a chain of events that sometimes mirror the headlines. Money managers gone off the deep end, old banking companies collapsing and international terrorists take center stage in this fast paced financial thriller, the latest from James Patterson’s protégé. Ty Hauck returns as his former lover is one of the family members murdered in Greenwich. The local cops think it’s a robbery gone bad, but Hauck has his own suspicions. Gross gives just enough finance information to make the story plausible but not enough to slow down the action. Interesting characters and a tight, twisty plot make this a gripping read – the protégé has surpassed his master. 05/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
RECKLESS by Andrew Gross: Ty Hauck started with NYPD and then became chief of detectives at Greenwich, Connecticut, before leaving to become an investigator for a world-wide security firm. He is stunned to learn that a former lover, who still lives in Greenwich has been murdered, along with Mark Glassman, the chief equities trader at a top investment bank. On the surface it looks like a burglary gone bad. Hauck has the motivation and the expertise to connect the dots on the case which is the tip of a global terrorist conspiracy, with global financial implications. Do the phrases “too big to fail” and “collapse of the US banking system” sound familiar? Once again the ex James Patterson co-author scores with a book that no less an authority than Lee Child calls a automatic must read. The best one yet. 05/10 Jack Quick

RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA by Kimberly McCreight: Kate’s a high powered corporate lawyer in Manhattan, and a single mother to Amelia, her overachieving daughter. During an important meeting, Kate is summoned to Grace Hall, the prestigious private school Amelia attends near their home in Brooklyn. Kate runs to her daughter, but arrives too late; accused on cheating on her English paper, it seems that Amelia has leapt to her death, scrawling “sorry” on the rooftop wall. Kate is devastated and confused, but she accepts the detective’s word and tries to move on with her life, until she receives a text message that says “she didn’t jump.” Kate demands answers from the police, but the detective assigned to the case has suddenly resigned, but fortunately the new detective isn’t happy with the case file and agrees to investigate further. Kate delves into her teenage daughter’s life, her computer, cell phone texts, and her friends, only to learn that she didn’t know Amelia as well as she thought she did. This is a heartbreaking story but it is told well, with lots of curveballs thrown in. McCreight’s first novel is as polished as a pro’s – this is an author to watch. 8/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA by Kimberly McCreight: Shock cannot begin to describe how Kate Baron feels when she learns that her teenage daughter has died in an apparent suicide. Just a short time before it happened, Kate received a call asking her to pick up her daughter from school. Amelia had been caught cheating and was to be suspended. Cheating—and suicide—were so against everything she knew about her daughter. In the weeks after the funeral, Kate forces herself to face facts. But when she receives a text simply stating, “She didn’t jump,” Kate knows there has to be more to the story. She quickly learns that Amelia was hiding things, but was it enough to push her to kill herself? Reconstructing Amelia is a tense and suspenseful read, a thriller of the highest order. Chapters alternate between Kate present day and Amelia in the months leading up to her death, with texts, Facebook updates, and posts from the unofficial Grace Hall gossip blog, gRaCeFULLY. Don’t plan to start this one late in the evening unless you’re prepared to read through to the very end. You won’t be able to put it down. 5/13 Becky Lejeune

RED CAT by Peter Spiegelman: I was sucked in by the cover; it’s dark and sexy, and fortunately, so is the novel behind the cover. John March is a private investigator, former cop, and a work-driven loner in New York City. His über-successful brother David comes to him for help because an affair with a woman he met on the Internet has turned from torrid to terrible – he’s tried to end it and she’s threatening to tell his wife and his boss. Problem is, all David knows about her is her screenname; Wren. John starts investigating when an unidentified woman’s body with a tattoo of a red cat on her leg is found in the river, and David looks good as the prime suspect in her murder. Turns out Wren isn’t really a blackmailer; she’s making performance art videos, secretly filming men she has affairs with – or is it porn? Either way there are lots of suspects and more twists than kinks in this provocative noir thriller. 03/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RED CHAMELEON by Stuart Kaminsky: Chief Inspector Rostnikov has offended the powers that be by applying for an exit visa. Now he is reduced to investigating “minor” crimes like the shooting death of an old Jew and theft of a brass candlestick. Rostnikov, along with Emil Karpo and Sacha Tkach could be the heart of the 87th precinct – in Moscow. At night Rostnikov reads a chapter of an 87th Precinct novel because of his admiration of Carella and the other guys. During the daytime he proves their equal in solving crimes, no matter who wants them solved or left unsolved. Another excellent police procedural. 12/05 Jack Quick.

RED FLAGS by Juris Jurjevics: Red Flags is one of the better books about the war in Vietnam, and in my humble opinion ranks up there with Nelson De Mille’s Up Country as novels of that war. Red Flags is not strictly speaking a book about battle but carries an accurate picture of a war since it was written by a veteran and participant in the combat. Mr Jurjevics indicates in a postscript that the book basically tells the truth about conditions and probably is so since he served in the area and during the time described. The principal character, Erik Rider, is an officer in the US army tasked with interdicting an out of control marijuana trade which is supplying funds to the Viet Cong and hence buying arms to use against the Americans. Rider discovers that an officer in the Vietnamese army is actually protecting the marijuana crops while he is supposed to act as liaison with the Americans. The officer both siphons off money for himself as well as getting weapons for the Viet Cong. Said officer is, of course, becoming a millionaire and due to this is preventing any action against the people that control the crops. The same officer is also preventing aid from reaching the Montagnard tribes who are allies to the Americans due to centuries of their own conflicts with the North Vietnamese.
Erik meets with corruption everywhere in attempting to carry out his mission and the destroy the marijuana crops. The ending is realistic, not particularly satisfying, but does supply a bit of justice for the reader, and probably did happen. War is never just two sides fighting each other, but always carries unintended consequences such as enrichment for individuals via consorting with the enemy. Jurjevics seems to tell it like it was with our soldiers fighting the enemy as well as the corruption rampant with those ostensibly on our side. 11/11 Paul Lane

RED FLASH by Kiva Wolfe: Diamonds and gemstones, the Russian Mafia, Brazilian criminals, murder, obsession, betrayal, exotic locations, sex, mayhem and double crosses. It all starts when a former triathlete finds out that the Russian Mafia caused his nephew’s death and that his older brother is involved with that same group in a gem smuggling scheme. Then it gets interesting. Everyone wants the gems, some badly enough to kill for them. Who will succeed and who will merely survive? When the stakes are this high the rules are merely an inconvenience. Interesting first effort. 02/06 Jack Quick

RED-HEADED STEPCHILD by Jaye Wells: This first in a new urban fantasy series featuring a half mage, half vampire assassin is great fun. Sabina Kane would have been a high-born vamp if her bloodline had been pure. As such, she is relegated to wet work on behalf of her grandmother, the Alpha and leader of the Domina, those who rule the vampire race. Sabine would like nothing more than to prove her loyalty and capability to her grandmother and finally earn the respect she deserves. This is why she accepts a job that sends her straight into an enemy’s camp, posing as a disgruntled vamp with vengeance on her mind. This group, led by the charismatic Clovis Trakiya, a half vamp himself, says that their goal is to unite the supernatural races, but Clovis’s own personal vendetta is against the Domina itself. This assignment will truly test Sabina in ways that she could never prepare for and will force her to face the truth about her birth for the very first time. I am very much looking forward to continuing this series. Wells’s unique spin on her subject and the questions left open about Sabina’s heritage are going to make this a stand-out series in the genre. 04/09 Becky Lejeune

RED HILL by Jamie McGuire: It’s Scarlet’s ex’s weekend with the kids when the world comes to an end. Sure, Scarlet and everyone else heard the news reports that morning but none of them really expected a world wide zombie epidemic was heading their way. When the patients at work begin attacking Scarlet knows it’s time to get the heck out of dodge. She’s headed for a secluded ranch owned by one of her colleagues. She and her friends always joked it would be the perfect place to survive the apocalypse, but first she has to get her kids. Problem is, the town is cut off and armed guards are patrolling every way in. Scarlet’s only hope is that her daughters will remember how to get to the ranch and that her ex can protect them long enough to get them there. Jamie McGuire’s zompiepocalypse survival horror is super fantastic. Scarlet shares center stage with two other characters: Nathan, a newly single (as of the morning of the zombie outbreak) dad trying to protect his eight-year-old daughter, and Miranda, a college girl traveling with her sister and their two boyfriends. The stories intersect at various points and eventually connect. This interplay between the characters and their struggles is really interesting and makes what would otherwise be a typical zombie outbreak book a bit of a stand out for me. 10/13 Becky Lejeune

RED HOOK by Gabriel Cohen: I think a good author is one who can take a fairly ordinary plot and bring it to life such that you feel you are part of the story. Detective Jack Leightner is investigating the murder of a young Dominican, Tomas Berrios, found stabbed to death with concrete blocks tied to his legs. His killers were apparently interrupted as they were planning to drop him into the river. Leightner becomes obsessed with the case, which happened in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn where he was born. Leightner has to deal with memories of his father, his dead brother, his failed marriage, and the son from whom he is estranged. Not that much of a mystery, but a good police procedural with characterizations that are uncanny. A first effort, and definitely recommended. 01/08 Jack Quick

RED SEA by Emily Benedek: Three international flights, each from different airlines and leaving from different countries, have been brought down over water in one afternoon. Although none of the flights were leaving from or headed to Israel, it is decided that a threat to the country’s security is an undeniable possibility that warrants their participation in the investigation. Julian Granot, a former commander in the Israeli Special Forces, is brought in as part of the investigating team. Granot’s inquiries soon lead him to a promising American journalist with some interesting theories concerning airline security. Marie Petersen’s curiosity is piqued when Granot suggests that they team up on the search and trade information. He leads her to a shop in England that repairs video machines on planes. Then, an innocuous observation on Marie’s part leads Granot to a possible lead. It appears that a man Granot has come up against in the past paid a visit to the shop just days before the crashes occurred. He visited again on the evening that Marie interviewed the owners of the shop. Then another plane goes down and Granot is convinced that this man could be the mastermind behind the terrorist plot. Shockingly enough, this story’s inspiration lies in actual interviews conducted by Benedek who easily transitions from journalist to novelist with Red Sea. Benedek’s superb debut promises to place her at the top of the thriller genre as firm competition for the likes of Stephen Coonts and Nelson DeMille. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

RED RAIN by Michael Crow: Luther Ewing’s genes, from his African-American Marine Sergeant father and French-Vietnamese mother, give him the appearance of an American Indian. In the Army, they called him “Cheyenne.” Now an Army Special Forces veteran with a steel plate in his head, he is a detective with the Baltimore County Police Department, with a reputation as a quiet competent narcotics cop. Here he is called “5-0” after the popular television show. Then his past comes back to haunt him when he hears about a Russian named “Vaseline.” Could this be Vassily, his mentor and nemesis whose wartime skills and abilities match those of Ewing? Now Ewing must revert to being “Shooter,” Vassily’s name for him when the CIA recruited them both to fight against the Serbs in Sarajevo. It was there that Ewing perfected his skills as a sniper before being shot in the head and almost killed. An edgier Jack Reacher type in his first outing. Recommended. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

RED SEA by Emily Benedek: This underwhelming fiction debut from journalist Benedek. opens with the downing of three commercial jets, which results in the deaths of 723 people and plunges the world into a 9/11-like panic. Recently retired Israeli secret agent and aviation expert Julian Granot is tapped by his government to investigate. The stakes get higher when the terrorist group launches a massive container ship carrying a hellish mix of explosives toward New York City. Benedek offers lots of hot operational material and an exciting denouement, but thriller fans will find little that’s really new. 12/11 Jack Quick

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant: This is a book people feel passionately about; they either love it or hate it, and it seems to fall along lines of gender; women love it, men not so much.

I had a lot of baggage along with this book. It has been a huge seller in my store; the author, an intelligent and gracious woman, did a signing last year to the biggest crowd we’ve ever had (over 250 people!) and you could not, for the past two years, work a day in my store without having to straighten a stack of it, refill a display of it, or walk through the store without tripping over this book. It was, for a bookseller, a book to be avoided on principle! But I also had a lot of respect for it.

It grew, not from the publisher spending megabucks or winning the Oprah lottery, but strictly from word of mouth. Originally published in 1997, it finally hit the NY Times bestseller list in December, 2000 where it still lingers six months later. Once read, it is easy to see why. The story is based on Genesis, primarily verse 34, the story of Dinah’s rape. Short story indeed, until Diamant gets a hold of it. Some call it midrash, she calls it a novel, I call it a great read!

RED TIDE by Peg Brantley: I wanted to read this book so badly that I bought it. How about that for commitment, and I must say it was well worth it. Let me add my humble but favorable review to the many others who have previously congratulated Ms. Brantley. It is a whale of a tale. Multiple serial killers, cadaver dogs, exotic poisons, and professional FBI Special Agents and dedicated amateurs working together in digging up both old and new secrets at a burial site which is the clandestine playground of a madman. Just enough technical stuff to show Ms. Brantley has done her homework but not enough to take you out of the story. IMHO, much better than Cathy Reichs or Patricia Cornwell. Definitely “unputdownable.” Hopefully there will be additional material to follow, but not until I have caught my breath. Recommended for sure. 8/12 Jack Quick

Red Water by Judith Freeman: It could be called historical fiction or cultural fiction or religious fiction or all of the above, yet somehow this book defies labeling. It is an intimate look at polygamy, at the beginnings of the Mormon faith, and at the second worst civil crime ever committed in this country, after the Oklahoma City bombing. It was called the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and pardon my ignorance, but I had never even heard of it prior to reading this book. In 1857, 120 California-bound pioneers were massacred by a Mormon militia, who blamed it on their American Indian allies. The well written, fascinating novelization of these events is told from the perspective of three of the wives of John D. Lee, the man who was eventually convicted of the crime. I was so intrigued by this book that I started poking around the web, looking for more info and found tons available. The Massacre is still being debated and studied. Some recent articles are in the Salt Lake Tribune.

THE REDBREAST by Jo Nesbø: Bestselling Norwegian author, Jo Nesbø, known for his acclaimed Harry Hole series, made his US debut a few years back with The Redbreast. The third book to feature Hole, Redbreast was the first to be translated into English and released in the States. The book finds Hole in a tough spot—promoted after a shooting incident that could reflect badly on his country, Hole is proclaimed a hero and given a job intended to keep him out of the way. But when Hole finds evidence of weapons smuggling, he tracks the case to a possible assassination plot that has ties to WWII. Flashbacks to the frontline and a group of Norwegian soldiers in 1944 ultimately tie into Hole’s investigation, but make Redbreast something of a dense read with portions that are difficult to follow. It’s not until about halfway through that the book gains speed and the plot becomes clearer. Altogether a satisfying read, but one that requires a little more time and concentration. Books four and five, Nemesis and Devil’s Star are currently available. 12/10 Becky Lejeune

REDEMPTION by Lee Jackson: Benjamin Xavier Trinity is on his way to a government mandated job when he is waylaid by a snowstorm. He lands in Redemption, Montana, population 200. Carlene Ryton offers Ben a position as an all around handyman and café worker at the Grinnin’ Bear Café. Here, Ben endears himself to the townsfolk, doing favors and helping out wherever needed. The folks know he’s an ex-con, they just don’t know the whole truth behind his record. Ben is a convicted terrorist, a man whose past will forever hover around him like a black cloud. He was never given a chance to defend himself and never given a fair trial, but he will be forever marked by the most hate inducing crime known to man in this day and age. In this future America, gas and supply shortages are a regular occurrence as a result of the war, and Homeland Security has become the most powerful law-enforcing agency in the country. Ben defends his innocence, but is there anyone left who will listen in this bleak future? This harsh incarnation of America is not too far off the mark. Jackson’s tale reveals a slew of truly scary prospects that will burrow into readers’ consciences. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

REIGN OF THE RAT by Gil Smolin: For centuries leprosy created the same mind numbing fear that AIDS has caused in modern times. A disease without a cure, its victims sentenced to a long period of suffering. Now a new drug-resistant strain of leprosy appears and it looks like the only hope for a cure is to unearth the frozen remains of a medieval corpse destroyed by the Black Plague. Why? Because the symptoms not only mimic leprosy but also the deadly ones of the Black Plague. Firmly grounded in the reality of what is happening in medicine today as the result of over use of antibiotics, this one will keep you up at night. Smolin is an ophthalmologist and experienced writer. This is his first novel. Recommended. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE REINCARNATIONIST by M. J. Rose: Josh Ryder has been experiencing memories that are not his own. It began after a bombing in Rome where Josh, a photojournalist, was working a story. He was left comatose and awoke weeks later with vivid recollections of life in ancient Rome. In an attempt to learn more, Josh becomes involved with an organization known as the Phoenix Foundation – a group that investigates past life regression in children. When a discovery at a dig in Rome interests the group, Josh is sent as one of the foundation’s representatives to the site. The find could finally provide solid proof of reincarnation and also allow others to experience exactly what Josh does – memories of past lives. The foundation is not the only group interested in this item, though. While Josh is on the site, the lead archaeologist is attacked and the artifact is stolen. Josh vows to recover the item and, in doing so hopes, to unlock the truth behind his strange visions. In The Reincarnationist, Rose combines historical elements with the theory of reincarnation to create a truly amazing thriller. The characters are believable, the settings are magnificent, and in most cases real. Rose masterfully transitions readers from one century to the next making this a smooth read that is easy to get lost in for hours. M.J. Rose is no newcomer to the literary field, but this is her first mainstream suspense novel, one that should finally earn her the recognition she deserves and introduce new readers to her fantastic talent. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

THE RELIABLE WIFE by Robert Goolrick: Catherine Land has packed up her simple wardrobe for her train ride to meet her new husband, Ralph Truitt. Truitt placed a personal ad for a “reliable wife” and waits at the train station for her in freezing 1907 Wisconsin, the richest man in a town where the cold drives people to occasional heinous acts of insanity. Truitt has been a widower for many years, and is eagerly awaiting his new bride. But this is no great romantic love story, and neither Ralph nor Catherine are exactly what they seem to be. For one thing, Catherine has also brought along a bottle of arsenic for her new husband. Every assumption is turned on its head in this hot, hot story and Goolrick pulls off one of the great reads of the year. 8/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RENEGADE by J.A. Souders: Evelyn has it all. In fact, some would say her life is just about perfect. Evelyn is a Daughter of the People, handpicked by Mother to be the future leader of Elysium, the underwater utopia Mother created to save them from the Surface Dwellers and the war. The people who live here have everything they could ever need and want. And, most importantly, they’re safe from the evil Surface Dwellers. But one day, the unimaginable happens: a Surface Dweller has found his way into Elysium. In spite of everything, Evelyn is fascinated by the boy and after speaking with him she begins to doubt some of Mother’s warnings about Surface Dwellers. Evelyn wants to save the boy and this triggers a series of events that will set them both in very grave danger. No one questions Mother and lives to talk about it. Souders’s debut is fast-paced and fun. It’s also pretty dark and bloody. The world-building is excellent and Souders does a great job setting it up for the reader while still keeping an urgent pacing throughout the story. And as that story progresses, things become even more intense. There are a few pieces of the story that can be said to be overly exaggerated but only if you’re really looking for something to complain about. For me, it was fantastic and I didn’t want to put it down. 11/12 Becky Lejeune

THE RENEGADES by T. Jefferson Parker: This is the highly anticipated sequel to one of my favorite books from 2008, L.A. Outlaws. Renegades is set in the modern day Wild West of Los Angeles – yes, there is such a place. Our hero from L.A. Outlaws, Charlie Hood, is grieving for his lost love and trying to get on with his life and his career. He’s paired up with Terry Laws, a community legend who unfortunately gets gunned down in front of Charlie and the chase for the killer is on. But it’s not that simple or straightforward, there are a lot of twists and turns here amid a couple of strong sub-plots, but Parker manages to draw it all together in the brilliant conclusion. Another excellent thriller from the under-the-radar Parker, although not quite at the same level as its predecessor. 02/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE RENEGADES by T. Jefferson Parker: This book features Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy Charlie Hood first introduced in L.A. Outlaws. Hood isn’t completely over the death of Suzanne Jones aka Allison Murrieta when he is drawn into this tale of bad cops, betrayal, drugs, murder and blackmail. It’s the wild, wild west all over with most everyone carrying guns, but no white hats and black hats to tell the good guys from the bad, just shades of gray. Parker continues to deliver the goods, getting better with each outing. Hopefully he can keep this series going for a long time. I am a fan. 02/09 Jack Quick

THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff: The town of Gentry is hiding a dark secret. For years, the townspeople have lived in fear of their own superstitions. Horseshoes hang above their doors and iron over their babies’ beds. But the tokens and wards are not always enough. Every once in a while, a child disappears and another is left in its place. The creatures can pass as human and may be mistaken for the child itself by most, but many of them never survive. Mackie was one of those other children. One of those left to take the place of a baby boy taken away in the night. But Mackie lived. He’s always known that he’s different and he’s always done his best to fit in, but the older he gets, the harder it becomes. And in Gentry, no one wants to stand out, especially when the townsfolk need someone to blame for their misfortunes. Brenna Yovanoff’s dark and creepy debut is the perfect blend of horror meets teenage angst. Her twists on folklore and legend are surely influenced by some of the greatest in horror, but the world she creates is all her own. The Replacement is smart and captivating in a way that will appeal to both YA readers and adults. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

THE REPLACEMENT CHILD by Christine Barber: The Santa Fe Capital Tribune has often received tips from a woman they call the Scanner Lady. Her regular phone calls regarding reports she’s overheard on her police scanner have become an almost weekly occurrence at the paper. Night editor Lucy Newroe happens to be on duty when the latest call comes in: Scanner Lady has overheard news of a dead body in a call made by two men she believes are city cops. Lucy follows up the next day but is told that no such report came in. The closest case is that of a woman who drove off a bridge. Just days later, Lucy, a sometime volunteer medic, answers a call involving an older woman who’s found dead after an apparent home invasion – she had a police scanner sitting on her kitchen table. Lucy has to wonder if this is her Scanner Lady and if the death is more than just a coincidence. As she digs deeper she meets Detective Gil Montoya. Montoya has been assigned as family liaison on the bridge case. The state officers are in charge but the victim is the sister of a city cop from Montoya’s unit. Montoya thinks there’s more to his case than meets the eye, but is not sure where or if Scanner Lady fits in at all. Lucy and Montoya’s reluctant semi-partnership and their interplay is fascinating. I can only hope that this is going to be a series. Barber’s debut is a truly great mystery and can be a great foundation for what I think would be a wonderful series. 10/08 Becky Lejeune

THE REPLACEMENT CHILD by Christine Barber: If you are a fan of Tony Hillerman, then don’t pass this one up. Winner of the Tony Hillerman prize, this is a well written debut mystery featuring Capital Tribune editor Lucy Newroe and Police Detective Gil Montoya who are looking for the killer of seventh-grade teacher, Melissa Baca, whose body is found at the bottom of a local bridge. Although I have never spent much time in New Mexico (I can spell Albuquerque) the descriptions throughout ring true with all I have heard of the “Land of Enchantment.” 2/12 Jack Quick

Replay by Ken Grimwood: I loved the movie “Groundhog Day” and this book goes there and beyond. Our hero has a heart attack and dies when he’s 43 years old, then wakes up in his 18 year old body…all memories of the past 25 years intact. Then it happens again, and again, and again…leading to the question if you could do it all over again, knowing what you know now, would you? It makes for a very interesting premise that draws to a very satisfying conclusion. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN by Barry Eisler: The assassin is the hero of this book, John Rain, who wants nothing more than to retire and spend time with his Mossad-agent girlfriend. But duty calls when he’s contacted by former CIA-agent-turned-rogue Jim Hilger and he learns that Hilger is holding his only friend, Dox, hostage until Rain completes three assassinations. Rain knows that the probability of he or Dox surviving the third is not too good, and with a little help from a business associate at the CIA and the Mossad, Rain gets to work on saving his friend. Lots of action, exotic locales, and edge-of-your-seat suspense make this a really fun read. Fans of Lee Child should enjoy the larger-than-life, half Japanese-half American hero, John Rain. 06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

REQUIEM MASS by Elizabeth Corley: A Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Fenwick Mystery Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Fenwick is just returning to work after burying his wife. His family is tenuously hanging on and Fenwick gets desk duty to ease him back into things. What starts out as a suburban London housewife gone missing turns into ruthless retaliation for a twenty-year-old mystery. Five schoolgirls went off for a walk but only four returned; one of the girls accidentally fell to her death, or at least that is their story. Now they are all grown up and dealing with the past by ignoring it as best as they can. One of the women is the missing housewife, two more are her neighbors, and the fourth is a world famous soprano, due to come home for a fundraiser for the school they all attended. When one of the women is murdered, Fenwick finds the connection between the two cases and sets out to stop the killer from exacting his revenge. He also has to deal with a very troubled son, office politics, and an affair that may be clouding his judgment. Fortunately, he has some good help, including Cooper, who has lots of experience, and a young woman rookie who is sharp as a tack. These characters are well drawn, especially Fenwick, but even the killer avoids cliché. This is a complex case, solved by meticulous police work and culminating in a very tense, superb ending. First of a gritty new series with strong promise, sure to appeal to Tana French, Benjamin Black and Tess Gerritsen fans. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

RESOLUTION by Robert B. Parker: The man is a genius, an absolute genius. In this follow up to 2005’s Appaloosa, Everett Hitch and Virgil Cole are teamed up in the town of Resolution. Hitch is hired initially as the bouncer for the local real-estate magnate (saloon, house of ill repute, hotel, restaurant and general store), and quickly dispatches one Koy Wickman the local “hardass.” Things are beginning to be more civilized afterwards until Cole shows up along with the infamous Cato and Rose, a “matched pair” of gunmen hired to replace Wickman. The action is electric, the dialogue is sparse, and you can “see” John Wayne or Clint Eastwood on every page. I love Spencer but if Parker wants to do westerns, I welcome his next one. 09/08 Jack Quick

RESONANCE by A.J. Scudiere: Approximately 200 million years ago, map north was magnetic south. Ten million years later, the poles switched places and have continued to do so about every sixty million years. The last polar shift sixty five million years ago caused the deaths of entire species, species we call dinosaurs. Right now Dr. Becky Sorenson has some seriously mutated frogs in her lab. In Los Angeles bees are making abnormal columns on the side of the freeways. In Georgia, birds are migrating out of season. People are dying now from what might be SuperAIDS. Is this the beginning of the next polar shift? We are five million years overdue. How much time do we have left? Just when you thought we were safe from a swine flu pandemic, this comes along. Depending on your own orientation, this one is either: interesting, intriguing, or don’t-turn-out-the-lights-I-am-scared-witless reading. You decide for yourself. 06/09 Jack Quick

RESTITUTION by Lee Vance: If Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma as postulated by Sir Winston Churchill, then Restitution is a great way to attempt to unravel it. Peter Tyler, a Wall Street hotshot, is the prime suspect when his wife Jenna is murdered. Although they had been having some marital problems, Peter loved her passionately and misses her greatly. As he attempts to find out who did, in fact, kill her, Peter finds himself involved with money scams, stolen art, a pharmaceutical giant and a brilliant, ruthless and tortured act of vengeance. Peter’s best friend, Russian business tycoon Andrei Zhilina, may hold the key, so it’s off to Moscow to seek answers. Pretty near “unputdownable.” 10/07 Jack Quick

THE RESTORER by Amanda Stevens: Ever since she was a child, Amelia Gray has had a fondness for cemeteries. She learned restoration from her father. She also learned the rules for living with the ghosts that surround her. “…never acknowledge the dead. Don’t look at them, don’t speak to them, don’t let them sense your fear,” her father told her. But when a body is discovered in the old Oak Grove Cemetery where Amelia has been working on a very important restoration project, she is thrown headfirst into a mystery and will find that keeping to her father’s rules isn’t as easy as it once seemed. This first in the Graveyard Queen series is a chilling blend of paranormal elements and tightly plotted mystery. Stevens keeps readers guessing to the very end and sets up the series nicely for book two, The Kingdom, due out this fall. 04/11 Becky Lejeune

Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin: Resurrection Men is Ian Rankin’s latest Inspector John Rebus outing. It is a solid effort and shows why the popularity of this series is growing. The setting, in Edinburgh, is interesting, the police work is sound and the hero is the Scot’s version of the tough cop whose life is going to pieces while he soldiers on.
John Rebus is no upperclass Lord Peter Wimsey, although I would like to think that the name is an acknowledgement of a worthy predecessor. Like Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch, Inspector Rebus’ success in solving complicated and politically sensitive murders is second only to his indifference to and annoyance with authority.
At the outset of this novel, this characteristic has landed Rebus in a special class at the Scottish Police College where characters of that ilk are given one last chance to redeem themselves. His class of 6 christens themselves “The Wild Bunch.” Rankin explains “…these were lifers, men who’d been on the force an average of twenty years. Most were nearing the point where they could leave on full pension. Tullianllan was their last-chance saloon. They were here to atone, to be resurrected.”
As an exercise in re-learning how to investigate as part of a team, within proper police protocols, the class is assigned a project from the unsolved case files. Their case involves a brutal murder. Meanwhile, back at Rebus’ old station, his protege Siobhan Clarke, is continuing Rebus’ investigation into the murder of an art dealer.
Not surprisingly, the two investigations intertwine with the common links being possibly some members of the class and Rebus’ longtime adversary, Morris Gerald Cafferty (Big Ger). Rebus is called upon to perform a delicate balancing act to survive. As always, this is accomplished at considerable cost to himself and those around him.
This is a gripping, hard-nosed detective story. A gritty guy in a gritty town. What more could you ask for. This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

Retribution by Jilliane P. Hoffman: Wow. This is dark – very dark – and disturbing and really well done. Chloe Larson is a beautiful young law student who suffers a brutal rape at the hands of a sadist who leaves her for dead. She survives, but is left scarred, both physically and emotionally. Twelve years later she’s evolved into C. J. Townsend, crackerjack prosecutor in Miami who lands the biggest case of her career when a serial killer known as Cupid is caught in her jurisdiction. Cupid’s calling card is that after torturing his victims – all young, beautiful blondes – he claims his trophy, their hearts. Townsend is determined to get this monster the death penalty and everything seems to be working in her favor, until she meets the defendant and her nightmares become real again. The court process is fascinating in Hoffman’s hands; she is a former Florida assistant state attorney and it shows. The book could have used better editing; there are some minor errors and some repetitiveness, but nothing major enough to pull me out of the story. The violence is graphic without being gratuitous with details of some really heinous crimes, and the ending is superb. This is one very powerful debut novel. 12/03

THE RETURN MAN by V.M. Zito: Four years ago, The Resurrection hit the United States. The living were evacuated to the Safe States and everything west of the Mississippi was left to the infected—the walking dead. Henry Marco stayed behind. Now, he makes a living finding dead loved ones and laying them to rest, or “returning” them. When the government contracts Marco to track down a scientist last seen in California, he’s leery of the job. Before The Resurrection, Marco was a neurologist and the scientist in question was one of his former colleagues. The consensus is that with his developed skills in tracking and his personal connection to the man, Marco is the person with the best chance of finding him. But what interest does the government have in this man in particular? Marco is joined by Wu, a soldier with his own agenda, but is he someone Marco can trust? The Return Man is an action-packed, post-apocalyptic thriller with a slightly different spin sure to will satisfy the most rabid zombie fans. 4/12 Becky Lejeune

REVENGE OF THE KUDZU DEBUTANTES by Cathy Holton: Friends Nita Broadwell, Eadie Booth, and Lavonne Zibolsky have been trying to coast by and endure their thankless marriages for some time now. Lavonne, a northern transplant to Ithaca, Georgia, has become addicted to food as a way to fill the unexplained void in her life. Nita on the other hand, is addicted to trashy romance novels since her husband seems to be showing less and less interest in her every day. And Eadie is working on getting her husband back as he once again steps out with a mistress. All this changes when the wives discover that their husbands have been cheating on them at their annual hunting trips. Nita, Eadie, and Lavonne devise a hilarious scheme of revenge against their philandering spouses that will ensure that the women come out on top. Oh, if Desperate Housewives took place in Georgia. This is a great book for summer – Holton will have you laughing out loud. 08/07 Becky Lejeune

REVENGE OF THE ROSE by Nicole Galland: The focus of Nicole Galland’s follow up to last year’s The Fool’s Tale is courtly love as well as courtly gossip. Famous court minstrel Jouglet is Lord Konrad’s right hand man. He is the lord’s confidant and is one of his most trusted advisors. Jouglet is also close friends with Willem and his sister Lienor. It is no secret that Jouglet wishes to be more than just friends with the lovely Lienor when he cunningly manipulates Willem into the court. Willem impresses Lord Konrad with his chivalry, honor and talents. However, Jouglet and Willem will soon discover just how sharp gossip can be and all of his clever maneuverings may backfire on Jouglet. Galland’s enormous talent is evident in this multi-layered and witty historical novel. The scheming and plotting of the numerous characters makes for a hilarious read with a fabulous twist in the end. 09/06 Becky LeJeune

REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz: In the third Spellman story, Izzy Spellman is still suffering fallout from her actions in Curse of the Spellmans (now out in paperback). Her court-ordered therapy sessions are not going well ever since her first therapist ratted her out to the court and had her entire sentence reinstated, and now her new therapist has figured out all of her time-wasting tricks. Plus, Izzy’s parents are none to pleased that she’s left the family business to be a bartender. Their pleas are ignored and so they convince Izzy’s boss to fire her. Izzy’s solution, move into her brother’s secret basement apartment without him knowing. Now, broke and suffering from no sleep, a result of the paranoid nightmares she’s been having about her brother busting in on her new digs, Izzy finds that she’s being blackmailed and tailed on a regular basis. Could it be the case she’s taken practically pro bono to help a friend, or has someone discovered her new living situation? As usually, Izzy’s antics and her wacky family make for hilarious reading. I dare you not to laugh out loud while reading any of Lutz’s titles; I love them. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

THE REVERSAL by Michael Connelly: This is a combined series book featuring Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller, and the first one that really seemed like it worked the way it should. These characters are already so well defined that there was no stumbling here, the book really flowed, moving back and forth between the cop and the lawyer.
The title refers to the case that Mickey has taken. A man convicted of murdering a child has his sentence remanded after 24 years in prison because of new DNA evidence. The D.A., however, still believes in his guilt and is determined to try him again. The defendant has hired a top defense attorney who eagerly agrees to work pro bono, figuring the civil lawsuit he’ll be able to file against the city of Los Angeles for false imprisonment after the conviction is overturned will more than cover his fees.
To avoid any accusation of prejudice, the D.A. persuades Mickey Haller, defense attorney, to cross the aisle and work for the state as an independent prosecutor. Very much out of his element, Mickey agrees but with the proviso that his ex-wife, Maggie “McFierce”, be his second chair. Then he asks that Bosch be his lead investigator on the basically cold case. They have to start over, and Bosch is in his element. Combining a police procedural and a legal thriller works just brilliantly in Connelly’s gifted hands. I couldn’t put down this totally absorbing novel with a shocking ending. Note: The movie of The Lincoln Lawyer, the first Mickey Haller book, is currently in post-production with Matthew McConaughey and Marisa Tomei with a release date of sometime in 2011. 10/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE REVERSAL by Michael Connelly: Mickey Haller, “the Lincoln Lawyer,” is back in an awesome case. Because of political ramifications the District Attorney wants Mickey to “come over from the dark side” for a one-time gig as a prosecutor, retrying a case in which a killer’s 24-year-old conviction has been overturned on the basis of DNA. Actually Mickey is quick to see the upside of accepting the appointment so its not as hard a sale for the District Attorney as he thinks. But Mickey, being Mickey, he has to get his pound of flesh. Taking second chair will be Haller’s ex-wife, the formidable Maggie, with Connelly’s classic hard-boiled cop Harry Bosch (identified in The Brass Verdict, 2008, as Haller’s half brother) serving as special investigator. It has to be the dream team, but…there are enormous egos involved and as the District Attorney learns in the first press conference, he may have hired Haller, but make no mistake, Haller has the reins and will be driving this Lincoln all the way to the finish. To borrow from another reviewer. “Reading this book is like watching a master craftsman, slowly and carefully, brick by brick, build something that holds together exquisitely, form and function in perfect alignment” (Bill Ott, Book List) Take time to savor this one as crime fiction doesn’t get any better. Connelly is now firmly up there at the top with James Lee Burke, IMHO. 12/10 Jack Quick

RHETT BUTLER’S PEOPLE by Donald McCaig: I have read Gone with the Wind at least a dozen times, and seen the movie a number of times as well. I discovered it when I was in high school. My stepmother had a first edition that an old boyfriend had inscribed and given to her, and even though she married and divorced that man, the book remained in her possession. I stayed up through the night reading, and didn’t put it down until I’d read those immortal last words, “After all … tomorrow is another day.” And so it is, and this new sequel, after the awful Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley and the ridiculous The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall, makes it a day worth spending with it.
McCaig has filled in the gaps and completely laid open that iconic man of mystery, Rhett Butler. We knew that Rhett had had a falling out with his family; now we know why. We get to know Rosemary, Rhett’s beloved sister, and learn how the relationship between Rhett and Belle Watling came to be. There is additional background on many of the secondary characters like Aunt Pittpat and Archie Flytte.
There has been some criticism that readers didn’t really want to know that Rhett was repeatedly wounded by Scarlett, but you didn’t have to read too deeply between the lines of GWTW to know that; McCaig just spelled it out in case you missed it. My only criticism of the book was in the writing. I found it choppy and somewhat repetitive (of itself, not GWTW), but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Fans of the movie will enjoy it as well, but prepare to be surprised by the additional characters that were left out of the film but are here in the book. Obviously, it’s no Gone with the Wind, nor did I expect it to be, but for fans there is definite pleasure to be found here. 11/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE RICHEST SEASON by Maryann McFadden: Joanna Harrison has had enough. Her children are grown and the demands of her husband’s job have left her feeling neglected and alone. Upon learning that her husband’s latest promotion will require them to pick up and move, yet again, Joanna decides she’s not going to take it anymore. Instead, after shipping husband Paul off on his latest business trip, she packs her things and leaves her home in New Jersey to start a new life on Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. Upon arrival, however, Joanna realizes just how hard it’s going to be. Alone, with no one to turn to for help, or even a shoulder to cry on, Joanna becomes determined to make things work. She finds employment with Grace Finelli, an elderly woman seeking a companion. What Joanna doesn’t know is that Grace has only six months to live. Then Paul shows up demanding that Joanna return home. Her refusal only angers him more, but he doesn’t tell her that in addition to losing her, he has also lost his job. As each of the three deals with their own issues, they find that they are each facing the possibility of dramatic changes in their lives. This wonderful debut is a rich, character driven story that will appeal to any reader looking for a heartfelt summer read. 06/08 Becky Lejeune

THE RICHEST SEASON by Maryann McFadden: Joanna has been married to Paul for 25 years. In those two and a half decades, they have moved dozens of times, following Paul’s successful career. Each time, Joanna is expected to be the dutiful corporate wife by packing up and following Paul around without any complaints. But when Joanna learns that another move is eminent, she packs her bags and heads down to Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, an area she had fallen in love with years ago. She moves in with Grace, an older woman who retreated to Pawley’s Island to live out her last few months of life. Joanna’s impromptu “holiday” extends to several months, during which she finds a bit of happiness that she’s been missing for so long. McFadden wrote a wonderful account of a woman’s struggle for independence. The reader experiences the story from three viewpoints: Joanna, her husband Paul, and Grace. The lessons learned by each character during their journey of self discovery are very valuable, and for this reason I envision this book generating a lot of discussion in book clubs nationwide. 08/08 Jennifer Lawrence

RIDE WITH ME, MARIAH MONTANA by Ivan Doig: Since reading Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men last year, I have been revisiting authors who write about the American West – McCarthy’s older works, Wallace Stegner, the poet Richard Hugo and Ivan Doig, who was suggested to me by my sister who lives in Billings, Montana. She sent me a copy of Ride With Me before I was about to visit her for a family reunion in Yellowstone.
In the tradition of many books about the West, it is a road trip story. Not quite Kesey’s bus, but close. In this case, the vehicle is a battered old RV driven by an old Montanan former rodeo champion turned sheepherder, Jick McCaskill. The other occupants are his redheaded daughter Mariah, a photographer and her ex-husband Riley Wright, a newspaper columnist. Mariah and Riley have been assigned by their newspaper to do a series celebrating Montana’s centennial by traveling across the state to see what they can see.
Riley is doing it because he still has the hots for Mariah. Jicks is along to see if he can keep her from making the same mistake all over again. And therein is the tale.
It is fine adventure and the people are drawn with honesty and affection, warts, oddities and all. I believe that I enjoyed this book more than anything else that I have read this year. 11/06 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

Right as Rain by George Pelecanos: As I started reading this mystery, it felt preachy to me in a racial sort of way. But the story sucked me in and either the preaching stopped or I stopped noticing. A good, gritty mystery involving a white cop killing a black cop, set in the inner city of Washington D.C. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE RIGHT HAND by Derek Haas: Derek Haas has created a “different” CIA operative with The Right Hand. Austin Clay works for the CIA, but not with other agents. He is on his own, only with his handler to execute his assignments which include covert operations that are outside of normal CIA work. He operates as he sees fit to accomplish his work, and his reputation is that the left hand (remainder of the CIA) does not know what the right hand (Clay) is doing. Clay, as a young man, was subjected to virtual imprisonment for eight years on his uncle’s boat after becoming an orphan. His personality is formed within the framework of abusive treatment, and eventual escape from his uncle. Clay is handed the assignment of rescuing a captured CIA agent being held in Russia. Events quickly move to the emergence of a young woman who unwittingly was connected to the imprisoned agent and knows the reason for his capture. Clay finds the girl as a possible means of tracing the whereabouts of the agent. He begins to have protective feelings about the young lady, but realizes that he is too old for her and too involved in his work to consider romance. But he does dedicate himself to making sure she is removed from danger showing his compassionate side for inclusion in future books. Haas sketches Clay quite well, and the reader will understand a little of his conflicting feelings as he continues to complete his assignment. A book that is difficult to put down and a feeling that the ending is in keeping with the events depicted and satisfying for the reader. 11/12 Paul Lane

THE RIGHTEOUS MEN by Sam Bourne: Rookie reporter, Will Monroe, takes a novel approach to his first murder by deciding to write a “human interest” story about the victim. What he discovers is a surprise to everyone. Shortly thereafter, Will investigates another murder – this one in rural Washington. The murders seem unconnected but, upon returning home, he discovers that his wife has been kidnapped. What comes next is an edge of your seat roller coaster ride as Will fights against a deadline that could lead to the end of the world. Meticulous research into Kabbalic mysticism and Jewish prophecy, paired with vivid characters and insight into the ultra-orthodox community of Crown Heights, makes this and interesting and exciting read. While the surprise twist ending comes as not much of a surprise, overall I found this to be a very satisfying read and a thrilling debut. Sam Bourne is a pseudonym for British journalist Jonathan Freedland. 08/06 Becky LeJeune

RING by Koji Suzuki: Japanese author, Koji Suzuki, is probably the most well-known Asian horror author today. Ring, the book that inspired multiple horror film hits, is actually the first in a trilogy of tales. In this first installment, journalist Asakawa is inspired to write a piece on a series of mysterious deaths after drawing a connection between a taxi man’s story and the death of his own niece. Like the film, he discovers that a total of four teens all died under strange circumstances, all at the very same time on the very same day. Asakawa is joined in his search by his best friend Ryuji, a professor with an upsetting habit and an interest in the occult. While there are minute similarities between the ultimate revelation at the end of this tale and the film version, the book remains vastly different in its specifics. Ring is worth the read for any horror fan, but having seen the film it does lose a bit of its punch. Hopefully this is not the case with the follow-up titles, Spiral and Loop, as I am hoping to be as creeped out in reading them as I was in first seeing The Ring. 06/08 Becky Lejeune

THE RISE OF RANSOM CITY by Felix Gilman: Harry Ransom always wanted his name to be known. He set off with an invention he promised would change everything. He called it the Ransom Process. As the Line and the Gun waged war around him, Ransom traveled from town to town exhibiting his masterpiece in hopes of interesting investors and always dreaming of the day that he’d become famous for his creation. In his travels he made many enemies, but nothing prepared him for what would await him in Jasper City. This is his story, from childhood to Jasper City and beyond as told through his own writings. Gilman’s latest is brilliantly clever and imaginative—an excellent cross genre blend of fantasy, science fiction, and weird western set as an autobiography. The world he’s created does closely resemble our own in the late 1800s, but there’s a touch of magic and a hint of the supernatural. The Rise of Ransom City is the second story that takes place in this world, but serves as more of a companion rather than a true follow up to The Half-Made World. Ransom does cross paths with the characters of Half-Made World so there are parallels with that book, but this is all his story and is perfect for fans of the previous release and newbies alike. 12/12 Becky Lejeune

RITUAL by Mo Hayder: This latest release by Hayder marks the return of DI Jack Caffery. He’s transferred to Bristol where divers, led by Phoebe “Flea” Marley, have just discovered a severed hand in the harbor. Most of the bodies that wash up in the harbor turn out to be the result of suicide. Something about this particular case is different, though, and the second hand is soon discovered buried beneath a local restaurant. Marley’s and Caffrey’s research into the case leads them to the African practices and beliefs of Muti, where various parts of both animals and humans are used in ritualistic manners for everything from luck to protection. Given the way the hands were removed, they also come to believe that the victim in question may actually still be alive, but just how long he can last without medical attention is the question. Time is quickly running out as the team races to unravel this strange case. Another fantastic thriller from one of the best in the business. Although this is the third book to feature Caffery (following Birdman and The Treatment) it can be read as a stand-alone and is the first installment in what Hayder refers to as her Walking Man series. Ritual is available now in the UK and can be ordered through specialty stores stateside. Official US release date is this fall. 04/08 Becky Lejeune

RIVER OF HEAVEN by Lee Martin: Sam Brady is a solitary bachelor who has taken great pains to ensure that his homosexuality remains a secret to those around him. After his neighbor’s wife dies, it becomes harder for Sam to keep himself closed off. He and Arthur strike up a tenuous friendship at first, bonding over the building of a custom doghouse for Sam’s basset hound, Stump. The doghouse, a small ship with a deck and cannon ports, attracts the attention of a local column writer for the paper, a writer whose great uncle was once Sam’s best friend, Dewey. At the age of 15, Dewey committed suicide on the train tracks near his house. The reporter has some questions about the events, though, and it is soon revealed that Sam has some other secrets in his past that he would rather not come to light. Enter Cal, Sam’s long lost brother. Cal has just recently survived a nationally broadcasted hostage situation and shows up on Sam’s doorstep, bringing more than a little trouble along with him. Pulitzer Prize finalist, Martin returns with an amazing story of loneliness, secrets, and ultimately forgiveness. River of Heaven is a touching literary tale with just a tinge of mystery – highly recommended. 04/08 Becky Lejeune

The Ritual Bath by Faye Kellerman: The first in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. He’s a cop, she’s an Orthodox Jew. They meet and chemistry is redefined. I ripped through this one in a few hours and within 2 weeks read the rest of the series. The early ones are best.

RITUALS OF THE SEASON by Margaret Maron: Its just ten days until the wedding and Judge Deborah Knott can hardly remember whether she is to stay the night with finance Deputy Dwight Bryant or go home to her place. It is that hectic with Christmas around the corner, the slaying of an Assistant District Attorney and her adopted daughter, a possible death sentence appeal, her house torn up by plumbers and carpenters and a very pregnant matron of honor. Somehow Knott keeps it all together as she is at the center of a whirlwind of pre-nuptial pre-holiday activity. Maron once again demonstrates she knows Eastern North Carolina and its characters – bless your heart, but sometimes she can be almost too southern, not unlike our beloved sweet tea, which, in a pinch, can always substitute for syrup. This twelfth Knott adventure is to be released 8/25/05. 08/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE RIVIERA CONTRACT by Arthur Kerns: Arthur Kerns spent a career working for the FBI in counterintelligence and counter terrorism. Upon retirement he became a consultant to the Director of the CIA and the Department of State and his travels for assignments took him to over 65 countries around the world. He has written short stories published in various anthologies and one non-fiction book. The Riviera Contract is his first novel and is based upon his own career. Kerns introduces Hayden Stone, a retired officer from the FBI now working as a consultant to the CIA. Stone’s first assignment in Afghanistan saw a colleague killed with Stone blaming himself for the death. The time is 2002, shortly after the attack on the World Trade Center in New York, and the United States is actively engaged in counter terrorism against Al Quaeda wherever they appear. A friend with the CIA offers Stone an assignment in France on the Cote d’Azur and Hayden takes it thinking that it might help him to regain his equilibrium. Little does he know, as two terrorists acting separately attempt to kill him. on the distaff side, he meets an old love of his, now a countess, and a young beautiful employee of the organization he is using for his cover while on this assignment. The key to the assignment is to stop a middle eastern terrorist who is in France to set up a delivery of the Ebola virus to several U.S. cities. The action is fast and Kerns has the reader go through one crisis after another. Stone is really the only character that is fleshed out, obviously because he will be used in future adventures. Not memorable writing but an entertaining read and certainly a good prelude to getting future Kerns novels in which the author will potentially be more adept at setting up scenarios and fleshing out characters. Recommended for setting up a credible plot and the threats outlined in it. E-book only. 3/13 Paul Lane

RIZZO’S WAR by Lou Manfredo: “There’s no wrong, there’s no right, there just is.” That is the philosophy of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn detective Lou Rizzo. Rizzo has a new young partner, Mike McQueen, who got the promotion after a lucky break in a case. McQueen knows it was luck that got him his shield, but he’s determined to prove himself. Being partnered with Rizzo, who’s nearing retirement and under an Internal Affairs investigation, could be a mixed blessing. Politics rears its ugly head when they are assigned to find a missing girl, the teenage daughter of a powerful city councilman. This is a police procedural of the best kind – a terrific cop sharing his wisdom, a gritty city setting and dabs of organized crime, racism, and politics. Manfredo’s debut novel is a winner and sure to appeal to fans of Michael Connelly and Ed McBain. 09/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROAD DOGS by Elmore Leonard: Its reunion time with three of Leonard’s most memorable characters. Jack Foley (Out of Sight) is back in prison in Florida, and hooks up with Cundo Rey, the pint-size Cuban (LaBrava), who soon engineers their early release–legally, this time. Jack’s happy to be out and enjoying the California hospitality of Cundo and his wife Dawn (LaBrava and Riding the Rap). There are just a few issues. Dawn is lovely but husband Cundo is a murderously jealous husband who may get tired of Jack being around. Dawn likes M-O-N-E-Y and thinks Jack may be the best meal ticket. Jack – well first he owes Cundo thirty big ones from getting him sprung. When you have robbed a hundred and twenty or banks, the solution to that problem would seem to be at hand? Nobody does it better than the senior Mr. Leonard, so kick back and enjoy this one like a fine Havana with a pitcher of fresh mojitos. 06/09 Jack Quick

THE ROAD TO BEDLAM by Mike Shevdon: Ever since Niall’s recent introduction to the Fey and his acceptance with the Warders, everyone’s been waiting to see if his daughter will manifest abilities as well. The courts are ready to welcome her into the fold if she does share her father’s powers but her death comes as a surprise to them all. When Niall becomes convinced that she may indeed still be alive, he and the very pregnant Blackbird find themselves on the run and hiding out under the courts’ orders. The arrival of the Untainted complicates things further and Niall is sent away on a mission in the coastal village of Ravensby where a recent spate of disappearances has the Warders suspecting there might be a rogue Fey at work. This second in the Courts of the Feyre series builds further upon the dark Fey-infused world Shevdon has created and combines mystery and fantasy elements with actual history. This is one of my favorite series and is a must for any urban fantasy fan. 6/12 Becky Lejeune

ROAD TO PARADISE by Max Allan Collins: Collins completes his trilogy beginning with a young boy’s travels with his gangster father in the “New York Times” bestseller “Road to Perdition,” then down the “Road to Purgatory”–a tale of this same boy, all grown up. Lake Tahoe, 1973: Michael Satariano–who as a young man fought the Capone mob in Chicago–has reached a comfortable middle age, with a loving wife at home, a talented teenage daughter in high school, and a son earning medals in Vietnam. Now running a casino for the mob, Michael thinks he’s put his killing days behind him–after all, he’s made a respectable life for himself and his family . . . and plenty of money for the boys back in Chicago. So when godfather Sam Giancana orders him to hit a notoriously violent and vulnerable gangster, Michael refuses. But when the hit goes down anyway, Michael is framed for murder; to save his family, he must turn state’s witness under the fledgling Witness Protection Program. Relocated to the supposed safety of Paradise, a tract-housing development in Arizona, Michael soon finds himself facing a wrath so cruel that even the boy raised by a hitman father is unprepared. And with his teenage daughter in tow, Michael must return to the road and a violent way of life he thought he had long left behind. A must read series. 1/12 Jack Quick

ROAD TO PERDITION by Max Allan Collins, illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner: Although an avid reader of ‘comic books” as a kid, this is, as best as I can recall, my first adult graphic novel. Michael O’Sullivan, a veteran of the Great War, is still soldiering, only this time as chief enforcer for John Looney, the Irish ganglord of Rock Island, Illinois. A good father and quiet family man, life changes drastically for the “Angel of Death” when his son (narrator of the story) witnesses his father at work. A failed attempt at killing O’Sullivan cause him to rush home – too late to save the lives of his wife and younger son, but leaves him determined to seek revenge. Depression era Illinois, ruled by gangsters, where the bullets and booze flow freely, come to think of it not unlike today. A good read. 1/12 Jack Quick

ROAD TO PURGATORY by Max Allan Collins: In this followup to Road to Perdition, Michael O’Sullivan Jr., is now in his early 20s. His father was the “Angel of Death” a mobster hit man, who turned on the mob after his wife and Michael’s younger brother were killed. When he himself is killed, none other than Eliot Ness, the leader of the “Untouchables” arranges for Michael to be placed in a catholic orphanage. He eventually becomes Michael Satariano, the adopted son of Sicilian restaurateurs in DeKalb, Illinois, a town not far from the Windy City. Michael has enlisted and wins the first Congressional Medal of Honor awarded during World war II while serving on Bataan. He loses his left eye and is returned to the states where he finds it hard to settle back into his previous life and settle down with high-school girlfriend Patty Ann O’Hara. So when Eliot Ness, now heading a federal office charged with “safeguarding the health and morale of the armed forces,” asks him to take on an undercover gig–infiltrating Capone’s syndicate in order to curb its criminal enterprises–Michael can’t agree fast enough. However, as Michael worms his way into the mob he discovers that ascribing blame and exacting justice aren’t the easy tasks he’d imagined. 1/12 Jack Quick

ROADSIDE CROSSES by Jeffery Deaver: Complex and timely story about cyber-bullying and its effects. Travis Brigham is the driver in a car crash in which two girls are killed. He then becomes the target of a cyber-world smear campaign. The near death of one of the accusing bloggers involves Kathryn Dance and the California Bureau of Investigation. Brigham disappears and additional attacks occur. Each is preceded with a crude roadside cross. Meanwhile, Dance also looks into a mercy killing at Monterey Bay Hospital of a young Monterrey County deputy badly burned by the escaping Daniel Pell in a previous case. At the same time, Robert Harper, a special prosecutor from the attorney general’s office in Sacramento, begins an investigation that will affect Dance. It would be much better without the frequent information dumps about kinesics (body language) and Internet history and customs, but without them, the pace might be just be too blistering. 07/09 Jack Quick

ROBBERS by Christopher Cook: Compared by some to the works of James Lee Burke, this debut novel follows two criminal drifters, Eddie and Ray Bob, across the hot dry dusty expanse of Texas, pursued by Rule Hooks, a crafty Texas Ranger who has been told he looks like country singer Porter Waggoner and could be played by Tommy Lee Jones without any problem. In the first chapter, a convenience store clerk is killed for a penny – he wants $4.01 for a pack of Camel cigarettes and the boys only have $4.00. Afterwards, they have the pack of Camels, a carton of Marlboros and all the money that was in the register. Their only regret? They forgot to pick up some cold beer. You know how it has to end, but the journey is worth the time and effort with striking imagery and vivid insights into rural Texas life, and its often mind numbing consequences. It’s the kind of life where the local scoutmaster is shot and killed by his wife when she catches him in bed with her sister: “Used a twelve gauge with buckshot. Fat jackoff died in the saddle. A real asshole, too, always yelling about our uniforms, how we looked. Shoulda give her a merit badge for civic duty.” “Or marksmanship,” sniggered Ray Bob. I love it. 12/07 Jack Quick

ROBERT B. PARKER’S FOOL ME TWICE by Michael Brandman: Michael Branman takes us back to Paradise, at least Robert B. Parker’s version. A Hollywood movie company has come to town, and brought with it a huge cast, crew, and a troubled star. Marisol Hinton is very beautiful, reasonably talented, and scared out of her wits that her estranged husband’s jealousy might take a dangerous turn. When she becomes the subject of a death threat, Jesse and the rest of the Paradise police department go on high alert. But then Jesse witnesses a horrifying collision caused by a distracted teenage driver, the political repercussions of her arrest bring him into conflict with all the local power structure As usual, life is on the line, just for doing the right thing. 10/12 Jack Quick

ROBERT B. PARKER’S KILLING THE BLUES by Michael Brandman: Not bad, although the style is more Spenser than Stone. A series of car thefts and a related murder bring tension to Paradise, Massachusetts as it is preparing for the summer tourist season. An ex-con that Jesse had arrested back in California shows up and starts a mini-wave of terror, killing pets and setting fires that lead to another death. Through it all, Jesse confronts a personal dilemma as well: a burgeoning relationship with a young PR executive, the niece of the chief selectman, whose plans to turn Paradise into a summertime concert destination may have her running afoul of the law. Overall, not too bad. Would be interesting if Brandman can do a Spenser. 11/11 Jack Quick NOTE FROM THE BOOKBITCH: Brandman won’t get the chance; Ace Atkins has been tapped by the Parker estate to write the Spenser books.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S LULLABY (Spenser) by Ace Atkins: First, let me say that Ace Atkins has written an excellent book which I recommend highly. However, he is not Robert B. Parker. The plot is good with Spenser being hired by a 14 year old girl (for a dozen doughnuts) to look for the murderer of her mother 4 years earlier. The police have arrested and convicted someone for the crime but Mattie – gruff, street-smart, and wise beyond her years – is certain the police got the wrong man. As normal, Spenser and Hawk proceed to unravel the crime, finding the real killer and a corrupt FBI agent. In the process Spenser, Hawk and Mattie all get shot but recover in time for opening day at Fenway. While all this sounds very Robert B. Parkerish, Atkins misses on two counts. First, he writes well but not in the spare style of Parker. He uses a paragraph where Parker would have used a sentence. Second, the dialogue is “off”. Fewer quips and more extended speech than we Parker fans are accustomed to. All in all, however its still a great read. 5/12 Jack Quick

ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE JANUS REPRISAL by Jamie Freveletti: Colonel Jon Smith is attending a WHO conference when the hotel he’s staying in is attacked. This event launches the doctor and Covert-One operative into a plot that could have catastrophic consequences. At the time of the attack, a highly publicized terrorist leader escapes from imprisonment. As the CIA and Covert-One learn more, they become convinced that the two incidents are connected. What’s more, a cooler of highly contagious and experimental viral samples has gone missing. Smith knows that he was a specific target in the attack. He also knows there are two others on the same list. One is a fellow spy the other an unidentified woman. Smith is certain that the woman is the key, but he has to find her first. This latest in the Covert-One series works as a complete stand alone… with a bit of suspension of disbelief. Actually, most of the book worked for me: it was exciting and suspenseful. My biggest complaints were the believability of Smith and Randi Russell, the CIA op who helps him, both of whom seemed to be a bit slow in figuring things out making it a bit difficult to imagine them as actual expert spies. 10/12 Becky Lejeune

ROBOPOCALYPSE by Daniel H. Wilson: As our reliance on technology grows, intelligent machines become more and more of a reality. Wilson, who studied robotics, brings to life the robot apocalypse in Robopocalypse. Rather than a traditional straight narrative, the story is presented as a series of events documented from the early days of the robot uprising and through the war itself. From the creation of Archos to household bots with seemingly simple malfunctions that soon turn deadly, humans find themselves up against their own creations. Before long, the same machines once designed to help with day to day life are turning on the people around them, taking over entire cities, and even enslaving the human population. Robopocalypse is being hailed as one of the best reads of the summer and, in my opinion, it definitely lives up to the buzz. Robopocalypse is a quick read that will appeal to even the most fringe Terminator fans. If you’ve ever seriously hated your computer, you’ll love it even more. 06/11 Becky Lejeune

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE by Darryl Wimberley: This debut offers a recycled main plot but does offer potential if the writing is tightened in future outings and the author is able to stick to his main premise without too much wandering. Barrett Raines is the only black detective on an all-white police force in Deacon Beach, Florida (Can you say IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT ?) Barrett’s brother Delton has always been a thorn in his side and Delton’s reputation for womanizing and drinking has hindered Barrett’s career. When Delton is accused of murdering a beautiful, popular white restaurant owner in a fit of passion, the only person between him and a lynching is Barrett. The cop arrests his brother and soon discovers that the killing may be tied to arms dealers based in Deacon Beach. The result is an unpolished work that is choppy and meandering but still entertaining. I want to try the next one in the series to see if there is improvement. 03/11 Jack Quick

ROCOCO by Adriana Trigiani: Trigiani steps outside her realm of women protagonists to write a book starring a man: Bartolomeo di Crespi, the interior designer extraordinaire of Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey and a charming, loving family man. “B” is 40, unmarried but the unofficial family patriarch and confidant to his sprawling, extended Italian family. He’s nominally engaged although neither B nor his fiancée are interested in marrying, but her mother is the wealthiest woman in NJ and she has her heart set on it. The small town revolves around the church, and when the priest decides it’s time to renovate, B assumes the job will be his, and it is – but only after a fight. Redoing the church has been his long held secret dream, and he desperately wants to make it come true. Infused with Trigiani’s characteristic humor and love, Rococo draws the reader into this lovely cocoon of a book where we learn about the miracles of Fatima, family, and love.

ROGUE by Mark T. Sullivan: Robin Monarch is the most hunted man in the world in this international spy thriller. His parents, an American cat burglar and a con man from Argentina, are killed when he is just thirteen, forcing him to live in the most dangerous slum in Buenos Aires. He joins the Brotherhood of Thieves, learns their eighteen rule code of conduct and survives due to the intervention of a nun. Eventually he becomes one of the CIA’s top operatives, sent on a mission to find an Al Qaeda plot called “Green Fields.” Monarch discovers that Green Fields is something else entirely, and that his superiors are corrupt. He goes rogue, and Middle East arms dealers, Russian mobsters and his own government are all after him and Green Fields. This lightning fast read brings to mind the Robert Ludlum Jason Bourne books, Hitchcock’s It Takes a Thief, as well as Mission Impossible, but doesn’t quite measure up. Sullivan undoubtedly learned breakneck pacing and the art of the short chapter as co-author of James Patterson’s Private Games, and this book will definitely appeal to adrenalin junkies. 10/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2012 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

ROGUE by Mark T. Sullivan: Sullivan’s Triple Cross was published in April of 2009 and the author was unfortunately quiet until earlier this year when he collaborated with James Patterson on Private Games. Rogue Is his own work and shows the talent Sullivan has to capture and mesmerize his readers. Robin Monarch is introduced as a CIA operative that leaves the agency after discovering some very disturbing information about them while on a mission. He sets himself up as a security consultant to earn a living but has a very lucrative sideline which is not very savory to say the least. By chance Robin saves the life of a Russian mafioso, who than grabs the girl Robin is currently involved with. He tells Robin that he will pay him several million dollars if he will steal a weapon for for him, and will of course, also release the girl. The CIA in the personage of Robin’s ex boss also wants the weapon and contracts him to steal it with the carrot of being able to return to the agency in good standing. Sullivan sketches out Robin’s background in order to bring out his personality and motivations. Robin, the perfect name chosen for him, is shown as a 21st century Robin Hood, in effect robbing from the rich to help the poor. He begins life as an orphan on the streets of a Buenos Aires slum, and with the help of an angel of mercy taking him in picks himself up by his bootstraps and it is almost a certainty that Robin is destined for more adventures in future Sullivan books. Rogue is a fast and captivating read, with events rapidly coming one after the other keeping the reader going and not able to put the book down. Welcome back Mark, I trust that it won’t be another four years before your work appears again. 10/12 Paul Lane

ROGUE by Rachel Vincent: Stray – a human who becomes a werecat after being bitten rather than one who is born into the Pride Rogue – any werecat who commits a capital crime according to the laws of the Pride, includes disclosure, or the failure of a werecat to keep themselves hidden, and the creation of strays whether purposeful or accidental. Faythe Sanders has come to a reluctant agreement with her father. Unwilling to settle down and begin producing her own offspring, Faythe is training as an enforcer within the Pride. She and Marc have finally worked out their differences since Faythe was kidnapped and almost killed in Stray, and things are looking good. That is, until, the bodies of murdered toms (male werecats) begin to pop up in Pride territory. The deaths seem to coincide with a missing person’s case in each area – all strippers, and all resembling Faythe. In fact, the missing person’s reports bring to mind certain college campus murders that Faythe had heard about just before her own kidnapping. The truth behind the killings will bring Faythe face-to-face with a new enemy and will upset the balance of her own existence. Like Vicki Pettersson’s Zodiac series, Rachel Vincent’s werecats are unlike anything else out there. The continued development of the werecat mythology is incredibly fascinating and I can’t wait to see what she brings in next. Rogue has a total cliffhanger ending and I’m just dying to know what’s going to happen in Pride (due out next spring). 04/08 Becky Lejeune

ROGUE ISLAND by Bruce DeDilva: I don’t normally do mysteries that involve talking animals or media people police wannabes. In almost 50 years in the media I have never met a prescient panda or a budding young reporter I would be willing trade for a reasonably well trained law enforcement professional under any circumstances. I am glad, however, that I made an exception for DeSilva’s debut introducing Providence, RI newspaper reporter Liam Mulligan – a stubborn, street-smart hero with a snarky sense of humor. Someone is burning down the Mount Hope section of Providence where Liam was born and raised and he is determined to investigate who is killing lifelong friends and loved ones in his old neighborhood. This leads variously to his being threatened, beaten, arrested on suspicion of arson and murder, suspended from his newspaper, and targeted with a Mob contract on his life. In addition to the truly evil, Mulligan meets and must work with some real characters like his editor – “It’s hard to find good news. It’s not every day that a scientist finds a cure for cancer or a Good Samaritan opens fire at a Democratic fund raiser,” in his take on the state in which he describes graft as Rhode Island’s “leading service industry,” noting that “it comes in two varieties, good and bad, just like cholesterol.” This could be the start of something big. Let us hope so. 11/10 Jack Quick

ROGUE THREAT by A.J. Tata: Matt Garrett, a paramilitary operative with the CIA, is still recovering from his last mission when the U.S. government calls on his services once again. A number of uavs (unmanned aerial vehicles), called Predators, have gone missing and a terrorist plot is suspected. Everyone’s worst nightmares are realized when a group of public landmarks are destroyed by devastating attacks. And more targets will be hit way unless the plotters’ demands are met, or unless Garrett can stop them. The man behind the plot has a personal vendetta against Matt Garrett, though, and his mission in the Philippines is connected to the current threat in ways that Garrett could never imagine. Tata delivers an entertaining military thriller with intriguing technothriller aspects. The strength of this read lies in Tata’s evident military expertise and in the Garrett brothers themselves, heroes worthy indeed of Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy) comparison. Rogue Threat is second in Tata’s Threat series and can be read as a stand-alone, but I’d recommend tracking down Sudden Threat to get the whole story before Garrett’s return in the third title of the series. 01/10 Becky Lejeune

ROLLING THUNDER by Chris Grabenstein: I love this series, and it was in danger of going by the wayside. I was delighted that another house had the good sense to pick it up. John Ceepak has more on his plate than usual when his father gets out of jail on early release and shows up at the Jersey shore again. The pier has been revitalized with new rides and a new wooden rollercoaster, “Rolling Thunder”, but things don’t go well on opening day when the owner’s wife has a heart attack and dies on the first ride. Things go downhill from there when a young girl is murdered and the town’s leading citizens are implicated. I enjoy these characters and over the course of these books, watching Danny Boyle become a man. Can’t wait for the next installment. 07/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROLLING THUNDER by Chris Grabenstein: I have a confession. My first Chris Grabenstein Danny and Ceepak novel was a flat out DNF. I kept hearing how good he was from friends and finally tried one of his non-series books which I thought was great. So I decided to tackle this series again. About fifteen pages after my first DNF, the darn thing took off, and I have read and enjoyed every page thereafter including this one (including the bright orange or is it electric tangerine cover). Rolling Thunder is the name of the old fashioned wooden roller coaster erected by entrepreneur Paddy O’Malley at the struggling resort town of Sea Haven, N.J… O’Malley’s wife suffers a fatal heart attack on the inaugural ride on the roller coaster. Shortly thereafter, the dismembered body of a party girl turns up in two suitcases. A check of her cell phone records indicates the last time she used it was to text O’Malley. Before the investigation is over Danny and John will face corrupt politicians, powerful business people, Ceepak’s father, and even enemies within the Sea Haven Police. Department. The corruption Ceepak sees drives him to be even more vigilantly upright. In the end Grabenstein pulls it all together nicely. Definitely recommended. 06/10 Jack Quick

THE ROMANOV CONSPIRACY by Glenn Meade: A well presented novel centered around the 1918 killing of the Russian royal family, the Romanovs, by revolutionaries fighting to gain power during the Russian revolution. Against the background of the revolution and the civil war between the Reds and the Whites each seeking power, Meade has written a book based on research centered around the events of the day. Dr. Laura Pavlov, an American forensic archaeologist working in the present day on a dig in Ekaterinburg, Russia around the site where the Romanov family was buried after being murdered discovers a body that has been perfectly preserved by the permafrost of an old mine. In attempts to identify the remains, Dr Pavlov travels to Ireland where a large group of Russian emigres fled to escape the horrors of the revolution. There she meets a man that introduces her to a plot to rescue the Russian royal family before they were executed. Meade has done a good deal of research to write this book and characters not generally known are introduced to the modern reader as forming a part of the team that is dispatched to effect the rescue in 1918. Anastasia, one of the Tzar’s daughters, did not die in the execution, and made a life for herself afterwards. Case in point that several years ago a woman claiming to be Anastasia appeared in Europe and caused a small furor when she apparently had details that were not generally known about the former princess. This passed without much investigation. Two love stories are set as integral parts of the plot and have bearings on the actions of the principal characters. Writing is swift and engrossing and the reader has no problem moving into 1918 Russia with it’s chaos, terror and the horrors that Lenin and his followers perpetrate. The feelings of people living in that era are described and allow the reader to be buoyed along with them into the events.
A well done, well researched book opening up events that transpired almost a century ago. 9/12 Paul Lane

THE ROMANOV CROSS by Robert Masello: Masello’s latest book is a very readable and engrossing novel incorporating various historical events coupled with a touch of the supernatural. Dr. Frank Slater, an army epidemiologist, is facing charges by the military of disobeying orders. He attempted to save the life of a young, very sick girl in Afghanistan by calling for a helicopter to airlift her to a hospital. This act was against direct orders by the army that only military wounded or sick could be transported this way. Facing court martial, Slater is advised that he can avoid that by leading an expedition to a remote island in Alaska to investigate a cemetery holding Russian dead. The permafrost covering the cemetery has melted enough due to global warming to expose coffins of those people that may have been exposed to the dreaded Spanish Flu that killed millions in 1918, for which a cure was never found. Dr Slater’s job would be to determine if the corpses still hold viable strains of the flu and decide on measures to prevent spread of the disease. Slater meets the mayor, an Intuit woman that figures as his romantic interest, who insinuates herself into the expedition with her knowledge of Intuit lore. The Russian town on the island was settled by followers of Rasputin, the mad monk that figured so strongly into the story of the Romanov family that ruled Russia up to the revolution and the ruins of the town show his influence. Masello has proven himself very adept at taking events happening in the distant past and tying them to the present via the supernatural. I found the book impossible to put down; this is a great story, and the work of a writer that is in complete command of plot and character building. The plot involves an acceptance of supernatural events, but once over that hump the read is fascinating. There is no doubt that I will grab Masello’s next book when available. 3/13 Paul Lane

THE ROOK by Daniel O’Malley: When Myfanwy Thomas opens her eyes she is surrounded by a ring of bodies sporting latex gloves. She is bruised and sore and discovers two envelopes stuffed in her pockets. In the first is a letter that begins, “Dear You, The body you are wearing used to be mine.” The letter leads her to a safe place and explains what the new Myfanwy Thomas must do next. She is given the choice to leave and begin a new life or take over the life Myfanwy Thomas has lived up to this point. After a surprise attack, she decides on the latter in hopes that she can discover who is after her—or the former her at least. As she reads through further notes from the old Myfanwy, she learns that Myfanwy Thomas is a Rook within the order of the Checquy, a secret government agency focused on investigating and covering up supernatural events. As a Rook, Myfanwy Thomas is rather high up in the food chain of the organization and the skills she possesses are the perfect tools for unraveling the mystery of her amnesia. The narrative alternates between the present Rook Thomas and the old Rook Thomas’s letters and notes to her new self, making the story an intriguing and amusingly quirky sci-fi thriller with two very different versions of a fantastic heroine. Without a doubt, The Rook is my first favorite of 2012. 1/12 Becky Lejeune

ROOM by Emma Donoghue: This was one of those books that I kept hearing about, but I’d pick it up, think “too creepy”, and put it back down. But once I actually read the first page, I was hooked and it turned out to be one of those books that I will be recommending for years to come. The premise, the creepy factor if you will, is that a young woman was kidnapped and kept locked up in a room for many years, during which time she had a son, Jack. The story is told from his point of view, and as we meet him, it is his fifth birthday. “Room” is his whole world, the only world he has ever known. They do have a TV, but his mother convinces him that everything he sees on TV is fantasy. This room is his only reality. He is a smart, very likeable little boy; heroic, in fact. His “ma” is fiercely protective of him, and he sleeps in the wardrobe, locked away from their captor, Old Nick. Old Nick visits in the nighttime, and disappears during the day. Once a week he brings them “Sunday treat”, and Jack has a few books, a TV and barely enough food to eat and clothes to wear. His ma has some terrible dental issues, which are not taken care of, but somehow Jack remains relatively healthy. It is a fake illness that finally brings about their deliverance. As they escape their bounds, life presents a whole new set of challenges for both of them. This is a remarkable story and one not to be missed. 1/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROOM FOR LOVE by Andrea Meyer: Chick lit with an interesting premise based somewhat on reality; Meyer wrote an article for a NY newspaper about meeting men by looking in the classifieds – for apartments. She expands on that thesis in this cute but occasionally tedious debut novel. Jacquie is working at a film magazine and barely making ends meet. She has been drifting from one bad relationship to another when her sister moves in with her, creating havoc at home too. When her sister starts dating the men she’s meeting while looking for apartments, Jacquie pitches the idea as an article to a women’s magazine. They bite, with the proviso that she actually do it. The characters are somewhat underdeveloped, and starting each chapter with a classified ad for an apartment grows old, but despite these minor misgivings, it is still a fun read. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROOMS by James Rubart: The book has been out for about two years, and I confess that I just caught up with it fairly recently. It is James Rubart’s first book and a fascinating piece of writing. At first glance the book is seemingly a gothic novel in light of the happenings in the first few chapters. It is anything but. Micah Taylor is a young, highly successful half owner of an up and coming software company which seems to have nothing but a fabulous future in front of it. A letter is sent to him from a deceased uncle advising that a house has been built for him on the Oregon coast. Micah’s interest is piqued and he decides to visit the house to see what an uncle dead for many years has built for him. He travels to the area – Cannon Beach which brings back bad boyhood memories for him and almost immediately strange things happen in the house. Rooms appear and areas shapes become different. Instead of inspiring terror in Micah he begins to find peace within himself and with the help of a new friend and the meeting of the lovely Sarah begins to reshape his feelings. He begins to spend every weekend at Cannon Beach, only returning to his company in Seattle during the week. Eventually Micah finds reasons to spend more and more time at Cannon Beach, falling in love with Sarah and changing his entire outlook on life. Mr Rubart keeps the reader fascinated by the logical transformation of Micah from the businessman that he was into the spiritually guided human being more and more at peace with himself and his aims and direction. The changing of actual events in his life allows Micah to find happiness with his new self and allows a very satisfying end for quite a fascinating book. 3/12 Paul Lane

ROOTS OF EVIL by Sarah Rayne: Lucy Trent and her family have always lived in the shadow of her scandalous grandmother, Lucretia von Wolff, and the shocking events that led to the end of her life. Baroness Lucretia von Wolff was a silent screen actress who was later said to be a spy for the Nazis. In 1952, she killed two men and then committed suicide in the Ashwood film studio. The family secrets have surfaced again thanks to a woman who intends to write her thesis on the psychological aspects of the murders. The thesis also questions whether Lucretia actually committed the murders and has also resurrected a second mystery, that of the child Alraune. The researcher’s body is found only days later in the abandoned Ashwood studio. The murder bears a striking resemblance to the infamous last scene of Lucretia’s most famous film – Alraune. This is an intriguing multi-layered mystery that traces events as early as the 1920s, through Auschwitz, and into the present. Sarah Rayne is a pseudonym for a well-known British horror author (I have yet to figure out who) and was created when the author decided to break from her genre and begin writing psychological suspense. Though you probably will not be able to find Rayne’s titles shelved at most bookstores (I found mine in a specialty store), they are all available to order through most major chains as well as Amazon.com. I highly recommend this book and believe that it is well worth it to wait a few days for shipping. As an interesting side note, for those that are curious, the story of Alraune can be traced back to Germanic folk legend. 11/06 Becky LeJeune

THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE by Courtney Miller Santo: In Kidron, California, there lives a family of women who seem to defy all logic in aging: Anna, the eldest at 112 years of age; her daughter, Bets, who is now well into her nineties; Callie, Bets’s daughter and owner of the Pit Stop is in her mid sixties; Deb, the most tragic of the bunch in her thirties; and Deb’s twenty-something daughter, Erin, recently returned from Italy after cutting short her contract with the opera. Their circumstances have caught the attention of a geneticist who wants to include them in a study on what he considers the disease of growing old. See, for most folks there is a certain deterioration that comes with aging. Certainly most people over the age of 100 who are included in the study are nowhere near as active and healthy as Anna. Some say it’s the olive oil their family produces. Whatever it is, Dr. Amrit Hashmi is set on uncovering their secret, but his arrival stirs up other secrets as well. Santo’s debut is a wonderful story of family and the bonds between mothers and daughters. Each character shines but each also shares the spotlight equally, their stories woven together in a way that gives them all a depth and complexity that are excellent examples of Santo’s talent. 8/12 Becky Lejeune

ROSES by Leila Meacham: This sprawling novel by a relatively unknown septuagenarian novelist is sure to please fans of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds. Set in Texas and spanning three generations, this is the story of two families, the cotton farming Tollivers and the lumber producing Warwicks. Percy Warwick falls in love with Mary Tolliver, his best friend’s younger sister, from the moment of her birth. But Mary’s true love is Somerset, the family’s cotton plantation. When 16 year old Mary’s father dies, he leaves Somerset to Mary, effectively disinheriting his wife and son and destroying his family in the process. Two generations later, it seems history is about to repeat itself when Mary disinherits her niece and heir, Rachel, freeing her from what she believes to be the Tolliver curse. Reading this is an emotional rollercoaster ride; fast and furious with lots of ups and downs, hairpin turns and most of all, fun. Don’t miss it. 02/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE ROSIE PROJECT by Graeme Simsion: Don Tillman is a brilliant professor of genetics at an Australian university, whose personality and quirks seem to place him somewhere on the autism spectrum. Since he is socially awkward and lonely, he designs a long questionnaire in hopes of finding the perfect mate and dubs this the Wife Project. In the process, he meets Rosie, a part-time bartender who definitely does not pass the wife test. Nonetheless, he finds himself spending quite a bit of time with her after she confesses that she believes her long-dead mother had a one night stand in which she was conceived. Don launches the Father Project, in which he and Rosie track down all the possible men who could be her father and surreptitiously capture their DNA for testing. I struggled a bit with the idea that autism, even if not completely spelled out, could somehow be overcome by love but despite that, I just loved this charming story. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy this fast paced, laugh-out-loud, slightly skewed look at love and life. The Rosie Project is an award winning first novel that has also been selected for the October LibraryReads list. 10/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROSTINKOV’S VACATION by Stuart Kaminsky: Rostnikov and his wife Sarah are on vacation at the Lermontov Hotel watching the bathers brave the cold polluted Black Sea waters when Georgi Vasilievich, an old colleague, shows up. Their renewed association comes to a quick end when Georgi is found dead on his deck chair facing the sea. The coroner says it was a heart attack, but Rostnikov knows better. Why was there dirt on Georgi’s hand and why was the knuckle of his middle finger broken? Someone had murdered his friend, and figured that because Vasilievich was a lonely old man no one would care. While Rostnikov is busy with this case in this 7th Kaminsky police procedural, his colleagues back in Moscow have their hands full with a string of computer thefts, all of them owned by Jews who have been bearing the brunt for the country’s economic troubles, and a psychotic killer bent on political assassination. All three men are led to a final confrontation in Soviet Square, game pieces in a country where everything and nothing has changed. Another excellent outing in the series. 02/07 Jack Quick

ROUGH COUNTRY by John Sanford: On the surface it seems almost routine. While Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers is competing in a fishing tournament in a remote area of Minnesota he gets a call from Lucas Davenport to go investigate a sniper shooting death at a nearby resort. Turns out the resort is for women only, mostly lesbians looking for a place to relax, get fit, recover from plastic surgery, commune with nature, etc. The victim is a woman and initial indications from forensics indicates a female perp. The more Virgil digs, the more complicated it gets, particularly after he finds out this isn’t the first murder – that one occurred the year before. And then there is a third murder…. Well, it is obvious Virgil has to shift into high gear to solve this one. I still like Lucas Davenport best but Virgil is coming into his own. Wonder if we will ever have one featuring Lucas’ favorite nun. 10/09 Jack Quick

ROUGH DRAFT by James W. Hall: It should have been Miami Police Detective Hannah Keller’s happiest day. Her first mystery novel had been purchased. But when she went home to tell her proud parents she found them dead, assassinated gang-style by killers leaving a sole witness, Keller’s then six-year-old son, Randall. The case has remained unsolved since. Now, Miami FBI agents Frank Sheffield and Helen Shane are out to capture the man who murdered a U.S. senator’s daughter. They’re sure that the killer is Hal Bonner, hired gun for the Cali cartel, and they decide to use Keller and her son as decoys to capture Bonner. In a creepy plot twist, Keller finds a copy of her first novel marked with scribblings that contain a secret code. As the good guys chase the bad guys in choppers, cars and UPS vans, you start casting the individual roles for the screen version. No Thorn, but still a first rate read. 04/07 Jack Quick

ROUGH JUSTICE by Jack Higgins: When you get to double digits in a series (this is the 15th Sean Dillon thriller), you have to expect an occasional downer. This outing introduces a new-comer to the team of Sean Dillon, Harry Salter, et al, in the form of one Major Harry Miller. Actually Dillon and Miller have some history as you learn as this one unfolds. Miller is a Clark Kent type, mild-mannered Member of Parliament, who is actually the British prime minister’s secret hit man. Blake Johnson brings in the American side as they all go after a combination of Al-Qaeda, Islamic Fundamentalists and modern day Russians. This reads more like a Bond movie script than some of Higgins previous work. Enjoyable, but not top shelf. 04/09 Jack Quick

ROUGH WEATHER by Robert B. Parker: For Spenser’s 36th adventure, Parker brings back an old nemesis, the Gray Man, who almost killed him in 1977’s SMALL VICES. This time around Spenser is hired by the wealthy Heidi Bradshaw to be at her daughter’s wedding on Tashtego Island in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The ceremony is interrupted by an armed gang, headed by Ruger (the Gray Man), who kills the groom and abducts the bride. With the assistance of Spenser’s usual friends, he sets out to recover the missing bride. It’s another great Spenser and it possibly sets the stage for number 37. 12/08 Jack Quick

RUBICON by Lawrence Alexander: Right out of today’s headlines, an idealistic young senator from California named Bobby Hart discovers an assassination plot under the code name Rubicon that is to occur before the next Presidential election. He doesn’t know who is behind the plan, who is the target, when the event will occur or how, but he does come to realize this is, in fact, a plot to steal the country. It is up to Hart to solve the mystery and prevent the assassination. After stealing the election was just the beginning. How much truth is there in this book? Let’s hope that it is truly a work of fiction. 06/08 Jack Quick

THE RUINS by Scott Smith: Critics are buzzing about Scott Smith’s much-anticipated second novel. After twelve years, Smith has finally produced what is being described as a thriller/horror. A group of friends vacationing in Mexico plan to take a day trip into the jungle. Their destination – an archaeological dig at an old mine shaft. Upon arrival the group is greeted by some very unfriendly locals, two abandoned tents overgrown with vines, and the stripped remains of the archaeological team. What follows is the harrowing psychological deterioration as they realize that they may never make it off the hill. Readers should realize that certain aspects of this book are grossly misleading. Based on the title and the jacket description, I went into this expecting something completely different. I must admit, after all the buzz, I had high expectations and as a result I was a little disappointed. This was not a “horror” novel but rather a psychological suspense. However, once I was able to get past these initial expectations, I was intrigued by the shocking and gruesome story that followed. This is a very twisted vacation read. 09/06 Becky LeJeune

RULES OF CIVILITY by Amor Towles: New York City in the late 1930’s is one of the main characters in this ode to F. Scott Fitzgerald, along with Katey, Eve and Tinker. Tinker is a wealthy man, while Katey & Eve just get by. The three of them inadvertently celebrate New Year’s Eve together at a jazz club in Greenwich Village, with tragic results. The rest of the novel explores the difficult year that follows, with Katey shining as a beacon to her friends. An interesting story that often uses language as flowery as a bouquet of roses, yet somehow doesn’t have enough depth to reach all the senses. Fans of Fitzgerald will scoff, but this book is more accessible to the masses. After all the hype this book has received, personally I was disappointed, but nonetheless enjoyed the trip back to a different world. I couldn’t help but think of one of my favorite quotes: “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there,” (L.P. Hartley.) 8/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RULES OF CRIME by by LJ Sellers: Another outstanding police procedural from Ms.Sellers featuring Detective Wade Jackson and his cohorts of the Eugene, Oregon Police Department. This time its personal as Jackson’s ex-wife, Renee, is missing, Jackson suspects alcoholic Renee has climbed back inside the bottle that destroyed their marriage. But the truth is far worse: kidnappers have snatched Renee and are demanding ransom from her wealthy fiancé. In the meantime, Jackson’s protégé, Detective Lara Evans, is working a seemingly unrelated case involving a battered coed and a whispered rumor of a secret sorority. Add in Eugene’s new FBI liaison, Agent Carla River, (formerly Carl) and you have all the main characters hard at work to save lives and bring the perps to justice. I still miss Ed McBain, but Ms. Sellers has become my go-to for solid police procedurals. 3/13 Jack Quick

RULES OF DECEPTION by Christopher Reich: Just how well do you know your spouse? Dr. Jonathan Ransom is about to face this very question, and the answer could be more than one man can handle. When Emma is killed in a climbing accident, Jonathan is devastated. A day later, a letter arrives addressed to Emma. In the envelope, Jonathan finds two baggage claim tickets. When Jonathan shows up to pick up the mysterious bags, he is accosted by two Swiss police officers. Instinct kicks in and Jonathan accidentally kills one of the officers while defending himself. Now he has become one of the most wanted men in Switzerland, and what he finds in the bags doesn’t help the situation one bit. Meanwhile, the assassination of a Dutch engineer living in Switzerland has raised some interesting questions. Just what this man’s death has to do with Jonathan and his quest to discover the truth about his wife is unclear, but the murder trail is leading investigators straight towards this unlikely fugitive. Reich’s latest is drawing worthy comparison to Robert Ludlum, admittedly one of espionage fiction’s greatest authors. The best thing about Rules is that it never becomes too bogged down in politics. As with all spy fiction, the political aspect is always present, but it’s not overwhelming to a layperson like me. Rules of Deception is an intense thriller that will definitely satisfy readers of the genre, whether they’re familiar with Reich’s work or not. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

RULES OF DECEPTION by Christopher Reich: Does anyone truly know another person? Emma, the wife of Dr. Jonathan Ransom of Doctors Without Borders, dies in a skiing accident in the Swiss Alps. Afterwards, the grieving Ransom receives a letter, posted to Emma, but delayed in delivery until after her death. The note leads to the discovery that Emma led a double life as a spy. Suddenly Ransom is in a frantic life and death chase across northern Europe. The plot is extremely complicated with a huge cast of characters, but the pace is breathtaking and in the end, you will see how it all fits together – albeit you may be totally exhausted by that point. One of my best reads of the year. 06/09 Jack Quick

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE by James Patterson: Second outing for NYC Detective Mike Bennett, caregiver for ten children, all of whom we met in STEP ON A CRACK. This time the Teacher is a calculating killer showing New York who is boss, killing the city’s most powerful and arrogant. Think Miss Manners with an Uzi who is determined to clean things up. Some of the citizenry seems to approve, but for the elite of New York it’s a call to terror. Enter superhero Mike Bennett (10 children?) to save the day. Its disaster time for the Big Apple and all ten kids are down with the flu. Not the worst of the Patterson collaborations, but not really first rank either. 04/09 Jack Quick

RUNEMARKS by Joanne Harris: According to Norse mythology, Ragnarok meant the end of the world. It was to be the penultimate battle between the gods and it would result in all of their deaths. Harris’s first young adult fantasy takes place 500 years after the end of the world. In this time, people have forgotten the old gods. They no longer have time for fancy, whimsy, or dreams. In fact, they fear these things above all else, as they bring about chaos. Their world is one of rules and order. Maddy Smith does not fit into this world. For one, she was born with a rune mark on her hand. The people of Malbry fear Maddy and her mark and talk among the village is that Maddy may be a witch. Maddy’s one friend is an outsider who calls himself One-Eye. At the age of seven, Maddy begs One-Eye to teach her about the runes, to tell her what the mark on her hand means, and most of all to teach her to use and harness the power that the runes hold. One-Eye has his own plans, though, and those plans involve keeping Maddy in the dark as long as possible in regards to what she really is. Maddy’s life as she knows it is about to be turned upside down as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. What began as a bedtime story for her nine year old daughter has become a fantasy novel four years in the making. Although technically a book for young adults, the story contains the same elements that can be found in any one of Harris’s novels. Runemarks is a great story steeped in Norse mythology and perfect for any reader who is young at heart. Fans should know that Harris has already confirmed there will be a follow-up somewhere down the road, her daughter has insisted upon it. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

RUNNER by Thomas Perry: After a ten year absence, Jane Whitefield returns. Whitefield, a Native American living a quiet life as the wife of a surgeon in upstate New York, had retired from her under-the-radar work as a “guide,” someone who helped people in peril vanish from their pursuers. A pregnant young woman shows up at the hospital during a fund-raiser. Her pursuers set off a bomb trying to capture her in the ensuing confusion. Instead, she is able to hook up with Jane, who reluctantly agrees to get back into the game. The game, however, has become more much complicated in the last decade with cell phones and databases and the proliferation of the Internet. Jane has to adapt to the new environment and in doing so, becomes the hunter. A ten year absence has only made Perry’s writing sharper. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another decade for the next one. 10/09 Jack Quick

THE RUNNER by Peter May: This is May’s fifth and my first thriller featuring Chinese detective Li Yan and American pathologist Margaret Campbell. Beijing is all buzz about hosting the upcoming Olympics, Ms. Campbell is pregnant with their child, and the couple is seeking to get married when the deaths of two potential Olympians take precedence. A top Chinese swimmer kills himself and an Olympic weightlifter dies in the arms of his Beijing mistress. Both are actually murders and connected to an inexplicable series of “accidents” which has taken the lives of some of China’s best athletes. All personal matters must be put on hold until Detective Li can get to the bottom of the matter. Very well done. I will definitely go back and read the previous outings. 02/10 Jack Quick

RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL by Jamie Freveletti: Emma Caldridge is one lucky woman. When her plan crashes in the jungles of Columbia, Emma finds herself thrown clear of the wreckage, hidden from the group of guerillas that arrives soon after to round up the remaining passengers. And Emma has some tricks up her sleeve as well: She’s a biochemist who runs ultramarathons. In other words, Emma has just the resources one would need to survive in such a situation. She tracks the guerillas and passengers as they trek into the woods, keeping far enough behind to remain undetected, hoping that she can last long enough to be saved. But Emma is hiding a secret as well. A secret that makes her a valuable commodity in the war that is taking place around her. Meanwhile, as American authorities begin looking for the persons responsible for the crash, their intel on Emma is beginning to make her look like a possible suspect. It will take everything Emma has to make it through this one, and the forces after her can’t imagine what they’re going to come up against. Running From the Devil is a page-turning adventure/political thriller and a fabulous read. Freveletti, already accomplished in so many ways, is sure to add best-selling author to the list after this one. 05/09 Becky Lejeune

RUNNING SCARED by Cheryl Norman: After enduring years of abuse at the hands of her husband, Ashley Adams finally got the nerve to leave, and it nearly cost her her life to do so. Her divorce has only just been finalized, but Ashley has already made great progress in putting her life back together. She’s even been training to run her very first marathon. This morning, though, Ashley and her running partner find themselves right in the middle of a drive-by shooting, not a common occurrence in their small Florida town by any means. Ashley is convinced that her ex is behind it all, but the police don’t have enough evidence to charge him. To make matters worse, the police aren’t even sure if Ashley was the intended target at all. Detective Rick Edwards knows that Ashley’s fear of her ex is not unfounded, though. In fact, he’s seen first-hand the results of the abuse and he’s taken a special interest in making sure that no harm comes to Ashley again. Running Scared is an easy and light romantic suspense/mystery bordering on cozy – not too heavy on the violence or the sex. My one complaint is that some of the dialogue is a bit dated for the fairly young heroine. She’s in the habit of saying “mercy,” and “oh, dear,” in response to being shot at. 09/08 Becky Lejeune

RUNNING WRECKED by Mark Combes: Phil Riley has come from Minnesota to the Caribbean’s Isla Tortuga for a fresh start. A job at the dive shop during the day, good friends and lots of cold beer afterwards, life is good. Then he discovers the beautiful sailboat Miss Princess abandoned and adrift. Why are the police lackadaisical about investigating? What happened to the family that was aboard? Riley’s fumbling attempts to play detective may foil a kidnap plot, or it may cost him his life. A bit uneven, like many first works, but shows promise. 06/07 Jack Quick

RUNOFF by Mark Coggins: Leonora Lee is the all-powerful “Dragon Lady” of San Francisco’s Chinatown. She is accustomed to getting her way in all things, so when her hand-picked mayoral candidate fails even to carry the predominantly Chinese precincts, see sends for August Riordan, rapidly becoming San Francisco’s go-to Private Investigator. Lee wants to know if the election was rigged, who did it, why they did it and how they did it. Once she has her answers, you sense she can handle the situation nicely. Coggins obviously knows what Herb Caen called Baghdad by the Bay, its people and its politics. Recommended. 12/07 Jack Quick

RUSH HOUR RULES by Huw Powell: It started out as an innocent bit of pub entertainment. At the insistence of his girlfriend, E. Z. Tyler reluctantly allows himself to be the subject of a hypnotist, as far as he is aware for the first time ever. The next thing he knows is he is in the middle of mayhem and murder. It seems that the trance triggers a lost memory which causes his best friend Jason (actually his minder) to kill several onlookers and attempt to kill E.Z., who fatally clobbers Jason with a chair. Tyler is arrested and the next day exposed to government officials who interrogate him and then plan to kill him. He escapes and the chase is on. What is it he knows but doesn’t know that he knows. Tyler exhibits remarkable ingenuity as he proceeds at a breakneck “rush hour” pace to save himself – and the world. Nicely done and recommended. 11/09 Jack Quick

THE SABOTEURS by W.E.B. Griffin: Griffin and his son reactivate a series first published in the 1980’s in paperback under the pseudonym Alex Baldwin featuring the Office of Strategic Services; its fabled chief, Col. William J. “Wild Bill” Donovan; and OSS agent Maj. Richard M. Canidy. Two primary plot lines drive this new adventure: the U.S. preparation for the invasion of Sicily and mainland Italy in 1943, and the tale of four German saboteurs who have landed in America. The German saboteurs are eventually dealt with, but the behind-the-lines Sicilian operation led by Canidy is only hastily outlined after a long buildup, which makes it likely that the Sicilian story will appear in a future installment. If you know Griffin, you know this is “formula” writing, but he probably does it better than anyone else today. 06/06 Jack Quick

SACRED by Dennis Lehane: It starts with a kidnapping. Boston sleuths Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are grabbed and brought to the side of dying billionaire Trevor Stone. He wants them to find his missing daughter Desire who, grief-stricken over the death of her mother, has disappeared. The first investigator Stone hired, Patrick’s mentor, Jay Becker, has also disappeared. Its “through the looking glass” for Patrick and Angie as they follow the trail to Florida after a brief encounter with a group of religious swindlers who may be involved with the disappearances. The problem isn’t a lack of clues, its clues too many as every person they meet adds more confusion and conflicting information to the puzzling case. Some humor, some violence, some excitement and a pinch of romance. Bake until done. 02/07 Jack Quick

SACRIFICE by S.J. Bolton: The discovery of a body on the small island of Shetland sets off a chilling chain of events and uncovers a dark and ancient secret in Bolton’s page-turning debut. Tora Hamilton has only been on Shetland for a short time when she discovers a body buried within the boundaries of her new property. At first, officials believe that the remains may be one of the famous “bog bodies”—ancient remains preserved in peat—and therefore none of their concern. Evidence points to a ritualistic murder: the woman’s heart has been cut from her chest and runes carved into her flesh. Tora realizes, however, that the body cannot be as old as the police think, and her suspicions are confirmed; the body is that of a young woman killed just two years ago. Though she is warned off of the case, Tora can’t help but feel some responsibility toward the dead woman and begins to assist one of the investigators on the case. Tora’s discoveries lead her to one of the island’s oldest folk legends, and evidence that that the tale may be more fact than not. Bolton’s heroine is really put through the wringer in this one. I love the combination of folklore and mystery in this one, it makes for one of my favorite kinds of thrillers. 06/09 Becky Lejeune

SACRIFICE FLY by Tim O’Mara: Raymond Donne is a cop turned special education teacher who has left the force after a debilitating injury. When one of his favorite students, about to graduate with a baseball scholarship to a private high school, goes missing, Donne can’t help getting involved, especially when the lead detective on the case seems more concerned with getting home on time than investigating. Donne discovers the boy’s father has been murdered, complicating the case and drawing more attention not only from the cops; Donne and his sister are threatened. But it is the well drawn characters that really bring this mystery to life, including the Williamsburg, Brooklyn setting, which almost becomes another character in this skillfully written debut. Donne is a damaged protagonist, and it is not just the physical injuries he sustained as a cop, but the more important psychological injuries that hinder him, and it is this type of character à la Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch or James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux that tend to keep the reader coming back. Hopefully this is just the beginning for Tim O’Mara and his Raymond Donne. 10/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2012 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

THE SACRIFICE GAME by Brian D’Amato: Some science fiction and a large amount of research into an ancient civilization generates a fascinating description of that civilization. The Sacrifice Game is Brian D’Amato’s second book of a planned trilogy. The first book, In Courts of the Sun, was published in 2009. It’s imaginative look at the Mayan calendar’s seeming prediction of the transit of one phase of our world into the next and the ending of ours via the calendar’s coming to an end caught the reader right from the get go. The only unfortunate circumstance are the three years between the first book and the new book, and for those that did not have the pleasure of reading book one the allusions made are not sufficient to allow the reader to slide easily into the plot.
Jed DeLanda, a descendent of the Mayans was rescued from poverty in Guatemala in current times and brought up in the United States. Given the advantage of a university education Jed develops into a math prodigy. His knowledge of the ancient Mayan “Divinity” game which seemingly predicts the date for the end of our world causes a major group to offer Jed an opportunity to go into the past via a method of energy transfer. He is to look for answers about the prediction of end world by learning more about the game first hand. After being exposed to Mayan culture, it’s blood lust, human sacrifices and cannibalism Jed decides to use his knowledge of the Divinity game to allow the world to end on December 21, 2012. The group that sent him back to the height of Mayan civilization and than retrieves him learns of his intentions and knows that they must stop him. The actions and interactions of both Jed and the group he worked for are mixed with a very surprising development not expected by the reader, and lead to an ending which neatly sets up book three of the trilogy.
D’amato has creatively set up Jed’s interactions both with his 21st century contacts and the individuals met while inhabiting the body in the Mayan past. The Mayan preoccupation with death and wholesale slaying of both friends and foes is delineated very well allowing the reader to understand Jed’s acceptance of killing as ceremonial and normal and perhaps his new attitude towards 12/21 and possible end of our world. The only major defect in this book was to have waited 3 years for publication. Book three should come out sooner and might be planned to coincide with 12/21. 8/12 Paul Lane
The Sacrifice of Tamar by Naomi Ragen: Also Sotah and Jephte’s Daughter, all books about Orthodox Jewish women that I’ve heard about for years but they are all out of print. I tracked them down at the library and loved them all. Her newest one and the only one still in print is the Ghost of Hannah Mendez.

THE SAD TALE OF THE BROTHERS GROSSBART by Jesse Bullington: The brothers Grossbart are a nasty and nefarious pair. Ugly and violent grave robbers set on leaving their home for the Middle East, the brothers begin their journey by murdering their neighbor’s family and running. Throughout their adventures, as they travel from Germany and through Italy on their way to “Gyptland,” they encounter a slew of strange characters including beasts, bandits, and even witches, and leave a streak of dead bodies and ruined villages in their wake. A crazy sort-of adventure story, The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart is not for innocent readers. Bullington’s imaginative debut is a dark and twisted fairy tale for adults who don’t mind laughing at the dirty stuff. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

SAFE AS HOUSES by Simone van der Vlugt: When Lisa sees a strange man stumbling through her yard, her immediate concern is the protection of her daughter, Anouk. She runs to her house but isn’t able to get there in time to lock the man out. Now she’s a prisoner in her own home. Her captor is Mick Kreuger, a murderer and escapee from a local psychiatric facility. He says he only wants a safe place to hide out until the officials on his trail have moved on, but Lisa has already seen how violent he can be. Then a random passerby happens by the house and Lisa is convinced she will be their salvation. As more and more time passes, though, Lisa begins to lose all hope that any rescue is coming. With her daughter’s safety in mind, Lisa starts to concoct a plan for escape. Now all she has to do is live long enough to put her plan into action. Safe As Houses is an intense and quick read with a fairly simple plot. There’s nothing overly complicated or all that surprising in the story, but it is well written – well translated – and gripping. Safe As Houses was originally published in Amsterdam in 2012 as Blauw Water and is out now in the UK. 7/13 Becky Lejeune

SAFE HOUSE by Christine Duncan: (e-book) This title has been used for a number of mystery and thriller outings. This time it’s about a 14 year old – Elissa Pappas, gone missing from her home in Arvada, an upscale suburb of Denver, Colorado. Her mother knows she has been hanging out with older “goth” kids doing drugs and alcohol, but now she is missing. Then they find her body. The main character, Kaye, – the mother of Elissa’s former best friend – works as a counselor in an abused women’s shelter – a “safe house.” When Kaye’s son RJ becomes a suspect in Elissa’s death, it’s all she can do to hold it together. As someone who raised three teenagers, I have empathy for her, but the entire story came across more as “chic lit” than as a mystery, even of the cozy variety. 06/08 Jack Quick

THE SAFETY OF SECRETS by DeLauné Michel: Fiona and Patricia have been utterly inseparable since they first met in grade school. Today, they’re each navigating the treacherous world of Hollywood, but their careers have taken very different paths. Fiona has had minor success with small television roles, but is still waiting for her career to take off. She’s happily married and maybe, finally expecting her first child. Meanwhile, Patricia lives the life of Hollywood’s elite. Her career has been a major success ever since she was lucky enough to get a job hosting a popular reality show. She’s become flighty and somewhat wild compared to Fiona’s stable life, though, and Fiona no longer seems to be anywhere near the top of her priority list. The worst happens, though, when Patricia reveals a secret that the two have kept for over two decades. Fiona is forced to reevaluate their friendship and decide whether it is worth having Patricia in her life. Safety of Secrets is a moving story that any woman can relate to. Michel manages to keep a refreshingly light tone throughout in spite of the somewhat serious subject matter. It seems genetics may be partially responsible for literary talent considering Michel’s who’s who of literary family members! She’s a wonderful author whose talent really shows in her writing. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

SAIL by James Patterson & Howard Roughan: Dr. Katherine Dunne plans a sailing vacation for her and her three children in hopes that it will bring them back together. Since her husband died four years ago, her family has been in a quick downward spiral. Carrie, her teen daughter, has an eating disorder and is suicidal. Mark, her teenage son, is an irresponsible pot-smoker. And poor Ernie, just ten years old, is too wise and mature for such a young age. Katherine’s mandatory vacation seems to be the perfect bonding experience, until things start to go very wrong. Carrie attempts to drown herself, the boat begins to malfunction, and just when the Dunne’s think the issues have been resolved, disaster strikes and this time the damage irreparable. The Dunne’s are instantly forced to work together; their survival is at stake. This book lives up to the Patterson name. It has all the suspenseful twists and turns that Patterson is famous for. 07/08 Jennifer Lawrence

SAIL by James Patterson & Howard Roughan: Purely by happenstance I have been reading books this month alphabetically, starting with At The City’s Edge through The Spies of Warsaw. Sail breaks the pattern and not for the best. Anne Dunne is a widow with three children and mega-problems that, of course, can all be solved by an elaborate sailing vacation. Less than an hour into this great adventure, teenage daughter Carrie is planning her own drowning, teenage son Mark is higher than the masthead on dope, and ten year old Ernie is nearly catatonic (Apparently he read this book in pre-publication ARC form). I have long given up on buying James Patterson books, and alas, I think I will now forego getting them from the library. Per the blurb, Written with the blistering pace and shocking twists that only James Patterson can master, SAIL takes “Lost” and “Survivor” to a new level of terror. My fear is that this will become a television series and/or Patterson will release a sequel. 08/08 Jack Quick

SAINT CITY SINNERS by Lilith Saintcrow: Dante Valentine is finally coming home to Saint City and you’d better watch out. Danny has just learned that one of the four demons Lucifer has hired her to track down is none other than Eve, the end result of Santino’s evil scheme in Working for the Devil. The revelation has caused serious trust issues in her relationship with Japhrimel and has set the devil on her trail. Too late to back out of her deal with Lucifer, her only choice is to stall long enough for the contract to finally run out. Japh has been keeping secrets though and Danny has no idea what she is in for. Then she receives a message from a friend in Saint City. Gabe and her husband Eddie have both been murdered and Danny is pissed. She promises to avenge their deaths and not even Japh or the devil himself can stop her. Unfortunately, her return has not gone unnoticed and Danny becomes the prime suspect in the case. Things have changed in Saint City but Danny still has plenty of allies on her side. She’s going to need them with the number of enemies she has against her. With only one book left in the series, readers can only guess what will happen next. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

THE SALARYMAN’S WIFE by Sujata Massey: Rei Shimura is a 27-year-old Japanese American English teacher. Her tiny paycheck barely allows her to exist in Tokyo, the world’s most expensive city, but she is determined to not use the plane ticket home to California that her parents have offered. She discovers the body of the wife of a wealthy businessman when she visits the ancient castle town of Shiroyama. Her subsequent involvement (crashing a funeral and posing as a bargirl among other things) angers the conservative police and the local citizenry but she presses on. Interesting character in a very different environment. Although the plot sounds like an Evanovich caper, this is totally different. 07/06 Jack Quick

THE SALON by Nick Bertozzi: I am not a graphic novel aficionado, and in fact I’ve only read half a dozen in the past several years. The books I’ve been drawn to (no pun intended) are of a more serious nature; books like Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi or In the Shadow of No Towers by Art Spiegelman. Without the political punch of a memoir of growing up during the Islamic revolution, or the introspection of 9/11, there is an immediate disadvantage to a lightweight pseudo-mystery like The Salon. The Salon refers to a group of Modernist writers and artists, notably Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Alice B. Toklas, among others, and a murderer who has ripped the head off his victim. There are some interesting references to the emergence of Cubism and Modernism, which I enjoyed, but I mostly found the storyline confusing. There is also drug use, in the form of a hallucinogenic “blue absinthe” that allows the artists to travel into their paintings, thus seeing them from an entirely different angle. But it was the full frontal nudity and sex which has generated the most publicity for this book, although I didn’t find it the least bit offensive or really even all that interesting. So the bottom line: is it worth the $20? I don’t think so. 05/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SALT MAIDEN by Colleen Thompson: Heiress Dana Vanover has recently suffered some great disappointments in life. After a hysterectomy to remove what was a benign tumor, her fiancé left her saying he had always wanted a family. Then, Dana’s mother pleads with her to find her sister. Angela Vanover is a wanderer addicted to many things. She doesn’t stay in touch with her family, and her monthly stipend from her inheritance is more than enough to support her habit. Angie had a daughter who was given up for adoption. That daughter is in desperate need of a bone-marrow transplant and Angie’s mother is determined to save her. Unfortunately, Angie appears to have gone missing, her last two checks uncashed. Dana drives out to the remote town of Devil’s Claw to discover that her sister had made many enemies. She was obsessed with a legend of someone called the Salt Woman and with saving the desert from a proposed waste-management contract – a contract that would have brought much needed funding to this dying town. Then, a body is discovered in the heart of the desert. Could it be Angie? Was someone angry enough to kill her? Dana is determined to find out what happened to her wayward sister and nothing, not even her burgeoning romance with newly elected chief of police, Jay Eversol, will stop her. A romantic suspense that is sure to please fans of authors such as Heather Graham and Iris Johansen. 11/07 Becky Lejeune

Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore: It should come as no surprise that Al and Tipper Gore’s daughter has written a first novel with a political bent. Samantha Joyce is 26, single, and the most neurotic yet endearing character to come along since Bridget Jones. Her foibles include befriending telemarketers, unwittingly killing a steady stream of Japanese fighting fish, and having a penchant for pratfalls. But she’s also unfailingly honest, principled, and passionate about her work in public service. Sammy is an assistant to the junior senator from Ohio, giving Gore plenty of opportunity to share her insider knowledge of how things really work in Washington and on the campaign trail (hint: don’t leave home without your Blackberry). Smart writing, lots of laughs, and a captivating story line move what could have been a rather ordinary boy-meets-girl story well ahead of the pack. In addition, Gore tackles national healthcare, making this a timely debut. Expect lots of buzz. Strongly recommended for all public libraries. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SAMMY’S HOUSE by Kristin Gore: In this sequel to Sammy’s Hill by former Vice President Al Gore’d middle daughter, Samantha Joyce is back, only this time she’s in the White House. The senator she works for has been promoted to Vice President, and while she’s only the assistant to an assistant of the VP, she still gets to bend some pretty important ears with her vast knowledge of the health care industry. Gore has some fun with her fictional President, a former alcoholic who’s been sober for twenty years; that is if you don’t count whiskey mixed with Diet Dr. Pepper at ten in the morning as drinking. This time Sammy takes on the pharmaceutical industry, blogging, reality TV, Canada and India, pointing out some very sobering realities. Gore brings back a great character and creates an interesting storyline; the writing is crisp and funny, and although it does get a bit repetitive at times, it moves along briskly. Anyone who delights in knowing what really goes on behind White House doors, even fictional doors, will recognize enough truth here to really enjoy this romp through D.C. 07/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2007 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

SAMURAI CODE by Don Easton: Interesting police procedural featuring Jack Taggart, the loosest cannon in all the RCMP. In this fourth outing, Taggart is supposed to be working a relatively low priority case following the trail of a Saturday-night special found at the scene of a murder. He initially traces the gun from the manufacturer to original person, from whom it was initially stolen and then passed along from criminal to criminal. Before he knows it Taggart is knee-deep and sinking in a major heroin import ring. Taggart pretends to be an Irish gangster and penetrates the criminal organization, only to discover that the real crime boss is a mysterious figure out of Asia. Taggart and his partner are then flown aboard a private jet where they find themselves alone and without backup in the lair of one of the largest yakuza organized crime families in Japan, where all heck breaks loose. A guy like this has got to survive for further adventures but it looks awfully iffy for a bit. Recommended. 07/11 Jack Quick

SAN FRANCISCO THRILLERS edited by John Miller: If you love Herb Caen’s Baghdad by the Bay as I do, then you will love this eclectic collection of fact, fiction, and drama. With writers like Bill Pronzini, Dashiell Hammett, Jim Thompson, Martin Cruz Smith, Joe Gores, and Marcia Muller, among others, how can you go wrong. From the early days of the city to the 1995 print date of this volume, its one portrait after another of what Smith calls “that most elusive and feminine of American cities. And to add to your enjoyment, there are stunning surrealist photographs from Francis Bruguiere to help place you into each setting. So, sit down with an Irish coffee (first served in the US at the Buena Vista in San Francisco on November 10, 1952), a few fortune cookies (invented in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Japanese Tea Garden in 1909) and enjoy. 09/07 Jack Quick

SANCTUARY by Ken Bruen: Reading a Bruen book is not unlike seeing a bad automobile accident – you know you shouldn’t gawk, but you just can’t help yourself. Jack Taylor’s plans to go to America have been postponed because Ridge, his former partner, is diagnosed with cancer, so he stays to support her: “It’s God’s own vicious joke, the only woman I managed to keep in my life was gay.” He gets involved in the hunt for a killer, falls off the wagon, climbs back on, and somehow or other, manages to keep it loosely together. Let’s hope there are at least one more pint and a fag in his Xanax and whisky driven future. 06/09 Jack Quick

SANDMAN SLIM by Richard Kadrey: Eleven years ago, James Stark was sent to hell. The first living human in the realm, he became plaything, slave, and eventually assassin for hire Downtown. But when his girl is murdered, Stark slays his master and returns to the world of the living, hellbent on revenge. Stark was a talented magician before he was sent away, but now he’s even better. With the help of Vidocq — yes, that Vidocq. The famous French investigator of the 1800s is still alive and kicking and ready to help out a friend — Stark will track down his enemies and show them a punishment much worse than simple death. Oh, Sandman Slim’s debut appearance is a great one. Fans of Jim Butcher and Kim Harrison will love Kadrey’s hero/anti-hero. What makes it even better is the fact that Kadrey throws the heaven/hell/fallen angel plot into the mix as well. 10/10 Becky Lejeune
SANTA FE DEAD by Stuart Woods: Santa Fe lawyer Ed Eagle, who escaped a murder-for-hire plot in Woods’ previous Santa Fe Rules is endangered again. Wife Barbara has escaped from police custody, so Ed knows neither he, his new girlfriend, nor any unlucky rich man who might cross her path, will be safe until she is re-captured. At the same time, Ed’s new client, Doc Wells, may or may not have murdered his own wife and son. From Southern California to the New Mexico desert to Tijuana, Mexico, there is little in the way of domestic bliss, but even that little bit is better than being Santa Fe Dead. Another good one if you are a Woods fan like me. 05/08 Jack Quick

SATORI by Don Winslow: Nicholai Hel has spent the last three years in solitary confinement after the end of World War II. Now it is the fall of 1951 and the Korean War is raging. Hel is a master of hoda korosu or “naked kill,” fluent in over six languages, and has honed extraordinary “proximity sense”–an extra-awareness of the presence of danger. The Americans offer Hel freedom in exchange for one small service: go to Beijing and kill the Soviet Union’s Commissioner to China. It’s almost certainly a suicide mission, but Hel accepts. Hel out-Bonds James Bond in this thriller that has enough sex and violence to satisfy the most discriminating taste. I loved it. 03/11 Jack Quick

SATURDAY by Ian McEwan: McEwan deals with the aftermath of 9/11 with an interesting premise – a day in the life of a British neurosurgeon. However, this Saturday is not just any Saturday; it’s set on February 15, 2003, the day of the great London anti-war march and indeed, a historic date that saw millions worldwide protest the imminent invasion of Iraq. Brought down to a smaller, personal scale makes the impact that much more memorable.
Dr. Henry Perowne wakes early that morning to see what appears to be a plane crash. He immediately wonders if it’s terrorists, because that’s what we do in this day and age. His day off from brain surgery continues with a trip to the gym to meet a friend for their weekly squash game, but he is delayed by a detour because of the protest march. That detour triggers a minor fender-bender which turns into something with much more sinister repercussions. The other driver, Baxter, is of criminal ilk and attacks Henry, who manages to save himself by pointing out a health issue that Baxter is suffering.
Henry had been looking forward to this day because he is hosting a small family reunion; his daughter, a newly published poet living in Paris, and his father-in-law, a famed eccentric poet, will be there in time for dinner. But the day doesn’t turn out as planned; he argues with his daughter about the war, Baxter shows up at Henry’s home with calamitous results, and he eventually finishes his day off by returning to the hospital to work.
McEwan was interviewed on PBS and he spoke about how he couldn’t write fiction for a couple of years after 9/11. He felt people needed to be informed, and in fact, he himself was hungry for information to help make sense of what happened. His only published writings during that time were essays and letters to the newspaper. But his métier has always been fiction. McEwan obviously had something to say about the war in Iraq and chose this fine novel as his medium. While I don’t think he achieves the brilliance he reached with Atonement, my favorite of all the McEwan novels, perhaps it is his most personal and cathartic book, and certainly a very worthwhile read. 03/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SATURDAY WIFE by Naomi Ragen: If you can imagine Emma Bovary as a contemporary, Orthodox Jew, you have the gist of this latest Jewish family saga from Ragen. Delilah Goldgrab, whose name is completely symbolic of her personality: Delilah is a “bad girl,” an Orthodox Yeshiva student who falls for & has sex with the son of a famous rabbi, who promptly dumps her. Goldgrab is interested in only one thing: grabbing the gold, as in making a successful marriage to a man who can keep her in the style to which she would like to become accustomed. Delilah is a beauty, which definitely helps ensnare rabbinical student Chaim Levi. But no matter what he does for her, no matter what she has, it’s never enough and never what she feels she deserves. It’s a fascinating story and a mesmerizing one, rather like watching a train wreck; you know it can’t possibly end well, but you can’t stop reading. 08/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SAUDI CONNECTION by Jack Anderson and Robert Westbrook: Well written but predictable thriller from the Pulitzer Prize winning and former syndicated muckraking journalist Jack Anderson about Pulitzer Prize winning and former syndicated muckraking journalist Ron Wright. The essence of the story is that the wife of the Saudi ambassador to the United States may have secretly given $20 million to an American white supremacist group, the White Brotherhood of Christian Patriots. When Anderson/Wright seeks to confirm the story to reclaim his professional status, people start dying. Not a bad read, but the U.S. supporting Saudi Arabia supporting Al Qaeda fighting the U.S. has been done so many times, it has almost become a cliché. 09/07 Jack Quick

SAVAGE GARDEN by Denise Hamilton: L.A. Times reporter Eve Diamond continues to be involved in more murders than most LAPD members. This time the victim is diva and erratic actress Catarina Velosi, coincidentally a former lover of Eve’s boyfriend Silvio Aguilar. Eve has an unwelcome sidekick, slick fast track African-American intern Felice Morgan. Together they pursue the case, conducting interviews and unearthing side stories, which may or may not lead to further adventures. An underlying theme throughout is the impact of Jason Blair, the New York Times African-American reporter who was found to be fabricating stories, on the entire journalism profession. I don’t know if Ms. Hamilton is getting tired or if it’s my own burnout, but this one just didn’t have the sparkle of her previous efforts. 01/08 Jack Quick
Savage Run by C. J. Box: This is the sequel to Open Season, featuring Wyoming game warden and all around likeable guy, Joe Pickett. An exploding cow, ecoterrorists and beautiful scenery just keep those pages turning. Ignore the cover; it has little to do with the story.

SAVAGES by Bill Pronzini: Can you believe 32 episodes in the Nameless Detective series? In this outing Nameless is working for a former client, Celeste Ogden. Several years ago he had done a background check on her sister’s fiancée. Now the sister is dead and Ogden is convinced her brother-in-law was responsible. Meanwhile a routine subpoena service by Jake Runyan turns into an entirely different adventure when Runyan discovers a body, is himself knocked unconscious and pulled into the conflicts of a small California town. Tightly written and well crafted as always. Let’s just hope that these keep on coming. 07/07 Jack Quick

SAVAGES by Don Winslow: It’s not Cheech and Chong, but Ben and Chon who are running a lucrative marijuana operation out of ritzy Laguna Beach, California. Both are peace loving dudes – Ben, a charitable, environmentally conscious Berkeley grad, and Chon, a former Navy Seal, who only want to run their business and smoke primo weed. So when members of the Mexican Baja Cartel decide they want a piece of the action, they ignite a fuse that eventually leads to bullets, blood, and violence, not to mention Letterman, Leno and Gerald Ford masks, as the two businessmen concoct various schemes and plots involving improvised explosive devices, kidnapping, etc. as they try to win back their close confidante and frequent bedroom playmate who has been kidnapped by the Mexicans to bring pressure on our heroes (?). Its Winslow at his best, not for the squeamish, but probably an uncanny insight into the realities of today’s drug culture. 09/10 Jack Quick

SAVANNAH BREEZE by Mary Kay Andrews: This is a quasi-sequel to the very popular Savannah Blues; quasi because Andrews uses a device common to romance writers. She takes a secondary character and puts them front and center in the next book. The heroine of the first book, Weezie, has a much smaller, secondary role here to her best friend BeBe Loudermilk. Bebe’s been married & divorced three times and her taste in men doesn’t seem to be improving when she hooks up with con man Ryan Edward “Reddy” Millbanks. She falls fast and hard for him and he skips town even faster with almost everything she owns. He leaves her with a ramshackle old motel and out of desperation she moves in and renovates, along with handyman/fisherman Harry, who was already ensconced and working on the motel. Determined to get her money and pride back, Bebe does some private detecting to try and track Reddy down, learning she wasn’t the first woman he’d scammed. Count on a little mystery, a little romance, and some laughs from this author because she always delivers. I zipped through this lovely bit of fluff in a few hours and enjoyed every minute. 04/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SAVE ME by Lisa Scottoline: Scottoline steps out of her usual legal box with this standalone suburban thriller. Rose McKenna has moved to this lovely small town because her daughter Melly had been the victim of bullying. Melly was born with a large birthmark on her face, and by the time she’s 8 years old has learned that sometimes people can’t see past it. Rose has volunteered as a lunch mom, helping keep an eye on things in the school cafeteria at this brand new school. But she soon learns that some things never change, and she catches a couple of girls teasing her daughter. Melly runs out of the room, and Rose keeps the troublemakers behind during recess to talk to them about teasing. But there is an explosion and the cafeteria becomes a fiery inferno. Rose is torn between helping the two little girls she is with and finding her daughter. She leads the girls out to the hallway, leaving them to follow all the other children out of the building, then runs through the fire to save her daughter. But her heroism is tainted when one of the girls runs back into the fire to get her toy and ends up at death’s door. Rose becomes the town pariah and is determined to find out what caused the explosion. That leads her down a very twisted path to a breathless conclusion. Scottoline has moved into Jodi Picoult territory here and does a damn fine job of it. 04/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SAVE YOURSELF by Kelly Braffet: Patrick lives with the guilt of his father’s crime. Convicted of killing a young boy while driving drunk, the elder Cusimano is now serving time behind bars but his sons have been convicted in the court of public opinion and are serving out their own figurative sentence. It’s worse for Patrick in particular since he was the one who ended up turning in his dad – something that unfortunately earns him no credit or consideration with the angry townspeople. For Layla and Verna Elshere, life is no simpler. The two high school girls are the daughters of a local minister who recently went head to head with the school board in protest over the teachings of a popular instructor at their school. As a result the girls are the victims of a bullying campaign that’s only getting worse as time goes by. Layla soon becomes obsessed with Patrick, seeking him out first out of curiosity and then something more. The consequences of this entanglement will have deep ramifications for both families. This latest from Braffet is compelling in so many ways. From the outset, there’s a sense that things are not going to end well for any of the characters involved. Like the proverbial train wreck, though, it’s impossible to look away. 9/13 Becky Lejeune

SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT by Beth Hoffman: The trend of writing adult books with a child as main protagonist continues with this sweet and funny Southern debut novel. This book strongly reminded me of Montgomery’s Ann of Green Gables, a book I love to be sure, but would recommend to teens and tweens and then only to adults looking for something light and entertaining.
We meet CeeCee Honeycutt when she is about 7 years old or so. Her father is a traveling salesman and is rarely home, which is probably a good thing because when he is home, he’s usually drunk and somewhat abusive to his wife. CeeCee’s mother is a southern belle who’s been transplanted to her husband’s home in Ohio, and can’t seem to make the adjustment. The reader may start out thinking the mom has some humorous personality quirks, but quickly we learn that there is something much darker and scarier going on. CeeCee loses her childhood pretty fast, and by the time she’s twelve years old she goes to live with her great aunt in Savannah, where she learns what being a southern belle is all about, but more importantly, what being loved is all about. Pure escapist fiction, and a lovely way to spend a few hours. 03/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
SAVING PAULO by David J. Walker: Pretty decent thriller from the author of two different mystery series. Like his series, this one is set primarily in Chicago where Charlie Long, formerly employed by the city of Chicago, gets involved with a Brazilian boy (“Paulo”) who has been abducted and brought to Chicago. Professional Russian hitmen are after the boy as well as Maria “Mary” McGrady, an heiress who has come home from Brazil where she had been working at the Porto de Dues Orphanage when Paulo was abducted while under her care. Also involved is an elderly fortune-teller Zorina who has a certain amount of ESP. As with most thrillers you have to suspend belief at some of the coincidences, i.e. Maria finding her way to Charlie in Chicago in one outing, but all in all it’s a good read. A caution, Paulo has been abused but the book doesn’t focus on the actual abuse so much as it effect on the boy. 09/08 Jack Quick

SCANDAL SHEET by Gemma Halliday: Tina Bender, gossip columnist for the L.A. Informer, makes a living digging up other people’s dirt and turning it into witty headlines. Lately, though, someone has been less than pleased about making it into the papers. All it takes is one threatening phone call and Tina’s boss calls in a private bodyguard. Tina’s not one to sit back and wait for things to blow over, though, and she plans on using all of the resources at her disposal to unmask her celebrity stalker. But when the calls escalate to physical threats, and even murder, Tina has to admit that she could use some help on this one. This first in the new Hollywood Headlines series is a fun and sexy mystery. Scandal Sheet is sure to satisfy longtime Halliday fans and hook new readers as well. Hilarious and highly recommended. 10/09 Becky Lejeune

SCARE ME by Richard Parker: A very taut extremely fast paced novel that drags the reader into the spinning world of a psychopathic serial killer and doesn’t let up until the very last pages. Will Frost, a successful British businessman is awakened one night from a sound sleep by a call from a woman telling him that he should immediately check himself out on Google. Will does so and is plunged head long into a horror never before imagined by himself nor his wife Carla. He sees seven houses on a site created for him and told that he must visit them in order, or his daughter and her boyfriend will be killed. The couple ascertain that the two have been kidnapped and are being held captive. Will begins a trip to each of the houses as guided by directions on a laptop he carries with him. He is told that he has to get an item owned by his daughter at each of the houses. The horror is that occupants of the houses have been brutally killed and left for him to discover and in most cases murdered just prior to his arrival. In the space of four days he is bounced from England to the U.S to the Far East and back again to England with no apparent rhyme or reason. Parker shows himself to be a master at maintaining the tensions of not knowing if Will’s daughter is dead coupled with coming head on with indescribable violent murders of people he doesn’t know anything about. We experience the complete exhaustion of the Frosts as each works via cell phone with the other in order to comply with the seemingly senseless directives of the killer. Scare Me is a book that readers will finish in one sitting and end up exhausted from event after horrifying event coming one after another. Excellent read and masterful fleshing out of people forced to comply with the dictates of lunacy, and this includes the motives of the killer explained at the book’s ending. 05/13 Paul Lane

THE SCARECROW by Michael Connelly: Former journalist Connelly pays tribute to the troubled newspaper business with the return of Jack McEvoy (The Poet.) The L.A. Times is downsizing, and Jack is next on their hit list. Determined to go out with a bang, he goes after a story about how an African American teenager turns murderer. Except the boy’s family blames McEvoy for their troubles, insinuating that it is his story that will ultimately put their “innocent” child in jail. McEvoy digs and soon finds that the boy’s confession is tainted, to say the least, and realizes that there is a serial killer on the loose. He hooks up with FBI agent Rachel Walling, and together they go after the Scarecrow. a brilliant, high tech, very scary whacko. If you like multiple plot twists, terrific suspense, engaging characters and a completely gripping story, then you won’t want to miss this. Connelly is the master – run to your nearest bookseller/library and settle in for a hell of a ride. (And check out all the websites that are mentioned throughout the book, they exist…) 06/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch.

THE SCARECROW by Michael Connelly: This is one is painfully realistic to those of us in the newspaper industry. Jack McEvoy is number ninety-nine of the last hundred layoffs at the Los Angeles Times. Before he begins his long waited second career as a novelist, (isn’t that the dream of all journalists?), he has one more story to write. It turns out to be the biggest of his career, as he focuses on Alonzo Winslow, a 16-year-old drug dealer in jail after confessing to a brutal murder. But as he delves into the story, Jack realizes that Winslow’s so-called confession is bogus. The kid might actually be innocent. Soon, Jack is tracking a killer who operates completely below police radar–and with perfect knowledge of any move against him, including Jack’s. Bosch, Mickey Haller, and now Jack McEvoy – unforgettable Connelly creations. 08/09 Jack Quick

SCAREDY CAT by Mark Billingham: Billingham’s second thriller (after Sleepyhead) featuring London Detective Inspector Tom Thorne offers double the challenge as Thorne and his colleagues track a serial killer after two women are strangled on the same day. Slowly, as the evidence mounts, the team becomes convinced they have not one, but two serial killers, acting in concert. The pace picks up as the hunt intensifies. Thorne remains a morose and intense character, who thinks deeply about death and guilt. Another reviewer said this one has more red herrings than a fish and chips shop. While I didn’t find it quite that twisty, it did make me want to continue to read subsequent Thorne adventures. 10/06 Jack Quick

SCENARIOS: A “NAMELESS DETECTIVE” CASEBOOK: by Bill Pronzini – a 2003 collection of fourteen short stories tracking the evolution of the “Nameless Detective” from his first case in 1968 to the time of the writing of this book. Only a master could evolve a character over a thirty-five year period, without even giving him a name. A real treat for existing and going to be Nameless fans. These stories fill in some of the gaps between the twenty eight novels and include one adventure never before published in English, only Japanese. Recommended. 05/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE SCENT OF RAIN AND LIGHTNING by Nancy Pickard: Pickard is a multiple award winning mystery writer, and this book garnered the trifecta of starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal, not to mention raves from the NY Times, the Boston Globe, etc., yet she has totally flown under my radar until now. One of my library patrons raved about this book so I gave it a try and now it’s my turn to rave.

This is the sort of book that defies characterization. The Linder family has ruled the small town of Rose, Kansas for generations, running the largest working ranch in the area and taking their responsibility as the biggest employer very seriously. The Linders have several grown children who work in the family business as well. They have guardianship of their granddaughter, whose parents were killed during a home invasion when she was just a small child. The story starts twenty years after the murders, when the man who was convicted has his sentence commuted due to a technicality, and this small town is up in arms about it. This cold case is at the heart of this story, but it is truly a character study of a small town and its inhabitants that move the story forward. Pickard managed to create a real page turner here and I couldn’t put it down. A terrific read for any crime fiction fan, and book groups will find lots to discuss as well. 04/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
THE SCENT OF RAIN AND LIGHTNING by Nancy Pickard: Jody Linder was just three when her life changed forever: Her father was brutally murdered and her mother disappeared, never to be heard from again. Now, twenty-three years later, her father’s accused killer is being set free. The Linders have always been known for their generosity and charity towards folks who need a second chance. It was this that left them vulnerable to Billy Crosby in the first place. When his son, Collin, fresh out of law school, uncovers gaping holes in the evidence, though, even Jody has to wonder if the man is truly guilty of murder. Though some of the Linders’ neighbors believe Billy Crosby to be innocent, everyone agrees that he belongs in prison, if only for the safety of those around him. As the truth about the night in question is finally revealed, Jody will have to face the realities that have long been hidden from her. Nancy Pickard’s work is so amazingly visual. In reading her fiction, you can imagine that you are there with the characters as the story unfolds. I also love her manipulation of the facts. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, it turns out you’re wrong. 05/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SCENT OF SHADOWS by Vicki Pettersson: In all honesty, trying to describe this book and do it justice is extremely difficult. Vicki Pettersson’s supernatural fantasy debut is fresh and exciting. In a genre that is full of vampire hunters and witches, she has given us superheroes: Joanna Archer, the central character in this tale, is the daughter of an agent of the light – a member of Zodiac troop 175, paranormal division, Las Vegas. Joanna knows nothing of this thanks to the fact that her mother disappeared shortly after her sixteenth birthday. New initiates of the Zodiac are typically trained as children. Joanna’s own violent initiation as a member occurs on her twenty-fifth birthday. She soon discovers that she is also a descendant of the Shadows, the enemy of the Zodiac. She alone is said to be the one who can rebuild the Zodiac and bring balance to the war between good and evil. Fans of the Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison and Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series will absolutely love Vicki Pettersson’s Zodiac series. 02/07 Becky Lejeune

SCHEMERS by Bill Pronzini: Pronzini’s 34th Nameless Detective novel connects pulp magazine collector “Bill” with a wealthy collector of first edition mysteries. Someone has stolen eight volumes from the locked room in which Gregory Pollexfen stores his treasures. Just as stealing pennies from the collection plate inevitably leads to serial killing, Nameless also has to contend with the subsequent shooting death of Pollexfan’s tramp brother-in-law in the same locked library. Meanwhile, Tamarah as her groove back and is anxious to tell all, and Jake Runyon, has finally begun to emerge from the emotional shell after the death of his wife. Runyon is trying to find the stalker who is after a Los Angeles couple. Another solid outing for the Grand Master. 04/09 Jack Quick

SCHOOL DAYS by Robert B. Parker: Two boys wearing ski masks shoot up a school killing seven. Then they barricade themselves in an office. When the SWAT team negotiates a surrender, only one boy is in the office. Two days later he names Jared Clark as his partner. Although Clark confesses his involvement, his grandmother is convinced he is innocent and hires Spenser to prove him so. Spenser immediately runs into real resistance to his pursuing the matter which makes him think there may be something to the grandmother’s beliefs. Another Robert B. Parker masterpiece. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

SCHOOLED by Anisha Lakhani: Anna Taggart, recent Colombia grad, is thrilled when she lands a teaching job at an elite private school. Her parents are less than thrilled; they don’t understand how she can just waste all the money they put toward her Ivy-league education and become a teacher. Teaching is her passion and she can’t wait to dive in. Until she notices that the work handed in by her students isn’t their own. The majority of her students have high-priced tutors that are doing the work for them. Anna, desperately broke, gets sucked into “the dark side” and becomes a tutor after school hours. She quickly begins earning more money than she would ever have made as a teacher. She moves to a pricey “doorman” apartment, goes on shopping expeditions every weekend; the life she always thought she wanted, until she begins tutoring a young girl that wants a “real” tutor, not someone to do her assignments for her. Anna soon learns that money isn’t everything and remembers why she decided to become a teacher—to teach. SCHOOLED is a hilarious debut novel with a view of the private schools and tutoring that could only be written by someone that has knows it personally. 08/08 Jennifer Lawrence

THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner: The follow up to Dashner’s The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials does nothing to clear up questions left from the first in the trilogy: I feel no closer to knowing what’s going on that I did at the end of Maze. That said, Dashner drags readers along on yet another fast-paced adventure as the surviving Gladers are set to their next test of survival. WICKED (World In Catastrophe, Killzone Experiment Department) is not done with Thomas and his friends yet. This time, the teens must race across a landscape that’s been devastated by the sun. To add to their trials, a WICKED representative tells the boys that they have all been infected with a disease called Flare, which damages the mind and apparently turns people into crazed and violent killers. If the boys can reach their destination within the allotted time period, they will be rewarded with a cure. But just like the Maze, there are plenty of obstacles standing in their way. Hopefully all of the questions will be answered in book three, currently titled The Death Cure. I’m certainly dying to know. 10/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SCORELESS THAI by Lawrence Block: Originally published as Two for Tanner in paperback in 1968, this hardcover reprint seems dated now but still a great read today. Tanner is the Korean War veteran with a head injury that destroyed his sleep center. Never having to sleep Tanner has plenty of time to become interested in hopeless causes, oppressed groups, obscure languages and exotic travel. In this fourth Tanner novel, he is in Thailand looking for a missing girlfriend, singer Tuppence Nagwa, an African-American beauty into the jazz scene. She and her fellow musicians have been kidnapped by Communist insurgents, immediately after a major burglary of the local royal jewelry collection. It’s Tanner to the rescue but not without his own pitfalls and perils. Again, a great read or re-read. 05/08 Jack Quick

THE SCORPION’S BITE by Aileen Baron: Third outing for Baron’s World War II era archaeologist Lily Sampson. She has been sent to Trans-Jordan, by the OSS, along with Gideon Weil, the famous director of the American School of Archeology in Jerusalem. When they become stranded in the Wadi Rum and their Bedouin guide is murdered Gideon is accused of the crime. In trying to clear him, Lily discovers that two oil pipelines run from Iraq through the desert to the ports on Mediterranean, one through Trans-Jordan that supplies the Allies, the other through Syria that supplies the Nazis. Syrians and Vichy French are raiding across the border, threatening to destroy the Trans-Jordan pipeline. At the same time Lily learns of a Nazi plot to kidnap and kill the eight-year old King Faisal of Iraq and take over Iraq. Now, Lily and Gideon must act to protect the Trans-Jordan pipeline, sabotage the Syrian line, rescue Faisal to prevent the Nazi takeover of Iraq, and return safely for further adventures. Its all in a days work for this female incarnation of Indiana Jones/James Bond, with sensible shoes and [probably a bit more stamina than her octogenarian creator. 08/10 Jack Quick

THE SCOTTISH WITCH by Cathy Maxwell: Everyone in Glenfinnan knows about the Chattan curse: generations ago, a Chattan wooed a Scottish girl. When his family disapproved of the union, the Chattan was forced to marry another. The girl, so fraught with anguish over losing her one true love, took her own life. Unfortunately for the Chattans, the girl’s mother was a powerful witch and she vowed that from that day forward any Chattan who fell truly in love would die. Harry Chattan is determined that he will find a way to break the wretched curse that has plagued his family before his brother is to become its latest victim. He’s traveled the Highlands far and wide and now he’s come to Glenfinnan in search of a witch powerful enough to help him. When Portia Maclean hears the story and learns that Chattan is offering up a hefty reward to any witch who can break the curse, she hatches a plan to swindle the addled noble. She poses as a witch and sets a meeting by moonlight with Chattan, but upon meeting him, Portia realizes he is earnest in his belief in the curse. She abandons her scheme in hopes that Chattan will leave Glenfinnan without discovering her identity. Fate has other plans in store for Portia and Harry, though. Historical romance isn’t normally one of my go to genres, but Cathy Maxwell’s latest was too enticing to pass up. This is the second in the Chattan Curse trilogy and the follow up to Lyon’s Bride, though either book can be read before the other. Now that I’m invested in the Chattan story, I’ll be anxiously awaiting book three, The Devil’s Heart. 11/12 Becky Lejeune

THE SCRAPBOOK OF FRANKIE PRATT: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston: When Frankie Pratt graduates from high school, she gets her father’s old Corona typewriter and starts keeping this scrapbook, a charming, epistolary novel about a young woman coming of age in the 1920’s. Using vintage memorabilia including postcards, magazine ads, candy wrappers, menus and such, we follow Frankie from Vassar to Paris and back home again. It’s a fast read since there isn’t a whole lot of text, but nonetheless this is a rich, multilayered story that illuminates a brief period of American history, and I loved it. 12/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
SEA CHANGE by Robert B. Parker: Former LAPD cop and current Paradise, Massachusetts police chief Jesse Stone has an unidentified woman’s body surface during the annual Race Week. A Florida driver’s license from a renter who never returned her boat is a promising lead but the case quickly becomes more complex as Stone digs into the woman’s past. Even Spenser gets a brief mention. Damn, Parker is good. 02/06 Jack Quick

THE SÉANCE by John Harwood: After the deaths of her parents, Constance Langton receives notice that she has been named heir to Wraxford estate. She’s never heard of the family, but learns that she is a distant relative through her mother’s line. It seems that all other Wraxford descendants that would otherwise be considered for the inheritance have either died or disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The lawyer handling the estate recommends that Constance sell the estate, sight unseen, thereby ridding herself of a manse that has been plagued by tragedy. He leaves her with his journal, outlining what he himself knows about the strange occurrences, as well as that of a woman named Eleanor Wraxford, nee Unwin. Constance becomes obsessed with the house and its history, especially Eleanor and the accusations that have befallen her. In an attempt to discover the truth and clear Eleanor’s name, Constance does indeed visit the home. Will she survive the Wraxford curse or unravel the truth behind the years of paranoia and fear that have surrounded the estate? The Séance is written in the tradition of a classic Victorian ghost story – not unlike the tales that pepper Harwood’s chilling debut, The Ghost Writer. Readers who enjoy the style and pacing of traditional gothic literature will love this book. Although this Aussie author’s sophomore title has yet to be released in the States, it is available online. Highly recommended. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

A SEASON FOR THE DEAD by David Hewson: University professor Sara Farnese is at her desk in the Reading Room of the Vatican Library when former lover and fellow university professor Stefano Rinaldi careens into the room dragging a large plastic bag containing “the freshly flayed skin of an adult male” and quotes the Christian theologian, Tertullian (“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church”). Before she can learn more he is shor to death by a panic stricken Swiss Guard. Then the story begins to get interesting. First of a projected series involving various characters in Rome, this one takes the Da Vinci Code sub-genre to an entirely new level. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

SEASON OF THE WITCH by Natasha Mostert: Years ago, Gabriel Blackstone took part in a project called Eyestorm – a project using remote viewers to help solve various cases. As one of the most talented remote viewers in the program, Gabriel was also arrogant an unwilling to cooperate with the team. His stubbornness leads to an accident that has haunted him ever since. Gabriel has not used his remote viewing abilities since he left Eyestorm. Then, Cecily Franck (Frankie) his former lover and friend from the project, approaches Gabriel with a request. Frankie is now married to a man named William Whittington. His son, Robert Whittington, has gone missing and they want Gabriel to find out what happened to him. As a favor, Gabriel agrees to “tap the ride” – their term for using the remote viewing ability – one last time. What he sees leads him to believe that Robert has been murdered. Gabriel follows his vision to Minnaloushe and Morrighan Monk, two charming and beautiful sisters who are hiding a secret. Gabriel hacks into the sisters’ computer hoping to find clues that will lead him to the identity of Robert’s killer. Swept under the sisters’ spell, Gabriel is unsure which sister is the killer and which sister he has fallen in love with. One thing he is sure of, if he doesn’t figure it out soon it may be too late. This deliciously atmospheric novel is packed with secrets and suspense. 05/07 Becky Lejeune

THE SECOND DEATH OF GOODLUCK TINUBU by Michael Stanley: The round mound of detection, deceptively dangerous Assistant Superintendent David “Kubu” (for hippo) Bengu faces challenges beyond the killer of two guest stars at a tourist camp – they don’t even have the ingredients for a proper steelworks. Stanley (the pseudonym for the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollop) effectively mix the murders with cross-border drug smuggling and the circumstances surrounding an upcoming African Union meeting. With lesser talent, what would be stereotype figures come to life in this second outing for Kubu. Another excellent police procedural, with extra mustard and some first rate deviled eggs. 07/09 Jack Quick

SECOND GRAVE ON THE LEFT by Darynda Jones: Charley Davidson is back and on the hunt for Reyes’s body. Charley knows all about Reyes now—who he is and why he’s here—but she doesn’t know WHERE he is. Able to travel incorporeally, Reyes appears to Charley at some of the most random moments. His physical body has disappeared and Reyes tells Charley that he’s decided to leave it behind. Unfortunately, if Reyes succeeds, the results could be catastrophic—end of the world catastrophic. Charley also has a new case on the books. Cookie’s friend Mimi has gone missing, but not before leaving a cryptic message on a bathroom wall. Now Charley has two fake FBI agents trailing her, three heavies who keep turning up at her apartment, and her uncle has put his own tail on her in hopes that she’ll lead him to Reyes. As the Grim Reaper, Charley could never say she led a normal life, but lately it’s been a little weird even for her! This is such a fun series. Jones cleverly blends PI mystery with paranormal elements while building her own mythology and world base for her Grim Reaper series, all with a seriously funny sense of humor. 09/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SECOND MOUSE by Archer Mayor: The early bird may get the worm, but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese. Joe Gunther doesn’t believe the young woman took her own life, and wants to dig deeper. His normally trustworthy medical examiner is having problems, which are crippling the investigation. Joe needs to help her and also work against a looming deadline before others lose their lives. Vermont’s most prolific policeman solves yet another case in this well written series, which captures the spirit of the region perfectly. To be released in mid-October at the height of the “leaf-peeping” season. “I’ll have a coffee and one of those maple walnut scones, please, heated and buttered.” 10/06 Jack Quick

THE SECOND OBJECTIVE by Mark Frost: An unusual but excellent blend of espionage and a police procedural in wartime. Bernie Oster is an American born auto mechanic whose German parents returned to the Fatherland in 1938. He is in the Army only to save his life and longs to return to America. He is paired with Erich Von Reinsdorf, a diplomat’s son who went on to become an SS officer at Dachau, a stone cold killer trying to live down his part-Jewish heritage. Both are conscripted into a commando unit operating disguised as American troops in Operation Autumn Mist, a last-ditch effort to defeat the western Allies in late 1944 by breaking through the lightly defended Belgium-Luxembourg region. Within this German unit is a special group of 20 commandos who will face almost certain death trying to achieve a secret “second objective.” Opposing this force is a U.S. army made up of tired veterans, green troops and one tough MP with the criminal investigation division, Earl Grannit, a New York cop in civilian life. Frost is able to breathe life into his characters and make this more than just another war story. Recommended. 07/07 Jack Quick

SECOND SHOT by Zoe Sharp: Charlie Fox’s second U.S. thriller (after 2005’s First Drop) centers around her assignment to protect recent lottery winner Simone Kerse and her daughter Ella. Kerse’s ex-boyfriend doesn’t want to be ex any more. Meanwhile Simone wants to find her estranged father and so Charlie, Simone and Ella journey to Boston and on to New Hampshire. Charlie ends up shot and puzzled, but soldiers on in this non-stop thrill ride. Ms. Sharp can write and Charlie Fox is one kick-ass broad. You will stay up late with this one for sure. 11/07 Jack Quick

SECOND SON by Lee Child: For all you Reacher fans out there, no, you didn’t miss another Reacher book exactly. Second Son is a ” Single”, basically a short story available on ebook only for $1.99. Child was only the fifth author to join the ” Million Club” having sold over a million books so this was just a natural extension of that popularity. It is a fun read, a glimpse into the emergence of the young man known, even then, as Reacher. Fans of the series know that Reacher was an army brat, and this story is set in 1974 when the family was stationed in Okinawa. It is a voyeuristic peek through the front window of that house, and will leave fans wanting more – the next book in the series, The Affair, comes out September 27th. 09/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch SINGLE

THE SECRET ADVENTURES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE by Laura Joh Rowland: In a break from her enormously popular Sano Ichiro series, Rowland spins an enthralling tale if intrigue around one of literature’s most interesting families. Charlotte and Anne Bronte are forced to travel to London to prove to their publishers that they are indeed two different authors. On the ride there, Charlotte befriends a strange young woman named Isabel White. The woman is suspicious and seems to be convinced that she is being followed. Upon arriving in London, Isabel and the Brontes part ways. That afternoon, however, Charlotte witnesses a murder in one of London’s alleys; the victim is none other than Isabel White. What’s more, it seems that Isabel had been trying to contact Charlotte just moments before the murder. The police are convinced that it is simply a mugging gone bad. Charlotte has her doubts and those doubts are confirmed when she and Anne are attacked on the train home. Charlotte quickly finds herself embroiled in a mystery that has more to do with the murder of one young lady. Though this is a completely fictional tale, Rowland has woven her story around actual events. Most of the characters are historically accurate as well – Charlotte’s friends in the book were her friends in real life. All of this makes the narrative all the more believable. A fantastic period mystery. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

SECRET ASSET by Stella Rimington: In this second outing by the former head of Britain’s MI5, Liz Carlyle is excited about a possible terrorist action in the making. Before she can really sink her teeth into it, however, she is shuffled over to the task of finding an IRA mole within the ranks of MI5. Despite her initial disappointment she soon finds the two cases are interrelated and, in fact, she must solve her task to enable the apprehension of the terror cell. Well written with lots of detail, it combines technical proficiency with believable characters and plots. That makes it even more of a thriller. 07/07 Jack Quick

SECRET DEAD MEN by Duane Swierczynski: Reading a Duane Swierczynski book is like looking at a Gahan Wilson cartoon. It may be incredibly funny, and although you may not fully understand it, you just know it is going to give you nightmares. Page 1: “Then again, what do I know? At the time I was a dead man impersonating an FBI agent.” First sentence, Chapter 2: “My name is not actually Special Agent Kevin Kennedy. My name is Del Farmer and I’m a soul collector.” Obviously Del Farmer isn’t your ordinary private eye. Brad Larsen, his latest dead guy, just may be the key for Farmer in his long going battle with The Association. Not that there aren’t other problems. An FBI agent unstuck in time is toying with him. A mysterious couple keeps trying to kill him and a mundane babysitting job is threatening to steer him into disaster. Definitely not your run of the mill work, and exceedingly good. 11/06 Jack Quick

THE SECRET HISTORY OF ELIZABETH TUDOR VAMPIRE SLAYER as told by Lucy Weston: Imagine Buffy meets Tudor history with a very supernatural twist and you have an idea what to expect in Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor. Elizabeth is twenty-five and about to take her place as ruler of England when her secret heritage is revealed to her. As a descendant of Morgaine, Elizabeth and her mother both were born as Slayers. It is Elizabeth’s destiny not only to reign over her kingdom but also to protect her people from vampires. Her biggest threat is none other than King Arthur’s son himself, Mordred, the vampire king who has long waited for someone strong enough to rule beside him amongst the undead. Not only is this just the latest in a long list of literary/historical mashups, but readers will notice the author “herself” is a literary pseudonym, the premise being that Lucy Weston of Bram Stoker’s Dracula fame has been alive and well all these years and obtained secret journals belonging to Elizabeth, outlining her adventures as a Slayer. An entertaining read to say the least, and one that requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. 12/10 Becky Lejeune

A SECRET KEPT by Tatiana de Rosnay: Antoine and Melanie Rey were just kids when their mother, Clarisse, died as the result of an aneurism. As adults, the siblings never realized just how little they knew about the woman. For Melanie’s 40th, Antoine decides to surprise her with a trip to Noirmoutier, where they vacationed as kids. But the trip sparks a memory for Melanie resulting in an accident that leaves her hospitalized for weeks. She recovers, but that one memory causes Antoine and Melanie to question everything they thought they knew about their family. Meanwhile, Antoine, who has been having a hard time coping with his divorce, is starting to move on, something even he doesn’t realize right away. Events in his life cause him to reevaluate his current situation as well as the life he remembers as a child and in learning more about Clarisse, Antoine also learns more about himself. To be honest, I entered A Secret Kept with an expectation of a tale of mystery and suspense, as implied by the description of the title. Rather, the book is one of personal growth, of family relationships, and of moving on and coping with change. Antoine’s story made for a good read, but I was left wanting something a bit more. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd: Beautifully written story dealing with the meaning of family, set against a backdrop of racism, feminism and spirituality in small town South Carolina in the early 1960’s. Lily Owen lives on a peach farm with her abusive father, T. Ray, and her nanny Rosaleen. She lost her mother in a tragic accident when she was four years old, and Rosaleen is as close to a mother, to a parent, that she knows. When Rosaleen tries to register to vote, she ends up arrested, beaten and hospitalized, fourteen-year-old Lily decides it’s time to escape, and takes Rosaleen with her. They end up at an apiary and the bees make a beautiful metaphor for this sweet, yet somehow not sticky, tale.

THE SECRET LIFE OF JOSEPHINE: NAPOLEAN’S BIRD OF PARADISE by Carolly Erickson: In 1763, Marie Josephe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie was born, the daughter of a plantation owner in Martinique. In 1779, she left the island for France where she married Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais. Following the French Revolution, both husband and wife were arrested and imprisoned. Alexandre was sentenced to death by guillotine. Rose was saved, however, and reentered society. In 1796, Rose managed to catch the attention of the already famous Napolean Bonaparte. The two were wed that same year. Eventually, Rose, now dubbed Josephine by her husband, would become Empress Josephine. Although Josephine already had two children from her previous marriage, she was unable to give Napolean an heir and eventually, the two divorced. It was said that Napolean’s final words were in regards to his Josephine. But what happened behind the scenes? What was Josephine really like? This fictional account of Josephine’s life provides readers with an interesting and highly imaginative version of history as seen through the Empress’s eyes. Carolly Erickson calls her novel “historical entertainment” and it is just that. Readers looking for an accurate account of the Empress’s life should refer to Erickson’s biography of Josephine. Readers looking for an absorbing read with a hint of historical truth will enjoy this tale. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

THE SECRET LIVES OF DRESSES by Erin McKean: Dora has been trying to figure out her place in life for a while and her grandmother, Mimi, has been there all along, encouraging and supporting her. When Mimi suffers a stroke, Dora is determined to keep things running smoothly at her grandmother’s vintage clothing shop until she recovers. As Dora steps into her new role, she begins to fall in love with the store in a way that she never expected. But with Mimi’s health uncertain, Dora’s not sure which path to choose: continue on to grad school or stay and run the store. The Secret Lives of Dresses is a sweet and charming book that began with McKean’s blog, A Dress a Day. In an interesting and unique twist, the story includes the secret lives (short stories told from the dress’ perspectives) of some of the vintage dresses from Mimi’s shop. 02/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SECRET LIVES OF THE KUDZU DEBUTANTES by Cathy Holton: It’s been one year since Eadie, Nita, and Lavonne taught their cheating husbands a lesson they would never forget. Eadie and Trevor worked things out and have moved to New Orleans where Trevor has been working on his novels. Lavonne’s deli has become a burgeoning business and Nita is about to remarry. Unfortunately, the future is not so bright for these three ladies. Eadie has grown restless in the Crescent City and longs to return to Ithaca and Nita has doubts about her impending marriage. Meanwhile, Virginia Broadwell, Nita’s ex-mother-in-law is planning her own revenge and it involves making Nita’s life as miserable as possible. The ladies still have a few tricks up their sleeves though and their discoveries about Virginia’s well hidden past will prove to be the society maven’s downfall. The Kudzu Debutantes are a loveable trio and new readers need not have read the previous title to understand what’s going on, although I do highly recommend them both. 08/07 Becky Lejeune

THE SECRET OF CRICKLEY HALL by James Herbert: It has been almost one year since young Cameron Caleigh went missing when his mother fell asleep in the park. One year of hoping, beyond all hope, that he will be found alive. Gabe Caliegh and his family have left their London home and taken up temporary residence in Crickley Hall, a home in the quiet village of Hollow Bay. Here, they hope to recuperate and begin to recover from their loss. Eve immediately dislikes the ugly and foreboding house and insists that they leave. At the request of her husband though, the family decides to give the house a chance. Strange noises from a hall closet and the sound of footsteps in the attic keep the family up all night and the family soon begins to suffer from violently real nightmares. The Caleighs discover that the house has a terrible and tragic past. In 1943, a great flood swept through the town of Hollow Bay killing sixty-three people. Of these, eleven were orphans sent to Crickley Hall to be cared for during the war. Their caretaker, Augustus Cribben, was a violent and demented man. Now, heavy rains, similar to those that caused the flood of 1943 have started again and the spirits of Crickely Hall have awakened. James Herbert is commonly known as the King of British horror. The title is well deserved and although this particular book has yet to be officially released in the states, it is available in many specialty stores as well as online. This is a great haunted house story that kept the cabin fever at bay during our most recent snowstorm. 01/07 Becky Lejeune

SECRET PREY by John Sandford: Ah, the joys of moving. Disovered a previously unread John Sandford. This “ninth” book in the series is the first after Davenport and Weather split up. Top banking executive Daniel Kresge is shot and killed in a hunting lodge north of Minneapolis. Any of Kresge’s four fellow hunters–all employees at his Polaris Bank–could have shot him, and all had motives, as did his almost ex-wife. It is up to Davenport to sort though all the conflicting stories and discover the real culprit. Although written in 1998, the villainous bankers fit right in with today’s general anti-banking anti-Wall Street atmosphere, and make very believable suspects. 10/11 Jack Quick

THE SECRET SISTERHOOD OF HEARTBREAKERS by Lynn Weingarten: For anyone who’s ever felt head over heels in love and for anyone who’s ever felt the true pain of losing their first love, there is The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers. Lucy’s sophomore year begins as an absolute nightmare. After months away from her boyfriend, he returns to school to dump her on the very first day. When Lucy is approached by three heartbreakers who tell her there is a way to heal her shattered heart, she is understandably leery. But when she sees the girls in action, she knows there is only one solution: learn their magic and win back her ex for good. But there’s a catch, it has to be done in just seven days and the sisterhood can’t know Lucy’s real plan. Lynn Weingarten captures the craziness of teen adoration and obsessive love through her writing. The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is a light and breezy read for teens. 1/12 Becky Lejeune

THE SECRET SOLDIER by Alex Berenson: John Wells has lost it all – his wife, his child, his lover, his religion, and his job as a deep cover CIA operative. Now he is free-lancing, as much for the adrenaline rush as the money. He flies to France to meet a prospective employer, who turns out to be Saudi Arabia’s king, Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz. The king fears that his brother Saaed, the Saudi defense minister, is plotting against him to insure that Saaed’s 48-year-old son, Mansour, succeeds to the throne. Saaed’s scheming has extended to supporting the gunmen who just shot up a bar in Bahrain popular with Americans. Unable to trust his own people, the monarch asks Wells to find out who’s behind the terrorists, a hazardous mission that action-hero Wells readily accepts. The result is a fast paced thriller which the good guys (i.e. Wells) eventually win. 03/11 Jack Quick

THE SECRET SPEECH by Tom Rob Smith: It’s been four years since Leo hunted down the serial killer in Child 44, four years since he was allowed to start his own investigative office focusing strictly on homicide. In the course of an investigation involving the death of a local printer, Leo determines that the man is actually a suicide rather than a homicide. He does discover evidence that seems to point to blackmail as the factor that forced the man into his decision. Meanwhile, Leo’s old boss approaches him to discuss yet another case of blackmail. The man is drunk and Leo convinces him to put off the talk until they are both rested. That evening Leo’s boss kills his family before turning the gun on himself. These two men are just the beginning. Though Russia is in a state of change, someone is anxious to ensure that no one forgets the crimes of the past, and that includes the things Leo himself did as an officer of the state. Leo’s home situation complicates matters and leaves him distracted, which may be why his adopted daughter is so easily taken hostage, becoming a pawn in this game of politics and murder. Tom Rob Smith is off to a brilliant start and will not disappoint fans of his debut, Child 44. Both titles are an absolute must read for thriller fans. 05/09 Becky Lejeune

Secret Sanction by Brian Haig: A military thriller with a pedigree from a West Point graduate & first time novelist. If the name sounds vaguely familiar that is because he is Alexander Haig’s son … personally, I’m not holding that against him (grin). This book is good! Our protagonist is a lawyer from the Judge Advocate General’s Corp investigating a possible massacre by the U.S. Army in Kosovo. Despite the morbidity of that premise, there is lots of humor and I found myself laughing out loud more than once.

THE SECRET SERVANT by Daniel Silva: Art restorer Gabriel Allon is the secret servant of Israeli intelligence in this seventh novel in the Allon series. Amsterdam professor Solomon Rossner, also a secret Israeli agent, is assassinated and Allon is sent in to clean out the dead professor’s files. While in Amsterdam, Allon and his former partner Eli Lavon come across a terrorist plot that centers around the kidnapping of the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador in London. Its up to the two of them to sideline some of Israel’s and the world’s most violent enemies. This series just keeps getting better and better. 12/07 Jack Quick

SECRETS TO DIE FOR by L. J. Sellers: Another top notch outing from the author of THE SEX CLUB. Someone is raping lesbians in generally gay friendly Eugene Oregon. When the dead body of Raina Hughes, a 20-year-old social worker, is found, Detective Jackson gets the case. Jackson, the father of a 14-year-old daughter and divorced from her substance-abusing mother, is particularly affected by the brutal attacks, all too easily envisioning his own daughter as a potential victim. At first he suspects the father of the eight year-old boy Raina is trying to help, until additional evidence points elsewhere. A young woman journalist helps Jackson find the clues that give him the connection he seeks, and then it becomes a matter of time and the chase to see if he can find the answer in time to stop another brutal death. Sellers manages to maintain suspense as well as treating a potentially salacious subject with dignity Hopefully this series will continue. There is ample material and Sellers’ writing style is superb. 01/10 Jack Quick

SEEDFOLKS by Paul Fleischman: Kim is a young Vietnamese-American girl mourning her grandfather. Kim lives in Cleveland in the inner city. Near her home is an empty lot, long abandoned. It is filled with trash and other discards but Kim finds a small patch of earth, hidden behind an old refrigerator. She plants some lima bean seeds in her grandfather’s memory. Every day she visits and waters her beans, thinking she is alone. Unbeknownst to her, an old woman who lives on an upper floor of the building that lines one side of the lot has been watching her. The woman is sure she is up to no good and gets curious about what the girl has buried there. When Kim doesn’t show up for a few days, the old woman decides to check it out. She unearths a couple of the bean seeds, and realizes her error and replants them. Then she waters them. While she is doing so, Kim returns and the old woman shows her how to water in a better way.
Each very short chapter in this book introduces a new character who adds their own little garden. Eventually, the ugly lot is transformed into a place of beauty and more importantly, community. Each new character interacts with at least one of the previous characters, despite all their differences. For this is a city like many others, with people of many countries and cultures and languages. Vietnamese garden side by side with Poles and African Americans and Hispanics, the garden bringing them all together, helping one another and learning to get along. So not only is the empty lot transformed, so are these characters.
This is a truly multicultural story showing how each character inspires the other characters to look outside their own culture to see what they share with others. By coming together, they teach us that despite our differences we can all get along if we try. I loved this story and found it to be truly inspiring. Some of the criticism of this book reflects the fact that we don’t get the complete story of each character, that there are hanging threads that are not resolved. But I think those critics miss the point. The characters we meet briefly but learn enough to appreciate their part in the larger story, and that is the point. It is a very quick read, but memorable nonetheless. Fleischman really brings home what community means. 11/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass: Thirty-five girls in the Kingdom of Illéa have been chosen to participate in The Selection. At the end, one of them will have won the crown and the heart of their beloved prince. America Singer knows that winning would make all the difference for her family, but she does not love Prince Maxon. America’s true love was left behind, the price she had to pay in exchange for the opportunity just being part of The Selection would give her loved ones. The Bachelor in a dystopian setting! I had a lot of fun with The Selection. There’s an interesting underlying plot regarding the history of Illéa, attacks on the royal family, and the factions that are warring against them. A lighter teen dystopian to be sure, but an enjoyable one, and there’s a cliffhanger ending that will leave readers anxious for the release of book two. A TV series based on The Selection is already in development. 4/12 Becky Lejeune

SENSELESS by Mary Burton: Imprisoned for ten years after being accused of murder at just seventeen, Eva Rayburn is trying her best to put her life in order and get back on track. She’s got a new job, is saving for college, and trying to put the past behind her. But when a dead woman is discovered behind the shelter where Eva has been volunteering, the police begin to look at her old file once again. The woman’s body is marked with burns in the shape of a four-pointed star, burns remarkably similar to the one Eva bears herself. Eva’s crime is not one she remembers committing: she was brutalized by a fellow classmate and when the boy was killed, Eva was convicted. The only way Eva might save herself this second time around is if she can find out what really happened that fateful night. Burton’s latest is an intense read and is followed next month by Merciless, which features Eva’s lawyer sister, Angie. 1/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SENTINELS: FORTUNES OF WAR by Gordon Zuckerman: Zuckerman’s debut, the first in a possible series of political thrillers, starts off with an intriguing premise. In 1938, the Sentinels, a group of six economics doctoral students at the University of California, Berkeley, all with family connections in international finance, claim to have discovered a pattern that explains and can even predict repeating cycles of the rise and fall of world powers. In particular, the Sentinels assert that German industrialists are pushing Europe into war. They propose a watchdog organization to eradicate these problems when lower-level means can still be used effectively. Of course, it’s too late for anyone to stop WWII. The story picks up mid-war when the same group decides to finance their proposed watchdog organization by stealing $100 million from the Nazis. Their daring strategy of Robin Hood style thievery puts their lives on the line to serve justice as the battle a dangerous and violent international conspiracy. Think Christopher Reich financial thriller set during World War II. Recommended. 07/10 Jack Quick

THE SENTRY by Robert Crais: This is the latest entry in the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series, and Crais continues alternating the lead character. This time out it’s a Joe Pike book, which is a very different book from the lighter, funnier Elvis Cole, “World’s Greatest Detective” books. I love them both, so it’s all good to me. Pike is at a gas station when he sees a couple of gang bangers acting suspiciously. Being Pike, he follows them to see what they are up to and ends up in the middle of a shakedown in a sandwich shop. They gang bangers are beating up an old man, Wilson, and Pike sends one to the hospital and one running out the back door. The old man’s niece, Dru is a looker and Pike falls for her fast. Wilson and Dru are refugees from Hurricane Katrina, and Pike offers his protection which turns out to be a lot more complicated than keeping the gangs out of the shop. In addition to the gang, there are Bolivian drug lords, Mexican Mafia, a creepy killer and enough twists to keep those pages turning. The Pike books are reminiscent of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series; they are similar type characters and I really enjoy them. The Sentry is an excellent addition to the series. 1/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SENTRY by Robert Crais: It all starts when Joe Pike notices two gangbangers as he is filling up his Jeep with gas at a local service station. He follows them across the street and interrupts their beating Wilson, a Katrina refugee operating a sandwich shop. However, it is Wilson’s niece Dru Rayne that catches Pike’s eye and leads him to keep an eye on the store and follow-up. Soon both Wilson and Dru have disappeared and Pike is up to his neck in a mix of Mexican drug cartels, the FBI, and the LAPD. With the help of partner Elvis Cole, Pike is determined to get to the bottom of this, even though they more they learn, the more they don’t know. The book is best summed up in this exchange between Pike and gang leader Miguel Azzara. Azzara – “You are making a mistake. You think you’re talking to some pretty-boy Mexican, but you are talking to La eme. We are two hundred thousand strong. You should wait like I say. You don’t want to go to war with us.” Pike – “War is what I do.” Another good one. 03/11 Jack Quick

SEPULCHRE by Kate Mosse: 1891: Léonie Vernier and her brother Anatole have left Paris for a stay with their aunt at her country estate, Le Domaine de la Cade. Léonie is unaware of the true reason behind their impromptu trip to visit the aunt that she has never met, but is excited nonetheless. She does not know that Anatole is hiding a very dangerous secret from her and she does not know about Le Domaine’s dark past. When she discovers the old sepulchre on the estate and begins to read about the legends of the area, her curiosity is piqued.
Present day: Meredith Martin is working on a biography on Claude Debussy but has ulterior motives for visiting the village of Rennes-les-Baines. Her quest to learn more about her biological family has led her straight to Le Domaine. As she digs deeper into the mystery of her past, she comes to realize that her present is inextricably linked to events that occurred over 100 years ago.
Mosse expertly weaves together these two stories and timelines to create an addictive tale of mystery and intrigue all wrapped around a strange tarot deck. While I enjoyed Labyrinth, I found Sepulchre to be far more interesting a tale; a great literary and historical mystery that breaks from the Da Vinci Code mold in spite of the familiar territory of Rennes-les-Bains/Château and the brief appearance of Bérenger Saunière. 11/08 Becky Lejeune
SEQUENCE by Lori Andrews: Lawyer and scientific advisor Lori Andrews’ fiction debut is the first in a very promising series. Genetics expert Dr. Alex Blake has just begun a two-year stint with the Armed Forces Institutes of Pathology, or AFIP. Her goal is to use the AFIP resources and facilities to map the genes of the 1918 flu and use that information to create a super vaccine to protect against bioterrorism. AFIP’s new director, Colonel Jack Wiatt, has other plans. Angered that he has been passed over as head of the FBI, Wiatt discovers that AFIP has long been handing over responsibility for various investigations to the Bureau. As part of his own personal grudge against the Feds, he begins pulling cases back under AFIP’s jurisdiction. One of these cases is that of a serial killer who has been strangling women and tattooing their left breasts. Alex is temporarily ordered off her own project and onto what has been dubbed the Tattoo Killer Case. When a link is discovered between this case and the high profile murder of a technology company’s CEO, even the President himself steps in and applies pressure to the Institute. With Wiatt’s own career under scrutiny and increased pressure to AFIP to solve the case as quickly as possible, everyone is at risk of losing not only their jobs, but also their credibility. This intriguing first novel is packed with engaging characters and interesting facts. With an author who is able to draw from such a vast amount of experience, you can be sure that this series will never become boring. 04/07 Becky Lejeune

SERIAL by Jack Kilborn and Blake Crouch: “The hardest thing about killing a hitchhiker is finding one to pick up.” That opening line ranks right up there with the tale of the sadist marrying the masochist – and no one being satisfied. What if a crazy driver picked up a nutcase hitchhiker? What if two great writers came up with an innovative experiment in collaboration? Kilborn wrote the first part, Crouch wrote the second part. Together they wrote the third part in a series of 100 word e-mails with neither having read the other’s opening section. What will happen to you if you read this? That is the easiest question of all. You will be entertained. 06/09 Jack Quick

SERPENT POOL by Martin Edwards: English police procedural with classic puzzle elements. The book starts with a book collector who is burned to death in his converted boathouse filled with priceless books. He is one of the best customers of second hand bookseller Marc Amos. Amos is the live in of DCI Hannah Scarlett who is determined to uncover the truth behind Emily Friend’s mysterious drowning in the Serpent Pool. In the meantime she has to cope with a new sergeant with a troublesome reputation, a new house, and new cause to doubt the fidelity of Amos. Then she meets Louise Kind, sister of the historian Daniel Kind, who has just returned from America to work on a book about Thomas De Quincey and the history of murder. How are all of these elements related? Edwards is experienced enough to pull all the threads together without going overboard. 02/10 Jack Quick

SERPENT’S KISS by Mark Terry: Derek Stillwater, Department of Homeland Security bioterrorism expert has his bags packed and is four hours away from a flight to Mexico and some much needed vacation, when his boss calls. Fifty-two people are dead in a Detroit restaurant from a sarin gas attack. Special Agent Jill Church is assigned by her by-the-book boss to keep Stillwater out of the loop, but while the FBI brass are playing politics with the press, the killer ups the ante. Calling himself the Serpent, he demands three millions dollars or more people will die. You can almost hear the Mission Impossible theme song playing in the background as Stillwater and Church fight both the bureaucracy and the killer. It becomes even more personal when the life of Church’s son is at stake, along with some 21,000 other young people. Hopefully, slightly unbelievable but a great thriller read anyway. 07/07 Jack Quick

THE SERPENT’S TALE by Ariana Franklin: In the time since solving the mystery in Cambridge (Mistress of the Art of Death), Adelia and her friends have been living quite happily in the countryside. Adelia has given birth to Allie, the result of her affair with Rowley (who is now a man of the cloth), and all is well, until Rowley summons. It seems that someone has poisoned Rosamund, the King’s favorite mistress, and Rowley fears that gossip will soon lead to the Queen as the most likely suspect. The whole team united, they pack up and head out to Godstow so that Adelia can examine the body. Her initial investigation is interrupted, however, when unexpected visitors arrive just as she is about to begin her examination of the corpse. Unfortunately Adelia and Rowley find themselves in the middle of an attempted coup, and being favored by King Henry puts them right in the middle of danger. I love that Franklin incorporates actual events into her tales. It is true that Rosamund Clifford retired to Godstow before her death. It is even true that popular legend says that Rosamund was poisoned even though actual history has shown that she was not; it certainly makes for a great murder mystery, though. Serpent’s Tale was published in the UK as Death Maze. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

A SERPENT UNCOILED by Simon Spurrier: Dan Shaper is a private eye, a fixer type character far beyond F. Paul Wilson’s Repairman Jack, but this career comes after giving up his membership in a London crime family. He is freelancing, and the book opens with him solving a drug theft problem in a brothel for elderly men. Shaper is foremost a drug addict, who learns to detox after each job, but only a day into this detox he is offered a new job he can’t refuse. A serial killer has targeted George Glass, who claims to be three thousand years old with a faulty memory, lots of money and an assistant that Shaper falls for fast. He’s on the job but his old crime family wants him back, giving him more than he wants to deal with. Shaper is both worrying yet oddly compelling, moving through a drug induced fog with an occasional glimmer of brightness pushing through. This is exhaustive reading; every character is multi-layered in this fantastical urban horror story, the language is rich and descriptive and the story moves quickly from one nightmare to the next. 8/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD by Aliette de Bodard: Acatl, a Priest of the Dead, has been called in to investigate a missing persons case. A Priestess has disappeared, her room drenched in blood. Acatl’s own brother, a Jaguar Knight rumored to be having an affair with the woman, is the primary suspect. Acatl believes the woman is still alive, but finding her will prove to be a race against the clock as he is also sure that she will not survive long. Fantasy, history, and mystery collide in this debut by de Bodard, and the combination works quite well. Drawing on the history and belief system of the Aztecs, de Bodard blends genres in a classic whodunit and first in a unique new series. 12/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SERVANTS by Michael Marshall Smith: For Mark, Brighton will always be a place full of family memories: happy vacations with his mother and father. Vacations that will no longer happen. Now Mark is stuck in Brighton living in his stepfather’s home. His family has been torn apart and Mark sees David, his mother’s husband, as nothing more than an obstacle preventing Mark and his mother from once again being happy. When Mark meets the woman who lives in David’s basement apartment, he becomes fascinated by the old servants’ quarters that lie beyond her room. Upon entering, he begins to see things from another time. But what hides behind that door and beneath the regular everyday lives of the people upstairs becomes a chilling parallel of Mark’s life in the real world. And like the hidden depths of the home, what is going on in Mark’s life is much more complicated than a first glance may reveal. I enjoy Michael Marshall Smith’s blend of supernatural and real world. I have to say, though, in the case of The Servants, what I thought was a good read would actually be a great one for a YA audience. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE by Libby Fischer Hellmann: After a tragic housefire claims the lives of her father and twin brother, Lila Hilliard struggles to move on. As she discovers more about her own past, she begins to wonder if the accident was indeed an accident at all. Lila begins to suspect that someone may be following her, a suspicion that worsens when she’s almost run over one afternoon. Her fears are realized, however, when another attempt is made on her life. Now she must find out what secrets her family has been hiding and why someone would kill to make sure they aren’t uncovered. Hellmann’s latest is a complex thriller that ties back to the unease and upheaval of the 1960s, when activism and protest were just a step away from terrorism. An interesting blend of history and mystery; I found the backstory to be fascinating, but the mystery itself a little thin and predictable. 12/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SEVEN SINS by Jon Land: What happens in Vegas, doesn’t stay in Vegas in this latest thriller built around the astonishing Las Vegas hotel-cum-fantasy-land, The Seven Sins. Michael Tiranno (Sicilian for the “tyrant”) is very loosely based on real life entrepreneur Fabrizio Boccardi, who has plans to build this hotel sometime in the not-too-distant future. In this story, we learn how Tiranno made his millions with a little help from his “Godfather” style guardian, and how he plans to keep Vegas out of harm’s way from Middle Eastern terrorists. Land takes several plot lines and seamlessly weaves them together with nonstop action, explosions, dead bodies, and travel across three continents, keeping the story moving so fast that it’s impossible to stop turning the pages. Strong characters, both men and women, and exotic locations just add to the fun. First of a new series from this talented author. 06/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
Note: The back of the review copy I read had pictures of both Jon Land and Fabrizio Boccardi, along with a note that the lead character was loosely based on the real life Italian. I asked the author whether he was commissioned to write this novel, perhaps to promote a new hotel in Las Vegas? Here is his reply:
“In answer to your question, I was commissioned to write the book after Fabrizio Boccardi met my publisher and told him his very vague concept of the character of Michael Tiranno. I built the entire story around that vague concept, but not really to promote a hotel that won’t exist for another who knows how many years.
Michael Tiranno is more like James Bond, a character who will appear in books, movies (A deal will be announced in the very near future.), video games, and more. He is kind of Fabrizio’s alter ego but Fabrizio didn’t really know what he wanted until I came up with the concept of a GODFATHER-like saga that would both show Michael as a man and how he became that man. Unlike standard promotional deals, then, I had full creative freedom to plot the story and develop the character as I saw fit.
The rendering/drawing of the casino on the rear end papers is based on architectural sketches of how the hotel is envisioned. While Fabrizio has every intention of some day building the real Seven Sins, breaking ground is still quite a ways off, a few years at least.
So the story is more “loosely inspired” by Fabrizio’s life than “based upon” it. He was never in the mob, never imploded a casino or sunk a freighter (Imagine what the Nevada Gaming Commission would do with that!), but Michael’s experiences in Monte Carlo, Zaire, and Cuba pretty much mirror Fabrizio’s since he made his original fortune in soft commodities trading.”
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich: Fabulous continuation of the wild, comic adventures of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. My only complaint was that it wasn’t long enough. I want more! This is my favorite series by far. If you haven’t read them, do yourself a favor and start now. One For the Money; Two For the Dough; Three to Get Deadly; Four to Score; High Five; Hot Six

THE SEVENTH SURVIVOR by Lori Lacefield: Junior Leaguer socialite Palmer Reed is elected to the board of the prestigious Diamond Foundation in Knoxville, Tennessee, an organization which is dedicated to righting wrongs and providing relief for victims of various crimes. Palmer immediately enters the Foundation’s society of country clubs, fancy balls, and fundraisers. So far, sounds like your typical cozy, right? But what happens when Palmer is introduced to the Foundations secret method of fundraising and its complete agenda for obtaining justice? Is a charitable cause worth killing for? Well written with a twist. The Diamond Foundation honcho “the Vindicator” could have only been played by Mama Dearest, Joan Crawford. Recommended. 08/06 Jack Quick

SEVERANCE PACKAGE by Duane Swierczynski: This fast-paced, action-packed thriller from the author of The Blonde really goes over the top. David Murphy calls his staff in for a mysterious Saturday morning meeting, where he then informs them that the company is closing up shop, and they are all fired. Well, not fired exactly – they are all to be killed. He calmly informs them that all exits are sealed and if they do manage to open a door, they will be killed by deadly Sarin gas. When mild mannered Molly Lewis quietly pulls a gun and shoots the boss, all hell breaks loose. We eventually learn that Molly is, in fact, a Polish spy and trained killer and this is where I had trouble with suspending my disbelief. Molly is a killing machine, extraordinarily strong and fast as a speeding bullet, but I just couldn’t buy it. The pages fly by, but I couldn’t get past the ridiculousness of the situation and the people involved, and I couldn’t get involved enough with these cartoonish characters to care. 8/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SEVERANCE PACKAGE by Duane Swierczynski: Swierczynski does in book form what Dolly Parton did cinematically in “Nine To Five” and Johnny Paycheck did musically with “Take This Job And Shove It.” Having a job doesn’t always mean you are on the pathway to success. David Murphy is the CEO for a Philadelphia financial company. He calls his staff in for a Saturday morning meeting with news that is bad and worse. Bad is they are all about to become unemployed, worse is that they are all about to be killed. Every escape route from the 36th-floor office has been sealed off or rigged with lethal sarin gas. There is no hope – until mousy Molly Lewis pulls out a gun and eliminates Murphy. In the ensuing panic, the reader learns there is much more to Murphy’s business than meets the eye; much, much more. To say more would spoil some of the surprise. As he did with “Blonde”, Swierczynski can surely make you wonder what is real – and what isn’t. Excellent. 08/08 Jack Quick

THE SEX CLUB by L. J. Sellers: I grew up in and currently live in Birmingham, Alabama where Eric Rudolph killed officer Robert Sanderson and critically injured nurse Emily Lyons in the bombing of an abortion clinic January 29, 1998. Consequently, I feel a special empathy with Kera Kollmorgan, a registered nurse at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Eugene, Oregon, which suffers a similar encounter. A pipe bomb goes off, damaging the building and causing severe injuries to one patient. Things only get worse the next day when the dead body of a young girl who has visited the clinic is fond in a nearby dumpster. Detective Wade Jackson is initially assigned to the bombing case and later to the homicide. He is a single father of a fourteen- year old girl who was friends with the victim. In addition to the personal implications, there are also political implications complicating the case. I understand this is the first of a series featuring Detective Jackson. I hope so, and think it will do well. 05/08 Jack Quick

SEX IN A SIDE CAR by Phyllis Smallman: Florida has two seasons – hurricane and tourist. Either can be dangerous, both together really nasty. Sherri Travis is tending bar at the Bath and Tennis Club where two women have been murdered. There are more than enough suspects among the staff. At the head of the list is a charming chef who wants to cook up something hot with Sherri. There is also a gardener lurking in the bushes, and a pool boy who delivers more than fresh towels. With hurricane Myrna raging into the gulf, a murdered tourist at her feet, and a fallen palm tree blocking the only road off the island, Sherri battles to stay alive as the murderer closes in. Second in the Sherri Travis series – too edgy to be a true “cozy” but light enough to make a quick enjoyable read. 02/10 Jack Quick

SEX, MURDER AND A DOUBLE LATTE by Kyra Davis: Mystery author Sophie Katz never thought she would be living out her own stories, but that is exactly what seems to be happening in this entertaining and snappy debut. Sophie is the first, and only, to make a connection between two recent celebrity deaths: A famous rapper is gunned down in a scene reminiscent of one of his very own videos, and then a Hollywood producer commits suicide in a stage set remarkably close to one from a film he was involved with. Sophie is convinced that something strange is going on, especially when scenes from her own books begin to play out around her. It’s subtle at first, a broken glass in her apartment and a misplaced book, but then she begins receiving prank calls and her car is vandalized. Could Sophie be next in this bizarre string of murders? If so, it looks like she’s on her own to figure it out — everyone around her is a potential suspect, and the cops think she’s absolutely nuts! This first in the series is a great blend of humor and suspense; a perfect light mystery that will keep readers on their toes and dying for more. 04/09 Becky Lejeune

SHACKLES by Bill Pronizini: Pronzini’s Nameless Detective is kidnapped one winter night near his home in San Francisco. He is then driven to a remote mountain cabin and left, chained in a leg iron, with only enough supplies to last three or four months. His masked captor has planned a slow and vengeful death. Enduring solitude and physical hardship, summoning great effort of will, Nameless survives, escapes and, as a profoundly altered man, sets off to find his would-be murderer. Still relevant after more than two decades. 1/13 Jack Quick

SHADES OF GRAY by Jessica James: Set in Civil War Virginia, SHADES OF GRAY is a powerful tale of loyalty and the love of one’s country. Andrea Evans, a Union spy, disguises herself as a young boy to defend her country. She crosses paths with Captain Alexander Hunter, a Confederate officer. Hunter, unaware of her true identity, becomes obsessed with bringing down the young soldier that caused the deaths of several of his men. They meet again at the deathbed of Hunter’s brother, Daniel, a Union officer. Hunter promises his brother to protect Andrea at all costs. Andrea is captured by the Confederates and severely injured. Hunter, abiding by the promise he made his brother, takes her to his home to heal. Evans detests Hunter, but due to her injuries she is unable to leave Hunter’s home, Hawthorne. Despite their differing allegiances, both Hunter and Evans let down the wall surrounding their hearts, and fall in love. Civil war raging around them, they cannot deny the love they share, a love that transcends the battle lines. SHADES OF GRAY is an amazing book full of historical detail. The reader is pulled into the raging war. I loved the characters—they were well developed and defined. I was pulled in from page one and was saddened when the story ended. I would highly recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction. 01/09 Jennifer Lawrence

THE SHADOW by Kristina Streetman-DiGiovanni: I picked up this book since it was the first effort of a local (to Birmingham, AL) author and it has a local setting. The Shadow is a stalker and the book does a credible job of portraying the escalating tension as incident after incident occurs without resolution. Although not written in the first person, it is obvious the author is the victim of the stalking which adds an interesting twist to the tale. 08/06 Jack Quick

SHADOW CATCHER by James R Hannibal: Hannibal is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, a veteran combat pilot and his experience lends credibility to this novel centering on the exploits of a special group of men known as the triple seven chase team. Ten years prior to the opening of the action Major Nick Baron, the leader of the chase team left a B-2 Stealth bomber sunk at the bottom of the Persian Gulf after a mission he was on. Now Major Baron is tasked with finding a way to bring up, and destroy, or simply destroy the bomber so that no enemy nation can get it and discover the secrets of it’s on board technology. As work proceeds on solving the problem of the sunk bomber a message is received from a soldier, long thought dead, that has escaped from imprisonment in China and is hiding awaiting rescue. There is only one solution to pick up the soldier hiding in the middle of China and that is to use a new plane termed the Shadow Catcher which has capabilities way beyond anything that has come before it’s development. Both projects proceed drawn with an excitement that keeps the reader glued to the pages. Action is complicated by the presence of a spy that has infiltrated the Triple Seven team and the need to outthink him and handle the assignments given. Hannibal, thanks to his background has the ability to make action real and flowing making sure that the reader stays with it, and upon finishing the book awaits the next one featuring Nick Baron and his group. 10/13 Paul Lane

THE SHADOW IN THE WATER by Inger Frimansson: THE SHADOW IN THE WATER continues the story of Justine Dalvik, which began in GOODNIGHT, MY DARLING. Justine is an unusual protagonist; the six years past have mellowed her, but not much. She’s still all edges, oddly attractive, occasionally repulsive, and she still lives in that tall house by the waters of Lake Malaren with her wild bird. Yet this story belongs more to other characters whose lives run on a tangent with hers.
Hans Peter Berman, Justine’s live-in lover, continues to escape every evening to his job as night manager at a hotel in town. Ulf, the hotel’s owner, has cancer and may sell it to pay for an operation overseas, a possibility that fills Hans Peter with dread. Ariadne is a cleaner at the hotel — she has an abusive husband, a blind daughter, and a shining, steely soul; hers is the most compelling of the several stories. The others involve Tor, husband of missing-presumed-dead Berit, and Jill, Berit’s friend who is tentatively reaching out to him; and Micke, son of Nathan, Justine’s lover from years past who died in the jungle. Micke blames Justine for all that has gone wrong in his young life.
Amid an atmosphere of sustained ominousness, these stories run until finally they converge when Berit’s body surfaces from Malaren’s dark waters after a storm. The conclusion is quietly satisfying, like the faint illumination of a Swedish winter’s sun. 05/08 Dianne Day
SHADOW LAWS by Jim Michael Hansen: In this second of the “Laws” series, Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry, and beautiful young attorney Taylor Sutton, are separately hunting vicious killers but for very different reasons. A lawyer friend of Sutton’s has a mysterious client, with whom he has only talked by phone, that he thinks is trying to kill him. He has tapes of their conversations that are not conclusive and wants Sutton’s advice as to whether he can ethically turn them over to the police. In the meantime Coventry is looking for a missing woman that he fears is dead. Soon they are in pursuit of a sicko who likes to play games with his victims, the police and attorneys. Eventually the paths of Coventry and Sutton cross and they close in on the truth. Another excellent outing. 11/06 Jack Quick

SHADOW MAN by Cody McFadyen: The protagonist, FBI agent Smoky Barrett, lost her husband and daughter in an attack by a serial killer. Still on the job, she and her team are now tracking a madman who apparently believes he is a descendent of Jack the Ripper. He kills women, mostly prostitutes, and sends videotapes of the killings to Barrett and her team. Well written with a punch, it is hopefully the start of a series. Barrett, while strong, is a deeply troubled person and it will be interesting to see how she evolves from the tragedies that have befallen her. 08/06 Jack Quick

SHADOW MEN by Jonathon King: Moody ex-Philadelphia cop Max Freeman, now a fully licensed PI in Florida, agrees to look into the disappearance of a father and two sons who signed on for three weeks of work on the Tamiami Trail 80 years earlier and never made it home. The Tamiami Trail runs across the Everglades and like so much of the area’s development, has a checkered history. The mysterious Nate Brown, who helped Max in The Blue Edge of Midnight, is back, along with Max’s cast of friends. The government still wants to evict him, friend/attorney Billy Manchester has once again come up with a case that interests him, and his love life remains as fragile as before. All in all the 3rd outing is just as good as the previous two. You can smell the swamp and feel the humidity of south Florida with every page. 05/07 Jack Quick

SHADOW OF BETRAYAL by Brett Battles: Jonathan Quinn is a freelance operative and professional “cleaner”. Three jobs, no questions. That was the deal Quinn had struck with his client at the Office. Unfortunately for him, Ireland was just the first. Now Quinn, along with his colleague and girlfriend–the lethal Orlando–has a new assignment touched off by the killings in Ireland. Their quarry is a U.N. aide worker named Marion Dupuis who has suddenly disappeared from her assignment in war-torn Africa. When Quinn finally catches a glimpse of her, she quickly flees, frantic and scared. For Quinn the assignment has now changed. Find Marion Dupuis, and the child she is protecting, and keep them from harm. In the process Quinn will unearth a horrifying plot and an act of terror more cunning, and more insidious, than anyone can guess. 1/12 Jack Quick

SHADOW OF POWER by Steve Martini: Terrance Scarborough has become an overnight celebrity with his controversial book, Perpetual Slaves. In it, he reveals to the world how the words that bound an entire race to slavery for generations have been repealed but not struck from the U.S. Constitution. His work riles up the public, unearthing deep-set emotions in opposing factions, and creating a hostile and violent reaction. His overnight success ends abruptly, however, when he is murdered in his hotel room. The case seems open and shut when the police arrest young Carl Arnsberg, an employee at the hotel who is said to have been a member of the local white supremacy group. Carl swears his innocence but with so much damning evidence, defense attorney Paul Madriani has his work cut out for him. In the course of his investigation, Madriani learns that Scarborough bragged openly about possessing a copy of a letter rumored to have been written by Jefferson, a letter of such an explosive nature that he removed all reference to it from the book for fear of the possible repercussions. Any fears must have been long gone by the time he was murdered, though, because he was threatening to go public with it in order to boost sales. Since the murder, no one has been able to locate the document in question. As Madriani investigates further, all signs seem to point back to a member of the US Supreme Court and he begins to wonder just what was in this letter and who is actually behind the murder. Martini’s latest legal thriller has a fascinating plot and some of the most realistic portrayals of courtroom events that I have come across. It’s an exciting and dramatic installment to his popular Madriani “series.” 05/08 Becky Lejeune

SHADOW OF POWER by Steve Martini: Legal scholar Terry Scarborough has stirred up a hornets nest with his book about the Constitution, particularly Article I, Section 2 which sets forth the way votes are apportioned. (Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons .(i.e. slaves)) Although this language was superseded by the 14th amendment, section 2, the fact that the amending process for the Constitution requires the offending language to remain in place is offensive to many. When Scarborough is brutally murdered, this becomes even more of an issue. Scarborough has also hinted at a missing letter of Thomas Jefferson’s, which if real, could further divide the country. It’s up to Defense Attorny Paul Madriani to untangle the mess as the only hope for his client, Scarborough’s accused slayer. From California to Washington, D.C. and the nation’s highest court, Madriani and partner Harry Hinds chase the elusive truth while the politcial stakes become immense. Nicely done. 06/08 Jack Quick

SHADOW OF THE DAHLIA by Jack Bludis: The June 12, 1994 murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, wife of football star O.J. Simpson, in Los Angeles attracted world-wide attention. Officially, her murder was never solved. On January 15, 1947 the mutilated severed body of Elizabeth Short was found in Leimert Park in Los Angeles. Officially, the murder of the woman who came to be known as “The Black Dahlia” was never solved either. Private eye Rick Page is trying to locate a millionaire’s missing wife when he becomes involved in what was then the case of the century. Page is unwillingly drafted to find a young man who wronged the daughter of a crime lord. Soon, bodies – tortured in the same manner as the Dahlia – begin to pile up, and Page learns that he’s in deadly danger. Is this a cunning copycat attempting to confuse the police, or has he fallen under the shadow of the Dahlia’s killer? Bludis captures the mood perfectly with dialogue and characterizations that pull you right into that heady post-war atmosphere, when the survivors felt they had control of the world and only the brightest of futures. If you like Mickey Spillane, you will love Bludis as Rick Page can compete with anyone’s private eye. 12/10 Jack Quick

SHADOW OF THE RAVEN by David Sundstrand: Add another name to the list of western mystery writers who do it right. Francisco “Frank” Flynn is a half-Irish, half Native American Bureau of Land Management officer who finds the bloated corpse of a poacher, left to die without shoes or water. Frank teams up with reporter Linda Reyes to investigate. Their search for the murderer parallels that of the victim’s brothers—Roy, Hickey and Jason Miller—a trio of unrepentant, unwashed misfits whose detecting methods leave a trail of death and destruction. Inevitably they all come together in the canyon where Donnie Miller died and the good guys win, bad guys lose. Nicely done and hopefully the first of a long running series. 01/09 Jack Quick

THE SHADOW PATROL by Alex Berenson: In 2009, the CIA’s Kabul Station fell for a source who promised to lead it to Bin Laden, but instead he blew himself up, taking the station’s most senior officers with him. Now in 2011, the station is still floundering, agents are dying, and at Langley the CIA’s chiefs wonder if the unthinkable has happened, if somehow the Taliban has infiltrated the station. John Wells reluctantly agrees to return to the country where his career as an undercover operative began. As soon as he arrives he is in a vipers’ nest of hostility and mistrust-and clues that hint at a drug-trafficking operation involving the Agency, the military, and the Taliban. Americans are dying, and an American is responsible. And only John Wells stands in his way . . . for now. If he can survive. Nicely done. 4/12 Jack Quick

SHADOW TRADE by Alan Furst: Furst uses a real live event as the basis for this, one of his first spy vs. spy thrillers, originally published in 1983. In June, 1977, the CIA dismissed 820 Clandestine Service officers in a single day. In this book, one of them, named Guyer, goes into business for himself, the only business he knows, clandestine operations. As elsewhere in the business world, Guyer has to face competitive challenges and market his product successfully. Unfortunately in this shadow world of espionage the rules are few, and hardly ever followed, and there are no government regulator agencies to keep the players in bounds. Although now fifteen years old, this gives you a good inside look at the world of clandestine contemporary intelligence – mail drops, computers, honey traps, anonymous funds transfers and all the rest. If you are even a slight bit paranoid, you may want to skip this one. But if you have a strong heart, it’s a great read. 09/08 Jack Quick

SHADOW WALTZ by Amy Patricia Meade: Marjorie McClelland is a mystery writer with a penchant for getting in on the action. Engaged to wealthy Englishman Creighton Ashcroft, everyone feels it is time for Marjorie to settle down and focus on her wedding plans and other more seemly topics. After all there is a Great Depression and women should be seen and not heard. Unfortunately when a young mother’s appeal for help in finding her missing husband leads Marjorie and her fiancé to the dismembered body of the husband’s mistress, the question of “Did he or didn’t he?” takes precedence over “Will you, Marjorie, take Creighton, etc. etc. Even though the husband is convicted in the murder, Marjorie isn’t certain that justice has been served. So who will win out – her fiance’ or a man who may be deserving of his fate? Third in the series, and a fast read. 06/08 Jack Quick

THE SHADOW YEAR by Jeffrey Ford: Edgar winner Jeffrey Ford’s latest is the story of one strange year through a 12 year-old boy’s eyes. The story begins in the days leading up to the end of summer vacation, sometime in the 1960s. A boy from the narrator’s class has gone missing and there are reports of a peeping tom in the neighborhood. The boy and his older brother take it upon themselves to catch the perpetrator themselves and begin to collect evidence in the case. Then another classmate goes missing and the boys begin to notice a strange white car lurking on their street. Our narrator begins to write brief descriptions of all his neighbors in a notebook and relays these entries to his younger sister, Mary. At the same time, the boy’s older brother, Jim, keeps a model of the neighborhood in the basement complete with clay figures to represent each of the neighbors. They begin to notice something strange about Mary – she seems to be somehow moving the clay figures around the model in a way that suggests that she can “see” what any one person is doing at any given time. The brothers enlist her help in identifying the trespasser, believing that he must also be responsible for the missing children. Unfortunately their snooping has caught the wrong person’s attention and even the adults may not be able to protect them any longer. Although the children are dealing with some quite frightening events throughout the course of the story, Ford’s unique style and his use of a young narrator lends a playful innocence to the tale that makes the reading quite enjoyable. It was, for me, reminiscent of King’s story The Body. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

SHADOWS by Edna Buchanan: in the second outing for Buchanan’s Miami Cold Case Squad, a woman seeking to save Shadows, an historic area mansion, pleads with the police to stop the bulldozing of the house which was the scene of the 1961 murder of a former Miami mayor. A search of the property unearths a cache of mummified human infants, which takes the case from cold to fiery hot. Even the best don’t hit homeruns every time, but still an imminently readable effort from a pretty good writer. In her own words, “Life would be simple if people told the truth.” They don’t and that makes mysteries. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

SHADOWS IN THE WHITE CITY by Robert W. Walker: “The Phantom of the Fair” is slaughtering innocents and taking away from the splendor of Chicago’s magnificent “White City” in this summer of 1893. It’s up to Inspector Alastair Ransom to solve the problem before it completely besmirches the reputation of the great Exposition. To do so, Ransom must ignore the rules established by the police hierarchy and the ruling politicians. He must become judge, jury and …executioner. But will the price be too great. An extremely well written historical mystery that captures the flavor and spirit of the times. The dialogue in particular draws you into the story, and to quote the song you “end up in another place and time.” First rate. 05/07 Jack Quick

SHADOWS STILL REMAIN by Peter deJonge: deJonge is a much better author on his own than with James Patterson (Beach Road). NYPD Detective Darlene O’Hara, is looking for missing NYU student Francesca Pena, a very pretty teenage girl with long jet-black hair and bottomless brown eyes whose body is eventually found in East River Park. She has been tortured and assaulted to the point that the ME thinks she probably died of heart failure. The focus of the investigation is David McLain, Pena’s ex-boyfriend, who first reported her missing. McLain had been in town visiting and staying with Pena and his story doesn’t seem to completely add up. McLain remains O’Hara of her own son and this causes her to continue the investigation with extreme consequences. In many respects this is a predictable police procedural with many of the usual characters, but deJonge keeps the pace going nicely and has set up the situation nicely for follow on outings. 05/09 Jack Quick

THE SHADOWY HORSES by Susanna Kearsley: The search for the lost Ninth Legion has been endless. Peter Quinnell has spent his career hoping to discover the truth about their fate. At Rosehill, he believes he may have finally found something. When Verity Grey accepts an interview with Quinnell, she has no idea it involves the Ninth. What’s more, she has not been told that Quinnell is driven by a ghostly sighting reported by a local boy. Upon learning so, Verity is understandably wary but can’t deny her own curiosity. When the dig yields almost unquestionable proof of Roman occupation, she becomes determined to see the season through. Verity is not one to place much stock in ghosts, but even she has to admit that the boy’s insight is eerily accurate. The longer Verity stays at Rosehill, the more convinced she becomes of the ghost’s existence and that he was once a member of the Ninth as well. And then there’s the draw of Eyemouth itself, a charming coastal fishing village, and David Fortune, a local archaeologist on the dig. The Shadowy Horses is a gorgeous read. Kearsley’s pacing is excellent all the way until the end. Admittedly the resolution comes about a bit quickly compared to the build of the story itself, but the end is still a satisfying one. 10/12 Becky Lejeune

Shanghai Baby by Wei Hui: Called the “Chinese Tropic of Cancer”, this book was banned in China and many other countries. Translated into sex, drugs & rock ‘n roll in stilted English. Interesting.

SHANGHAI GIRLS by Lisa See: The author of the terrific Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is back in form again with this excellent new novel. The title “girls” are sisters May, the beautiful one, and Pearl, the smart one. They come from a wealthy family in Shanghai where they lead very sheltered lives in privilege and comfort until they find out that their father has gambled away all their money and is in debt to some rather unsavory characters. A wealthy Chinese-American wants to buy the girls as wives for his sons in Los Angeles, and after meeting the boys, May and Pearl agree. But they never get on the ship for America, instead running away until the Japanese start bombing China. They lose their parents and decide their best chances for survival lie in America.
They arrive at Angel Island, the 1930’s Los Angeles answer to Ellis Island, where they are detained for months while the authorities question them repeatedly, trying to determine if they are legitimately married to Americans. They are finally released to their husbands to begin their lives there. There are huge adjustments, the girls have been through much and find out some uncomfortable truths about their new in-laws, the movie business, Chinatown and life in general for the Chinese in Los Angeles. This is a fascinating book that has well developed characters with a compelling story. I found it totally engrossing and engaging. 07/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
THE SHANGHAI MOON by S. J. Rozan: Rosalie Gilder was 18 years old when she escaped the Nazis in Austria by emigrating to Shanghai, along with 20,000 other Jews. Lydia Chin and Bill Smith, Rozan’s PI team, are hired to help find Rosalie’s jewelry. It was recently unearthed in Shanghai, a government official there stole it and it was believed he was trying to sell it in New York’s Chinatown. Lydia’s Chinese-American heritage comes in handy, which is why Joel Pilarsky, another PI, recommended her for the job. But Joel is killed, the police don’t think there’s any connection to the case and as she scours Chinatown looking for the jewels, Lydia and Bill are also in danger. Lydia is also becoming a bit obsessed with Rosalie’s life, reading the letters she left behind that are archived at the Holocaust Museum and meeting some of her descendents. This is a fascinating story that moves seamlessly between Shanghai during the Japanese occupation in WWII, and present day New York. 04/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SHANGHAI MOON by S. J. Rozan: Lydia Chin and Bill Smith are welcome back after a long hiatus (after 2002’s Winter and Night). They are trying to find a legendary brooch created in the late 1930’s Japanese-occupied Shanghai, combining diamonds smuggled out from Austria by Rosalie Gilder and jade supplied by her aristocratic husband Chen Kai-Rong. The brooch disappeared during World War II and may have now re-surfaced. A Swiss asset-recovery specialist hires Lydia’s pal Joel Pilarsky, to look for jewelry alleged stolen by Wong Pan, a corrupt Chinese official who is possibly in New York. When Pilarsky is murdered Lydia and Bill follow a trail to Manhattan’s Chinatown, where they encounter Rosalie’s son and other relatives eager to recover the brooch. Lydia’s friend Mary gets involved by way of the murder of a Chinese policeman also involved. Nicely complicated with twists and turns enough to delight anyone. It’s good to have this duo back. 10/09 Jack Quick

SHARP OBJECTS by Gillian Flynn: This Edgar-nominated debut has an unusual protagonist, Camille Preaker, a reporter with a history of mental instability and cutting who works for a kindly-but-gruff editor at a smallish Chicago newspaper. When two little girls are murdered in her hometown an hour and a world away from Chicago, her editor sends her home to check it out. There are a lot of clichés in this creepy, dysfunctional family saga, but some real surprises too. The leisurely pacing builds the suspense but this mystery almost crosses genres and borders on horror. I had a hard time getting through it for a variety of reasons, but it was ultimately worth the struggle. 02/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SHARP OBJECTS by Gillian Flynn: When a little girl goes missing in Wind Gap, Missouri, townspeople can’t help but be reminded of disappearance of another young girl just one year ago. The first girl was found strangled with all her teeth missing. Camille Preaker, reporter for the Chicago Daily Post is sent to cover the story. She’s perfect for the job, seeing as how she grew up in Wind Gap. It’s been eight years since Camille last returned home, and for good reason. On her second day, Camille herself discovers the body of the missing child, propped up against a building. Again, all the teeth have been removed. Camille is unwillingly thrown into the investigation when her editor requests that she follow the story through to its chilling conclusion. What she will discover will reveal even more troubling secrets about her own past and threaten her own sanity. This is a shocking and brutal mystery – like a train wreck that you just can’t turn away from. I loved everything about it. Really a magnificent read. 11/06 Becky LeJeune

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi: Juliette is cursed with a terrible ability. With just one touch, she can kill a person. She’s been locked up since she was fourteen and has no hope of ever getting out. But then something changes. Juliette is given a roommate, a boy she remembers from before. She doesn’t know why he’s been locked up with her but the end of her solitude gives her reason to hope. This is one of those books that is tough to describe without giving too much away. It’s a futuristic dystopian tale that very much leans in the X-Men direction by the end of this first in the series. The standout is Mafi’s style: told in first person and through Juliette’s own words, the story features Juliette’s thoughts in a somewhat stream of consciousness format. Shatter Me has garnered much buzz in the YA community, most of it well earned. I did quite enjoy Mafi’s debut but I didn’t quite think it lived up to the promised expectation of so much hype. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

SHELTER by Harlan Coben: Coben continues his Myron Bolitar series for the Young Adult crowd, but this should still please adult readers. Mickey Bolitar has had a rough year, losing his father and moving in with his estranged uncle Myron. Forced to go to a new high school, things are looking up when Mickey meets Ashley and he falls for her hard. But then Ashley disappears, and Mickey and a couple of new friends seem to be the only ones who even notice. They try and find her, stumbling into danger on more than one occasion. Even though Mickey is a teenager, the suspense is high and the twists pure Coben genius. Consider this a gift to tide you over until his next adult book comes out. 09/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SHE’S GONE COUNTRY by Jane Porter: Shey Darcy had an idyllic life; supermodel, mom, and happily married until the day her husband revealed he was leaving her for another man. Shey packs up her three teenage boys and hightails it home to the Texas ranch she grew up on, only to find that her high school love, Dane Kelly, is a retired national bull riding champion who is divorced and living nearby. Shey’s heart was broken when her parents sent her away to boarding school, effectively breaking them up, and when she came home Dane was married and had a child. But that doesn’t seem to matter anymore and Shey finds herself drawn to him all over again. Trouble arises when her city boys have a tough time adjusting to life on the ranch, her ex starts making custody threats, and Dane isn’t sure dating a still married woman is a good idea. VERDICT: Porter started off writing romances, dabbled in women’s fiction and chick lit, but here returns to her roots in this formulaic romance with the requisite happy ending. Sure to appeal to fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Linda Howard. 08/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2010 Library Journal, a division of Media Source Inc. Reprinted with permission.

SHE’S SO DEAD TO US by Kieran Scott: Two years ago, Ally and her family had to leave behind their home. Two years ago, Ally had to abandon her friends. Two years ago, Ally’s father left without another word. Finally getting back on her feet, Ally’s mother decides that it’s time to return, but they won’t be moving back into their mansion in The Crest. Nope, they’re moving into a small condo in Orchard Hill, the only thing in Ally’s mother’s budget after her father loses everything in a bad investment. Even worse, Ally’s father convinced her friends’ families to invest as well, which makes Ally enemy number one for her former besties. Stuck in the middle is new kid Jake, who now lives in Ally’s former abode. Not sure whether he should stick by his new Crestie friends or defend the girl he thinks he’s falling for, Jake is sure this year is at least going to be interesting. Kieran Scott’s snarky and witty teen read is quick and fun, and devastatingly realistic. With an end that’s sure to leave teens on edge wondering what comes next, I sincerely hope that there’s more of Ally and Jake to come. 05/10 Becky Lejeune

SHIFT by Tim Kring & Dale Peck: Wow, fasten those seat belts and pull the straps up tight for this collision of ’60s counterculture and the rise of dark forces in world government. FBI. CIA. LSD. JFK. USSR, LSD – this one has it all. Your inner conspiracy theorist will overdose. Melchior, one of three “wise men” recruited by a CIA operative known as The Wiz, claws his way out of a newly sanctioned 1963 Cuba only to find that he has been quietly swept under the rug and forgotten. In other CIA action a Persian prostitute giving various government targets covert doses of LSD finds that her latest mark—a career student with family ties in high places—holds the key to vast mental powers unlocked by the mind-altering properties of LSD. Add to this a freshly minted FBI agent blindly seeking an answer to a question he doesn’t understand and you have the recipe for a massive, out-of-control conspiracy so unreal it almost sounds credible. Set in the crucible of the 1960s, Shift is primarily the story of Chandler Forrestal, a man whose life is changed forever when he is unwittingly dragged into a CIA mind-control experiment. After being given a massive dose of LSD, Chandler de­velops a frightening array of mental powers. He uncovers a plot to assassi­nate President Kennedy. and becomes a target for rogue CIA agents, Cuban killers, Mafia madmen, and ex-Nazi scientists. With cameos from Lee Harvey Oswald to Timothy Leary to J. Edgar Hoover, Shift makes you re-think the unbelievable. 09/10 Jack Quick

SHIFT by Rachel Vincent: Faythe Sanders and her Pride have been gearing up for war. Before they can strike, however, another conflict arises: a Flight of thunderbirds, beings Faythe and her family have encountered only through legend, has attacked the ranch and no one is quite sure why. When the cats capture one of the birds, they realize that someone has set them up, and all of them are sure they know just who it is. One of the Flight was killed by a cat over a kill dispute. Unfortunately, the attack happened off Pride territory and a witness claimed that it was a member of Faythe’s Pride who was responsible. Now Faythe must prove their innocence while sniffing out the real killer in order to save her friends and family from retribution. As each installment brings the characters closer and closer to all out battle, the series becomes even more intense. Vincent has definitely mastered the art of keeping her readers on the edge of their seats with anticipation. I love that the series still feels fresh and new every time; I’ve been hooked since Stray. Alpha, the sixth in the series, is due out this fall. 03/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SHIMMER by David Morrell: I have enjoyed most of Morrell’s books including the Rambo series but found this one a bit over the top. Based on the real life “Marfa Lights” in Marfa, Texas, the plot involves the disappearance of Santa Fe police officer Dan Page’s wife who has gone to a remote Texas town, along with hundreds of other spectators to gaze at the mysterious “Rostov Lights.” As the spectators are watching (some seeing the mysterious lights, other not) a gunman opens fire screaming “Go back to hell where you came from,” then turns his rifle on the bystanders, massacring a number of innocents until Page’s wife, using the gun of the felled Rostov Police Chief manages to shoot the gunman. Page sets out to solve the mystery of the lights which leads him to a deadly government secret dating back to the first World War. Move over Area 51, there is a new spooky place in the neighborhood. 06/10 Jack Quick
SHINE by Lauren Myracle: A coming of age tale set in a small, poverty stricken Southern town, Cat is a sixteen year old loner. She has an older brother who she was once very close to, but something happened that made her withdraw from him and all her friends, including her best friend, Patrick. Patrick is gay, and that is not acceptable in this town, so when he is beaten within an inch of his life and left for dead, the sheriff isn’t too concerned, deciding it must of been a car full of college boys from out of town that did this heinous crime. While Patrick lies in a coma in the hospital, Cat decides to investigate herself, stirring up the town in her wake. She eventually solves the mystery and grows up in the process, becoming the person she was meant to be. This book first came to my attention when it was short listed for the National Book Award for Young Adult fiction – in error. The mistake was handled so badly, got so much negative press in book nerd world, that in protest of the mess I decided to read it, and I’m very glad I did. 11/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SHIP BREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi: In the future, flooding, hurricanes, and other inclement weather have completely transformed the landscape of the United States. Nailer, a kid living in the South, is a ship breaker. It’s what he knows. It’s what he’s been taught. It’s what he’s good at. He’s responsible for salvaging metal from the big tankers that have washed up all along the shore. Now, graceful clipper ships carry the world’s cargo and the tankers are good for only recyclable material and the occasional lucky discovery of oil hidden in their depths. Nailer dreams of a day when he might leave this world behind and travel on the clippers like the rich folks do. When one of those swank clippers washes up on the beach, Nailer gets his first chance to see the inside. But his discovery of a survivor, a teenage girl, changes things. Nailer must decide whether to be her salvation or to leave her and collect the bounty for her ship. While others might sell out to achieve their dreams, Nailer’s recent experiences make the decision a tough one and his choice will leave him forever changed. Bacigalupi’s teen debut is amazing and definitely offers up appeal to readers of all ages. A new entry into the growing dystopian trend, and a fine one at that. 05/10 Becky Lejeune
A Ship Made of Paper by Scott Spencer: Very interesting, beautifully written novel about relationships, infidelity, and race, yet so much more than that. Daniel Emerson is a NY city lawyer who is threatened by a client whose case he lost. The client happens to be African American, and this triggers a black paranoia in Daniel until he feels he has to move out of the city. He returns to his small hometown with his live-in lover Kate and her daughter, Ruby. Daniel is Ruby’s primary caregiver, freeing Kate to write, but at preschool he meets and falls in love with Iris, the mother of Ruby’s best friend who happens to be African American. And married. The couples’ lives become more and more entangled until they are just spiraling way out of control.
Spencer uses an unusual literary device in that he starts each chapter with a tiny excerpt of the pivotal finale, building a surreal tension, and contriving a feeling of deja vu when the reader finally gets there. He creates a tautness in story and mood that is truly exquisite, until the last page is turned and the realization hits that there is no more. And that is a sad moment indeed. 12/03

SHIVERS by Charles R. Gillenwaters: Gillenwaters is an Alabama attorney who has represented some three dozen defendants charged with capital murder. Thus, he brings a unique perspective to this short noir-ish tale of an innocent man being sentenced to death by the system and a District Attorney who is less interested in justice being served than in winning at any cost. The victim is Mary Margaret, an attractive, pregnant nurse, lying in a pool of blood. She is the wife of Sgt. Jack McManus, a well liked police officer. The alleged murderer, recently paroled Sonny Ray Shivers, is the man singing nearby found by veteran police officer Zabrowski, the first to respond to a report that a woman was lying outside her car. Although he d spent many years on the force, Zabrowski had never been to a murder scene and had never drawn his weapon. From there things go downhill quickly with an ambitious DA, an alcoholic council and Sonny Ray’s record. Not bad for a debut, heavy on legal procedure and with unfortunately, a totally believable plot. 08/09 Jack Quick

SHOCK WAVE by John Sandford: Virgil Flowers is looking for the maniac who has bombed the headquarters of the superstore chain PyeMart and its newest store site in a Minnesota river town. Two people die and then the chase gets very personal when a bomb blows up Virgil’s boat. Almost a “puzzle” mystery with an interesting problem solving technique to aid solid police work. Recommended. 11/11 Jack Quick

THE SHOEMAKERS WIFE by Adriana Trigiani: The title of this book threw me; I was expecting the third book in the Valentine trilogy which is also about a shoemaker, but this book is not it – that book is coming probably next year, so think of this book as a gift to ease the wait. All will be explained…this shoemaker is Ciro, a young man who, along with his brother, is abandoned by his mother after his father’s death and left with the nuns at the local church in this small village in the Italian alps. This is no orphanage, but they take in the boys and raise them as their own. While doing a favor for the nuns, Ciro meets Enza, and there is instant attraction. But Enza’s family has their own problems and she ends up going to America and landing a job as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera. The story moves between Italy, New York, and Minnesota, and touches on World War I, immigration and opera. But as always with Trigiani’s books, it is the characters that pull you in and won’t let go, and it broke my heart to turn the last page of this wonderful epic story and leave them behind. If you like warm family stories with more than a touch of romance and a touch of humor, stories that tug at the heart, you won’t want to miss this treasure. 4/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SHORTCUT MAN by P.G. Sturges: A lawyer once told me that unless the matter involved money over $25,000 or a deeply held moral conviction, filing a civil lawsuit was a losing proposition. Enter Dick Henry, the “Shortcut Man.” Henry and his cohorts can get the desired results in much less time and for about a fourth of what the lawyers would cost by avoiding all those pesky rules and procedures. The best part is you don’t have to pay in advance, either. You will pay, of course, since tracking down welshers of any kind is a Dick Henry specialty. Whether he’s hired by a landlord coping with a deadbeat tenant or a woman whose widowed father is being bilked by a pen pal, Henry is there with a smile, a fist, a solution—and no annoying paperwork. The Shortcut Man is an offbeat, funny, suspenseful, and definitely recommended debut. Lets hope there are more. 03/11 Jack Quick

SHOOT HIM IF HE RUNS by Stuart Woods: In a continuation of an earlier adventure Stone Barrington returns to St. Marks Island at the request of President William Lee to hunt ex-CIA-agent-turned rogue Teddy Fay. Unlike his previous trip, Barrington is accompanied this time by Holly Barker, Dino Bacchetti, and Dino’s current squeeze. In between frolicking in the waves and between the sheets (and perhaps hanging from the chandelier, who knows), Stone and Holly strike up an acquaintance with Irene Foster, also ex-CIA, who is thought to have had a previous relationship with Fay. Soon they are caught up in the local corrupt regime and when the island’s chief of police is gunned down, they all realize this is more than just a fun in the sun caper. Woods hasn’t run out of steam yet. 11/07 Jack Quick

SHOOT TO THRILL by P.J. Tracy: Popular social-networking sites take center stage in Tracy’s fifth technological thriller (after Snow Blind) as murderous videos are posted online. FBI agent John Smith is on the case and invites the Monkeewrench gang, that group of software geniuses, to determine who is posting the videos and to find a way to differentiate between what turns out to be real murders and staged ones. As one of the killings takes place in Minnesota, Minneapolis detectives Magozzi and Rolseth join the investigation. This odd group of crime fighters makes for a very effective team, even though both Magozzi and Smith are interested in Grace MacBride, the gang’s beautiful, superparanoid leader. VERDICT Shifting from murder to terrorism leaves holes in this convoluted story. It will appeal mainly to fans of the Monkeewrench series, who have been waiting four years since Snow Blind, and to those who appreciate high-tech hijinks. 04/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2010 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

SHOOT TO THRILL by P.J. Tracy: They appear to be a series of random murders, each done differently, each in a separate location. When the FBI’s cyber crimes unit discovers that someone is anonymously posting videos of the murders on the Internet, they soon find their skills insufficient to crack the case. That’s when special agent John Smith goes to the top of the hacker world – Monkeewrench, the Minneapolis based super team featured in Tracy’s previous four books. They catch a minor break when it turns out one of the homicides is in their own backyard of Minneapolis. There is even a witness, sort of; the drunken ex-judge has a blood alcohol level higher than that of the top of the line bourbon he stays sloshed with, so he isn’t as much help as they hoped. Soon the Monkeewrench team has been able to uncover a pattern in the murder videos, and even better, a site where references to the killings are being posted – before they occur. Armed with this information they are able to thwart the next two attempted murders, but by now, the publicity has attracted clones and wannabes which make their search even more complex. All in all another first rate outing from this mother-daughter writing team, whose characters have become as familiar and enjoyable as that other Minneapolis phenom – Lucas Davenport, of the John Sandford Prey series. 05/10 Jack Quick
SHOOT TO THRILL by P.J. Tracy: The Monkeewrench gang are all back and this time they’ve been chosen by the FBI to help out in a most shocking investigation. Five murders have occurred throughout the country. Five amongst many, but what makes these different is that the killers have posted actual video of the crimes online. Protected by the intricacies of the web, the killers are free to continue as the feds are slowed by law and bureaucracy. But Monkeewrench has none of these impediments, and if the feds want to turn a blind eye in order to allow them to do their job quickly and effectively, Grace and her friends are definitely on board. Shoot to Thrill has been a long time coming for P.J. Tracy fans. Four years can be quite a lifetime in a series but, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I hope the next one doesn’t take near as long, parts of Shoot to Thrill felt somewhat incomplete, so I’m hoping that the various storylines will continue into the next installment. 04/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SHOOTER by Barry Sadler: Yes, this is the same Barry Sadler who wrote and performed the Ballad of the Green Berets in the 1970’s. This book was published in 1987, and likely would have been the basis for a “pulp” series except Sadler was killed in 1989, the victim of a brutal robbery in Guatemala City. Rosen and Tomanaga are former US Marines no in the business of assassination, but only when they believe the cause is just. When retired Colonel Leonard Oates and Army Major turned magazine publisher, Robert Green, provide them evidence that at least two American soldiers are still being tortured and held prisoner at a camp nestled among the borders of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, they will do anything, pay any price, to save these men. Heeding the call of the Colonel and the Major, Rossen and Tommy find themselves deep in the ruins of Angkor Wat, battling for their lives and hunting for this remote prison camp, but what they find is well beyond their worst nightmare… 2/12 Jack Quick

THE SHOOTERS by W.E.B. Griffin: Once again W. E. B. Griffin has mined the quasi-military “band of brothers police thriller” genre that he helped create in an interesting outing. Colonel Charley Castillo is in Argentina trying to tie up the ends of the UN oil-for-food scandal when a young American lieutenant and veteran of the Afghan war, arrives to throw a monkey wrench in the plans. A key agent for the DEA whose family happens to be close to the Chicago power structure has been kidnapped. Since Castillo has already proven the ability to do the impossible on several previous occasions, the President decides the rescue of “Junior” Timmons is doable for this band of marauding misfits, particularly since the President is busy dealing with Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Maybe the characters aren’t multi-dimensional and the action predictable, but if you make it past the first fifty pages, it’s doubtful you will stop before the end. Another great outing. 02/08 Jack Quick

Shop Till You Drop: A Dead-End Job Mystery by Elaine Viets: This is the first of a new series featuring Helen Hawthorne, former executive, now on the lam in South Florida. Helen is trying to keep under the radar of her ex-husband after she took her frustrations out on his car, so she takes off out of St. Louis and lands a job in an exclusive Fort Lauderdale dress shop, off the books, where everyone has a past they are trying to hide. Things aren’t quite what they seem though; the dress shop manager may have a few unsavory side businesses going on and when she disappears, Helen is determined to find out what’s been going on. Lots of truths and lots of laughs in this well researched and fast moving story with memorable characters. You have to love a mystery where a woman’s body is identified by the serial number on her breast implants. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Shopgirl by Steve Martin: Quirky novella, not as funny as one would expect from a well known comedian, but rather poignant instead.

THE SHOPKEEPER by James D. Best: Not a bad book, but not my usual cup of tea. I don’t usually do historicals, but this one is thriller like. Steve Dancy is wealthy after selling off his Eastern businesses and is set on experiencing the West. Folks soon learn he is more than a dilettante Easterner intent on writing a journal about his adventures on the frontier. It isn’t long before he’s caught up in gunplay, which leads him into taking desperate measures, including buying a bank and a hotel, and influencing the upcoming gubernatorial elections. Dancy is a far different man than these Westerners think he is, because he’s sure not like any other shopkeepers they know. This is a fast paced tale with an interesting hero with enough twists and turns to provide an entertaining and exciting story. 12/09 Jack Quick

THE SHORE by Robert Dunbar: In this follow-up to Dunbar’s debut, The Pines, the Jersey Devil strikes again, this time in the small tourist town of Edgeharbor. One man has followed a series of murders all the way here, hoping to track down another child suffering from the monstrous mutation. A local cop joins the search after a mutilated body is discovered floating offshore. As raging storm approaches this tiny community, the monster strikes again and again. Can they discover the killer’s identity and his hiding spot before it’s too late? The Pines, a classic from the 80s, was re-released in its entirety just in time for fans new and old to discover Dunbar’s talent. (The Shore can be read on its own, or directly following The Pines.) Dunbar’s style is reminiscent of “classic” horror: a refreshing balance of in-your-face gore and violence and low-key, chilling atmosphere. 07/09 Becky Lejeune

A SHOT TO DIE FOR by Libby Fischer Hellmann: Single mom videographer Ellie Foreman is menaced in convincing fashion after she witnesses a sniper shooting. Daughter Rachel is now fifteen with all the challenges that entails and Ellie’s “love life” continues to be rocky, but she does make progress in addressing her fear of flying. Foreman is shooting a video at the former Playboy Club Resort on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Is the sniper murder Ellie witnesses a random event or the result of an incident decades earlier at the resort? Hellmann paints an interesting picture of the generation that “no longer works” but instead focus on disposing of the millions earned by their forebears. The contrast between the very rich and the rest of us is handled nicely. This is another good outing for Ms. Foreman, excellently plotted and well written. Surprising but believable ending. 08/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

SHOTGUN LULLABY by Steve Ulfelder: Conway Sax, former racecar driver turned Massachusetts mechanic, is a recovering alcoholic and a member of the Barnburners, a tightly knit group that is an offshoot of Alcoholics Anonymous. A new member of the group, Gus, bears a striking resemblance to Sax’s estranged son so Sax becomes his sponsor and champion. Gus lives in a halfway house, but when three of the housemates are murdered, Sax correctly figures that Gus was the real target. There are a lot of suspects; Gus’s wealthy father, his trophy wife, the crime family Gus ripped off, and a con man from Texas. Sax may have his drinking under control but not his temper, which gets him into a few near death situations and some trouble at home. The bodies keep piling up and the action doesn’t let up while Sax turns fixer. With help from his parole officer’s son and a local cop, Sax finally figures out who is behind all the killing and why. This action packed story moves lightning fast and Sax makes an appealingly damaged protagonist. Dennis Lehane and Robert B. Parker fans should enjoy Ulfelder as well. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

SHOTGUN OPERA by Victor Gischler: Mike Foley is making wine in Oklahoma, and life is almost as good as it gets when you’ve been hiding out for forty years. But Mike’s nephew Andrew has seen something he should not have and needs to disappear now. Nikki Enders, the most lethal of a deadly sisterhood, is chasing him. Can Uncle Mike stop her? When the kill teams descend on Foley’s farm, he is ready, with shotguns blazing. Remember, it ain’t over till the last bullet. 06/06 Jack Quick

Shrink Rap by Robert B. Parker: Parker’s latest involves his female Boston P.I. character, Sunny Randall. In this book, Sunny is travelling with a best-selling female author to protect her from her manipulative and sadistic psychiatrist ex-husband. The bookstore signing scenes ring true. At the same time, Sunny is trying to think through her own relationship with her ex-husband. She can’t seem to live with him and she can’t seem to live without him. She consults a psychiatrist for advice on how to handle the stalker and learns a great deal in the process about her own relationships.
Parker’s writing is always spare and this book is full of short sentences and unspoken thoughts and conclusions. I was not put off by it, although some might feel a little cheated. The reason I was not put off was because I was so taken by Parker’s never-ending effort to understand the man/woman relationship. Sunny’s relationship with her ex- is the mirror of Spenser’s relationship with Susan and one has to believe of Parker’s own relationship with his wife.
I didn’t think that the lean dialogue suited a female character or the subject of relationships very well. It didn’t ring true. But it had enough truth and enough personal pain in it to keep my attention. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

THE SHUDDERING by Ania Ahlborn: They only come when it snows… Ryan and his sister Jane are headed up for one last hurrah at the family cabin with their friends before the retreat is finally handed over to its new owner. Unfortunately, Ryan and his sister never heard the stories some of the old timers in the area obviously used to share. An unexpected blizzard leaves the group trapped in the mountains and they’re all set to ride it out until they discover they’re being hunted. It begins with strange noises outside at night, thumping on the roof, and eerie evidence of animal kills in the woods nearby. The group soon realizes that they’ve become the target of a ruthless killer. Now, with their food quickly running out and no way of contacting anyone for help they must do whatever they can to survive. For an author who burst onto the scene so spectacularly, I have to admit I found The Shuddering a bit underwhelming. While the idea isn’t overly unique, the scares are decent and it’s an overall entertaining read, unfortunately it just doesn’t quite meet the expectations set by Ahlborn’s previous titles. 7/13 Becky Lejeune

SHUT UP AND KISS ME by Christie Craig: When Shala Winters is hired to help bring tourism to Precious, Texas, she never expected that it would become the hardest, and possibly last, job of her life. While attending the town’s regular powpow put on by the local Chitiwa tribe, Shala breaks a vital rule and brings her camera. Though it clearly states no pictures are allowed, Shala is not going to leave her $8,000 lifeline behind. But when another woman snaps a picture, it is Shala who is caught and her camera that is confiscated. Determined to get it back no matter the cost, and leave Precious behind, Shala confronts Sky Gomez, threatening legal action.
Unfortunately for Shala, in Precious, Sky is the law. But then things take a strange turn when someone breaks into the Chitiwa clubhouse with the intent of stealing the camera. Since it’s actually in Sky’s possession, the would-be thief takes things to the next level and begins stalking Shala with an intent to kill. Discovering what is on the camera becomes second for Sky only to protecting this feisty photographer who could just be his soulmate. Christie Craig is like chocolate: addicting and good for you. I dare you to dive in and not get a good laugh. 05/10 Becky Lejeune

SHUNNING SARAH by Julie Kramer: Riley Spartz is a TV reporter in Minneapolis with a new boss who is intent on cutting the budget, regardless of ratings. First thing he does is eliminate the camera man, forcing reporters to film their own stories while reporting them. He also wants all the stories to stay local, so when Riley’s parents tell her about a little boy who fell in a sinkhole in the Amish area well outside their geographic circle, Riley fights for the story anyway. It turns into ratings gold when the boy is rescued and tells the Sheriff about a dead woman who shared the sinkhole with him. Turns out she was only 18 years old, and Amish – but her family is none too forthcoming as she was being shunned for very disturbing reasons. This is a fascinating look into the Amish world with a twisty, complex mystery at its heart. Well defined characters with enough back story to make them engaging help propel the story along quickly until the dramatic ending. This is compelling reading. 9/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT by John Verdon: John Verdon’s second novel, Shut Your Eyes Tight, is a wonderfully plotted story. His protagonist, retired NYPD homicide detective Dave Gurney found tremendous satisfaction in his job in solving the puzzles presented by his cases. Although he has what he knows should be an idyllic retirement in the country upstate, he finds that he is not enjoying it as much as his wife, Madeleine, who seems to have a calm oneness with their new situation. As a result, he is sucked into “consulting” on a grisly wedding day murder investigation.
The plot then twists and turns with the best of crime fiction and I don’t want to spoil it by giving any of them away.
I was particularly taken early in the book by Dan’s lecture to a class of police students on going undercover. After he stressed the importance of making your cover believable by making others want to believe you, you can’t help thinking as you go through the story about how the criminal(s) in this case are similarly deceiving the police in their current investigation. And of course, there is always the overarching issue of how a writer makes the reader believe. So this novel works on a number of levels.
There is some danger in having the hero of the book be a problem-solver. It can make them seem unaware of the emotional sides of the people involved and especially their own emotional well-being. Verdon avoids that pitfall. While Gurney is a driven “onion-peeler” in one of his old cohort’s words, he understands the costs and is trying hard to achieve some inner peace as well satisfaction from solving a crime.
My favorite line of the book was the description of a not-so-good detective still on the force as “ignorance armed and ready for battle.”
I have not read Verdon’s first book, Think of a Number, but I am going to now and I will read his next one too.
Perhaps I can best sum up the impact of this reading experience by saying that I will think twice the next time someone tells me to “shut my eyes tight.” 07/11 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane: This book had a bit of controversy surrounding it; people either love it or hate it, and frankly a lot of folks who loved Lehane’s Mystic River and his Patrick Kenzie/Angela Gennaro series have hated this book. I read it a week ago and can understand what is driving those passionate responses. Lehane is a virtuoso of the mystery/thriller genre, and that talent shines on every page. This is a fast paced thriller, the kind you can’t put down, combined with a classic locked room mystery (a woman vanishes out of a locked room) and lots of twists, but it’s the ending of the book that have put people at odds with it. As soon as I finished the last page, I went right back to page one and started reading again, I needed to reassure myself that I hadn’t missed anything, and I hadn’t. I believe it was the Washington Post’s review that compared the style of this book to that of Edgar Allen Poe, and having read it, all I can say is that was right on the money – and that is high praise indeed. This is a book – a genre book, a mystery – that is brilliantly plotted, splendidly written, deliciously confusing and infuriating and thought provoking, and totally transcends the genre. 12/03 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SHUTTER ISLAND by Dennis Lehane: U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule have been sent to Shutter Island, home of the notorious Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of one of the institution’s prisoners. With a massive storm heading their way, Teddy and Chuck find that they are stranded on an island with virtually no way off. Ashecliffe, home to the country’s most violent offenders, seems to be almost impenetrable. But how then, was one woman able to escape undetected and in bare feet. Teddy is sure that the doctors in charge are hiding something big. As he and Chuck dig deeper into the secrets of Shutter Island, they become further entangled in a thick web of lies and they find that nothing on the island is quite what it seems. With the movie adaptation right around the corner, this was one book that I was definitely determined to read beforehand, and I am so glad that I did. What an amazing thriller. Stylistically, I found it much different from some of Lehane’s other work, and much easier to get into. Shutter Island is a very quick and intense read that will definitely keep you on your toes. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

THE SIEGE by Simon Kernick: A truly thrill-a-minute novel that captures and keeps the reader glued to the pages right from the get go. Action is set in London, and opens with two bombs going off in two train stations with consequent casualties. These are followed by the well planned and extremely well executed take over of a major hotel near Hyde Park. The Hotel Stanhope is filled with guests all of whom are subdued by the terrorists making the attack. The leader of the terrorist group termed “Fox” tells the police responding to the alarm that they are a group of Islamic soldiers and they demand that England back off from their campaigns against the Arab world. The truth of what they want and who they are is an integral part of the novel, with Kernick doing a super job of fleshing out a few of them. Victims of the attack include an ex-soldier that has just killed three people and was preparing to leave the hotel, a man suffering from terminal cancer that has checked into a room with plans to end his pain via suicide, a mother and son on vacation in England from their home in Florida, the police officer placed in charge of the situation who is forced to come to grips with a horrible choice in working the situation and a very pretty assistant manager of the hotel that has just become engaged. Each of these people act individually and then together, attempting to survive the situation and they come alive in the capable hands of Simon Kernick. Also making her appearance towards the end of the book is a maverick police officer named Tina Boyd whom Kernick indicates in an afterward will make additional appearances in other books of his. In the same afterward Kernick talks about a siege that occurred in Mumbai several years ago and was characterized by the absolute terrorism demonstrated by the attackers. He does incorporate this attitude in the group that plants the bombs in the train stations and takes over the hotel with what they really want and expect to get out of the carnage they perpetrate. An absolute first rate action novel and a certain motivation to seek out more books by Kernick. 6/13 Paul Lane

SIGN OF THE CROSS by Ann Emery: Location, location, location. It’s true in real estate and also true in crime fiction. Defense attorney Monty Collins is defending a secretive priest accused of murder. In order to mount an effective defense Collins must first investigate his own client and then determine what to do with the information he uncovers. Not that unusual a plot twist, but the fact that the action is occurring in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with lots of “local flavor” sets this one apart from many others of the same ilk. All in all, a nicely done debut and I expect we will hear more from Mr. Collins in the near future. 12/07 Jack Quick

SILENCE by Thomas Perry: Jack Till is new at this private eye business, but not inexperienced. So when Wendy Harper comes to his door, this retired LAPD detective knows what to do. Harper has been beaten and fears this was just the first attempt to kill her. She wants Till to help her disappear, even if it means giving up her share of a very successful restaurant she owns with chef partner and former lover Eric Fuller. Now six years later, the discovery of a bloody baseball bat and blouse fragment has led to murder charges against Fuller. Till suspects someone is trying to frame Fuller but the only way for Till to prove Fuller’s innocence is to produce Harper in the flesh. First he has to find her, then protect her. Nicely done PI/police procedural. 11/08 Jack Quick

The Silence of the Rain & December Heat by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza: I happened to pick up The Silence of the Rain a couple of weeks ago. I hadn’t heard anything about it and I like trying new stuff that is under the radar. It was a fortuitous choice. Silence charmed me. The plot involves the death of a corporate executive in a parking garage in Rio de Janeiro. The case is assigned to Inspector Espinosa who deduces that it was a murder because there is no weapon with the body. However, things are not as they appear. And that is the rule of this book. Every time I got comfortable with the plot, it took another delightful twist. Not a big jump, but just the disclosure of an additional fact that gave new meaning to the death and the characters around it.
Espinosa is the Brazilian version of the cop who has seen it all. He has resisted the temptations of corruption and thus has secured for himself his own investigative niche, as well as insuring that he will never advance any further in the power structure. And just to sweeten the pot a little more, the good Inspector is a reader – haunting used bookstores and unable to control the stacks piling up in his apartment.
As I was nearing the homestretch on Silence, a review of Garcia-Roza’s new second book, December Heat, appeared in the Crime page of the NY Times Book Review. I added it to the stack. While the plot is not as tightly managed in Heat as it was in Silence, Espinosa is just as delightful the second time out. In Heat, he is investigating the murder of a hooker friend of a retired policeman who is a Brazilian Andy Sipowicz. If a contemporary United States author had written this book, it might have been titled The Case of the Three Hookers. The women are treated gently but fairly, without any judgments being made about them. They are what they are and they do what they do. And what would Rio be without heat and sex?
If you are looking for a change of pace and an interesting pair of books, these should do the job and may well exceed your expectations. I am looking forward to the third book in this series. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin

THE SILENCED by Brett Battles: Jonathan Quinn specializes in disposing of dead bodies and cleaning crime scenes so as to leave no evidence behind. When David Wills, a client based in London, gives Quinn and his team a series of jobs that requires them to clean up after assassinations, Quinn finds himself dealing with not only the requisite bodies but also another team of unknown origin that’s bent on stopping the assassinations. Suddenly his remaining family is also put into jeopardy. Maybe it is me, but the plot doesn’t seem to hold up as well as Battle’s three previous outings, but it is good and I hope to see more of the team of Quinn, Nate and Orlando in the future. 1/12 Jack Quick

SILENCED by Kristina Ohlsson: Frederika Bergman returns in the latest installment from this Swedish author. Frederika is the only civilian working with Alex Recht’s federal investigation unit, but you would not know this was her book until the very end. The novel opens with the rape of a teenage girl in her own backyard. Then we fast forward several years when a priest and his wife are killed in an apparent murder-suicide and in a seemingly unrelated incident, a man is killed in a hit-and-run accident. Alex and his team, including the very pregnant Frederika, start investigating and things are not at all how they first appeared to be. Human trafficking is going on from the Middle East through Bangkok and then to Sweden, and then things really get twisty. The story slowly unfolds, revealing layer upon layer of deception. The interplay between the detectives adds another level of interest to this intriguing puzzle, as does the inner workings of a foreign police department. This Scandinavian suspense novel is less gristly than most of the genre and should appeal to international mystery fans. 3/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

SILENCED CRY by Marta Stephens: Being a cop is a tough job. Being a homicide detective is probably the toughest job for a cop. Being a homicide detective working for the same force where your father was a homicide detective, working under some of the same people who worked with him, well, that’s about as tough as it gets. Detective Sam Harper loses his narcotics partner in a shootout and ends up in homicide on cold cases. Then he is called out on a decade-old child homicide. His past–and the past of his friends, family, and nemeses quickly combine to turn this case into the biggest case Harper has ever known. First in a planned series, lets hope those plans materialize. Recommended. 08/07 Jack Quick

SILENCER by James W. Hall: Thorn ended up in Hell’s Bay with a huge fortune. Now girlfriend Rusty Stabler has found a way to use the money to accomplish something that makes Thorn happy – a deal to protect 300 square miles of Florida from development and also put Earl Hammond’s Coquina Ranch game-hunting operation out of business. Then Hammond is shot to death and Thorn is kidnapped. While Rusty and Sugarman, Thorn’s longtime friend try to find him, they come up against warped contract killers Jonah and Moses Faust, who deal in serial killer memorabilia. Hammond’s very different sons, ex-football star Browning and Miami cop Frisco, are also in the mix. Another excellent outing from Hall who manages to maintain a high suspense level combined with elements of Florida’s natural history, its early development and later overdevelopment. 10/10 Jack Quick

THE SILENT ASSASSIN by Lori Andrews: In her second fiction release, Andrews returns to AFIP (the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology) and geneticist, Dr. Alex Blake. Recent events have lead to a request by Vietnamese officials that certain “trophy” items taken in the war be returned to the country. Unfortunately, these trophies – a mutilated collection of skulls brought back by American soldiers – are in no shape to be returned without causing an embarrassing media frenzy. It is Alex’s job to make them as presentable as possible for a quiet reparation ceremony. Suddenly the quiet ceremony has become a White House event and Alex is asked to try and identify the remains. She soon makes a startling discovery regarding one of the skulls that leads her to question her own father’s involvement in the war. Once again, Alex lands herself in trouble when her investigation catches the wrong attention. This is one of my favorite new series. If you like Kathy Reichs or Patricia Cornwell you’re guaranteed to enjoy Lori Andrews. 05/07 Becky Lejeune

SILENT ENEMY by Thomas W. Young: Four years have passed since the events of The Mullah’s Storm. This time the protagonists, Air Force Major Michael Parson and now Army Sergeant Major Sophia Gold are reunited in another heart pounding adventure. Sergeant Major Gold is working as a teacher at the Afghan National Police training center in Kabul, when it is hit with a truck bomb. Gold, along with the more seriously injured are hurriedly loaded onto a C-5 Galaxy bound for Germany, piloted by Major Michael Parson. Once airborne they receive a chilling message. The jihadists claim to have placed bombs on board some planes leaving Afghanistan and it is entirely possible the Galaxy is one of them. If Parson tries to descend-the possible bomb will go off. Parson, Gold, and everybody else aboard are trapped at altitude, until either they or someone on the ground can figure out what to do. They can refuel in midair, but not indefinitely. The aircraft is deteriorating, the condition of the patients is worsening, the crew is tiring-and their biggest challenges are yet to come. Another great read. 09/11 Jack Quick

SILENT IN THE SANCTUARY by Deanna Raybourn: In the second mystery to feature Lady Julia Grey, our heroine and two of her brothers have been having a rather extended holiday in Italy following the events surrounding the death of Julia’s husband. Their vacation is cut short when the family patriarch summons them home for Christmas. Apparently, the elder March became quite angered upon learning that one of his sons had gotten married while on vacation. The three siblings, plus one new daughter-in-law and a second Italian guest, soon arrive home at the family abode – a converted abbey that is now overcome with visitors in preparation of the Christmas holiday. Amongst the guests are two of Julia’s cousins, one of who is to be married shortly in the abbey chapel. Also visiting is the nefarious and dashing Nicholas Brisbane, also with a fiancé in tow. Julia tries to act like this revelation is no concern of hers, but in truth, she is quite hurt by this news. Her own feelings are soon set aside when a body is discovered in the chapel and she and Brisbane are set in charge of the investigation. Once again, the two are working together to solve a mystery, this time in hopes of proving the innocence of one of Julia’s own family members. Raybourn’s remarkably addictive Victorian mysteries are a true delight. Julia and the rest of the Marches are charmingly quirky and the plots are both witty and fun. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a great cozy read. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

THE SILENT LAND by Graham Joyce: While on vacation in the French Pyrenees, Jake and Zoe, aiming to get a head start on the slopes, are buried in a sudden avalanche. They dig their way out and make it back to town only to discover that everyone else has gone. Thinking that the town has been evacuated thanks to more avalanche activity, they attempt to leave only to find that they are strangely unable. Now, the couple must face the horrible possibility that neither of them survived at all. Maybe they are already dead. This is my first from Joyce and I found it to be a quietly chilling tale that was both mesmerizing and intriguing. I quite enjoyed this book – it’s a fairly short, but dense, read and though Joyce presents ample clues regarding the truth about Jake and Zoe’s fates, the unfolding of the tale offered plenty of surprises. 04/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SILENT MAN by Alex Berenson: It isn’t easy to steal warheads from the heart of Russia’s nuclear complex in Mayak. It requires a great deal of money, coordination, ingenuity, and sleight-of-hand, and just a touch of luck. But if you’re determined enough, anything is possible. CIA agent John Wells, the only American to fight both for and against the Talibhan in Afghanistan faces a nuclear challenge in this third outing. He and his colleague and fiancée, Jennifer Exley, are driving into work when traffic comes to a standstill, due to accidents on both bridges into Washington. A pretty big coincidence, he thinks, beginning to get a bad feeling—a feeling that only gets worse when he spots the red motorcycle zooming up between cars toward him. From that point on it’s a madhouse with unbelievable stakes and constant action. Berenson outbonds Bond and has become my go-to guy for contemporary spy adventures not unlike LeCarre, Ludlum and some of his other forebears. A top notch read. 03/09 Jack Quick

SILENT ON THE MOOR by Deanna Raybourn: In the third Julia Grey novel, our heroine has decided to follow Brisbane to Yorkshire where he has recently purchased an estate. When Julia and her entourage arrive, however, she finds that Brisbane is in no mood to accept guests. And it seems the previous tenants of the estate are strangely still in residence. When Julia learns of the circumstances, though, she decides that the family needs her help. It seems that Brisbane purchased the home after the death of the only son and heir. The man’s sisters and mother were left with nothing in his will and Brisbane has allowed them to stay until he can arrange housing for them on the estate. But Brisbane’s attitude about the whole thing, paired with the oddities of the family itself are enough to set Julia’s mind working. Soon she learns that Brisbane shares a history with the family, one that is full of secrets and lies. Can she have her happily-ever-after ending and still solve this one? That’s the question that will be on every reader’s mind as they dive into this lush and wonderful Victorian mystery. Each new installment to the series reveals new things about Julia and the mysterious Brisbane, and each new book is another adventure that ends too soon. I can’t wait until the next chapter in their story comes along. 02/09 Becky Lejeune

SILENT THUNDER by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen: Mother and son team up in this blockbuster worthy thriller. Hanna Bryson is an expert in the field of marine architecture. As such, she is tapped to inspect a Russian sub that has been recently acquired for display in an American maritime museum. When her brother Connor discovers encrypted messages on the interior plates of the sub, Hannah knows that something of great significance has been found, she just doesn’t understand how great. Then, Connor is murdered and Hannah vows revenge at all cost. In order to succeed, Hannah teams up with a Russian mercenary who’s with his own agenda. Every aspect of Iris Johansen’s trademark romantic suspense is present in this collaborative effort, but son, Roy, lends a nice balance and something of an edge to the whole story. The combination works quite well. I think fans of both authors will be pleased. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

SILESIAN STATION by David Downing: Berlin, 1939. British-American journalist John Russell is trying to save himself, his actress girlfriend, Effi Koenen, and son Paul from his previous marriage, as German society becomes increasingly hostile for all non-Aryans who eschew the Nazi party line. Russell finds himself, almost accidentally, in the employ of the intelligence services of his native Britain and the United States, as well as those of the Soviet Union (Russell was once a Communist) and the German SD. While balancing all these conflicting interests, Russell also takes time to do what he can to help the Jews who are being persecuted. He has already managed to secure the exit of four surviving members of one family and is now involved in finding Miriam Rosenfeld, a young Jewish woman dispatched from provincial Silesia by her Uncle Thomas, who is Russell’s ex-brother-in-law, but fails to arrive in Berlin. An exciting thriller full of period detail, Downing effectively captures life in the police state of Berlin on the brink of war. Not pretty but exceeding well done. 09/09 Jack Quick

SILVER FALLS by Anne Stuart: After her daughter’s best friend is murdered, Rachel Chapman finds herself looking to settle down and provide some stability for her teen. She thought that marrying David Middleton was the perfect solution, but she was oh, so very wrong. Caleb Middleton has returned to his hometown of Silver Falls with one thing in mind, stopping his brother before it’s too late. Rachel is drawn to Caleb initially, but when the bodies start to turn up in their quaint little town, she becomes convinced that there must be some connection. She’s right, but not in any way she can imagine. And she is in no way prepared for the secret her new husband’s family has been hiding. Poor Rachel, the reader knows from the very beginning what a creep David is, but for her and her daughter, the worst they’ve been through is nothing compared to what’s to come. Silver Falls is heavy on the suspense and guaranteed to keep readers up late into the night. David Middleton is the most skin-crawlingly, creepy bad guy I’ve come across in a while. 06/09 Becky Lejeune

SILVER GIRL by Elin Hilderbrand: Obviously inspired by the Bernie Madoff scandal, this is the story of Meredith Delinn, whose husband Freddy ripped off investors in a giant Ponzi scheme. Billions of dollars are missing, Freddy has been convicted and sentenced to 150 years in jail, and he’s not talking, even though his silence implicates his wife and son. Meredith is the most hated woman in America, or at least it feels that way to her. The only friend she has left in the world is her lifelong best friend Connie. They had a falling out when Connie’s husband was dying of brain cancer and he pulled their investments from Freddy, but Connie knows Meredith like no one else does and can’t believe that she was a part of the deception. The two women head for Connie’s house on Nantucket for the summer. Meredith is in hiding, but despite her disguise she is recognized and there are repercussions. This is an interesting look at another side to the whole Madoff nightmare and while this is not a novelization of that disaster, it does help to put a more human face on what happens to the family of someone who has ruined so many innocent lives. While this could have been a bleak story, in Hilderbrand’s hands it is a totally absorbing read about friendship, familial relationships, love, betrayal and more. 08/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SIMPLE GENIUS by David Baldacci: In this third Maxwell/King outing (after Split Second and Hour Game) from Baldacci, the two former Secret Service agents are having their problems. Michelle Maxwell, distraught over their previous case, has ended up in a psychiatric treatment center. In order to pay for the treatment Sean King has taken on the task of investigating the death of a top mathematician from a super-secret scientific company headquartered in Babbagetown, named for Charles Babbage who conceived of the computer in the early 1800’s. The mathematician died on CIA property and King ends up being opposed by the CIA, the FBI, and unknown spies. In the meantime Maxwell is doing some investigating of her own at the treatment facility. Another excellent outing from Baldacci. 07/09 Jack Quick

SINGER OF SOULS by Adam Stemple: Adam Stemple’s background in music forms the basis of this fantasy adventure. It will help if you share that knowledge; readers of SINGER OF SOULS might have a hard slog if they don’t know the legends of “the fey folk”; you don’t need to know all of it, but a working knowledge will help make sense of things.
Douglas, who’s fighting a heroin addiction, decides get as far away as he can from Minneapolis, so he heads to Edinburgh where his grandmother is based. She takes him in, encouraging his plans to work as a street musician; busking is a respected tradition in the UK, and when the Fringe Festival rolls around, there’s lots of money to be made if you’ve got any talent. Dougie can read a person and excels in creating songs for strangers. One day, Aine appears and wants a song; her payment to Dougie is the ability to see the faery folk who live among the “real” people of Edinburgh. This isn’t necessarily a gift.
While there are some things that don’t always work here – wouldn’t someone notice a priest as crazed as Father Croser? – the story moves quickly and you just have to accept some things. Douglas is a flawed but pretty tough guy. There’s too much blood and gore for my comfort, and I’m not exactly sure I like how the story ends, but the ending is appropriate, so you’ll have to judge for yourself. 08/05 ~This review contributed by Andi Shechter.
SINNERS’ BALL by Ira Berkowitz: Jackson Steeg is a former NYPD detective turned sometime private eye whose brother Dave, is a Hell’s Kitchen mobster. While Jackson normally avoids Dave, family is important. So when Dave is being set up to take the fall for a warehouse fire that left six mutilated, charred corpses, Jackson commits to helping his brother. Soon, Steeg is the target of some very bad guys working to protect the secrets of some of the most powerful people in Manhattan. As Steeg tries to reconcile family loyalties with his sense of what’s right, you can see the conflict will not end well. 12/11 Jack Quick

THE SINS OF THE FATHERS by Jeffrey Archer: I loved the first book in this series, Only Time Will Tell, so much that I saved this new one for a day when I could just read the whole thing in one sitting. Those days don’t come around very often but what a special day it was. This sequel is just as riveting as the first book in the series. We were left hanging with Harry Clifton having assumed the identity of an American sailor, and upon his arrival in New York he was arrested for murder as he disembarked the ship. That mistaken identity doesn’t unravel for quite a bit, and meanwhile Harry is treated as a murderer and deserter of the Navy. More characters are introduced, but it is still Emma and Harry’s story, and what a twisted, captivating story it is. Every character comes alive in Archer’s skilled hands. and the pacing is relentless. I loved this book as much as the first, and that bar was set quite high. Don’t miss either of these books but do read them in order. I can’t wait for the next installment. 6/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SINS OF THE FATHERS by Jeffrey Archer: This is the second book of at least a trilogy, possibly more, about the English Clifton family’s adventures beginning in 1920, and in this book going through the second world war. The book, like almost all other Archer books is extremely engrossing and fleshes out the large list of characters very well. The biggest fault is that it is a continuation of the first book in the series Only Time Will Tell. The reader will not be able to follow the nuances of the events and reactions without having read the first book. This said, those that read the first book have most assuredly been awaiting the second one and experienced the same pull to read it at one sitting.

Harry Clifton, introduced in book one continues his adventures in resolving an issue preventing his marriage to Emma Barrington. These issues were delineated in book one and continue to prevent the union of the two characters. In the course of resolving the problem Harry joins the British Merchant Marine, has his ship sunk, lands in the U.S and via his use of a false identity lands in prison there. Other characters in both books do require reading of the first one in order to continue to understand them. The events are riveting and keep the reader mesmerized by the story. Without the knowledge it is still a good read and some allusions to book one will help, but Sins of the Father is really the next chapter in this series. All in all with Archer’s writing skills it is worth while to pick up the first book, read it and than continue with the series. 6/12 Paul Lane

SIR, I CAN EXPLAIN by Stephen D Cork: Retired army Colonel Cork has created the consummate soldier in this, his first novel about her. She is Jennifer O’Shane a major and soon to be Lt Colonel in the military police. She is pretty, petite, ambitious, acts more like a Delta force operative and stretches army rules and regulations to their limits in getting things done. The book is a fast read, interesting, with the only flaw Cork’s propensity to put Jennifer into situations one right after another at a pace really too fast and not conducive to allowing the reader to keep up. This should change for the better as Cork sets up more scenarios and action for Jennifer in future books. Jennifer is charged by the President of the United States with helping Interpol break up a huge criminal operation trafficking in human captives. She jumps into the assignment with a zest that will become her trademark in the future going from Saudi Arabia, where she rescues a prince of the realm, and is made a princess as reward, to Argentina and other sites carrying out her work. One of the major highlights of the book is a description of a HALO (High altitude, low opening) parachute jump. Cork got expertise to help him describe this, and it is one place that we can feel the emotions and fears of the jumpers. Good first effort and indication that we have the probability of better and better works about Jennifer. 10/13 Paul Lane
SIREN OF THE WATERS by Michael Genelin: Commander Jana Matinova of the Slovak police has been assigned to investigate the deaths of a crashed and burned van of imported prostitutes. The assignment takes her across Europe to the Ukraine and southern France in pursuit of the mysterious Koba. As a debut, the book is heavy on backstory but sets the foundation for what may be an interesting new series featuring an unusual female protagonist in a rich but seldom used setting on what used to be Eastern Europe. I will definitely try a sequel if one becomes available. 09/09 Jack Quick

SIROCCO by D. L. Wilson: A well written thriller which graphically illustrates how vulnerable we are to bioweapons. Palestinian agent Sharifah Abbas is not only a beautiful woman but a deadly killer who has been working since 1987 on perfecting a bioweapon to be released in the United States unless Congress funds a new Palestinian government and convinces Israel to return strategic occupied land to the Palestinians. Opposing her on our side is an alphabet soup of agencies and Brett Reynolds, an attorney representing the pharmaceutical lobby. Early on Brett is distracted by the death of his brother in a bizarre suicide/murder. He must also cope with being re-united with old flame, Deborah Lansford, with whom he has an intimate relationship in college. Good ultimately prevails after a long and bumpy ride. 07/11 Jack Quick

THE SISTER by Poppy Adams: It’s been almost sixty years since Ginny’s sister Vivi left home for London. Now she’s back, with no explanation. At first Ginny is excited about her sister’s return. They had been the best of friends and thick as thieves when they were children, after all. But Ginny’s neat and ordered world is soon upset by Vivi’s presence. As she recalls the events that eventually led to Vivi’s estrangement, it becomes clear that there is something very wrong with Ginny. There are clues throughout, but it’s never made clear whether these issues are the product of upbringing or something more serious. Ginny is at once a character that you can sympathize with while still remaining leery of. She seems unreliable, but then so do the rest of the characters in this dysfunctional family. This strange and surprising debut is addictive and dark reading. Poppy Adams manages to weave a tale that seems innocent in its telling but has undeniably suggestive tones throughout. It’s a story that sticks with you long after you turn the final page. 06/08 Becky Lejeune

SISTER WIFE by Natalie Collins: Kelsey Waite thinks she has left her past behind when she flees from Utah to California – the abuse and molestation from her father who had become enamored of a polygamous cult. Ten years later, her daughter is stolen and a neighbor is killed. Is this an attempt to fulfill the prophecy she thought she had escaped? The focus is on the practice of polygamy, which the book makes clear is not a practice condoned by mainstream Mormons or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Cults are cults, no matter what they use as a basis to attract members. Can Kelsey save her daughter and herself from this cult? Interesting read. 08/07 Jack Quick

THE SISTERS by Nancy Jensen: Bertie and Mabel are the title sisters and they grow up during the depression in rural Kentucky. Dysfunctional family angst leads to a tragic misunderstanding that ultimately causes heartbreak and an irreparable rift between the sisters that doesn’t heal even as they have children and grandchildren of their own. Events of World War II and Vietnam affect the families, but it is their personal stories that are so compelling. This is a real page turner with warm, carefully drawn out characters that are as real and complicated as we are. Based on the author’s own family mystery and born of intellectual and emotional curiosity, this is a terrific first novel sure to have book groups buzzing. 1/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SISTERS OF MISERY Megan Kelley-Hall: In the small town of Hawthorne, Massachusetts, your family name and image are everything. Maddie Crane knows all too well the privileges that come with having a good name. She’s friends with the right crowd and gets invited to all the great parties, and that’s just what her mother wants. When Maddie’s aunt Rebecca and cousin Cordelia arrive in town, they’re immediately pegged as outsiders and their interests in apothecary herbs and fortune-telling cement this. Maddie’s own mother would rather neither of them had ever come to town and fears the effects they will have on her carefully cultivated facade. Maddie is drawn to her cousin, however, in spite of her mother’s and her friends’ opinions. Soon Maddie is forced to choose between loyalty to her friends and love for her family. Her decision comes too late, though, and Cordelia’s suffering at the hands of Hawthorne’s elite culminates with her disappearance on Halloween. Now Maddie is determined to uncover her cousin’s fate at all cost. Megan Kelley-Hall’s wonderful and chilling debut is technically a teen novel, but it will certainly appeal to readers of all ages. Gripping and eerie, Sisters of Misery marks the beginning of a fantastic new gothic teen series. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

SISTERS OF MISERY by Megan Kelly Hall: Maddie Crane is a sixteen year old girl who lives in Hawthorne, MA, just miles away from the site of the infamous Salem witch trials. She’s friends with the most popular girls in school, a clique known as the Sisters of Misery. The Sisters are all from families of powerful women in Hawthorne, a legacy that goes back centuries. When Maddie’s eccentric cousin, Cordelia, moves to Hawthorne, Maddie is torn between staying a part of Sisters and relinquishing to the mystical way of life that her cousin and aunt have embraced. Her decision is quickly made for her when Maddie becomes involved in one of the Sisters’ schemes, a plan that destroys her life and the lives of all those that are close to her. While Sisters of Misery is categorized as a YA book, audiences of all ages will be pulled into the gothic style writing of Megan Kelly Hall. I’m impatiently looking forward to more from this amazing debut author. 08/08 Jennifer Lawrence

SIX SECONDS OF DARKNESS by Octavus Roy Cohen: Interesting premise marred by use of every cliché ever uttered. Civic reformer Edward Hamilton is murdered and energetic sleuth David Carroll is put in charge of the investigation. His immediate problem is determining if any of the three people trying to confess to the crime are actually guilty. Better than nothing at all to read. 04/09 Jack Quick

SIX YEARS by Harlan Coben: Jake Fisher teaches at a small private college and his life revolves around his career. He lost the love of his life during a summer at a retreat while working on his thesis. He assumed they would marry and was shocked, when at the end of the summer, Natalie invited him to her wedding to another man. She made him promise to leave her alone, and he did – for six years, until he saw her husband’s obituary in the newspaper. He attends the funeral, planning on offering his condolences but the widow is not his former flame but someone else entirely. When he tries to visit the artist retreat where they met, he is ordered off the property and no one in town will admit there is such a place. Perplexed but determined to find his true love, Jake puts his job in jeopardy, not to mention his life, in trying to solve this twisty mystery. Who knew Coben had such a romantic soul? He may pick up some new readers; his regular readers will love this, and fans of Sandra Brown and Linda Howard should definitely give this a read. Very well plotted and executed, this is Coben at his best. 3/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SIX YEARS by Harlan Coben: Another gem by Harlan, an author that has consistently been able to produce engrossing novels and different, well thought out plots. Jacob Fisher (Jake) is a professor at a small college and has thrown himself into his career as a teacher, forsaking any private life. Six years prior to the opening of the book, Jake met the love of his life during a retreat he attended in order to facilitate the writing of his thesis. Natalie was at a nearby facility working on her art talents. The couple had an affair lasting three months which Jake assumed would lead to marriage. Suddenly, Natalie announced that she was about to marry a previous love of hers, and made Jake promise to never bother her or her husband again. Jake complies with Natalie’s request in spite of a heart that is broken, and his constant thoughts about her. By chance he comes upon an obituary of her husband, with the cause of death a break in to his house. Jake decides that he will at least put aside his vow to Natalie about leaving them alone and seek her out to extend his condolences. We are immediately taken into the strange world of her deceased husband, who is found to be married to another woman, and a family with her. Jake’s subsequent searching for Natalie and the circumstances surrounding her desertion make the developing novel an attention grabber for the reader. Certainly an all nighter with no real answers to why Natalie left Jake to supposedly marry someone else until the very end of the book. The book is an excellent example of Harlan Coben’s literary skills and leads to the same end as his other books. When will he come out with the next one for me to order? 3/13 Paul Lane

SIX YEARS by Harlan Coben: Six years ago, Jake said one final goodbye to Natalie as she married another man. She made him promise he would leave them alone, but he never got over their whirlwind romance or their sudden break up. When he learns that Natalie’s husband has died, Jake decides the time for promises is over. He travels to the funeral only to discover that the man’s widow is most definitely not Natalie. Jake realizes that something strange is going on and as he attempts to track down Natalie he catches the attention of some seriously unsavory folks. One of Jake’s students is attacked and Jake himself is kidnapped. He barely manages to escape but the authorities only brush it off as a drunken mishap on his part. It doesn’t end there, however. Natalie seems to have disappeared without a trace and someone has decided that Jake knows where she is. He has no idea what Natalie might be wrapped up in, but all signs seem to point to her being in grave danger. What started as an attempt to reconnect with a lost love becomes a desperate effort to protect the person who matters to Jake most. True to form, Six Years is another page turning suspense read that grabs hold from the very beginning and doesn’t let the reader loose until the final page. At certain times in reading this latest from Coben, though, I found it began to closely resemble Tell No One. It was a fine read but one that I wish stood out a little more from that first stand alone. 3/13 Becky Lejeune

SIXKILL by Robert B. Parker: At a raucous, three-day party in 1921, a young starlet became severely ill and died four days later. Newspapers went wild with the story: popular silent-screen comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle had killed Virginia Rappe with his weight while savagely raping her. Though the newspapers of the day reveled in the gory, rumored details, juries found little evidence that Arbuckle was in any way connected with her death. Fast forward to today. On location in Boston, bad-boy actor Jumbo Nelson is accused of the rape and murder of a young woman. Spenser lawyer friend Rita Fiore is defending Nelson and hires Spenser to investigate. Spenser encounters Jumbo’s bodyguard: a young, former football-playing Native American named Zebulon Sixkill. Sixkill really becomes the focus of the story as Spenser becomes his mentor after Jumbo fires Sixkill, Fiore and Spenser. A little thing like being fired never stopped Spenser, but this time its good that he has Sixkiller as a backup since Hawk is somewhere in Africa. If this is indeed the last Spenser, its a good one to end on. 06/11 Jack Quick

THE SIXTH MAN by David Baldacci: Former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are hired by attorney Ted Bergin, an old friend of Sean’s. The client is Edgar Roy – an alleged serial killer and former IRS employee held in a secure, fortress-like Federal Supermax facility in Maine. Bergin is murdered before the first meeting with King and Maxwell who find the cationic Roy to be totally uncommunicative. The rapid response of the FBI surprises King and Maxwell who are even more surprised when someone fires a high powered rifle bullet through their car while it is traveling at 70 miles per hour. So: Is Roy a killer? Who murdered Bergin? The more they dig into Roy’s past, the more they encounter obstacles, half-truths, dead-ends, false friends, and escalating threats from every direction. Their persistence puts them on a collision course with the darkest powers at the highest levels of the government. Scary good. 05/11 Jack Quick

SIXTY­ONE NAILS by Mike Shevdon: Niall Petersen was just a regular guy. Until he dies and a woman called Blackbird saves him. Blackbird tells Niall that he is in grave danger: he has become a target of the Untainted — members of the Seventh Court of Feyre. The first six Courts have all mingled with mankind for some time now, but the Untainted believe that those of mixed human and Feyre blood should be eliminated — those like Niall. Niall’s only hope is to gain favor with one of the other six Courts, earning their sanction and protection from those who would have him killed. But there’s a catch and Niall, who knew nothing of the Courts before now, will need Blackbird’s help if he is to succeed. A brilliant series opener. Shevdon’s London is dark and magical, wonderfully conceived and brought to life on the page. This is urban fantasy at its absolute best and I can’t wait for more. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

SIZZLING SIXTEEN by Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum, inept but lucky bounty hunter, has a real dilemma on her hands. Vinny, her boss, has been kidnapped by some very bad men because he owes them close to a million dollars in gambling debts. Stephanie feels compelled to help him as he is her cousin and he did give her a job when no one else would, so with office manager Connie and sidekick Lula in tow, the women are on the hunt for the kidnapped Vinny. Cars are wrecked of course, but this time out there are also some animal mishaps, stinkbombs, firebombs, Hobbits running amok and stoner Mooner makes an appearance too. Stephanie is also drifting back towards Joe but Ranger, as usual, isn’t making it easy. I totally admit I am addicted to this series, and Evanovich offers up another fast, fun summer diversion. 06/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SKATING AROUND THE LAW by Joelle Charbonneau: Rebecca Robbins is home from Chicago after her mother dies and leaves her the roller skating rink she grew up at. Rebecca is determined to sell it and move back to Chicago, but the local handyman turns up dead in the rink’s bathroom, causing buyers to rethink their possible purchase. The broker tells her until the murder is solved they may as well pull it off the market, causing Rebecca to have to ask for a leave of absence from her job in Chicago, where her boss was trying to put the moves on her. The town sheriff is more interested in his garden than in actually solving the case, so Rebecca decides to look into it herself, with some help with her grandfather, the town’s lothario. Living in a small town again is not her idea of fun until she meets the new large animal vet – and his pet camel. I loved the small town setting, there were lots of laughs, a bit of romance and a loveable amateur sleuth, all combining to make this one terrific read. 09/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SKATING OVER THE LINE by Joelle Charbonneau: This is the second in a lighthearted, humorous mystery series set in a small town. Please bear in mind that this particular series really must be read in order, so start with Skating Around the Law, then move to this one. I am really enjoying this series that features Rebecca Robbins, who inherited her mother’s roller skating rink and is trying to sell it and move back to Chicago. Rebecca grew up at the rink, literally – she and her mom lived in an apartment above the rink so there are lots of memories there. But Rebecca has an independent streak which is prompting her desire to move back to Chicago, except for the romance she finds in Indian Falls with the hunky town veterinarian, and the tug of responsibility for her Elvis impersonating grandfather. So far a dead body turning up at the rink turned off the first potential buyer at the start of the series, and there are further complications this time around. This is a charming, fun read and I’m really enjoying this series, much in the way I loved the early Evanovich books. I am not a big fan of cozy mysteries as a rule, but there are a few series that have become must reads for me, and this is one of them. 12/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SKELETON MAN By Tony Hillerman: Hillerman’s southwest Indian country crime series has become an American staple. In this entry, retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn opens by relating the story of this case to the rest of his bud’s at The Navajo Inn. In doing so, phone calls are made, and help is enlisted, to aid the slow witted Billy Tuve, who’s accused of robbery and murder. Yet he tells a fantastic story of being given the diamond he’s accused of stealing, while gathering ceremonial clay for paint for ancient Hopi rights at their Salt Shrine, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Meanwhile, in 1956, two planes collided over the canyon killing everyone on board, leaving a crucial body part plus millions in diamonds scattered to the winds, waters, and walls of the gorge.

SKIN by Mo Hayder: DI Jack Caffery and police diver Phoebe “Flea” Marley return straight off the events of Ritual in this fourth Caffery thriller, and second in the Walking Man trilogy. After analyzing the tapes again and again, Caffery is convinced that there was another party involved in the case now being referred to as Operation Norway (see Ritual). His determination to prove this is not earning him any points, though, as everyone would prefer that the case be shut for good. So when Caffery insists that a local suicide may be connected, his superiors are not at all thrilled. But Caffery is stubborn, eventually earning himself time off the books to investigate. Meanwhile, Flea is dealing with some troubling family issues that are tied to a different high-profile case. Hayder once again pushes her characters to the limits in this twisted and well-plotted installment to the series. Hayder’s completely unpredictable and brutal thrillers are utterly addicting. Skin will leave fans breathless and desperate for the next chapter in Caffery’s and Marley’s stories. (Gone hits shelves in the UK in February.) 01/10 Becky Lejeune

SKIN DEEP by Timothy Hallinan: Way back in 1991, there were them that could write like: “In all, it seemed to me that the people who understood carburetors could get along much better without the people who understood Dickens and Thackery than the people who understood Dickens and Thackery could get along without those who understood carburetors.” LA private eye Simeon Grist is hired to watchdog Toby Vane, the golden boy of prime-time TV, whose gee-whiz smile and chiseled features are worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the lucrative syndication market. The problem is that Toby every now and then beats up a woman, and almost any woman will do. When some of the women around Toby begin to turn up dead, Simeon has to figure out whether he’s protecting a murderer – or whether one of Toby’s multitude of enemies wants to put him away forever. When Simeon meets the beautiful Nana, the whole situation becomes very personal, very fast. The true test of a writer is how well his work holds up and Mr. Hallinan fully fills the bill. Simeon Grist, Poke Rafferty and now Junior Bender – just a few of my favorite guys. 2/13 Jack Quick

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham: Very cute Christmas fable. It made me laugh, made me cry, all the requisite Christmas emotions. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no Gift of the Magi, but if you find yourself wanting something new to read to get in the holiday spirit, there ya go.

SLAMMER by Allan Guthrie: Scotsman Nicholas Glass should never have become a prison officer. He lacks the courage and the temperament. So it is almost inevitable that he would become the target of abuse from both cons and fellow officers. When the verbal abuse turns into threats against his wife and daughter, he feels has to agree to do a group of inmates a “favor”: One favor leads to another, leads to another, and finally, you guessed it – Glass shatters. A dark ugly tale about the fragility of the human mind. Not for the squeamish. 09/09 Jack Quick

SLAY RIDE by Chris Grabenstein: This is a dark departure from Grabenstein’s terrific Jersey shore series (Tilt-A-Whirl, Mad Mouse). Slay Ride is a dark, dangerous journey with a nasty Russian limo driver, smuggling, torture and murder that takes a page from James Patterson; this book has 101 very short, page-turning chapters, some of which are only paragraphs long.
Scott Wilkinson is an up-and-coming advertising executive with a beautiful wife and baby on the way. He’s also a bit OCD, and when his limo arrives a few minutes late, he is incensed. The driver drives like a lunatic, completely pushing him over the edge and he calls the limo company to complain. FBI agent Chris Miller is riding a desk because his expertise and bravery in solving a kidnapping landed him on the front page of the newspaper, pushing his boss out of the limelight. And an old Russian woman is robbed as she enters her Brooklyn apartment by two young men. These seemingly unrelated storylines all start twisting together and spiraling out of control in this fast paced tale of Christmas terror. 11/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
SLEEPER by Gene Riehl: In this second episode, FBI agent Puller Monk has to match wits with a sexy, dangerous, blonde assassin born Samantha Williamson but now named Sung Kim. She was stolen from America as a child and trained in North Korea in various martial and felonious arts. In the midst of personal problems, Monk accepts a secret assignment to find a priceless stolen painting. Riehl breaks no new ground with regard to international relations, but it is a. fast read with a nice twisty plot. I’m ready for another. 06/06 Jack Quick

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS by Madeleine Wickham: Chloe and her family are definitely due a relaxing and rejuvenating vacation. How perfect then that their friend Gerard has offered them use of his private villa in Spain. Unfortunately, they are about to find that they have become part of a twisted joke purely for Gerard’s own entertainment. See, Gerard has also promised use of the villa to Hugh and his family. Chloe and Hugh have an unfortunate past that they have tried to keep secret and put behind them. Everyone agrees that they should try and enjoy their respective vacations, there’s plenty of space for them all, but will the heady summer heat prove to be too much for them to handle? Wickham, aka Sophie Kinsella, wraps things up a little too neatly for my taste. Sleeping Arrangements is a sweet read, but I felt like some of the characters didn’t quite get what they deserved for their behavior. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

THE SLEEPING DOLL by Jeffery Deaver: California Bureau of Investigations agent Kathryn Dance was first introduced to readers in last year’s thriller The Cold Moon. Now she’s back and featured in her own series. Dance is an expert in reading body language, a study known as kinesics. She is called in to interview former cult leader Daniel Pell regarding his possible participation in an unsolved murder. Pell, also known as the Son of Manson, has been serving consecutive life sentences for the murder of a software programmer and his family almost a decade ago. While in prison, Pell apparently appealed to a soon to be released cellmate, requesting that he remove incriminating evidence that could lead to the discovery of Pell’s involvement in this second murder. Dance soon determines that Pell’s so-called confession to his cellmate was nothing more than a ploy to get him transferred to a less secure lock-up. Her fear that Pell may be planning an escape is soon realized and Dance is placed in charge of the team responsible for bringing him back. This is an exciting first installment to Deaver’s new series. True to form, he delivers an intense page-turner that fans, new and old, will not be able to put down. Never fear die-hard Rhyme fans, Deaver promises to alternate books in the series each year. Next year’s title will return to Rhyme and his partner Amelia Sachs and Kathryn Dance’s story will return the following year. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

THE SLEEPING DOLL by Jeffery Deaver: Move over Lincoln Rhyme. Hello Special Agent Kathryn Dance, a brilliant interrogator and kinesics expert with the California Bureau of Investigation. Daniel “Son of Manson” Pell is serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of the Croyton family in Carmel many years ago. He is also a suspect in newly discovered crime and it is up to Dance to use all her skills as an interrogator and student of body language to get to the truth behind Daniel Pell. Then Pell escapes, leaving behind a trail of dead and injured and Dance is now in charge of her first ever manhunt. She must seek answers from the past to solve the problems of today. To get them, she arranges a reunion of three women who were in Pell’s cult at the time of the killings. How deep is the sickness that drives Pell and how can Dance use it to capture him? Don’t read after dark, unless you want to end up double checking the doors and window latches every half hour as I did. A good one. 12/07 Jack Quick

SLEEPING WITH THE AGENT by Gennita Low: What would otherwise be an above average thriller is marred badly by the author’s assumption that you have already read the first two books of this trilogy and therefore you are ready to jump in mid-story with no back fill, introduction of characters or anything. Once you get past page fifty and can begin to see a bit of what is going on, the story is pretty goof. Lily Noretski is a former CIA agent who was turned into a “sleeper cell”. While under another’s control she betrayed the only friend she had ever known. Now she is on the run from both the good guys and bad guys, all of whom are interested in a destructive weapon that could potentially upset world power. Navy SEAL sharpshooter Reed Vicenzio is tasked to “take her out.” But he recognizes her compassion and courage and decides to try to save her instead. True love conquers all, even some one who really, really needs a good editor. Recommended only if you have waded through books 1 and 2 first. 09/08 Jack Quick

SLEEPLESS by Charlie Huston: Over ten percent of the population is now infected with SLP, a prion that attacks the thalamus, rendering its victims sleepless until they finally succumb to death. The only treatment, the only thing that offers any ease of their symptoms, is Dreamer. Parker Haas, a cop who has always followed the rules, has been assigned an undercover position tracking the illegal trade of Dreamer. Unfortunately, in a world that has become a virtual war zone, it’s becoming harder and harder for Parker to do his job. Although he himself is not sleepless, his wife is. And their baby is showing symptoms as well. When Parker stumbles onto a murder scene in the course of his work, he unknowingly attracts the dangerous attentions of a disturbed mercenary for hire. As Parker gets closer and closer to a lead on Dreamer, this assassin learns more about Parker and his family. With this much resting on his shoulders, it’s no wonder Parker is finding it harder to sleep. Mesmerizing! Sleepless should come with a warning label. Huston’s character and world building are excellent and his trademark noir style makes this semi-apocalyptic read a true standout of the year. 1/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SLEEPWALKERS by Paul Grossman: Set in Germany in the days just prior to Hitler’s rise, The Sleepwalkers is an excellent mix of history, mystery, and suspense. Detective Willi Kraus, famous for solving one of Germany’s most heinous crimes, is also a war hero… and a Jew. A proud patriot and a member of law enforcement, Willi is sure that things will work themselves out in the end. In the meantime, he’s been tasked with solving two separate cases: In the first, the body of a girl is found floating in the water near Spandau, her legs horribly mutilated by someone with obvious surgical talent. In the second case, Willi has to track down a missing princess. Though missing persons is not his department, Willi was specifically requested for the case. With the current political situation in Berlin, Willi has to be careful not to draw too much attention to himself. But both cases begin to come together in a way that seems almost too convenient. As the detective digs further, he begins to realize just how tenuous his position is and solving, or not solving, the cases could mean more than just his career. 10/10 Becky Lejeune

Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham: Serial killer/medical thriller with a rather unique twist: the killer isn’t actually trying to kill his victims, he’s trying to induce strokes in them. He is “successful” with one victim – Alison – and thus begins a fascinating look at “locked-in syndrome.” We get to share Alison’s thoughts, as that is all she is capable of doing – thinking. She is completely paralyzed but her brain is fully functional, and only after some time has passed and with great effort is she able to even blink her eyes in response to a question. The detective in charge of the investigation, Tom Thorne, is a middle-aged slightly obsessive sort that is not too popular with his bosses. Tom becomes involved with the doctor, Anne Coburn, who is treating Allison, adding yet another layer to this intriguing story. Note: the most incredible book was written by a man with locked-in syndrome; he dictated it one letter at a time. It’s called The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death by Jean-Dominique Bauby and made my favorites list for 1998.

SLICKER by Lucy Jackson: Desiree Christian-Cohen is in desperate need of a change of scenery. Her life is in flux, she and her boyfriend have broken up, and she’s not prepared for the responsibilities that come with being a grown up. This is why she’s in Honey Creek, Kansas, a town chosen simply by placing her finger randomly on a map. Honey Creek is a new world of sorts for Desiree and the more she’s exposed to the people and the ways of this tiny town, the more she realizes that she herself is changing as a person. At the same time, Desiree’s mother, Nina, feels as though her own world is falling apart. Abandoned by her husband and now her daughter, Nina must face her own challenges as well as care for her ailing father. As both women discover more about themselves, they each grow in the most unexpected ways. Slicker is a heartfelt and entertaining story although I did find that certain points in the novel become a bit rambling and off track around the middle. It does manage to pick up again and becomes a bit of a literary chick lit that is both thoughtful and funny. 08/10 Becky Lejeune

SLICKY BOYS by Martin Limon: U.S. Army criminal investigation division agents George Sueno and Ernie Bascom specialize in the bar and brothel district called Itaewon in Seoul, Korea. A beautiful Korean woman asks them to deliver a message to a soldier who is found murdered the next night. George and Ernie feel like they may have somehow been used in setting up the murder. Their investigation becomes a personal vendetta as they delve, literally, into the Korean underworld. Again Limon captures the time and place perfectly with descriptions like “The (UN Club) smelled like a toilet…the aroma of cigarette smoke…rotted lemons, stale booze, the reek of the urinals, all of it coalesced to create a blast to the nostrils that I’d never noticed before.” Or “Two weeks later he was back in boots. Clean. Quieting the aching need in his gut by filling it with liquor. To the point of madness. A fully acceptable pastime, as far as the army was concerned. They even encourage drunkenness. They considered it wholesome.” 02/06 Jack Quick

SLIDE by Ken Bruen & Jason Starr (Hardcase Crime Number 36): Read Bruen and Starr’s 2006 Bust first to get the maximum effect of this violent, bloody, crude, funny, twisted, no-holds-barred tale that is noir at its best. New York businessman Max Fisher was betrayed by his former mistress/assistant whom he tried to get to arrange the murder of his wife. Afterwards he falls down, down, down, ending up in a drunken spree in Robertsdale, Alabama before climbing back up to become Wall Street’s premier crack dealer, the M.A.X. Meanwhile Angela Petrakos has ended up with a new boyfriend, an Irish psychopath (Is that redundant? hmm) and she still has Max in her sights. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wonder why…. Another excellent outing from Messrs Bruen and Starr and the Hardcase Imprint. 12/07 Jack Quick

SLIDE by Jill Hathaway: Silvia Bell has a problem. Everyone around her believes she has an extreme case of narcolepsy. In reality, Silvia’s spells are something quite different – she slides into other people, seeing things through their eyes. What she sees is almost never good. When she witnesses the murder of a classmate, she knows that she has to do everything she can to unmask the true killer. But truth is even more twisted than she could expect. Hathaway’s debut is a good mystery read for teens. The first half is great: nice set up, plenty of time getting to know Silvia and all the other characters. The second half did feel a bit rushed. The plot could have been fleshed out and stretched a bit more in length to please a seasoned mystery reader. 3/12 Becky Lejeune

SLIP AND FALL by Nick Santora: Robert Principe is the first lawyer in his working class Italian family. He is an idealist, a man of ethics and principles, and is slowly starving to death. He’s three months behind on his mortgage, pays his secretary sporadically, and his wife is pregnant. Desperate, he turns to his cousin Jackie, a Brooklyn mobster. Robert proposes an insurance scam, and Jackie is in – and so’s his boss; there’s nothing the mob likes more than easy money. Robert gets in way over his head and the pages fly by as the Robert’s life starts spinning out of control. But who better to write a terrific Mafia tale than Santora; this former lawyer got his writing chops writing for Prison Break, Law & Order, & The Sopranos. 08/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SLIP AND FALL by Nick Santora: After reading Santora’s new book, Fifteen Digits, and being fascinated by his story telling ability and his treatment and fleshing out of characters I had to read his first book. It was just as good. The premise is a conflict between good and evil. Robert Principe is an attorney that seemingly has all the right credentials. He graduated at the top of his Columbia University Law school class and decided to enter private practice instead of going to work for the many Wall Street type law firms that went after him at graduation. He is an honest man and tries to do the right thing but drifts along with a marginal law practice. Things come to a head when he is faced with mortgage payment problems, his wife becomes pregnant, and his sister also pregnant with a Downs syndrome baby who is than deserted by her husband. As a result of these issues, Robert comes to grips with his need for income versus a slow moving honest practice. He dreams up an insurance fraud scheme and contacts his cousin, who is associated with a mob, to put the idea into action. With the help of his cousin Jackie Masella and Jackie’s crime family boss, the scheme is put into action and proves successful. Robert looks carefully at the results of the first scheme and decides that this is too dishonest for him to pursue but he is now unable to get away from the mob he has become associated with. Since the scheme is very lucrative and solves big problems for the mob they do not let him out and precipitate an inevitable and logical chain of events culminating in a not very fairy tale like ending. Santora, who was an attorney before becoming a successful writer and TV producer, is excellent in sketching out Robert’s thought processes and the realization that people can be successful through luck as well as skill. Robert’s turning to a dishonest scheme and subsequent turn off by the results is very well done and we follow his feelings and actions with a great deal of ease. The premise of the book is possible and Santora leaves the reader with the idea that such schemes might be more than a little common in the practice of law today. 6/12 Paul Lane
SLIVER OF TRUTH by Lisa Unger: This is the sequel to one of my favorite thrillers of 2006, Beautiful Lies and this is definitely a case of having to read the books in order. I read Beautiful Lies more than a year ago, and I found the beginning of the sequel hard to follow. Once more of the story started coming back to me, I started enjoying this one a lot more and I really couldn’t put it down. The story revolves around Ridley Jones, who in Beautiful Lies learns that she is adopted and that her beloved Uncle Max is really her father. Max is gone, but things start happening that make Ridley wonder if he really is dead. She starts learning more about her father, many things she wished she never knew, and the story takes off at lightening speed, with one jolt after another, creating a storm that won’t soon be forgotten. Written in the first person, but in a very conversational way, as if the author is having a conversation with her best friend, the reader, creating an intimacy that also makes it hard to put this book down. A most worthy sequel. 02/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SLIVER OF TRUTH by Lisa Unger: Since the events of last year’s Beautiful Lies, Ridley Jones has been working to put her life back together and to reconcile the realities of her past with the memories of a life she no longer recognizes as her own. The revelations about Max Smiley and the truth that Project Rescue — an organization that was meant to place unwanted children into loving homes — was nothing more than a glorified kidnapping ring, were only the beginning. Now, the FBI seems to think that Max may still be alive and that he has been shadowing Ridley since the time of his supposed death. The feds aren’t the only ones looking for Max, either. Ridley will soon discover that Project Rescue may have been the least of Max’s sins and, once again, she will come to question everything and everyone in her life. Yet again, Lisa Unger has written a perfect thriller with a wholly engaging plot. A definite up all night read. 01/07 Becky Lejeune

SLOW MAN by J.M. Coetzee: Nobel Prize winner J.M. Coetzee has produced another fine novel which should stand the test of time. In Slow Man, he tells the story of the multi-faceted rehabilitation of a very solitary person who loses a leg when his bicycle is run down by an automobile. Coetzee uses this dramatic event as a basis for exploring not only the emotions of his characters and their reactions to a world not of their choosing, but also the tenuous relationships between what is real and what is imagined and between an author and his characters.
The basic story is simple enough and clearly limned in the clean prose of an author who chooses his words with care and precision. Paul Rayment (the slow man) is minding his own business riding his bicycle in his Australian neighborhood when his serenity and his body are shattered by a careless young driver. He wakes to find himself in the clutches of his country’s social welfare net. This system, while well-intentioned, seems to him to operate in an almost Kafka-esque fashion. It is designed to make him better whether he wants to be or not, in a rigidly prescribed fashion whether he likes it or not. Forced to receive home nursing, he is ultimately tended to by a remarkable Croatian immigrant woman for whom he develops strong feelings.
This straight-forward story line is jolted, no less than Rayment was jolted by the errant vehicle, by the appearance of the central character from another of Mr. Coetzee’s books, Elizabeth Costello, at Rayment’s front door and her insistence on inserting herself into his life.
The remainder of this story involves Rayment’s efforts to achieve a more satisfying relationship with his nurse and expel the pesky author from his flat. To say more would be telling.
This is a fine and challenging read and will be on my list of ten best books for 2005. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

SMALL CRIMES by Dave Zeltserman: It starts with alcohol, and gambling, and cocaine, and minor theft and then major theft and arson and the maiming of a District Attorney. Joe Denton, ex-cop, now on parole, is having a hard time returning to Bradley, Massachusetts. DA Phil Oakley, whose face is horribly disfigured from Denton’s attack seven years ago has sworn he will get revenge, Oakley’s daughter tries to frame Denton on rape charges, and Denton’s corrupt ex-boss want him to commit murder. Amazingly, Zeltserman makes Denton’s manipulations, evasions and self-deceptions comprehensible, if not still reprehensible. Highly recommended, if you enjoy gritty cop noir. 12/08 Jack Quick

Small Town by Lawrence Block: I have very mixed feelings about this book. A mid-list author is accused of murder which impels him into a multi-million dollar book deal, while an art gallery owner becomes obsessed with him. It’s set in New York City post September 11, and revolves around a serial killer who was deeply affected by the tragedy, which made me very uncomfortable. There is enough well written kinky sex in here to qualify this book for the erotica section rather than the mystery section of any bookstore, but it seemed superfluous to the story. Nonetheless, that, plus the historical bits about New York and the inside look at the publishing industry were the highlights for me. The ending was simply a synopsis rather than prose, and a big turnoff. It kept my interest and kept me turning pages, but it was unsettling.

THE SMART ONE by Ellen Meister: Bev is the smart one. Her sister Clare is the pretty one and her other sister Joey is the wild one. Ultimately, Bev feels as if she’s not lived up to the expectations that have come with being “The Smart One.” She’s a 35-year-old divorcee attempting to begin a second career as a grade-school teacher. All she needs now is the job, and a little support from her family would be nice, too. When her mother asks her for a favor while she and Bev’s father are vacationing in Florida for the summer, Bev feels reluctantly obligated to comply. The favor – prepare her parents’ next door neighbors’ house for sale. What Bev isn’t told is that the neighbors’ son, Kenny, a man who both embarrassed her and caused her extreme misery in high school, is also going to be home for the summer. Plus everyone fails to mention the fact that Kenny’s father may have killed a woman and hidden the body in a barrel under their house. Soon Bev’s stuck with neighbor drama on top of her own personal drama and then she discovers that each of her sisters has their own drama going on as well. It’s beginning to look like Bev is succeeding in being the smart one after all, and the sane one, and the normal one, too. There are some more serious issues here, but Ellen Meister maintains an upbeat tone throughout making this an overall light-hearted read that will literally have you laughing out lout. 08/08 Becky Lejeune

SMOKIN’ SEVENTEEN by Janet Evanovich: Every June is time for the latest entry into the Stephanie Plum series, and once again I enjoyed this silly romp with Trenton, NJ’s most inept bond enforcement agent. All the major players and plot points are here: Stephanie bouncing back and forth between Ranger and Joe, Grandma Mazur creating havoc at the funeral home, the usual exploding cars and dead bodies, and for a new twist, a dancing bear. This time out the bail bond business is hurting and the building itself is gone. Vinnie is rebuilding but the backhoe reveals a dead body before they can even pour the new foundation. Mooner’s bus becomes the new home to the business, wrapped in a picture of Lula and a digitally enhanced Stephanie that seems to help turn things around. I can’t help but laugh at all the silly antics even though I’ve seen them all before. This series relies on the old adage, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Evanovich knows how to cater to her audience and in this book, to keep them coming back for more; it ends with a cliffhanger. This book is with a new publisher and for some reason, they are moving her mid-June Plum books to November, so look for Explosive Eighteen then. 08/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SMOKIN’ SEVENTEEN by Janet Evanovich: Well, the bond agency is now working out of Mooner’s van and construction is about to begin on the new digs. Unfortunately, a body is discovered on the property. Then a second, and a third bearing the note “For Stephanie.” Thing is, no one’s quite sure who Stephanie or Vinnie, or anyone else for that matter, might have pissed off to warrant such a thing. Add to that the recent attempts by Stephanie’s mother to get her wayward daughter to settle down, and a curse from Morelli’s grandmother that has some unexpected side effects, and it is business as usual for Stephanie and friends. This series is always a welcome treat each summer, though the plot hasn’t moved forward much along the way. Not that I mind the exploding vehicles and hijinks, but I’d have chosen Morelli already. 08/11 Becky Lejeune

SNATCHED by Karin Slaughter: Short outing for GBI Agenet Will Trent. Trent has been assigned airport duty after a run-in with his boss. It means he has to spend the day in the men’s restrooms looking for homosexual predators. When a man comes in with a 7 year old girl, his instincts are alerted but not quickly enough to stop the man from handing the girl off to an associate. Would Will find them amidst the hordes of travelers in the airport? The desperate attempts by the GBI and the Atlanta Police to find the man and the girl make for a fast-paced suspenseful story. Intense. 8/12 Jack Quick

SNIPER ELITE: ONE WAY TRIP by Scott McEwen: Scott McEwen is not nor ever was a Navy Seal, but his novel introducing Gil Shannon is probably as realistic as any book describing their exploits can be. He does support various military charitable organizations including the Seal Team foundation, and in a preface to the book implies that he has talked to many active Seals about their activities. A botched mission in Afghanistan sees a female helicopter pilot captured by the Taliban who decide to use her to discredit the U.S. She is raped by the leader of the group holding her, with the attack being captured on camera and exposed on the internet. When viewed, the president, fearful of his next election being compromised by a botched rescue mission, prohibits any attempt to rescue her. The next move by her Taliban captors is to demand a ransom of $24 million dollars for her return. The sum is obviously ludicrous but in order to maintain his standing with the electorate, at first decides to pay it. When his advisers go against paying it because it may cause more kidnapping and monetary demands, the president than orders a massive attack on the town that the woman is being held in. Gil Shannon understands that should such an attack be launched the Taliban will surely kill their captive and unilaterally decides to try a rescue attempt, first on his own, and than with the aid of two of his Seal buddies. The ensuing action and events are described in a manner that surely would have happened with coordination between the Seals and a volunteer air group in the raid and rescue of the woman. The combat scenes are as real as possible, and the dangers faced by Gil and his buddies very well described. The actual rescue and retrieval are a high mark in the action and show a great deal of knowledge on McEwen’s part of something that is very intricate and involves an incredible amount of coordination. It wouldn’t be possible to imagine that Gil Shannon will not appear again in other books by McEwen and it is sure that his readers will look forward to them. 6/13 Paul Lane

SNOW ANGELS by James Thompson: Because of my medical condition my body temperature is below normal and I am cold all the time. When then did I chose to read this mystery set in northern Finland during kaamos, the country’s two weeks of complete darkness, where temperatures of minus 40 Celsius are the norm. I am glad I did, because this turned out to be an outstanding series debut. Inspector Vaara is newly married and about to become a father, but his American wife finds northern Finland depressing and lonely, especially after a young Somali movie star is brutally murdered, and the case consumes Vaara’s days and nights. Then Vaara finds out that his ex-wife might be involved and its gets even more interesting. 2/12 Jack Quick

SNOW BLIND by P. J. Tracy: Summer is so good. Another of my favorite series, from the mother/daughter writing team known as P. J. Tracy, is back with their fourth Monkeewrench tale. What could be a more perfect read for days of 90+ degree heat than the latest adventure in wintry, cold, snowy Minnesota?
At the annual snowman building contest sponsored by the police department, all the fun comes to a halt when a young boy realizes that one of the snowmen contains a person – or rather, a dead body. And so does another, and worse yet, the dead are cops. Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are there for the contest and find themselves dealing with some sort of macabre cop killer. Then another body is found in a small town outside of Minneapolis, so Magozzi & Rolseth join up with the recently elected Sheriff on her first day of work. The trademark humor of this series is more muted this time, and the Monkeewrench crew has a much smaller role. More than a story about a cop killer, this is a story about justice and what that really means, making this the most compelling and important story in this terrific series. 08/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
SNOW BLIND by P.J. Tracy: The discovery of the frozen bodies of two Minneapolis police officers inside two snowmen plays havoc with the downtown snow festival being attended by detectives Leo Magozzi and Gina Rolseth. Then the body of an area parole officer is found in similar fashion in Dundas County. The detectives learn that the parole officer’s last known appointment was with a repeat violent offender who almost killed his wife. Leo and Gino head up to Dundas County to see if there is any evidence linking the crimes only to find Bitteroot, a secured fortified area populated by four hundred armed women, sworn to protect themselves and each other. Is the next body they discover the work of the original perps or do they now have a copy cat killer to deal with as well? Set aside some time when you start this one. It is plenty cold in Minnesota in winter but the pace of this action will keep anyone warm. Another winter winner from the mother-daughter duo known as P.J. Tracy. 08/06 Jack Quick

THE SNOW CHILD by Eowyn Ivey: Jack and Mabel have a stillborn baby and escape the sadness by homesteading a farm in 1920’s Alaska. Mabel is sad and lonely, and Jack is bone tired from the back-breaking work. One night during a snowfall they finally have some fun when Mabel pelts a snowball at Jack. They end up building a small snowman, and then Jack sculpts a beautiful little girl’s face on it. Mabel drapes it in the red had and mittens her sister had knitted for her, and they go off to bed. The next morning, their snow sculpture is gone as are the hat and mittens, but a small, spritely girl finds her way into their yard. Mabel is convinced that she is a snow child, right out of the Russian fairytale her father used to read to her when she was a girl. The girl calls herself Faina, and the couple fall in love with the child. But she is a wild thing and cannot be tamed; she comes and go as she pleases and disappears altogether every summer, only reappearing at the first snow fall. This is a beautifully written fantastical story that delves into the hardships of farming in Alaska and surviving in such a brutal, lonely climate. It is a story not to be forgotten any time soon – I loved it. 2/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN by Lisa See: Maybe once or twice a year a book comes along that you just want to give to everyone you know. Books like The Kite Runner, Secret Life of Bees, Memoirs of a Geisha or The Ha-Ha, and there are many others, but for me, this year Snow Flower is that book. It is the coming of age story of a young girl named Lily and her “same” (best-friend-for-life,) Snow Flower, set in a remote village in 19th century China. It is a beautiful story about the friendship between these two girls/women, about the cruelty of foot binding told in very graphic detail, and about “nu shu”, a secret language just for women. This meticulously researched tale will keep you mesmerized until you turn the last page. Don’t miss it! 06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SNOW WHITE MUST DIE by Nele Neuhaus: In 1997 the village of Altenhain experienced unimaginable horror when two teens disappeared. Though their bodies were never found, a local man was tried and convicted for their murders. Eleven years later Tobias Sartorius has returned home, and while he’s served his time, the people in Altenhain will never forget his supposed crimes. For years, Tobi’s family struggled with the repercussions of their son’s conviction. On the day of his release, Tobi’s mother is hospitalized after being pushed off a pedestrian bridge into oncoming traffic. Pia Kirchhoff and her boss Oliver von Bodenstein are assigned the case and quickly come to suspect that the incident might be tied to Tobi’s release. Tobi has always claimed to have no memory of the events of that night but when another Altenhain girl goes missing, everyone believes Tobi has struck again. Now involved with two cases linked to Tobi and Altenhain, Pia starts digging into the old 1997 case files and discovers some strange discrepancies. She soon begins to doubt Tobi’s guilt, but with the town rallying against him how will she unmask the true killer before he claims another victim? While this is Nele Neuhaus’s first release here in the States, it’s actually the fourth series title to feature Kirchhoff and von Bodenstein. It does work well as a stand alone and/or introduction to the characters, but will no doubt leave mystery and thriller fans anxious for more from Neuhaus. Fortunately there are plans to publish at least one more of her titles here in the US. 2/13 Becky Lejeune

SNOW WHITE MUST DIE by Nele Neuhaus: On a September evening eleven years earlier, two seventeen-year-old girls vanished from a small village without a trace. In a trial based only on circumstantial evidence, twenty-year-old Tobias Sartorius, Rita Cramer’s son, was sentenced to ten years in prison. Now Ms. Cramer has fallen from a pedestrian bridge onto a car driving underneath. According to a witness, the woman may have been pushed. Police detectives Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver von Bodenstein discover that Tobias, after serving his sentence, has just now returned to his home town. Did the attack on his mother have something to do with his return. When another young girl disappears, the events of the past seem to be repeating themselves in a disastrous manner and the villagers are determined to take matters into their own hands. Will justice be served or perverted? 2/13 Jack Quick

SNOWBOUND by Bill Pronzini: When a planned December armed robbery in northern California goes terribly wrong, the three perpetrators take refuge in a safehouse they have arranged in a small mountain town. The second night they are there an avalanche covers the only road into the town and traps the would be robbers along with some 75 others for a week with no way out. How to pass the time? Why not rob the entire town? After all, it is Christmas, and they suspect that at least one villager has some serious cash. They can take over the town Church during services, round up any stragglers, and then flee the scene on the only two snowmobiles in the village. Never mind that none of the three has ever ridden a snowmobile. Reads like a serious version of a Donald E. Westlake “John Dortmunder” caper. The mayor gets caught in an affair. The ”mysterious stranger” helps save the villagers, and everyone learns more about themselves than they might want to know. An oldie but goodie. Recommended. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH by J.T. Ellison: It’s been only forty-eight hours since Taylor pulled the trigger on her latest suspect and The Pretender has accelerated his game. After snatching one of Taylor’s closest friends, her foe has also set in motion a series of crimes nationwide that are meant to copy some of the most famous serial killers of all time. With Taylor’s team and loved ones at risk, she feels there’s no choice left but to wipe out The Pretender once and for all. One mistake is all it takes for Taylor and Baldwin to finally get a lead on The Pretender’s identity. Pushed to her limit, Taylor is willing to do anything to make sure this criminal’s reign of terror will finally end. I am amazed at the level of intensity that Ellison has maintained throughout this series. Each book leads straight into the next with intricate and careful details becoming clues that lead further down the line in later installments. Ellison has a true talent for character building and for plots. 02/11 Becky Lejeune

SO COLD THE RIVER by Michael Koryta: One outburst was all it took for Eric Shaw to effectively ruin his career in Hollywood. Now he spends his time making videos for weddings and funerals. Alyssa Bradford hires Eric to make a film about her father-in-law, the wealthy Campbell Bradford. The man never talked much about his early days, but Alyssa knows that he grew up in West Baden Springs, Indiana, and she’s given Eric a memento that Campbell has carried around all these years: an old bottle of Pluto mineral water. Strangely, the bottle—still sealed after all this time—is cool to the touch. As Eric arrives in West Baden Springs, he notices that the bottle actually becomes frosty. They used to say that Pluto Water could cure anything. Curious, Eric decides to try a little taste and the results are more than he bargained for. Now Eric must unravel the secrets of Campbell Bradford’s past, but he’s not even sure what’s real anymore. Koryta’s So Cold the River is a chilling and dark thriller that captures readers from the very start and doesn’t let up until the final page. The grand West Baden Springs Hotel, the Lost River, and even Pluto Water are all very real, though drinking the water is not really recommended today. 06/10 Becky Lejeune

SO MUCH PRETTY by Cara Hoffman: A small town teenage girl, Wendy, goes missing, only to have her body turn up in a ditch several months later. Stacy Flynn is a reporter in this small town, but she’s an outsider, originally from Cleveland. No one will talk to her about this murder, the townspeople prefer to stick to the “drifter” theory, unwilling to consider that one of their own may be a murderer. Alice Piper is a teenager that is also new to town, her hippie parents moved there to have a safer place to raise their child. Alice is a very bright girl, and begins to piece together what may have happened to Wendy. This is an ugly story about violence against women, and other women who turn a blind eye to it, but it’s also fast reading, totally engrossing and a really terrific debut. 03/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SOCORRO BLAST by Pari Noskin Taichert: Sasha Solomon is awakened in the wee hours of the morning with a call that no one wants. Her niece Gabi has been hospitalized after her mailbox exploded. At first, the incident is chalked up to a teenage prank. Gabi is a grad student at the local college who has given failing grades to more than one undergrad. Sasha then discovers a racial/religious slur painted on her niece’s porch, along with an unpleasant gift, and she begins to suspect that the mailbox bomb – certainly stronger than the firecrackers the police are blaming – may actually have been a very serious hate crime. Gabi has been working on some secretive research with her advisor, and lover, that just happens to involve explosives. Then said advisor goes missing and Gabi refuses to talk. Coincidentally, Sasha, a public relations consultant who has been hired to help revitalize tourism in the area, finds out that her new boss’s daughter is married to the missing professor. Whispers of terrorist plots begin to make their way through the community and Sasha has to use her PR and investigative talents to help clear her niece’s name before it is too late. Like her fellow Murderati blogger, Louise Ure, Pari Noskin Taichert has a real talent for drawing readers in. This is a great cozy mystery with more than a little cultural criticism and just a hint of the supernatural (Sasha’s occasional visions that she reckons are due to mental exhaustion). Sasha Solomon is a loveable and flawed character with a whipped cream addiction and a true loyalty to friends and family. Although this is technically the third in a series, Socorro can be read and enjoyed all on its own. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

THE SOCORRO BLAST by Pari Noskin Taichert: At first I didn’t really care that much for New Mexico public relations expert Sasha Solomon, but either she is changing or I am. I think its because there is now more action and less woo woo In this enjoyable third outing, Sasha has been hired by Socorro town leader Papi Sanchez to help the town boost tourism. This is great from Sasha’s point of view since her favorite niece is a graduate student at New Mexico Tech in Socorro studying explosive technology. But when Gabi is victimized by a mailbox bomb, is she the victim of random violence or is this a hate crime, since Gabi is Jewish with an Iranian surname? Not only is Socorro the home of New Mexico Tech, it is the home of secrets and scandals that imperil Sasha as she searches for the truth. First rate. 04/08 Jack Quick

SOFT TARGET by Stephen Hunter: Stephen Hunter was formerly the chief film critic for the Washington Post, now retired, and has developed a second career as a writer of action oriented novels. His main thrust in most of his works are the exploits of snipers in situations outside of combat. Soft Target begins what will probably be a series of books about Ray Cruz, an ex-marine with plenty of combat experience under his belt and also the son of Hunter’s previous protagonist, and the grandson of the first. Ray is a well trained and experienced sniper like his father and grandfather before him. Ray and his fiancee are spending a day shopping in the largest mall in the United States, obviously meant to be the Mall of the Americas in Minnesota. The mall is invaded by a force of terrorists that are heavily armed and easily cow the shoppers, none of whom has weapons. The terrorists kill five people within one hour of the takeover indicating to the authorities now surrounding the mall that they are serious. They make a demand for the release of three extremists captured recently which is granted by the man who is in charge of coordinating the situation. Ray, not believing that the terrorists will really keep their part of the supposed bargain by releasing the hostages, manages to kill one and get his gun. A SWAT sniper on the roof of the mall manages to communicate with him and together they begin a counterattack.
Hunter is very knowledgeable about small arms and special ammunition used by these weapons, especially the identified snipers and even if the reader is not really interested in the technicalities of the weapons used it provides insight into the world of shooting. Characters in all his novels are fleshed out quite well, and we go into the minds of what are really killers- good and bad. The book and the situation depicted provide enough action and movement to keep the reader completely engrossed and ready for the next Ray Cruz novel. 12/11 Paul Lane

SOLAR by Ian McEwan: Whether or not you like Mr. McEwan’s stories, his use of language always makes reading his work a pleasure. In this case, he writes about an absolutely revolting excuse for a human being, Michael Beard. Beard won a Nobel Prize for a gloss on Einstein’s attempts at unification referred to as the “Beard-Einstein Conflation.” Since that time, he has done nothing of significance. He has rested on his laurels professionally, cheated on his five wives at every opportunity and gotten fat.
As this story opens, wife number 5 is giving him a taste of his own cheating medicine and he doesn’t like it. Ultimately, she even cheats on him with one of his young and exceptionally idealistic co-workers. When the confrontation between Beard and this man comes, his youthful rival slips on rug, hits his head on a table and bleeds to death in front of him – classic Chaplin slapstick. In best rotten guy practice, Beard frames another of his wife’s lovers for the death and steals the co-worker’s work product, a promising technology for renewable energy.
Beard continues to flourish without any effort on his part until the end of the novel, where everything suddenly turns on him.
While not particularly thought-inspiring, this is nonetheless a good story told by a fine writer with generous portions of humor. Without going into particulars, my favorite extended joke involved a cruise to the South Pole to examine the effects of global-warming first hand. Imagine for a moment, Beard in a snowsuit on the back of a snow mobile, teasing a polar bear. And the joke actually gets much, much better.
This is an excellent summer read which will enable you to feel superior to your friends reading fluff on the beach while you secretly have just as much fun. 06/10 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

SOLO by Jack Higgins: This Jack Higgins thriller, a classic cat and mouse tale, is now available as an ebook. The mouse is piano virtuoso John Mikali who uses his skill as a brilliant musician to cover his other trade as an assassin. Mikali is the grandson of a wealthy Greek businessman who is reared by his maternal grandmother and a doting Greek woman who could have no children of her own. Tragedy shapes Makili’s life and he ends up in the French Foreign legion where he learns and refines his killing skills. When he kills a young woman while fleeing from a murder scene, the woman’s father, a special forces soldier in the British military, vows to avenge his daughter’s death. Asa Morgan, the cat to Mikali’s mouse, is a soldier of great cunning. He has built up a fury in his heart toward John Mikali and will stop at nothing to find him and kill him. Both men are locked into the deadly game, playing for the ultimate stakes. The hunt will keep you on your toes and turning pages, albeit electronically, until the mater is resolved. 10/10 Jack Quick
SOLOMON VS. LORD by Paul Levine: Stephen Solomon is a wise-cracking, womanizing defense attorney with a heart of gold that he likes to keep hidden. Victoria Lord is a tightly-wound new prosecutor and a product of old money and an Ivy league education. They butt heads over her first case and end up in adjoining jail cells when the judge cites them for contempt. Lord ends up unemployed until Solomon makes her an offer she can’t refuse. A wealthy young socialite and friend of Lord’s is accused of killing her much older husband while engaging in some rather kinky sex. Solomon sees an opportunity and seizes it, forcing Lord into what she thinks will be the partnership from hell. The chemistry between these two flies off the page and makes the pages fly. A couple of interesting subplots – Solomon’s custody battle for his disturbed nephew and Lord’s engagement to a wealthy avocado farmer add depth to the characters and the story. There is lots of humor in this fast paced twisty tale but it’s the characters and the writing that make this story sing. It’s been many years since Levine penned a novel, but it was well worth the wait. Find out more in my interview with Paul Levine.

SOLOMON VS. LORD by Paul Levine: By-the-book Victoria Lord and outlandish Steve Solomon “beating the state’s butt for nine years”; are working together as the defense attorneys for Katrina Barksdale, a “grieving” widow who’s been charged with murdering her wealthy husband during a kinky sexcapade. While this basic plot is nothing new, Levine does it so well that you think its never been done before. Quirky characters, witty dialogue, and some true laugh out loud moments with observations like: “A lawyer who is afraid of jail is like a surgeon who is afraid of blood.” “When the law doesn’t work, work the law.” And “You should never call opposing counsel a total (expletive deleted) shark in open court. Save it for recess.” I want the sequel, and I want it now. 02/06 Jack Quick. Note: The sequel – THE DEEP BLUE ALIBI – is available!

SOME LIKE IT HOT-BUTTERED by Jeffrey Cohen: Everyone has a dream, but not everyone gets to live theirs. Elliot Freed loves movies, comedies in particular, so he sells the house his parents gave him and buys an old, run down movie theater. With help from his family and friends, and his alimony from his ex-wife the doctor, he re-opens it and calls it Comedy Tonight, showing double features of old and new comedies. But this dream becomes a bit of a nightmare when one of the customers isn’t laughing at Young Frankenstein; he can’t, because he’s dead. At first appearances, it’s a heart attack but the autopsy shows death by poison, via the popcorn. The cops are investigating, but not quickly enough for Freed, who wants to reopen his theater, so he decides to help. A cache of illegally recorded DVDs are found in the basement of the theater, the movie-obsessed projectionist goes missing, and Freed finds himself attracted to one of the cops working the case, all of which make this a twisty mystery with lots of laughs and lots of heart. This is the first in the “Double Feature” mystery series, and hopefully it won’t be too long a wait for the next. 10/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SOME NERVE by Jane Heller: Ann Roth, reporter for Famous magazine, is terrified of flying. When her new boss orders her to get THE interview of a lifetime with Malcolm Goddard, the man no one gets an interview with, Ann thinks it is impossible. She tries everything from pleading with his agent to bribery. When Goddard finally agrees, it is on one condition, that the interview take place on his personal plane. Unable to conquer her fear, Ann loses her chance and ultimately loses her job as well. She returns home to Middletown, Missouri only to discover that Goddard, diagnosed with a heart condition, is convalescing at Middletown’s very own Heartland General. Posing as a candy striper, Ann is determined to get her story and get back at Malcolm for ruining her career. Somewhere along the way, Ann’s priorities are flipped upside down. She discovers there is more to Malcolm Goddard than meets the eye. This is a quick and easy read that’s both hilarious and heartwarming. A fantastic chick-lit read that is sure to pull at your heartstrings. I highly recommend this title. 08/06 Becky LeJeune

SOME WELCOME HOME by Sharon Wildwind: Captain Elizabeth “Pepper” Pepperhawk has returned from a Vietnam tour to serve at the army hospital at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. When she checks into the Transient Officers Quarters there is a dead man in her bed. This occurs not long after the infamous McDonald case at Ft. Bragg in which Captain McDonald’s pregnant wife and two children are slaughtered, so the military police are particularly edgy about the situation. This the first of a planned five book set by a former Army nurse who recreates the atmosphere of the early 70’s military extremely well, down to the “slang” of the times. As a veteran of that era, I look forward to the future volumes. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

SOMEBODY ELSE’S DAUGHTER by Elizabeth Brundage: This a cross between Peyton Place and a Jackie Collins tell all, where nothing is at it seems. Nate and Cat are in the San Francisco drug scene when Cat gets pregnant. Knowing they cannot raise a daughter, they give up Willa for adoption. Fast forward. Willa now attends a private New England day-school and lives in upper middle class comfort with her adoptive parents. However, her adoptive father, Joe is one of the nation’s largest producers of porn. The lid starts to come off when Nate, now clean and respectable is hired by the Pioneer school. At the same time the son of a struggling artist, Claire Squire, gets a back-door admittance to the land of school ties, little plaid skirts, and do-gooder opportunities. Guess what – fireworks follow. Would probably be a good Oprah pick, but never really got me going. 06/09 Jack Quick

SOMEBODY OWES ME MONEY by Donald E. Westlake: “I bet none of it would have happened if I wasn’t so eloquent. That’s always been my problem – eloquence, though some may claim my problem was something else again.” Thus begins the tale of New York City cab driver Chet Conway in Hardcase Crime #44, a reprint of a 1969 classic from Westlake. Conway’s troubles start with a good tip from his latest fare – Purple Pecunia – a horse that looked to be lucky to finish a race the same day he started. But Conway takes a chance and the nag wins. When Chet goes to collect he finds his bookie shot to death and soon at least two groups trying to make him the same way. The only good thing that happens is he becomes friends with the dead man’s beautiful sister, a Las Vegas blackjack dealer, but only after she also threatens to kill him, as well. A good breezy read. 06/08 Jack Quick

SOMEONE’S WATCHING by Sharon Potts: This follow up to In Their Blood is an intense, fast paced mystery set in the South Beach area of Miami, Florida. Surely inspired by all the headlines about young girls being drugged in night clubs then forced into prostitution, Potts takes that scenario and makes it personal when the young prostitute in this story turns out to be the half-sister Robbie Ivy never knew she had. Robbie’s tending bar these days, so when her long lost father shows up on her doorstep looking for his other daughter, things get heated up quickly. A scary look at the nightclub scene, blackmail, wild parties in the Keys and the possibility of a reconciliation between Robbie and Jeremy add up to a terrific story, and all the twists and turns made this a book I couldn’t put down. 02/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SOMETHING BORROWED by Emily Giffin: It is the night before Rachel White’s thirtieth birthday and though things haven’t ended up exactly as she’d planned, she’s in a good place. Except for the lack of a significant other. It could be the drinks, it could be the turning point in her life, but whatever the case, good girl Rachel ends up in bed with her best friend’s fiancé. What follows is something of a frustrating rationalization of her affair throughout the book. At the outset, and not in small part influenced by the upcoming film based on the book, I’d assumed this would be a fun, lighthearted chick-lit. I was wrong. Something Borrowed is an ok read, but definitely not a light and fuzzy one. I also found it very hard to sympathize with any of the characters, at times feeling bad for the friend and even a bit angry at Rachel and her lover. Unfortunately a case of the wrong read at the wrong time for me. 03/11 Becky Lejeune

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLACK by Loren Estleman: Peter Macklin is a retired contract killer whose life is abruptly disrupted when he makes the mistake of taking his young bride – beautiful, innocent Laurie honeymooning in Los Angeles. Unknown to Peter a former Detroit crime boss in now in LA and needs his services. After taking a strange phone call Peter tells Laurie he has to go to Sacramento to take care of business, and he’ll be back in a day. After a day passes, though, a man called Abilene shows up with a note from Peter saying Abilene will take care of her until his return. Macklin’s retirement seems to have been premature, and Laurie’s innocence is about to end. 1/13 Jack Quick

SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY by Marcia Muller: If you are a fan, this 19 story volume recounting the adventures of Sharon McCone and ace apprentice Rae Kelleher in the earlier days of the McCone Detective Agency will feel like that old flannel shirt that is too worn and tattered to wear outside the house, but has too many memories and feels too good to consider throwing away. If some of them seem familiar, then why not, you probably have read them through the years. On the other hand, if you have not yet discovered Muller, this is a great way to test drive one of my favorite series. And don’t forget husband Bill Pronzini who is also known to have written a book or two. 08/07 Jack Quick

THE SOMNAMBULIS by Jonathan Barnes: Conjurer and sometime detective Edward Moon and his silent, milk addicted sidekick the Somnambulist, are working a new case. There is a nefarious plot to overthrow London. Not many are aware of the plan and those that are, are not the most reliable witnesses. It begins with a murder. Police are quick to wrap it up but soon discover that they have not solved anything. Moon is approached after a second murder occurs and is somewhat forced into compliance. The peculiar truth that is slowly discovered is a conspiracy that is deeply rooted in the beliefs of a dead poet. Strange characters with even stranger affectations abound in this weirdly wonderful debut. Jonathan Barnes’s novel transcends many genres and that’s what makes it so good. Part detective novel, part supernatural fantasy and all original, The Somnambulist may be hard to describe but it sure is twisted fun. Barnes is already drawing comparison to the likes of Susanna Clarke and Neil Gaimen. The Somnambulist certainly is much less daunting than Clarke’s tome, but is just as rewarding in the end and the comparison between the two stops there. In my opinion, Moon and his story resemble a sort of odd and aging Sherlock Holmes. I’m sure everyone will have their own opinions, but I am also sure that they will enjoy it nonetheless. 02/08 Becky Lejeune

THE SONG IS YOU by Megan Abbot: While most everyone has heard of the Black Dahlia, the disappearance of actress Jean Spangler from Los Angeles in 1949 is much less well known, until now. Abbot uses this real life case to tell the story through the actions of a journalist turned studio pr hack named Gil “Hop” Hopkins. In the book, Hopkins helps cover up the facts surrounding Spangler’s initial disappearance and then late becomes remorseful over his role in the affair. Down, dirty, gritty, and ugly, its an interesting read, but afterwards you will probably want to wash your hands with lots of soap and hot water, several times. There are no heroes in Hollywood. 08/07 Jack Quick

SONG OF KALI by Dan Simmons: It’s summer 1977 and poet Bobby Luczak has been asked to travel to Calcutta in search of famed poet M. Das. Das has been missing and presumed dead for seven years, but recent reports suggest that not only is he alive and well, but that there are new works to be acquired. Bobby decides to make it a family trip and brings along his wife and young daughter for the ride. Little does he know the horror that awaits him in this foreign land. Luczak soon finds himself sucked into a terrible and dangerous underworld said to have links to the goddess Kali, a figure that some say represents death and destruction. Upon arrival, Luczak’s biggest fear is that the reports of Das may be at best a mistake and at worst a scam. Before he returns home, he will face the ultimate tragedy and the true meaning of fear. Simmons’ debut novel was winner of the World Fantasy award in 1985. Since then he has gone on to win multiple awards in horror, science fiction, and mystery. This is the book that started it all. Chilling and magnificent, Song of Kali is a book that will continue to stand the test of time. 11/08 Becky Lejeune

SONG OF SCARABAEUS by Sara Creasy: In the future, the Crib rules. This government is set on terraforming new worlds, making them suitable for human settlement and able to produce food and farming for the people. The rule of thumb is that any world with a developed ecosystem is not a candidate for terraforming. Edie is recruited as a cypherteck for her ability to manipulate the biocyph used to make terraforming possible. Unfortunately the first world she is assigned to is a beautiful planet with an advanced ecosystem of its won. In other words, it was supposed to be off limits. It was the Crib’s biggest failure and Edie’s finest achievement. Now Edie will be forced back to that world. Forced to face the truth of the Crib and the effects of biocyph. But after being a slave to the oppressive Crib for so long, Edie may not be able to escape. Though some of the sci-fi concepts eluded me, Creasy’s debut is still a fine achievement; a wonderfully plotted adventure and a gripping story. 04/10 Becky Lejeune

SONG OF THE SILK ROAD by Mingmei Yip: Lily Lin has received word of a great inheritance: three million dollars from an aunt she has never met. But the money comes with one caveat, she must travel the Silk Road, following the same path her aunt traveled before her and completing a series of tasks as laid out by said aunt. If Lily completes the tasks in the time period stipulated, she will collect her fortune at the end. As Lily travels the road of her ancestors, she will find love and learn great things about herself and her heritage. Mingmei Yip’s latest is a humorous and enlightening read that offers a unique look at Chinese culture. A great book club pick that’s a little different from what you might expect, but completely entertaining. 04/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SONNET LOVER by Carol Goodman: The life and identity of William Shakespeare has been a popular topic of debate among academics for quite some time. One mystery involves the identities of the two people thought to have been the subject of Shakespeare’s sonnets – one, a young man, and the other, a woman known as the Dark Lady. In Carol Goodman’s latest literary mystery, she tackles the possible identity of this Dark Lady who captivated Shakespeare’s heart. During a reception in his honor, Robin Weiss, a film student at Hudson College, falls to his death from a school balcony. Authorities are convinced it was suicide, especially following the witness accounts. Dr. Rose Asher, one of Robin’s professors, was not close enough to see what happened, but she has her doubts as to the cause of Robin’s death. Only moments before his fall, Robin passed Rose an envelope containing a sonnet and a letter in which he requested that Rose accompany him to Italy. Robin claimed to have discovered a cache of poems hidden at La Civetta – a villa owned by one of the patrons of the college. Rose is well aware of the rumors regarding the villa. A sixteenth century poet named Ginevra de Laura was said to have been the mistress of La Civetta. According to the stories, Ginevra de Laura was cast out of the home upon the death of her lover. Although she was said to have been a great poet, none of her work has ever been discovered. Other rumors purport to link Ginevra to Shakespeare himself. Determined to discover the truth, Rose travels to Italy where she confronts her own past as well as the ghosts of La Civetta. Goodman’s work is truly amazing. Her lyrical prose and luscious settings make each novel a true delight for readers. 07/07 Becky Lejeune

SORROW’S ANTHEM by Michael Koryta: Private Investigator Lincoln Perry is back and this time it’s personal. Perry hears that Ed Gradduk, his estranged childhood friend, is accused of murdering a lawyer and then burning the house down around her, and subsequently is the object of a manhunt through his old neighborhood. Perry feels compelled to try and help his old friend who then proclaims his innocence. But the chase ends with Gradduk dead under the wheels of a cop car, ending any hope of reconciliation and opening up a lot of questions for Perry, who witnesses the accident. Perry isn’t sure Gradduk is guilty and sets out to find the truth, but first has to deal with a lot of old baggage and call in a lot of favors. While the story of childhood friends, grown in different directions yet finding their lives still intertwined is interesting (and somewhat reminiscent of Mystic River by Lehane), the pacing is uneven, the characters fall flat and the story just strains credibility. While I absolutely loved the title and the story behind it, nonetheless this was a disappointing second effort from the gifted young writer of Tonight I Say Goodbye, but I expect better the next time around. 02/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

SORRY by Zoran Drvenkar: Four friends start an agency for apologies. Business accounts only, but if you’ve wrongfully fired an employee and think the situation could end badly, these are your guys. Need to mend your broken relationship? Sorry, they don’t do that. What starts out as a great business plan soon turns messy when a dead woman is discovered. Kris, Wolf, Tamara, and Frauke are blackmailed into first apologizing to the dead woman and then hiding her body. But how far can it go? Now the killer has a hold over them and their friendship is falling apart. Without each other for support, who knows what will happen next. Originally published in German, the translation is one of the better ones I’ve read. The author’s style seems to come through without interruption. The overall subject is incredibly disturbing, but the plot moves along at a quick pace and the author plays with the narration in a way that I’ve not seen before. As the story moves from one character to another, the point of view moves from third person to second. Without a doubt one of the most interesting books I’ve read this year. 09/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SOUL CATCHER by Alex Kava: Kava dives headfirst into the headline-grabbing worlds of cult religions and FBI standoffs in this third novel to feature FBI Special Agent and profiler Maggie Odell is called to attend the autopsy of an agent with whom she has previously worked. He was killed when a standoff in the Massachusetts woods results in the deaths of five young cult members holed up in a backwoods cabin. Then a U.S. senator’s daughter is found murdered in Washington, D.C., and her death seems to be related to the cult and its charismatic leader, Rev. Joseph Everett. It becomes even more personal for Maggie when she learns her former alcoholic mother has joined Everett’s church and partner Tully’s daughter was with the senator’s daughter on the night she was killed. Twistier than a Six Flags roller coaster ride, you will want to hold on throughout this one. 01/10 Jack Quick

Soul Circus by George Pelecanos: The BookBitch recommended Pelecanos to me some time ago. Of course, she was right. I was hooked after reading Nick’s Trip and proceeded to devour everything else I could find by Pelecanos. He writes tough and he does it extremely well. But more than that, Pelecanos has a sense of how our heritage and place shape us. When he talks about growing up in Washington, D.C. and generations of Greek families, I can’t help but think of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s chapter about the customs house at the beginning of The Scarlet Letter.
But back to the blood and guts. Soul Circus has ’em. D.C. is still the place and it is going downhill as young dropouts carve lives for themselves in gangs and the drug trade. Derek Strange, a former cop, sees it and tries, unsuccessfully, to stand apart, as he creates a family for himself. But he can’t. His search for mitigating evidence to present on the death penalty portion of a murder trial puts him in the middle of a gang war, the recruitment of school age children into the drug trade and the illegal trade in weapons.
At the end of the book, lots of people are dead and those who did bad things are punished. But the problems remain in D.C. and Strange knows it. He is truly walking (or driving his hooptie) down the “mean streets.” ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin

SOUL THIEF by Jana Oliver: Jana Oliver’s second Demon Trappers installment picks up directly where The Demon Trapper’s Daughter leaves off. Riley and the other trappers who survived the attack on the Tabernacle find themselves on the defensive when officials start asking questions about the tragic occurrence. Riley herself ends up in the crosshairs thanks to the appearance of her dead father just seconds before the attack, in spite of his efforts to warn them all. Rumor has it that Riley and her father might be responsible and somehow in league with the devil and his minions. Riley is also keeping a big secret, a deal made with the angels in exchange for saving her boyfriend’s life. When the Vatican steps in and sends their official hunters to the scene, things get much worse. Now, Riley must find the summoner who raised her father in hopes that she can find answers that may clear her name. I like Riley. She’s smart and stubborn and there’s a hint of something big that’s yet to be revealed about her. Oliver’s whole cast of characters are a big draw for me. From Riley and Beck all the way to the little klepto demon, I just want to know more. 10/11 Becky Lejeune

SOULLESS by Gail Carriger: Miss Alexia Tarabotti is nothing if not a modern woman. In a Victorian London that has embraced vampires and werewolves, Alexia is more comfortable keeping her own secrets to herself, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t thirst for knowledge or that she’s willing to sit idly by as events unfold around her. When a new vampire very rudely attacks her at a party, Alexia accidentally kills him. An investigation begins and there are rumors that Alexia’s incident might have been somewhat intentional. Confident that she can help unravel the mystery, she begins poking her nose into the event, and learns that someone has been creating new vampires without the consent of the powers that be. Add to that the fact that unattached vampires and werewolves have been disappearing from London and the surrounding areas and Alexia’s got the makings of a mystery on her hands. If she can solve the case, she can prove her worth to the investigators, not the least of which is the ever-irritating Lord Maccon. With society’s constrictions, though, Alexia will have to keep things under wraps, and Maccon watching her every move is making it that much more difficult for her to conduct her own inquiries. Carriger’s debut is a fun mix of paranormal and steampunk and I can’t wait to see what comes next for Alexia and Maccon. A definite stand out. 10/09 Becky Lejeune

SOULSTICE: THE DEVOURING BOOK 2 by Simon Holt: This creepy follow-up to Simon Holt’s debut, The Devouring, takes place six months after Reggie Halloway and her friends came head to head with the Vours on Sorry Night. Vours, evil, demon-like beings, can only enter a human’s body on Sorry Night. But Reggie’s own ability to enter the Fearscape has changed everything. Now the Vours are gearing up for something different and it’s all going down on the Summer Solstice, a date that is fast approaching. Reggie and her best friend Aaron will once again have to fight to protect the ones they love, and this time to prevent an event that could allow the Vours open access to our world. The horror elements and imagery in Holt’s series make it a true standout in the YA genre, and the end will leave fans begging for more. 09/09 Becky Lejeune

SOUTH OF BROAD by Pat Conroy: I became a Pat Conroy fan while living in South Carolina many years ago. Imagine my surprise to learn this week that he met his wife in my (Hoover, Alabama) library. What a small world. In a way, that also describes his latest effort. The narrator is Charleston, S.C., gossip columnist Leopold Bloom King who, in the late ’60s and after his brother commits suicide, befriends a cross-section of the city’s inhabitants: scions of Charleston aristocracy; Appalachian orphans; a black football coach’s son; and an astonishingly beautiful pair of twins, Sheba and Trevor Poe, who are evading their psychotic father. From that point the story alternates between 1969 and 1989, as the foundations of southern society are quaked by the social and political forces unleashed earlier in the sixties. Over the two decades, these friends find success in journalism, the bar, law enforcement, music, and Hollywood while coming to grips with truths about love, lust, classism, racism, religion, and what it means to be shaped by a particular place, be it Charleston, South Carolina, or anywhere else in the U.S. Highly recommended. 09/09 Jack Quick

SOUTH PHOENIX RULES by Jon Talton: It’s not every day that you receive a heavy FedEx package that contains the severed heard of your boyfriend. Historian turned Sheriff’s Deputy David Mapstone has just resigned from the Sheriff’s office after his friend and mentor lost the most recent election. His wife Lindsay is in Washington with an elite anti cyber terror unit and her sister, Robin, is staying with David. The head is that of Robin’s boy friend Jax Delgado, whom everyone thinks is a visiting professor from New York. Turns out that Delgado is connected to one of the world’s most brutal drug cartels and now Robin is at risk. Failing to protect her would likely cost David his already shaky marriage, but the job of protecting her may well cost him his life. History must give way to the present and amid the violent world of modern day smuggling, Mapstone must play by South Phoenix Rules. Part of a series and very nicely done. 12/10 Jack Quick

SOUTHTOWN by Rick Riordan: FBI agent Sam Barrera and cop Fred Barrow ended Will Stirman’s career as a flesh peddler selling illegal Mexican immigrants into slavery. Now Stirman has escaped and is looking for revenge. Barrow is long dead, shot by his abused wife Erainya Manos, for whom Tres Navarre is now working as a PI in his native San Antonio, Texas. Barrera, now a PI as well, is suffering from beginning Alzheimer’s and is only partly able to help when Stirman turns his anger on Manos and her eight year-old son. Through it all, Navarre walks a thin, highly believable and surprisingly suspenseful line in the type adventure for which Riordan has become justly noted. 07/07 Jack Quick

Southwesterly Wind by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza: The third entry in Mr. Garcia-Roza’s Inspector Espinoza series is just as unusual and engrossing as the first two – The Silence of the Rain and December Heat. This time out, a troubled young man comes to the police station to report that a psychic has foretold that he will murder someone before his next birthday. When he feels that the police and his girl friend are not taking him seriously, he buys a gun and goes looking for the mysterious fortune-teller. Then people around him start dying.
Inspector Espinosa thinks and daydreams his way through to the conclusion of the deaths, but there are several interesting twists along the way.
The plot is further enriched by the human touches in the good inspector’s life. In addition to gazing at the ocean in times of confusion, the good Inspector is still working on his bookshelves made of books. And he is thinking about getting a dog.
Inspector Espinosa is a breath of decency in a tough and corrupt business and these books are a refreshing change also. I recommend them highly. 03/04 ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

SPADE AND ARCHER by Joe Gores: Joe Gores is to Dashiell Hammett as Michael Connelly is to Raymond Chandler. There are strong parallels between Hammett and Gores. Both were residents of San Francisco and their work reflects a knowledge of place and its history. Both actually worked as private detectives for a time and both have written about fictional detective agencies – Hammett, the Continental and Gores, Dan Kearney and Associates.
Gores’ respect for Hammett led to Hammett’s daughter approving Gores’ Spade and Archer, a prequel to The Maltese Falcon. It succeeds in every respect. As it happens, I watched The Maltese Falcon again midway through my reading and not a beat is missed. I think that Hammett himself would have liked it. (Although he would have wanted to be paid, too.)
Spade and Archer is the story of Sam Spade coming to San Francisco from the Seattle area and setting up his own one-man shop. It explains how he came to hire his secretary Effie and eventually bring in Miles Archer as a partner despite his deficiencies in character. Although the novel involves several different cases, there is a connected thread in the form of a criminal mastermind who kills any potential witnesses and is never seen. Sam methodically works his way through each case in approved, old time private detective fashion, with shoe leather, booze, and assistance from colorful characters he knows and solves each of them to the grateful client’s satisfaction. Although not before making sure that he has run up a sufficient bill to compensate himself and Effie.
Each case story is a treat and the final confrontation is perfect for a black and white movie. (It is too bad that John Huston, Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Elisha Cook, Jr. are no longer around. But that means that you can cast your own actors as you read.) This book will be on my list of annual favorites for 2009. If you are a fan of noir crime fiction, Dashiell Hammett, or old movies, you are in for a rare entertainment. Enjoy. 05/09 Geoffrey R. Hamlin
THE SPACE BETWEEN BEFORE AND AFTER by Jean Reynolds Page: February 1, 2003, the date the space shuttle Columbia fell apart upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Holli Templeton tries to shake off the sense of dread and foreboding that falls upon her as she watches the news coverage, but her family does have a history. Strange as it seems, major NASA events seem to coincide with one of her family’s own tragedies. Her fear prompts her to call her grandmother, Raine, in Texas – Holli’s son, Connor, and his girlfriend, Kilian, are living in a trailer at the back of Raine’s property. Connor, her son, answers and assures her that everything is fine, but that Raine has been acting strange. When she next speaks to her grandmother, Raine claims that she had a talk with her daughter, Holli’s dead mother. The conversation ends abruptly and Holli prepares herself to travel home and confront her past. In coming to grips with the current challenges facing their family, each one of them will have to reevaluate their past, present, and future expectations. Holli will have to let go of years of anger, Raine will have to learn to forgive herself her past mistakes, and Connor will have to make some tough decisions and finally grow-up. This is a very character-driven novel, and each one of Page’s creations is a rounded and complex person you can sympathize and easily connect with. As a result, Space is a touching, sometimes heart-wrenching, read. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

SPARE CHANGE by Robert B. Parker: The Spare Change Killer terrorized Boston killing seven people apparently at random. It was very frustrating for Boston cop Phil Randall who was head of the Task Force assigned to catch him. The Killer made it worse by sending notes to Randall. Now twenty years after the first seven killings a new body and note have turned up. This time around, Phil involves P.I. daughter Sunny Randall and the two serve as consultant and assistant respectively to a new task force. In addition, Sunny is trying to reconcile her own relationship problems with ex-husband Robbie. Stir in a few cameos from some of the characters of Parker’s other series, and Sunny Randall number Six may be the best yet. Not that there has ever been a bad one. Parker and James Lee Burke, and an occasional Michael Connelly. I do read the good life. 06/07 Jack Quick

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL by Richard Hawke: Can a book live up to its hype? This one does – it definitely lives up to the glowing reviews from all the professional journals. This ‘first novel’ is a fast paced PI story featuring a smart, fearless, sharp-witted private investigator named Fritz Malone. Fritz has connections; his father was the former NYC police commissioner who disappeared several years earlier. As this is the start of the series, solving that case may turn up at some point. However this story starts out with a shooting at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but it really is about connections, city politics and ultimately, good and evil. Fritz is quite likeable, his girlfriend and her father good supporting characters, and Hawke spins out a tale that is full of surprises. 01/06 Stacy Alesi, the BookBitch

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL by Richard Hawke: PI Fritz Malone is the illegitimate son of a former NYPD Commissioner, which gives him some leeway and more access to police affairs than the ordinary PI. When he gets involved in a shooting at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, he has no idea it will draw him into a situation where a terrorist (aptly named Nightmare) is out for blood and money. Malone not only must identify and find him, he also needs to figure out what has triggered this whole affair. Great PI tale with police procedural aspects. Malone is the real deal and, hopefully, will appear in further adventures. 07/09 Jack Quick

Special Circumstances by Sheldon Siegel: Move over John Grisham! There’s a new lawyer on the block, and this one writes a taut, fast-paced legal thriller that you can’t put down. Random House signed this first time author to a multi-book contract. Read this book and you will know why!

THE SPECIALIST by Gordon Aalborg: If you loved Hannibel Lector, then this book is for you. If you prefer your crimes tied up neatly with a minimum of muss and fuss, then better put this one aside as a last resort. Kirsten, a Vancouver jewelry designer is trying to locate missing sister Emma, when on a caving expedition, she finds a piece of jewelry she made for Emma. Someone among her circle of caving friends may be responsible for Emma’s probable death, someone who brings new meaning to the phrase, “she looks good enough to eat.” As Aalborg spins the tale there are at least three possible culprits. Genuinely creepy and a pretty good daytime only read. 06/06 Jack Quick

THE SPECIMEN by Martha Lea: For young Gwen Carrick, Edward Scales seemed a dream come true. He appeared to be respective of her intellect and supportive of her desire to study science. He even invited her along as his assistant on a research trip to Brazil. In the nineteenth century this is quite a rare thing. Such pursuits are not only unseemly for a young woman but a single woman traveling alongside a man is down right scandalous. Seven years later, though, things have taken a very wrong turn and Gwen stands accused of Edward’s murder. Just what went wrong? Martha Lea’s debut is a twisted tale of desire and obsession. It’s also one of curiosities, Darwinism, spiritualism, and quite devious minds. Each character is hiding things from one another, something that becomes more clear to the reader as the story progresses. But the reader remains in the dark about most of these matters until the characters begin to discover them for themselves. It does make for a curious, and at times confusing, read. Overall, however, I have to say it was a fascinating mystery even if I did come away with questions unanswered. The Specimen is out now in the UK. 2/13 Becky Lejeune

SPECIMEN DAYS by Michael Cunningham: An homage to Walt Whitman, this strange, brooding and brilliant book parallels three stories celebrating New York City past, present and future. The first, set during the industrial revolution, has the ghost of a man named Simon inhabiting the machine that killed him. His younger brother Luke takes his place at the machine where he feels it warning him of impending doom for Catherine, Simon’s girlfriend. In New York City present, Cat, an African American police psychologist, deals with terrorist bombings on the streets of the city which keeps her younger, white boyfriend Simon, entranced. But when she meets Luke, one of the children involved, her priorities shift. The final story takes a turn toward science fiction with Cataleen, a lizard-like creature from another planet as nanny to children with the delightful names Tomcruise and Katemoss. A half man/half robot type creature named Simon ends up running away with her and they meet a young prophet named Luke on their journey. Whitman is melded into a character in each story and is quoted throughout, creating a cacophony from that single voice that is simply unforgettable.

SPEED SHRINKING by Susan Shapiro: Julia Goodman is in a bit of a bind. She’s known for her inspiring and best-selling self-help titles that help people kick addictions and realize their potential. But Julia, an addictive personality herself, is shocked and a bit lost when her best friend and her therapist move away in the same month. With nowhere to turn, Julia starts a sugar-binge that leads to some serious weight gain. And with mere months before her new book on conquering food addiction is released, the timing couldn’t be worse. As Julia begins a desperate search for a new therapist and a diet that will actually work, she struggles to get into shape for her book launch and hide from the press (and anyone else who will recognize her) before she can get toned and abandon her cupcake habit. Speed Shrinking bounces back and forth between amusing and kind of annoying. Julia’s various neuroses can get a bit overwhelming at times, and it’s not until the very end that one of her therapists tells her what the reader has been thinking all along, “You look fine and your weight talk is superficial and trite.” But then again, the title does hit a bit close to home for me and that could be my own neurotic tendencies I’m seeing reflected on the page. 08/09 Becky Lejeune

SPELL BOUND by Kelley Armstrong: Savannah Levine has lost her powers. It seems to be the result of an accidental deal with an unknown entity: her spells in exchange for the freedom of a woman arrested after Savannah’s last case. Savannah’s problems are only getting started, though. A witch-hunter has been stalking her and the supernatural world is restless. Soon, Savannah and her friends are drawn into a mystery that involves all of the world’s supernaturals and rumors of a strange prophecy. Spell Bound follows straight on the heels of Waking the Witch, and unlike other installments, does not stand alone. This twelfth in the series is the beginning of the big finale and brings together characters from most, if not all, of the previous Otherworld books. While not one that unfamiliar readers should start off with, Spell Bound will definitely be a hit with longtime Otherworld fans and will leave readers on the edge of their seats until next year’s final release. 08/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SPELLMAN FILES by Lisa Lutz: I think I was oversold by the “hype” on this book. In a nutshell, Isabel “Izzy” Spellman is a San Francisco PI who began working for Spellman Investigations at age 12. Now at age 28, she is making lists of things as she tries to decide whether to continue in this line of work or try something else. A cold case assignment leads to the disappearance of 14-year old sister Rae, but even that comes across with all the sense of jeopardy usually associated with a Grandma Mazur visit to a Trenton funeral home. Overall, I didn’t find the book that funny, nor did I ever sense any feeling of danger. I would be willing to try a second outing but only if it is more focused. A disappointment. 04/07 Jack Quick

THE SPELLMAN FILES by Lisa Lutz: Meet Isabel Spellman. She’s a spunky troublemaking private eye who works for her parents’ P.I. firm. The story begins with Izzy being interrogated in regards to her young sister Rae’s disappearance. What follows is a hilarious chronicle of Izzy Spellman’s life leading up to the event in question. As a child and young adult, Izzy tormented her parents. She keeps an exhaustive list of all the “crimes” she got away with and a list of “interrogations” held in her parents’ basement for crimes she is suspected of having committed. She also keeps a running list of all ex-boyfriends, the most recent of which has led Izzy to the decision that she must leave the family business and try to live a “normal” life. Unfortunately for Izzy, her parents are not willing to let her go without a fight. Before they will agree to let her go with a reference that will allow her to gain employment elsewhere (and move out of their house) Izzy’s parents force her to work one last case – a twelve-year-old missing persons case that they hope will convince their daughter to stay. It is at this point in the story that fourteen-year-old Rae goes missing. Hilarity ensues as this quirky and dysfunctional family reluctantly pulls together to find its youngest member. Anyone who loves Janet Evanovich has to try Lisa Lutz. 03/07 Becky Lejeune

THE SPELLMAN’S STRIKE AGAIN by Lisa Lutz: The latest Spellman hijinks will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. I certainly was. As Izzy’s relationship with ex-boyfriend #12 matures, her mother pulls one of her final blackmail cards out of her hat: prom 1994. With this hanging over Izzy’s head, the elder Spellman begins sending her on an endless round of blind dates fitting her own guidelines for Izzy’s perfect mate. Meanwhile, David and his new girlfriend are trying to outsmart the PI family and are hiding a secret. But is their secret as enticing as the one that Izzy’s parents are hiding? And teenage Rae finds a new cause in pro bono research, but takes things just a bit too far in rallying her troops. Curious yet? You should be. Lisa Lutz is wonderful. I laughed, I cried (literally), and now I’ll go into withdrawal until Izzy and her insane family return. 03/10 Becky Lejeune

THE SPIES OF WARSAW by Alan Furst: My first Furst, but thank heavens he has written others. While most books about the time period leading up to World War II seem to focus on the major players- England, Germany, Japan – Furst’ effort revolves around French Colonel Jean-Francois Mercier, the military attaché at the French embassy in Warsaw, Poland. Mercier is a decorated hero of the 1914 war on a par with Charles de Gaulle and, at best, a reluctant spymaster. While he recognizes the value of espionage, like many of the officer class of his generation, it is just not something gentlemen willing do. Mercier is “running” a German engineer who has been caught in a “honey trap” and is not providing information on the evolving German panzer tanks. At the same time, the handsome aristocrat finds himself in a passionate love affair with a Parisian woman of Polish heritage, a lawyer for the League of Nations. The parallels between his situation and that of his agent are obvious and troublesome to Colonel Mercier who must constantly work in the shadows again powerful and well-trained opponents. Furst has created rich characters and seems to have captured the time period perfectly. Along with Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva, The Spies of Warsaw is among my best reads of the year. 08/08 Jack Quick

SPIDER LIGHT by Sarah Rayne: Dr. Antonia Weston has just been released from a five-year stint in prison after being convicted of murdering one of her patients. The man in question had developed a twisted obsession with her and the killing was undeniably self-defense. The court determined, however, that because Weston was the man’s doctor, and because as a medical professional she had taken an oath to heal not to hurt, she must serve time. Her reemergence into normal society will be a delicate one and so, to ease back into the world, she rents a small cottage in the secluded town of Amberwood. Here she becomes enthralled with the local history of the town’s mill, Twygrist, and the now demolished mental asylum, Latchkill. Unfortunately for Dr. Weston, her peaceful and relaxing stay in Amberwood has been manipulated by someone who doesn’t feel that she has quite been punished enough for her crime. Amberwood has seen more than its fair share of tragedy and Rayne twists multiple story lines together in this novel creating what is both a modern and historical thriller. Disturbing doesn’t even begin to describe many of the horrendous crimes that take place in this book. In spite of this, or rather because of it, Spider Light is a gritty and suspenseful thriller that delivers. Rayne is great suspense for fans who enjoy the likes of Minette Walters and Mo Hayder. 02/08 Becky Lejeune

SPIDER’S BITE by Jennifer Estep: Gin Blanco was alone in the world, until Fletcher Lane took her in and trained her in the ways of the assassin. Now her handler, Fletcher is responsible for researching, negotiating, and handing out Gin’s assignments. When a great deal on a rush job comes through, neither Fletcher or Gin can pass up the paycheck. But problems arise when another hired killer shows up on the scene and reveals that Gin is to be the fall guy for the whole thing. Gin escapes, but isn’t able to save her surrogate father from being tortured and killed himself. But Gin, known as the Spider, has been underestimated. Gin will have her revenge and the person responsible for the set up will pay. Spider’s Bite marks the beginning of a new urban fantasy series from Estep, author of the Bigtime series. Gin’s a great female lead with lots of attitude and an interesting backstory. The concept of the elementals is also one that I haven’t really seen in the genre, making this series a definite stand out. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

SPILLED BLOOD by Brian Freeman: Brian Freeman is no novice to the world of psychological thrillers with a myriad of awards and recognition in the literary world. He has written both free standing books as well as those featuring his detective- Jonathan Stride. Spilled Blood is a stand alone novel showcasing Freeman’s ability to capture his readers, immerse them into his book and the characters in it, and weave a plot that is both captivating and complex.

Clay Hawk is an attorney practicing in Minneapolis. The people of St. Croix are locked in a struggle with the city of Barron which is just across the Spirit river from them. Barron is the home of a successful research company and is an affluent community due to that company’s work. St. Croix is poor, and has suffered from a large number of cancer deaths, which they blame on waste from the research company Mondamin. Initiating the action in the book the daughter of Mondamin president and founder is shot to death and circumstantial evidence points to Clay Hawk’s daughter, Olivia, as the killer.
Freeman is excellent in fleshing out his characters. Clay Hawk is still in love with his estranged wife and very much wants to be a part of his daughter’s life. He begins an investigation to get to the facts of the murder and absolve Olivia. He has to look into the reality of a long term deadly feud between St Croix and Barron, and get through the lies and evasions of people in the area. The plot is intricate involving twists and turns as well as different premises. The ending is logical, although not anticipated by the reader. Freeman builds upon the underlying psychological makeup of his various characters as he has done in all of his books. His principal characters have mixed feelings about what to do, and are as ready to resort to violence to achieve goals as they are to do the right thing. A very rewarding and captivating read, one that insures that the reader will be looking for Freeman’s next book. 5/12 Paul Lane
SPIN by Catherine McKenzie: Kate Sandford is thirty and it’s finally time to grow up. After showing up massively hung over and blowing an interview at The Line magazine—without a doubt the biggest mistake ever—Kate’s offered a second chance. One of The Line’s sister magazines is interested in sending Kate to rehab on an undercover assignment. Kate is to report on and cover all the happenings associated with Amber Sheppard, a big, big star with a big, big drug problem. Kate thinks thirty days in rehab is a decent trade off for the job of her dreams, but once she gets to know Amber, she starts to have doubts. Spin is quite fun. Kate’s screw ups and Amber’s antics, while couched in the very serious setting of a rehab center, keep the book at a lighter level making it both entertaining and a bit heartwarming. This is McKenzie’s US debut and will be followed by two additional releases this year. 2/12 Becky Lejeune

SPIRAL by Paul McEuen: This is a fantastic debut novel from a Cornell professor. Liam Connor is an 85 year old professor emeritus at Cornell University who is a Nobel prize winning biologist and mentor to a young physics professor, Jake Serling. Connor is not only brilliant, but he’s also charming, so his death is doubly disturbing. There is a bridge at Cornell that is infamous for the many suicides that have launched from it, and at first, Connor is thought to have jumped to his death. But there is something much more sinister afoot, and that includes a sadistic woman who seems to enjoy torturing her captives. Connor has been doing some high tech work at Cornell, and somehow that is tied to the deadly biological weapon that Connor uncovered during World War II. Serling, Connor’s granddaughter Maggie and her son are swept up in a nightmare of cutting edge technology and nanoscience, which is explained enough to keep this former English major informed yet still enthralled, as well as some very disturbing Asian history. This is one of the most gripping thrillers I’ve read in a very long time. Don’t miss it. 04/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE SPIRE by Richard North Patterson: Patterson steps off his soap box in this departure from political hot potatoes like the Arab/Israeli conflict (Exile) and oil in South Africa (Eclipse) to write this intriguing novel of psychological suspense. Character development is key here; Mark Darrow, the young football player who receives a scholarship to Caldwell, a small, private college; his best friend Steve Tillman, who is in prison for a murder he may not have committed; and Lionel Farr, ex-Special Forces and the professor who becomes Darrow’s mentor and closest friend. Darrow leaves Caldwell for law school and fame as a defense attorney until Farr asks him to come back as President of the college. The current president is under investigation for embezzlement, and they need someone popular enough and persuasive enough to help keep the money flowing in from the alumni. For Darrow, going home again means visiting his old friend Steve in prison and reexamining his conviction, and investigating the embezzlement and all the current board members, making some people very uncomfortable. Then another murder occurs, and the suspense intensifies until the shocking conclusion in this tightly plotted story. Sure to please fans of Raymond Chandler, Michael Connelly and James Lee Burke. 09/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2009 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THE SPIRE by Richard North Patterson: When I was a student at Georgia Tech, the term for not obtaining the grades or respect you felt you were entitled to was known as being shafted or given the shaft. Today at the center of campus is an 80-foot-tall campanile (the Kessler Campanile) which has the rough appearance of a twisted obelisk, tapering towards the top and capped with a pyramidal piece. It is constructed of 244 stainless steel plates, with each rotated slightly to produce the swirling pattern as height increases. On campus it is known, of course, as The Shaft. Similarly the Spire, a 200 foot plus sandstone belltower, is the centerpiece of Caldwell College in Wayne, Ohio. It is there that gifted athlete Mark Darrow discovers the body of murdered black coed Angela Hall, a murder for shich his best friend is convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Now a nationally renowned lawyer, Mark is offered by his friend and mentor Lionel Farr, now the provost of Caldwell College, the post of college president 16 years after Angela’s murder. Mark agrees to return to Caldwell, now struggling with the suspected embezzlement of $900,000 from its endowment by its current president. Upon his return, Mark investigates both the embezzlement and the old murder hitting exposed nerves and stirring up both old and new tensions. A good one. 06/10 Jack Quick

THE SPIRIT OF LIBERTY by Ted Allbeury: Philby, Burgess and Maclean – arguably the three biggest traitors of the Cold War. But was there a Fourth Man? One who was never uncovered. George Carling, now Lord Carling, one of the top British SIS agents during the cold war, could be that person and now a tabloid newspaper is threatening to expose dark secrets about him. The SIS wants to know the truth – and before anything gets printed, so agent Tim Mathews is sent to visit Carling and hear his version. A spy story based more on emotion than action, this is another good one from one of the masters. 09/07 Jack Quick

SPIRIT HOUSE by Christopher Moore: I have enjoyed Tim Hallinan’s Bangkok series featuring Poke Rafferty so much that I thought I would give this one a try. Vincent Calvino is a disbarred lawyer working in Bangkok as a PI. When a farang (foreigner) is found dead, the Bangkok police have a confession the next morning from a young paint-thinner addict. It doesn’t seem right to Calvino, so he weighs in on behalf of the addict for a friend who runs a slum charity. The freight is being paid by the father of the expat Brit victim, Ben Hoadly. Money is no problem and soon Calvino’s best friend, Pratt, a Shakespeare quoting Thai police colonel, and his loyal assistant, Ratana are deeply into a dangerous world of addicts, dealers, fortune tellers, inexpensive hit men, oversexed foreigners, and professional bar girls. I think I still prefer Hallinan but will certainly try more of Moore – did I really write that? Oh well. At least the contest between Moore and Hallinan did not end in a Thai. 11/09 Jack Quick

SPLIT IMAGE by Robert B. Parker: This ninth Paradise police chief Jesse Stone novel also includes PI Sunny Randall and Susan Silverman, the significant other of Parker’s best known character – Spenser. Stone is following up on the gunshot murders of Petrov Ognowski and Knocko Moynihan. Moynihan and Reggie Galen are both ex-mobsters (?), neighbors and husbands of identical twin wives. Their apparent happiness (at least prior to Moynihan’s murder) sets Jesse off on an introspective review of his own failed marriage. Randall is trying to help the parents of 18-year old Cheryl DeMarco to get her to come back home from a Paradise religious cult, an act that also sets off the emotional alarms and send her to Silverman. If you are a Parker fan, you have to wonder if he sensed his own demise and is trying somehow in this book to clean up a lot of loose ends. Enjoyable, but different. 03/10 Jack Quick

SPLIT SECOND by David Baldacci: Secret Service agent Sean King is distracted-by something when the presidential candidate he’s guarding is shot dead. Eight years later, agent Michelle Maxwell lets the candidate she’s watching enter a funeral parlor room alone; he’s kidnapped. King ends up as a successful lawyer in a small Virginia town, living a quiet and peaceful life that is shattered by the murder of one of his employees, a man who was in the federal Witness Protection program. Maxwell sees King on TV and decides to look into the event that caused his disgrace, so similar to hers. Meanwhile, King’s old flame, Joan Dillinger, an ex-agent whose security firm has been hired to find the kidnapped presidential candidate, hires King to help in the hunt. The personal and inter-agency conflicts throughout drive the story to a somewhat unlikely conclusion, but the journey there is first rate. 01/09 Jack Quick

SPOOKY LITTLE GIRL by Laurie Notaro: Lucy has just returned from her long-awaited vacation to Hawaii (didn’t turn out quite as she’d hoped) to find all of her possessions on the lawn and the locks on her doors changed. Her fiancé has kicked her out and cancelled the wedding, with no explanation. Then she loses her job after being accused of stealing and mysteriously failing a drug test. So Lucy packs up and heads home to her sister, hoping for a fresh start. And a fresh start is what she gets, though not in the way she expected. Lucy is hit by a bus and lands in ghost school where she’ll be taught to maneuver the world of the living in order to complete an assignment that will allow her to move on. But the assignment isn’t clear and apparently involves hanging out with her ex and his new girlfriend. Notaro’s fiction debut is a fun story that mixes her unique humor with a sweet paranormal tale of friendship, family, and unfinished business. 05/10 Becky Lejeune

SPOON by Robert Greer: The American West comes alive in this story about a family-run ranch in early 90s Montana. When TJ Darley meets Arcus Witherspoon, a man in search of the truth about his own past and heritage, he can’t know how much the man will affect him and his family over the course of the coming year. Spoon proves his worth to the Darleys and earns himself a position as a ranch hand on the farm after completing a seemingly impossible task: impressing TJ’s father. The family opens up to him and he in turn does his best to help improve their situation. When a large company sets their eye on the Darleys’ ranch and the land neighboring theirs, Spoon’s smarts and talents will prove to be more valuable than any other resource at hand. Greer’s tale is one that is easy to fall into. From start to finish, the reader is completely swept up in the Darleys’ and Spoon’s stories. An excellent book that perfectly illustrates Greer’s talent as a storyteller and writer. Spoon was previously published as a short story included in Greer’s Isolation and Other Stories. 10/09 Becky Lejeune

SPRING FEVER by Mary Kay Andrews: Annajane Hutchins has been divorced from Mason Bayless for years. She’s involved in a new relationship so feels quite comfortable attending Mason’s wedding. Or does she? Feelings thought long dead spring alive and when an unfortunate, and hilarious, event occurs that stops the wedding cold. Annajane starts to think that maybe it happened for a reason, and maybe she isn’t as over Mason as she thought. Set in a small southern town with the zany characters and southern charm that Andrews excels at, this is a light, fun read with lots of heart. Spring Fever is Mary Kay Andrews at her best. If you’re only going to have one beach read this summer, make it this one. 6/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
SPUN TALES by Felicia Donovan: They are back, those lovable ladies of the Black Widow Agency who specialize in bringing their own brand of justice to wronged women like themselves. This episode revolves around a famous author whose controversial medical thrillers (hmm, insert guess here) have made her the target of angry fanatics and powerful pharmaceutical interests as well as adoring fans, who may be the most dangerous group of all. It takes all their trademark blend of computer forensics, surveillance technology and plain old-fashioned feminine intuition to keep the author and her unpublished manuscript safe. Don’t stumble over some of the scenes like this one: “By the way, Ma, you may want to go out a little more. Mrs. McDougal cornered me and said she is worried about you because you haven’t been out much. Oh, dear what did you say to her? That you were full of shit. Katie! Sorry but I had to think of something. Oh, and by the way, don’t be surprised if she shows up with prune pie and extra pulp orange juice.” You gotta love ‘em. 09/08 Jack Quick

THE SPY WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS by David Morrell: Paul Kagan is the son of Russian gymnasts who defected to the United States when his mother determined she was pregnant. Reared in Florida, he speaks fluent Russian and English and has grown up to hate communists. He is the perfect candidate to become a CIA spy and has been infiltrated into the Russian Mafia to find whether they are in league with Al Qeada. Now it is Christmas Eve and Kagan is in Sante Fe, wounded and being pursued by three Russian “magi”. He has broken cover to run off with a package his bosses have hired him to steal — the baby son of a modern-day peacemaker. It is a marvelous variation on the Christmas story while not being overtly cutesy. 09/09 Jack Quick

THE SPY WHO JUMPED OFF THE SCREEN by Thomas Caplan: The premise of the book should be an interesting one. Three nuclear weapons are stolen to be delivered to a force that will use them against American interests. In desperation the president of the United States calls upon Ty Hunter, an ex covert operator who has retired from military service and has become the most sought after actor in the world. Why he calls on Ty is more than a little unknown, but it is apparently due to his personal good looks, his inherent charisma and of course, his acting ability. Hunter accepts the mission since the US president explains that Ty has coincidentally visited the thief due to a chance meeting with that person’s fiancée, Isabella Cavil, and an invitation by her to visit a yacht owned by the scoundrel stealing the nuclear warheads and has been invited to return. Ty returns to Europe and the Mediterranean to check out the situation and recover the weapons, and naturally begins falling for the lovely Isabella who reciprocates, finding out that she really doesn’t love the dastardly villain. Caplan has a tremendous command of the English language and lavishes it on the reader with lengthy conversations and overlong descriptions of various things and situations. The book is 400 pages in length and might be more interesting cut down to about 300. The characters are all two dimensional and inspired no interest on my part to revisit them in any further books on their actions. The ending is abrupt without really satisfying any desire by the reader to reach any conclusions about it’s satisfaction. In summary too wordy, too descriptive and not really interesting. 1/12 Paul Lane

SPYCATCHER by Matthew Dunn: Initial outing from a former MI6 Intelligence officer. Fantastic plot and we can only hope Mr. Dunn’s overall writing skills can improve to the level of his plotting. I enjoyed the book, but couldn’t help comparing it some of le Carre’s best because of the plot, and with some better writing this would be right up there. Will Cochrane is the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized asset … and their deadliest weapon. Since childhood, the only world he has ever known is a clandestine realm of elaborate lies and unholy alliances—where trust is rare, betrayal comes cheap, and a violent death is often the penalty for being outplayed by an opponent. Now his controllers have a new game: neutralize one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, believed to be a general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. In a breakneck race through the capitals of Europe and into America’s northeast, the spycatcher will discover that his prey knows the game all too well … and his agenda is more terrifying than anyone could have imagined. 1/12 Jack Quick

THE SPYMASTERS by W.E.B. Griffin: Summer 1943. Two of the Allies’ most important plans for winning World War II are at grave risk—Operation Overlord’s invasion of France, and the Manhattan Project’s race to build the atomic bomb. A furious FDR turns to OSS spy chief Wild Bill Donovan—and Donovan turns to his top agent, Dick Canidy, and his team. As usual Griffin captures the drama and uncertainty of those perilous times, telling a great story while focusing on the human players, their fears, and willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals. Another good one. 9/12 Jack Quick

ST. ALBANS FIRE by Archer Mayor: St. Albans Fire, the latest in Mr. Mayor’s Joe Guenther series may be his best yet. In addition to his always picture perfect invocation of present day New England life, this time Mr. Mayor explores the hearts and minds of his principal characters in greater detail than usual and with an almost exquisite sensitivity not normally encountered in crime fiction.
His description of the feelings of a teenage farmboy gripped in the emotional chaos of his first sexual encounters gets the hormonal kaleidoscope exactly right and then thrusts this bundle of hopes and potential into a fatal firestorm in the family barn.
Joe Guenther is assigned by the Vermont Bureau of Investigation to look into this and two other earlier barn fires in the general area. During the course of his investigation, he deals with the whole spectrum of emotional types – the laconic New England farmer father, the angry mother, the mobster’s squeeze on the side, and even his own cantankerous staff. In every instance, he explains why he understands this behavior and responds to their various needs to the extent possible. Mayor even invests his bad guys with some humanity, noting that bad people are capable of loving behavior.
As always, Joe’s procedure is sound and leads to his solution of the crime, if not in time, at least in satisfying fashion.
I really enjoyed the additional development of the characters and believe that this makes this an even stronger than usual offering. However, I do have a niggling concern that this unusual empathy may be unrealistic in a police officer. Even one who has seen a lot of stuff for a long time. I will be interested to see which direction this series goes next.
Despite my concern, this is, I think, the best book in a fine series and worth reading for fans of crime fiction. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

ST. ALBANS FIRE by Archer Mayor: Three mysterious barn burnings, two of which are obviously related, are the basis of Joe Gunther’s 16th adventure as the number two man in the Vermont Bureau of Investigation. Gunther becomes involved because the third fire has a human victim as well as dairy cattle. His investigation leads him to New Jersey where he and sidekick Willy Kunkle are eventually able to solve the case. Another well-written entry in this series which captures rural New England and all its quirks as well as its beauty and appeal. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

STALKED by Brian Freeman: In the third installment of this thrilling series, Jonathan Stride and Serena have left Vegas and returned to chilly Minnesota. Stride has been reinstated as lieutenant in charge of the Detective Bureau and Serena is now working the private sector, earning money as a PI. The book begins with the murder of Maggie’s husband, Eric. With Maggie the undeniable prime suspect, Stride is not allowed to work the case. So, instead, he tackles a missing person’s investigation; a local woman who was recently involved in a fake rape scandal has disappeared. Stride soon discovers an unmistakable link between Eric and the missing woman. The case takes yet another turn when the body of the woman in question is discovered in one of the area’s frozen lakes. At the same time, someone has been strategically stalking Serena and manipulating her into a position where he can finally strike. He’s been biding his time and planning his revenge, and now with Stride distracted, he’ll finally get his chance. Freeman wowed thriller fans with his debut title, Immoral. His stunning follow-up, Stripped, showed that he was no one-hit wonder. Now, with Stalked, he has surely cemented his position as a guaranteed bestseller. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

STALKED by Brian Freeman: There is a saying that revenge is a dish best served cold, but even Duluth, Minnesota, can become red hot when you look underneath all that beautiful winter snow. Duluth Police Lieutenant Jonathan Stride is certain that his partner Maggie Bei didn’t kill her husband, but she is hiding a secret. There are other secrets as well. A beautiful young woman has disappeared and his lover – former Las Vegas cop and now Duluth P.I. is chasing a blackmailer, who seems to know all the city’s little secrets, including Maggie’s. Throw in some kinky sex, and a who did what to whom and when and how and you have a great long weekend book that will keep you turning pages all the way to the end. A good one. 04/08 Jack Quick

STALKING SUSAN by Julie Kramer: Reporter Riley Spartz has had a tough time lately. After losing her husband in an explosion, she’s had to take some time off to recover. Time off could mean the death of a reporter’s career. It’s a good thing then that her friend, newly retired police officer Nick Garnett, has handed her a sweet tip on what could be a cold serial case. Two women, each named Susan, killed on the same day exactly one year apart. As Riley investigates further, she finds more possible victims, but she worries that the killer, who seems to have been dormant for almost a decade, may be reawakened by her stories. As the anniversary date of these murders draw near, it becomes clear that someone else has taken an interest in Riley’s story, and an unhealthy interest in Riley herself. Can she uncover the killer’s identity before it’s too late? What a great debut. Kramer, a freelance news producer, combines her years of experience in the industry with her obviously great storytelling ability to create what could be one of this summer’s best mysteries. Riley is a sassy and quick-witted heroine that readers will adore. Stalking Susan is the first in a new series. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

STALIN’S GHOST by Martin Cruz Smith: Senior Investigator Arkady Renko is back in Moscow and is splitting his time between two cases. One involves two fellow police detectives, Nikolai Isakov and Marat Urman, both former members of Russia’s elite Black Berets, who served in Chechnya, who may be involved in a murder for hire scheme. The other involves reports that the ghost of Stalin has begun appearing on subway platforms. Bodies start showing up, Renko’s life is threatened, but he slowly and deliberately builds his case until all the pieces come together. No one else other than Stuart Kaminsky, seems to do contemporary Russia as well as Smith. Both consistently provide great reads, and this one is no exception. To paraphrase another reviewer, Renko always seems to be digging his own grave, but thus far hasn’t had to use it. Definitely recommended. 08/07 Jack Quick

STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN’S GRAVE by Ian Rankin: Old meets new as John Rebus returns to investigate the disappearances of three women from the same road over ten years. Rebus has never shied away from lost causes – one of the many ways he managed to antagonize his bosses when he was on the force. Now he’s back as a retired civilian, reviewing abandoned files. Unlike his skeptical colleagues, Rebus can sense a connection – but pursuing it leads him into the crosshairs of adversaries both old and new. Among the new one are Malcolm Fox of Complaints who feels Rebus must be dirty, just based on his reputation. Fellow officer DI Siobhan Clarke believes in Rebus and her support just may cost her job. Delightfully twisty. 2/13 Jack Quick

STAR ISLAND by Carl Hiaasen: It’s been a long wait for a new book but apparently Hiaasen has spent the time reading the tabloids and keeping his pen rapier sharp. He takes on Hollywood, the music business, and the paparazzi in this fresh, funny tale of a teenage superstar who is used and abused. The former Cheryl Gail Bunterman, known as Cherry Pye to her fans, was a good looking 14 year old girl when she was discovered by the degenerate running Jailbait Records. She had her first hit, and her parents figured out that she could support the whole lazy family. She couldn’t sing worth a damn, but learned to lip sync, drink, do drugs and have one messy affair after another, all by the time she was 16. Her pervert producer hired publicists (fraternal twins turned identical via plastic surgery) but despite their combined efforts, one cancelled concert due to “gastritis”, AKA a drug overdose, made Cherry’s career careen into a downward spiral. Her parents hire Ann DeLuisa, a look alike actress, to help divert attention from Cherry’s misdeeds, but in the process Ann gets kidnapped by a paparazzo who is obsessed with the star and determined to get photos before she overdoses and dies. Throw in a bodyguard with a missing hand and a weed-wacker for a prosthesis, a one-eyed ex-governor of Florida turned vigilante, a Florida real estate scammer, and the whole South Beach scene and then you have Star Island in all its incredible, ridiculously excessive glory. I loved it. 08/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE STAR OF ISTANBUL by Robert Olen Butler: A novel set 100 years ago during the first World War at a time that the U.S. had not entered the fray as yet. Butler has set up a plot that moves through major events occurring in 1915 and brings them to life in a well researched novel featuring Christopher Marlowe Cobb a war correspondent and spy utilized by the author in other books. Cobb is tasked by the US government to follow a man named Brauer aboard the liner Lusitania in May of 1915 believing that he has information vital to the war effort. Cobb does so and while sailing on the ship meets actress Selene Bougani, with whom he begins a romantic attachment, falling in love with her. It also appears likely that Selene has her own secrets regarding events in the conflict raging in Europe. The liner sails from New York loaded with passengers in spite of an ad placed by the German consulate advising that the Lusitania is British and is sailing into a war zone. Nearing the coast of Ireland on May 7th the ship is torpedoed by a German u-boat and quickly sinks. Butler’s description of the attack, the panic and chaos that follow is a definite highlight of the book. He subtly changes his style of writing during description of the sinking to get the reader to rapidly follow events becoming more attuned to what most likely did happen and reactions of the people involved. Cobb helps Selene to survive and once ashore follows her ultimately to Istanbul where she has had a meeting arranged by Brauer with Enver Pasha, rising star of the Turkish army and later to become Ataturk, the power behind the formation of modern Turkey. In the background of the events depicted are the ongoing battle between Turkey and Anzac soldiers at Gallipoli only 150 miles away from Istanbul, and another outburst of the massacre of Armenians and attempts to deport them that has been going on for many years. A fascinating book and depiction of another time brought to life by the author. A novel that brings a great romance into world shattering events. Cobb and Selene are very well sketched out and brought to vivid life and it is sure that Cobb will be featured in future novels by Butler set in the WWI era. 10/13 Paul Lane

STARDUST by Neil Gaiman: The town of Wall sits between London and the land of Faerie. A wall is the only thing that separates this world from theirs. While walking Miss Victoria Forester – the prettiest girl in all of Wall – home one evening, Tristran Thorn spies a fallen star. He pledges to bring the star back in exchange for Victoria’s hand in marriage. He sets off on a journey that will take him into the land of Faerie. When he reaches the star, he is surprised to find that it is in the shape of a girl, Yvaine. The star escapes from Tristran and her mother, the moon, soon appears to him in a dream. The moon has requested that Tristran protect her daughter from those that would wish her harm. One of these is a member of the Lilim, a witch queen who wishes to tear the heart from Yvaine so that she may regain her youth. Yvaine is also being pursued by the remaining heirs of the Kingdom of Stormhold, one of whom will inherit only after retrieving a certain item she carries. This sweet fairy tale is yet another example of why Gaiman is so popular today. It’s also a great starting point for anyone interested in Gaiman’s work.
The PS edition, released by Harper Perennial, features some interesting extras including a preface to another tale Gaiman was originally working on called Wall. Also, for Gaiman fans and Wall enthusiasts, Susanna Clarke, author of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, once wrote her own Wall tale – Gaiman mentions it in his preface – this tale can now be found in Clarke’s own collection of short stories (it was previously only available in A Fall of Stardust a book of collected art that was released in 1999). 06/07 Becky Lejeune

STARK by Edward Bunker: If Ken Bruen had grown up in Southern California in the 1960’s he could have written this book. Edward Bunker was an ex-con, author, and actor. STARK was apparently written in the late 1960’s and only discovered after his death in 2005. It’s the gritty tale of a California hophead, who is out to make a big score. Only problem is with two strikes, one more mistake will put him behind bars for life. So if he has to screw over the whole town, so what? He really has nothing to lose. Violently full of lowlifes and a main character that James Elroy describes in the forward as “so cool he is freon frigid… (craving) boss threads, fast rides, slick bitches.” A great read. 03/08 Jack Quick

THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN by Marjorie Reynolds: The summer of 1956 was a pivotal one for Callie Anne Benton. Her father managed and ran the Starlite Drive-In, a position that came with housing for himself and his family. Callie Anne’s mother doesn’t leave the house—she is trapped by her own fears and a husband who resents her for it. But a drifter named Charlie Memphis will change everything. Years later, bones are found on the grounds of the old Starlite and Callie Anne is transported back to that long ago summer. Originally released in 1997, The Starlite Drive-In is new out on shelves to be rediscovered by audiences. It’s a quick and easy read with a cast of characters that evoke all sorts of emotions. Callie Anne is easy to love, but readers may find it hard to truly love or hate some of the others involved. In showing the multiple sides of each of them, Reynolds creates a story that is simply entrancing. 2/12 Becky Lejeune

STARTERS by Lissa Price: When there was not enough vaccine to go around, the government had to make a tough decision. Ultimately, the most vulnerable were the only to receive the injection: the very young and the very old. As a result the population has been whittled away. Enders, those over 60, now enjoy a much longer and healthier life, living beyond their first century. To protect their interests, laws have been placed on employment and Starters – teens — are not allowed jobs. Many of the young whose parents were killed in the Spore Wars are now orphans, frequently rounded up and placed in institutions. Callie Woodlawn and her brother have been living on the street trying to survive and avoid the Marshals. As a last resort, Callie signs on with Prime Destinations, a company that allows Enders to rent Starters’ bodies. But something has gone wrong with Callie’s renter. Warned against returning to Prime Destinations, Callie finds herself in the middle a massive conspiracy that will have grave ramifications for others like herself. Price’s debut is mind-blowing! A chilling version of the future that is all too believable. Book two, Enders, is due out in December. 4/12 Becky Lejeune

STATE OF THE UNION by Brad Thor: Series hero ex-Navy Seal and special agent with the Office of International Investigative Assistance Scot Horvath is neck deep in a twenty-year old Russian operation to hide at least 19 suitcase size nuclear weapons in secret U.S. locations. Now the Russians are using the threat to try to control President Jack Rutledge. While beating the Russian plot (in seven days) Horvath also must determine if family friend and former FBI Deputy Director Gary Lawlor is part of the plot. You know the good guys will win in the end, but what a ride to get there – from a Berlin brothel around the world to the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC. Hold on tight. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

STATEN ISLAND NOIR edited by Patricia Smith: Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Manhattan and now Staten Island – the five boroughs of New York City. If you have not yet discovered the Akashic Noir Series, you are in for a treat. Each volume, including this one and the others in the New York series (Brooklyn 1, 2 & 3, Manhattan 1 & 2, Bronx and Queens), feature short stories by well known and not so well known authors which occur in the same geographical area. You may not care for all of them but I guarantee you will find a gem or two. For me, it was Lighthouse by S.J. Rozan and the User’s Guide to Keeping Your Kills Fresh from Ted Anthony. 11/12 Jack Quick

STAY by Nicola Griffith: Devastated by her lover’s death in a slaying that was her fault, Aud (as in “shroud”) Torvingen is rebuilding an isolated Appalachian cabin and trying to overcome her grief over the death of her lover. Her oldest friend Dornan seeks her help to locate his fiancée who has gone missing. Aud quickly tracks the missing Tammy Foster to a Soho loft, and then is ultimately persuaded to put an end to the activities of Geordie Karp, the psychopath who turned Tammy into a sexual and psychological slave and has already chosen his next victim, a 12-year-old girl who’s been smuggled into the country and sold to Karp. This sequel to The Blue Place is best read after that outing but is strong enough to stand alone on its on. Recommended. 02/09 Jack Quick

STAY CLOSE by Harlan Coben: Another superb standalone from the master of the suburban thriller. This time out our suburbanite is Megan, a soccer mom of two and happily married to David – except Megan isn’t exactly what she appears to be, or at least she wasn’t. This is a novel about secrets and how they eventually come out with sometimes disastrous consequences. Ray also has a secret. Now he’s a pseudo-paparazzi, taking pictures of bar mitzvah boys and desperate dates for money because he hasn’t been able to live with his secret. Jack is a cop, a detective who caught a case of a missing husband that he wasn’t able to solve and seventeen years later, still can’t let it go. Coben tells compelling stories with interesting, complex characters and twists that I never see coming. Lots of action and tension that just keeps mounting make Stay Close un-put-downable. 3/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

STAY CLOSE by Harlan Coben: Coben has since 1995, written and had published 16 books. He began with works about his sports agent and side line detective Myron Bolitar and graduated to several very high quality stand alone books which vaulted him quickly into the top tier of mystery and thriller writers. Stay Close, a stand alone, is involved with the complex emotions of three people rooted in traumatic experiences seventeen years prior to the events in the book. Megan is a suburban wife living the good life with a loving husband and two children, but she has a past that is rooted in another existence on the wild side. Ray was a great photojournalist prior to events of seventeen years ago, and now completely traumatized is a third rate photographer taking pictures for a small company hiring out as paid paparazzi for small change. He and Megan were lovers and although apart neither can release the other from their memories. Jack is a detective that investigated a disappearance 17 years ago in which a husband was never found, and for some reason cannot let the case go. Each year on the date of the disappearance he visits the house where the husband lives which the wife maintains exactly as it was 17 years prior. The story is set in Atlantic City, and when someone goes missing on the same day as the disappearance 17 years ago, the event presents similarities to the first case and pulls all three characters into proximity, dredging up memories and feelings long suppressed. Coben is a master of fleshing out these characters; we feel Megan’s pull towards her past and her very ambivalent feelings about her present life. Ray also in meeting Megan in the present day brings up old, very strong feelings for her. Jack needs closure to his case and finds working it again in an active manner is just what the doctor ordered. The ending is a bit of a surprise but in line with the facts brought out in the book, and leaves the reader wondering what the three principal characters will do next. Another good one by Harlan Coben. 4/12 Paul Lane

STEALING THE DRAGON by Tim Maleeny: This is a wowzer. Cape Weathers is a young private investigator/former cop in San Francisco investigating two incidents. First, a ship from China full of illegal refugees runs aground when the crew is murdered. Then Cape’s best friend Sally disappears, and the Chinese Triads, an organized crime group, thinks he knows where she is. What he doesn’t know is that Sally is a trained assassin, and the chapters alternate between Sally’s back story, which is completely fascinating, and the refugee mess in Chinatown that is compounded by a hotly contested political battle for Mayor. Intricate plotting, appealing locations, unusual characters, and a touch of humor combine to make this one amazing debut novel. 05/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

STEALING THE DRAGON by Tim Maleeny: Wow. San Francisco PI Cape Weathers, a former cop, is enlisted by his buddy on the force to look into the murder of the crew of a ship carrying hundreds of Chinese refugees. Indications are that a professional assassin is responsible. Coincidentally, Weather’s partner Sally (who happens to be a trained assassin), is missing. Cape must survive a deadly war with the Triads, the Chinese organized crime syndicate. Maleeny captures the essence of San Francisco beautifully in this first effort. I can’t wait for Cape Weathers’ next outing. 09/07 Jack Quick

Step-Ball-Change by Jeanne Ray: Another charmer from the author of Julie & Romeo. Caroline seems to have it all; happily married for 42 years, four attorney (or attorney-in-training) children, and her own dance studio. Then her daughter announces her engagement to the son of the oldest and wealthiest family in town, with her future in-laws announcing they will split the cost of the wedding for 900+ guests with them, her sister blows into town and moves in to nurse her wounds from her impending divorce, and the contractor just told her he can’t finish her sun porch as the foundation is about to cave in. But somehow it all works out in this feel-good book.

STEP ON A CRACK by James Patterson: Chrissy, three; Shawna, four; Trent, five; twins Fiona and Bridget, seven; Eddie, eight; Ricky, nine; Jane, ten; Brian, eleven, and Juliana, twelve – the ten reasons why NYPD detective Michael Bennett has to hold it together this Christmas even though his wife is succumbing to cancer. This was not the plan when he and Maeve had begun adopting their brood. Nor was it in the plan that the former First Lady would be killed. Her funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral becomes even more of a challenge when men storm the church and take hundreds of attendees hostage. Michael is asked to try to reason with a sinister man named Jack. Jack releases all but the most famous people, and makes his demands: he wants several million dollars each from his celebrity hostages which include the mayor, a popular comedic actor, a beloved talk show host, and a pop starlet. Once Jack starts killing, Michael realizes he’s up against a truly diabolical foe. Patterson pulls all the strings on this one, which is the first entry in a potential new series that he hopes will be as successful as the Alex Cross outings. Time will tell, but it’s off to a pretty good start, character wise. 03/07 Jack Quick

THE STEPMOTHER by Carrie Adams: Bea is the divorced mother of three daughters, is overweight, drinks too much and has issues with her own mother. Tessa is single, pushing forty, beautiful, and a successful lawyer. The bad news is that they are both in love with the same man, Bea’s ex, Jimmy, who Tessa calls James. The differences in their relationships begin with the name, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When James introduces Tessa to his daughters, the little girls are easy but not surprisingly, the 14-year-old seems a bit difficult. Tessa has great friends and amazing parents to ask for advice, and between taking that advice, using her godchildren as foils and bribing the kids, she manages to earn their grudging respect. Meanwhile, Bea’s life is sliding downhill rapidly; and when disaster strikes, the whole family pulls together to work things out – but that leaves Tessa out in the cold. Or does it? Alternating between Tessa and Bea’s viewpoints, this sequel to The Godmother is a well written, punchy fairytale of a story, and a fun read. 03/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2008 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

STETTIN STATION by David Downing: The experiences of John Russell in Nazi Germany continue in this third “Station” novel. It is November, 1941 and Russell has decided that he and his German actress girlfriend, Effi Koenen, need to leave Berlin while they still can. Since Koenen is a “celebrity” the only way they can do it is illegally. At the same time U.S. and Japan relations are growing even more intense and there is growing evidence that the Nazis have begun carrying out the Final Solution with the forced transport of Berlin’s Jewish community. In addition to working for British, American and Soviet intelligence, Russell’s is a courier for the Wehrmacht intelligence service, all of which make him an obvious candidate for extra scrutiny by the Gestapo, adding further complications to his plans. Downing is a master at painting the bleakness and fear that pervaded Germany during those perilous times. 05/11 Jack Quick

STIFFS AND SWINE by J.B. Stanley: The pigs is in the pit and it’s up to the supper club members to select the winners at the forty-seventh Hog Festival in this fourth Supper Club Mystery. Not only will they select the Queen Sow, they will also award the cash prize and trophy to the winner of the Blueberry Pie eating contest. Of course, first they need to find out who killed one of the barbecue festival’s family-oriented, finger-licking, fun-loving contestants, particularly since one of the five supper clubbers is accused of murder and jailed. A breezy read coupled with some authentic barbecue-friendly recipes. 01/09 Jack Quick

STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova: Alice Howland is 50 years old, a happily married mom of three grown children and a world renowned professor of psychology at Harvard when she starts noticing that she is getting somewhat forgetful. She initially attributes it to the onset of menopause, but soon becomes uncomfortable enough about it to go see her doctor. A battery of tests are run and eventually the devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer’s disease. This is Alice’s story from start to finish, we see how her world changes month by month through her eyes. We watch her get lost while out running a few blocks from the home she has lived in for many years. We watch her contemplate suicide. We watch her rapid deterioration, and how her family deals with it. This is not an easy read. I found myself crying and having to put the book down and walk away from it more than once – several times, in fact. But it is also a fascinating story and a very personal look at a frightening disease from the perspective of the person going through it. Book groups will find a lot to discuss here, and there is a reading group guide and an interview with the author at the back of the book. Genova, a professor of neuroscience at Harvard, discusses her research, and how the book came to be published. Readers will not soon forget Alice – I know I won’t. 01/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

STILL LIFE by Louise Penny: This first in the Three Pines series finds Chief Inspector Gamache and his team on site in the small village after Jane Neal, a well-liked spinster and retired teacher, is killed in the woods. At first, it appears the death may have been a simple hunting accident, but when no one comes forward, Gamache and team dig deeper. Soon evidence points to murder rather than accident and the people of Three Pines are hurled into an investigation that leaves almost all of them considered suspects. Louise Penny’s award-winning debut is a great character study and a good first mystery. Honestly, though, since I’ve started the series with one of the later titles, I think I enjoyed Still Life more for it not having been my introduction to Gamache and Three Pines. I love the characters and going back to their beginnings was a great reading experience. The plot itself confused me at times, but I trusted that Penny, and Gamache, would reveal all in the end. I’m not sure this would have hooked me to the series alone, but I have seen where Penny takes Three Pines and the rest of her cast of characters, and I have seen how her style evolves. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

STILL MISSING by Chevy Stevens: Annie O’Sullivan’s day began as any normal day would. A real estate agent, she had an open house with a somewhat disappointing turnout. As she is packing to leave, a last minute viewer turns up. Unfortunately for Annie, this man has been watching her and planning her abduction for quite some time. She is held in captivity for a year and forced to endure a truly horrendous ordeal. But that’s not where Annie’s story begins. From the outset, the reader is well aware that Annie has escaped. Annie’s tale is told through sessions with her therapist as she recounts the events that led to where she is today. It also becomes awfully clear that Annie’s nightmare is far from over. This much-talked about debut is a surprising and shocking read. That being said, Stevens is a hugely talented author with an ability to spin a story that will enthrall readers from beginning to end. Still Missing is a thriller comparable in caliber with the best in the genre: Thomas Harris and Chelsea Cain to name a few. 08/10 Becky Lejeune

STOLEN by Kelley Armstrong: When Elena meets her first witches, it doesn’t go down quite as she’d imagined. Nevermind the fact that Elena is a werewolf, she never believed witches even existed. While tracking down a lead about werewolf intel – a threat the pack takes very seriously – Elena meets Ruth and Paige Winterbourne. The two women placed their ad hoping to draw the wolves out so that they could warn them about a very real danger threatening all of the races: a group led by Ty Winsloe, a well known internet tycoon, has been snatching up witches, vampires, shamans, and demons. The witches had hoped that the Pack would join them in attempting to overthrow Winsloe and his entourage, but it’s not until Elena is taken that the wolves have a vested interest in bringing down the kidnappers. This second in the series introduces a lot of the characters that become key players later on and also expands the world Armstrong began building with Bitten. 8/12 Becky Lejeune

STOLEN by Daniel Palmer: Daniel Palmer, in an engrossing novel, brings us the ultimate identity theft book, and as he has done in his previous stories keeps the reader riveted to the pages right up to the final words. John and Ruby are young marrieds seemingly on top of the world, both with John’s growing on line gaming business and a perfect marriage when like a bolt of lightening their world crashes around them. Ruby is hit with a devastating diagnosis of cancer, and the low end insurance they have will not pay the bills for the proper treatment. John, frantic at his wife’s apparent death sentence, devises a scheme based on his knowledge of computer controls. He searches out and grabs the identities of two people that have played his games on line and have the profiles of barely hanging onto a much better insurance plan. The scheme seems to begin working immediately with Ruby’s treatment being paid by the other insurance plan when out of the blue he gets a call from the man whose identity he has stolen. John is told that the scam will not be reported if he does what the man wants him to do. His nightmare begins when he is ordered to steal expensive scarves from a high end store and doesn’t do so. A woman living in the same building as he and Ruby is killed in a violently gruesome fashion and John is told that this is the price for not playing “Criminal,” the game devised by his caller. More demands are made and John finds himself in a web of terror attempting to comply with those demands and trying to save lives threatened by the man tormenting him. He has to continue in order that Ruby can receive her treatment or she will die, but lives a life trapped in the hands of what is really a serial killer in action. Characterizations of the people in the story are excellent and in keeping with Palmer’s previous books. The ending is not telegraphed at any point but is logical and well thought out. Chalk up another winner for Daniel Palmer. 05/13 Paul Lane
THE STOLEN by Jason Pinter: Reporter Henry Parker has a nose for a good story. Unfortunately, he also has a nose for trouble. His investigative talents result in amazing articles, to be sure, but it seems that more often than not he ends up attracting the unwanted attention of some very nefarious individuals. Five years ago, Daniel Linwood disappeared without a trace. Yesterday, he showed up on his parents doorstep, five years older but otherwise healthy. Daniel’s mother has agreed to give the Gazette an exclusive interview and Henry is given the assignment. Over the course of the interview, though, Henry notices that while Danny claims to remember nothing at all about the past five years, his comments seem to indicate that maybe subconsciously he does recall something. Parker digs deeper into the story and discovers another case similar to Danny’s, a girl who was kidnapped and returned years later with no memory of the incident. As he uncovers more connections between the two cases, Parker becomes convinced that there is something very strange going on, and once again, his insatiable need to discover the truth has put him right in the middle of trouble. Pinter is a force to be reckoned with in the thriller world. His plots are smart, his writing is crisp, and Henry Parker is everything a hero should be. The Stolen also delves deeper into the characters surrounding Parker, giving readers a keen insight into the emotional turmoil that he has been dealing with in terms of his love interest and the future issues that will come about as a result of the incidents that occur in this book. Stolen offers enough back-story that it can easily be read as a stand-alone which means it’s a good place for readers unfamiliar with Pinter to get started. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

STOLEN PREY by John Sandford: Lucas Davenport could use the Monkeewrench crew on this one. In the small Minnesota town of Wayzata, an entire family has been killed—husband, wife, two daughters, dogs. It looks an awful lot like the kind of scorched-earth retribution he’s seen in drug killings sometimes. He quickly learns the husband operated a company selling Spanish language software and the wife had been employed at one of the Twin Cities’ major banks. The death of another bank employee seems to confirm that they are on the right track – unearthing a drug money laundry involving the bank’s computers and millions of dollars. One of the best by Sandford. 10/12 Jack Quick

STONE CREEK by Victoria Lustbader: Stone Creek is a small, quiet town in upstate New York. It is home to Danny, a young widower. He lost his wife a year ago and can’t seem to come to grips with his loss. To make things worse, his obtrusive mother-in-law blames him for her daughter’s death. The only thing that keeps him afloat is his five year old son, Caleb. Lily Spencer is a childless, married woman who comes to Stone Creek to get away from her work-obsessed husband and the constant reminder of her inability to have children. They meet; Lily’s heart instantly melts for young Caleb. The three form an instant and powerful bond and the healing begins for all. Lily has a bit of self-discovery and learns that for too long she has allowed her husband decide the fate and future of their marriage. Danny learns to open his heart up to his mother-in-law, and begins to see the hope and beauty in his life and his son. Lustbader does a wonderful job of portraying the strong, cold emotion of loss and abandonment. Stone Creek is powerful display of love, loss, passion, and forgiveness. 06/08 Jennifer Lawrence

STOP THIS MAN by Peter Rabe: Hardcase Crime Number 58 is a re-print of a 1955 classic from Peter Rabe who was born in Germany as Peter Rabinowitsch in 1921, immigrating to the U.S. with his brother in 1938 to escape the Nazis. He began his writing career by turning in a humorous story about the birth of his first son. Soon after, he began submitting hardboiled stories to Gold Medal where he found an enthusiastic editor and a ready market. The original edition of Stop This Man was blurbed by no less a literary figure than Erskine Caldwell, author of God’s Little Acre and Tobacco Road. Stop This Man tells the story of down-and-out thief Tony Catell, who, after stealing 36 pounds of radioactive gold from a lab, must stay one step ahead of the FBI while desperately trying to find someone to take the hot gold off his hands. If the radiation doesn’t kill him, and the cops don’t get him, he may escape the electric chair. 08/09 Jack Quick

STORM FRONT: BOOK ONE OF THE DRESDEN FILES by Jim Butcher: Harry Dresden is a wizard. He doesn’t do children’s parties or love potions, but he is pretty good with finding lost things, especially people. He also occasionally helps out the local police with any suspicious and possibly supernatural crimes. When the bodies of Jennifer Stanton and Tommy Tomm, an upscale call-girl and a bodyguard for notorious mobster Johnny Marcone, are discovered dead, their hearts having exploded out of their chests, the Chicago PD has no choice but to call in Dresden. Harry’s involvement in the case becomes more than a consultation when a demon comes knocking on his door. Soon, the White Council, the governing body of over all wizards, is after him as well. See, Harry may well be the only wizard capable of such murders. With more bodies piling up, and more evidence pointing in his direction, Harry must discover the true killer, or, die trying. Witty prose and fast pacing keep this book interesting and readable. However, with multiple supernatural private eye series to choose from, nothing in particular makes this book stand out among the others. I will admit to being interested enough to give book two a chance to catch me, though. 01/07 Becky Lejeune

A STORM OF SWORDS by George R. R. Martin: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3: As war rages on in Westeros, King’s Landing has won itself a reprieve. Stannis Baratheon has retreated and the Lannisters have held the throne. Theon has fled the north, leaving Winterfell a ruin. Jon Snow has joined Mance Rayder and the wildlings North of the Wall in hopes of discovering their plans and helping defend his brothers in the Night’s Watch. Unbeknownst to him, the Watch has taken a massive hit. Many of their numbers were lost when they were attacked by the wights and others turned on their ranks, betraying their brothers in arms. Arya has been taken by thieves and rogues who hope to ransom her back to her family and Bran is on his own journey North while everyone else believes he’s dead. Meanwhile, Daenerys builds an army across the sea and continues her preparations to regain the throne. A Storm of Swords further proves that everything is game in this series. No character is safe and no story arc is predictable. In fact, with seven books total and only five out at this point, I think it would be safe to assume that none of us has a clue where the story will take us. I can say that it’s a wild and immensely entertaining ride! (Fans of the show should note that season 3 is said to be planned to cover about half of A Storm of Swords.) 6/12 Becky Lejeune
Stone Kiss by Faye Kellerman: Rina Lazarus asks her husband, Peter Decker, L. A. police lieutenant, to go to NY and help out when a distant relative of sorts is murdered while the teenage niece he was with goes missing. This is an engrossing story that just draws you in, with lots of twists along the way. No sign of Peter’s daughter in this one, and the rest of the kids are just periphery, as they should be. I am happy to report that this is the best Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus book in years. If you’re a fan of the series, you will love this, and if you haven’t read them, you can start here or at the beginning of this marvelous series with The Ritual Bath.

STORM CYCLE by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen: Rachel Kirby has devoted her time and her resources to finding a cure for the disease that has been ravaging her sister for years. She’s developed a super computer data system that has the capability of using power from computers around the world to aid in the search for a cure. When her system is hacked by a resourceful and interesting jack-of-all-trades in Egypt, a man who’s life rests in Rachel’s hands, she is intrigued. John Tavak has been hired by some of the biggest and baddest in the world to track down items of varying importance. This time, he’s discovered evidence that one of the world’s oldest physicians, a woman called Peseshet, may have discovered the secret to cell regeneration; an ancient cure that could be just the thing Rachel has been looking for. John and Rachel find themselves racing against time and devious foes as they search for a treasure that has remained hidden for centuries. Will they find it in time to save Rachel’s sister and beat out their enemies as well? This second collaboration, and stand-alone, between mother and son is a fun read even if the characters are a bit flat. 07/09 Becky Lejeune

STORM PREY by John Sandford: Two parallel stories make this one of the more suspenseful entries in the Prey series. The hospital where Weather works has a half million dollars of drugs stolen from its pharmacy and the attendant killed. Lucas Davenport and his Bureau of Criminal Apprehension team are called in to assist the investigation. Meanwhile, Weather, a surgeon at the hospital, may be able to identify one of the killers. An attempt on Weather’s life follows. Then, the bodies of two motorcycle gang members are found in a rural area. Weather, even under 24-hour guard, is part of a surgical team working to separate conjoined twins in a procedure that’s captured the attention of the world’s media. This twenty-second Prey novel has the usual sharp plot, snappy dialogue, and believable action, but the background playfulness and gallows humor that usually fill in the gaps are in short supply. But the parallel story lines certainly make up for that. Highly recommended, specially in hot July while Luca et.al. are battling below zero temps. 07/10 Jack Quick

STORM RUNNERS by T. Jefferson Parker: This book opens with a bang – “Stromsoe was in high school when he met the boy who would someday murder his wife and son,” and doesn’t let up until the last page is turned. Stromsoe and Tavarez meet in marching band and become friends, and eventually rivals for the same girl. They also follow different paths into adulthood; Stromsoe becomes a cop, Tavarez becomes the head of La Eme, the Mexican Mafia. After Tavarez kills Stromsoe’s family he gets life in prison, while Stromsoe tries to deal with life. Eventually he ends up working as a private investigator protecting Frankie Leigh, a TV weather forecaster who is being stalked. Frankie is not your typical weather bunny; in fact, she is descended from a rainmaker and is determined to repeat his success with manipulating weather, but the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power may have other ideas. Some nice twists, believable characters and a really interesting storyline make this another winner for Parker and his legion of fans – I’m glad I’m one of them. 03/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

STORM RUNNERS by T. Jefferson Parker: “Stromsoe was in high school when he met the boy who would someday murder his wife and son.” With such an opening line, you know this one is going to be good. Now with his family gone, killed in an explosion aimed at him, a recovering Matt Stromsoe agrees to serve as bodyguard for TV weatherperson Frankie Hatfield. She is supposedly being stalked, but there is more to this than meets the eye. Hatfield’s great grandfather was “The Rainmaker” and Hatfield is determined to follow up and prove the validity of his attempts to influence rainfall. There are powerful vested interests that do not want this to occur and Stromsoe’s presence soon becomes a lightning rod in the middle of the storm. Nicely done, with action all the way to the final page. 03/07 Jack Quick

THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE by David Wroblewski: Edgar is born mute to Trudy & Gar Sawtelle, a small town Wisconsin family that earns its living by breeding a rare type of dog that can communicate with people. No, the Sawtelle dogs don’t speak, but much like Edgar, they do have this other-worldly way of communicating, bringing a touch of magic realism to this extraordinary story, somewhat reminiscent of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi or even John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany. This is a first novel that is beautifully written, but more than that, has a heart and soul and defies categorization. Hamlet brought forward to the 1970’s immediately springs to mind as there is a mystery here; Edgar’s father dies suddenly, leaving the opportunity for his estranged brother Claude to insinuate himself into the family, especially into Trudy’s affections. Edgar not only communicates extraordinarily with his dogs, but also with his father’s ghost, among others. He is convinced that Claude is responsible for his father’s death, but when he tries to prove it, everything goes wrong, forcing Edgar to run away into the woods of Wisconsin, three of his dogs by his side. The novel then becomes Edgar’s coming-of-age story, a survival story again tinged with magic. The characters are rich and well developed, but unlike most literary novels, plot is king here, the story is all. And it is a story not easily forgotten – this one will be on the best books of 2008 lists, on mine for sure. 8/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

The Story Teller by Arthur Reid: Written by a pair of publishing pros under a pseudonym, this tale of suspense revolves around, what else, the publishing industry. Steven King (not Stephen King) is a struggling literary writer, waiting to finish his first book and make his family proud. Then he meets Ben Chambers, a raconteur who has led a fascinating life, and their relationship takes on an almost father/son veneer. Ben confides that he has written several books but never wanted them published, never submitted them, nothing. When Ben dies and leaves everything he owns, including the manuscripts and the rights to them, to Steven, he starts reading them and finds a commercial treasure trove. He retypes one, puts his name on it and sends it off to his agent/cousin, who sells it at auction and a star is born. But he is not the only one who has read some of these manuscripts, and blackmail rears its ugly head. It’s a similar plot to About the Author by John Colapinto, which was a much more enjoyable book. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE STORYTELLER by Jodi Picoult: Picoult steps away from her usual ripped-from-the-headlines plots to one that feels much more intimate, yet worldly. The titled storyteller refers to Minka, a Holocaust survivor who got through Auschwitz by taking a page from Scheherazade and enthralling one of the upper echelon SS officers with her fairytale that Disney wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole; her hero is a cannibal and the story is an allegory for the Nazis, despite her naïveté about it. Minka’s story is interwoven amongst her own Holocaust experience, her granddaughter Sage, a baker in a small New Hampshire town with a lot of her own angst, two brothers of the Third Reich, and Josef, a ninety-five year old highly respected and admired retired teacher and coach. This is compelling reading, despite all the clichés strewn throughout. I must admit to feeling uncomfortable even saying that, because is it cliché to repeat the oft told horrors of the Nazi regime or is it just reinforcing those stories in hopes of remembrance? Yet somehow I expect more, especially from Picoult with her enormous talent, not to mention her professional editor, to bring her own unique perspective to these horrors instead of dishing us up more of the same. Regardless, the story is intriguing, based on the premise of an old man asking a young woman he perceives to be Jewish to forgive him for his war crimes and help end his life. The legal aspect adds an additional layer of intrigue as does the surprising, twisty ending. 4/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE STRAIN by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan: The Strain, the first in a new horror trilogy, is a collaborative effort between mystery/thriller author Chuck Hogan and award-winning director Guillermo del Toro. It begins with the legend of Jusef Sardu, a tale that stays with Abraham Setrakian through his growing years and beyond as he escapes Nazi troops, movies to Italy where he learns all he can about the legend of the strigoi (vampire), and eventually settles down in New York City. Then an international flight, inbound from Germany, lands at JFK… and goes dark. When investigators are finally able to crack the plane open they discover that every passenger is dead: no signs of struggle, no signs of biological weapons, nothing to indicate cause of death. Dr. Ephraim Goldweather, a member of the CDC’s Canary project, is called in to unravel the mystery and finds that they were wrong in assuming that everyone had died. There were four survivors, none of whom can shine any light on the events onboard. And then the real dead bodies begin to disappear. Setrakian tries to warn them all, but by the time Goldweather and his partner Nora begin to listen, it may be too late for everyone. This is classic vampire horror del Toro style; there are hints of Dracula and even Blade II. The inclusion of vampire legends and mythology are fascinating and bring an extra depth to the tale. I can’t wait to continue on with book two, The Fall. 06/09 Becky Lejeune

STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD by Jane Nickerson: Sophia Petheram is fortunate to have such a kind and caring godfather. Or so she thinks. After her father dies, Bernard de Cressac offers to take Sophia in as his ward. His home, the grand if somewhat dour, Wyndriven Abbey – shipped over from France piece by piece – is too big for one man alone and Sophia’s family is struggling without their father. But Sophia quickly comes to realize that all is not well at Wyndriven. Her godfather is charming to be sure, but he’s unwilling to socialize with any of the neighbors in their small Mississippi town. What’s more, his treatment of his servants leaves something to be desired. And when Sophia sees de Cressac lose his temper, she realizes that the good natured and humorous godfather who seemed so willing to provide for her every need, is someone very different indeed. Jane Nickerson brings an excellent Southern gothic twist to the classic Bluebeard fairy tale. This teen debut is atmospheric and creepy and should definitely appeal to teen and adult readers alike. 6/13 Becky Lejeune

STRANGE AFFAIR by Peter Robinson: My first Robinson, but certainly not the last. Detective Inspector Banks is depressed after being injured and losing all his worldly possessions to a perp who got away (Playing With Fire?). His name and address in the pocket of a murdered woman apparently enroute to see him, as well as a disappearing brother, quickly get him back into the job. Soon it is apparent the two incidents are connected. Fast paced and very well written. If not authentic, this police procedural certainly reinforces any “Brit” stereotypes – you can almost smell the vinegar on the fish and chips and the centuries of smoke in the pub. I look forward to more from the series Stephen King says may be the best on the market today. Recommended. 05/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

STRANGE ANGELS by Lili St. Crow: Dru Anderson and her father don’t live normal lives. Sure, Dru attends high school like all the other kids her age—her father is adamant that she earn a decent education even amidst all the relocating that comes with his job. But Dru’s dad doesn’t work a regular job like other dads. Nope, Dru and her father are hunters tracking down the things that go bump in the night—things most people will never know exist in their world. One day, Dru’s dad doesn’t come home. And then, when he does finally return, Dru is forced to kill him. See someone turned Dru’s dad into a flesh-eating zombie and now Dru is going to hunt that person down and make them pay. Dru’s hunt will lead her to some big revelations about her family and her own destiny, if she survives that is. I loved this book. Lilith Saintcrow’s teen debut has a very dark and adult feel, harder and edgier than most teen titles. This first in the series, and the heroine, are just what I had hoped for and expected after reading Saintcrow’s adult titles. Dru is a strong female lead and while the book is very teen appropriate, I think it will definitely appeal to adults as well. Highly recommended. 05/09 Becky Lejeune

THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER by Leanna Renee Hieber: The Guard were chosen and gifted with abilities to help fight against the strange enemies that would endanger our world. On the night they were chosen, these six boys and girls understood that one day they would be joined by a seventh. Prophecy foretold that the seventh would be a woman, a peer whose coming would herald great danger. Over two decades later, the seventh still has yet to appear. But then Percy Parker shows up at the Athens Academy. A student, older than most who come to the school, with a strange appearance and air about her; she could almost be a ghost. Alexi Rychman and Rebecca Thompson, both members of the Guard who work at the school, are sure that this girl couldn’t possibly be the seventh, especially when Miss Lucille Linden arrives in the Guard’s midst. But Alexi finds himself strangely drawn to this pale student, and all of the signs are convincing him that she might be the one. Hieber’s latest is a fabulous combination of romance, paranormal, mystery, and fantasy, all in a gothic Victorian setting filled with specters and other beings. A mesmerizing read reminiscent in both style and tone of Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrel. Highly recommended. 08/09 Becky Lejeune

STRANGENESS AND CHARM by Mike Shevdon: Niall Petersen narrowly managed to rescue his daughter in The Road to Bedlam. Her imprisonment has left her—and others like her—damaged and bearing a grudge against those who conspired to lock them up. Now, some of the former detainees have begun to wreak havoc amongst the human population. In order to maintain the truce between humans and fey, Niall must track down the escapees and bring them to the Courts. If they are deemed worthy contributions to fey society, they will be offered a place amongst the ranks. If they aren’t… well, Niall isn’t sure what happens then. But not all of these rogue fey are willing to come along without a fight. Now that the world has been established and some of the mythology has been explored, Shevdon’s begun delving more into the characters and the tension between the fey and human worlds. There’s also a nice twist at the end of Strangeness and Charm that’s setup for book four in the Courts of the Feyre series. 6/12 Becky Lejeune

STRANGER IN PARADISE by Robert B. Parker: Apache Indian hit man Wilson “Crow” Cromartie is no stranger in paradise. Ten years ago, Crow was part of a team of ex-cons who plotted to capture Stiles Island, the wealthy enclave off the Paradise coast, making off with millions in loot. Now that the statute of limitations has run, Crow is back, and this time, is seeking Police Chief Jesse Stone’s help. Crow is trying to find young Amber Francisco and bring her back to her father, Louis, in Florida. When Louis orders Crow to kill Amber’s mother Fiona before heading back with Amber, he can’t follow through. You see Crow may do everything else, but he won’t harm women. Its part of his warrior code. Anyway, Jesse’s on-again, off-again relationship with ex-wife Jenn needs a boost and maybe, just maybe, some good will come out of this. Typical spare Parker prose makes this one read like a Paradise, Massachusetts summertime ocean breeze. 03/08 Jack Quick

THE STRANGER HOUSE by Reginald Hill: A stand-alone from an experienced British writer which contains supernatural content, extensive and often incomprehensible Aussie and Brit slang, detailed information on the history of the Catholic versus Anglican Churches, a priest protagonist, set in a rural area – in short almost everything I don’t like. On the other hand it contains deceit, obstruction, mystery, violence and love – all the things I do like, and the writing is awesome – “The rich Catholic families of Hampshire provided the Church with money, congregation, and voluntary workers, but saw no reason to provide priests, not when the poor Catholic families of Ireland needed the work.” Another quote – “Odd thing this about you Catholics, even those ready to risk the sin of fornication will draw the line at contraception.” The plot is devious, the characters are portrayed in great detail, and the story is believable. If this is a typical work, I definitely want to try more of Mr. Hill. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

STRAY by Rachel Vincent: Rachel’s Vincent’s fantastic new series introduces readers to a wholly original set of characters. Faythe is like any other normal young adult, trying to find her place in the world and establish her identity. One thing about Faythe that her college classmates don’t know is that she’s a werecat. In fact, she’s the boss’s daughter and one of the most sought after members of her Pride. See, female werecats have become few and far between and it’s become worse ever since someone has made them a target. This same someone has set his eye on Faythe. She holds her own in a fight and defends herself well when the first attack comes, but her father has other ideas and brings Faythe home where he and the others can protect her. Despite the precautions, Faythe is snatched from the Pride’s own property. Can the others get to her in time or will she have to rely on her own strength and training to save her skin? As with any new and original concept, the amount of explanation required to keep readers from feeling completely in the dark can be overwhelming. Vincent seems to have had no problem with this as the plot moves along smoothly and easily. The amount of play Vincent has with this storyline should provide for some pretty interesting reading for many books to come. Stray marks the beginning of a great new paranormal mystery/urban fantasy series that’s great for fans and new readers of the genre alike. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

STREET MAGIC by Caitlin Kittredge: DI Pete Caldecott has made a career out of logic, but her latest case defies everything she thought she knew. Then she receives a tip from a dead man. Pete was just sixteen when Jack Winter took her to a graveyard and conjured up a dead man. She was sure he’d been killed that night, but here he is now, alive and not so well. The tip turns out to be a good one and a missing child is recovered, but then two more children are taken and Pete has no choice but to ask for Jack’s help. Jack’s magical talents and ability to see the dead around him will certainly come in handy, but he’s been trying to block out one and drowning the other for so long that Pete may not be able to dig the real Jack out again. If she can help him sober up, they may be able to find out what evil force is responsible for the string of kidnappings. If. This is the first in the Black London series and it’s a really great beginning to what I think is going to be a stand out in urban fantasy. I enjoyed Kittredge’s use of Celtic folklore, I feel like it gave Street Magic a fresh appeal. 03/10 Becky Lejeune

THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS by Gail Tsukiyama: This is a warm family saga interwoven with twenty years of Japanese history, and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Two little boys are orphaned and go to live with their grandparents. Hiroshi dreams of becoming a sumo wrestler, and Kenji dreams of creating the masks worn in the theater. But both their dreams are put on hold when the bombs of WWII start falling on their lives. The boys grow up with the horror and famine of war, and but then their lives begin again as a new Japan literally emerges from the ashes. Tsukiyama has penned another poignant story that is never cloy, is always interesting, and should be read. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Strega by Andrew H. Vachss: First one of his books I’ve read, I ran out and bought another as soon as I was done, very dark, excellent read.

STRIP by Thomas Perry: If someone hasn’t already snapped up the screen rights to this one, I want them. The opening scene features Joe Carver hiding out in the control cab of a building crane two hundred fifty feet up admiring the nude photos that Mitch, the crane operator has posted on the dash. With a wife like that, Carver understands why Mitch wants to hurry home at the end of each day’s work. From there it rapidly proceeds to utter chaos. The scene where Joe manages to pick up one Hummer SUV with the crane, lift it up five stories, and then drop it on another Hummer is quickly topped by aging strip-club owner Manco Kapak who learns the hard way that shooting a gun through a closed window that you are standing in front of, sans clothing, can be detrimental to your near term sex life. Kapak is shooting at Carver, whom he thinks was the masked man who stole his cash receipts. It wasn’t Carver, who decides to fight back. In the meantime, the real thief, Jefferson Davis Falkins, decides to make robbing Kapak a life’s profession. LAPD Lt. Nick Slosser, husband to two wives and father of five kids at or nearing college age, doesn’t need the aggravation, as he worries about tuition payments and keeping his two families secret from each other. Carrie Carr, is Falkins Bonnie to his Clyde and Spence, Kapak’s trusted bodyguard, the only one smart enough to deal with Carver, round out the primary cast in this exquisite thriller/police procedural romp though crime and law enforcement. 06/10 Jack Quick

STRIPPED by Brian Freeman: This follow up to last year’s Immoral finds Jonathan Stride and girlfriend Serena Dial in Vegas. Stride has left his post as Lieutenant of the Duluth, MN police force and is working as a detective in Sin City. Stride is called in to investigate when MJ Lane, son of famous producer Walker Lane, is found gunned down in the street. Meanwhile, Serena and her partner have been working on a hit-and-run accident that now appears to have been intentional. Stride and Serena realize that their cases are one and the same when the two victims turn out to have ties to a murder at the Scheherazade Casino and Hotel that occurred over fifty years ago. The infamous murder was that of a Spanish showgirl who headlined the casino’s show. The killer was said to be a stalker who later committed suicide. Rumor has it, the lead investigator on the case was not too thorough and the real killer got away scot free. Now, the murder site is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a new casino and an article highlighting the case has awakened what seems to be an elaborate cat and mouse game of revenge. Freeman is a great new voice on the mystery scene. These books definitely need to be read in order; my recommendation is to start the series now because we will definitely be seeing more of Jonathan Stride in the future. 11/06 Becky LeJeune

STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF by Don Bruns: Skip and James are back with yet another hair-brained scheme meant to set them on the road to success. Following the almost catastrophic events of Stuff to Die For, the two friends have given up their plans of using their truck to become the next U-Haul and have decided to go into the catering business. Reverend Preston Cashdollar and his weekend revival are set to roll into town shortly and James has it on good authority that working the weekend could prove to be a cash-cow for the two of them. The work turns out to a bit more difficult than either of them could predict, though, when it turns out that murder might just be on order for them both. It seems that Cashdollar is suspected of being under the watchful eye of the FBI and some of his full-timers suspect that Skip and James are undercover agents. Though Bruns lives in Ohio, it seems his Florida travels have significantly rubbed off on his writing. Bruns’s colorful Florida based mysteries put him right up there with resident favorites like Carl Hiassen and Tim Dorsey. 09/08 Becky Lejeune

STUFF TO DIE FOR by Don Bruns: Skip and James have been best friends since grade school. That first day, James told Skip he would be his best buddy for a small payment of just fifty cents. Although James had made the same deal with about two dozen other students, Skip is the only one who stuck around. James’s entrepreneurial streak has only grown in the time that they have been together and Skip goes along with every plan. The latest scheme involves a white box truck and other people’s stuff. James’s idea is that the two can start off hauling with one truck and eventually bring in enough dough to expand and hire on employees to do the work for them. Problem is, on the very first haul the two accidentally open a piece of mail that contains a severed finger. Worse yet, the finger seems to belong to one of their high school classmates. With the bad guys chasing after them and their plans for the good life quickly turning south, the two twenty-somthings realize that they have gotten themselves into a mess of trouble and the only way out is to uncover and expose the whole plot before it’s too late. This Lefty nominated mystery marks the beginning of a new series for Bruns. Stuff is a fun and wacky mystery with some of the craziest characters I’ve ever seen and I can’t wait to read the next book, Stuff Dreams are Made of due out later this year. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

STUFF TO SPY FOR by Don Bruns: Skip Moore and James Lessor (and their box truck) return in this third outing of the Stuff series. This time around, Skip has a legitimate job prospect in the form of a huge contract to install a new security system for a company that’s supposed to be working for the Department of Defense. Of course, anything that involves Skip and James is never quite what it seems. Skip has been hired to install the system, sure, but he’s also being paid extra to pretend to be dating one of the employees, a woman who’s having an affair with the boss and wants to keep his wife from finding out. But with so much money on the line, how could Skip refuse? Like all of their schemes, things don’t go as planned and Skip and James are once again risking it all in an effort to get ahead, or in this case, just keep up. Bruns’s comedic series, recently dubbed “dude-lit,” is just the thing for mystery fans looking for something both humorous and still full of suspense. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

SUCCUBUS BLUES by Richelle Mead: In the grand scheme of things, Georgina Kincaid leads a pretty normal life. Well, normal for a succubus charged with tempting men into sin and stealing their life energy. Georgina has a day job as an assistant manager at a local bookstore, and she has good friends. What more could a girl ask for? Considering Georgina has sworn off dating, not much. But when her favorite author sets up shop in her bookstore, the succubus can’t help but imagine what it would be like to live out the fantasies she’s been dreaming up. Before she can even consider changing her no dating rule, however, a local vampire turns up dead. Vamps and other immortals are not so easily disposed of—that’s why they’re called immortal—so for someone to have stalked and killed a vampire is a pretty big deal. After a short time as the prime suspect, Georgina decides to do some digging on her own. And when another of her friends is attacked, no way is Georgina going to consider backing down in her search, despite warnings otherwise. This first of the Georgina Kincaid series makes for a super fun read. A great combination of humor, paranormal, and mystery elements, plus, Georgina is a totally lovable lead. 02/10 Becky Lejeune

SUCCUBUS IN THE CITY by Nina Harper: Lily and her friends are some of satan’s top minions. Lily lures men through lust and delivers them straight to hell, after sleeping with them of course. Her life has left her longing for true love, though, and she may just have found it in sexy PI Nathan Coleman. Problem is, her cover may be about to be blown. A group of serious religious fundamentalists seems to be gaining some inside information about the ladies and their occupations. Their goal is to eliminate the women by any means. The ladies are tasked to discover the demon mole who’s been doling out clues to the mortals, and deliver him straight to satan herself. Harper’s debut has the perfect blend of romance, mystery, and paranormal elements, making it a fun and light addition to the urban fantasy genre. It’s a hip first installment to another original new series. 04/08 Becky Lejeune

SUCCUBUS TAKES MANHATTAN by Nina Harper: In the second book of the series, Lily, a succubus in the service of satan, has just been dumped. Yes, it’s true, even the most desirable woman in the world can have her heart broken, and by a mortal no less. See Lily has been told that she can earn her freedom if a man in full knowledge of her “career” falls in love with her. Well, PI Nathan Coleman just couldn’t handle dating one of the devil’s minions so Lily is alone once again. Or is she? Her one-time fling from the Caribbean has arrived in New York claiming he just couldn’t miss the opportunity to see her again. And just what is it that brings him there in the first place? Official business with the devil’s second in command. It seems there may be a coup in the works and Lily could possibly help discover who’s behind it. When a lower demon is kidnapped in Lily’s place, though, her plans begin to go all wrong. Out of desperation, Lily calls on Nathan for help, but her barely mended heart could be getting the best of her. Funny and feisty Lily and her fashionista pals make fore super fun reading. This humorous paranormal series is perfect for fans of other supernatural reads such as Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, and even Charlain Harris’s Southern Vampire mysteries. 12/08 Becky Lejeune

Sucker Bet by James Swain: This is the third entry in the Tony Valentine series, and it’s a treat. Tony is a retired cop living on the west coast of Florida who keeps busy as a casino consultant. Casinos hire him to help them find the cheaters – either the players or the employees or usually, both. And he’s really, really good at his job. This time around the Micanopy Indian Reservation Casino hires him to find out how a player was able to win 84 hands of blackjack in a row. Things gets more personal when someone puts a live alligator in Tony’s car while he’s investigating. There’s a con being run on a rich retired rock musician whose being set up by the delicious Candy Hart, the “raggle” (the pretty girl distraction) and some not so pretty men. Swain explains the inner workings of casinos in easy to understand language while never taking away from the story. Valentine is a great character, and I’m looking forward to the next entry in the series – it’s a prequel, taking Tony back to his cop days. I had the privilege of meeting Jim Swain, and after being warned not to get into a game of strip poker with the man, I got to see him do what he writes about – he is one of the world’s greatest card handlers, and at his book signings he demonstrates some of the card techniques the cheaters use. He is truly amazing to watch, and a delight to read.

SUDDEN DEATH by David Rosenfelt: In this, the sequel to the Today Show book club pick, BURY THE LEAD, our favorite smart-ass lawyer Andy Carpenter is back, this time defending a pro-football player accused of murder. It’s the Jets versus the Giants, only this time the stakes are much higher than any football game (yes, some things are more important than football and no, that is not sacrilegious!) Rosenfelt has a series of books that are funny as hell yet have enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat, and this one is no exception. Sure to make my favorites list once again – highly recommended. 05/05

SUDDEN DEATH by David Rosenfelt: The missing wide receiver for the New York Jets turns up dead at the home of the star running back for the New York Giants. If that’s not enough of a case for ace lawyer Andy Carpenter in his fourth outing, his canine rescuer partner, his crossword puzzling secretary, and his girlfriend/private investigator each have their own agendas requiring Carpenter’s attention. Although he wants to believe his client is innocent, troubling evidence surfaces of other deaths occurring in locations where his client is present. .If the third time out is the charm, this fourth outing by Carpenter is the entire charm bracelet – and if Andy’s not careful the bracelets (cuffs) may end up on his wrists. As with Rosenfelt’s previous efforts, a fast read with more twists than a New Jersey amusement park roller coaster. Andy and dog Tara are so unlike Parker’s Spenser and Pearl, but just as likable. I look forward to their next adventure. 01/06 Jack Quick

SUGAR POP MOON by John Florio: Jersey Leo is a mixed race Albino working as a bartender in a Hell’s Kitchen, New York speakeasy. His father, a former boxing champion, doesn’t approve of his son working for gangsters, and Jersey doesn’t know who his mother was. Jersey gets a great deal on some moonshine called Sugar Pop Moon, but when he serves the first pour, he realizes he’s been taken in a bait and switch operation. His boss is out of town, giving Jersey a couple of days to get the money back and replace the shine or he’s a dead man. He chases the con man to Philadelphia, where a crazed man with a hatchet tries to kill him. Jersey turns to his father for help and in the process, learns about his mother and her family. This is a hardboiled, prohibition era novel and Jersey Leo is a well-developed, likeable character. The story moves fast, the violence is appropriate to the times and there are laugh out loud moments amid the mayhem. Sure to appeal to fans of Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler, and Robert Fate’s Baby Shark series. 7/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

SUICIDE COLLECTORS by by David Oppegaard: It started slowly and by the time everyone realized what was happening, it was too late. There was no treatment or cure for Despair. Norman, his wife, and their neighbor Pops are all that remain in their Florida town. That is, until Norman returns home one afternoon to find that his wife is dead by her own hand just like everyone else. The Collectors appear that evening to take the body and Norman kills one in his rage. After that, he and Pops decide it is time to hit the road and see if the rumors of a growing community of survivors in Seattle are true. It is said that there is a doctor there working on a cure and that society is trying to rebuild. Shortly after taking off in a rebuilt plane, however, they are shot down and must continue on foot. The journey will be long and arduous, but for Norman and his friend it is their last hope. Although this debut is not being billed as a horror, readers will find that parts of this novel are truly horrific, not to mention utterly bleak. This painfully thought provoking and somewhat strange novel is both disturbing and amazing. 12/08 Becky Lejeune

THE SUICIDE EFFECT by L J Sellers: I finally bought a Nook in order to read e-Books during my thrice weekly five hour kidney dialysis sessions. Therefore it is only fitting that the first book read on my new Nook is this excellent outing from L. J. Sellers. Native American Sula Moreno overhears a conversation about an undisclosed side effect a drug being developed by her employer. She desperately needs her job to gain the judge’s favor in a custody hearing for her son. Yet hundreds of patient lives could be at stake. Two days later when the drug’s lead scientist disappears, Sula is compelled to search for the incriminating data. But Prolabs’ CEO is a desperate man determined to stop her. Can Sula get the proof and expose the drug’s fatal flaw before the CEO risks everything to silence her? Compounding the situation is the fact that the CEO’s son may be one of those at risk. Recommended. 8/12 Jack Quick

SUICIDE SQUEEZE by Victor Gischler: Teddy Folger has burned down his comic book and baseball card store in Pensacola, Fla., for the insurance, and now plans to sail away from his old life—and wife—on the about to be repossessed Electric Jenny. But what repo man Conner Samson soon discovers is that an almost priceless treasure, a baseball card signed in 1954 by both Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe, is hidden on the Jenny—and that a Japanese collector with a team of deadly ninjas will kill anyone who gets in the way of his acquiring it. Conner may well be Gischler’s finest creation. Let us hope to see him again. 02/06 Jack Quick

SUMMER BLOWOUT by Claire Cook: Bella Shaughnessy is trying to move on with her life, but it ain’t easy. Her ex-husband left her for her half-sister, who she can’t avoid as this big pseudo-Italian, Irish family all work together in her father’s chain of beauty salons. Bella’s sworn off men, that is until she meets the very cute, very smart Sean Ryan. He’s not interested in being her rebound relationship, yet is having trouble fighting off their mutual attraction. Another light, breezy and at times, laugh out loud funny summer romance from the author of Must Love Dogs. And there is a Paris-Hilton-pocket-size, slightly stolen dog who almost steals the story. 7/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

The Summons by John Grisham: What a disappointment, I could not get into this book at all. I kept waiting for it to get better and it never did. No plot to speak of, just the simplest of stories, no suspense, no interesting characters save one good old boy lawyer who is never fully developed and the sort of haphazard editing that tends to pull me right out of the story (“a elderly waitress”?) The gist of the story is a lawyer driving around with three million dollars in the trunk of his car for about 200 pages. A complete and utter waste of time.

SUN OF SUNS by Karl Schroeder: Karl Schroeder is getting to be one of my new favorite SF authors. His books can be classified as “hard” SF, since the ideas and situations in them are based on hard science, but they’re a lot more than just “lookit the cool lasers!” Sun of Suns takes place on (in?) a world that is basically an enormous balloon floating in space. Inside the balloon are towns and cities that float in microgravity around artificial suns that support life and agriculture. Despite the tech-y premise though, the story is more like a swashbuckly action/revenge novel, with pirates and swordfighting and ruthless Machiavellian women. Plus, they have these motorcycle things that are basically just a jet engine with handlebars. (The author has said that he mainly wrote the book in order to put the cycles in.) The plot follows a young man who has gone undercover with a rival government to avenge the deaths of his family and most of his town, but of course he soon gets embroiled in a much larger struggle and learns a thing or two about women along the way. A really fun book, with a sequel on the way! 03/07 Jenne Bergstrom

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S by James Patterson: Admittedly, the premise of this book is a little odd. Girl falls in love with her childhood imaginary friend. But, despite this, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a pretty fabulous book. Jane is a lonely child that grows up to be a lonely woman. Her mother, head of a Broadway theatre company is oppressive and overbearing. Jane’s attempts to spread her wings and fly are repeatedly squashed. Then one day she sees him, Michael, her childhood imaginary friend. The only person she could ever confide in, the only person that truly understood her. He shows her that she has the strength and ability to walk out from beneath her mother’s overbearing arms and become the woman she is meant to be. Aside from the odd premise, this is a wonderfully endearing love story, based on something Patterson’s son said to him—“‘Love means you never have to be apart.” 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence

SUNSTROKE by Jesse Kellerman: Gloria Mendez has worked with Carl Perreira for ten years and though their relationship has never progressed past close friendship, she’s been secretly in love with him the whole time. While vacationing in Mexico, Carl goes missing. Gloria’s only clue about is disappearance is a garbled message on the business answering machine. After hounding Mexican authorities, Gloria is told that Carl died in a car accident. She collects his body and returns to the states set on discovering the truth behind his death. Soon, a man claiming to be Carl’s son appears and Gloria finds that everything she knew about Carl Perreira may have been a lie. Just who was this man and what secrets lie hidden in his part? I imagine any new author is a bit intimidated when having their debut novel released. It must be even harder when both of your parents are bestselling authors (Faye & Jonathan Kellerman) themselves. Jesse Kellerman has the skill and talent to stand on his own and Sunstroke proves it. 01/07 Becky Lejeune

SUMMER AND THE CITY: A CARRIE DIARIES NOVEL by Candace Bushnellhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=0061728934&camp=217145&creative=399349: This latest entry for Sex and the City fans is aimed at the explosive young adult market, but most adults should enjoy it too. The first book in this series, The Carrie Diaries, introduced Carrie in her last year of high school, how she got to New York City and how she met Samantha. This book continues her first adventure in the big city, her new friend Miranda and their continuing friendship with Samantha. This summer was a momentous one for Carrie – she is accepted into a prestigious summer writing workshop and she loses her virginity. It ends with Carrie getting her first writing gig and meeting Charlotte, introducing what is sure to be the next installment in the series. A definite must for all Sex and the City fans. 06/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SUMMER IN TUSCANY by Elizabeth Adler: I listened to the audio book version read by Celeste Lawson, who does a great job portraying the different characters and getting the mood just right. Gemma Jericho is an emergency room doctor at one of New York City’s busiest hospitals. Her teenage daughter’s father took off as soon as he heard about the pregnancy. Gemma’s mother, Nonna, rounds out this small family. When Nonna gets a letter from her parish priest back in the small town in Tuscany where she grew up, informing her that she has inherited a large villa at the center of the town, the whole family plans on spending the summer in Tuscany, settling the estate. But when they get there, they find that the attorney in charge of the estate has sold it to an American, Ben, who is turning it into a hotel. The attorney has disappeared, leaving the town divided over who the rightful owner really is. Meanwhile Gemma and Ben can’t fight their attraction to each other, despite their legal wranglings, and Nonna seems to be falling for an old beau from her school days. While the plot it completely predictable, Adler does a great job creating mood, especially in Tuscany, with the food, the wine, and these characters all coming to life. A lovely, gentle romance with a spectacular setting. 6/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SUMMER OF NIGHT by Dan Simmons: Old Central School is being put out of commission. The ancient and crumbling building will not host classes and students will no longer walk the halls, but something ancient and evil creeps along its corridors instead. On the last day of school, a student goes missing. His sister insists that he never left the building and that the adults know something about it. To most, the boy is deemed to be a problem kid who’s finally run off. But some of his fellow students suspect something more ominous. With nothing better to do, and sure that something stinks, friends Duane, Mike, Kevin, Jim, Dale and Dale’s brother, Laurence, decide they will find out what happened to the missing boy and uncover the secrets of Old Central School. But their plans for an amusing way to spend their summer turn dangerous when they begin to expose dark secrets that have been hidden for generations. In the tradition of King’s It and “The Body” Simmons pits a group of kids against a terrifying enemy creating a masterful and chilling read that has become a classic in the horror genre since its release in 1991. 03/11 Becky Lejeune

SUMMER RENTAL by Mary Kay Andrews: Ty Bazemore inherited a beach house in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, which he is struggling to keep afloat. He rents out most of the house as “Mr. Culpepper,” without telling his tenants who he is or that he is actually living above the garage. His newest tenant, Ellis, is meeting up with her best friends for a month of rest and relaxation, which they are all desperate for. Ellis has just been downsized and doesn’t know what she’s going to do, but she does recognize the chemistry between her and Ty. Julia is a model who realizes her modeling days may be over and is having a hard time dealing with that, and her insecurities are affecting her marriage as well. Dorie is a newlywed, but her friends suspect trouble in paradise when her husband doesn’t come with her. These women share the house and their lives, until Dorie meets Maryn who seems well off and very nice, yet somehow homeless. She invites her to stay, and it turns out Maryn, like all these characters, has some secrets too. This is vintage Mary Kay; light and breezy and total escapist fiction. I really enjoyed getting to know these women and sharing their summer on the beach – take this book with you to the beach and have a fun afternoon. 06/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Surface Tension by Christine Kling: A new mystery series set in Ft. Lauderdale, featuring a tugboat captain with the fabulous name of Seychelle Sullivan. She’s trying to make a go of the boat salvage business she inherited from her father, and is just scraping by. She hears a Mayday call from a woman on board the Top Ten, a luxury yacht she happens to be familiar with – it’s captained by her ex-lover, Neil. She heads out to try and save the boat with money in mind, but when she arrives just ahead of the Coast Guard, she finds the woman dead, and no sign of Neil or anyone else. Good characterizations and an appealing locale add interest as the story starts spiraling deeper into murky waters, but Seychelle emerges slightly battered and perhaps even stronger. I am looking forward to more from this new author who knows whereof she writes; Christine has been working on boats for more than twenty years.

SURFACE TENSION by Christine Kling: Tugboat Annie meets Travis McGee in this strong suspense debut. Seychelle Sullivan responds in her salvage tug to a distress call from the Top Ten, a yacht skippered by her former lover, Neal. When she arrives, no sign of Neal, just the body of a dead girl, who was apparently the one who made the distress call. Next, her modest cottage is searched and her stash of emergency money is missing, so she figures Neal must be alive, hiding from the police or from the girl’s killer. Life gets even more dangerous for Sullivan as she searches for answers to what happened to Neal and The Top Ten. 01/06 Jack Quick

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen: Very well written gruesome medical thriller that kept me up half the night. My first foray into Ms. Gerritsen’s work and it certainly won’t be my last. Excellent read.

THE SURVIVOR by Greg Hurwitz: There are many books given the description “I couldn’t put it down”. The Survivor is easily the 2012 winner of the stay up all night award. It grabs the reader right from the start and never lets him or her go. Nate Overbay, a discharged army combat veteran, divorced, estranged from his family and dying from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) has reached the end of his tether and decides to end his life. He selects a bathroom window outside of a bank to jump from and is just building up his courage to let go when he sees that there is a bank robbery beginning inside. Several people have already been shot by the thieves, and a young bank teller is dying right inside the window. Nate reenters, and using his military training surprises the robbers, kills some with their weapons and causes the remainder to flee the scene.
Unfortunately for Nate the thieves are able to identify him, grab him and using the threat of killing his estranged wife and daughter demand that he return to the bank and get something they want out of a safe deposit box. What they need, what it is and the reasons for murder to get it form a major part of the story. Ensuing events are perfectly timed by Mr Hurwitz and keep the reader just going on and on thriving on the action. While the climax is by no means a fairy tale ending it is just perfect for this book. Needless to say the characters, both good and bad are fleshed out perfectly, and their motivations understood by the reader. Read this one after a light dinner, and the entire night to read. 8/12 Paul Lane

SUSPECT by Robert Crais: Maggie is a German Shepherd war hero suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after her stint in Afghanistan. Scott James is a Los Angeles cop who is severely injured when his partner is killed. These two sad cases are joined together at K9 school, where prospects are dim for both of them. But James falls hard for the dog, and they form a special bond during training. James is determined to find whoever killed his partner, but months have passed and the case is stone cold. It doesn’t help that he had insulted the detective that had handled the case either. But with Maggie at his side, James soldiers on. This is a fascinating look at the training process these heroic dogs go through interwoven with terrific suspense and an occasional look at the world through Maggie’s eyes. I loved this book and dog lovers for sure shouldn’t miss it. 1/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
SUSPECT by Robert Crais: A love affair between two wounded individuals, but nothing like your ordinary love story. One of the two is Scott, a police officer shot during a night time assault that also killed his partner; Stephanie. The other is a German Shepherd named Maggie who had served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a marine dog in which she sniffed out explosives. Her handler was killed by an exploding IED and she was wounded in the same explosion. After his recovery from the wound received in the assault Scott refuses to take a medical retirement from the force and is transferred to the police department’s K9 corps where he is teamed with Maggie. The dog had been donated to the department but is deemed suspect due to her wounds. Scott and Maggie bond in a way that only can happen between a human and a dog. The perpetrators of the assault that wounded Scott and killed his partner have not been apprehended nine months after the crime occurred and Scott is allowed to work with the detective team that has been investigating the crime. Crais paints a a picture of the training that goes into bonding a police officer and his partner animal. He describes the feelings of each and does a fantastic job of making the possible thought processes of the dog come alive in her growing relationship with her partner. Robert Crais obviously loves dogs and allows this love to come out in his descriptions of the development of Maggie’s aid in helping Scott and the police department finally come up with answers to the mystery of the assault and individuals involved in it. Many of Robert Crais’ books feature either Elvis Cole or Joe Pike, but he has a fascinating point of departure from his norm in Suspect. He is as good at character development and plot in this stand alone novel as he is in his other books, and the inclusion of Maggie as one of the characters developed is quite unique and fascinating. An engrossing read with a satisfying end and posing the question of whether Scott and Maggie will appear in future Robert Crais books. 2/13 Paul Lane

SUSPECT by Robert Crais: LAPD cop Scott James and his new partner Maggie share a common bond. Each was shot and nearly died in actions in which their respective partners were killed. Scott lost his partner Stephanie in a shocking nighttime assault by unidentified men killed. Maggie is a German shepherd who survived three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan sniffing explosives before losing her handler to an IED. They are each other’s last chance. Shunned and shunted to the side, they set out to investigate the one case that no one wants them to touch: the identity of the men who murdered Stephanie. It is an incredible journey of discovery as each tries to make their other whole. Crais doesn’t need Elvis Cole or Joe Pike to turn out a first rate thriller. 2/13 Jack Quick

SUSPECT by Michael Robotham: Interesting debut from Australia. Joe O’Loughlin is a London psychologist who suffers from Parkinson ’s disease and even worse, is the primary suspect in the killing of Nurse Catherine Mary McBride. Joe has to somehow convince the police that he ahs been falsely accused so he can return to wife Julianne and eight-year-old daughter Charlie. The book is much easier to read than to classify. Is it a psychological thriller or is it a conspiracy thriller. Actually it’s a bit of both told from a very unusual point of view. I look forward to reading more from Robotham. 08/09 Jack Quick

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES by Sandra Ruttan: I don’t normally pay much attention to blurbs, but when you see Ken Bruen and Robert Fate both on the same cover, you really want to see what’s inside. Reporter Lara Kelly and policeman Tymen Farraday are the unlikely team attempting to solve the mystery of a videotape that appears to depict the death of a woman in this gritty debut. Lara’s newspaper story causes the police chief to assign Farraday to discredit her but when potential evidence is stolen and Lara is attacked, Farraday is forced to put aside his negative feelings about reporters and work with her to solve the murder and protect her from the killer. Two more murders occur as they are seeking the answer. In a town where one person holds all the power, not even the police can be trusted. Cozy fans beware, this is one police procedural with the real stuff. 01/07 Jack Quick

SWAN PEAK by James Lee Burke: The seventeenth Dave Robicheaux novel, and they just keep getting better. Dave has accepted the offer of long-time friend Albert Hollister to come to the Bitterroot Mountains of Western Montana to escape the post-Katrina blues. Wife Molly and friend Cletus Purcell come along and they look forward to an entire summer of fishing and relaxing. Unfortunately, Clete runs across a hardass who was a driver for mobster Sally Dio, killed in a plane crash in Black Cherry Blues, the third Robicheaux outing. The thug now works for Ridley Wellstone, a wealthy ne’er do well who counts among his antagonists, retired English professor Albert Hollister. The discovery of the body of a college student, shot execution style, found not far from the body of the dead boy’s raped and murdered girlfriend, coupled with Clete becoming enamored of Jamie Sue Wellstone, wife of Ridley’s brother, Leslie, and throw in Jimmy Dale Greenwood, prison escapee and Jamie Sue’s former lover, and you have the beginnings of a mess. For good measure add in sadistic prison director Troyce Nix in pursuit of Jimmy Dale, and the “Reverend” Sonny Click, and you know there will fists flying and maybe bullets as well, before it all gets pulled back together. If this were Home Run Derby, it would be no contest. Burke has hit it out of the park once again. 07/08 Jack Quick

SWAP by John McFetridge: Difficult to follow tale of Toronto’s criminal underworld. A Detroit born Afghanistan veteran is well suited to provide leadership and weaponry to Toronto’s biker gangs who are gaining control of all of the local vice – narcotics, sex, and so on. The police are portrayed as being basically inept so it is up to the bad guys to screw themselves up, which “Get” does when he gets involved with stick-up artist Sunitha who wants him to join her in an attempt to rob the biker’s gold bullion drug money. Interesting premise but too many characters, too many twists, and plot not well organized. Sorry. 09/09 Jack Quick

SWAPPING PAINT by Jim & Joyce Lavene: Even a casual race fan might pick up on the title of this book – NASCAR for two cars bumping together at speeds about three times what you drive on the highway. However, it would take a Die-Hard (former sponsor) fan to understand the angst of risking an eighteen-month jail term for breaking and entering in order to recover the personalized license plate of Rusty Wallace (former driver). In this high-speed romp, NASCAR driver Ricky Sanders is dead. Its up to former Chicago policeman Glad Wysznewski to solve the murder (since his brother-in-law is a prime suspect) so he can get on with partying in the infield of Lowe’s Motor Speedway and the Coca-Cola 600. As a mystery, this is a pretty well written book, but for a race fan, its potentially nirvana with equal parts of cold beer and hot exhaust blended into the mix. Recommended, particularly for racin’ fans. 05/07 Jack Quick

THE SWEET DEAD LIFE by Joy Preble: In the five years since her father left, Jenna Samuels’s life has gone steadily downhill. Her mother has become a recluse, her teenage brother supports the family with two part time jobs, and Jenna is showing signs of some strange and indeterminate illness. Then things get weird. Jenna and her brother are almost killed in a car accident on the way to the hospital. Amazingly, Jenna survives and her brother, Casey, comes out not just unscathed but improved. Turns out Casey did die in the accident after all. Now he’s been sent to serve as a guardian angel and help put his family back together by finding out what’s wrong with Jenna and their mom and what happened to their dad. The Sweet Dead Life is Joy Preble’s contribution to the growing list of teen mysteries for the new SOHO Teen imprint. In Jenna and Casey, Preble has created convincing and likeable teen characters with real problems. The mystery is well plotted and her overall style is light and funny. The combination of paranormal and mystery elements along with the snarky teen heroine makes The Sweet Dead Life a fun and easy read, perfect for a teen audience. 5/13 Becky Lejeune

Sweet Dream Baby by Sterling Watson: I was given this book by a friend-of-a-friend, who called it a thriller, and it was blurbed by Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, and Elmore Leonard, so I started reading it, waiting for a murder. About halfway through, I finally realized that it is not a thriller, but rather Southern fiction, but I was totally engrossed in it which surprised me as that is my least favorite genre. I loved this beautifully written and very compelling coming-of-age story. It’s the 1950s and eleven-year-old Travis is being sent to spend the summer with his grandparents and his sixteen-year-old Aunt Delia in the tiny town of Widow Rock, in Florida’s Panhandle. His Japanese mother is having a nervous breakdown, and his hard-as-nails father can’t deal with both of them. Travis’s grandfather is the Sheriff, and his grandmother is a southern lady prone to having headaches, while Delia is a beautiful girl and the belle of the town. Delia and Travis spend all their time together, listening to the radio and sharing confidences. She teaches him a lot, like how to drive, to skinny dip and the facts of life, and he simply worships her, making the kick-ass ending most unexpected and disturbing, and very well done. It turns out that while it’s not exactly a thriller, it is a character study of one of the creepiest psychopaths I’ve read about in a while. And it’s the first book of a trilogy, with the second book much more of a thriller. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SWEET MAN IS GONE by Peggy Ehrhart: I will say up front that cozies, in particular, musical cozies are not my forte, but this one is pretty good. Maxx Maxwell is trying to make it with her band, Maximum Blues, which is finally beginning to attract some attention. Then her guitar player, one Jimmy Nashville, is found dead in an alley outside his apartment building. The somewhat cursory police investigation concludes he jumped from his ninth floor apartment window. Maxwell doesn’t want to believe this so she starts her own sleuthing. She finds a tape and some handwritten music in Jimmy’s apartment that leads her to a recently deceased country singer. Then Jimmy’s girl friend is found in her tub, wrists slashed. This is too much even for Walter Stallings, the soon to be retired cop, who had been handling Jimmy’s case. If you have ever been around the bar band scene, you will enjoy the atmosphere and the quirky cast of characters, who, believe it or not, probably are pretty well accurately portrayed. It will be interesting to see if Maxwell has any sustaining power for further outings. 09/08 Jack Quick
THE SWEET SCENT OF BLOOD by Suzanne McLeod: Genny Taylor, a talented member of the Spellcracker team, is a sidhe with a secret. Half fae and half vampire, it’s her vamp side that she must keep hidden at all cost. As an employee at Spellcrackers, it’s her job to fix or solve magical problems. But the witches don’t work for—or with—vampires. Until now. A new case involving a possible vampire as a murderer has the vampire community in an uproar and the higher ups suspect magic even though no evidence of a spell has been found. It’s by special request that Genny is put on the case, but can she crack the spell without risking exposure of her own secrets? This first in McLeod’s series is an interesting concept and an intricate world. Nice set up for the follow-up installment, The Cold Kiss of Death. I’ll admit, however, that I sort of felt like I’d jumped in at the middle. Genny’s background and the details of the series set-up are eventually revealed, but I was still somewhat confused by the end of the story. Hopefully more will be explained in later installments. 05/11 Becky Lejeune

SWEETHEART by Chelsea Cain: In Cain’s follow up to Heartsick, we find Portland Detective Archie Sheridan still getting over from his “encounter” with serial killer Gretchen Lowell of two months prior. This is virtually impossible, however, as Archie and Gretchen have a twisted sadistic bond that runs deep. A woman’s body is found in Forest Park, the same location of the first of Gretchen’s Beauty Killings ten years ago. Archie can’t help but believe the murders are related, but since Gretchen is in prison it seems to be impossible. Archie begins to work with Susan Ward, a reporter, and when they uncover the identity of the body it becomes a high-profile case. But when Gretchen escapes from prison, Archie is unable to focus on the case. He knows he is the only one that can bring in Gretchen, once and for all. But just how much is he willing to sacrifice? He almost lost his life once, is her apprehension worth risking it again? Just like Heartsick, Sweetheart pulls you in from the first few lines. The storyline is faced paced and powerful. The various sub plots slowly weave together, and the ending appears with the reader begging for more. I sincerely hope Cain has another Archie Sheridan book up her sleeves. The demand definitely exists. 09/08 Jennifer Lawrence

SWEETHEART by Chelsea Cain: In Heartsick, Chelsea Cain introduced readers to one of the most disturbing serial killers imaginable. Now, in this second of the series, Gretchen Lowell returns with a vengeance. A body has been discovered in Portland’s Forest Park—again. This same location was where Lowell’s first suspected victim was discovered, a case that has long weighed on Detective Archie Sheridan. Lowell claimed to have killed two hundred people. To date, Sheridan has been able to close just over forty of the files. Heather Gerber’s file is still open. This new body is not tied to Lowell’s crimes, but unfortunately for Sheridan hits too close to home. And when Gretchen Lowell escapes from prison, Sheridan will have to deal with the fallout. Meanwhile, Susan Ward is unable to let the new Forest Park case rest, especially after her mentor dies in a suspicious car accident. Chelsea Cain literally holds nothing back. This dark series is brutally violent and intense, but hits the spot for readers looking for a chilling read that will keep them up all night. 03/11 Becky Lejeune

THE SWEETHEARTS’ KNITTING CLUB by Lori Wilde: Legend has it that the town of Twilight, Texas was built upon the site that brought two young lovers together after years apart. Now, famous for its romantic history, the town draws reunited sweethearts and tourists from all around. Flynn MacGregor’s own high school sweetheart, Sheriff Beau Trainer, has been asking for her hand for ten years now. But Flynn, a woman who has put everyone’s needs before her own for so long, has managed to hold out until now. Senior year, Flynn fell hard for bad boy Jesse Calloway. But when Jesse was arrested and sent to prison, Flynn had to rethink everything. Now, just as she’s ready to give in to Beau’s latest request, Jesse returns to town with two things on his mind: a new life and Flynn, the girl who got away. Flynn will be given a second chance to follow her heart, but will it be Jesse or Beau who makes her dreams come true? The Sweethearts’ Knitting Club is a charming and lighthearted romance with a memorable cast of characters. Readers will fall in love with Twilight and the Sweethearts. Luckily, Twilight will be setting for Wilde’s next title as well. 12/09 Becky Lejeune

SWEETIE’S DIAMONDS by Raymond Benson: Off the wall, in spades. David Boston is thirteen going on fourteen. He is near-sighted, the tallest kid in his class, and a sufferer of Marfan syndrome which precludes his playing any sports. He is also quite smart. David’s mom and dad have been divorced for over a year and he and his mom have moved into an apartment where, while unpacking, he discovers a box of unmarked videotapes. They are hardcore adult movies from the 1970’s starring one Lucy Luv, a porn star who mysteriously disappeared in 1980. David knows her well – as Diane Boston, his mom. Things then start to get interesting. Diane has a sister who has been comatose for over two decades, her care paid for from money Ms. Boston gets from fencing high quality diamonds every few months. What has suddenly become a very complicated mother-son relationship spins even further away from normal when a West Coast porn czar with organized crime ties finds out that Diane was not murdered as was thought, and he sets out top recover the stolen diamonds that had disappeared with her. Delightfully twisty with one surprise after another. Benson knows how to structure a high-octane thriller as well as anyone. 05/11 Jack Quick

SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE by Alan Bradley: The title is a misnomer; the sweetness in this book starts at the top and runs all the way through. Twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is a precocious, brilliant, brave child stuck in a motherless home in a small English village in 1950. She loves chemistry and has her own lab, where she’s completely fascinated by poisons. When she finds a dying man in her yard, she thinks it exciting. But when her father is arrested for his murder, Flavia knows she can solve the crime and save the day. Of course she stumbles into a little trouble in the process, but nothing that she can’t get out of. This book was entirely too cute for me, and I couldn’t help but wonder why it is being marketed as a book for adults. It’s received accolades, in part because it is a first novel by a septuagenarian. Nevertheless it seems to me that its appeal would lie more with prepubescent girls who admire Harriet the Spy and Pippi Longstocking. 05/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

SWEETSMOKE by David Fuller: Sweetsmoke Plantation is a Virginia tobacco plantation. As the Civil War rages on in the background. Cassius Howard, a slave on this plantation, risks his life to avenge the murder of Emoline Justice, a freed slave. Emoline saved Cassius’ life after his wife died and his son was torn away from him, and became his surrogate mother. During his stay with her, she taught him how to read and write. Cassius uses this forbidden skill to his advantage and leaves the plantation to search for Emoline’s murderer. The amount of research Fuller put into this work is very evident. We learn about slave customs, including marriage and social standings. This book is not only a story of a search of vengeance, but a history lesson as well. I don’t recall ever reading a book that delved so deeply into the slave world of the Civil War South. Fuller’s vivid descriptions and detail of the characters is probably the biggest asset. We discover so much about the characters of Howard Hoke, the plantation owner, Cassius Howard, Emoline Justice, and the slaves of Sweetsmoke that we feel as though we know them personally. We feel their pain and we suffer along with them. I was lucky enough to obtain an early release copy of this book, and I am forever grateful. I have no doubt that this novel will soon join the ranks as an amazing piece of Civil War fiction like The March and Gone with the Wind. 09/08 Jennifer Lawrence

SWEPT OFF HER FEET by Hester Browne: When Evie is asked to appraise the contents of an old Scottish estate—discreetly mind, they wouldn’t want it to get out that they’re having financial trouble—she couldn’t be more pleased. It’s like a dream come true: an historic castle filled with the memories and lives of the past. Plus, Kettlesheer is home to a famous annual ball featuring hours of Scottish reeling. Though Evie is not part of that world, she dreams about it always. If she can uncover some treasure hidden amongst the amassed belongings of the estate, she may be able to save the McAndrews’ family home. And, if she can impart some sort of wisdom on the city-boy heir, Robert, then her job will truly have been a success. Of course Evie starts to fall for Robert, and Kettlesheer, a little too hard. Will she be able to leave the dream behind and return to her own real world? Will she have to? Hester Browne’s latest is a fun read that most assuredly hits the chick-lit/contemporary romance spot. Satisfying in every aspect. 03/11 Becky Lejeune

Swift As Desire by Laura Esquivel: I never read Like Water for Chocolate, so I can’t compare it. All I can say is this book is one gorgeous love story.

SWORD OF LIBERTY by Loren J Enns: This was published as a paperback and more a vehicle for the author’s opinions than a novel. John Laurens, a marine corps special ops warrior is shown as a larger than life, self styled hero that is plunged constantly into different missions by the supervisor of his crack secret unit. In the middle of his constant assignments Laurens is called to the island of St Croix to meet with lawyers holding a will from a legend of the American past naming him as sole heir to a sword previously held by heroes of liberty in other times and places. Oh yes, and incidentally John meets a gorgeous woman sent to assassinate him by forces within the government. Very quickly he thwarts the assassination attempt and they fall in love.

Enns was obviously disgusted with the free spending style of the US government and wanted to publicly denounce it and provide a clarion call to the people to peacefully and legally change the government. As part of the story we are brought back to ancient Greece, Rome and England in order to see how the peoples of these countries fought for and earned personal liberty while providing for the growth that economic and personal freedom foster.
Unfortunately, John Laurens and his girlfriend are not at all fleshed out and are used only as characters existing to give some life to Enns’ opinions on what is happening to “We the People” and what can be done peacefully to change the stultifying status quo. Great reading this is not, but the ideas expressed could provide some food for thought. The actual sword that John inherits has a supernatural background and is the connection with past battles for personal liberties. 8/12 Paul Lane
THE SWORN by Gail Z. Martin: War is coming to the Winter Kingdoms. The Sworn have seen signs that evil is stirring, an evil that has been buried for centuries, an evil that they have been trying to suppress for ages. Signs point to a dark summoner in their midst, one who would raise the dead as his army and awaken beings that have slept until now. Fans of Gail Z. Martin’s Chronicles of the Necromancer will love this return to the Winter Kingdoms, but this first in the new Fallen Kings Cycle also offers a great opportunity for new readers to jump into the world as well. In all honesty, the prologue bringing readers up to speed was more confusing than helpful for me as a newbie, but thankfully the book itself proved to be easy to follow. An excellent showcase in world-building and a story that is completely captivating, I’m looking forward not only to the follow-up and continuation of the Fallen Kings Cycle, but to starting Chronicles in the meantime as well. 1/11 Becky Lejeune

SWORN TO SILENCE by Linda Castillo: The body of a young woman has been discovered in the tiny town of Painters Mill, Ohio. She has been mutilated and defiled beyond imagination. But this isn’t the first time such a travesty has occurred in this quiet town. Sixteen years ago, a serial killer struck. Chief of Police Katie Burkholder was fourteen at the time, and would have been a victim herself if she hadn’t killed the man first. Her father and brother buried the body and the crime was never spoken of again. Everything about this new scene points to the same killer. How then, if the man is dead, could his crimes be repeating after all this time? And where has he been for over a decade? As Katie tries desperately to hide her own past and still uncover the identity of the killer, the bodies begin to pile up and the small community grows impatient with their Chief’s secrets. Castillo is the author of a slew of romantic suspense novels, but Sworn to Silence promises to be the breakout title for the author. Katie Burkholder, a character I hope we see much more of in the future, is a great lead with a different background—a former member of a close-knit Amish community who has returned home to become Chief of Police. Castillo’s debut thriller is not for readers with a weak stomach either. Fans of Thomas Harris and Chelsea Cain are going to love this one. 06/09 Becky Lejeune

SYMPATHY BETWEEN HUMANS by Jodi Compton: In the previous book, The 37th Hour, a murder was committed and Shiloh, the husband of Minnesota Detective Sarah Pribek was sentenced to prison time in Wisconsin for the car theft which occurred at the same time. In this excellent follow-up Pribek is balancing several delicate cases while playing a cat and mouse game with the former Dallas, Texas inspector now assigned to Mankato who wants to prove her guilty of the murder that occurred in The 37th Hour. To whom does she owe her loyalties? What if she is charged with the crime, which she didn’t commit, but knows who did? Intense, but would probably not be as good if you haven’t read The 37th Hour first. Not yet up to John Sandford or P.J. Tracy but still an excellent third Twin Cities voice. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

T IS FOR TRESPASS by Sue Grafton: I have enjoyed to a greater or lesser extent each of the previous nineteen Kinsey Millhone crime novels, but number twenty left me disappointed. Kinsey’s elderly neighbor, Gus Vronksy, is injured in a fall and she gets involved in his care. After Gus’ great-niece hires a home aide, Solana Rojas, Kinsey begins to suspect something isn’t quite right with this picture. We know what the problem is, since we have already learned that Rojas is an imposter. So there really isn’t a lot of mystery here, other than the final outcome. Grafton’ writing skills make the book worth reading, but again, not her finest . 01/08 Jack Quick

T IS FOR TRESPASS by Sue Grafton: The twentieth installment of the Kinsey Millhone series is finally here. T begins with Kinsey facing something of a dry spell in her normally exciting career. She’s serving up subpoenas, handing out eviction notices, and working on an accident investigation, all things that bring in money but are a bit ho-hum for our favorite PI. She should enjoy the quiet while it lasts, though. One morning as she is leaving for work, Henry and Kinsey find that their elderly neighbor Gus has fallen and dislocated his shoulder. With no one around to help, Gus is pretty banged up by the time they get to him. His great-great niece lives in New York and has to get back to her job so she places and ad in the paper for a part-time home health care provider. Solana Rojas seems to be perfect for the job. Gus’s niece asks Kinsey to run a basic background check on the woman and everything comes back clean. After just a few days though, Gus seems to be getting worse. Kinsey becomes suspicious and starts to dig a little deeper. She stirs up a hornet’s nest when Solana, a woman who has made a career out of identity theft, embezzlement, and elder abuse, discovers that Kinsey has been snooping around. Solana has no intention of getting caught and will do whatever is necessary to make sure Kinsey stays out of her way. Amazing that there are only six more to go in this series and Grafton is still just as good as she was in the beginning. 12/07 Becky Lejeune

Tagged for Murder by Elaine Flinn: Flinn’s newest is a worthy sequel to her first effort, Dealing in Murder. Molly Doyle is back and this time her estranged sister Carrie shows up with her twelve year old daughter in tow. Molly can’t stand her sister, but she won’t take that out on her new niece. Good thing, too, because she no sooner meets her then Carrie drops her off for a few hours – which turns into quite a bit longer than that. Seems that Carrie has moved to Japan. Meanwhile one of the antique dealers in town has a heart attack and dies at a show, but police chief Randall is acting mighty strange about a heart attack victim. There’s much more here than meets the eye, and Molly is determined to find out what’s going on once again. Carmel, California and the antique business make a very interesting background in this terrific page turner. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Take Me, Take Me with You by Lauren Kelly: Lara Quade is a research assistant at Princeton University and a very lonely woman. A childhood accident left her physically and emotionally scarred and eventually estranged from her family. When she receives a ticket to a concert from an anonymous benefactor, she meets her seatmate, a man named Zedrick Dewe, who was also gifted with a ticket. Theirs is an uncomfortable yet synergistic meeting during which Lara invites Zedrick back to her apartment. While their intimacy ends in violence, Lara becomes nearly obsessed with Zedrick; she tracks him down, nudging their relationship further along. As they embark on the process of learning about each other, Lara gradually gains the courage to confront her painful past. But it’s the relationship between Zedrick and Lara that is at the crux of this haunting and beautifully written suspense novel. Kelly is the new pseudonym of Joyce Carol Oates as she steps into the suspense genre. 05/04 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2004 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

TAKEDOWN by Brad Thor: Scot Harvath, covert counter terrorism operative for the Department of Homeland Security abducts an Algerian bomb-maker out of Montreal while another U.S. team snatches the head of al-Qaeda’s weapons of mass destruction committee from Somalia and stashes him in a secret facility in New York City. All hell breaks loose when Al-Qaeda operative Abdul Ali comes to New York to rescue his Al-Qaeda cohort. Before its over the President’s daughter is seriously injured while bullets fly, bombs explode, and thousands are killed. Another post 9-11, “don’t get mad, get even” treatment which is more awash in blood that most. I wouldn’t pay much for the Arabic translation rights on this one. 11/06 Jack Quick

TAKEN by Robert Crais: This latest entry in the Elvis Cole & Joe Pike series features both protagonists on fairly equal footing. Cole is the featured subject in a newspaper magazine spread which gets him a phone call from a woman who is convinced her daughter has run off with her boyfriend. Cole investigates and finds that they have been kidnapped as part of an illegal immigrant mass gang kidnapping. Competing international gangs bring truckloads of illegals into California, only to have them kidnapped by rival gangs. They are held for small ransom amounts which are repeated on a weekly basis until the ability to pay has been exhausted, then the victims are murdered. Cole ends up held hostage as well, and Pike brings in fellow mercenary Joe Stone to help find Cole. Crais delivers lots of action with only occasional touches of humor, but that palpable tension is what really propels this terrific story. 1/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TAKEN by Robert Crais: Taken is the fifteenth Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novel and it’s the first to feature them both equally. Elvis Cole “The World’s Greatest Detective’ is hired to find a young Latina and her Anglo boyfriend who are kidnapped by bandits along the Mexican border. Cole soon discovers what has happened to her and he enters into a risky arrangement with a Korean organized criminal. It’s a desperate move and Cole knows it. When the plan doesn’t work out, Cole is seized by the bajadores and Pike must come to his rescue. Pike follows the trail left by his captors and holds nothing back from search for his best friend. The feds are also on the hunt for Cole and Pike must find him first before the federal agents make mistakes that could blow Cole’s cover – and his life. 9/12 Jack Quick
TAKEN by Chris Jordan: Kate Bickford’s worst nightmare has just come true. Her eleven-year-old son has been kidnapped. Stephen Cutter, an ex-military man and the brains behind the kidnapping plot, promises Kate that if she follows his very careful instructions, she will have her son back in twenty-four hours. Kate awakens to find police on her doorstep and a dead body in her basement. Just as Cutter planned, Kate is arrested and accused of the murder. No one is inclined to look for the boy in light of these developments and he is free to carry out the remainder of his plot. Kate’s time to find her son is quickly running out for both of them. Chris Jordan’s debut thriller is a hit that will have readers guessing until the end. 07/07 Becky Lejeune

TAKEOVER by Lisa Black: Forensic scientist Theresa MacLean knows all too well the dangers that come with being romantically involved with a fellow member of law enforcement. She knows all about the long work hours and the interrupted dates, but when her fiancé, Detective Paul Cleary is taken hostage in a bank robbery, Theresa must face her worst nightmare. Theresa is not willing to sit by and do nothing, and she’s also not willing to leave everything in the hands of hotshot negotiator, Chris Cavanaugh. In fact, Theresa is sure that her talents in the field of forensics may be the only thing that can help Paul. At the very least she hopes that her skills as a forensic scientist can help identify the perps’ motives and identities. Then an opportunity presents itself: Paul, has been shot and Theresa trades places with him. Her new position on the inside gives her a better chance of figuring the whole thing out and hopefully escaping with her life. Takeover is a good first effort. Overall, the book is an interesting mix of police procedural and forensic mystery with a believable plot and an interesting lead character. The twist ending will probably come as no surprise to any savvy mystery fan, but it’s an entertaining read. 08/08 Becky Lejeune

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS by Anna Maxted: Bestselling author Maxted (Being Committed) hits a home run with yet another delicious story about relationships, this time between sisters. Successful barrister Cassie is younger, prettier, and appears to be happily married, and Lizbet, who writes a sex column for a men’s magazine, is chunky and, along with her boyfriend Tim, the potty king, has her head in the clouds. Despite these cavernous differences, the sisters are somehow as thick as thieves, even when Lizbet accidentally gets pregnant while Cassie, after a year of trying, finds that she can’t conceive. Perhaps it is the strength of siblings struggling together to survive their blundering parents that keeps the two so close, despite the revelation of shocking secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Written in alternating voices, their stories are compelling and heartfelt while still displaying Maxted’s trademark humor. If you have a sister, you’ll want to share this book with her, and if you don’t, you’ll wish you did. 08/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

TALLGRASS by Sandra Dallas: Unfortunately the liner notes for this book evoke TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Although good, I doubt TALLGRASS will be among Amazon’s top 500 books in 2054 as 1960’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is today. The time is World War II; the location is eastern Colorado. Thirteen-year-old Rennie Stroud is Scout Finch, and her dad Loyal plays the part of Atticus, although as a beet farmer instead of a lawyer. Japanese-Americans from California have been forcibly re-located to the Tallgrass internment camp near the backwater town of Ellis, Colorado. When young Susan Reddick is raped and murdered suspicion is placed on the internees, although there is no evidence to support such a contention. The who and why of the murder itself is illuminating. A good read but not on the scale of TKAMB. 12/07 Jack Quick

TAN LINES by J.J. Salem: This is a Jacqueline Susann–style thriller that would shock even Ms. Susann. Three young women spend a wild Hamptons summer reinventing themselves. Liza Pike is an unhappy fashionista feminist and political media pundit contemplating divorce. Kellyanne Downey is a former actress and current mistress of wealthy businessman Walter Isherwood. Indie rock chick Billie Shelton finds herself on a downhill slide. Put these three together in a posh Hamptons summer rental – let the estrogen flow and don’t take any prisoners. What is it they say in the movie ratings – contains nudity and adult language. You betcha. Elsewhere, the end of summer is capped with a leisurely Labor Day weekend, but in the Hamptons summer isn’t over without a grisly murder, a premature birth and a public meltdown. If you are looking for fine literature it’s not here – but if you are in the mood for a steamy summer beach read – it fills the bill. 07/08 Jack Quick

TANNER’S TIGER by Lawrence Block: First published in 1968, this is the fifth book in the series featuring Evan Tanner, “whose sleep center was destroyed in Korea” but who remains “not merely conscious but energetically and productively awake 24 hours a day.” Set firmly in that era, Tanner is investigating the Cuban Pavilion at the Montreal Expo where a kidnapping occurs. He gets involved with Quebec nationalists, especially a bright and beautiful young woman named Arlette, who teams up with Tanner to sort out the Cuban plot, rescue the kidnapped Minna and frustrate the militants with Block’s normal wit and wisdom. Dated, but still enjoyable. 03/06 Jack Quick

A TAP ON THE WINDOW by Linwood Barclay: Barclay delivers another book characterized by lots of permutations and combinations in the plot guaranteeing the total attention of the reader. In all of his novels, that which seems to be apparent is not, and we are always led on a fascinating round about trip to a satisfying ending. This is again the case in his latest book. Cal Weaver and his wife Donna have moved to a small town in New York State after Cal was asked to leave a police force in another town due to an incident involving violence in an arrest. Two months prior to the opening of the book their son Scott was killed in what is described as a tragic accident. The couple drift apart faced with the horror of losing their son and just go through the motions of living while trying to work through the tragedy. Cal now makes his living as a private detective and Donna has a clerical position with the local police department thanks to her brother who is the chief of police. One evening while Cal is driving home after working a case he stops at a light and hears a tapping on the passenger side window. The tapper is a young girl that he knows is in high school and knew his dead son. Both to get her off the street and also possibly find out if she knows anything more about Scott’s death he lets her into the car . The girl asks if he can stop at a restaurant so that she can go to the bathroom. Cal does so, but after waiting for her for quite a while goes inside and does not see her anywhere. He returns to his car and apparently the girl returns and sits down again. Problem is that it is immediately apparent that she is not the same girl that he first picked up, and that entered the restaurant. As the title suggests this action opens up a round of events that includes murders, corrupt cops, public scandals and political intrigue. Each twist and turn turns into another set of possibilities and brings up more questions that require answers. Every action is logical based on the facts presented by Barclay and keeps the reader glued to the book. The ending is not an all’s well that ends well finish but is in line with the sequence presented. A very engrossing read which will keep the reader glued to the book until finished. 8/13 Paul Lane

TARGET by Simon Kernick: Thriller writer Rob Fallon had a little too much to drink. Otherwise he would never have ended up in the apartment of the ex-girlfriend of his best friend. His memories afterward indicated two men broke into the apartment, abducted Jenny and tried to kill him. He barely escaped with his life and eventually made it to the police station in London’s West End. After telling his story to a sympathetic female DS, he returns with her to the scene. They find no evidence to support his claim, the doorman didn’t see him, the surveillance tape doesn’t indicate Rob and Jenny were there, and both the doorman and Jenny’s father say she is out of country on holiday. When a fearful Rob, knowing Jenny’s life is in danger, can’t let things go, he becomes the target of faceless killers. What is it they are so desperate to hide? How does an ordinary girl like Jenny get involved? Answers or death. It’s that simple. 04/09 Jack Quick

TARGET LANCER by Max Allan Collins: Everyone of a certain age knows exactly where they were when they got word that President Kennedy had been shot and killed in Dallas and many of us saw Jack Ruby kill Lee Harvey Oswald in the assassination’s aftermath. Long before November 22, 1963, Nathan Heller, “P.I. to the Stars,” knows that a conspiracy is in the works. Several years earlier, Heller had been involved with the Kennedys, the Mob, and the CIA in the early stages of a plan to assassinate Fidel Castro. Heller now realizes that he is the only one who knows all the players and may be the one person who can prevent a devastating political assassination of the man known to the Secret Service as “Lancer,” John Fitzgerald Kennedy. 12/12 Jack Quick

TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY by Jeffery S. Stephens: It was a match made in hell – actually Pyongyang, North Korea. A ruthless South American and Kim Jong-Il’s North Korea have joined forces in a diabolic plot against the US. In a classic case of mid-direction, they have made it look like the plotters are operatives of the Middle East. The fanatics stage a stunning diversion in the Caribbean, mercilessly downing a passenger jet and unleashing an assault on a French intelligence installation. Its up to Jordan Sandor to get to real enemy in North Korea. A small team sent into the area provides intel that plunges Sandor into a frantic race against time, struggling to defeat a shadowy figure—a master terrorist with a plan of destruction so perfectly disguised that even with the new knowledge he has gathered, Sandor cannot guess where or how he will strike. A page turner, for sure. 9/12 Jack Quick
TARNISHED BEAUTY by Cecilia Samartin: Jamilet is a beautiful young woman from a small town in Mexico. Throughout her life she has been shunned by local townspeople because of a horrible birthmark that taints her back and part of her legs. She flees to Los Angeles illegally in order to seek treatment for her birthmark and begins working at a local mental institution. Her patient is an elderly man named Antonio, a difficult and angry man from Spain. Antonio steals Jamilet’s illegal immigration documents and promises to return them upon the condition that she listens to his story. Jamilet agrees, and thus begins an unbreakable bond. Antonio’s story details his pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago in Spain with his friend Tomas prior to joining the priesthood. Inspired by Antonio’s story, Jamilet learns that her mark does not define her as a person. Beauty is more than skin deep. She breaks herself free of the shell that has been preventing her from opening up and allowing herself to love. The ending of the story was a bit sudden; several aspects were left hanging, but this doesn’t detract from the powerful storytelling. 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence

TARNISHED ICONS by Stuart Kaminsky: After ten outings there has now been significant change in the life of Chief Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov:: His son Yosef has come to work in his department,; Colonel Yakovlev is Rostnikov’s new boss after the promotion of his former boss; and, he has had his bad leg amputated below the knee and is getting used to a new prosthetic leg. On the home front, Yosef has proposed to Elena Timofeyeva (the former Procurators niece) and wife Sarah has begun to have ‘episodes’ that might be related to the brain tumor she had removed. The latest crimes? Well there’s a murderer of Jews, a serial rapist, and a serial bomber, all to be identified and apprehended. Another awesome outing for Moscow’s most interesting cop. 03/08 Jack Quick

TAROKO GORGE by Jacob Ritari: A rambling first person stream of consciousness narrative about a disillusioned American reporter, and three Japanese schoolgirls who disappear into a dense and imposing Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s largest national park. The journalists-who are themselves suspects-investigate the disappearance along with the girls’ distraught teacher, their bickering classmates, and a seasoned and wary Taiwanese detective. I just couldn’t get into the stream of things, but maybe others will find it satisfying. I came away feeling I had learned too much about things I didn’t care about and too little about the things I did care about. 02/10 Jack Quick

A TASTE OF MAGIC by Tracy Madison: Elizabeth Stevens has admittedly not been having the best of times lately. Her ex, after revealing that he was leaving her for another woman, has hired Liz and her bakery, A Taste of Magic, to make his new wedding cake. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if Liz had had anything resembling a relationship of her own for the past year, but sadly she has not. So when her grandmother gifts her with magical abilities on her 35th birthday, Liz has a lot to look forward to. Turns out Liz is descended from a gypsy witch and her own power shines when combined with her baking prowess. Soon she’s whipping up a batter of revenge for her ex, lust for her hunky neighbor, and even a little confidence for her friends. But of course, Liz is about to discover that the old adage, be careful what you wish for, is ever so true, and it could be that her greatest wish is closer than she thinks. This contemporary romance debut with a sweet touch of magic is the first in a new series — a cute and light read. 04/09 Becky Lejeune

THE TASTE OF NIGHT: THE SECOND SIGN OF THE ZODIAC by Vicki Pettersson: The Las Vegas Shadow troop has been awfully silent since the events of The Scent of Shadows. Joanna Archer knows that they are preparing for something big. As the Kairos, a star sign of Zodiac legend who is equal parts light and dark, Joanna fears that revealing what she knows will put her position in the troop at risk. Zodiac legend states that the Kairos will choose to fight for either light or shadow and that in choosing she will determine the outcome of the war. Joanna’s father, the Tulpa – a being brought into existence through thought alone – leader of the Shadows, believes that she can be turned. The leader of Troop 175 fears that this may be the case if Joanna cannot learn to control her Shadow abilities. When the Shadows unleash a terrifying virus on the citizens of Las Vegas, Joanna is finally forced to disclose her knowledge of the plans. Her admission leads to her exile from the troop. Now, Joanna must fight alone to save the people she loves and once again earn the trust of her team. Pettersson has created a brilliant mythology to support her Zodiac series. As each new part of the legend is revealed the story becomes more and more intriguing. Part X-Men and part Heroes, this series is incredible and I can’t wait to see what happens next. 04/07 Becky Lejeune

Tear This Heart Out by Angeles Mastretta: By turns violent yet tender, naive yet sexual, heartrending yet boisterously funny, feminist writer Mastretta takes us on a tour of post-revolutionary Mexico as we watch the coming of age of Catalina Guzman. At 15 she marries General Andres Ascencio, a highly ambitious, ruthless man more than twice her age, who has met his match in his smart, spunky child bride. Their life together is so hot it sizzles in this fascinating read. Translated by Margaret Sayers. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE TECHNOLOGISTS by Matthew Pearl: Matthew Pearl has earned a reputation as a master constructor of historical novels based on excellent research. The Technologists follows quite well in this path. It is set in the city of Boston in 1868 at the time that the newly chartered Massachusetts Institute of Technology is ready to graduate it’s first class. The situations, conversations, thoughts and behavior of the characters involved must certainly match the actualities of the day. And an underlying rivalry with the revered Harvard University is probably based on actualities of the day, when the Harvard emphasis on educating via liberal arts and molding the whole man (no women) was seen to make the technical emphasis featured at MIT suspect.
A series of events beginning with ships in Boston Harbor having their instruments fail at the same time causing chaos there and than having glass melting around the city causing injuries and one death leads to fear among the residents and visitors to Boston. A Harvard professor offers his services to the police to find the causes of these events, but Pearl pictures him as more than a little bumbling in spite of the actuality of his academic reputation of the time. The graduating class of MIT takes it upon themselves to look into these and following events as a means of proving that technology is useful in solving real problems based on scientific methodology.
Pearl introduces us to several characters that actually were at MIT and Harvard at the time, including Ellen Swallow who was the first woman to be allowed a technical education, and who in real life married one of the members of the first class, and than taught at MIT. Miss Swallow is pictured as she probably was due to the circumstances of her admittance and is interesting as her place at MIT indicates she should have been. The group eventually encounters the causes of the disasters, and are left as they receive their diplomas from the school. Absorbing reading and the obvious product of a good deal of right on research. 2/12 Paul Lane

TARGETS OF DECEPTION by Jeffery Stephens: Former CIA agent Jordan Sandor is reluctantly drawn back into action, when a series of violent events leads him to search out a new al-Qaeda conspiracy to initiate a new wave of cataclysmic assaults with poison gas. Sandor follows the deadly trail from New York to Florida to Paris and, ultimately, to the small town of Portofino on the Italian Riviera. Never sure who he can trust and who may be an enemy, Jordan relies on his experience, instincts and skills as he risks his life to uncover plans for attacks against the United States and its allies. When Sandor discovers a rogue agent behind the plot, he realizes he is the one man who can prevent the catastrophe. 6/12 Jack Quick

TEARS IN RAIN by Rosa Montero: By 2109, the countries of Earth have come together as the United States of Earth. Cloning and teleportation technology are regularly used and first contact with extraterrestrials is a thing of the past. Bruna Husky is a private investigator. She’s also a replicant, or rep, with just over four years left of her limited life span. After Bruna is nearly killed by another rep in her building, she’s hired by the Radical Replicant Movement to investigate a series of similar cases. Bruna’s neighbor fell victim to an illegal memory implant, a common element in a growing number of rep deaths. In the beginning, the deaths appeared to be suicides. The latest cases, however, have all happened in public places and in each instance the reps have managed to take out a number of others around them. Certain factions of the public have always been prejudice against the reps and with this new threat the tension becomes worse. Reps are now being perceived as a very real threat to the humans around them. The leader of the RRM hopes that Bruna can find who is behind the implants while also uncovering the purpose of what seems to be a plot aimed specifically at the reps themselves. Tears in Rain is both inspired by and also pays homage to Blade Runner. It’s an interesting mystery with a great sci-fi twist. This is Rosa Montero’s first book to be released in the States. 12/12 Becky Lejeune

A TEENY BIT OF TROUBLE by Michael Lee West: This is the sequel to Gone with a Handsomer Man, which was a delightful light mystery filled with quirky characters and humor. I didn’t find the sequel quite as engaging, probably because the surprise of these original characters was gone, but nonetheless it was still a terrific read. Teeny gets engaged but her high school boyfriend comes back into town and is trying hard to get her back, reminding me a bit of Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum’s triumvirate of love. Teeny accidentally witnesses what she thinks is a murder, and all kinds of craziness ensues, with more quirky characters like a child and a future mother-in-law, both seemingly spawns of the devil, to a creepy doctor, a self centered pharmacist and a computer geek bodyguard. More dead bodies turn up, but the darkness is lightened by all the humor and Teeny’s essential sweetness. All the story lines are skillfully woven together by the very satisfying ending, making this a successful sequel and the wait for the next volume that much more difficult. 6/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Tell No One by Harlan Coben: The definitive page turner; this book had me wired until I finished it. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! A great story that just keeps building and building along with believable, sympathetic characters makes this a winner. Don’t miss it. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TEMPEST RISING by Nicole Peeler: Jane True has always known that she didn’t fit in in Rockabill, Maine. Until now, however, she’s not known that there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for this: she’s half selkie. Yes, strange but true, Jane’s mother, the woman who appeared in town one night totally nude and then disappeared without a trace, abandoning Jane and her father, was a selkie. But Jane doesn’t learn this until after she discovers a dead body floating in the ocean. Turns out, the dead man wasn’t quite what he seemed and this is when Jane is finally told the truth about the “others” who live among us. While working alongside the vampire investigator sent to solve the case, Jane will gets crash course in the supernatural and readers are taken along for the amazing ride. If you’re looking for fresh, new urban fantasy, you’ll definitely want to get your hands on Tempest Rising. Nicole Peeler’s debut is clever and fun, and Jane True is a totally loveable heroine. First in a new series with Tracking the Tempest due out next year. 10/09 Becky Lejeune

THE TEMPLAR SALVATION by Raymond Khoury: After 4 years, Khoury’s follow-up to his very popular The Last Templar begins in the year 1203. Constantinople is under siege; a small band of Knights Templars has snuck into the city and stolen valuable documents from the imperial library. After taking refuge in a monastery, the Templars are murdered, never having learned the contents of the documents. Now in the present day, an Iranian history professor is given an ultimatum: finish his work on a certain historical artifact, or his family will be killed. Meanwhile, FBI agent Sean Reilly is compelled to smuggle ancient documents out of the Vatican archives if he wants to see his lover, Tess, again. A warning – if you have not yet read The last Templar, you may be at a loss for some of the nuances, although Khoury does an adequate job of relating the back story. Overall, this very well constructed blend of historical mystery and present-day thriller doesn’t break any new ground, but there’s no denying Khoury is among the best of the Da Vinci Code clone writers. 11/10 Jack Quick

Temporary Sanity by Rose Connors: This is the sequel to Absolute Certainty, a first novel that was really superior. Connors has developed a character, Marty Nickerson, who is as real as it gets – flawed and fabulous. A single mom living on Cape Cod, in the first book she was a district attorney, but by the end she switched tables; in this new one she is now a practicing defense attorney, and the transition is smooth and believable. She is partnered with her lover, a former public defender named Harry Madigan. Her client is in a rather precarious position; he murdered the man who raped and murdered his seven year old son, and did it on live TV. This is no ordinary legal thriller; Nickerson has to tangle with both the moral and social implications and how a jury will deal with the situation. To further complicate things, she takes on another client, a woman who has been a victim of severe physical abuse by her lover, an upstanding citizen of the community – a parole officer. When he turns up dead, she stands accused and Nickerson has another volatile case on her hands. This is a gripping, emotional read with strong, believable characters from the lawyers and judges to the kids in the novel, and a wonderful sense of place to boot. Legal thrillers don’t get much better than this – don’t miss it. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TEN by Gretchen McNeil: Meg and Minnie have never been invited to a party at White Rock House before. This weekend is different. Not only have they received the coveted invite, but the weekend promises to be the party of a lifetime. No parents, just a bunch of teens hanging out and drinking in a lavish house on a remote island. The first ten to arrive are stranded when a massive storm hits. Even the host has yet to show, but these ten are ready to make the best of it until everyone else arrives. Then they find the video. And then they start to die. The first death seems to have been a suicide. But then there’s another and another after that. There’s no denying now that something terrible and dangerous is happening. Somewhere on the island, a killer is hiding, and time is running out as the kids fall, one by one. Inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, McNeil has created a dark and twisted teen horror/mystery, reminiscent of the Christopher Pike books I read in my own teen days. McNeil’s second release is a satisfying read that left me guessing—and second guessing—until the very end. 11/12 Becky Lejeune

TEN BEACH ROAD by Wendy Wax: The title refers to an address on one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida, Pass-a-Grille. Madeline, Avery and Nicole have all been swindled out of their life savings by a Bernie Madoff type Ponzi scheme and the court awards these three strangers a share in a beachfront home. When the women show up to see their property, they find a beautiful old house that has been severely neglected and taken over by the elements. None of them has the resources to renovate, but the a local contractor agrees to front the money for a share of the profits, providing the women do all the grunt work. Without any other options, they move in and get to work, forming a new friendship along the way. They each have interesting stories; Madeline has just found out her husband lost his job six months previously, and has been pretending to go to work every day. Avery, a licensed architect, is in the middle of a divorce from her co-starring husband on a HGTV show, from which she has just been fired. Nicole has a millionaire matchmaker business that goes belly up when her funds vanish. The reader can’t help but care for these characters as they work to rebuild their only asset, and the ending has an unexpected twist. A very enjoyable, light read, rather like a HGTV reality show fleshed out on the page. 08/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie: This new collection of short stories meets the high standards Alexie previously set in The Toughest Indian in the World. The stories are all engaging as his Indian characters all deal with the problems of life presented on and off the Rez.
Every reader who has a relationship with books will relate to the Corliss, the young Indian woman in the first story, who is seriously in love with books. She bemoans only having a “mirage library” in the school on the reservation where books have covers like all the classics but turn into cookbooks and auto repair manuals when you pick them up. She fantasizes about being buried in a coffin full of books. One day, she finds a book that talks to her and feels a need to track down the author, another Spokane Indian, in order to understand where he found his voice. And therein lies the tale.
The remaining stories are shorter but equally compelling and filled with a humor that is alternatively sly and generous.
Some reviewers have criticized Mr. Alexie’s universe as being too small. I disagree. Each of his stories is different and gives a new insight. If one can see the universe in a grain of sand, surely one can spend a long time taking a close look at the efforts of the Spokane tribe to survive, advance and yet preserve the best of their heritage. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

THE TENDERNESS OF WOLVES by Stef Penney: Penney’s stark portrayal of the Canadian wilderness is just one of the highlights of this literary debut. In 1860, two young girls went missing while on a day trip to pick berries. People in the small communities of Caulfield and Dove River still whisper theories of what happened even now – that’s because it’s the worst event in the history of the small colonial village until the murder of French trader, Laurent Jammet. Mrs. Ross, a woman with a questionable past, discovers the body while looking for her teenage son, Francis. Francis has been missing for two days and Mrs. Ross believes that the coincidence may cause people to suspect him of the crime. Her worst fears are realized when a team of inquirers is sent by the Hudson Bay Company to look into the murder. Jammet was not an employee of the Company, but it appears that he may have been conspiring to create his own competing trading company. Could this have been motive for his killing? As the newest addition to the nearest Company outpost, Donald Moody, has a lot to prove to the more seasoned members of the investigative team. He thinks that Francis could be a very important witness, at the very least. In an attempt to protect her son, Mrs. Ross sets out across the wilderness to find him first. What they all discover leads to a much larger conspiracy at hand. Both the deliberate pacing and the vivid portrayal of the unforgiving atmosphere make this one of the most interesting literary debuts of the year. Interestingly enough, Penney was battling agoraphobia at the time that she penned this novel. Some of that emotional turmoil no doubt played a part in the intense air of the novel. 07/07 Becky Lejeune

THE TENTH CASE by Joseph Teller: Early on in Joseph Teller’s debut legal thriller, a character borrows her husband’s Lamborghini for a ride down Park Avenue. When she decides she needs to return, she attempts a U-turn in mid-block where there are concrete median dividers. The result – a $400,000 one car accident and charges of driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, driving without a license, refusal to submit to a blood-alcohol test, and the clincher – failure to yield to a stationary object. Harrison J. Walker, Jaywalker, manages to get Samara Tannenbaum out of this mess, but now the stakes are much higher as the beautiful young ex-prostitute is accused of murdering her aging billionaire husband. It’s a first rate tale and the start of what should be an exciting series. 04/10 Jack Quick

THE TENTH GIFT by Jane Johnson: Julia Lovat’s lover has decided that its time to call it quits; he wants to make a go of it with his wife. As a parting gift, he gives Julia a book called the “The Needle Woman’s Glorie,” a centuries-old tome that is filled with embroidery patterns popular in the 1600s. It’s also filled with the writings of the original owner, Catherine Anne Tregenna, Cat for short, who was captured by Moroccan corsairs in 1625. Cat was to be taken back to Africa and sold into slavery, and she used the book to keep track of her story. The more Julia learns of Cat’s life, the more enthralled she becomes with the tale and the more questions she has about Cat’s eventual fate. Cat’s story has a profound effect on Julia, and sends her on her own adventure to Morocco in an attempt to learn more. Johnson’s book about a book is part mystery, part adventure, part history, and part romance. Throw in some pirates and ghosts of the past and you’ve got a surefire recipe for a summer hit. This book lived up to every expectation I had for it given its literary counterparts. Johson’s Tenth Gift is similar in style to Carol Goodman’s literary mysteries. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

THE TENTH WITNESS by Leonard Rosen: This is the prequel to All Cry Chaos (2011) featuring Henri Poincare. Set in 1978, Poincare is a brilliant engineer who has devised a way to allow divers to hunt for deeply buried treasure at sea. Lloyds of London had insured a ship that sank two hundred years earlier and hires Poincare and his partner to try to recoup their loss. While researching the area, Poincare falls in love with Leisel, who works with her brother for the huge Munich steel company founded by their father, Otto Krauss. When Poincare’s favorite uncle passes away, he is driven to learn about his uncle’s Holocaust experience. Poincare is shocked to learn that he worked at a Nazi steel factory run by Kraus, causing Poincare to really start digging into his girlfriend’s family. The Krauss family is quite protective of their past, which seems to have been rewritten, and they do not take kindly to Poincare’s interference. The Argentinian government is also interested in Poincare’s technology, and when he visits that country he finds himself in a nest of German ex-patriots. This is a complex story based on some history; however there are fictional liberties taken. Poincare’s character is deeply developed here, following his journey from engineer to Interpol, but there is plenty of action as well. This is a dark and disturbing story but an important one. 8/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

Tepper Isn’t Going Out by Calvin Trillin: Welcome to the quintessential, pre-9/11, New York novel. Only in Manhattan could a man like Tepper, who enjoys sitting in his parked car reading his newspaper and refusing to give up his spot, become the toast of the town. Charming and quirky, always a nice combination. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TERMINAL by Andrew Vachss: The Internet and societal changes have interfered with Burke’s ability to make a living in Vachss’s 17th Burke novel. That makes him vulnerable when white supremacist Claude Dremdell ropes Burke into a plot to extort money from three wealthy men who years earlier committed a brutal murder. The money is required to pay for a pricey experimental Swiss treatment for Dremdell’s “terminal” illness. This leads Burke into the world of intelligence and an Israeli operation working covertly in the United States. While still gritty and unrelenting, Vachss seems to have become more politicized than in previous efforts. It’s violent, it’s ugly, it’s not for everyone, but that’s Burke – and Andrew Vachss. 11/07 Jack Quick

TERMINAL FREEZE by Lincoln Child: When a group of scientists studying the effects of global warming in the Arctic Circle discover a strange creature frozen in the ice, the group funding their expedition immediately swoops in to film it. The scientists aren’t all that pleased that their backing comes from a television production company, there’s not much they can do. The channel in question is set to make this discovery their biggest docu-drama ever and they plan the thaw the creature on live television. But then the creature vanishes and the TV execs are sure that one of the scientists must be responsible. Paleoecologist Evan Marshall knows that this isn’t the case and fears that a local tribe of native Tunik may have been right in warning the group away from the site. The team is joined by self-proclaimed enigmalogist Jeremy Logan who has discovered evidence that over fifty personnel located at the base where all of this is occurring died under mysterious circumstances years ago, an incident that has been kept quietly under wraps ever since. Could the two events be linked? That is what Logan and Marshall are determined to find out. When the bodies begin piling up, though, they know that their time is quickly running out. Child always uses the most up-to-date and sometimes hard-to-imagine scientific theories in his novels. It works, though, and he makes you believe that all these things are possible, and who knows, maybe they really are. I do wish the characters were a bit more developed. Logan in particular is one that I would love to see more of in Child’s work. 02/09 Becky Lejeune

THE TERROR by Dan Simmons: In 1845, the John Franklin Discovery Expedition set off from England in search of the illusive Northwest Passage. The expedition’s two ships, HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, were better equipped for the voyage through this hostile environment than any before. The ships’ hulls were fortified against the ice and there was enough tinned food to last for five years. In 1947, the ships became frozen in the ice. Suffering from malnutrition as a result of the poorly prepared food, scurvy and lead poisoning, the men set off, on foot, across the ice. Evidence suggests that the men ultimately resorted to cannibalism in a desperate attempt to survive. Dan Simmons draws on an abundance of historical documents and adds his own signature twist to this gruesome and tragic tale. The story begins in October 1847, nearly two months after the ships become trapped in the ice. An unknown predator is silently stalking the sailors, killing them one by one. This is a very hefty and dense read. My hand literally fell asleep holding the book up. Simmons has brilliantly made over a fascinating tale of one of the most famous failed expeditions into a horrific and frightening fiction read — a great accomplishment for any author and just one more sure win for Simmons. 01/07 Becky Lejeune

TERROR TOWN (#9) by Stuart Kaminsky: Problems continue for Edgar-winner Kaminsky’s two favorite Chicago cops, Abe Lieberman and Bill Hanrahan. They are dealing with the robbery-murder of a young mother in South Side whose last words are “Abe Lieberman, the sudden unprovoked attack on a former Chicago Subs baseball player, and religious fanatic whose true calling is extortion. Top it off with Lieberman’s on-going fight against cholesterol and threats to Hanrahan’s pregnant wife Iris, and its business as usual. It’s a pity this is the next to last Lieberman published thus far by Kaminsky. 06/08 Jack Quick

TETHERED by Amy MacKinnon: Clara Marsh had an atypical childhood. As soon as she was old enough, she escaped her old life and began anew, embracing her chosen career as an undertaker. Clara lives her life surrounded by the dead, a life that is much more comforting to her than one that would include attempts at socializing with the living more than is absolutely necessary. When Clara discovers a little girl playing in the funeral home, she is immediately uncomfortable with the idea. Her boss encourages her to help the child, but it takes a shocking discovery before Clara understands just how much help this little girl needs. When it appears that the girl may be a link to an unidentified body that was found three years ago, Clara decides that she must do whatever she can to help protect the child and to help the officer still struggling to close the cold case. Her efforts may prove to be Clara’s breaking point and may even mean the end of the life she has so carefully built for herself. Amy MacKinnon’s strong debut is both haunting and eerily touching. MacKinnon’s style and tone are very reminiscent of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. I found Tethered was much less brutal than Flynn’s debut, but it was an equally gripping thriller. 08/08 Becky Lejeune

THAT OLD CAPE MAGIC by Richard Russo: Russo won a Pulitzer Prize for Empire Falls, but this book just isn’t in that category – think of it as Russo-lite. It’s the story of a marriage, a family and a man’s fear of becoming his parents. Jack Griffin is in his late 50’s, a college professor and former screenwriter married for thirty years to Joy. They are heading up to Cape Cod, albeit in separate cars, for their daughter Laura’s best friend’s wedding. Laura announces her engagement then, and the book is framed by the two weddings, a year apart. Griffin has been riding around with father’s ashes in the trunk of his car for more than year, and his mother a constant annoyance on his cell phone. How he deals with his parents and his inner monologues about life comprise a good chunk of the novel, and a very revealing look at aging and familial relationships along with Russo’s trademark humor. This book actually seemed a throwback to his earlier books, smaller in scope and size, and more academic. It’s thought provoking yet fast reading and should be popular with book groups. 09/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: This book was originally published in 1937 and brought back into print because of an article in MS Magazine written by Alice Walker in 1975. It is considered a classic now, and is often required reading in South Florida high schools, and elsewhere I suspect, as well as being the book selected for Read Together Palm Beach County and for Read Together, Florida, a statewide reading project. Hurston was a member of the Harlem Renaissance movement, but was abhorred by Richard Wright who criticized her severely. Nonetheless, this book was an alternate pick of the Book of the Month Club when originally published. A short time later, some very ugly charges were leveled against Hurston; she eventually cleared her name but she never really got over it. Her books went out of print and she died, penniless, and was buried in an unmarked grave. Alice Walker found what was presumably Hurston’s grave and erected a monument that reads, in addition to her name and dates, “Genius of the South.”
Their Eyes Were Watching God has quite a bit of Hurston’s life, and more importantly, her beliefs invested in the main character of Janie Crawford. The novel is framed by Janie’s return to Eatonville, the first all black incorporated city in the United States. Everyone in town is gossiping about her, and Janie tells her story to Pheoby, her best friend, and asks her to tell the townsfolk. Janie was raised by grandmother, Nanny, a former slave, who marries her off to an older farmer, Logan Killicks, when she’s 16. She’s not happy in that marriage and she leaves and marries Joe Starkes, who takes her to the new town of Eatonville. He becomes mayor there, and builds a store that becomes the center of town life. Twenty years later he dies, and she hooks up with the love of her life, Tea Cake, who is much younger than she is. He takes her to the Everglades where they survive the hurricane of 1928 that wiped out the ‘glades, but Tea Cake gets bitten by a rabid dog in the process. After his death, Janie returns to Eatonville, completing the frame.
This is the story of a strong black woman’s search for happiness and independence in a time when neither of those things was easily attainable. It is written in dialect, and is not an easy read. I listened to the beginning of the book on CD, produced by Recorded Books and read by Michele-Denise Woods, which it made it much easier to read on my own. It is also available on audiocassette read by Ruby Dee. Reading it aloud also helps – hearing the dialect makes it much easier to read. It’s a terrific story and the language is incredibly beautiful, making the life of Janie Crawford a memorable one. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
THEN CAME YOU by Jennifer Weiner: India Bishop has completely reinvented herself and reached her goal of becoming a trophy wife to a hedge fund billionaire, Marcus Croft. Bettina, Marcus’s twenty-something year old daughter, is pretty sure that her new stepmother is not who she says she is and hires a private detective to find out. Annie is also twenty-something, but from the other side of the tracks. She married her high school sweetheart and has two children already, and is just barely getting by. Jules is a brilliant, beautiful Princeton scholarship student whose father has some horrendous baggage. She is determined to earn enough money to get him the help he needs. All these women have compelling stories on their own, but their lives intersect and overlap when India decides she wants a baby, but at 40something it just isn’t happening. Science steps up for India, financial need moves Jules and Annie, and a tragedy moves Bettina. This book has been hit by the recession as a strong motivator for most of these characters. Shades of Jodi Picoult here as Weiner leaves her comfort zone of light, funny and romantic and moves to warm, occasionally humorous yet always compelling, contemporary women’s fiction. 09/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THERE’S CAKE IN MY FUTURE by Kim Gruenenfelder: Nicole, Seema, and Melissa have been friends for years and they each have very definite plans for their futures. Nicole is about to marry the man of her dreams and wants to get her career back on track. Seema is in love with her best friend, but is afraid to make a move. Melissa has been dating her boyfriend for six years and is ready for a wedding of her own. Nic’s wedding shower is the perfect opportunity to make sure that everyone gets exactly what she wants, with a traditional cake pull rigged so that each person pulls a very specific charm. But somehow, the charms get switched and nothing goes according to plan. There’s Cake in My Future is a hilarious read—just the right mix of sarcasm, laugh-out-loud humor, and heart. Gruenenfelder’s latest is chick lit at its very best. 12/10 Becky Lejeune

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HERE by Cecelia Ahern: Ever wonder where those missing socks go? Sandy Shortt does. It all began with Jenny-May Butler. When Sandy was ten years old, Jenny-May vanished without a trace. Jenny-May and Sandy were not friends, in fact, far from it. Jenny-May was a bully who made Sandy’s life miserable. Her disappearance, however, awakened a need inside Sandy, a thirst that could not be quenched. Where did Jenny-May go? Where does anything that is missing go? Not the things that are lost, those things can eventually be found. No, where do the missing things go? The answer is Here. One day, Sandy herself goes missing and she finds herself Here. Here is a place like our own, only nothing ever goes missing Here. Nothing, except Sandy’s watch. This one tiny event threatens to upset the precariously balanced lives of all the missing who have settled and made their homes here. The question then becomes this, if no one has ever left Here, can Sandy every return home? Ahern’s delightfully charming book is a very loose and modern play on The Wizard of Oz. It’s chick-lit laced with sweet undertones of fantasy. Each of her books is fun and heart-wrenching and I love every minute of every one. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR STOMPING by Julie Kenner, Jade Lee, and Marianne Mancusi: This charming trio of tales all center around shoes. Not just any shoes, either, but shoes that can give their wearer some sort of power to help them along in life. In Kenner’s A Step in the Right Direction,” a pushover who lives her life in comics buys a pair of shoes that give her superpowers and allow her to finally live the life she’s always yearned for. In Lee’s “Kung Fu Shoes,” a mild-mannered teacher is suddenly endowed with ninja-like abilities that help her get her man and inspire her students all at the same time. Finally, in Mancusi’s “Karma Kitty Goes to Comic Con,” a comic book creator morphs into her own character when she puts on a special pair of golden boots. All three tales are sweet and funny as hell. Each story is just the right length for quick reading and is a great way to introduce new readers to some fantastic authors. Stomping will be followed next month with These Boots Were Made for Strutting where three more authors will show off their talents using the same sort of theme. 04/08 Becky Lejeune

THEY NEVER DIE QUIETLY by Daniel M. Annechino: In this aptly title debut, San Diego homicide detective Sami Rizzo is obsessed with her new assignment – leading a task force searching for a brutal serial killer. If she succeeds, she thinks this will give her the respect of her male colleagues. She lets her obsession get the best of her and she ultimately is captured by the villain. Now she is no longer fighting for respect, she is fighting for her life. The villain, Simon, is one of the spookiest perps I can ever recall, who is trying to purify the world by crucifying young women to free them from sin. Simon is so evil that it is impossible to generate much sympathy for him, however, the real villain in this matter is obviously Simon’s mother whose actions against him as a child led to the creation of the current misguided monster. A note with the book promises an even more bizarre follow-up from the author, which may be more than my fragile psyche can handle. Leave the lights on and have a lantern handy in case the power goes out. 05/10 Jack Quick

THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON’T THEY by Horace McCoy: Number Two in an awesome anthology entitled CRIME NOVELS: American Noir of the 1930’s and 40’s. This book was the basis for the 1960’s film of the same name. Ostensibly about the experiences of Couple #22, one of 144 couples who compete in a depression era dance marathon, the book is unrelentingly grim, but interestingly moves along at a faster pace than do the dancers. At the end of the novel, the 144 couples have dwindled down to twenty, after almost 900 hours of dancing with only a ten-minute break every two hours. You feel as numb as their feet probably are from the unrelenting merry-go-round, which is, of course, the metaphor for life among the less privileged. It is depressing, but actually quite beautiful in its own way. 07/07 Jack Quick

THICK AS THIEVES by Peter Spiegelman: Carr was let go by the CIA but has now found a much more lucrative career. He has become a criminal of sorts. He, and his bunch of seasoned pros steal from those who are unable or unwilling to invoke the authorities – drug sellers, arms smugglers, money launderers — anyone with un-reported cash or jewels. But now there is a problem. Carr’s mentor was killed in what Carr suspects was s setup. Now he is trying to hold his gang together for one big score. A planner, this is exactly the kind of role the CIA felt Carr was unsuited to handle. Adding to his problems are few of his crew are what they seem to be, and even his own past will turn out to be built on a lie. Nicely done. 12/11 Jack Quick

THICKER THAN BLOOD by Penny Rudolph: Give Penny Rudolph points for originality. Her heroine, Rachel Chavez, is recovering from alcohol and drug addiction, so maybe its not surprising that she lives in an LA parking garage. What is surprising is that Chavez owns the garage, which she inherited from her grandfather after her gambler father had bet away the family farm and her tuition money for Stanford. Like Barbara Serenella’s beloved “Munch”, Chavez is living one day at a time and trying to stay sober when she discovers a damaged car in her garage with what looks like blood on the fender. Then she learns that a hit-and-run driver has killed one of her regulars, an executive at nearby Interurban Water District. Is this the car? Who was driving? It is left to Rachel and her merry band of misfit companions to solve the crime and make Rachel’s garage safe for future adventures. 11/07 Jack Quick

Thicker Than Water by P. J. Parrish: This terrific tale captures the reader from the first chapter and doesn’t let go until the final pages. Jack Cade took the plea bargain of 20 years for the rape and murder of a teenage girl. Shortly after his release from prison he’s arrested once again, this time for the murder of his defense attorney. His son hires ex-cop/private investigator Louis Kincaid to prove his father’s innocence, but when Louis starts digging into the original rape conviction, he becomes almost obsessed with the victim and the case. There are lots of twists in this swift paced novel and an ending that is sure to shock in this latest in the Louis Kincaid series. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THIEVES LIKE US by Edward Anderson: Number Three in an awesome anthology entitled CRIME NOVELS: American Noir of the 1930’s and 40’s, this was the basis for Nicholas Ray’s They Live by Night, one of the seminal noir films of the 1940s. Bowie and Chicamaw have just busted out of the Alcatona Penitentiary and have hooked up with T-Dub. Now they are prowling the Oklahoma countryside. It’s a time and place where a raw onion, some fried eggs and yellow cornbread make a good meal, almost as good as stolen plums pulled off the tree. They are a bunch of thieves but there’s not that much to steal. Nevertheless they try, but as old T-Dub says “Laws never did worry me. It’s the fellers you thought was your friends that beats you. And a woman mad at you. They are what beat you.” You know how it’s all gonna end up, but its still a heckuva ride to get there. 07/07 Jack Quick

THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW by Elizabeth Nobel: Barbara Forbes, mother of four, is dying of terminal cancer. Barbara is the glue that holds the family together; they all need her to survive. Barbara realizes that her daughters will be forced to embark upon life’s many journeys without her there to guide them. So she writes each of them a letter, endowing upon them a bit of motherly truth and wisdom. Lisa is oldest daughter. In her mid-thirties, she’s afraid of commitment. Jennifer’s marriage is just steps away from falling apart. Amanda, the world traveler, never seems to stick around long enough to form any type of relationship with her sisters. Hannah, a teenager, seems to be suffering the most. She’s entering the rebellious streak that hits most teens and doesn’t have a mother to reel her back in. The girls allow the letters to guide them through their grieving process. Each girl deals with the grief differently. Their reactions aren’t sugar-coated and that adds to the honesty and believability of this book. 07/08 Jennifer Lawrence

THE THINGS THEY CARRIED by Tim O’Brien: I bought this book in 1990, read the first few chapters/stories and then came to “On the Rainy River”. It upset me so much that I put the book down and didn’t pick it back up again for sixteen years. I don’t think most people would pick that story as the most upsetting, or the hardest to read, because it’s not about the horrors of Vietnam; it’s about the horrors of a young man getting his draft notice, and as that was a much more personal recollection for me, it packed an enormous emotional wallop. For me. I’m sure others had a much harder time with “The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong”, about a soldier who smuggles his girlfriend in from the states and what happens to her during her stay there, or with “The Man I Killed” or with “The Ghost Soldiers”.
This book is a novel, a memoir, a collection of stories, a series of vignettes, the seminal work of fiction on the Vietnam War – take your pick, it’s all of these and more. The title page emphatically states that it is fiction, and indeed, there is even a chapter/story entitled “How to Tell a True War Story”, yet it is also dedicated to men with the same names as the characters in the book, and there is even a character named “Tim O’Brien”. But as O’Brien points out, the truth is a slippery thing, and if calling it fiction works best for the author, especially in light of the recent brouhaha over creative nonfiction writing, I certainly won’t argue the point.
Several of the chapters were previously published as short stories, including the title piece, “The Things they Carried”, an amazing piece of writing either on its own or as the opening to a novel. O’Brien lists the physical items that men carried with them in Vietnam, from the mundane like canteens and a toothbrush, to the war necessities of “…the three standard weapons – the M-60, M-16, and M-79 – they carried whatever presented itself, or whatever seemed appropriate as a means of killing or staying alive.” They carried good luck charms, a rabbit’s foot, a pebble sent from a girl back home. They carried diseases, and “…all the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing –”
The stories are often tellings and retellings of the same event from different perspectives, again proving how difficult it is to nail down the truth. They flow, never moving linearly but rather back and forth through time, before the war, during the war, and homecoming. All in all, a very emotional read for me and I’m very glad I finally finished it. And I suspect it will be a book that I will read again. 04/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THINK OF A NUMBER by John Verdon: Though retired detective Dave Gurney would never have considered college classmate Mark Mellery more than an acquaintance, when the new inspirational guru contacts Dave in regards to a puzzling series of letters, Gurney is intrigued. The letters, threatening in nature, imply that Mellery has somehow offended the sender. Fearing that the sender will escalate beyond simple correspondence, Gurney urges Mellery to contact the police. Mellery refuses and Gurney’s fears are soon realized when the man turns up dead. Gurney’s name and involvement in the case prompts the local authorities to make him an official consultant. As Gurney uncovers clues pointing to the killer’s identity, the case becomes even more complicated and the detective finds himself once again drawing on his unique skills to bring a twisted killer to justice. Verdon’s debut is fantastic. He’s earned the praise of some of the biggest in the industry, and deservedly so. Think of a Number is a smart mystery and the first in the series. 07/11 Becky Lejeune

THINK OF A NUMBER by John Verdon: Quite an auspicious debut by John Verdon. Dave Gurney is a retired NYPD detective having difficulty in restoring the “oomph” to his marriage. (There is a reason for the tension between Dave and wife Madeleine). So he views the intrusion into his life from a former college acquaintance as being a mixed blessing. On the one hand, he is intrigued by the taunting letters that end with a simple declaration, “Think of any number…picture it…now see how well I know your secrets.” On the other hand, he knows the police are much better prepared to deal with the completely baffling killer who is fond of rhymes filled with threats and warnings, whose attention to detail is unprecedented, and who has an uncanny knack for disappearing into thin air. This is one of those works that are bigger than the “genre’”, reminiscent in some ways of the best of James Lee Burke, although totally different in style. 08/10 Jack Quick

THINK TWICE by Lisa Scottoline: Scottoline (Look Again) takes us back to Bennie Rosato’s all-female law firm and the warm, witty women who work there. Bennie’s twin sister, Alice, shows up, and if we weren’t sure she was evil before, now we know: Alice drugs Bennie, buries her alive, then impersonates her sister in a scheme to steal her money. She almost gets away with it, running the show at the law firm while the wheels turn to move Bennie’s money offshore. In the interim, Mary is house-hunting with Anthony, creating additional stress for their relationship, and Mary’s parents are having their own relationship troubles. Bennie finds herself in a nightmare that brings out a side of her she never knew she had, and the tension keeps ratcheting up until the very end. VERDICT Readers who enjoy warm, believable characters, a touch of romance with their suspense, and a bit of humor will be delighted with the gang at Rosato’s and Scottoline’s intricate plot will keep thriller fans turning those pages. 03/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2010 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THE THIRD BULLET by Stephen Hunter: This is the book that Hunter has been building up to to write for many years. Most of his previous novels have involved action based upon duels between world class snipers using rifles, and in one case swords. His knowledge of guns and ballistics is encyclopedic and supplies fascinating explanations for the actions of the protagonists in his books.
Bob Lee Swagger has figured in many of the novels, and in this one is now 66 years of age, apparently quite content to stay at home with his family and enjoy his life. A woman approaches him asking Bob to investigate the death of her husband that, although classified as an accident, she feels was murder. Her husband had been researching a novel based upon the assassination of President Kennedy now 50 years in the past. Bob becomes interested when it is revealed that her husband found an overcoat in a building across the way from the Texas Book Depository where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed Kennedy. The overcoat has a strange stain on it’s back almost as if a bike ran over it. Bob is galvanized to start an investigation based on that fact alone.
This discovery plunges Bob into an adventure investigating the past and taking him into a world of possibility not coinciding with the findings of the Warren Commission who named Oswald the sole perpetrator of the Kennedy murder. The book is filled with Swagger’s findings of the impossibility of Oswald being alone in the crime and postulates a scenario that could have really happened. Stephen Hunter’s knowledge of ballistics comes to the fore in explanations of possibilities not coinciding with prior theories of the assassination. Hunter launches into a first person narrative by the supposed planner of the murder which sets up the thinking and planning of those involved in the killing. This is not something Hunter has done before, but it is very successful in entering the mind and thoughts of a very intelligent, but twisted individual. The Third Bullet is not Stephen Hunter’s normal fare, and does provide an excess of information concerning the ballistics involved in the plot, but it is very fascinating reading. The ideas linger long after the reader finishes the book and allows the concept of conspiracy instead of individual crime to make it’s presence felt again. There is a great deal of material that postulates the existence of a larger conspiracy than original findings, but this is the first effort to utilize an approach using the ballistics of the day to describe a very possible alternative to other ideas currently prevalent. 1/13 Paul Lane
THE THIRD BULLET by Stephen Hunter: Former Marine sniper Bob Lee “The Nailer” Swagger is back in a thriller fifty years in the making. Swagger is interested in the events of November 22, 1963, and the third bullet that ended the life of John F. Kennedy and set the stage for one of the most enduring controversies of our time. Swagger begins his slow stalk through a much-traveled landscape, but soon he is right in the middle of the decades old controversy. As Bob investigates, another voice enters the narrative: knowing, ironic, almost familiar, that of a gifted, Yale-educated veteran of the CIA Plans Division. Hugh Meachum has secrets and the means and the will to keep them buried. When weighed against his own legacy, Swagger’s life is an insignificant expense—but to blunt the threat, he’ll first have to ambush the sniper. May be Hunter’s best ever. 2/13 Jack Quick

THIRD DEGREE by Greg Iles: Transpiring over the course of a day, Iles has written a disturbing thriller about a family in crisis. Laurel Shields is living the American dream; her husband Warren is a doctor, they have a beautiful home and two healthy children. Yet that isn’t enough, and Laurel finds herself falling in love with David, the father of one of her autistic students. Duplicitous as she is beautiful, Laurel juggles her affair for about a year before David ends it just weeks before Laurel discovers she’s pregnant. Meanwhile Warren’s partner at work is defrauding Medicare to make extra money, and soon Warren’s Boy Scout code of ethics crumbles and he wants in. As things start unraveling at work, an anonymous email leads Warren to find a letter from Laurel’s lover, and everything just flips into surreal as he takes his wife and children hostage, demanding to know who her paramour is. Despite the soap opera-ish sounding plot, Iles manages to create a page turner out of the angst; relentless and impossible to put down. 11/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE THIRD GATE by Lincoln Child: This is a very readable novel following in the general pattern of Lincoln Child’s books that deal with events that are just on the other side of normal. He has also partnered with Douglas Preston on various tales that follow the same off beat but logical plans. The Third Gate introduces Jeremy Logan, a man that might become a continuing protagonist for Child due to his profession of enigmalogist, described as being an expert in the inexplicable. He is also a professor at Yale University in order to earn money between looking at the inexplicable. Dr Logan is invited to take part in an expedition that is unearthing the tomb of the first pharaoh to unite upper and lower Egypt more than 5000 years ago. The tomb of the God-king Narmer is thought to also contain an archeological find so valuable that no price can be put on it.

The dig is covered by the mud and silt of the Sudd, a unique area far away from the normal Valley of the Kings near Cairo. To reach the tomb below such a formidable barrier the organizer of the expedition, Porter Stone, has constructed a floating marvel of engineering and staffed it with a group of foremost experts in Egyptology. Child logically describes the reaching of the tomb and its area through the morass of the Sudd. Strange happenings during the dig seemingly all have logical explanations, and the climax, while macabre in nature also might be something that could really be normal. Or could it? 8/12 Paul Lane

THE THIRD RAIL by Michael Harvey: I have now finished the first of what I am certain will be one of my top ten books for 2010. When Chicago commuters are being assassinated everyone gets involved – the Chicago PD, the Mayor, the FBI, the Archdiocese, Homeland Security and tough Chicago PI Michael Kelly around whom the action seems to be revolving. Kelly witnesses the first murder, and gets a taunting telephone call after the second. Aided by his buddy Detective Vince Rodriquez and newly found friend (maybe) FBI agent Katherine Lawson, Kelly digs into the situation which initially focuses on the transit system with which Kelly has a very personal history. Before it is over he will see a good friend dead and his girl friend Rachel Swenson become a victim. Its classic Chicago and Harvey captures all the nuances perfectly in this non-stop tale. Try to start it on a Saturday so you won’t have to put it down until the very last page. 05/10 Jack Quick
THE THIRD SECRET by Steve Berry: Another Da Vinci Code-like thriller – fast paced of course, but this one is very well written. The Third Secret is driven by the events of the miracle at Fatima, Portugal and a conspiracy in the Catholic Church, if you can imagine such a thing. The intricacies and politics of the Vatican are examined while the story races along, and coming on the heels of the latest conclave and installation of the new Pope just makes this book even more irresistible. Fascinating history, meticulously researched (as always by this author) and spellbinding to boot. 06/05 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THIRD STRIKE by Zoe Sharpe: Charlie Fox thought she had severed the ties with her family back in the U.K. when she moved to New York with boyfriend Sean Meyers. Imagine her surprise when she sees an interview with her surgeon father in New York, where he is under investigation for the death of a patient. Despite the animosity between father and daughter, is going to stand by and allow her father to become a scapegoat for what she learns is a coverup involving a shadowy government agency and the testing of a controversial new medical treatment. This is Charlie’s wildest adventure yet with ugly villains, lots of action, and plenty of “sax and violins”, as they say. Definitely recommended. 04/09 Jack Quick

THIRST by Pete Larson: Better not use the old “name your poison” line in Stu Carlson’s Longhorn Lounge in Travis City, Texas. Not after someone served Andrew Washburn a cyanide and soda along with his Glenfiddich at a local arts festival. What a waste of single malt scotch. Its unbelievable, even though Washburn holds the dual titles of Dean of Fine Arts and Resident Asshole. Then the sheriff arrests meek and mild-mannered Daniel Lackland for the crime. How could it be? Well, Lackland had the big three – means, opportunity and a huge motive. Two years earlier, Washburn stole Lackland’s wife. So is it chickens coming home to roost or is there more here than meets the eye. An excellent first effort with some truly interesting characters, like ex-minister now barkeep, Stu Carlson who is determined to clear Lackland. As the book blurb says, “Set in Texas this debut novel explores the relationships between love, faith and cyanide.” And does it well. 06/07 Jack Quick

THIRTEEN by Richard K. Morgan: For fans of SF, and particularly, J.D. Robb, this new stand alone from British author Morgan is a winner. Titled THIRTEEN in the US and BLACK MAN elsewhere, it tells the story of a soul-weary hit men, Carl Marsalsis, who is hired to help track down a genetically manipulated sub-human who has escaped from exile on Mars. Both the sub-human and Marsalis are “Thirteens” a variant that is an aggressive and ruthless throwback to pre-civilization. Marsalis may be the next century’s version of Evanovich’s “Ranger” or Parker’s “Hawk.” Although he is more empathetic than the normal people around him, they can see him only as an untrustworthy killer. Overall, the question may be are any of us as we seem or are we better or worse? Remember Dr. Zaius in PLANET OF THE APES, “To suggest that we can learn anything about the simian nature from a study of man is sheer nonsense. Why, man is a nuisance. He eats up his food supply in the forest, then migrates to our green belts and ravages our crops. The sooner he is exterminated, the better. It’s a question of simian survival.” 01/08 Jack Quick

THE THIRTEEN by Susie Moloney: Paula was just a teen when her mother sent her away from Haven Woods. Pregnant and sure that her mother was ashamed, Paula hardly ever returned in the following years and she never revealed the truth about her daughter’s father. When Izzy Riley calls telling her that her mother is very sick and needs her to return to Haven Woods, Paula is hesitant. Their current situation certainly allows for the trip – Paula recently out of a job and her daughter suspended for the remainder of the school year – but something about Haven Woods never felt right. Little does she know, something dark and sinister waits for them, something that has lived in Haven Woods for a long time. Moloney’s witches aren’t pc Wiccans or prankster dabblers, they’re full on dark and twisty women willing to sacrifice anything to get what they want. The Thirteen makes for a nice blend of horror and snarky suburban satire. 3/12 Becky Lejeune

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY by Jay Asher: The “thirteen reasons” translate to thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah, a teenage girl who has committed suicide. Each tape is dedicated to one person who in some way contributed to the feelings that led Hannah to take her own life. We hear the stories as Clay, who is featured on the ninth tape, is listening to them. The lightest note in the book is when Hannah finds a way to create these cassette tapes, and the lengths necessary for Clay to find something to play them on in this age of digital recordings. A lot of the stories are interwoven, but as Clay listens, his emotions are in turmoil. He had a crush on Hannah and the guilt he feels for not being strong enough to overcome his shyness and be there for her is almost overwhelming. In a way, it reminded me of Erich Segal’s Love Story (1970) where you know from the beginning that the main character is going to die but you can’t help being hopeful that somehow it won’t be true. But this is no romance; this is a searing, emotional read that deals with difficult subject matter, including teen suicide, drinking and driving, rape and the aftermath and repercussions that go along with such horror. This debut novel was published in 2007 but continues to grow in popularity via word of mouth, especially among young adults. From the author’s website: “Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment have acquired film rights for Thirteen Reasons Why with Selena Gomez signed on to star! Stay tuned for more information…” 07/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE THIRTEENTH TALE by Diane Setterfield: Every so often, readers get to experience a truly amazing story – this is one of them. Bestselling author Vida Winter has never been forthcoming about her past. For years, she’s done what she does best; told stories. Now, with her health failing her, she’s decided it’s time to tell the truth. Biographer Margaret Lea has spent her life immersed in classic literature. When she receives a letter from Ms. Winter requesting that she pen the author’s biography, her first instinct is to refuse. She becomes intrigued after reading Winter’s most famous novel Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation, a novel that has gained almost cult status due to the fact that there are only twelve stories. What follows is a tale of tragedy, ghosts, twins and, ultimately, family. By using elements found in classic gothic literature, Diane Setterfield has created a truly phenomenal debut. Her vivid story captures readers from the very beginning. This is perfect rainy day reading. 10/06 Becky LeJeune

THIS CASE IS GONNA KILL ME by Phillipa Bornikova: For a student straight out of law school, a position with a White-Fang firm is almost out of reach. Ishmael, McGillary, and Gold is one of the best and Linnet Ellery is lucky enough to have an in—her vampire foster happens to be great friends with Shade Ishmael himself. Of course this connection gets Linnet nothing but scorn from her fellow employees. Linnet is assigned to work with a lawyer who has just one case on his books, and it’s a doozy: a mother and her kids are suing for control of a company started by the woman’s dead husband. Problem is the company founder was turned into a werewolf and left control of the company to his own werewolf heir. The family never saw a penny and in spite of settlement offers, they want nothing less than full control of said company. The case has been on the firm’s books for almost two decades. Despite of her lack of enthusiasm at diving into seventeen years’ worth of paperwork, Linnet knows that she’s fortunate to have the job at all, but when her boss is murdered by a rogue were, she’s not so sure the position is worth it. With the help of an elf private eye, Linnet will have to find out who had it in for her boss. If it’s tied to their case, she could find herself a target as well. Phillipa Bornikova, aka Melinda Snodgrass, has launched a unique and thrilling new series with This Case is Gonna Kill Me. The combination legal thriller and urban fantasy is a great mix and the vampire, werewolf, and Alfar (elf) hierarchy and lore is like nothing I’ve read before. 10/12 Becky Lejeune

THIS CHARMING MAN by Marian Keyes: Paddy de Courcy is a rising political star in Ireland, with the good looks and charisma of the Kennedy clan. Unfortunately, he uses and discards women as he furthers his political ambitions, culminating with his engagement to the correct political wife-to-be, Alicia. The story alternates between four of his women, and their distinct voices – Lola writes without the use of pronouns, for instance – makes this somewhat complicated story much easier to follow. For this is Marian Keyes, queen of chick-lit with a purpose, and this time around that purpose is a myriad of women’s issues, primarily abuse and power. Lola is a fashion stylist, dressing the richest and most influential women in Ireland, and Paddy’s most recent discard. Grace is a journalist in a healthy relationship, but who also has a past with Paddy, as does her sister, Marnie, who is married with children and in the midst of some sort of breakdown. Their stories form a sort of cacophony, until the individual melodies are woven together, creating a lovely, yet engrossing story with an ending that should inspire women everywhere. 06/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2008 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED by John Boyne: The author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is back and this time it’s with a gothic-esque ghost story. Eliza Caine is all alone in the world. Her beloved father has just died and the young woman is left with nothing. So it’s fortuitous that she comes across an ad listing a live-in governess position in Gaudlin. Eliza is immediately hired and makes her arrangements, but when she arrives she finds there are no adults in residence. The children appear to be living alone and report that their previous governess left the very same afternoon Eliza was set to arrive. As Eliza tries desperately to find out more about the Westerleys, her efforts are seemingly thwarted at every pass: the family attorney who supplies her salary is never available and even the townspeople of Gaudlin are tightlipped when it comes to the family. Then strange things start to happen at Gaudlin Hall. At first Eliza thinks they might be accidents but as she pieces together the bits of information she does manage to gather on the family and the house, she realizes these accidents are the result of something much more malicious. I love a good Victorian ghost story and Boyne has truly nailed it with This House is Haunted. 10/13 Becky Lejeune
THIS IS RAGE by Ken Goldstein: A novel about goings on in Silicon Valley: somewhat tongue in cheek, or is it? Two would-be entrepreneurs in an attempt to get funded for a business they want to start kidnap the two CEOs of a large software company and accidentally kill someone in the process. While holding the two, pending their demands, they are joined by a radio commentator just fired from his spot due to a much decreased listener base. Kimo Balthazar, the commentator, encounters an unexpectedly successful niche going on the internet and discussing the kidnapping and the demands of the kidnappers. The kidnapper’s demands are a trip to Shanghai, and funding for a new business there. Goldstein paints his characters well including their individual motivations towards resolution of what is taking place. We travel from California to Hawaii, meet the FBI and a Senator that embodies the worse attributes of that group in looking only for her own advantage and to heck with the needs of the people she represents. A new business is developed by the participants during the action, and the drop in company stock caused by the kidnappings of the twin CEOs is reversed by the anticipated success of the new launch in progress. Goldstein is well versed in the goings on and actions in 21st century Silicon valley and certainly launches himself successfully into the literary world with this, his first novel. Looking forward to his future books with a great deal of interest. 10/13 Paul Lane

THIS IS W.A.R. by Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker: Willa Ames-Rowan is dead. The police are ready to call it an accident but her friends all know who’s responsible. In their town the Gregory family is pretty much above the law, but Willa’s friends aren’t going to let them get away with it this time. They’re going to make sure the Gregorys pay, no matter what. Because the story begins with Willa’s murder – and everyone seems to know who is responsible – the real mystery becomes how the group will take down the Gregorys. The book is divided into sections, each narrated by a different character, with the story playing out according to each of those characters’ perspectives. Each adds their own observations about the night of Willa’s death, eventually allowing the reader to see that the story isn’t as clear as it may have seemed in the beginning. Revenge among the country club set makes for the perfect teen summer read. This latest from the Roeckers is another great addition to SOHO’s teen mystery imprint – a winning tale of murder and revenge. 8/13 Becky Lejeune

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU by Jonathan Tropper: Tropper writes very funny novels about dysfunctional Jewish families and he does it very, very well. This one starts off with the Foxman family patriarch’s death and his final request for his family to sit shiva for him. [Shiva is like a wake, only after the burial and with lots of food, but no alcohol] His four kids are stunned; their father was a sworn atheist and only went to synagogue once a year or so. But their mother insists that they carry out his dying wish so four grown children and their families move home for a week and a laugh out loud story begins, yes, with a death.
Judd is the only child to come home alone. He’s left his wife after catching her in bed with his boss in one of the funniest scenes I’ve every read. His brother Paul runs the family business and he’s there with his wife Alice, who is having fertility issues. Wendy, the only sister in the family, is there with her big money, workaholic husband and her three small children. The baby of the family, Phillip the charmer, shows up with a surprise; a fiancée who’s fifteen years older than he is. And in case you’re thinking the kids are the only dysfunctional members of this family, meet the mom, a world famous psychologist who authored a bestselling book on parenting. Put all these people in an old house with everyone they’ve every known walking through the door to pay their respects and you get a laugh out loud, totally engrossing novel. Don’t miss it. 02/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THIS WICKED WORLD by Richard Lange: In my proto-type favorite crime fiction novel, the hero gets no breaks, has the absolute crud beat out of him repeatedly and loses the girl in the end. But he has some small satisfaction in knowing that he was trying his best to do the right thing. Richard Lange’s debut novel, This Wicked World, fits that description so well that I felt that he had written it for me.
Lange’s protagonist, Jimmy Boone, is a tough guy – Marine veteran, former bouncer/bodyguard, currently tending bar in Hollywood and working as a handyman in a apartment complex, while he is on parole.
Jimmy agrees, reluctantly, to help a friend from the bar look into the death of a poor Guatemalan from dog bite wounds. Soon, he is on a quest. That quest embroils him in drugs, dog fighting, counterfeiting, general thuggery and beaucoup violence.
What really makes the story a success though is not all the bodies falling from being gut-shot, but that Lange has taken the time to develop his characters into believable people that the reader can get concerned about. Three are especially notable – Taggart, the middle-aged, but still scary serious badass who is looking for one big score so that he can retire and build his dream home; Simon, the weasely owner’s son who manages the club where Jimmy tends bar; and Amy, the love interest in the story.
Reviewers will make comparisons of this book to Raymond Chandler because of the L.A. settings, but it is even more consistent with his description of the detective in his essay, the “Simple Art of Murder”. 08/09 Geoffrey R. Hamlin
THISTLE AND TWIGG by Mary Saums: Thelma and Louise, move over, there’s a new pair on the block. Widows Jane Thistle and Phoebe Twigg now call Tullulah, Alabama home, but their home is threatened when they find a dead body, an event that just ruins their otherwise pleasant walk in the woods near Jane’s new house. Jane, originally from England and a military widow, is having none of this, and when she finds a neighbor is being harassed as well, she is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. Phoebe Twigg is the product of a lifetime in Tullulah, and has all the classic Southern social graces, bless your heart. Even a firebomb in Phoebe’s kitchen doesn’t dissuade them from finding the truth. Along the way, they also answer that burning question, can you serve country ham biscuits at an English high tea? If you loved the Anne George Southern Sisters mysteries, you will find Thistle and Twigg a sparkling replacement. Mary, Mary, when is number two due????? Thath’s eathy for you to thay… 04/07 Jack Quick

THOSE ACROSS THE RIVER by Christopher Buehlman: This is Buehlman’s first novel, and the genre seemingly not what a writer of poetry should do. It is a horror story, but so well done that it held me in its grasp from start to finish. The principal character, Frank Nichols and his girl friend, soon to be wife, move to a small town in Georgia in order that Frank who has lost his position in Academia might resurrect his career via writing a book about an estate that is in his family, located in that town: and where an ancestor of his was killed during the Civil War by enraged slaves due to that individual’s extreme cruelty towards them. The time is after WWI with the great depression shaping the economy and the political climate.
The town turns out to be the very opposite of what a sleepy little Hamlet should be. There is an unspeakable horror that has permeated the lives of the townspeople for many years and blossoms due to their actions coinciding with Frank’s arrival. He and his girlfriend Eudora are thrown into the terror in spite of not wanting to be involved. Frank is a veteran of fighting on the western front in 1917, and flashbacks to these combat experiences are mixed with the reactions to what he feels when facing the events going on around him. Scenes of mass murder from the war juxtapose with the killings in the town as a result of the unleashing of the terror. The mood of horror is enhanced by the descriptions of trench warfare.
The story is very well told, and logical, if the horrors described were to really exist. The characters, Frank, Eudora, and townspeople are fleshed out nicely and react logically to the events depicted. I don’t know if Mr Buehlman will stick to the horror motif but I can’t help but feel that whatever he decides for the genre of his subsequent book or books will be interesting and well done. 10/11 Paul Lane
THOSE WHO SAVE US by Jenna Blum: This is a first novel that came out in 2004 and is growing legs – word of mouth is putting this at the forefront for reading groups. Trudy is a German history professor in Minnesota who has a fascinating family history herself – only she doesn’t know it. Her mother, Anna, was from a small town in Germany and emigrated to the US after WWII when she married an American soldier who was willing to take on a beautiful German wife and her small daughter. Trudy grows up on a farm and ends up teaching a course about women’s roles during the Holocaust, but she doesn’t know about her own mother’s role. The book unfolds in alternating sections so the reader learns Anna’s history while watching Trudy’s frustration with her uncommunicative mother. The author worked for Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation, and survivor interviews play a strong part in this story as well. It’s a very thought provoking, heartbreaking story that easily lends itself to discussion; in fact, it begs for it so read it, then give it to a friend to read. 08/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THREAT WARNING by John Gilstrap: It starts with “terrorist” attacks. Caught in the crossfire of one of the attacks, rescue specialist Jonathan Grave spies a gunman getting away-with a mother and her young son as hostages. To free them, Grave and his team must enter the dark heart of a nationwide conspiracy. But it is not all it seems. While everyone is trying to blame Islamic terrorists, they real culprits are a fundamental religious cult in Wets Virginia. Another nicely done thriller featuring the hostage rescue specialists created by Gilstrap. 11/11 Jack Quick

Three Junes by Julia Glass: I was not as enamored of this book as most of the critics – especially those who gave it the National Book Award. The book is written in three distinct sections that all get neatly tied together with a bow at the end. The first section deals with Paul McLeod, a recent widower who has left his home in Scotland and is wandering around the Greek isles. The middle, and longest section, deals with his son, Fenno, a gay bookstore owner in Manhattan. Fenno’s relationships with his family are explored here, as well as his relationship with Mal, his friend/neighbor who is dying of AIDS. The last section is devoted to Fern, who is so newly impregnated she hasn’t had a chance to even tell the father, who is out of town. Fern is staying with Tony, an ex-lover of Fenno’s, and somehow all the characters in the book come together in this relatively short section. The descriptive writing is beautiful, and the relationships under glass are interesting, but it is a slow moving, forgettable story. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THREE KISSES by Heath Daniels: Up until this point, I think the longest debut book I have ever read was Marshall Karp’s The Rabbit Factory, 550 pages in paperback, which read so quickly you wanted more at the end. Mr. Daniels debut novel runs 631 pages in small print trade paperback. Think Michener writing about Al Qaeda with Russians, the DIA, CIA, FBI, etc. all flowing through Syria, Mexico, Cuba, Iraq, the U.S. and Canada, involving current events – a major al Qaeda terror plot foiled in Canada, a war in Lebanon. It is truly an odyssey, and somewhere in there is probably a decent book of about 300 pages. Edit, edit, edit. 08/09 Jack Quick

THREE STATIONS by Martin Cruz Smith: Having another Arkady Renko novel almost makes up for no more Porfiry Rostnikov from Stuart Kaminksy. Renko is pursuing the murder of a woman whom everyone wants to dismiss as a “mere prostitute”. Meanwhile, Zhenya, the young street genius with whom Renko has established a connection, is trying to help a youthful mother whose baby has been stolen. All the action centers around Three Stations (aka Komsomol Square). The contrast between the bare bones existence of most Russians and the excesses of the wealthy at the Club Nijinksy show just how far the country has yet to advance. Although I wouldn’t want a steady diet of the melancholy of these settings, it is an interesting change of pace from “normal” American crime settings. 09/10 Jack Quick

THREE WEEKS TO SAY GOODBYE by C.J. Box: Denver couple Jack and Melissa McGuane are stunned when they receive a disturbing call from their adoption agency. Eighteen months ago, the McGuanes were chosen by their daughter’s biological mother to be the adoptive parents of her child. At the time, the agency attempted to contact the child’s father but received no reply. Now, nine months after the birth, the father wants his daughter back. Unfortunately, the law seems to be on his side. The McGuanes meet in secret with their case handler who tells Jack that under no circumstances would she want any child left in the care of this teen. The bad news is that this kid’s dad is a high-powered federal judge who seems dead set on gaining custody of his granddaughter. Jack and Melissa agree to meet with the boy and his father and attempt to plea their case, to no avail. They are given three weeks in which to say goodbye and prepare to hand their daughter over. Three weeks, is it enough time to dig up enough dirt on this family so that they can keep their daughter? They’re about to find out. This stand-alone from Box, author of the Joe Pickett series, really pulls at your emotions. An edge of your seat read that will leave you literally breathless all the way from the surprise beginning to the shocking conclusion. 01/09 Becky Lejeune

THE THREE WEISSMANNS OF WESTPORT by Cathleen Schine: Betty has been married to Joseph Weissmann for 48 years and cannot comprehend what is happening when he comes home one day and tells her he wants a divorce because of “irreconcilable differences.” What he doesn’t tell her is that he has fallen in love with his manipulative secretary, the much younger Felicity. She convinces Joseph that it would be totally unfair to saddle Betty with the upper West Side apartment they live in, so Joseph throws Betty out and cuts off all her income. Her cousin Lou takes her in, offering her a small cottage in Westport, Connecticut that had been rented out for many years until the tenant died. It also hasn’t been updated in many years, but nonetheless it is a roof over her head and Betty has no choice. Her daughter Annie is a single mother whose sons have both moved away. She’s a librarian and in love with an author with an overly possessive family. Miranda is a book agent specializing in memoirs whose career has hit the skids. It seems that a few of her clients have been caught telling outrageous, egregious lies in their memoirs, and Miranda is being sued by everyone in publishing. Both daughters decide that Betty cannot survive on her own and move in with her. This is the story of three grown women living together again after many years apart and dealing with the breakup of a family, a business, and a couple of romances. This book is both humorous and sad, quirky and sage, and most importantly, a very entertaining read. 03/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THRESHOLD by Bonnie Kozek: Bonnie Kozek’s debut novel, Threshold, is the first book in her Honey McGuinness series. The second book in the series, Just Before the Dawn, will be in print in 2009. The third book, The Story of Why, is scheduled for publication in 2010. Let’s just hope Honey McGuinness survives that long. She’s spit in the Devil’s eye and paid the price for it. Trying to escape her past becomes impossible when she finds her friend Billy lying in a pool of blood with a tape recorder strapped to his waist. Her hunt for he killer leaves her more battered and bruised but also leads to a big lug of a cop who just may be man enough to save her. Adult language and frontal nudity (at least in words). This gritty tale will pull you in deeper than you ever dreamed. First rate. 04/09 Jack Quick

THRILLER: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, edited by James Patterson: If you can’t make the convention in Phoenix then you must have this first publication from a new professional organization — International Thriller Writers, Inc. It’s the first short story collection ever dedicated strictly to thrillers and it is an outstanding anthology of 32 new stories by such top genre names as Lee Child, James Grippando, Denise Hamilton and David Morrell. Patterson provides an introduction to each story that could be a model about research and technique for would-be thriller writers. The stories themselves are first-rate, ranging from mysteries to pure thrillers and everywhere in between. Lovers of crime fiction in general and well-told action tales in particular will be well rewarded by the monster 576 page compilation with its dream list of genre superstars. It’s a genuine publishing event and, one hopes, just the beginning of many more collections of adrenaline-laced nail-biters. Don’t miss this masterful anthology! 06/06 Jack Quick

THROUGH TO YOU by Emily Hainsworth: Cam is lost without his girlfriend, Viv. It’s been two months since the accident—two months since Viv’s death—and Cam’s not getting over it. He can’t stop thinking about her and he can’t seem to be bothered caring about anything else. Then Cam discovers something amazing: a tear between his world and another very similar world. And in this other world, Viv is still alive. Cam’s best friend in this other world is a girl named Nina and she’s concerned that Cam is spending too much time with this alternate Viv. But Nina’s keeping secrets from Cam, secrets that might make Cam reconsider trading in his life for another. Hainsworth’s debut is an interesting blend of science fiction, mystery, and romance and an intriguing “what if” scenario. 11/12 Becky Lejeune

TIGERHEART by Peter David: Paul Dear has a very vivid imagination, thanks in part to the tales his father spins about The Boy. Paul sometimes even wonders if he actually is The Boy. With the loss of his newborn sister, though, everything in Paul’s world begins to change. His mother has asked his father to leave and has banned all stories involving The Boy. Paul comes to believe that the only hope is for him to enter the Anyplace and find a new sister. It’s fortunate then that he finds the mummified remains of Fiddlefix, The Boy’s pixie cohort. After reviving her, the two fly off to Anyplace in search of The Boy. Unfortunately, Anyplace has suffered greatly since the death of Captain Hack. Gwenny has returned to find The Boy a different person, and Fiddlefix is dead-set on revenge since it was The Boy’s proclamation that he didn’t believe in pixies that caused her death. Paul is immediately tagged as being the one to help set things straight. Will he succeed in his quest? Can he help save Anyplace and reunite his family at the same time? This whimsical story is, of course, a sort-of sequel to Peter Pan. It’s a fun tale that the truly young at heart will enjoy. Although it’s Peter Pan through and through, for this Gen Y girl, it’s also reminiscent of The Neverending Story and Return to Oz (or books 2 and 3 in Baum’s series). 06/08 Becky Lejeune

TILT-A-WHIRL by Chris Grabenstein: If the action is in an amusement park in a second ranked New Jersey seaside summer resort, then it would logically follow that the two police protagonists would not be run of the mill. John Ceepak is nearly a parody of the “24/7” super cop, a former military policeman who spends his spare time watching true-crime shows on television and studying forensics. Danny Boyle, his 24-year-old partner is a part time summer cop who joined the force to meet and impress college girls. Tied together by their love for Bruce Springsteen (did I say New Jersey?), the two are suddenly in deep waters with the stabbing death of a Donald Trump wannabe who was meeting his young daughter at the Tilt-A-Whirl ride in the town’s closed amusement park. (Tilt-A-Whirl, get it?) Anyway, Boyle tells you all about what is going on in his own naïve meandering way, and lo and behold the two unlikely cops (not ready to call them heroes yet) solve the crime and prepare for their next adventure. Could you ask for anything more? Well, Dirty Harry it isn’t but overall I’d say it’s no more fanciful than that other New Jersey bastion of the law, one Stephanie Plum. 11/06 Jack Quick

The Time Traveler’s Wife by by Audrey Niffenegger: This is a powerful love story with a twist of fantasy. Clare has been in love with Henry for most of her life, and she is the center of his world. Henry suffers from a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel, yet he always seems to find his way to Clare. While his life moves in a chaotic, zigzag fashion, hers proceeds linearly, creating an unusual roadblock on their journey to love, yet one that they manage to overcome. Because this is a complicated storyline, it requires close and careful reading, but fortunately the prose is so beautiful that it makes you want to linger over each line. 12/03 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THIS DAME FOR HIRE by Sandra Scoppettone: Faye Quick is not my mother, but perhaps she could have been. Faye starts as a secretary, learns everything her sleazy but charming boss knows about being a detective, then assumes charge of the agency after her employer is drafted. A female PI working in New York City on her own – in 1943. “Even though I looked like any 26-year-old gal ankling round New York City in ’43, there was one main difference between me and the rest of the broads,” Faye tells us. “Show me another Jane who did my job and I’d eat my hat.” After Quick discovers the body of a missing young woman, the victim’s parents hire her to find the killer. It’s a tough time and a tough city, but Faye is a tough broad. 01/07 Jack Quick

THIS FIERCE SPLENDOR by Iris Johansen: Johansen is at her best when writing about an all consuming love affair centered around a major event. Such is This Fierce Splendor: the event being a search for the lost city of Kantalan.
Elspeth MacGregor grew up in Scotland filled with her father’s talk about an ancient city destroyed by a curse and the gold fortune still there. Upon her father’s death she feels herself free to go and search for it looking for a man named Dominic Delaney who her father indicated knows where it is. . She encounters Dominic in Arizona finding him a drunk, a wastrel and a good for nothing. He, also is not at all partial to her. In true Johansen fashion they fall in love, Dominic matures, they marry and go searching for the city which they do find.
The two travel with secondary characters who are described by the author, and one is killed in the search fulfilling a prophecy concerning the finding of Kantalan. A flaw in the book is the lack of interactions with the secondary personnel who in brief descriptions are very interesting. The city is of course found and the gold is used to pay off Delaney’s father’s home, and to set Elspeth and Dominic up in their own home in Arizona. Johansen wrote several books about the Delaney family about the same time as writing this one, and perhaps it is the intention of the publisher to re release all of them. Published July 1990, there are about 20 years between this book and present day and Johansen, has of course developed as a major author sufficiently to notice a stylistic difference between the Iris of 1990 and 2011. 09/11 Paul Lane

A THOUSAND BONES by P.J. Parrish: This was my first P. J. Parrish but certainly will not be my last. Actually this is the first in a new series that evolves from their previous Louis Kincaid series. In A Thousand Bones, Kincaid’s lover Joe Frye, the only female Miami-Dade Police Department homicide detective tells him about her experiences thirteen years earlier as a rookie in the Leelanau County, Michigan sheriff’s department. The discovery of human bones in the woods of Echo Bay leads to the hunt for a serial killer. Well written and interesting, I look forward to more of the new series but also want to catch up on the backlist. 07/07 Jack Quick

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini: I loved The Kite Runner so much that while I wanted more from this author, I also had some serious trepidation. Would I like anything else? Could he deliver another story as powerful? The short answer is yes. In fact, this new book may even be better than The Kite Runner, and I never thought that was even an option.
The story is once again set in Afghanistan, but this time it stays there. The main characters are two women, and it spans thirty years of their lives against the backdrop of all the political upheaval and war that Afghanistan experienced since the 1970’s. Mariam is the bastard child of a wealthy businessman and a very bitter mother. When she turns fifteen, circumstances change and Mariam is forced to marry forty-year-old Rasheed, a struggling businessman in another city. He is very old fashioned and forces Mariam to wear the burqua. All he wants is a son, and when Mariam fails to produce, he becomes quite brutal with her. Many years later, he takes another child bride, Laila, when her parents are killed in a bombing. The fourteen-year-old really has no options in that world – starvation, prostitution, or marriage, and Rasheed capitalizes on that. These two women live lives in constant peril, both from the world around them, and from the man they married.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a brutal story that is beautifully told, and is simply captivating reading. This is my pick for Book of the Year. Don’t miss it. 05/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
THREE by Jay Posey: When the world has all but ended, it’s best not to get too involved with others. Easier, too. At least, this is how Three has always felt. He can survive alone. But when he’s approached by a woman with a young son in desperate need of help, he finds he can’t turn them down. The woman calls herself Cass and she and her son are on the run from some pretty bad people. Three doesn’t know who they are and he doesn’t know why they’re after Cass. Her own explanation is full of holes and Three is more than aware that she’s keeping things from him. What he does know is that he’s probably the only person with the resources and the know-how to keep them safe. Three kicks off Jay Posey’s Legends of the Duskwalker series, which – based on this debut – promises to be a post-apocalyptic science fiction epic. Three does feel like a prologue to a much larger story, from the outset there are a lot of things left unexplained about the world and the characters. I’m not at all certain where Posey will be going next with the series, but I do know that if Three is anything to go by, it will be excellent. 8/13 Becky Lejeune

THREE PARTS DEAD by Max Gladstone: Alt Coulumb exists in a world run on Gods. The people of the city trade faith for Kos Everburning’s power, which is used for the heat and steam that run the city and surrounding areas. And now Kos is dead. Tara Abernathy has trained as a Craftswoman. Her unique set of skills has led to employment with Kelethras, Albrecht, and Ao, the firm hired to represent Kos and the church’s interests. With the help of one of Kos’s Novices and one of Justice’s Blacksuits – the policing force of the city – Tara is tasked with finding the cause of Kos’s death. It’s possible that the Old God can be resurrected but time is quickly running out. Mystery, fantasy, and legal thriller collide in this debut. Gladstone deftly combines these elements and brings to life a truly exceptional world with an intricate history and strong characters. 10/12 Becky Lejeune

THRILLED TO DEATH by L J Sellers: Ms. Sellers has a delightfully twisted mind and the talent to take her unsuspecting readers down trails that fork and bend back and curve and twist until at the end, you have a sense of satisfaction coupled with a pleasant mental exhaustion as your mind wanders back to how you got there. In her third outing for Eugene, Oregon’s Detective Jackson, she has concocted a particularly fiendish assignment. It begins with Jackson being diagnosed with a rare but treatable serious health problem. As he begins to cope it seems the whole world is following apart. Kera, the nurse he met in The Sex Club and has been seeing, has a grandson by her son (who was killed in Iraq) and his girlfriend who was pregnant when he went overseas. The grandson’s mother, Danette, goes missing after an appointment with a psychologist. Within twenty four hours another young woman about Danette’s age also goes missing. The difference is the second young woman, Courtney Durham, is the daughter of a woman who owns half the town – literally. Long days and sleepless nights continue unabated after Courtney’s body is found. Autopsy results are inconclusive, and as importantly, is there a connection between the two disappearances. You are gonna love this one. 07/10 Jack Quick

THRILLER 2 edited by Clive Cussler: Members of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) team up once again to bring fans another gripping anthology of short stories. In this all-new collection, a whole different set of authors has been chosen to thrill and chill readers of the genre. Simon Wood, Marcus Sakey, Lisa Jackson, and Tim Maleeny are just a few of the twenty-three contributors to this collection of tales. Bestselling author R.L. Stine cooks up a surprising tale of revenge in “Roomful of Witnesses,” Spanish author, Javier Sierra shows readers just why he’s an international success in “The Fifth World,” and David Hewson breaks from his Rome series with a shocking story of terrorism in “The Circle.” Some of the authors may be old favorites and some may be completely new to you, but one thing’s for sure: each of these tales is guaranteed to keep you in suspense to the very end. 05/09 Becky Lejeune
THROUGH THE CRACKS by Barbara Fister: Over 20 years ago, Jill McKenzie was the victim of the Lincoln Park Rapist, who also savagely beat her and killed her dog, a crime for which 16-year-old African American Chase Taylor was quickly charged. After Taylor’s conviction is thrown out decades later, McKenzie, now a sociology professor, finds rape cases much like hers and believes her assailant is still out there attacking women. She hires Chicago PI Anni Koskinen (In the Wind, 2008) to look for the real offender. Koskinen, an ex-cop herself, teams with Jerry Pozorski, the retired detective who had worked the McKenzie case, to build a new scenario despite resistance from the police and the politically ambitious state’s attorney, who convicted Taylor. All in all its another strong outing for Anni who is fast becoming a strong competitor to the likes of V.I. Warshawski, Chicago’s more famous female PI. Would it not be awesome to see them team up on a future case? Note to Barbara….. 10/10 Jack Quick

THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT by Veronica Rossi: While Aria and Perry found themselves separated in the end of Under the Never Sky, Through the Ever Night picks up with their reunion after some months apart. Perry has taken up the reigns as Blood Lord of the Tides and Aria has begun her search for evidence of the Still Blue, the rumored piece of land that remains untouched by the massive Aether storms that now plague the planet. Pods like Aria’s old home, Reverie, are no longer secure from the storms and the citizens are showing signs of Degenerative Limbic System, an illness Aria’s mother had been studying before her death. The same man who banished Aria from her home now holds her responsible for finding salvation for the people of Reverie. If she succeeds it means saving Perry’s nephew. If she fails it could mean the end for the people she once held dear. The story progression in Through the Ever Night was fantastic. It was everything I’d hoped for in finishing Under the Never Sky. All of the great character development and world building of book one were still present but there was so much more going on to move along the trilogy as a whole. That plus the killer ending leaves me itching for the release of book three. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

THUGS AND KISSES by Sue Ann Jaffarian: California-based paralegal Odelia Grey is living large and in charge. Its Class reunion time and while wheel chair bound boyfriend Greg stays home, attractive widower Devin Frye escorts Odelia. After 30 years Odelia has forgotten just how miserable her high school years were but she is quickly reminded just how cruel people can be. Then Donny Oliver, her tormentor, winds up dead, and next her boss, Mike Steele, vanishes just before a major trial. Is Odelia cursed or is there something else afoot. An excellent follow-up to 2003’s The Curse of The Holy Pail, Odelia shows once again why she is an original and very funny character. Enjoyable. 04/08 Jack Quick

THE TIGER’S WIFE by Téa Obreht: This debut novel is both a wondrous and languorous read. Natalia is a doctor practicing somewhere in the Balkans, trying to help orphans. War breaks out and she is caught on the wrong side of the fighting. Meanwhile her grandfather has died far from home. Natalia is very close with her grandfather as she grew up on his stories. She shares those of the “deathless man,” an immortal, and the “tiger’s wife,” a deaf-mute woman who managed to care for a tiger that escaped from the zoo after it was bombed by the Germans. The book meanders back and forth between her childhood and these stories to present day, where Natalia is living a life that will give her stories to someday share with her own grandchildren. This is a lovely, poignant mystical book well worth the adoration it has been receiving. 03/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
TIME FLIES by Claire Cook: What I love most about Claire Cook are her characters, and Time Flies is no exception. Melanie left her Massachusetts beach town when her husband was transferred to Atlanta, and their two boys grew up there. Melanie’s way of coping with the change was to become a sculptor, and when her husband leaves her for another woman, she carves up their bed, turning the mattress coils into some sculpture. Her best friend B.J. is still up in Massachusetts, and she insists that Melanie come up for their high school reunion. Melanie is reluctant until an old boyfriend contacts her to ask if she’s going. Figuring she could use a change of scenery, off she goes on a giddy road trip with B.J., working through all their problems as only two old friends can. If you’re looking for light and breezy, then you’ve found it; small, too, and easy to tote to the beach, even in hard cover. I loved it. 7/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

A TIME FOR WAR by Michael Savage: Generally unsatisfying thriller featuring Jack Hatfield, a popular television host hounded from his position by left-wing forces in the media for speaking the truth. A rogue element in Chinese intelligence has developed an electronic magnetic pulse weapon capable of causing catastrophic electrical failure in aircraft and surface vehicles. With the help of Dover Griffith, an idealistic young woman staffer at the Office of Naval Intelligence, Hatfield pursues a trail leading to a billionaire American electronics entrepreneur who has sold out his own country with the help of officials at the highest level of the American government. If the author had spent half the time developing plot and character as he did spouting political rhetoric to the right of Fox News, the book would have been much more enjoyable. 3/13 Jack Quick

THE TIME OF MY LIFE by Cecelia Ahern: Lucy Silchester is ignoring her life. He’s a bit frumpy and he’s kind of a mess and when he schedules an appointment to talk, Lucy goes out of her way to avoid him. She’s not even sure why her life is calling. It’s not like she’s unhappy. But Lucy has spent so long skating by and hiding things from those around her that she’s not even sure what she wants anymore. She’s lied about her breakup with her ex, she’s lied on her resume and has a job she’s not quite qualified for, she’s even kept her apartment off limits to her friends and family. She says that she was the one who dumped the ex, she’s secretly outsourced the Spanish portion of her job to someone else, and she claims the apartment is her personal space. The reality is, Lucy is in need of a change and whether she likes it or not, life is going to make it happen. This is probably one of my favorites from Ahern. For an author who never disappoints, she has managed to surprise me with something completely new and different. The idea that life is a real entity who forces Lucy (who’s pretty fantastic, I must say) to face facts is so much fun. Another hilarious and heartfelt read from one of my favorite authors. 5/13 Becky Lejeune

TIME OF MY LIFE by Allison Winn Scotch: One of my favorite books is Replay by Ken Grimwood, about a 40 year old man who dies and wakes up the next day as his 18-year-old self with all his memories intact, leading to that eternal question, if you could do it all over again, what would you do differently…or the same? Scotch takes that premise and gives it a little twist. Her heroine is Jillian Westfield, a thirty-something who feels stuck in her boring suburban marriage and stifled by full time mommyhood to a precocious almost two-year-old. When she learns that her ex-boyfriend is getting married, she feels her body tense up and runs to the hunky neighborhood masseuse. He opens up her chi, and she finds herself seven years in her past, all memories intact. She’s living life again, before her marriage, before her child, and she gets to see how different choices can make a different life, but is it a better life? Jillian struggles with the weight of all these decisions and we get a fascinating glimpse at the shoulda, woulda, coulda that we all sometimes wonder about. An interesting premise but perhaps not all that it could have been. 10/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TIME OF MY LIFE by Allison Winn Scotch: Have you ever wondered what would have happened if you had made a different decision somewhere along the way? Jillian Westfield has. Married some six years and the mother of a toddler, Jillian often wonders what her life would have been like if she hadn’t given up her career and moved the suburbs. Her husband is often gone on business and she’s constantly trying to breathe new life into what she thinks is their dying love life. When her masseuse, Garland, unblocks her chi, Jill wakes to find herself in her old apartment. In fact, she seems to be in her old life with her old boyfriend, just months before she would meet the man who would become her husband. The question is this: can Jillian really do things differently this time? And if she does change something, will it be for the better? A sweet story about fate and the ramifications of each decision you make. Jill recounts her relationship with her husband even as she vows to do things differently and discovers that she is more responsible for their situation than she originally thought. Her personal revelations are refreshing and a bit different for this kind of “what if” story. An overall fun read. 10/08 Becky Lejeune

THE TIMER GAME by Susan Arnout Smith: I met the author in Phoenix at ThrillerFest 2006 and she gave me goosebumps in July with this one line synopsis of her new novel: “It’s about a woman being stalked by a very bad man, who targets her through her 5-year old daughter, and then he grabs the kid and forces the mother to play the kid’s favorite game, called The Timer Game, to get her back.” Great synopsis, but one line really can’t do justice to the intricacies of this plot. Grace Descanso is a brilliant pediatric heart surgeon who goes down to Guatemala to work among the poor. But her life is forever changed there, she gives up her career and comes back to the states and takes a job in San Diego as a crime scene tech. A recovering alcoholic and mother of a 5 year old, she invents the “timer game” to get her daughter moving in the morning. Using a kitchen timer and scavenger hunt type clues, her daughter dresses herself with each article of apparel in record time, with a prize at the end. Then someone takes her daughter, and challenges Grace to play the “timer game” to get her back. This is a frenetic, crazy game that propels the story forward at high speed towards the startling, yet believable ending. 01/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE TINROOF BLOWDOWN by James Lee Burke: The two seminal events of the new Millennium for those of us in the United States are 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Lawrence Block, S. J. Rozan, and others have written very poignantly about 9/11. Now James Lee Burke weighs in on the impact of Katrina on his beloved south Louisiana and New Orleans in the 16th Dave Robicheaux novel. It starts with Detective Robicheaux’s department investigating the shooting of two looters in a wealthy neighborhood. The house they had ransacked is the home of New Orleans’s most powerful mobster. Now he must locate the surviving looter before others do. As the story unfolds, we see both sides of the people affected by this national disaster as well as the good and the bad that resulted. Thank goodness there is a basis for optimism from all this, as the experience is a draining one. 08/07 Jack Quick

TINY LITTLE TROUBLES by Marc Lecard: Aaron Rogell has it all, gobs of money from the first techno-bubble (he got in and out in time), a nanotech startup in San Francisco that is about to go super nova, a beautiful ex-lawyer wife, a brand-new baby, a new Mercedes, a beautiful home, excited venture capitalists and a major zipper problem. From an up-scale call girl named Aphrodite to a toothless Tenderloin hooker of indeterminate sex, there seems to be nothing he won’t try. Aaron’s doing a pretty good balancing act until he comes to the attention of one of Aphrodite’s lowlife acquaintances – and then its lots of tiny little troubles for Aaron ad everyone associated with him. The book is not laugh out loud funny like an Evanovich, but you can’t help but chuckle at the antics of some of the characters while you try to reconcile scientific genius with social stupidity. Another winner from the author of Vinnie’s Head. 08/08 Jack Quick

TKO by Tom Schreck: No sophomore slump here. In fact, I liked this one so much better than Schreck’s first outing (On The Ropes) last year that I am now really excited about the planned continuation of this series. Duffy Dumbrowski is a Schlitz-drinking, Elvis-loving social worker and amateur boxer. He could easily become a cliché except for Schreck’s writing skills. Consider this opening line from Duffy, “Just because a guy slits the throats of two high school cheerleaders, axes the back of the quarterback’s head and runs down the class president in his mom’s LTD doesn’t make him a bad guy.” After an uncertain time in prison, Howard “Hacker” Reinhart is released and his case is assigned to Dombrowski. Soon, local high school VIPs start showing up dead. Coincidence or ?? Duffy is going to ask Howard about it, as soon as he can find him. Oh, wait there is also a huge upcoming boxing match, a new hormonal girlfriend, and the ongoing misadventures of Allah-King, his Muslim basset hound. One minor irritant in the ARC I read. There seemed to be some question of time placement. Reinhart served twelve years of a thirty-year sentence for crimes committed twenty five years ago and has been locked away for thirty years??? Hand me another Schlitz, would you. 08/08 Jack Quick
TOO DARN HOT by Sandra Scoppettone: In this sequel to This Dame for Hire (2005), Faye Quick, the New York steno who turns private eye after her boss goes off to fight in WWII is persuaded by. Claire Turner, a blonde beauty who works as a salesgirl at Wanamaker’s department store, to look for Claire’s missing GI boyfriend, Charlie Ladd. Not only is Charles too good to be true, butt here’s murder afoot and other foul play as well. It takes a tough dame to survive in this environment and Fay has all the right stuff, including a great name. My kind of broad. 01/07 Jack Quick

TO BEGUILE A BEAST by Elizabeth Hoyt: I’ve been told by an avid romance reader that Hoyt is one of the best writers today, so I took a shot at book three in The Legend of the Four Soldiers series. Definitely a step up from some of the others I’ve read, the storyline makes sense, the writing is intelligent yet the sex is still hot. Obviously a takeoff on the classic Beauty & the Beast story – who knew that fairytales were such fodder for grownup romance? Well, probably lots of romance readers knew, but I’m a neophyte and just learning.
I liked this book about an Englishman who is a famous naturalist writer/illustrator who was captured by the Indians in Colonial America, tortured, and left scarred for life. He returns home to his castle, where a beautiful young woman with a couple of young children turns up on his doorstep, announcing that she is his new housekeeper, sent by a mutual friend. His house, or rather his castle, has been long neglected, but this new hire is not really a housekeeper. She is the mistress of a Duke, and has run away with her children, planning to hide in this new role. The history told here is interesting, as are the royal machinations, and it was a believable story. Hoyt has written a very entertaining and interesting book, and I’d bet the rest of the series is just as good; here’s another romance that I can recommend. 9/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TO DESIRE A DEVIL by Elizabeth Hoyt: This is the final book in the “Legend of the Four Soldiers Series,” and the second one I’ve read. Beatrice Corning lives with her uncle, the Earl of Blanchard, in his home in London after losing her parents. There is a painting hanging in the house of Reynaud St. Aubyn, the previous Earl, who was killed in the Colonies, that Beatrice moons over. Except seven years later he shows up on their doorstep, demanding his title and his home back. Turns out he was captured by the Indians and enslaved for all those years. He looks like a wild man and acts like one too, until Beatrice slowly tames him. This book brings closure to the mystery hanging over all four books in this series; who was the traitor that got these men captured and many of them killed? Lots of angst, love, sex and some nice twists make for a good way to spend a few hours reading. I am planning on going back and reading the first two books of the series now that I’ve found a romance author I really enjoy. 09/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
TO HELL AND BACK by Lilith Saintcrow: The final installment of the Dante Valentine series begins with our heroine’s release from hell. In an attempt to regain control over Japhrimel, the fallen demon who was once his right hand man, Lucifer kidnapped and tortured Danny. He may find that he has messed with the wrong girl this time. The truth about the fallen is finally revealed and Danny learns that she is the only one who can wield the weapon that could finally destroy the devil himself. It will be a fight to the death as the gates of hell are ripped open and the devil’s minions escape onto Earth. Friends will become enemies and enemies will become reluctant allies in a battle that could mean the end for everyone involved. Saintcrow’s amazing series, self-described as tech noir/urban fantasy, draws inspiration from numerous fictional, mythological, and certainly religious sources. Imagine my delight, though, when Saintcrow herself named one of my teenage favorites L.J. Smith’s Forbidden Game trilogy, as being among those inspiring works. Smith’s work attained almost cult status among my peers and I imagine Saintcrow soon will as well. It will be well deserved and I can’t wait to see what she does next. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

TO SPEAK FOR THE DEAD by Paul Levine: This is the first book in the Jake Lassiter series, which I read back in the day – it came out in 1990, I believe. So why am I rereading a book I read so long ago? Simple. Paul Levine’s next book is called Lassiter, which will be available 9/13/11, and continues one of my favorite series. Let’s call this a nostalgic read and a memory jogger. Paul Levine is one of my favorite writers; I love his characters, his sense of humor and his pacing. I know I loved this series and read them all, but it’s been several years since there’s been a Lassiter book and I’ve probably read a couple of thousand books since then. All that said, I fell in love all over again with this series. In this book, we meet Jake Lassiter, former football player turned tough as nails Miami attorney. Ex-stripper Melanie Corrigan is suing the surgeon she blames for her husband’s death for malpractice, whom Lassiter successfully defends. When that doesn’t work, she frames him for murder. Or did she? This book has more hairpin turns than Lombard Street, plus Miami crazy funny. And best of all, it’s available on ebook for only $2.99. I can’t wait for Lassiter. 08/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

To the Nines by Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum, inept bounty hunter extraordinaire, is back and the Burg is safe from bail jumpers. Or is it? Simon Singh, in this country on a work visa backed by a Vincent Plum bond, disappears along with his fiancée’s dog one week before his visa, and his bond, expires. This case is so important that it takes both Ranger and Stephanie to work it, much to Joe’s displeasure. They eventually track Singh down to Las Vegas, but Ranger has some legal issues there, so Stephanie, Lula and Connie are dispatched to pick up Singh and bring him home. Tom Jones impersonators, a riot at the blackjack table and other fun ensues as the trio takes Vegas by storm. And this time around Stephanie doesn’t lose a single car – but Ranger’s men are dropping like flies. Another fun read by Evanovich. Note from Geoff Hamlin: “On page 137, Joe tells Stephanie that Ollie is handling the case. She says ‘Oh great. Blubber-butt Ollie. The Bain of my existence…’ I take it that this is an insider reference to Ed McBain’s Fat Ollie’s Book.” Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TO THE POWER OF THREE by Laura Lippman: This is a gripping standalone mystery from the author of the wonderful Tess Monaghan series. There is a high school shooting but with a twist – the shooter & the victims are girls. Three girls, friends since elementary school, are locked in the girl’s bathroom. One is dead, one has a self-inflicted life threatening injury and the third has been shot in the foot. Lippman delves into teenage angst, rivalries, and family problems until a believable story emerges. The story moves back and forth between the present day shooting and how the girls met and formed a friendship over the years, making these characters come to life. Despite some criticism about incorrect evidence gathering which I certainly wouldn’t question and frankly didn’t notice, it’s a very interesting page turner that I read in one sitting. 11/05 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TOKEN OF DARKNESS by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes: Cooper Blake was an all-around average teen until a car wreck changed everything. Cooper was lucky just to be alive. Though football is now out of the question, the teen has been working hard to recuperate and heal. But something else came out of the accident. Something followed Cooper. Her name is Samantha and only Cooper can see her. As Cooper sets off to find out who the ghost is and how he might be able to help her, not to mention how he ended up being able to see her, he’ll discover that there is much more to the world than he is aware of. Fellow teens Delilah and Blake both know all too well what strange things surround them. They will each try to help Cooper along the way, but even they aren’t sure exactly why Samantha is here or what she wants. In her latest, Atwater-Rhodes presents some interesting ideas and a plot that will no doubt please YA readers looking for something different in the genre. I would have liked more depth to the story, but I think it’s just the right balance for younger readers. 02/10 Becky Lejeune

TOKEN OF REMORSE by Michael Stone: Richie Moats could be a fugitive from John Dortmunder’s gang. His mask falls off in mid-robbery revealing his face to the two people he’s robbing of the weekly take from a string of massage parlors. Richie’s uncle then hires Denver bounty hunter Streeter to find the lad. He isn’t in Mexico as thought, so Streeter comes home empty handed. But then Richie’s partner gets involved and Streeter is back on the case that gets a little complicated. You may need a diagram to keep track of the double-crosses, but two things are perfectly clear throughout: everybody’s into everybody else, and everybody’s going to get burned. 02/06 Jack Quick

THE TOMB by F. Paul Wilson: Repairman Jack doesn’t deal with electronic appliances. Instead, he fixes situations for people, situations that usually involve putting himself in deadly danger. This Block’s Matthew Scudder sober or Child’s Jack Reacher living in New York City. The current project involves recovering a stolen necklace, which alleged carries an ancient curse. In addition he must protect Vicky, the daughter of his girlfriend, Gia. Assuming Jack survives this outing, I am looking forward to new adventures. P.S. He does survive so there is bound to be a sequel. 07/06 Jack Quick

TOMMY GUN TANGO by Brant Randall and Bruce Cook: Marshall Ichabod Petrarch Lawe has lost his job as Marshall of Potemkin County in Peony Springs, Massachusetts and is headed toward Los Angeles. The County Supervisors let him keep his Ford police car complete with police radio as “mustering out” pay, although he had to sand off the Potemkin County Marshall decals on the doors. You immediately know this is a work of fiction when he fills up his tank with gas for $2.18. But then again, maybe that’s not too bad for 1932. Shortly thereafter he picks up a hitchhiker named Aloysious “Al” Haine, a big red headed Mick from Northern Ireland who is a gambler and an ardent Marxist who carries a knife strapped to his leg. Upon arrival in Los Angeles Lawe takes a job as a stuntman in Gower Gulch, the home of low budget western movies, which eventually leads him to a job in studio security at RKO. Haine picks up work at various studios as an extra and helps organize a labor movement among the actors. His union activities get him beaten by union-busting thugs and Lawe comes to his rescue. When Jean Harlow’s husband turns up dead from a gunshot wound to the temple, Lawe suspects that murder has been committed, which puts him on the wrong side of the most powerful executives in Hollywood as well as corrupt local police. Reminiscent of Stuart Kamisnky’s Toby Peters series and nicely done. 10/09 Jack Quick

Tonight I Said Goodbye by Michael Koryta: The Cleveland police would charge private investigator Wayne Weston with murdering his wife and daughter except that their bodies can’t be found and he’s dead, apparently a suicide. Weston’s father isn’t buying it, however, and he hires private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard to clear his son’s name and find his family. Perry is a former cop whose cheating ex-fiancé set him off on a bender that cost him his job. Pritchard, his old partner, is ready to retire and become what all retired cops become, a P.I. The hard-boiled cliché works beautifully here as these two men find themselves chasing Russian Mafiya, a real estate mogul, and an ex-Marine while dodging bullets, cops, and the FBI. The Cleveland setting is a nice change from the usual East Coast/West Coast locales, and the 21-year-old author excels at building characters and story, making this one of the best mystery debuts this year. Winner of the 2003 SMP/PWA Prize for Best First PI Novel, this is highly recommended. A student at Indiana University, Koryta lives in Bloomington. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

TOO BIG TO MISS by Sue Ann Jaffarian: “From the first time Adam noticed the shrinkage and explained it to Eve, men have been trying to tell women that size didn’t matter.” (And women have been saying the same thing to men). Hopefully this series will get the attention it deserves. Odelia Grey is forty-something, five-foot-one, and weighs in at 230 pounds. More importantly she is smart, determined, busy, and generally happy. She becomes an investigator when a fellow large person, fat woman activist Sophie London allegedly commits suicide, in full view of subscribers to the X-rated web site she operates. Odelia can’t believe this and perseveres through Girl Scout cookies (frozen thin mints are best) and other trials and travails to get to the bottom (poor word choice) of the matter. What the world needs is more plus sized detectives, even if they do eat Fig Newtons as an appetizer. 03/07 Jack Quick

TOO CLOSE TO HOME by Lynette Eason: Billed as Book One of the Women of Justice series, this is another chic lit romantic mystery with lots of excess estrogen. The plot: Samantha Cash, an FBI computer forensics expert and overall superwoman is sent to a small South Carolina town after several missing teens turn up dead. There she meets and immediately starts to have romantic feelings for Connor Wolfe, Chief Detective on the case. Compounding the emotional turmoil is the fact that Cash looks exactly like Wolfe’s late wife. Wolfe’s teenage daughter, Jenna get involved and then like any normal sixteen year old, thinks her Dad is being overly protective. But is he? The killer seems to be taking closer interest in Jenna as Cash and Wolfe race toward identifying the killer and dealing with their own burgeoning relationship. Throw in a heavy dose of contemporary Christianity and then wrap it all up in 327 pages. A treat for some but it left me wanting to brush the sweet taste out of my mouth. However, I will give Ms. Eason credit. She lives in South Carolina, as I once did, and seems to be one of the few authors who understand the role of SLED – South Carolina Law Enforcement Division – politically and operationally. 06/10 Jack Quick

TOO PRETTY TO DIE: A Debutante Dropout Mystery by Susan McBride: Tupperware parties are no longer. Now there are “pretty parties”, where a bunch of Dallas socialites get together and get shot up with Botox or whatever the latest anti-aging wrinkle filler is, by Dr. Sonja Madhavi. Except the cream of the crop, Miranda DuBois, former beauty queen and current news bunny, has a problem with Dr. Sonja; her injections have left Miranda with an eye won’t stop twitching and a droopy mouth, definitely not television-worthy. She shows up at the latest pretty party drunk, brandishing a gun and ends up taking a wild shot at Dr. Sonja. She misses, but gives the girls plenty to talk about and effectively breaks up the party. Our heroine, Andy Kendricks, was dragged to the party by her close friend, a society reporter for the local rag, who now really has a hot story. Andy ends up taking Miranda home, where she passes out on the couch. The next morning, Andy decides to check up on her and finds the neighborhood swarming with cops because Miranda is dead, apparently by suicide. Or is it? Do former beauty pageant queens off themselves? Andy doesn’t think so, and the fun really begins. This latest entry into a terrific series is back on the murder track – it’s light, fast, and a great way to while away a winter afternoon. 01/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TOO RICH AND TOO THIN: NOT AN AUTOBIGRAPHY by Barbara DeShong: Psychologists aren’t crazy – they are on the other side of the line. Don’t mean they can’t act crazy, just that you can’t lock them up for it. Dr. Jessica LeFave is summoned to profile the killer who drove a spike through the heart of the notorious Bernice Jackson, which is kind of interesting since Bernice was a psychiatry patient of Jessica’s husband’s at the time of his death Jessica is convinced her husband was murdered to bury a secret revealed in therapy. Not that bad an assumption since her husband was found at the bottom of Lake Austin, complete with hotel receipt and another woman’s wedding rings in his pocket. So the stage is now set for a wacky wade into a truly bizarre situation, complete with dopes and dopers, eating disorders, obsessions, anxiety, psychotic dreams, and maybe in the middle of all these, some answers. 10/09 Jack Quick

THE TOOTH TATTOO by Peter Lovesey: Lovesey has constructed a wonderful backdrop for this latest Peter Diamond outing. It seems that one of the finest string quartets in the world has had its violist disappear. Mel Ferran, an unattached concert violist, is recruited by them in a mysterious fashion. One by one, he is vetted by each of the other members who are fascinating character studies in their own way. He wins the job and the group accepts a residency at the Bath Spa University while they learn to play together and develop their repertoire. However, a young string quartet groupie is killed, so Diamond, who is head of the Bath CID is called in to investigate. (Who knew string quartets had groupies?) The investigation is complicated by the return of the long-missing violist and the resemblance to a similar death which occurred while Diamond and his woman friend Paloma were on a Third Man tour of Vienna. I have always enjoyed the Peter Diamond stories, but I think that this one had more sheer fun than any of the others I recall offhand. And I was always humming as I read, whether it was the Third Man Theme or the more classical efforts of the Quartet. This is a perfect summer read. 6/13 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

TOP DOWN by Jim Lehrer: Van Walters was a secret service agent working as part of the Kennedy motorcade moving through Dallas on November 22, 1963. Van made the decision to leave the bubble top off of President Kennedy’s car due to the pleasant weather, and because it was not bullet proof. After the assassination Van lapses into a protracted melancholy blaming himself for the President’s death due to the decision to leave the bubble top off. At the same time fledgling newspaper reporter Jack Gilmore covered the motorcade for his paper and remembers asking Van if the bubble top would be put up. Jack retains the memory and wonders if the decision to keep the top off was the right one. Five years after the assassination Jack is called by Van’s daughter Marti asking for help with her father who has lost the will to live due to his feeling that he allowed Kennedy’s death. Marti picks Jack due to his presence on the site on November 22, 1963. Still consumed by his own curiosity he agrees and meets with Marti. Together they begin to try and reach Van and bring him back to the realization that he bears no fault for the murder. Nothing helps, including the work of a psychiatrist hired by Van’s wife until Jack conceives of an idea that may provide Van with a means to come back to reality. The ending of the book is excellent and is rewarding in itself for the reader. A book that will capture the reader and provide for an all nighter and an interest in exploring more books by Lehrer. 10/13 Paul Lane
TOP PRODUCER by Norb Vonnegut: Vonnegut’s financial thriller debut features Grove O’Rourke, a major player in the cutthroat world of Wall Street’s most talented stockbrokers. O’Rourke is among the hundreds who witness the bizarre murder of Charlie Kelemen, in a huge salt water tank at the Boston Aquarium where Keleman’s wife’s birthday is being celebrated. When O’Rourke tries to help Kelemen’s widow sort out some financial questions, the process leads him deeper and deeper into a labyrinth of deceit. As fallout from Charlie’s death and dealings start to taint O’Rourke, sharks even more vicious than those that beheaded Keleman, smell blood and begin to circle. O’Rourke won’t go down without a fight, and not all the blood in the water will be his. If you enjoy Christopher Reich, you will love this one. 11/09 Jack Quick

TORPEDO JUICE by Tim Dorsey: At the beginning of the Coen Brothers’ movie, The Big Lebowski, Sam Elliott, the narrator, says that sometimes there is a man that is just right for his time and place. In The Big Lebowski, it is “The Dude” in Los Angeles just before the turn of the century. In Torpedo Juice, it is Tim Dorsey’s homicidal hippy history buff, Serge, in Key West, Florida, just after the turn of the century. This fit is so perfect, it makes you wonder why Serge hasn’t tripped across this weird corner of the Sunshine State before now.
The plot of this comic mystery loosely involves a psychotic serial killer (no, not Serge) traveling around Florida pursued by the law and others. Woven into this is Serge’s decision that it is time for him to marry and experience that rich adventure.
The somewhat scattered development of this and other plot lines is more than compensated for by the non-stop madness of discrete comic episodes worthy of the Marx Brothers. Serge and Coleman’s adventures in grocery shopping are the stuff of which legends, or perhaps cult movies, are made. Day old pizza. Half-price chicken. “We must be in the Guy Section.”
Serge’s bewilderment at the turnings of the female mind and the tradeoffs of marriage are also memorable. They are equal parts humor and truth and worth reading out loud to the right evil companions.
Now that Serge is on the road and out of the Tampa area again, I would sort of like to see him expand his horizons by traveling further afield. Like maybe to Bisbee, Arizona.
If you are looking for a book to take on Spring Break, this is it. Enjoy. 03/05 ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.
TOTALLY DEAD by Michael Stone: Would-be mobster Alphonse Lucci needs protection from genuine tough guys muscling in on his restaurants. Mitch Bosco, a klutzy crook who listens avidly to self-help tapes and keeps a “Prosperity Journal,” tries to torch Lucci’s house but mistakenly burns a neighbor’s place. Bosco moonlights as a police informant, helping the cops sting a junkyard owner with a lucrative trade in stolen televisions and cars. These cases converge when Bosco’s boss, Freddy Disanto, decides to blow Bosco’s cover and steal the hot car money. Enter bounty hunter Streeter and his bondsman partner to pick up all the pieces. A delightfully twisty ending. 02/06 Jack Quick

TOUCH & GO by Lisa Gardner: The Denbe family of three has their problems like everyone else, despite their wealth and magnificent home. But things really take a turn for the worse when the entire family is kidnapped and disappear. The Boston police and the F.B.I. are at a loss until the ransom demand comes in a couple of days later. Justin Denbe owns a multi-million dollar construction company and carries insurance against such an event. Tessa Leoni, former Boston cop, is now a private investigator for corporate security, and she’s been assigned the Denbe case. As the clock clicks down, Tessa works hard to figure out what happened to this family in time to save them. Meanwhile the Denbe’s are trying to stay alive, and learning more secrets about each other than they ever wanted to know. These are characters the reader can empathize with, and the story is very twisty with an ending that hits from the blindside. I couldn’t put it down. 2/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT: THE THIRD SIGN OF THE ZODIAC by Vicki Pettersson: This third book in Pettersson’s amazing and inventive series finds Joanna facing the possibility of her shadow side finally rearing its ugly head. The third sign of the zodiac states that the dormant side of the Kairos will finally awaken. The Kairos being Joanna Archer, agent of the light, daughter of shadow, and the tipping point in the battle between good and evil. After proving her loyalty to the team, most of Zodiac Troop 175 is finally convinced of Joanna’s pledge to fight for good. Unfortunately, a doppelganger has broken through to our dimension and is dead set on taking over Joanna’s identity. Joanna may find herself forced to fight alongside her father in order to get rid of a seemingly common enemy. In addition to that, Joanna’s attempts to set her true love’s mind at ease has upset the balance of their world and has left him an open target for a vengeful shadow agent. With each new installment, Pettersson’s series becomes more intense and elaborate. Pettersson draws on world legends and myths (changelings, the Tulpa, and now doppelgangers) as well as the classic superhero/comic book mythos to make this the most exciting and original series in urban fantasy today. Anyone not reading the Signs of the Zodiac is seriously missing out. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

TOUGH LUCK by Jason Starr: Mickey Prada is a good Brooklyn kid. He is living at home, taking care of his widowed father, a victim of Alzheimer’s, and working at the fish market, saving his money to go to Baruch College and become an accountant. His troubles start when a new customer, Angelo Santoro, asks Mickey to place a few sports bets for him. Santoro seems to be a Made Guy, so Mickey doesn’t feel he can refuse. But Santoro never makes good on his losses. As Mickey quickly plunges into debt, he grows desperate for a way out, even agreeing to go in on a house robbery with his pal Chris and some guys from his bowling team. From that point on, his downward slide is steep and seemingly unstoppable. Quite a ride and a great read. 12/08 Jack Quick

TOWER by Ken Bruen and Reed Coleman: Nick is classic Irish bad – his mother says he “has the bad drop.” Todd is Nick’s best friend from boyhood and while both start down the path to being hoods, Todd gets pulled away to the legal side. The friendship, although increasingly strained, remains intact even when Nick kills cold eyed enforcer Griffin who works for the Bible quoting Boyle. Looming symbolically over both their worlds is the North Tower at which Nick’s Dad works. Presented in two parts, it is a testament to the skill of both these fine authors that you can’t discern who wrote which part. Outstanding. 12/09 Jack Quick

THE TOWER by Simon Clark: Fabien has always been a lucky one. Raised with money and all the opportunity it affords him, he has become something of a control-freak. When he lands a cushy job as a house sitter for The Tower, a home dating back to early colonial times now under contract to be renovated into condos, he drags his band mates and his girlfriend along for the ride. His idea is that the band can spend the month secluded and without distraction so that they can concentrate on learning his songs, songs he’s sure will get them on the fast track to a record deal and the big leagues. His band mates are just hoping for a little fun and relaxation in the countryside. The Tower has other ideas for the group, however. The Tower has a taste for blood and it has been far too long since that craving has been satisfied. Simon Clark is great at creating atmosphere. The whole tone of the book is very gothic and creepy, but I was left wanting more. The history of The Tower was one aspect in particular that was touched on but not as in depth as I would have liked. I was left unsatisfied with the catch-all “just because it’s evil” explanation, or lack thereof. It would be great if another book featuring The Tower were around, but not so as of yet. 05/09 Becky Lejeune

TOWER HILL by Sarah Pinborough: The danger of succumbing to temptation is the driving theme in this latest horror release from British author Sarah Pinborough. It’s the beginning of a new semester and the quaint town of Tower Hill is welcoming its latest influx of students. Two strangers have also just arrived in Tower Hill. One is posing as the enigmatic new history professor, Gray Kenyon. The other has taken the identity of the local clergyman, Father O’brien. From these two positions of power, the men begin to take hold of the town, transforming members of the community into entities that will become gateways to this world for spirits of the worst kind. Roommates Steve Wharton and Liz Clapton are both typical freshmen, hoping that college will offer them new lives and futures far away from the lives they’ve previously known. Neither of them is prepared for the evil that is about to be unleashed, but they may end up being Tower Hill’s last hope. There seems to be a running theme in horror these days, this Needful Things type scenario where the whole town is placed in grave danger and only a few outsiders are left immune to the evil. Tower Hill is one of the best ones I have come across lately. Pinborough tells a great story, it’s as plain as that. Her plot and her characters are interesting, and the twist is quite original. Anyone thirsting for something new and exciting in the genre should definitely check out Tower Hill. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

THE TOWN THAT FORGOT HOW TO BREATHE by Kenneth J. Harvey: In the past few weeks, there have been some changes in the town of Bareneed. Fisheries officer Joseph Blackwood had hoped to give his daughter Robin a nice vacation while sharing a bit of family history. The Blackwoods were once part of the town’s long line of fishermen, that is, until Joseph’s father moved his family to the city. Today, the cod industry has all but been eliminated with government sanctions and many of the townsfolk are out of work. Strange things are starting to happen. It begins when a handful of townspeople die of apparent asphyxiation. Soon the hospital is overcome with more people suffering from this strange ailment that affects their ability to breathe. They also seem to be suffering from a strange sort of amnesia. Other people in town begin to suffer from uncontrollable rage. Then, dead bodies begin to float to the surface of the lake and there are reported sightings of mythical sea creatures. Military officials appear and the town is subsequently, unofficially, quarantined. Just what is happening in the town of Bareneed? Can the people survive this nightmare? Canadian author Kenneth J. Harvey’s eerie debut will stay with readers long after they finish reading it. This is not a story to rush through, but one that should be savored. 11/06 Becky LeJeune

TRACE EVIDENCE by Elizabeth Becka: Evelyn James is a forensic scientist in the Cleveland, Ohio Medical Examiner’s Office and a single mom. Her newest case involves a young woman found in the river with her feet encased in a bucket of concrete. Then the daughter of her former boyfriend and now Cleveland’s mayor is found dead under similar circumstances. James starts her own crime solving but soon becomes fearful for the safety of her own daughter. Although certainly derivative of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reich, I found it to be an interesting read and look forward to sequels, which, hopefully will show a little tighter editing and fewer cumbersome procedural details. 08/06 Jack Quick

TRACKERS by Deon Meyer: Deon Meyer is a South African author that has had several books already released in the United States successfully. His forte has been excellent character development coupled with good plots and looks into the political scene in post apartheid South Africa. Trackers is a stand alone novel as opposed to most of his books that have revolved around a police officer in his country.
Meyer successfully combines three apparently non related story lines, each of which is so well delineated that they could have been developed into separate novels. In keeping with his normal writings, the three stories combine excellent and very believable character development. The reader is brought into all three story lines wondering what they have to do with each other, and more important what they have in common with an underlying threat of an imminent attack on South Africa by Al Queda. What does the smuggling of two endangered black Rhinos into South Africa have to do with a search for a missing husband and the theft of valuable jewelry. And where does the attack by Al Queda come into play.
Meyer, in an almost magic scenario answers these questions while keeping his readers glued to the book. This is one that is almost impossible to put down. All three story lines meld into a logical ending coupled with an intriguing move by Al Queda which is one of those “was this really possible” developments. We are not going to see three fairy tale endings, but we are going to be satisfied that questions have been answered. Come on Deon – get cracking on your next book. You have a growing audience in the U.S. waiting for it with baited breath. 10/11 Paul Lane

THE TRAFFICKERS by W.E.B. Griffin: It seems like I have been reading Griffin books all my life – and enjoying everyone of them, so it is good to see that his son William E. Butterwoth IV is beginning to get equal billing, and will hopefully follow in his father’s footsteps. In this latest outing, Philadelphia Homicide Sergeant Matthew Payne is involved with multiple murders that all seem (to him) to be related to the burgeoning drug trafficking trade in the city. Joined by a long lean Texas Ranger who has been pursuing the matter from the other end of the country, the two set out to disable El Gato – the Cat, a twenty one year old Hispanic psycho from Dallas whose modus operandi includes cutting off the heads of young girls with a machete. Plenty of violence and shooting and a satisfactory ending. Now I am ready for another Griffin/Butterworth. 09/09 Jack Quick

TRAIL OF THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz: The Spellmans are back, again. The Blakes want the Spellmans to follow their college-age daughter and make sure she’s on her best behavior. Adam Cooper has hired them to follow his sister. Margaret Slayter wants a report of all her husband’s comings and goings. And Walter Perkins needs someone to check in on him time to time. Each of the cases presents its own challenges and opportunities for hijinks, something the Spellmans specialize in. Meanwhile, the family has some unexpected visitors and some unique ways of dealing with them. Five books into the series, Lisa Lutz has managed to keep her plots and characters fresh and entertaining (laugh out loud entertaining). Readers can jump in at any time and fans will be pleased with this latest return to the quirky and slightly dysfunctional PI family. 3/12 Becky Lejeune

Train by Pete Dexter: Pete Dexter is again exploring the attitudes of racism in America in his new novel, Train. He forces us to take a hard look at where we are now and whether things have really gotten any better since the time of this tale set in Los Angeles of the 1950’s.
The protagonist, Miller Packard is an interesting, but not fully-realized, character who we must judge by his actions, since we are not permitted to share his emotions and can only guess at his motivations. We do know that he is a wounded man, both from W.W. II and from barroom brawls that he instigates.
Perhaps this is why he takes other wounded persons under his wing. One is a young Black caddy named Lionel (“Train”) Walk. He reminds us that many behaviors are just survival techniques reinforced by years of unconscious and deliberate cruelty. In his spare time, Train practices and he is good. Much better than the abusive county-clubbers that he bags for.
Another is Norah, who newly-wed is the subject of a vicious, mindless rape after the murder of the husband.
Packard gives both a place to live, the opportunity to re-invent themselves and even what may be affection.
Ultimately, the world has beaten them all up very badly and they cannot escape the character, feelings and responses that they have developed in response to those hurts.
Especially if you haven’t read anything by Pete Dexter before, I would recommend this book. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

TRAIN DREAMS by Denis Johnson: Denis Johnson is a fine contemporary writer and I try to keep a close eye on his work. I thought that the stories in Jesus’ Son were evidence of a very special talent and that Tree of Smoke was a fine novel. But the novella Train Dreams surpasses them both and is likely to be the work that he is remembered for. Train Dreams is the story of Robert Grainier, a man whose life has been shaped by the presence and the sound and the demands of trains as they make their way across the Western Frontier. His earliest memories were being sent by himself on the train to Idaho to live with his aunt’s family. As an adult, he supports himself by working on crews building railroad bridges, laying track and preparing timber for shipment. A loner for most of his life, he enters into marriage and has a daughter, only to lose them in a forest fire while he is away working. But Grainier is at a place and time to see special things as America goes through its growing pains. As impressive and compelling as the story is, what really makes this book special is the author’s command of language. I would describe the writing in this book as elegiac. The writing and the story reminded me a lot of John Williams’ Stoner, an American classic not read often enough. This is a book for people who like history, people who are dreamers and people who love language. 10/11 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

TRANSGRESSIONS edited by Ed McBain: Ten novellas in this hefty volume, each by a master. Start with Donald E. Westlake’s Dortmunder in Walking Around Money. Go on to Anne Perry, Walter Mosley, McBain himself, Lawrence Block, Joyce Carol Oates, Sharyn McCrumb, Stephen King and still two more to go. Pound for pound a great read for the holidays. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

TRANSGRESSIONS, Volume 3 – Actually three novellas in one volume. MERELY HATE by Ed McBain, WALKING THE LINE by Walter Mosley, and WALKING AROUND MONEY by Donald E. Westlake. Three excellent stories by three great authors. The McBain is a classic 87th precinct job involving Muslim cab drivers (right out today’s paper (?). Mosley features Archibald Lawless and Felix Orlean, a New York City journalism student, and Westlake –who else but our old pal John Dortmunder, who gets involved with a crime no one is supposed to ever know what happened. Copyrighted in 2005, it refers to additional volumes in this series with other featured authors including Lawrence Block, Anne Perry and Jeffery Deaver. 02/07 Jack Quick

THE TRAVELER by John Twelve Hawks: In this world, there is a faction called The Tabula. For centuries, The Tabula – or The Brethren as the call themselves – have worked to create a world in which every decision is chosen for you, a world in which individuality has been nearly eliminated. Modern technology: computers, security cameras, cell phones and the like, have all helped to bring them closer to their goal. Our only hope against this bleak and lies with a group called The Travelers and their sworn protectors, Harlequins. Travelers have the ability to travel between the six realms – worlds that exist parallel to our own. The Tabula have been fairly successful in eliminating their enemies – only a few Harlequins remain and there are no known Travelers in existence, until now. Maya was raised and trained as a Harlequin life but has rejected this lifestyle as an adult. This has kept her safely out of the radar of The Tabula and off their elimination list. After receiving a message from her father, she travels to Germany where he reveals that there may be two living Travelers in the States. Maya refuses to help but soon changes her mind after her father is brutally murdered by Tabula mercenaries. Her last minute attempt to save her father has not gone unnoticed.
Michael and Gabriel Corrigan know nothing of their possible Traveler talents but that doesn’t stop the Tabula from kidnapping Michael. Now, Maya and Gabriel must work together to infiltrate the Tabula network and save Michael before it is too late. This paranoid vision of the future is reminiscent of both the Matrix and the more recent V for Vendetta – a very compelling debut. 07/07 Becky Lejeune

TRAVELS IN ELYSIUM by William Azuski: A mystery, awash with metaphysical discussions about history, the meaning of life, and if the witnessing of a white light by people that have had a near death experience means that there is another existence after dying. Nicolas Pedrosa, a recent university graduate living in England is stuck in a dead end job when he comes upon a newspaper ad looking for an archaeological apprentice for work on a dig on the Greek island of Santorini. Nick applies for the job and in spite of no real credentials, gets it. Upon arrival he begins work with the director of the project, Marcus Huxley, who is fixated with proving that the buildings, artifacts, paintings and writings that have been unearthed so far prove that the fabled city of Atlantis has been discovered by the team he heads up. The writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato talk of a cultured city in the Atlantic destroyed by an earthquake, and one of the areas that scientists believe might have been Atlantis is Santorini. Nicolas and others in Huxley’s team fall under the spell of the director’s philosophies and ideas and begin to imagine that they had separate lives in Atlantis as well as those they live today. Scenes of Atlantis become real to them, and the presence of spirits permeate their thoughts. Huxley leads the team also in the direction of thinking that the Greek concept of Charion ferrying the dead to another land is real and the portal to that land is in the area they have excavated. There are discussions of different concepts between the characters often leading them into following Marcus Huxley onto subjects which are completely metaphysical in nature and sufficiently well presented to carry the reader into analyzing what is discussed. Azuski’s concept of Atlantis existing on Santorini and being destroyed by a titanic earthquake is a fascinating one, and his juxtaposition of events in the present with those that may have taken place in the past is unique. A very original and enjoyable adventure into past and present events vividly presented. 05/13 Paul Lane

THE TREATMENT by Mo Hayder: In the second book to feature DI Jack Caffery, Hayder pulls out all the stops. At the start of The Treatment, Jack has been tasked to investigate a strange home invasion and kidnapping in Brockwell Park. A family was held, chained up without food and water for days until a passerby knocked on the door and interrupted the gruesome crime that was occurring inside. The perpetrator then took off with the family’s eight-year-old son. Jack and his fellow officers are convinced that the boy will be found somewhere in the park, but it will be days before they finally make the grisly discovery. Caffery and his girlfriend, Becky, have survived the horrific occurrences of Birdman but have yet to move on. Becky has blocked all memory of the event and the resulting stress endured by Caffery, coupled with this new case, has become almost too much for the man to handle. The relationship between Caffery and Penderecki, the pedophile Jack suspects is behind his own brother’s abduction years ago, has taken a strange turn with Penderecki leaving cryptic notes regarding his crime. Then, Jack discovers Penderecki’s dead body and a package arrives with information that could not only reveal the truth about Jack’s long lost brother, but could lead to a break in the current case as well. This emotionally charged thriller is possibly one of the most disturbing books I have ever read. The end is especially unsettling, but Hayder’s ability as a storyteller is magnificent. Readers will find some comfort in knowing that Hayder’s latest release, Ritual, also features Caffery and may offer some closure in regards to final pages of The Treatment. Highly recommended but definitely not for the squeamish. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

TREE OF SMOKE by Denis Johnson: Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction, 2007. The Philippines, 1963, “Last night at 3:00 a.m. President Kennedy had been killed. Seaman Houston and the other two recruits slept while the first reports traveled around the world.” Thus begins a saga that, if you lived through it as I did, will trigger all manner of emotions and memories – the Tet Offensive, the deaths of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy, the fall of Saigon, and the continuing impact of the Vietnam war on the baby boomers of the United States and elsewhere. An exceptionally large cast of characters, some colorful, some vaguely chalked in, surround the primaries – CIA officer Skip Sands and GI’s Bill and James Houston, along with Sergeant Jimmy Storm – “We’re on the cutting edge of reality itself,” says Storm. “Right where it turns into a dream.” In some ways this book is like Apocalypse Now – just too bold and too big to wrap your arms around. The book ends, in 1983, in a heartbreaking soliloquy from relief worker Kathy Jones (fittingly, a Canadian) on the occasion of a war orphan benefit in a Minneapolis Radisson. Her last words are: “yes, yes, all will be saved. All will be saved. All will be saved.” Let’s pray she is correct. 12/07 Jack Quick
TRIAL AND ERROR by Paul Levine: Round four of the sparring match between Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord is a bit over the top but still thoroughly engaging and enjoyable. Steve’s autistic nephew Bobby has found a new passion, talking with the dolphins. Unfortunately, this passion leads him to sneak out of the house at night to visit his dolphin friends, until the night an ecoterrorist group decides to free the dolphins. In the melee, one man ends up dead, another accused of murder. Solomon represents the murderer, and somehow Lord ends up as a special prosecutor on the same case, keeping the tension running high. Take this quick read to the beach and enjoy. 06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE TRIALS OF ZION by Alan Dershowitz: Abe Ringel, a Dershowitz-like lawyer/celebrity, returns (after Just Revenge) in this legal thriller set in Israel. A fictional Palestinian state is the site of a bombing that kills its newly elected leader, the U.S. President, and the Israeli prime minister. Ringel’s daughter Emma, a recent Yale law school grad, joins the team defending the suspected bomber, who wants to be convicted and die a martyr. Ringel is forced into the situation when Emma is kidnapped by the suspect’s brother, who threatens to kill Emma unless his brother is acquitted. There is also some subterfuge going on with Ringel’s wife, a former spy, and her friend, a former Secret Service agent. Dershowitz uses a forbidden romance between the Jewish Emma and her Palestinian boss as a teaching vehicle to shed light on the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. VERDICT One-dimensional characters and awkward dialog mar an engaging premise, but legal fans will enjoy learning about the differences between American and Israeli law. Fans of Richard North Patterson’s Exile might also like this. 09/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2010 Library Journal, a division of Media Source Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THE TRICKING OF FREYA by Christina Sunley: In Christina Sunley’s amazing debut, Freya Morris attempts to chronicle her family’s story, one that stretches from Iceland to Canada and through decades of vivid history, for a cousin she has only just discovered exists. Freya begins her tale with her first trip to meet her family, the same visit when her mother suffers an accident from which she never truly recovers, an accident that Freya believes is all her fault. Birdie, Freya’s aunt, turns out to be a true force to be reckoned with. Freya is too young to understand the woman’s manic episodes and idolizes the energetic woman. Events following the summer of Freya’s thirteenth year change everything for the family, though, and as Freya’s anger and later her own guilt prevent her from returning to Canada, she attempts to move on with her own life. It is only upon finally returning to Canada that she again finds purpose in life, purpose in telling her family’s tale and in finding her missing relative. Like the famed poet within, Sunley’s writing is truly poetic. She brings here settings alive in a way that will make you believe that you have been there and experienced it all yourself. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

Tricky Business by Dave Barry: I have to preface this review by saying that I absolutely adore Dave Barry. I read his columns religiously, and have tremendous respect for his talent. His nonfiction books are generally collections or expansions of his columns, and are so hilarious that I must read them in small doses or I can literally laugh until I am in pain. That said, I was very excited when his first novel, Big Trouble came out. However, it was a disappointment, although I attributed that to the fact that I listened to an abridged version of the audio book. When this new one came out, one review claimed that if you like the humor of “I Love Lucy”, you will enjoy this book. I’m a huge Lucy fan, but I didn’t understand the comparison here.
I read this one, not trusting the abridgement. But despite that, it was very uneven, alternating between one liners and moments of horrific violence, which just didn’t work for me. Carl Hiaasen, Elmore Leonard and Tim Dorsey pull it off, but sadly, Barry doesn’t. Some of the humor was terrific, like the local news station that kept getting it’s employees killed in search of TV footage of Hurricane Hector. But most of the characters were no more than just caricatures, which made it difficult to care about them or what happened to them, and I think that is the big trouble here. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
TRIGGER CITY by Sean Chercover: The facts are simple – A lonely woman was murdered by her disturbed coworker. The police have investigated. The case is closed. Truth is, however, far more complicated. PI Ray Dudgen is hired by the woman’s father to find truth, or at least more facts. Ray really doesn’t want the job but his shoulder (injured in Chercover’s debut novel, Big City, Bad Blood) needs surgery and he needs money. Before he knows it, Ray is earning the money, dodging would be killers and getting pulled into the shadowy realm of covert intelligence. In the process he comes face to face with the competing interests of those involved with the War on Terror. No sophomore slump here for Chercover, as Ray Dudgen is beginning to look like a modern day Mickey Spillane. 10/08 Jack Quick

TRIGGER POINT by Matthew Glass: Trigger Point is an extremely interesting and timely book even though it is set in the near future. Events depicted, while featuring characters that are active in 2018. could be those that follow paths in existence today. A group of American Aid workers are killed in Uganda by a terrorist group and the US president decides to exact revenge by attacking the terrorists in return. China has interests in the Sudan which is neighboring Uganda and makes it known that they would be against any incursions into that country. At the same time a critical election is to be held in South Africa in which England has an interest in opposition to China’s interests. The US sides with England and makes their position clear to the Chinese. The most critical event is the manipulation of a huge investment bank which is 25% owned by the Chinese government causing it to declare bankruptcy and fostering panic and crisis in the US securities markets. The Chinese are blamed for allowing the bank to fail for reasons known only to them.

As a result of the three theaters of conflict between the US and China a naval battle off the coast of Uganda moves towards an inevitable climax and possibly an initiation of global war.
Mr Glass is extremely knowledgeable about movements in the stock and bond markets and presents an attention grabbing description of the back and forth actions of these markets as they move towards crashing and wiping out fortunes as well life savings of share holders. The analysis of the financial market movements is by far and away the strongest portion of the book, although the other conflict areas are very well melded into the work. 3/12 Paul Lane
TRIPLE CROSS by Mark T. Sullivan: In this era of Bernie Madoff, AIG bonuses, government bailouts and the collapse of institutions like FannieMae and FreddyMac, Chrysler and General Motors, Sullivan has written a novel that might strike a chord with many. Half a dozen of the richest men in the world are celebrating New Years at the Jefferson Club, a spectacularly exclusive private club in the mountains of Montana when the Third Position Army, a group that says it is revolting against “corporate tyranny” takes over. After freeing most of the guests, they hold a people’s trial for the financial barons that is webcast live. After the evidence is presented the group invites the viewers to decide – guilty or innocent. Those who are voted “guilty” are then dispatched—on camera—in novel and grisly ways. Terrorism meets reality TV. Obviously politically incorrect, but on a certain level, it felt good. 06/09 Jack Quick

TRIPTYCH by Karin Slaughter: triptych: a picture (as an altarpiece) or carving in three panels side by side. Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Will Trent and Detective Michael Ormewood are working on the case of an Atlanta area serial killer whose M.O. is biting off his victim’s tongue. They are joined by Angie Polaski, a vice squad undercover agent Will first knew in an orphanage where they were both placed after suffering severe abuse. A parallel story line involves John Shelley, an ex-con who has recently been released after serving twenty years for his teenaged conviction of the murder of a female classmate. Slaughter pulls all the threads together, ratcheting the tension as they tighten. Different in feel from her Grant County, Georgia series, this one still explores Slaughter’s connection of intimacy and violence. It will be interesting to see where Slaughter goes from here, back to Grant County, or further adventures in the bigger pond of Atlanta. 09/06 Jack Quick

THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL by Lawrence Block: Originally published under the name Paul Kavenagh, Block tells the tale of Miles Dom, a man whose sole function is to kill, and the role he plays in a series of assassinations designed to bring a demagogue into power. You’ll never guess where. The usual Block excellence. 05/06 Jack Quick

TROGLODYTES by Ed Lynskey: Troglodytes are members of a fabulous or prehistoric race of people that lived in caves, dens, or holes. P.I. Frank Johnson has been hired to locate American diplomat Sylvester Mercedes who has turned up missing in Turkey. Johnson will search high and low before finding the answer literally under his feet. Lynskey does a good job of wisely using the exotic locale without letting it interfere with a solid PI yarn. Highly recommended. 12/09 Jack Quick

TROJAN ODYSSEY by Clive Cussler: The 17th swash buckling adventure by the buckler of all swashers – Dirk Pitt. This time Cussler has him foiling a dastardly plot by outlandish villains to launch a new ice age, and at the same time demonstrating that the Achaeans were not Greeks but Celts, and that Troy was a town in what’s now England. Drawn into the web of danger are Pitts twin son and daughter as well as pal Al Giordino and assorted other NUMA stalwarts but good eventually prevails and Cussler himself makes an appearance in the final two pages. For pure escapism its hard to beat Cussler, even though Pitt is growing long in the tooth and is even thinking, egad, of finally settling down. But so long as there still villains left afloat in this world I suspect we will continue to see more of Mr. Pitt et al. Nicely done. 05/11 Jack Quick

TROUBLEMAKER, BOOK ONE: A BARNABY AND HOOKER GRAPHIC NOVEL by Janet Evanovich, Alex Evanovich, and illustrated by Joelle Jones: I tried this book because like most of the people who are going to try this, it had Janet Evanovich’s name on it. Several years ago she wrote two books, Metro Girl and Motor Mouth, featuring these same characters. Hooker is a Nascar racer, and Barnaby is a girl in his pit crew, his romantic interest, and features the typical Evanovich humor now taken to the graphic novel. I’m just not a huge fan of the genre, but like other genres I don’t particularly love, I keep trying. This is a short story set in Miami replete with voodoo, a missing woman who rolls cigars, her missing boss, and the Nascar racer’s hot mom/cougar. It ends in the middle of the story, to be continued in Book Two. I doubt I’ll read it, but maybe Evanovich will find a new audience here. 10/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TRUE BLUE by David Baldacci: Mace Perry was a kickass cop – before she became a con. Actually she was just an inmate serving all but the last 48 hours of her two year sentence, before being released into the custody of her old sister Beth, chief of the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police. Mace had been seized by bandits, drugged and taken along on a series of armed robberies around Washington. Now she is willing to risk everything to clear her name and reclaim her life as a cop by cracking a big case on her own. The rape-murder of a powerful lawyer and the killing of a prominent U.S. attorney provide Mace an opportunity to vindicate herself. Full of non-stop action this one bodes well for the planned series featuring the Perry gals. 01/10 Jack Quick

TRUE LOVE AT SILVER CREEK RANCH by Emma Cane: This was my first Cane romance, and I enjoyed it. Set on a working ranch in a small town in the Colorado Rockies, Brooke Thalberg runs the place with her brothers and some assistance from her father, who is busy these days taking care of her mother who suffers from MS. Her illness is a minor plot point, but it is handled very well. Returning war veteran Adam Desantis is staying with his grandmother, a widow who lives in a boarding house with other widows. She feigns feebleness, hiding her feisty nature and good health in hopes her only grandson will stick around. He does, landing a job at the ranch where he tries to deal with his war injuries, both physical and mental. Brooke and Adam fall in love, but fight it every step of the way. Like most romances, this is a fast read and I enjoyed it. Looking forward to more from this author. 1/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
TRUST NO ONE by Greg Hurwitz: Imagine being awakened in the middle of the night, torn from your home and helicoptered to talk to a terrorist threatening to blow up a nuclear power plant. Those are the circumstances that Nick Horrigan finds himself in. He has no idea why this is happening until he finally speaks with the terrorist, but before he can get the whole story, the terrorist is killed. Nick sets off on a journey to find the truth, that somehow involves his Secret Service agent stepfather’s murder seventeen years earlier and the current political fracas involving the two men running for president. While there are a few holes in the story, nonetheless this is a tightly written, action packed political thriller of the best kind. 8/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TRUST YOUR EYES by Linwood Barclay: Thomas and Ray Kilbride are two brothers brought together again after years apart by the death of their father. Thomas is schizophrenic and has rarely ventured out of the house that the brothers now own in common left to them by their father. Ray’s first inclination is to settle up the estate and provide for his brother’s well being either in the house or in a situation where he can be cared for by professionals. Things become quite complicated when Thomas, pursuing the work that has kept him completely occupied for years, discovers a crime which may be a murder. Thomas has spent his entire waking hours exploring cities through the vehicle of a computerized program based on previously filmed footage that allows moving up and down the streets and avenues of cities via the computer. In his fantasy he believes that he is doing this to be ready for an eventual virus which will wipe out all maps both computerized and on paper and doing so at the behest of the CIA. He writes them e-mails outlining the work and indicating that he will be ready when he is called upon to guide CIA operatives around the world after the virus strikes. Thomas prevails upon Ray to go to New York and check out the apartment seen for him. Ray uses a business trip he schedules for the area to go to the building and that activity starts a chain of events that Barclay makes sure that the reader gets completely wrapped up in. There was a murder in the apartment and Ray’s checking out the site begins the activity and the interactions of those involved in the crime, Ray and Thomas, and further victims that fall prey to the need for the original crime to be covered up. The only real fault in the novel is the ending which is obvious for a long time and is not a typical Linwood Barclay twist. This does not detract from the enjoyment of the read and the interest in keeping up with the plot. 9/12 Paul Lane

THE TRUTH ABOUT STYLE by Stacy London: Stacy London is the co-host, along with Clinton Kelly, of TLC’s What Not To Wear. If you are not familiar with the show, a poorly dressed woman with a good life story is nominated by friends and/or family for a makeover, and she is ambushed by the stylistic twosome, whisked away to NYC with all their clothes. The clothes are trashed, the lucky makeover has her style trashed and then is given $5000 to spend on a new wardrobe, which must be purchased by following Stacy & Clinton’s fashion rules. Tears are almost always invoked, along with a lot of resistance, but in the end the makeovers usually entail not only a new look, but new insight into why they were dressing so badly and an uplift in self esteem. I am a fan of the show, and this book Stacy tackles nine “startovers”, her word for makeovers with a variety of women of different ages, body sizes, and lifestyles. These are personal, uplifting stories and best of all, Stacy includes pages of places to shop for different types of clothes, different designers to look for in all price ranges, from Manolo Blahnik to Target. Also included is a glimpse of Stacy herself, her challenges growing up with a severe skin disorder and why she ended up a stylist. This book is a must read for anyone who feels helpless shopping, needs a lift or just enjoys fashion. 10/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TSUNAMI by Gordon Gumpertz: With a name like Gumpertz, it has to be good. Sorry, and my apologies to the author, I just couldn’t resist it. Actually, this is a very good book. What would happen if there were another Mt St Helens type volcanic eruption – but this time deep in the mid-Pacific. Seismologist Dr. Leilani Sanches is alarmed by an ancient volcano’s rumblings but no one wants to believe it could cause a tsunami on the Southern California coast that would make the 2004 Asian event a minor happening. There’s a Coast Guard love interest, some Chinese gangsters involved in gun smuggling, the FBI, an unscrupulous land developer and plenty of action. If you enjoy Cussler type adventures, this one is up your alley. 12/08 Jack Quick

TUESDAY’S GONE by Nicci French: After her involvement with the Dean Reeve case, therapist Frieda Klein is a little surprised to get another request for help from the police. Sure the Reeve case closed fairly successfully with the kidnapped child recovered safely, but Frieda is facing a complaint from a patient’s wife thanks to the case. What’s more, Frieda soon learns that Reeve’s wife is releasing her version of the story in a published memoir that doesn’t necessarily paint the therapist in the greatest light. But when a social worker finds a dead man being served tea at one of her appointments, Karlsson decides that Frieda may be able to make some sense out of the whole thing. Frieda isn’t at all certain that the woman entertaining the dead man is actually responsible for his death, but the cops aren’t so sure. When the therapist expands her involvement beyond a simple consultation, however, she does manage to uncover evidence to support her theory. In spite of her success, Frieda is still unsure she wants any involvement in police work at all, and the continued scrutiny of both her professional and private lives complicates things further. This follow up to Blue Monday is excellent. The characters – Frieda in particular, but the more peripheral characters as well – are all quite quirky and, now that the series is beyond the introductory phase, are all beginning to grow in really intriguing ways. Although Tuesday’s Gone can stand alone, I have to recommend reading the books in order. The bit of continued plot from Blue Monday is something I particularly enjoyed and would definitely lose effect if readers jumped in at the second installment. 4/13 Becky Lejeune

THE TUNNELS by Michelle Gagnon: FBI agent Kelly Jones has no family, no real friends and no ties. Her only real motivation is her job, and the tragedy in her past that led to her career. Now, the bodies of two coeds have been found in an abandoned tunnel system below her alma mater. The first body, that of Anna Varelas, is found mutilated and posed before an odd image painted in blood. The blood belongs to Lin Kaishin, the second body discovered in the tunnels. Kaishin is also posed before the same strange image. This time, the blood is that of an unknown pregnant female. Further investigation leads to shocking revelations regarding the symbolism of each site. Everything from the positioning of the bodies to the way that they were killed leads Jones to believe that their suspect is anything but the textbook definition of a serial killer. Gagnon’s debut is sure to be a hit with mystery lovers. Jones is an appealing heroine and the plot is truly original. I really thought I had it figured out, too, but I was completely wrong in the end. I hope book two in the series is soon to follow. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

TURN OF MIND by Alice LaPlante: Dr. Jennifer White is a “person of interest” in the murder and mutilation of her best friend and neighbor, Amanda. What makes this debut so unique is that the story is told from Dr. White’s point of view, and she is the ultimate unreliable narrator: Jennifer has Alzheimer’s disease. The story moves beyond the genre and into a fascinating look at a person that is slowly slipping away from the people who love her, as this progressively worsening disease takes over. Her son and daughter share financial and legal guardianship over their mother, who is a retired orthopedic surgeon who specialized in hand surgery, which is what makes her the logical suspect when Amanda is found dead with four of her fingers surgically removed. We have to follow this unreliable narrator as her mind shifts from present to past, through good days and bad. This is a most compelling story that meanders with surprising twists and revelations until the final pages, making this a very special mystery indeed. I couldn’t put it down. 07/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE TURNAROUND by George Pelecanos: The very talented Pelecanos may have written his best book yet with what Publishers Weekly called “urban noir.” This is not part of any series, so if you haven’t read this talented author yet, now’s your chance to savor what the rest of us have been enjoying for years. The setting is Washington D.C. – not the White House/political side, but the streets, where you can find a laugh amid the ruined lives with a yummy dessert named “Marionberry Pie”. This story starts in 1972, when integration was on the cusp, but the reality was that white boys drove past black neighborhoods screaming epithets, just for fun. And sometimes, when that happened, boys of both colors ended up dead or injured, with the kind of injuries that take a lifetime to heal. Pelecanos explores such an event, perhaps with touches of his own past, as one of the white boys is Greek and works in his father’s luncheonette. The story moves forward to present day, and we follow the lives of the boys who are left and how that one day affected all their lives. This is dark, troubling crime fiction at its best – don’t miss it. 8/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE TURNING by Francine Prose: Two months on the remote island of Crackstone’s Landing, cut off from the outside world, would be torture for most teens. The sizable salary involved is enough to convince Jack that it’s worth it. He’s been hired to fill in as nanny for siblings Flora and Miles for the duration of the summer. The two young children are a bit peculiar, but they’re well behaved and Jack needs the money for college. What begins as a promising and quiet summer soon turns to terror as Jack experiences increasingly strange things on the island. The secret glances between brother and sister, once quirky, have become sinister. Jack has also seen a man and a woman lurking about the property, but no one else has reported them. As Jack’s summer progresses, he becomes ill and is soon convinced that things aren’t quite right at the house. Is it his imagination or something worse? The Turning is a modern, teen adaptation of Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw. While it might work for a teen reader unfamiliar with James’s tale, the story lacks the atmosphere and menacing quality of the original. Prose has chosen to relay the story through letters, which could be to blame. The reader never gets a good feel for Crackstone’s Landing or the occurrences there. A missed opportunity in my opinion. 10/12 Becky Lejeune

TURNING ANGEL by Greg Iles: Do middle aged married men really want to have affairs with their teenage babysitters? Hell, yes! That’s not news, of course, but Iles takes that premise and runs with it. Kate Townsend is a 17 year old Harvard bound high school senior who ends up raped and murdered. Chief suspect is town golden boy Dr. Drew Elliot, 23 years her senior and her lover. Natchez, Mississippi is a hotbed of racial politics and Elliot becomes the prize winning pawn, especially after he calls on his close friend Penn Cage to represent him. Iles claims that all his books are stand alones, but apparently Penn was the protagonist of The Quiet Game and there are references to past events in this book. Penn, a former prosecutor, is retired from law and writing Pulitzer prize winning novels but nonetheless he takes a $20 retainer and starts investigating the murder. Drugs, murders, teenage violence and sex brings a small Southern town to its knees in this twisty torrid tale. 01/06 Stacy Alesi, the BookBitch

THE TWELVE by Justin Cronin: The highly anticipated sequel to The Passage is finally out and it’s another whopper! Peter, Alicia, Amy, and the others have managed to take down their first target in the The Twelve, but before they continue readers are brought back to the beginning of the outbreak. Lila Kyle is pregnant and after losing her first child, she’s determined this one will make it. She’s holed up in Cherry Creek, a high-end suburb of Denver close to the heart of where the end has begun. Lawrence Grey isn’t sure how he survived the recent events at the facility where he was working, but when he meets Lila he knows that he should help. With the voice of Zero in his head, Lawrence will do everything he can to protect Lila and her unborn child. Nearby, Bernard Kittredge, aka Last Stand in Denver, has banded together with another group of survivors traveling to a refugee center at Fort Powell. Almost a century later, their fates will greatly affect what comes next for Peter and the rest of the group. As they plot their continued strategy for taking down the remainder of The Twelve, big changes are coming for them all. So far, Cronin’s series is among the best of the best in apocalypse fiction—and I would add general fiction as well. The story is intricately plotted and the characters are all fantastically drawn. What’s more, Cronin’s style encourages quick reading, making these doorstoppers intense and fast-paced reads. 11/12 Becky Lejeune

Twelve Mile Limit by Randy Wayne White: This is one of his best. I have to reiterate that he is the heir to John D. MacDonald. Anyone else is just a pretender. Doc Ford is like Travis McGee and Meyer combined into one person, but with a hippy, psychic sidekick and a Jamaican Ya-Ya woman as a “sister.”
The book is full of local color and marine detail. More so than usual and the presentation of the manatee debate is even-handed and impressive. (Although the manatees come in second.) Pay attention to the octopi as well.
Ultimately, Doc Ford, after a series of McGee-type encounters with women, journeys into a South American Apocalypse Now.
My only complaint is that the foreshadowing in the book is a little heavy handed. I kept hearing Lloyd Nelson in the back of my head saying “Little did I know…” But that is a minor problem.
Sooner or later, this guy is going to be discovered big-time and we will be able to say “We knew him when and he belongs to us.” ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin, hopefully the first of many.

TWELVE SHARP by Janet Evanovich: When you need a quick escape from the daily grind, immerse yourself for a few pleasurable hours in the latest adventures of ditzy bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. People complain about this series because there’s really never anything new, but Evanovich knows what her audience likes and she provides it: a steady diet of Stephanie, Ranger & Joe, Grandma Mazur, Lulu, insanity at the funeral home, cars blowing up, and as always, lots of laughs. This time out Stephanie is trying to round up crazy bail jumpers, Ranger is accused of kidnapping his daughter, and a woman claiming to be his wife is stalking Stephanie. It’s laugh out loud funny and I was sorry to turn the last page. I don’t ask for any more than that from Evanovich. This is vintage Plum; if you’re a fan, you’ll love it. 06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

TWELVE SHARP by Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum, who freely admits her failings as a hunter of fugitives, faces a growing work backlog that threatens the continued existence of her job. Now, in addition to bounty hunter wannabe Lula, she has a new colleague – a forlorn shoe salesman who Stephanie talks off a ledge with the offer of a position as file clerk in her cousin’s office. Ranger or Joe, Joe or Ranger, Stephanie’s tangled love life remains convoluted even after Ranger is accused of kidnapping his own daughter. Oh, there is another funeral parlor fiasco as well. Okay, its not great literature, but it can be funny. 03/07 Jack Quick

THE TWELFTH CARD by Jeffery Deaver: Sixteen year old Geneva Settle is doing research on one of her civil war era ancestors in the library. This man was a freedman who was accused of thievery and dishonored in the turbulent times after that war. Then Geneva is the subject of an apparent rape attempt, but the rapist kills the librarian she has consulted in making his getaway. Who is the real target. It quickly become evident that Geneva is being stalked by a serial killer. Who is UNSUB 109? Who hired him to kill this teenager and why? Is Geneva a target because of the historical research, research that may possibly have profound effect on current laws. Another strong entry in Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series. 09/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

TWENTY WISHES by Debbie Macomber: Anne Marie Roche is a recent widow. Despite having several close friends and owning a successful bookstore, she feels alone. Anne Marie’s close friends also feel the loneliness of widowhood. Lillie Higgins lost her husband in a plane crash, the same crash that took the life of the husband of her daughter, Barbie Higgins. Elise Beaumont lost her husband to cancer. Anne Marie and her friends get together and celebrate their lives. They discuss their hopes and dreams. Each decides to create a list of twenty wishes, dreams that they’ve had all their lives but have never fulfilled. In subsequent months, all of the women start acting on their wishes. Anne Marie’s first wish: Find one good thing about life. To her, it seemed to be an admission of how depressed and low she really felt. She finds that Ellen is the key to her happiness, and together Anne Marie and Ellen quickly fulfill their twenty wishes. This was my first “Blossom Street” book and I absolutely loved it. Macomber’s characters come alive and I feel like they are a part of my life. Finishing the book, I felt a sense of loss, but I have plans to pick up the rest of the “Blossom Street” books and continue on with these truly amazing women. 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence

TWICE A SPY by Keith Thomson: I won’t say TWICE A SPY is twice as good as its predecessor – ONCE A SPY, but I will echo Christopher Reich’s blurb “Utterly original…Think Carl Hiaasen taking on John Le Carre.” The action picks up days after the end of the first book with Charlie Clark, his girlfriend and former NSA operative Alice and his father, Drummond Clark, who after a career as a CIA agent is sinking into the throes of early Alzheimer’s, but who’s able, when the occasion demands, to revive his old skills and save their skins, all on the lam in Switzerland. Alice is kidnapped and Charlie and Drummond have to travel to Martinique to locate one of the washing machine/ nuclear bomb detonating devices that Drummond had been selling for years to various terrorist groups. The hook? The devices are defective, by design, so they can never be used to actually cause the big bang. Let’s hope that the revolutionary treatment Drummond is taking for his Alzheimer’s is effective so this story can go on and on. 04/11 Jack Quick

TWILIGHT by Stephenie Meyer: This book is so bad that I have to see it as a parody of an actual book because if I take it seriously, my brain will explode. The main character, Bella, is so whiny that in just about every paragraph you can find her complaining about something, like her clumsiness. She has all these guys that like her, but she has no interest in them because she’s so interested in Edward Cullen. She’s obsessed with Edward, and he with her, going so far as to stay outside her room at night and watch her sleep. He doesn’t mind staying up all night as he doesn’t sleep because he’s a vampire. Apparently vampires have no need of sleep or even breathing. They can’t go out in sunlight because they sparkle. Really.
Bella is like every other spoiled teenage girl in that she doesn’t appreciate what she has. She has no interest in school because of her obsession with this boy that she’s known for a few weeks. Their relationship gets too serious too fast and the timeframe doesn’t make sense. Meyers breaks every vampire myth in popular fiction, which may not necessarily a bad thing, however in this case it is just ridiculous. Edward is perfect beyond measure; he’s good looking, of course, he runs really fast, and he’s super strong. He also happens to listen to all the music Bella likes, and he tries to protect her by constantly warning her of how dangerous he is. I found this novel to be comical and ultimately annoying. I don’t understand what so many teenage girls find appealing here, because I found nothing. 11/08 Ariel Alesi
TWIST by Colby Hodge: Abbey Shore is an architecture student who flips houses to earn a living. When an object hidden in the walls of her latest project house catapults her one hundred years into the future, she’s in for a big shock. It seems an outbreak of bird flu has drastically changed life on Earth. A group of beings called the Cronolotians – the ones who are responsible for all those vampire stories – had been feeding off of humans for quite some time and the pandemic forced them to come out of hiding. In the future, humans are at constant war against these beings in a desperate attempt to survive. The humans do have one thing on their side, though, a doctor who was changed before the infection fights with them. He knows Abbey and is convinced that she is the cause of everything. Abbey learns that this is not an altogether false accusation. The truth about what she is and where she comes from is the only thing that may finally save all of mankind. An action, suspense, romance about time-travel, a cataclysmic future, and aliens who are vampires – trust me, Twist is a fun, uncomplicated, and original one-sitting read that’s perfect when you need to unwind after a long day. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

A TWIST OF ORCHIDS by Michelle Wan: Third in Wan’s Dordogne based mystery series finds designer Mara Dunn and boyfriend Julian Wood poking into local mysteries once again. Julian, an orchidologist, is still searching for the elusive orchid photographed by Mara’s dead sister. As a side project, however, he ends up trying to help a Turkish couple find their missing son. Julian first approaches the couple to confront them about a product they are selling in their shop that contains ground up orchid root as a main ingredient. The production of the item in question has caused Turkish orchids to be put on the endangered list and Julian is determined to do what he can to at least prevent it from being sold in his area. The couple thinks that Julian may be able to talk some sense into their son, as he is enamored with “western” culture and rebelling against his more traditional parents. Meanwhile, Mara is concerned that their recently widowed and ailing neighbor may be in danger, not from himself, but from someone with sinister motives. Wan just keeps getting better and better. I’m so invested in these characters and the tight-knit community that surrounds them, that I just can’t get enough of this series. Twist is currently available in Canada and is slated to hit shelves in the US in June. 04/09 Becky Lejeune

TWISTED by Andrea Kane: A childhood friend of Sloane Burbank is one of several young women who have disappeared without a trace. Burbank, a 30 year old former FBI agent, is now a special consultant after almost being killed herself. Penny Truman’s mother hires Sloane to look into the matter of Penny’s disappearance and then Sloane learns that Derek Parker, her former lover is the FBI agent in charge of the case. Parker and Burbank had split after the stabbing that almost took Burbank’s life just over a year ago. Will the two get back together or will the stress of the case force them apart irrevocably? One of the better romantic suspense efforts of late and the start of a new series. Looking forward to number two. 04/08 Jack Quick

TWISTED by Andrea Kane: After an injury leaves Sloane Burbank without the full use of her right hand, she’s determined to regain her strength and rejoin the FBI. In the meantime, though, she’s been working as a private consultant in some high profile cases. When the parents of a childhood friend contact her asking for her help to find their missing daughter, Sloane can’t refuse. Though the case is almost a year old, Sloane and the girl’s father are able to get the FBI to renew their efforts, and that means that agent in charge Derek Parker must drop everything in order to reopen the cold case. Sloane’s digging does uncover new evidence, however, evidence that connects a string of missing women back to Sloane herself. Twisted is a total thrill-ride from beginning to end. Sloane and others return in Kane’s latest, Drawn in Blood. 10/09 Becky Lejeune

A TWISTED LADDER by Rhodi Hawk: Madeleine LeBlanc has made a career out of studying schizophrenia. As a child, Madeleine and her brother were often left to fend for themselves as their father disappeared for days at a time. When he was around, his crazy mood swings and behaviors remained completely unpredictable. Today, however, Madeleine believes that she has him under control on a strict regimen of medication. But when Madeleine becomes plagued by visions of her own, she will have to rethink everything. As she traces her roots she finds that River Magic, what she has always attributed to the schizophrenia, has long been a part of her family’s history. But can medicine and psychology truly explain the LeBlanc legacy? Rhodi Hawk’s debut is a pretty amazing read: she twists her story in such a way that the reader is completely enthralled from the very first line to the very last, and she captures the essence of Louisiana completely, adding a dark and foreboding layer over the rich atmosphere she’s created. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

TWISTED TRIANGLE by Caitlin Rother: Rother is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated former journalist for the San Diego Union Tribune. In this work of “faction” she tells the true story of Margo Bennett, a married FBI agent. Her husband Gene, also an FBI agent, kidnapped and attempted to kill her when she tried to obtain a divorce. A precipitating action in the story was Margo’s secret love affair with Patricia Cornwell. Stranger than fiction, this story describes the strange marriage, the makings of Gene’s complex plan for revenge, his insanity defense, and the trial that ultimately vindicated Margo and sent Gene to prison. Today, Margo Bennett lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she is a captain of the University of California, Berkeley, campus police department. Gene Bennett is incarcerated in Virginia, not far from the Washington DC area, where most of the events of this narrative took place. No real mystery but an interesting look at the forces and pressures that can affect and shape people, particularly those in law enforcement. 07/08 Jack Quick

THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES by Marcus Sakey: Sakey hits it out of the park with this twisty tale of a man’s dilemma; he’s not sure who he is and even worse, if he’s killed his wife. A man wakes up naked in the ocean off the coast of Maine. He doesn’t know who he is, what he’s doing there or how he even got there. He does know enough to get himself onto land and into the only car in the area. He sets off on a journey of self discovery and tries to learn what happened in his life to bring him to that point. We, as readers, get to follow along and we learn more as he does. This is a great story written by a terrific writer and I couldn’t put it down. Sakey has become one of my favorite authors; if you haven’t read him yet, you should and this is a great place to start. 8/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES by Marcus Sakey: He wakes up on a deserted beach, cold, naked, and half-drowned. He manages to crawl away from the water and to an empty BMW. Inside he finds clothes that fit perfectly, shoes, a Rolex, a bank envelope stuffed with cash and an auto registration in the name of Daniel Hayes, resident of Malibu, California. Who is he? And who is Daniel Hayes? Is he Daniel Hayes? Why can’t he remember? Then things turn even darker. Why are the police after him with drawn guns? What has he done? All he can remember is a woman’s face and he sets out to find her. Will he succeed? And most importantly, what will he find out? You had better enjoy a mystery if you are going to read this one. Sakey has taken the “amnesia” thing beyond anything you’ve ever read. Definitely recommended. 07/11 Jack Quick

TWO DOLLAR BILL by Stuart Woods: Stone Barrington meets new client Billy Bob Barnstormer from Texas at Elaine’s in New York City, which proves Woods could probably tell a tale even after a couple of Stone’s hits of Knob Creek. Billy Bob’s trademark is the two-dollar bill he uses for tips, but Stone soon learns they might as well be three dollar bills. The Justice Department is after Billy Bob, so is the Secret Service and the CIA. All think Stone is helping the other agencies. Throw in ex-partner Dino of NYPD, some gun play, a dead hooker in Stone’s guest room, large sums of money, national security, and Stone’s usual penchant for attracting beautiful women and you have Woods’ eleventh Barrington adventure. Like Mom’s meat loaf and mashed potatoes – no real surprises but very comforting. 04/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE TWO MINUTE RULE by Robert Crais: The author of the wonderful Elvis Cole series pens another standalone after Hostage (also a film with Bruce Willis) and Demolition Angel. Max Holman, the “Hero Bandit”, has just finished serving ten years in prison for bank robbery. Holman is a career criminal, now middle aged and finally understanding that he has to change his ways. His estranged son is killed on the day of his release, shattering any hope of a reconciliation. Turns out his son was a police officer and was killed along with three other cops, but when the Los Angeles police department quickly closes the case by blaming a junkie who then kills himself, Holman is unconvinced. He persuades the FBI agent who originally arrested him (and is now retired) to help him find the killer and the story takes off at breakneck speed. Crais creates a world that is totally believable with a likeable ex-con, while good and evil are turned upside down and spin out into a superb story. 02/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THE TWO-MINUTE RULE by Robert Crais: Two minutes, in and out, that’s the rule for robbing banks. Break that rule and you can end up in trouble like Max Holman who got caught during a robbery after he stopped to perform CPR on a bank customer who had a heart attack. About to leave prison on parole, the 48-year-old Max hopes he can establish contact with the cop son he never really knew, but the son is murdered. Max suspects crooked cops and the only person he figures can help him is Katherine Pollard, the fed who nabbed him, who’s now ex-FBI and a struggling single mom. This odd couple give a new twist to the classic bank robbery caper story. 03/06 Jack Quick

TWO TRAINS RUNNING by Andrew Vachss: Written by Vachss but reads like a Swagger adventure by Stephen Hunter. First rate, either way. Its 1959 and the mob is trying to muscle in on the good old boys who have been running vice in Locke City for years, turning it into a tourist destination. Boss Royal Beaumont ups the ante by bringing in a hired killer, Walker Dett – but that is just the first of a number of wild cards that get played including the local police, the FBI, the IRA, black militants, neo-nazis and the press. Then there’s Nixon versus Kennedy. Other authors have speculated but Vachss postulates an actual arrangement between the IRA and the mob to assure a Kennedy victory in the 1960 presidential election. What plays out in Locke City is the nation in microcosm. Fasten your seat belts for this one boys, it’s quite a ride. Recommended. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

U IS FOR UNDERTOW by Sue Grafton: U is for Undertow takes place in 1988, with flashbacks to 1967, the “Summer of Love.” What makes this case unusual for the thirty-seven year old private investigator – “In my ten years as a private eye, this was the first case I ever managed to resolve without crossing paths with bad guys. Except at the end, of course.” The case involves Michael Sutton, who claims that he recently recalled an event that occurred when he was just six years old. In July of 1967, four-year-old Mary Claire Fitzhugh was abducted from her home in Horton Ravine, California. Although her parents agreed to pay the ransom demanded by Mary Claire’s kidnappers, the money was not picked up and the child was never seen again. Sutton remembers playing in the woods when he saw two men digging a hole and burying a bundle in the ground, and he cannot help but wonder if the pair was burying the corpse of little Mary Claire. Michael hires Kinsey to reconstruct the past and find out if his memories are accurate. Although not the greatest who-dun-it, this may be the best overall Grafton, with its insights into current and new characters and the overall plot does offer some interesting insights once all the facets are revealed. Let us hope Ms. Grafton has few more arrows in her quiver. 1/11 Jack Quick

U IS FOR UNDERTOW by Sue Grafton: Number twenty-one. I tell you, it’ll be a sad day for me when the Kinsey Millhone series comes to an end. Until then, there should be at least five more to go. In this latest, Kinsey is hired for one day, investigating the decades-old memory of a possible burial site. Over twenty years ago, Mary Claire Fitzhugh was kidnapped. There was a ransom demand, but the drop was botched and the girl was never seen again. Michael Sutton was only six years old at the time, but after seeing a newspaper article on the anniversary of the case, old memories begin to surface. Sutton becomes convinced that he saw two men burying the body of Mary Claire and is even able to give Kinsey instructions to the site. The dig turns up the body of a dog rather than the missing child, but in spite of growing questions regarding the credibility of her client, Kinsey can’t help but dig deeper. The flashbacks in this one really threw me for a loop at first; they seemed disconnected until more of the story was revealed. Once I was able to get into the usual flow I expect from Grafton, U is for Undertow became a very satisfying addition to the series. 12/09 Becky Lejeune

UGLY DUCHESS by Eloisa James: James, a Shakespeare scholar and professor at Fordham University, continues her fairy tale series with this latest entry, based on the Hans Christian Anderson classic, “The Ugly Duckling.” Theodora Saxby is the ugly duck in question, but she’s loaded, making her fair game for the Duke of Ashbrook. He insists his gorgeous son James marry the girl, but James is torn. Theodora’s father was the Duke’s best friend, and when he passed away the Duke helped raise her, leaving James and Theodora to feel more like brother and sister than possible marriage partners. But James has been away for a few years and once his father tells him how he has embezzled from the girl, he acquiesces and convinces her to marry. But this is a romance novel and the course of true love never runs smoothly. Lots of interesting history here along with a hot love story. Another terrific read from one of my favorite romance writers. 1/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

AN UNACCEPTABLE DEATH by Barbara Seranella: One time drug addict, prostitute, and motorcycle mama, Munch Mancini is about to become a wife and she and adopted daughter Asia will have a more normal existence. But first Munch’s fiancé, detective Rico Chacón, has to take care of the little matter of a bounty put on Munch’s head by the newly reformed Satan’s Pride Motorcycle gang (whom Munch had helped take down years back). In the process he is shot dead by other cops in a drug bust gone bad. To compound matters, the police department is withholding Chacón’s pension from his family, claiming that he was corrupt. Determined to clear his name and to get revenge, Munch sets out on a dangerous investigation of her own. It just doesn’t get any better. Thank you, Barbara. 04/06 Jack Quick

THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin: When Mara wakes up in the hospital, she’s told that her friends have died in a building collapse. Mara has no memory of the events that led up to the tragedy. Her friends and her past haunt her nonetheless. Plagued by nightmares and hallucinations, she convinces her family that she can heal in a new environment—it’s her last desperate attempt to avoid the possibility of being institutionalized. But as she tries to cover up the increasing visions and horrors around her, she begins to wonder if she really is going mad. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is great for so many reasons. It’s a teen mystery with a big, big twist and so many questions left unanswered that readers will be scrambling to get their hands on the second book. 3/12 Becky Lejeune

UNBOUND by Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Vickie Pettersson, Jocelynn Drake, and Melissa Marr: Urban fantasy fans will definitely want to add this anthology to their must read lists. Whether you’re a long-time fan of any (or all) of these authors, or it’s your first introduction to them, this collection is perfect. Readers familiar with the various series characters will love to get a little extra taste, but the tales can serve as a great preface for new fans as well. In Harrison’s “Ley Line Drifter,” Jenks is approached by a fellow pixy with a possession issue. Frost’s “Reckoning” takes Bones to the Big Easy where he must track one of the town’s most notorious couples. Pettersson’s “Dark Matters” is a look at a story that’s only been hinted at in the series. Drake’s “The Dead, The Damned, and The Forgotten” has Mira investigating the death of a fellow nightwalker. And Melissa Marr’s “Two Lines” marks the popular teen author’s debut adult tale. Each story makes for a fun one-sitting read and will surely give readers something to tide themselves over with until the next books in each series is released. 09/09 Becky Lejeune

AN UNCOMMON EDUCATION by Elizabeth Percer: Naomi Feinstein knows exactly what she wants out of life. She will attend Wellesley College and she will become a cardiac surgeon. Her idea comes about after witnessing her father’s near-fatal heart attack. Just nine at the time, Naomi believes that this is what she needs to do and what she needs to become. A few years later, Naomi loses her best friend. The two events and her mother’s frequent bouts of depression become more motivation in Naomi’s ultimate goal to save people. When she finally makes it to Wellesley, however, Naomi finds herself reevaluating those old ideals and wondering if she’s on the right path after all. Percer’s debut is heartfelt and thoughtful and Naomi’s story is one that I could easily sympathize with. 5/12 Becky Lejeune
UNCOMMON GROUNDS by Sandra Balzo: A mystery set in a coffee shop – I grabbed a latte and started reading. Three women form a partnership and open a trendy coffee shop in a small town, but on opening day, one of the partners is found dead, electrocuted by the espresso machine. A hunky new sheriff in town adds a romantic spark to this first novel filled with gentle humor and easy pacing. 05/05 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE UNDEAD KAMA SUTRA by Mario Acevedo: Felix’s latest adventure begins with the death of the alien who has been masquerading as long-time friend Gilbert Odin (see Nymphos of Rocky Flats for more on this particular case). The alien more or less hires Felix to find his killer, cryptically telling him to find Goodman and save the women of Earth before giving Felix a set of coordinates for disposing of his remains and finally dying. Felix complies with the disposal part and then, thoroughly confused, resumes his search for an ancient manuscript that is said to have the ability to psychically heal vampires. His search for this book, The Undead Kama Sutra, was what led him to Florida in the first place. He tracks rumors of the manuscript back to Carmen Arellano, leader of the Denver vamps, who has been recreating and translated the ancient work. As it turns out, Carmen is also missing a chalice – a human who willingly gives blood to vampires. The woman in question turns up in the local morgue, dead as a result of a blast from one of the aliens’ own weapons. Felix is back on the case and even manages to track down the mysterious Goodman. Where the case leads next, though, is completely unexpected. Readers who are not familiar with Acevedo’s quirky series should definitely begin at the beginning. There is history between Felix and the aliens, all laid out in the previously mentioned Nymphos. Fast plots, strange occurrences, and conspiracy theories are par for the course with any Acevedo title, when you combine that with his twisted sense of humor, you end up with a pretty great paranormal PI series that I highly recommend. 03/08 Becky Lejeune

UNDER A RAGING MOON by Frank Zafiro: Ed McBain had his 87th precinct in Isola. Zafiro has created River City, Washington and a group of very human cops who police it. But whereas McBain’s people were able to generally stay above the fray, these cops get right down into the gritty, dirt ugly world. In this case, they are dealing with a serial gunman who is robbing convenience stores. With each stickup he becomes more violent and dangerous. Unless he’s taken down soon, it’s going to really get nasty. Chisolm,. McLeod, Kopriva and Ridgeway, along with the rest of the gang, are determined to make it happen. Not McBain caliber yet, but a lot of potential here. 08/06 Jack Quick

UNDER FIRE by Margaret McLean: Senegalese immigrant Amina Diallo lives above her small African grocery store and lunch spot with her fifteen year old son. What started as a typical immigrant makes good in America story takes a turn for the ugly when her husband is deported and her home and business face foreclosure. Then the building goes up in flames, trapping Amina and her son upstairs. Firefighters passing by stop and one of them is shot and killed while trying to save the Diallo family. They are rescued, but Amina is arrested and charged with arson and murder. Former prosecutor Sarah Lynch is talked into working with her defense lawyer uncle Buddy, but Amina’s Muslim and wears the traditional Hijab, making her an easy target for racial profiling. The Boston fire department turns out in droves for the funeral and the trial, and Sarah has her hands full, not to mention that her life is in danger. VERDICT: This is a fast paced legal thriller with an interesting immigrant twist. 07/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2011 Library Journal, a division of Media Source Inc. Reprinted with permission.

UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King: Dale Barbara was on his way out. He’d had enough of Chester’s Mill and was ready to move on. But then the dome came down. Just a few more minutes and he might have made it out. Now, he’s trapped inside with the other townsfolk, some who are desperate to survive and some who are actually a little pleased to have their town closed off from the rest of the world. No one knows where the dome came from or who could be responsible, but as days pass things in Chester’s Mill go downhill fast, and what was once a typical small town becomes the setting for a mad battle of neighbor versus neighbor. While some will come together to try and help one another make it through, others will find that keeping their dirty secrets hidden under the dome is becoming harder and harder. In the fourteen years since I read my first Stephen King, he has not disappointed me as a fan. Under the Dome is certainly no exception. King’s characters and settings come to life, reaching out and grabbing readers for over 1,000 pages of incredibly fast-paced, horrific and twisted, roller-coaster fun. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi: Aria and her friends in Reverie have always led a peaceful and sheltered life. When a night of adventure ends in death, however, Aria is banished. Death in the outer world is almost certain, but Aria is saved when she comes across Perry. Perry has lived his whole live on the outside. Aria is reluctant to rely on an outsider given everything she’s always been taught, but Perry is her best chance for survival. Perry has no love for Dwellers, or Aria, either. It was Dwellers that stole his nephew and now Aria is his only hope for getting him back. This debut from Rossi is an inventive twist on the utopian/dystopian, post apocalyptic trend. While Under the Never Sky was somewhat unique and certainly engrossing, much of this first in the series is focused on set up in the world. Hopefully book two will move the plot along with more action. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

UNDERCURRENT by Paul Blackwell: Callum Harris wakes up in the hospital with almost no memory of how he got there. Apparently he fell into the local Crystal Falls and everyone says he’s lucky to even be alive. For Callum, though, things since his accident have gotten a little strange. For one, he remembers his parents being separated. While he might be able to assume they’ve reconciled recently because of his accident, it’s just the first of a slew of strange things he’s noticed. He recalls never having any interest in sports, but he’s apparently wrong about that as well: Callum is one of the stars of the high school football team. People he remembers ignoring him in the halls at school are now his best friends and the people he thought were his friends either don’t know him or hate his guts. Unless he wants to be sent back to the hospital, Callum has to go along with this new reality, but maybe if he can remember his accident he can figure out what’s going on. This is probably a fine read for the younger teen set. Unfortunately, Callum never quite rounds out as a whole character and his story becomes a bit predictable the further the book progresses. 7/13 Becky Lejeune

UNDERTOW by Peter Corris: Cliff Hardy is hired by an old friend, retired senior policeman Frank Parker, to look into a case from early in his (Parker’s) career involving two doctors, one of whom was convicted of hiring a hit man to kill the other and was found guilty of the crime. The convicted, now dead doctor may have been innocent, and Parker had been the lover of that doctor’s wife. As Hardy begins to track down the now ageing names and faces, he uncovers more than he or Frank ever suspected, and there are still those who are trying to hinder the search for the truth. Classic PI, well written with interesting characters and an unusual premise. My first Peter Corris, but I am looking forward to many more. Does Aussies really say fair dinkum? 09/07 Jack Quick

Underworld by Don DeLillo: Follow the bouncing ball from the Brooklyn Dodgers through the 20th century. A whole lotta book here.

UNDONE by Karin Slaughter: Slaughter combines her Atlanta/ Georgia Bureau of Investigation series with her Grant County series in this latest outing. Dyslexic GBI agent Will Trent and partner Faith Mitchell are working a case involving a psycho who is kidnapping and brutally torturing women. Mitchell is in the emergency room being seen by Dr. Sara Linton, who left rural Grant County after her husband’s murder, for a new life at the underfunded Grady hospital in Atlanta, when the first victim is brought in. . While Mitchell and Trent are the main focus, Linton becomes involved in the investigation, even as it dredges up painful memories from her past. If books carried warning labels this one would have the excessive violence tag, but you have to admire Slaughter’s ability. On a personal note, after having dealt with diabetes for the last 16 years, I found the sequence regarding Mitchell’s first self injection of insulin to be spot on. However, my experience has been that low blood sugar levels, not high, lead to irritability and anxiousness. 08/09 Jack Quick

UNFINISHED BUSINESS by Barbara Seranella: Our ace mechanic, Munch Mancini, is upset when a customer is found dead on the side of the freeway with electrocution marks on her body. The details resemble a rape case that Mace St. John, her cop friend, is working on. Then a third victim, who is also a customer at Munch’s garage, shows up and the rapist begins to make threatening phone calls to Munch. Delightfully twisty and yes, good does prevail at the end. 03/06 Jack Quick

UNHOLY DOMAIN by Dan Ronco: Very interesting techno-thriller based on the premise that the conflict between fundamental religious extremists (the Church of Natural Humans) and those pressing for technological expansion, particularly in the areas of bio-medicine, artificial intelligence, robotics and nano-technology will eventually lead to open warfare between the two. The year is 2022 and the world is still feeling the effects of the Internet shutdown in 2012 allegedly caused by software expert Ray Brown. Brown’s son David has undertaken an investigation to clear his father’s name while Brown’s sister Claire has become a “showcase” member of the Church of Natural Humans. The creators of illegal technology, the Domain, have decided to take over the government. Who will prevail? This is the second book of a proposed trilogy; so don’t expect a “final” solution. 09/08 Jack Quick

UNLEASHED by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié: When Katelyn McBride is left orphaned in the wake of a tragic fire, she is sent to Wolf Springs to live with her only living relative. Her grandfather’s home lies in the middle of nowhere, miles from the small Arkansas town, and surrounded by woods. His only rule is that Kat never go out alone at night. When Kat learns that another teen was recently found mauled to death in the woods, she begins to understand that her new home offers up something more dangerous than her California upbringing. But she has no idea just how dangerous Wolf Springs can be. Holder and Viguié do a great job building up the suspense for the big reveal in this one and then leave readers hanging on the edge of their seat in anticipation of book two of The Wolf Spring Chronicles. Kat was a great character. She comes across as a stubborn teen on the brink of adulthood, something I find doesn’t always come through smoothly in teen reads. 11/11 Becky Lejeune

UNLEASHED by David Rosenfelt: This is the latest installment in the Andy Carpenter series, and while it is a little darker than some, the humor is still here as are the terrific characters in the Paterson, New Jersey world that Rosenfelt has created. Andy is happily enjoying retirement, spending more time with his beloved dogs at the shelter his foundation created when his long time friend Sam Willis, asks him for help. An old friend of Sam’s needs a criminal attorney, but before Andy can meet with him, the prospective client dies and his wife is accused of murder. Andy takes on her case but things don’t go as planned – Andy has his suspicions about his client. Meanwhile a string of murders is occurring around the country and a scary plot is emerging that somehow has ties to Andy’s case. Lots of twists keeps the pages turning and Rosenfelt’s humor lighten the load. Another terrific story in one of my favorite series. 10/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

UNLIMITED by Davis Bunn: A well done story of a man that lost himself through a transgression against a good friend and mentor and was able to find himself through prayer and love. Simon Orwell, a brilliant electrical engineer, is in a state of personal despair after harming the reputation of his friend in order to save himself from a prison sentence. Out of the blue he receives a message from his mentor requesting that he come down to Mexico to help finish a project the two had been working on. The aim was to supply unlimited free energy to the public via equipment the two have been developing. With no apparent future Simon makes the trip but on arrival at the border town his friend was living in he lands in the midst of trouble with a Mexican drug cartel. To help himself he comes to an orphanage that his mentor was aiding, and finds that his friend has been killed. He meets several very talented people that are dedicated to making the orphanage a success, including the director, a man that walked away from a career with NASA to work at the orphanage, and a beautiful woman that has been educated in the United States but has found her way via aiding the orphans. With proximity to these dedicated people Simon is able to resurrect himself while working on finishing the energy device. A love interest is found with the lady he meets at the orphanage and he is able to rebuild his beliefs in himself and his religion. A charming story that will bring the reader into the changes that Simon goes through while returning to life and make him into a whole person again. 9/13 Paul Lane
AN UNMARKED GRAVE by Charles Todd: As WWI wages on in this fourth book of the series, Bess Crawford is posted at a battlefield hospital in France. The flu is spreading, making things worse for everyone on the Front and Bess herself soon falls victim, but not before an orderly has a chance to alert her to an unaccounted for body amongst the dead. Bess believes she recognizes the dead soldier but becomes ill before she can raise any alarms. She’s sent home to England to recover and almost believes the incident was a fevered dream, until she learns that the soldier’s wife has received a letter informing her of her husband’s death. Bess’s suspicions are raised when she realizes that the letter claims the soldier was killed by shrapnel. The body Bess saw had no wounds other than a clearly broken neck. She soon learns that the orderly who first brought the body to her attention has committed suicide. But Bess knew the orderly well and is certain that he would never have killed himself. Bess returns to France in hopes of clearing up matters and soon finds herself a target. Her only hope is in unmasking the murderer before becoming a victim herself. I have to say I feel I’ve been missing out in only just discovering this series. Though there are three other installments preceding this one, I found that it stood quite well on its own. An Unmarked Grave is an excellent historical who-done-it with a wonderfully appealing heroine. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

Unpaid Dues by Barbara Seranella: Munch Mancini is not the typical heroine of a murder mystery. For one thing, she’s a mechanic – a grease monkey, and she’s a recovering drug addict, clean for several years. Her best friend is a cop who’s not happy that she’s also having an affair with another cop – who’s involved with someone else. And did I mention she has a young daughter? All in all, there’s some heavy baggage here which makes for a very real, very interesting protagonist. Unfortunately, the story isn’t quite as interesting. A woman is murdered and dumped in a storm drain, and in trying to identify her, Munch’s name comes up. Turns out they share some history, the woman in question was part of the crowd Munch ran with in her druggie days. Then another piece of history ends up on her doorstep in the form of the teenage son of another addict friend, and Munch has to deal with more of her past than she ever wanted to. There’s a nice twist at the end but this gritty saga lagged. This is the sixth installment in the Munch Mancini series, but my first crack at it and I will be back for more. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

UNSEEN by Nancy Bush: When someone tries to run down a pedophile in a small Oregon town, Deputy Will Tanninger is reluctant to admit that there are no solid leads. Their one possible suspect is a woman who was admitted to the hospital the same day the event occurred. The woman in question, Gemma LaPorte, has suffered minor head trauma but has no memory of the days leading up to the event. Worse for Gemma is the fact that she has almost no memory of her life before the incident either. As her memories begin to return, even she wonders if she could be the person behind the attempted murder. Will Tanninger hopes she’s not as he seems to be falling for the mysterious woman on top of everything else. Nancy Bush, author of the Jane Kelly series, really delivers in this stand-alone romantic suspense. There is also just a hint of paranormal, enough to lend an intriguing twist, but not too much to overwhelm what is otherwise a traditional thriller. Readers unfamiliar with Bush will definitely be looking for more from her. In addition to her series, Bush is the co-author of the recently released Wicked Game, written with her sister, Lisa Jackson. 04/09 Becky Lejeune

THE UNSEEN by Heather Graham: Heather Graham is an extremely prolific author of more than 100 novels spanning many subjects including romance, horror and paranormal. During the early 1800s, a very valuable diamond known as the Galveston Diamond is brought into Texas and won in a poker game by a young man. He gives it to his girlfriend to hold and eventually sell, so that both of them can leave the area to find their fortunes elsewhere. The girl, Rose Langley, is attacked, raped and killed by an assailant seeking the stone. Rose had hidden in it in her hair and the diamond is not found, Rose ends up being buried with it. Flash forward to our era when several women are found murdered in the very same room in the Longhorn Saloon where Rose was killed. Texas Ranger Logan Raintree cannot refuse the assignment to head a group of paranormal investigators looking into these murders, especially in view of his extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead. One of his investigators is Kelsey O’Brien, who in her own right has the ability to see the past unfolding in the present. Together Raintree and his group travel to the Alamo in San Antonio and the newly reopened Longhorn Saloon where their abilities allow them to solve the problems besetting the Saloon. It is no doubt Ms. Graham’s intention to use both Raintree and O’brien in additional novels involving paranormal situations, and I look forward to reading these over time. 4/12 Paul Lane

THE UNSEEN by Alexandra Sokoloff: Alexandra Sokoloff’s latest paranormal thriller is a masterful blend of fascinating fact and chilling fiction. From 1927 to 1965, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, had its very own parapsychology department. Just recently, 700 boxes of material from this department have been opened up to the public for viewing. Dr. Laurel MacDonald has only just relocated to the university’s psychology department and she finds herself drawn to these files, curious about what seems to have been the rather sudden closure of what was such a renowned program. Her search leads to evidence of a shocking experiment that may have ended to multiple deaths, an experiment that was expertly covered up and remains a secret even today. Laurel is surprised to discover that her own family has a connection to this incident and she decides that this will be the subject of her scholarly research. As she gets closer to the truth behind the events of 1965, however, she also finds herself closer to an evil that must never be released. Sokoloff never fails to surprise me with her tales. Her fabulous choice of setting and the original twist on what is essentially a true story (the experiment is fiction) make this an unsettling and highly entertaining horror/thriller read. 05/09

THE UNSEEN by Katherine Webb: Cat Morley has been offered a second chance. Born into a tough situation, she was given a job in service after her mother’s death. But Cat wants more than a life of servitude earned only by birth. An active suffragette, she serves time for supporting the cause and her imprisonment has left her with more than just a black mark on her reputation. Hester Canning agrees to take on Cat as a maid in her household. The wife of Cold Ash Holt’s vicar, Hester is dealing with her own issues. While she strives to be a good and supporting wife to her husband, Albert, she longs for a family. Her husband becomes increasingly distant and obsessed with theosophy, going so far as to seek out elemental spirits and bringing theosopher Robin Durrant into their home. Cat and Hester both know that Durrant is not to be trusted and he brings discord to Cold Ash Holt. One hundred years later, the War Graves Commission in Belguim discovers the body of an unknown soldier bearing letters written by Hester. Leah Hickson agrees to investigate and travels to the small village in hopes of identifying the soldier. But that’s only part of the mystery. Hester alludes to a crime that’s been committed. One that she helped cover up. One that Leah hopes to find out more about. The Unseen is a wonderfully atmospheric tale that alternates between 1911 and present day. Cat, Hester, and Leah are excellently drawn characters and their stories are compelling and well plotted. 6/12 Becky Lejeune

THE UNTHINKABLE THOUGHTS OF JACOB GREEN by Joshua Braff: This almost-coming-of-age story follows Jacob Green’s life from age 10 through 15 as he attempts to deal with his learning disabilities and his dysfunctional, Orthodox Jewish family in 1970’s suburban New Jersey. Jacob idolizes his older brother Asher, an artistic rebel, but is scared to death of his tyrannical father. His mother is so busy trying to escape her life that she has almost no presence in her son’s life. Jacob expresses himself well, especially in his thank you notes for his Bar Mitzvah gifts and his letters to Meagan, the babysitter whose seductive ways leave a lasting impression on Jacob in this funny yet poignant novel. 05/05

UNTIL IT’S OVER by Nicci French: Astrid Bell has been really unlucky lately. It started with an accident in which she was knocked off her bike by a distracted neighbor. Then the neighbor turns up dead, murdered that same afternoon. Of course Astrid is not a suspect. Just days later, Astrid, a bike messenger, gets sent out for a pickup and discovers that the client in question has been murdered. While giving her official statement, Astrid makes a comment about the first murder that does not go unnoticed by police. Again, Astrid is not considered a serious suspect, but the police are starting to wonder if she could be the connection between the victims. Then Astrid discovers a third body, the girlfriend of her landlord, a woman who was getting Astrid and her friends evicted from their home. This time it’s hard for investigators not to believe that Astrid is behind it. Astrid’s story is just part of the book, though. After the investigation into the third murder, the story begins again from the killer’s perspective and I guarantee you’ll be dying to know who is behind it all. A clever new mystery from husband and wife team, Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

UP FROM ORCHARD STREET by Eleanor Widmer: This is the story of the Roth family, headed by the beautiful and talented cook/matriarch, the Bubbe, Manya, who has managed to raise a rather self-centered son who marries a very self-centered wife, leaving the Bubbe to raise their daughter. Lots of anecdotes about life on the Lower East Side of New York during the early 1900’s, but not a whole lot of plot here. This is the author’s first novel, and her last. She was 80 years old when this very autobiographical work of fiction was published, and she has since passed away. 02/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Up in the Air by Walter Kirn: Interesting story about a man with an unusual quest; to garner one million air miles. Along the way he collects women, collects relationships and collects words, which was my favorite part.

URGENT CARE by C.J. Lyons: First came Lifelines, C.J. Lyons’s knockout debut medical thriller that introduced readers to the ladies of Angels of Mercy Medical Center. Lyons’s follow-up, Warning Signs, continued the drama and delved deeper into each of the women’s stories. Now, Nora, Lydia, Gina, and Amanda are back in this third installment to the series. Nora has been hiding a terrible secret from everyone around her. Two years ago, she was brutally assaulted. After escaping, she focused on getting her life and her career back to normal, but she never told the police. When a fellow hospital employee is found murdered, Nora is sure that the same man who attacked her is responsible, and she truly believes that if she had told authorities, she could have prevented the woman’s death. Meanwhile, Lydia learns more about her own past, Gina struggles to hold her own against her domineering family, and Amanda is faced with a true medical mystery that so far has left her stumped. I love Lyons’s work. I really do. Each new book is smart and intriguing, and her character development is so incredible that she leaves me literally breathless waiting to see what will happen next. 10/09 Becky Lejeune

USER I. D. by Jenefer Shute: Protagonist Vera de Sica is a risk-averse, single, 38-year-old from New York and antagonist Charlene Cummins is a 38-year-old Southern Californian with an abusive con-man boyfriend, a bad credit rating and a penchant for living on the edge. The two women come together when Charlene’s boyfriend, Howard, steals Vera’s rental car finding enough information to max out Vera’s credit cards, draw cash advances and open bank accounts. The psychological interplay between the victim and victimizer is intense as each develops fantasies about the other. As the story unfolds, it raises interesting issues about what is identity and the degree to which we control it. 02/06 Jack Quick

UTTERLY MONKEY by Nick Laird: Mis-titled. Should have been: Utterly Boring. Laird, a poet, former lawyer and husband of Zadie Smith, probably should focus on his day job and leave the mysterious to those who do mysteries. In this debut, Danny Williams is a well-paid lawyer at a prestigious London firm. Geordie Wilson, his boyhood chum from Northern Ireland, is “officially an unemployed labourer” who’s just showed up on Danny’s doorstep desperate for a place to stay. Geordie’s in trouble with the Ulster Unionists back home, primarily because he has a sack full of their cash. There should be a plot here, but all I could think of was Katherine Hepburn starting a car on a cold morning. You know, urrrrrrrrrgh, uurrrrrrrrrrrrrgh, urrrrrrrrrrrrgh, urrrrrrrrgh, urrrrrrrrgh. Would that this book could be that exciting. 01/07 Jack Quick

V by Thomas Pynchon: I kept reading and reading, waiting for some semblance of a plot to emerge but it never did. I didn’t care about the characters either. My guess is with Pynchon you either you love him or you hate him. I forced myself to finish it, drudging though every page. Sorry to disappoint all the literati, but did I mention I hated this book?

V IS FOR VENGEANCE by Sue Grafton: An ex cop and a private investigator, Kinsey Millhone is not the kind of person who can witness a crime and let it go. When she sees a shoplifter in action at a local department store, she reports it. Simple. The shoplifter is caught, but her partner gets away. Then, the arrested woman dies in a reported suicide after being released on bail. Her fiancé hires Kinsey to find out why—why was his wife-to-be shoplifting in the first place and why would she have killed herself. Kinsey’s investigation soon leads to an apparent shoplifting ring and a number of secrets that certain people would kill to keep. As a long-time fan of the series, I go into each new installment with great anticipation. Unfortunately, I thought this latest was a little dry and Kinsey was kind of off putting for the first time that I can recall. She seemed to be very self-righteous, not something I remember from past books. Overall, V Is For Vengeance is ok, but it wasn’t a favorite. 11/11 Becky Lejeune

V IS FOR VENGEANCE by Sue Grafton: Kinsey Millhone is trying to find out who a shoplifter was working for prior to her being killed. Was it murder or suicide. In the process she attracts the attention of the bad guys as well as getting involved in various sundry details of other lives. Somehow this one just didn’t work for me. Too many threads and not enough substance. But I still look forward to the “W” book. 5/12 Jack Quick
VACATION by Matthew Costello: After the water ran out and the crops began to fail, a new breed of predator emerged. They call then Can Heads—vicious cannibals that attack and eat people. No one knows what caused it but the Can Heads are an increasing threat to what remains of society. Jack Murphy, a cop with the NYPD, barely survives an attack in the line of duty and is immediately ordered to take a vacation. But vacations these days aren’t what you might think. In upstate New York there is a place that is heavily guarded and surrounded by electric fences. It’s expensive, but the Paterville Camp offers families a chance to relax. There’s boating and swimming, games, and even locally grown fresh food. But there’s something strange about Paterville and Jack isn’t certain that his family is safe. Vacation is great fun. It’s creepy, post-apocalyptic, non-zombie (but zombie-esque) fabulousness. The story is so simple—a family vacation goes south in the most horrific way—and that’s exactly what makes it so great. 10/12 Becky Lejeune

THE VALHALLA EXCHANGE by Jack Higgins: One of the best of Jack Higgins’ thrillers is now available as an ebook from Open Road Publishing. The year is 1976, thirty one years after the Allies closed in on war-ravaged Berlin, and Hitler’s personal secretary, Martin Bormann, made his escape. A journalist has begun to finally piece together Bormann’s cunning getaway. The trail has led to La Heurta, Bolivia where a stranger with considerable cash and multiple passports has died. Could this be Bormann? Five allied POW’s played an unwitting role in Bormann’s escape and the one survivor now a retired General, helps the journalist uncover the truth. One of the best, from an author who has sold over 250 million copies of his 60 plus thrillers worldwide. 09/10 Jack Quick

THE VALLEY OF FEAR by A.C. Doyle: Number 63 in the Hardcase Crime series was the last of the Sherlock Holmes novels published by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and originally appeared in “Strand Magazine” serially between September 1914 and May 1915. The novel concerns the real-life activities of the secret Irish organization, the “Molly Maguires”, and of Pinkerton agent James McParland who investigated them. The two part novel is first concerned with Holmes investigation of an apparent murder victim whose identity is mistaken and secondly with the story of the man originally thought to be the murder victim. Notable for its involvement of Professor Moriarty, which seems to contradict the timeline of the other Sherlock stories, “The Valley of Fear” was one of the last great chapters in the literary legacy of Doyle’s most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes. 01/10 Jack Quick

THE VALLEY OF JEWELS by Mary Saums: Is there anything more southern than homemade biscuits and country ham? How about a for real killing in the midst of a civil war reenactment? Willi Taft has returned to north Alabama for a summer job teaching at Faulkner College but it turns out to be music and mayhem as first her department head is stabbed to death during a reenactment and a singer who Willi has always admired receives threatening notes. Mix in the KKK, a romantic interest, and the still wet behind the ears former singer and now part-time private eye has her hands full. Think Southern Fried Kinsey Millhone or an early Sharon McCone on a treasure hunt and in peril. Recommended. 05/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick, Alabama boy and connoisseur of the South.

THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOWS by Mark Terry: Derek Stillwater, troubleshooter for the Department of Homeland Security, is facing a security nightmare. Two laptops recovered from a raid on a Pakistan al-Qaeda cell indicate that al-Qaeda has planned a series of simultaneous attacks in five U.S. cites involving potential dirty bombs, biological weapons, and maybe even a nuclear weapon – on Election Day. Stillwater is assigned to one of the multijurisdictional Special Terrorism Activity Response Teams (START) tasked with locating the weapons and terrorists in Los Angeles and preventing the attack. They have only two days and as they close in on their targets, Derek begins to think that the intelligence they gathered is a sideshow to distract them from the real target – one of the two candidates for president of the United States. Almost prescient with the news that computer files were recovered during the mission to kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Let us hope it is all a flight of Mr. Terry’s imagination. 06/11 Jack Quick

THE VALLEY OF SHADOWS by Mark Terry: This is a fast moving action novel about a plot by AL-Qaeda to launch several attacks on the United States. To fully enjoy the book the reader has to suspend logical thinking about cause and effect of physical violence while reading it. Mark Terry’s protagonist is a Homeland Security operative named Derek Stillwater who has appeared in three additional books by the author. Derek holds a PhD, is an ex-army officer, is completely anti-social, does not work or play well with others, recovers from beatings and shootings without benefit of hospital care and seems to come up with solutions out of thin air. Evidence is found in Pakistan that indicates five attacks on different U. S. cities will be launched in just two days time from the finding of the documentation. Several teams consisting of agents from different US government departments are formed to find and stop the attacks. Derek is put on one team which is headed by an ex-girlfriend of his who he dumped in the past due to the slight problem of her being married. They hate each other with a passion but cooperate in order to catch up to the enemy.
In arriving at answers in the two days given Derek has physical altercations with the body guards of several “persons of interest” who inflict physical damage on him; he is also shot but continues on with his quest for the truth without stopping or resting. Several of the actual attacks on the US fail due to bad luck or poor planning on the part of the terrorists, but the main objective seems about to be accomplished and the pace of the action revs up several notches. Derek, in addition to fighting the enemy, also is involved with thwarting the desires of all of the friendly agencies helping in the search who seem to want to arrest him for various and sundry crimes.
Valley of the Shadows is a good read if one is looking for a lot of very fast paced action without really fleshing out the characters. The only individual that seems real is the chief villain called Kalakar, who experiences obstacles just like he would have in real life and drives on to his objective. Don’t look for anything other than fast paced, more than slightly incredulous action but read it to just sit back and be pulled along. Oh yes – Derek and his ex girlfriend do manage to recuperate from their respective injuries together on the boat that he lives on. So there! 10/11 Paul Lane
VAMPYRES OF HOLLYWOOD by Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott: Scream queen Ovsanna Moore is a Hollywood film legend – in more ways than her fans could ever imagine. Ovsanna is one of the vampires of Hollywood. She is also the top vamp in LA. Lately, though, someone has been using her creations for vampire target practice. Enter Detective Peter King. He was raised on celluloid dreams, but in spite of his mother’s hopes he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a cop instead. Now he serves and protects Hollywood and its denizens and the case of the Cinema Slayer has landed smack dab in his lap. When the pieces all come together, Ovsanna seems to be the most common link between the victims, especially when one of her special effects crew is killed next. Peter knows something is up, but he’s in for a real surprise when he discovers what it is. It seems someone has declared war on Ovsanna and she must team up with Peter to discover who or this role may turn out to be her very last. Fun and entirely original! Barbeau, a scream queen in her own right, teams up with Michael Scott to create a smart and amusing mystery that is addictive reading. Vampyres is unlike anything else I’ve read of late. 07/08 Becky Lejeune

VANILLA RIDE by Joe R. Lansdale: It has been eight years since Joe Lansdale has written a “Hap and Leonard” novel. The daring duo are back, taking names and kicking ass. For those unfamiliar with the series, these two East Texans find themselves in situations that require a lot of fighting and, in Vanilla Ride, a lot of killing. In this installment, Hap and Leonard take on some cracker drug lords known as the Dixie Mafia. Lansdale brings back Jim Bob and Marvin while introducing a new character, Tonto. What makes this series shine is the dialog–it crackles right off the page. Hap is a reformed drinker; Leonard, a flaming homosexual. Together, they trade witty banter while watching one another’s backs. Don’t mess with either…unless you want a knuckle sandwich. Vanilla Ride is, at times, crude, juvenile, and sophomoric, but beneath the non-stop cartoon violence, Lansdale poses the unanswerable question: can murder be justified? Highly recommended for fans of Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey. 08/09 Dan Cawley

VANISH by Tess Gerritsen: A group of young girls smuggled into the U.S. for a sexual slavery ring are massacred. Thus opens the newest thriller from Gerritsen and the action doesn’t stop until the last page is turned. Dr. Maura Isles has the dubious distinction of finding a living body in the cooler of her morgue. “Jane Doe” is moved to the hospital where she proves to be one tough patient to keep in a bed; she manages to take several people hostage. Detective Jane Rizzoli is also a patient in the hospital because her baby is over due, and she won’t stay in her bed either. While she goes wandering, looking for her doctor, she ends up as one of the hostages. The Boston police and the FBI get involved, including Rizzoli’s husband, FBI agent Gabriel Dean, and the tension just continues to mount as Rizzoli goes into labor during the hostage negotiations. Then the word “terrorist” is uttered, National Security starts pulling strings and Agent Dean, feeling supremely frustrated, decides to do his own investigation and uncovers a conspiracy that he wasn’t supposed to find. Vanish is a very topical, very tense, top drawer thriller, summer reading at its finest. Don’t miss it! 08/05

VANISHED by Joseph Finder: It’s been almost two years since Finder’s last book, and I’m happy to report that Vanished was worth the wait. Lauren and Roger Heller are enjoying a rare dinner out in Georgetown, in upscale Washington DC. After dinner, Lauren is attacked by what appears to be a mugger, but Roger simply vanishes. Their son Gabe calls his uncle Nick, an ex-Special Forces private investigator, who isn’t really on speaking turns with his brother but nonetheless, agrees to help find him. Thus begins this superbly written, startling tale of intrigue, violence, and greed. This one kept me turning pages through the night, and as an added bonus, Nick Heller is coming back – this is the excellent first book of an exciting new series. 08/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

VANISHED by Joseph Finder: After penning s number of excellent stand-alone thrillers, Finder has undertaken a series featuring Nick Heller, an elite corporate intelligence specialist and former Special Services badass. This one starts with Heller returning home to Washington, D.C., from a job in California to find his sister-in-law in a coma his older brother Roger vanished without a trace. Heller’s normal high energy approach is revved up even higher as family is involved. He soon learns that not all is at is seems with his brother, from home he has been estranged. A Blackwater type private military company is involved and the stakes are obviously enormous. If you are looking for a good adrenalin fix, and something to keep you awake at night, do like I did, climb aboard, fasten your seat belt and open up a large Red Bull. This one rocks. 09/10 Jack Quick

THE VANISHING ACT OF ESME LENNOX by Maggie O’Farrell: Imagine being locked in an asylum for most of your life. Imagine if the reason for this imprisonment is nothing more than being a headstrong teenager in a time when women were supposed to be submissive creatures bred to please their husbands. Now, imagine that your whole family has forgotten about you. This is what happens to Esme Lennox. At sixteen, Esme was committed to Cauldstone, a psychiatric facility that is on now on its last leg. Esme has two remaining relatives, her sister Kitty, and Kitty’s granddaughter Iris. When her grandmother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Iris Lockhart is assigned power of attorney making her the primary contact now that Cauldstone’s closure is imminent. Iris is reluctant to take on the burden of a certifiable relative especially considering the fact that she had no idea Esme even existed. Is she a danger to others? Is she a danger to herself? Why would Kitty have kept her only sister a secret from her entire family? The story unfolds from three points of view. Iris is a constant and reliable narrator, but she has her own personal demons and will never know the full extent of the story. Kitty’s choppy memories reveal the ultimate of betrayals. Esme’s own version bridges the gaps between the two as she herself discovers the real reason she was erased from her family’s history. I loved this book – it’s a sort of family drama with a taste of gothic undertones. O’Farrell’s prose will rouse in readers an almost desperate need to know the truth. 12/07 Becky Lejeune

VANISHING ACTS by Jodi Picoult: A story that is literally about finding oneself. Delia, along with her bloodhound, Greta, does search and rescue work. She lives in a small town in New Hampshire with her four year old daughter, Sophie and her father, Andrew. One night she has an odd dream about planting a lemon tree, and mentions it to her best friend, a journalist. He starts doing a little digging and the next thing you know, Delia’s whole world is turned up side down. Her father is arrested, and she finds out the mother she thought dead is very much alive. The story istold in the alternating voices of half a dozen of the main characters, a format that mostly works here. The story does get bogged down a bit with Native American folklore and tales of prison, but all in all this is what Picoult does best; another compelling story ripped from the headlines. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE VANISHING OF KATHARINA LINDEN by Helen Grant: The disappearance of Katharina Linden is the beginning of an adventure young Pia has craved for ages. Her small town of Bad Münstereifel is nice, but boring, until Pia’s own grandmother combusts in a terrible holiday accident. All eyes have been on Pia since and she’s been fodder for horrible school jokes and gossip. But when fellow classmate Katharina Linden vanishes, seemingly into thin air, Pia is convinced that there are strange forces behind it. And as a distraction from the everyday, Pia and her friend Stefan begin their own investigation. A teen mystery in the UK, The Vanishing of Katharina Linden is really a wonderful read for all ages. Pia is a charming and intelligent lead that allows the reader to see the happenings through her young eyes, while still getting insight into the views and fears of the adults around her. Grant’s debut release includes elements of mystery and folklore, a fabulous combination that makes for an atmospheric and entrancing read. 08/10 Becky Lejeune

VANISHING POINT by Marcia Muller: Sharon McCone and boyfriend Hy Ripinksy finally take a few days to go to Reno for a tasteful (no Elvis impersonators) wedding but its quickly back to work for both. McCone is hired to follow up on a cold case of a woman missing over 20 years. The initial evidence she and her team turn up indicates the woman may not have been the devoted wife and mother that her daughter remembers. Another excellent McCone outing, which reads easily and continues the string of McCone successes. It’s probably not all coincidence that Muller’s real life husband is Bill Pronzini and that both are among the best for contemporary mystery fiction. 08/06 Jack Quick

VANITY FARE: A NOVEL OF LATTES, LITERATURE AND LOVE by Megan Caldwell: Molly Hagan is in a precarious position—she’s just learned that her ex has been laid off. Not only can he no longer provide child support, but Molly will be losing her insurance benefits as well. She needs to find a job and quick. Fortunately an old friend comes through with a temporary solution: copywriting for a new bakery being launched by a celebrity chef. Since the bakery is to be located near the New York City Library, the investors are looking for something that combines literature and baked goods. With her English Lit background, Molly is the perfect person for the job. But when she meets chef Simon and his business partner Nick, things start to get complicated for the newly single Molly. Caldwell’s debut is heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny and it combines two of the things I love most: books and pastries. Definitely recommended for readers looking to lose themselves in a quick and adorable tale. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

VELOCITY by Alan Jacobson: FBI profiler Karen Vail is barely hanging on in this follow-on to CRUSH. Her lover, Detective Robby Hernandez, has disappeared in California’s Napa Valley while she’s busy catching John Wayne Mayfield, the notorious Crush Killer. Vail is convinved Mansfield knows what has happened to him but Mansfield is in a medically induced coma after being shot by fellow officer Ray Lugo, who himself took a fatal shot in the neck during the operation Then Karen learns that. Robby had been investigating drug cartel kingpin Carlos Cortez and his associates, including the CFO of a mobile wine bottling company, César Guevara. The action is non-stop with a heroine reminiscent of Catherine Coulter’s FBI series. A little touchy-feely, but overall a nice written procedural. 08/11 Jack Quick

VELVETEEN by Danny Marks: For Velveteen Monroe, death was not the end. After being murdered by a neighborhood psychopath nicknamed Bonesaw, Velvet landed in the City of the Dead, an inbetween place for spirits with unresolved issues. Now she works as a Salvager, tracking down lost souls and punishing those who aren’t where they belong. In her spare time, she returns topside to haunt her killer, a big no-no as far as the City powers are concerned. And the City is suffering – cracks are appearing in their world and a riot is brewing. It’s up to Velvet and her team to find the cause and hopefully prevent the destruction of their world. With Velveteen Danny Marks has created not only a uniquely imagined world but a wholly original premise and a cast of characters any fan of dark fantasy will love. This is Marks’s teen debut, but it definitely has huge cross over appeal for adults. 10/12 Becky Lejeune

VENDETTA’S VICTIM by Alex Matthews: I am not anti-cat. I am anti-psychological animals with extraordinary powers that make us humans look really dumb. Matthews’ cats have no super powers, but they are everywhere, to the point of interfering with what otherwise is a well-written mystery. Chicago psychotherapist Cassidy McCabe learns that a man using her name is going around injecting HIV positive blood into at least two women. After Cassidy is unable to get the victims to go to the police, she and boyfriend reporter Zach Moran set out to find the perp who calls himself Cliff Connors. Crisp pacing and realistic Chicago ambience remind you of Sara Paretsky and Robert Campbell. Unfortunately Cassidy is not as hard-boiled as V.I. Warshawski, or as laugh out loud funny as Jimmy Flannery. Still, all in all, an excellent effort, recommend for anyone without cat allergies. (Third in the series). 10/06 Jack Quick

THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL by Steve Berry: All the characters we met before when secret agent-turned-bookseller Cotton Malone was chasing the Templars are back in The Venetian Betrayal. This time they’re after the long lost tomb (and body) of Alexander the Great. And it’s as much of a tour de force as we’ve come to expect from Berry, though he manages here to one-up himself in terms of spectacular scenery and exotic locale, as everyone ends up somewhere to the Northeast of Samarkand.
My favorite character is the bad guy, who in this case is a woman, and whatta woman! Described as a sort of cross between Genghis Khan (a possible ancestor) and Rosie O’Donnell, Irina Zovastina heads up a Central Asian Federation that makes so much sense, I wish we really had one. Maps are provided, a thoughtful touch since the fictional federation covers countries that have been so troubled for so long that hardly anyone goes there, i.e. countries ending in -stan, such as Uzbekistan etc. Since I adore Venice and its complex history, I had hoped for more of that. But no matter, Steve Berry has given us another winner. For someone who tells us he tried for 12 years, with 85 rejections of 5 different manuscripts before selling his first book, his persistence is being rewarded. As are we, the readers, who get to come along on his fast, historically fascinating rides. 12/07 Dianne Day

THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL by Steve Berry: The latest release by the master of action and suspense finds Cotton Malone and company on a desperate search for the lost tomb of Alexander. Legend has it that Alexander may have discovered an ancient cure-all, a draught whose secret followed him to his grave. The leader of the Asian Federation, Supreme Ministre Irina Zovastina, has plans for Alexander’s draught that do not include saving the world. She and her cohorts have been working to develop the ultimate virus to be used in biological warfare and secure her place and the helm of this new empire. Her efforts would have impressed the great Alexander himself. Malone, along with Cassiopeia Vitt, Henrik Thorvaldsen, and Stephanie Nelle must discover Alexander’s final resting place before Zovastina gets her hands on it and succeeds in becoming the world’s most powerful dictator. Berry never disappoints. His use of important modern day issues and the mystique of unexplained and strange historical events are the secrets to his success as a great novelist. Readers who pay close attention just might catch Berry’s nod to fellow author James Rollins and his own Sigma series. 12/07 Becky Lejeune

VENETIAN HOLIDAY by David Campbell: Cat burglar and art thief Kate Fujimori is in trouble at two levels. Her attempt to steal a phony Mona Lisa from a gallery in Venice is interrupted by two other thieves after the same painting. Kate blames her planner, Freddy Doloreux. Although he had nothing to do with this debacle he has sold her out to a mobster who wants payback for a theft she committed earlier. Throw in a police inspector with a voodoo-practicing ex-girlfriend, a pair of monks looking for the corpse of their abbot and all you’re lacking are a couple of animal acts. A fast and fairly pleasant read. Too violent to be considered a cozy, it brings to mind the 1999 Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones movie – Entrapment, but not as slickly done. Overall, a bit gimmicky. 09/06 Jack Quick

VENGEANCE by A.J. Scudiere: FBI agent Owen Dunham is following the trail of the ‘Grudge Ninja’. What he doesn’t realize is that all his evidence is false. The profilers can’t get their heads around anything except the obvious fact that the Ninja is extracting a deadly revenge for an old wrong. As the Ninja gets bolder and far more dangerous, Owen begins to question whether the Ninja may be a force for good that he, Owen, should not attempt to stop. On the other hand, he knows this case will make his career. No shortage of mayhem and mishap in this bloody but interesting outing. 01/09 Jack Quick

VENGEANCE ROAD by Rick Mofina: Reporter Jack Gannon is the first to respond for a call regarding the discovery of a body in a local park. He thinks it might lead to a story, but he can’t even imagine how big it’s going to get. Gannon stumbles on a lead that his bosses are none to pleased to see in print, however, and soon he finds that he must solve this one in order to save his own reputation. Meanwhile, Jack has also been approached by a mother whose daughter is gone missing. As Jack digs deeper into the murder, he finds that the missing girl may be connected and if she’s still alive, the time to find her is running out. This first in a new series from Mofina is a fast-paced read with a superb plot. True edge-of-your-seat material. I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next installment of Gannon’s story. 09/09 Becky Lejeune

THE VENGEFUL VIRGIN by Gil Brewer: Hard Case Crime #30 is a reprint of a 1958 classic. Bill Pronzini calls it one of his favorites, so how could it not be good. Shirley Angela is 18, but far from sweet and innocent. What she wants to be is rich, and she has a plan for that – all it takes is bringing in the right man. Jack Ruxton had his eyes open as well as….well, lets just say he and Shirley Angela worked very closely on how to rob the old man of his life and his money. At least that was their intention. Thank you, Hard Case Crime, for another golden oldie. 04/07 Jack Quick

THE VENICE CONSPIRACY by Sam Christer: Suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself in Venetian history, secret societies, Satanism, symbolism, art and the Estrucans. Since this purports to be a thriller, there are also lots of gruesome ritualistic killings as well as plenty of short chapters. The main protagonist is a former priest, Tom Shaman, whose very name is a symbol. After accidentally killing a man while defending a woman’s honor, Tom feels the need to get away and goes to Venice. There he finds the body of a young woman who was ritualistically murdered, and the local police want his priestly help in solving the case. Despite the fact that Tom speaks no Italian, and the Italian cop he spends the most time with freely admits that her English is sub-par, they communicate beautifully. The story constantly jumps back and forth in time from the symbolically important 666 BC to 1777-1778 to present day, with the dramatic ending neatly tying up all the loose ends. Fans of Dan Brown and Steve Berry will be enamored. 11/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2012 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

THE VENONA CABLE by Brent Ghelfi: In this third outing, contemporary Russian criminal and spy Alexei Volk Volkovoy has been told all his life that he is an orphan. His mother died giving him birth, and his father was an Air Force Officer, who disappeared in 1974. The body of Everett Walker, an elderly U.S. cinematographer who was blacklisted by Hollywood, turns up in a Moscow warehouse where Volk used to make pornographic videos, and Volk gets charged with Walker’s murder. Walker, who came to Russia to look for Volk, was carrying a microdot copy of the Venona cable as well as a photo of himself with Volk’s disgraced father. To clear himself, Volk must go to the U.S. to determine whether Stepan was a bona fide agent of the GRU (military intelligence) or a defector and traitor. Neither the Russians nor the Americans are sure which agents are real and which are double, and the doubt goes all the way back to WWII. The partially decoded Venona cable from 1943 appears to be relevant to the search if Volk can only figure out who the missing parties are not named in the cable. Nicely done in a series that begs to be read in order. 11/11 Jack Quick

THE VENUS FIX by M. J. Rose: Dr. Morgan Snow, a sex therapist with a list of clients drawn to mayhem and murder, is back in her third outing in this terrific series. Morgan is treating clients with Internet porn addiction to live web cam performances. One is a powerful judge who has been hiding his identity, until he ends up being a suspect when the girls he is watching start dying live on camera, one after another. Patient confidentiality puts Morgan at odds once again with Detective Noah Jordain, and their relationship is feeling the strain. Creepy letters from the serial killer are interspersed throughout the book, escalating the tension to the riveting finale. The Venus Fix is one twisted, terrific thriller. 07/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Vernon God Little: A 21st Century Comedy in the Presence of Death by D. B. C. Pierre: I suppose that it is hard to argue with a book that won the Man Booker Prize, but here goes. VGL is a teenage Benny Hill TV episode set in an Englishman’s idea of Texas. If you like that sort of thing, fine. But it ought not to be winning prestigious awards. Particularly in a year when The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time should be winning everything in sight. Read that first.
That out of the way, VGL is the story of a teenager, living in small town Texas, whose best friend has gone on a shooting spree at their high school and then killed himself. Anxious to blame somebody besides themselves, the locals arrest young Little. As he struggles to prove his innocence, circumstances and a cable TV news guy who is sleeping with his mother conspire to make matters much worse for Vernon. Like death penalty worse. The book is amusing, but no classic. Its real value is that behind the cheap and silly humor, it does an excellent job of capturing teenage angst, suffering beneath the lethal smothering of southern women and small town life. And it does have a happy ending.
Probably a good idea to rent “Bowling for Columbine” after reading this, just to regain a little perspective. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

A VERY SIMPLE CRIME by Grant Jerkins: Brothers Adam and Monty Lee have overcome a troubled past to become successful adults—or so it seems. Monty is a criminal attorney and the town’s most eligible bachelor. Adam is unhappily married to a mentally unstable heiress. Their son, Albert, has never developed past the emotional age of a five-year-old. When a teenaged Albert viciously attacks his mother, he is placed in an expensive, private institution where he ends up killing his roommate. Meanwhile, Adam and Rachel are barely getting along, and in addition to her other problems, she has become agoraphobic. After Rachel begs Adam to bring Albert home for a visit, Adam goes off for the weekend with his mistress. Rachel is murdered, and Albert is assumed to be her killer. But a rogue attorney in the D.A.’s office isn’t so sure. Soon, Adam is arrested, and Monty defends him, with startling results. Verdict: No one in this novel is as they appear to be, and the twists and turns never let up until the very last page. This dark, chilling debut, which has been optioned for film by screenwriter Nicholas Kazan (Reversal of Fortune) is a real page-turner in the best sense of the term, and should especially appeal to legal thriller fans. 11/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2010 Library Journal, a division of Media Source Inc. Reprinted with permission.

THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU by Rosie Alison: WWII saw thousands of children evacuated from London. They were placed in homes around the country, to keep them safe from the impending attack on the city. Anna Sands was one of these children. Sent to Yorkshire, the eight-year-old ends up at Ashton Park as part of a larger group of children who will be housed and schooled there for as long as necessary. Thomas Ashton, the last in the Ashton line, and his wife Elizabeth, have longed for children of their own. Their marriage is on the rocks and the evacuees offer a welcome distraction. Anna is fascinated by them—Thomas in particular—and the things she sees and experiences while at Ashton Park will stay with her for the rest of her of her life. The Very Thought of You starts out promising, probably because at eight, a child’s own life is full of promise. What comes later, however, just made me sad. People dissatisfied with life and marriage… maybe not what every reader will come away with, but definitely the points that stuck with me. Critically, Alison’s book has been praised, even earning her a coveted nomination for the Orange Prize. 07/11 Becky Lejeune

VERY VALENTINE by Adriana Trigiani: One of my favorite authors starts a new trilogy with this book introducing our heroine, Valentine Roncalli. Valentine is an apprentice to her grandmother, a cobbler in New York City. The Angelini Shoe Company was started by her grandfather in 1903 (sort of) and upon his death, her grandmother, Teodora, took it over. They make custom wedding shoes, a very specialized niche for sure, but unfortunately the most successful part of their business is the prime real estate in Greenwich Village that they work and live in. The women are a part of a large Italian-American family, with all the love, chaos and good food that implies. Valentine’s older brother wants his grandmother to retire by selling the building, but that will make Valentine homeless and jobless. She’s fallen in love with the business, and when an opportunity comes up to compete for Bergdorf Goodman’s window display, she’s determined to win and keep her business. Meanwhile, she’s met a man, Roman Falconi, who’s the hot new chef in Little Italy but they are both a bit too career driven for much romance. Introducing all the characters and setting makes this book a slow starter, but then it takes off like a rocket, bringing laughter, tears, and best of all, a trip through Italy. Another fabulous read from Trigiani, and personally I can’t wait for the next installment. 03/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE VIADUCT by Grace F. Edwards: Harlem, 1972. Marin Taylor is an African-American Vietnam veteran trying to put his war experience behind him and start a new life. Then he has a very bad day. The owner of the print shop in which he works has a heart attack and closes down the business. On his way home to his pregnant wife Margaret, he is accosted by two men, brothers, wearing stockings over their face. He tries to defend himself and the severance money in his pocket. In the ensuing melee, he manages to push one over the ten story viaduct, but the other one stabs him several times. Marin wakes up in hospital, no money, but still alive. Marin slowly recovers and is relatively well when his wife gives birth to a baby daughter. In the meantime Conroy, the surviving brother, who has been hiding out, learns from his mother that she has borrowed the money from a local loan shark to bury his brother and that it will be up to him to repay the loan and vig. Conroy hatches a misguided scheme, partly for revenge and partly as means of satisfying his loan shark debt, to kidnap Marin and Margaret’s new born child. Although I can’t attest to the accuracy of the depiction of Harlem, I would say, as one who lived through this time period that Edwards has nailed the era perfectly in this stand-alone from the author of the popular Mali Anderson mystery series, which I definitely want to try soon. Somewhat different from James Ellroy and Walter Mosley, but equally well done. 06/10 Jack Quick

THE VICIOUS DEEP by Zoraida Córdova: Tristan Hart is your everyday, average teenage boy. He’s a star swimmer and a lifeguard at Coney Island alongside his best friend, Layla—a girl he wishes was more than just a friend. But when a sudden storm strikes Coney Island, everything in Tristan’s life changes. He thought he saw a girl in the midst of the sudden churning waves, and without thinking twice he jumped in to save her. Three days later, Tristan washed up on shore with no memory of where he’d been. The Vicious Deep is mermaids like you’ve never seen then Córdova’s debut is a fresh spin on the paranormal teen trend. Her characters are unique and her writing is fun and snarky, making The Vicious Deep just as much fun for adult paranormal fans as it is for it’s intended audience. 5/12 Becky Lejeune

VICTORY AND HONOR by W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV: World War II in Germany is over, except for some few people like Colonel Cletus Frade and his colleagues in the OSS who find themselves up to their necks in battles every bit as fierce as the ones just ended. The first is political as every department from Treasury to War to the FBI are campaigning for its being dismantled and their agents and assets turned over to them. The second is preparing for the possible next world war, against Joe Stalin and his voracious ambitions. To get a jump on the latter, Frade has been conducting a secret operation, one of great daring-and great danger. If it is discovered, he and his men may all become a casualties of war. 09/11 Jack Quick

VICTORY AT YORKTOWN by Newt Gingrich & William R Forstchen: This is the third in a trilogy about the Revolutionary War, culminating with the siege of Yorktown and the emergence of The United States of America as an independent nation. The authors have done a considerable amount of research in presenting their interpretation of events and people of those times. The books are set as novels with historical and fictional characters shown as real people with both the strengths and weaknesses of all individuals. George Washington is central and is readily portrayed as a man placed by circumstances into a position that requires the fortitude to overcome normal human doubts, leading a rag tag army of volunteers against the mightiest army in the world. It is obvious the authors admired him as a great patriot and leader in the fight for freedom and liberty. Washington is beset by a Congress that vacillates back and forth in helping the army, as well as desertions by many soldiers, an incompetent general (Gates) who plots to take command away from him and the treason of his once friend Benedict Arnold. There is a sympathetic treatment of the capture and execution of Major John Andre, a British officer caught behind the American lines out of uniform. He is portrayed as a gallant foe and in actuality caused the military court that convicted him of spying to petition Washington for clemency. Faced with the rules of war Washington must have the death sentence carried out in spite of his own feelings of sympathy for Andre. The authors underscore the feelings of the Americans in attempting to win liberty and freedom for themselves and their new country. These are our founding fathers and the people they surrounded themselves with. The reader is made to feel the pride in their achievements and their overcoming of adversity in founding our nation. 12/12 Paul Lane

THE VIGILANTES by W.E.B. Griffin: The latest Griffin returns to the Philadelphia police force where Homicide Sergeant Matthew Payne is involved in a way of murders that involve local low lifes. Things get much more complicated when several so called vigilante groups begin claiming credit for the killings. The targets keep getting bigger and Payne realizes that soon the entire situation will be completely out of control unless he and his fellow officers can’t get to the bottom of the matter. With Griffin, there are never any major surprises, and you can almost predict the dialogue and the outcome, but like a well worn pair of shoes, that threadbare sweatshirt, or the “favorite” pair of jeans, a Griffin book always comforts and provides an outlet from your everyday turn of the mill frustrations. I am glad that his son is involved in these books so that hopefully there will always be one in the works. 09/10 Jack Quick

VINNIE’S HEAD by Marc Lecard: When you are having a bad time, and Johnnie LoDuco is definitely having a bad time, sometimes it helps to go fishing. But if your fishing line hangs up on a severed head, and when the head is (was) that of your good friend – no former friend – Vinnie, well a bad day just got worse. Not only for Vinnie McCloskey-Schmidt, a computer-savvy con artist who had recently promised to bring LoDuco into his business, but said friend LoDuco and Vinnie’s girlfriend Jennifer. Arguably this book contains some of the funniest violence ever as well as a complicated plot and some first rate writing like this exchange between Vinnie and Johnnie:
Whatever happened to that screenplay you were writing?
Oh that, I discovered a problem with it.
What was the problem?
It was a piece of shit.
Complete with mobsters, shysters, bounty hunters, serial killers, and who knows what else, this one rocks. 07/08 Jack Quick

THE VINTAGE CAPER by Peter Mayle: Peter Mayle’s latest wining and dining romp, The Vintage Caper, begins in Hollywood, but inevitably moves to the South of France as former corporate lawyer, gourmand and lively bachelor Sam Levitt seeks to track down 45 cases of very expensive wine stolen from the cellar of exceedingly obnoxious Hollywood entertainment lawyer, Danny Roth.
As always, the story is light and charming, but the real appeal of this book is the language. You can savor it just like the characters savor their wine and their food. Describing Danny’s choosing what to wear, Mayle writes “Something conservative (he was, after all, a lawyer) but with a devil-may-care touch of informality – he was, after all, an entertainment lawyer.” And even better is his description of Marseilles – “Sam had never been to Marseille, but he’d seen the French Connection and read one or two breathless articles by travel writers, and he thought he knew what to expect. There would be villainous characters-undoubtedly trainee Mafia executives – lurking on every street corner…In every respect, it would echo Somerset Maugham’s summing up of the Cote d’Azur – ‘a sunny place for shady people.’ It sounded interesting.”
In summary, this is one happy read. Think The Thomas Crown Affair – either version. 12/09 Geoffrey R. Hamlin
VIOLENT SATURDAY by W. L. Heath: Even if you miss the 1955 publication date, the language tells you quickly that this one has been around for a while. Morgan, Alabama is like most small towns on Friday night – a little innocent flirting, some outright adultery, drinking both legal and illegal, even a little larceny. All this gets swept aside on Saturday afternoon when three strangers carry out their intentions of robbing the Bank of Morgan. Some altered plans yield violent death, unusual heroism, and profound change for the sleepy little town. An easy read. 08/06 Jack Quick

VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY by Melissa Walker: Thoroughly enjoyable if implausible fairy tale about Violet, the 6’1″ high school senior who’s embarrassed about her height and naturally thin body. That is, until she is “discovered” while working in the local movie theater by a high powered New York agent who’s always looking for the next IT girl. Shy, wallflower Violet is whisked away to New York City, given a makeover and hits the runway, finding that popularity she’s always wanted, not to mention free Prada boots. But while success brings its rewards, it also brings a snarky bitch of a bulimic roommate with a coke addiction, difficulty in dealing with her two best friends back home, and a sharp dose of reality. Geared toward the teen crowd, so buy it for your teen, then borrow it for yourself. 10/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

VIRTUALLY DEAD by Peter May: An over the top state of the art thriller. Michael Kapinksy enjoyed his job as a crime-scene photographer, but his wealthy wife convinced him to give it up so they could have more “play time”. Now she is dead and Michael Kapinsky is at loose ends personally and financially. As he struggles to come to terms with Mora’s death, he decides to return to his old job, although it doesn’t seem to make a difference. Then his psychologist persuades him to enter a virtual world called Second Life to participate in a new kind of group therapy. Once there, his persona, Chas Chesnokov, discovers that victims whose crime scenes Michael has attended in the wealthy Southern California resort of Newport Beach have had their avatars clinically executed in the virtual world. Co-opted into the Twist of Fate Detective Agency, Chas embarks on an investigation with an exotic dancer and escort girl. They uncover a series of killings and a financial scam that is netting the murderer millions of dollars. When Michael is tempted by money that mysteriously appears in Chas’s Second Life account, both his real and his virtual lives are in danger. A mind stretcher and quite entertaining. 03/10 Jack Quick

VIRUS THIRTEEN by Joshua Alan Parry: In a future where science and medicine have made great progress, James and Linda Logan are about to announce a massive breakthrough. Until now, the cancer resistant genes implanted into each newborn could not be passed down generation to generation. James and Linda have solved that problem. Before they can finish their announcement, however, James collapses and has to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery and the removal of an impossible brain tumor. James, like everyone these days, has the cancer resistant gene. Or so his records say. A quick test proves otherwise and a confused James must find out why. Meanwhile, a strange flu epidemic threatens the nation’s safety and Linda is tagged as part of the team responsible for finding a cure. Parry’s debut shows great promise—the science is intriguing and the setting is excellent. The overall execution of the story left a bit to be desired, though. The action is quick but without much detail and the characters are somewhat flat and predictable. 3/13 Jack Quick

VISIBILITY by Boris Starling: Its 1952 and the Cold War plus the Korean conflict are keeping everyone jittery. Herbert Smith, “once of the British Army, latterly of MI5” and now a detective with “the Metropolitan Police’s Murder Squad,” draws the case of a drowned man found in a Hyde Park pond in the thick London fog. The victim, a young biochemist and son of a highly placed government official, in the hours before his death had claimed to be in possession of a discovery that could change the world. Smith soon discovers that his inquiries are creating a panic in the covert world as agents from his own MI5 as well as the Soviet Union and U.S. (along with a renegade Nazi mad scientist) surface. Reminiscent of le Carre and Forsyth, Starling stands equal to them with this great period English police procedural. 06/09 Jack Quick

A VISIBLE DARKNESS by Jonathon King: In this second outing, former Philadelphia cop Max Freeman spends much of his days and nights driving his pickup truck down the seedier streets of West Palm Beach, instead of the Everglades. He is looking for whoever is knocking off a bunch of very old African-American ladies who sold off their insurance policies early. Freeman’s lawyer chum, Billy Manchester, a genius who stutters in public, is back along with a new love interest, a sad-eyed lady cop. It is interesting to see the subtle evolution of Freeman as he transitions from a policeman, whose life was shattered by a shootout that left him wounded and a young man killed by one of his bullets, into someone who has found at least some peace with himself. 05/07 Jack Quick

Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich: If you haven’t read Evanovich, I beg you not to start with this one; if you don’t know the characters, you will be lost. Stephanie’s latest bail jumper has the unlikely name of Sandy Claws, and he owns a toy factory. There’s no Ranger, but there is a mysterious hunk named Diesel who appears at will, adding additional havoc to the already over-wrought love life of our heroine. Grandma Mazur has a new “studmuffin” who emits electrical charges and Valerie is throwing up regularly, courtesy of Albert Kloughn. I read this on my lunch hour – there’s not much of a plot, no real laughs and an overload of cavity inducing sticky-sweet-cuteness. I hate to say it, but bah humbug. What a disappointment.

VISITATION STREET by Ivy Pochoda: If you’re the type that only reads one book each summer, look no further. This latest from the Dennis Lehane imprint at HarperCollins is a tour de force, an unputdownable, powerful read, garnering starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist, as well as being the pick of week at People magazine and Entertainment Weekly and An Amazon Best Book of the Month, July 2013. Usually when there is this much hype about a book, it is almost impossible for it to live up to it, but Pochoda manages to pull it off. Set in Red Hook, Brooklyn, an area divided into the projects and the “neighborhood”, with some crossover bound to happen, especially with school age kids, this waterfront community takes a hit one hot summer night. June and Val are best friends, fifteen years old and in that gray area between childhood and adulthood, looking for some fun. They have a pink inflatable raft and decide to take it out on the bay, but that decision has devastating consequences. Jonathan, their music teacher, finds Val unconscious, washed up on the shore, but June has disappeared. Chief suspect is Cree, a young black man from the projects that was seen in the area that night. Cree has a guardian angel, of sorts – a young, homeless graffiti artist has decided to befriend him and protect him. Jonathan is a Julliard drop out, drinking too much and spending all his free time in the neighborhood bar. Fadi is a Lebanese shop owner trying to assimilate into the community, and wants his store to become the center for information on the missing girl. All of these characters are fully brought to life, and Red Hook itself becomes yet another character in this tightly written and moving story. This is ostensibly a mystery, but the story revolves around the characters, and they are wondrous. This is a memorable read, beautifully written and imaginatively conceived. Don’t miss it. 7/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

VIXEN by Ken Bruen: In this follow-up to The White Trilogy Inspector Brant must match wits with Angie James, “the Vixen”, a female psychopath who gets her jollies from setting off bombs and ruthlessly manipulating men and women. Brant is on a tear and it is a race to determine which implodes first – Brant, the Squad, or Ms. James. With each outing, Bruen just gets better and better and if his prose becomes any more spare and stark, he will be producing single page novellas. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

VOICES OF THE DEAD by Peter Leonard: Peter Leonard is Elmore Leonard’s son, and an accomplished writer in his own behalf. Elmore Leonard writes the introduction for the book but this does not take attention away from Peter’s skill. This is Peter’s third book, and while I haven’t had the opportunity to read the first two I am certainly a fan of his now.
Harry Levin is a survivor of the Holocaust, due to his escape from a forced march of 600 people to an area where they are to be shot. Harry witnesses the massacre, and then over time makes his way to Detroit where he enters a scrap metal business with an uncle that took him in after the war. His wife passed away before the action of the story begins in 1971 and Harry, raising their daughter sends her to college in Washington DC. She is killed by a drunken driver and Harry learns that the man driving is a diplomat with the German embassy and entitled to diplomatic immunity. In seeking justice for what is really vehicular homicide Harry learns his identity and travels to Munich to look for him. Munich was Harry and his parent’s home prior to the Holocaust and scenes of the past run through his mind while there.
Peter’s writing is almost stream of consciousness in its pace. The reader is grabbed immediately and dragged full force into the continuous action. It is a book that is almost impossible to put down before finishing it. Some of the changing situations are a bit disjointed, but this in no way detracts from the full force of the book. Harry and the German diplomat are fully fleshed out and the back and forth descriptions of their thoughts and actions are quite true to form. Read this one when you have an evening to devote to it because you are not going to fall asleep without finishing it. 1/12 Paul Lane
VOLK’S GAME by Brent Ghelfi: Alexei “Volk” Volkovoy is a brutal killer maimed in Russia’s war against Chechnya, who is both a powerful gangster with a hand in virtually all underworld rackets, as well as a covert military operative. Although a stone-cold killer, Volk is, in the context of his world, not that bad a guy. He refuses to use children under 14 years of age in his pornography operations, stays away from arms sales and slavery, and only kills those who deserve killing. In this initial outing Volk gets the chance to steal a previously unknown Da Vinci painting, Leda and the Swan, which has been concealed beneath another painting in a St. Petersburg museum. It turns out to be a delightfully twisty adventure of betrayals and counter betrayals. Lee Childs “highly recommends” this series and so do I. 10/11 Jack Quick
VOLK’S SHADOW by Brent Ghelfi: Ghelfi’s second Russian thriller (after Volk’s Game), featuring Alexei Volk Vokovoy, an ex-army colonel with a prosthetic leg who does the dirty work for a paranoid Kremlin official known as the General, involves something old and something new. The old – a missing Fabergé egg; the new – control over Russia’s immense oil reserves. Volk is your basic Russian Rambo with nothing left to lose other than his self respect. He steals, he kills, he works for the Army, and he supports widows and former soldiers. You may not have much sympathy for Volk, but you better not cross him. Dark prose reminiscent of Andrew Vacchs with a lot of the same sexual ugliness. You will either enjoy it or hate it. If you are going to try it, read in series order for maximum enjoyment. 10/11 Jack Quick
VOODOO LAWS by Jim Hansen: Do you read mysteries for the characters or for the plot? Coffee drinking serial womanizing Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry is back with all his quirks and talents. He is frantically searching for a missing woman after finding the second member of a local law firm dead with implications of voodooism and death curses. At the same time local attorney and budding author Mackenzie Lee has her own challenge. Her newest client, Erin Asher, is convinced that she was being stalked. A man who looked like a pirate followed her during an evening of in downtown on Saturday. The same man is apparently the primary suspect in one of Coventry’s murder cases that occurred across town at the same time. Lee’s client is the suspect’s alibi, but if Lee allows her to come forward, will they be clearing the man from one murder so that he can commit a different one – that of Asher. Then there is the missing woman and the fact the Coventry has had a voodoo death curse placed on him. Oh, did I mention that Lee formerly worked with the same law firm as the two victims that are the object of Coventry’s efforts? How are they all interconnected? Bottom line – great characters in a wild plot that somehow all comes together. The Laws series just keeps getting better and better. 03/09 Jack Quick

VOWS, VENDETTAS & A LITTLE BLACK DRESS by Kyra Davis: The fifth Sophie Katz novel opens with an engagement, and a shooting. Mary Ann is getting married. Her boyfriend proposed with a ring set inside a Tinkerbell box and the two are planning a fabulous fairy tale event at Disneyland, something she’s about to reveal to friends Sophie and Dena when Dena goes down like a brick. Not sure what’s happened at first, the girls quickly realize that Dena’s been shot. Now it’s uncertain whether the dominatrix will even walk again and Sophie’s determined to use her own detective skills to find the person responsible and make them pay. Of course this causes problems with Sophie’s boyfriend, PI Anatoly Darinsky, who’s well aware that Sophie’s nosing about usually lands her in a heap of trouble. Funny and suspenseful as ever, Kyra Davis delivers yet another entertaining addition to her fabulous mystery series. Be warned, these are highly addicting and this one comes with a cliffhanger of a revelation in the end. 06/10 Becky Lejeune

VULTURE CAPITAL by Mark Coggins: Venture Capitalist Ted Valmont is informed that the brains behind a biotechnology start-up he’s funded called NeuroStimix is missing. Valmont engages PI August Riordan to help find the missing man and we soon learn that the disappearance is part of a larger conspiracy to use NeuroStimix technology for dastardly purposes. To complicate matters, the missing man is Valmont’s buddy and Valmont’s own brother, as a spinal injury patient, would benefit from the NeuroStimix discovery. Co-founder of a failed Internet start-up, Mark Coggins injects lots of local color into his work, even dedicating the book to the Pets.com Sock Puppet. 12/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

VULTURE PEAK by John Burdett: Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep may be the only honest policeman in Bangkok. Thus far, he has kept his Buddhist soul intact—more or less—despite the fact that his job shoves him face-to-face with some of the most vile and outrageous crimes and criminals in Bangkok. But for his newest assignment, everything he knows about his city—and himself—will be a mere starting point. He’s put in charge of the highest-profile criminal case in Thailand—an attempt to bring an end to trafficking in human organs. He sets in motion a massive sting operation and stays at its center, traveling to Phuket, Hong Kong, Dubai, Shanghai, and Monte Carlo. Each succeeding character seems even more bizarre, particularly the mysterious, diabolical, albeit gorgeous co-queenpins of the international body-parts trade: the Chinese twins known as the Vultures. Mordant, funny, propulsive, entertaining. Not an easy read but one that will stay with you long after the final pages. 3/12 Jack Quick

Waiting by Ha Jin: I loved this deceptively simple story about a man trying to get a divorce to marry the woman he loves. A fascinating look at life in contemporary China. Winner of the Pen-Faulkner & National Book Awards. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WAKE OF THE BLOODY ANGEL by Alex Bledsoe: Taking on a case that’s two decades cold is not something Eddie LaCrosse is looking forward to. But the client is his landlord, Angelina, an old friend and bartender who says her long lost love went off to sea and never returned. When Angelina fell for Edward Tew, she vowed to wait while he took to the seas to gain his riches the old-fashioned—and illegal—way, through piracy. One famed score was all it took for Tew to earn his name—Black Edward. And that one score was his last. Rumor has it the captain and his treasure went down with the ship but some say The Bloody Angel still sails. Eddie, along with ex-pirate captain Jane Argo by his side, will have to take to the high seas himself to find out the truth, but will he succeed in solving the mystery of Black Edward and The Bloody Angel? Wake of the Bloody Angel is fourth in Bledsoe’s Eddie LaCrosse series, but can easily be read as a standalone or serve as a good jumping in point for readers new to Bledsoe’s work. Wake is fast paced and action-packed, satisfying both fantasy and mystery cravings. 9/12 Becky Lejeune
WAKING BRIGID by Francis Clark: Celtic mythology, voodoo and Christianity collide in this supernatural debut. During the potato famine in Ireland, seven-year-old Brigid Rourke was sent by her family to join ranks with the Catholic church. It was the only way they could ensure that she would survive the blight. It was important that Brigid survive because she is an hereditary, someone born with powers that are passed down from generation to generation. Brigid, now a full-blown nun, is stationed in Savannah, Georgia. She and the city both survived the Civil War but are now faced with an even greater challenge. A prestigious group of town citizens has been dabbling in the occult, calling forces that even they cannot control. The church first becomes aware of the issue when a patient in the mental asylum is killed within his locked cell. Brigid is one of the nurses on sight and that single event is enough to awaken the power that has been sleeping within her for almost three decades. A secret group of white mages within the church hierarchy is called to Georgia to exorcise the demon and Brigid must quickly learn to harness her gifts or they could all die in the fight. Clark’s use of an historical setting for this supernatural thriller makes it stand out amongst the many that have been released in recent months. Unfortunately, Clark passed away just last year after penning only two complete novels. I look forward, with some regret, to his second and last novel’s release. 02/08 Becky Lejeune

WAKING THE WITCH by Kelley Armstrong: Savannah Levine has been technically working for her adoptive parents’ PI agency for five years. And she’s been waiting all that time for the opportunity to run her own investigation. With Paige and Lucas out of town on vacation, now is finally Savannah’s chance. A fellow PI has been hired by the family of a murdered girl and wants Savannah’s help on the case. In all, three women have been found dead and the small town PD in charge is pretty much stretched to its limit. Though the cops have a suspect in mind, the link between the three girls is questionable, making the case even more difficult to solve. Savannah is definitely up for the job, but soon finds that no one can every truly be prepared for the unexpected. Waking the Witch is first and foremost a fantastic mystery. This is the latest in the Women of the Otherworld series, and although there are hints of Savannah’s past—and a twist that ties that in even more—readers new to the series will have no trouble jumping right in. I loved Armstrong’s characters and will definitely be seeking out more titles in the series. 08/10 Becky Lejeune

WALL STREET NOIR edited by Peter Spiegelman: Probably the only street in the world about which an entire anthology can be written, this entry in Akashic’s noir anthology series includes a stellar cast of 17 crime genre hitters, many with financial backgrounds. Included are Megan Abbot, Richard Aleas, Peter Blauner Henry Blodget, Tim Broderick, Reed Farrel Coleman, John Burdett, Jim Fusilli, James Hime, Richard Light,. David Noonan, Twist Phelan, Stephen Rhodes, Lauren Sanders, Mark Haskell Smith, Peter Speigelman, and Jason Starr. Although the stories are centered on the world’s financial center the action ranges from lower Manhattan to the Gulf Coast to Bangkok. Greed and desperation truly know no bounds. 12/07 Jack Quick

WALKING DEAD by Greg Rucka: Atticus Kodiak has settled down in Georgia with his lover Alena Cizkova, the former professional assassin. That’s Georgia, as in the former USSR. When three members of a neighbor’s family are murdered and their 14 year old daughter abducted, Atticus goes on a mission – to find the girl. It may cost him his relationship with Alena, but do less would cost him his soul. With each outing Rucka reveals more and more insight into character of the once bodyguard, now more accustomed to taking an active role rather than waiting for danger to come to him. As Johnny Cash sang “I walk the line,” so does Atticus. Very nicely done. 07/09 Jack Quick

THE WANDERING GHOST by Martin Limon: In 1972. I served in the US Army’s Second Infantry Division at Camp Casey, Korea. During part of my tour, my superior officer was a WAC – Women’s Army Corps – the first WAC to serve in a combat division in the modern era. Can you believe, in their fifth outing, agents George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, of the Eighth Army Criminal Investigations Division in Seoul, Korea, are sent to Camp Casey, on Korea’s Demilitarized Zone. Their assignment:, find a female MP—the second Division’s first female MP—who has gone missing. Although I don’t recall the atmosphere of sexual harassment as portrayed in the book (who was there to harass?), most everything else rings true with my own memories of a poor Korea dependent on U.S. dollars and military presence. Limon also captures the ill will between “the Division” and the REMF’s at Eighth Army Headquarters in Seoul. We lived under combat conditions. They had dependents, school activities, PX and Commissary, all the comforts of home – and they were distressed when soldiers from the Second came down out of the hills because it reminded the dependents that they were always less than an hour away from being in a war zone. Oh well, enough rambling. Read the book. It’s great. 02/08 Jack Quick

WANNA GET LUCKY? by Deborah Coonts: Can’t afford a weekend jaunt to Vegas? Plunk down your $25 and be transported. Lucky is the customer service manager, AKA the workaholic who reports to “The Big Boss,” of the Babylon Hotel, the newest, lushest, plushest hotel on the strip. When an ex-hooker takes a dive out of the Babylon’s helicopter and ends up dead, Lucky’s job gets considerably more complicated. Lucky also has to juggle a swingers convention, a high tech convention, and a porno award banquet – just another day in Vegas. Throw in Mona, her bordello owning mother, her best friend Teddie, a female impersonator extraordinaire who wants to be more than friends, and a hunky, flirty security guard and you’ve got a rollicking fun read. First book of a series, and I can’t wait for the next installment. 06/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

A WANTED MAN by Lee Child: Jack Reacher is back, and this time he starts off hitchhiking with his broken nose and banged up face. An hour after he sticks out his thumb, he is picked up by two men and a woman, all wearing matching shirts. Reacher figures they are coming from some sort of corporate retreat, and doesn’t think much about hitting the first police road block. This is a different approach for Child; the first half of the book or so is just Reacher in the car with these people while he tries to figure out their story. It could have been slow going except for the rest of the story going on behind him, making for an unusual and very interesting book. Not as much action as is typical in a Reacher novel but the tight writing and well developed secondary characters keeps things moving along nicely. Sure to please fans of the series; newcomers would be better off starting elsewhere. 9/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
A WANTED MAN by Lee Child: The hitchhiker is almost a cliché in crime fiction. Don’t pick up hitchhikers. You may be letting a serial killer into your vehicle – or don’t hitchhike, you may be getting into a vehicle with a serial killer. Now if you are Jack Reacher, even a slightly battered broken nosed Jack Reacher, you don’t really worry that much about encounters with serial killers. Been there, done that. So when he hitches a ride in Nebraska heading east to Virginia he soon discovers he has hitched more than a ride. Two men in the front seat – one with his eyes on the road, the other telling stories that don’t add up. In the back, a woman, silent and obviously nervous. It seems there has been an execution style killing, and the two professionals responsible for the murder have commandeered a car and taken its owner (a woman) hostage. They know law enforcement will be looking for two men alone, so by adding Reacher with their hostage, they figure they can deflect attention until safely outside the killing zone. And that’s just the beginning of what may be the best Reacher yet. Just can’t see Tom Cruise meeting this challenge. 10/12 Jack Quick

THE WAR MAKERS by Nick Carter (John L. Chabliss): originally published in 1936, available as free e-book from http://www.blackmask.com. In this action thriller, secret agents have stolen the Army’s new laser gun just when Europe threatens to boil over into a new armed conflict. Journalist Jack Duane and Moses, his Negro servant, witness the theft and must work with Detective Nick Carter to retrieve the weapon before it is used against the United States with devastating effect. Note again the original publication date – 1936. Interesting read. 12/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WARNING SIGNS by CJ Lyons: Lyons returns to Pittsburgh’s Angels of Mercy Medical Center in her follow-up to last year’s debut, Lifelines. Where Lifelines was essentially Lydia’s tale, this time it’s Amanda’s turn. Med student Amanda Mason is looking forward to her neuro rotation until a strange case presents itself. A woman turns up in the ER with mysterious symptoms: dehydration, elevated sodium levels, and descending paralysis that leaves her unable to move or respond while still being completely conscious and aware. Amanda learns that in the days leading up to her trip to the ER, the woman’s symptoms were shockingly similar to symptoms Amanda has noticed in herself. Worse yet, the woman’s symptoms were also shared by two other women who subsequently died while at Angels. Amanda tells herself that it’s just med school jitters, but even her supervisor, Dr. Lucas Stone, is concerned. Meanwhile, Lydia is in trouble once again when she tries an experimental procedure on a very young trauma patient, Nora thinks she’s being stalked, and Gina has still not recovered her wits or her drive after being shot at while working with the ambulance team. The drama continues in this excellent series. If you’re a fan of shows like ER and Grey’s Anatomy, you’re going to love Lyons’ books. 01/09 Becky Lejeune

WATCH THEM DIE by Kevin O’Brien: It starts with a video – one portraying the choking murder of a woman just like in a famous film sequence. Hannah is a single mom, working in a Seattle video store, trying to stay under the radar because of a rich and abusive husband back in Minneapolis. She finds the unmarked video in the store return box and takes it home to check it out. Then there is another video and another. Apparently she is being stalked and her “admirer” is sending her videos – videos that contain a murder. Then he re-creates the murder in real life. Hannah is afraid to go to the Seattle police, unsure whom she can trust, and sees the body count mounting. Through it all there is her young son to be taken care of. Nicely done. 10/12 Jack Quick

WATCHLIST by Jeffery Deaver, et al: Cleverly disguised as a book, this is a veritable library of modern thriller authors. There are 22 different authors (plus a prologue by M. J. Rose) who have banded together to produce not one, but two great tales starring former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton. In The Chopin Manuscript (part one of WATCHLIST) Middleton is trying to uncover the secret contained in the handwritten notes of composer Chopin. Afterwards, in The Copper Bracelet, he is thrust into an international terror plot which could lead to nuclear war between India and Pakistan, igniting World War III. If you are fan of Deaver, Childs, Finder, Scottoline, Lynds, Rozan, or any of the other of today’s great thriller writers, you’ve got to have this one. A word of warning, however, either pick up on Friday as I did or plan to call in sick the next day. 12/09 Jack Quick Note: The Chopin Manuscript & The Copper Bracelet were originally released as downloadable audiobooks through Audible.com, and The Chopin Manuscript won Audiobook of the Year in 2007 from the Audio Publishers Association. This is the first time either title has appeared in print.

THE WATCHMAN by Robert Crais: This one is Joe Pike’s story. Pike, a former marine, LAPD officer, and mercenary, is hired to protect Larkin Barkley on the word of his former police partner. Barkley, a troubled L.A. woman from a wealthy family, has the misfortune of witnessing something which causes her to be targeted for death, and Pike is immediately in the cross hairs. Partner Elvis Cole starts digging and targets a drug cartel’s money-laundering network as the source of the death squads and identifies Barkley’s father as the possible link. As the book goes forward, Pike and Barkley, so opposite at he beginning come to identify more and more with each other, and this becomes more than a job. Interesting change of pace from the on-going Elvis Cole series, but certainly as excellent, maybe one of the best. 05/07 Jack Quick

THE WATCHTOWER by Lee Carroll: Garet James’s introduction to the world of the fey was sudden, to say the least. After learning that she is descended from the fey herself—she is the latest in a line of women sworn to protect humans—falling in love with a centuries-old vampire, and defeating the evil John Dee, Garet’s new love betrays her, stealing a box that can open a door to the Summer Country. Will Hughes is cursed with immortality and longs to be human once again. In spite of his actions, Garet is ready to forgive Hughes. She travels to France in hopes of following him to that mythic land. But first, she must appeal to a number of local fey, for they hold the key to getting to the other side. The Watchtower not only continues Garet’s story from Black Swan Rising, but alternates chapters with Will’s origin tale as well. I loved the additional characters introduced in this second of the trilogy, but was not as impressed by Hughes’s backstory. The twist in the end was a little too expected and abrupt, but obviously leads straight into the concluding installment of the series. 08/11 Becky Lejeune

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen: This is the kind of book that I kept picking up and putting down, I just wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. A book about the circus? It really didn’t appeal to me, but after hearing so many people rave about it, I finally succumbed and started reading. I was immediately hooked. The main character is Jacob Jankowski, a ninety-something year old man: “I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other.” He narrates the story from the “assisted living facility,” a lovely euphemism for a nursing home, where his children have parked him. Talk in the dining room is a mad buzz about the circus that has come to town, and they are able to watch the tents going up outside their window. A new resident of the home declares that he used to “carry water for elephants” and Jacob calls him a liar, creating the springboard for Jacob’s story to be told.

Jake’s parents are killed in a tragic car accident just weeks shy of his graduating veterinary school. He goes home to find out that they have mortgaged everything to pay his Cornell tuition, and that his father, a successful vet himself, has been paid in food and dry goods for his services during these depression years. Jake is broke and homeless and returns to school to sit for his exams, but his mind wanders so he leaves, jumps a train, and finds himself among the workingmen of a second rate circus. He wrangles himself a job tending the menagerie, all the animals, working for the sadistic August and things really get complicated when Jake falls in love with August’s wife, Marlena. This is an incredibly rich story, detailing life during the depression and behind the scenes at the circus – the language sings, the history is incredibly well researched, making this a fascinating story with an incongruous, yet somehow fitting ending indeed. I read the hardcover, and each chapter includes a historic circus photo from various archives; I’m not sure if those were reproduced in the paperback that is now available. Either way, don’t miss this book. I was so captured by this story that I am now planning a trip to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. 01/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

A WAY WITH MURDER by R.J. Jagger: Set in the early 1950’s, Denver PI Bryson Wilde is first cousin to LA’s Philip Marlowe and New York’s Mike Hammer. So when a curvy young thing brings him an envelope of money and asks for his help in finding a killer, he flicks the butt of his Camel out the open window and starts earning the dough. How could he know just how complicated a maze he was entering. There’s lots of lovely ladies, action, adventure, treasure – all interwoven to produce a heck of a tale that will keep you up reading all night – at least it did me. At the end I was totally exhausted by the twists and turns, but highly satisfied with the read. 3/12 Jack Quick NOTE: Available as e-book only until August, 2012 when hardcover goes on sale.

WE ALL FALL DOWN by Michael Harvey: In Harvey’s continuing series featuring Chicago cop turned private investigator Michael Kelly, Kelly is racing to save his city from a deadly new foe: a biological weapon unleashed underground. When a lightbulb falls in a subway tunnel, it releases a pathogen that could kill millions. While the mayor postures, people begin to die, especially on the city’s grim West Side. Hospitals become morgues. L trains are converted into rolling hearses. Finally, the government acts, sealing off entire sections of the city—but are they keeping people out or in? Meanwhile, Michael Kelly’s hunt for the people who poisoned his city takes him into the tangled underworld of Chicago’s West Side gangs and the even more frightening world of black biology—an elite discipline emerging from the nation’s premier labs, where scientists play God and will stop at nothing to preserve their secrecy. Harvey just keeps betting better and better. LA has Connelly, and Chicago has Harvey. Both are must reads. 09/11 Jack Quick

WEB OF SCRETS by Ernesto Patino: A reasonably well written book with a terrible premise. In 1965, a woman living outside Miami dies in child birth. Thirty years later, Sarah Baker, a married adoptee, receives a phone call. A man claims to know shocking facts about Sarah’s past that he will keep secret for a one-time $4,000 payoff. The secret – that Sarah is bi-racial, with a white mother and black father. This is where the train leaves the tracks. Sarah and husband Mark agree to pay off the blackmailer because of fear that if the blackmailer goes public (in 1995) it will ruin her husband’s career. I’m sorry, but I have lived in the southern United States most of my life, and as we say here, that dog don’t hunt. In 1895 maybe, but not in 1995. Husband Mark starts physically avoiding his wife, tensions mount, and eventually she hires Ex FBI investigator turned P. I. Joe Coopersmith in an attempt to find confirmation and closure. Sarah and Mark eventually settle their issues but, it turns out there are three siblings, one of whom is a Rush Limbaugh clone and another is a spoiled rich man’s wife. Like Sarah, they are approached by a blackmailer. The remainder of the book runs the usual course with Coopersmith in various levels of jeopardy and the mystery eventually being solved. 05/10 Jack Quick
THE WEIGHT by Andrew Vachss: After the very disappointing stand-alone Haiku (at least I hope it was a stand alone) it was good to see some of the old Vachss back in this one. Professional thief Tim “Sugar” Caine finds himself caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. The police have arrested him after a rape victim has mistakenly identified him as her attacker. He can’t clear himself, as he was participating in a jewel robbery at the time. Caine ends up serving a five-year sentence for sexual assault before he’s back on the New York City streets, where he reconnects with Solly Vizner, the man who put the jewel heist together. That is when he finds that one of the crew on the heist may be a threat to the future of Vizner and, ultimately Caine. It is up to Caine to neutralize the threat. Not vintage Vachss but acceptable. 02/11 Jack Quick

THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf: One Iowa morning, two families wake up to find their 7 year old girls are missing. The girls, Calli, a selective mute, and Petra, are best friends. A search ensues, but it is the families’ stories that are so captivating and engrossing. The book is written in short chapters that alternate first person viewpoints amongst almost all the major characters. It makes for a rather unusual dichotomy of careful reading that is somehow very quick, perhaps because it is such a compelling story.
Petra’s father is much older than her mother, and they consider her to be their little miracle. Calli is a sweet girl, but she hasn’t spoken in several years, and as her story unfurls the reasons become less murky. Her father is an abusive alcoholic, but luckily for the family his work on the Alaska pipeline keeps him away from home for extended stretches of time. She has an older brother who is usually kind to her, and their mom is loving and fun. Because she doesn’t speak, her best friend Petra is her voice. The search goes on, lots of old wounds are reopened, and we are drawn into this world in a way that makes this book impossible to put down. A compulsively readable first novel. 04/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE WEIRD SISTERS by Eleanor Brown: The Weird Sisters is a reference to the witches in Macbeth, but here they are the three grown Andreas sisters, who have always had some difficulties in getting along. One still lives at home, the others return when they learn their mother has breast cancer. In reality it is an excuse for the women to get their lives out of disarray. Their father is a college professor and Shakespeare scholar, and they all communicate best in Shakespearian phrases, which Brown kindly translates and/or puts in context for us. Don’t let that scare you off, it is no hardship to read this book, but rather a pleasure, with the added benefit of making this reader feel positively cerebral without the least bit of effort.
They live in Barnwell, a small college town where Rose, the eldest who still lives at home, is a math professor. She’s engaged but her fiancé accepts a teaching assignment in London, forcing Rose to come to terms with what she wants out of life. The middle girl is Bianca, called Bean, who has returned home from the big city, NYC, after being fired for embezzling at her law firm, mostly for shopping purposes. The youngest is the hippie/gypsy Cordelia, who returns home pregnant and not sure what to do about it.
The Weird Sisters is a charming novel filled with warm, fully developed characters who we can’t help caring about, a lovely setting and an interesting, quirky story. I continue my love affair with all books Amy Einhorn (The Help, The Postmistress) with thanks to Neil Nyren who suggested that if I liked one book from a particular editor, I might like another. So far I’m 3 for 3. Count this as another gem from Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam. 1/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WERELING by Steve Feasey: Trey Laporte was orphaned at a young age. He was left to be raised at a halfway house for teens, and never knew much about his parents or his heritage. But everything is different now. Trey is a werewolf, the last of his kind. On the day after he undergoes his first change, Trey is taken under the wing of Lucien Charron, old friend of his father’s, a man who isn’t a man at all but an ancient vampire whose own brother is his mortal enemy. Now Trey must learn to harness his new abilities quickly so that he can defend himself, and the world, against an evil that is rising. I like that Feasey’s approach to the first in this series seems to be a more mature level of writing that doesn’t talk down to the teen audience. The beginning of the book is not a stand out amongst the genre, but by the end, Feasey has built the foundations of a series that could indeed be very different from the other teen paranormal offerings out there. Originally released in the UK as Changeling, and the first in a series of four, Wereling marks Feasey’s US debut. 05/10 Becky Lejeune
WEST OF HERE by Jonathan Evison: I have heard raves about this book since they gave out the advance reader copies at Book Expo last summer, so I was delighted to finally get my hands on a copy. I started reading, put it down, picked it up, put it down and eventually slogged through it. It was not an easy read for me and I found it slow going for sure, but ultimately I did like the book. It follows two timelines, both set in the fictional town of Port Bonita, Washington. The first starts in the 1890s with the earliest settlers; the other is 2006 with a cast of characters mostly descended from the first group. The town is built along the Elwa River, and the damming of that river sort of defines the whole story. It reminded me a bit of one of my favorite books, Wallace Stengel’s Angle of Repose, but I just didn’t find it as gripping. Best I can say is I’m not sorry I read it, but I didn’t love it. 02/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WEST SIDE by John Mackie: Two gay men pick up and kill a look alike for one of them in an insurance scam. Their success causes them to decide to make a career of this activity. It is up to Detective Sergeant Thorn Savage and his Manhattan South Homicide squad to solve the case before there are even more victims. It is a gritty walk through New York’s underbelly told by someone who obviously has been there. It’s a world where even the potholes are dangerous to your health and you never know what the next day – or night – will bring. Excellent police procedural. 01/06 Jack Quick

WHACK-A-MOLE by Chris Grabenstein: Ex-military straight shooter John Ceepak is back, partnered with young pup Danny Boyle, and the beaches are crowded once again down on the Jersey shore. A family of tourists find out that an idyllic summer is just too much to ask for when they find a jar containing a body part sitting on a shelf in the local museum. Things just get complicated from there, with runaway teenage girls missing, more body parts unearthed, and the very real possibility of a serial killer on the loose in this small town. Not to mention Doyle can’t seem to get a date, although Ceepak is doing nicely in that department. The storyline is interesting, there are some nice twists, but as always with this series, it’s the characters that make this book well worth reading. The first beach read of the summer is a winner. 05/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHACK-A-MOLE by Chris Grabenstein: It starts with a class ring, long lost but now recovered by Sea Haven super-Cop John Ceepak, practicing his beach combing metal detecting skills, and ends with a serial killer.. When Ceepak and Danny return the ring to its owner, he nervously tells them that he had given it to a girl who had long ago left him. He claimed to even have trouble remembering her name. The few clues he gives them eventually become crucial when human ears in glass jars appear in a tiny, little-visited museum, and human skulls are unearthed on the beach. They soon learn that the body parts date back to the 1980’s and it appears the killer is about to start again. Once again, Grabenstein nails the summer seashore scene replete with aging boardwalk, tacky souvenirs, unhealthy food, and overindulgence in alcohol. Another winner and third in the Jersey Shore series. All that’s missing is Granny Mazur but I expect her to show up any day now, probably with Lula and Stephanie Plum in hot pursuit. 09/08 Jack Quick

WHACKED by Jules Asner: Dani Hale is a writer for a TV series, a CSI-type clone called Flesh and Bone. Her boyfriend Dave is a director on another TV series, and is a bit of a control freak. Dani has some interesting co-workers; her boss, Steve, who boyfriend Dave is sure is hot for her, Rich Pisani, the retired LAPD cop advisor to the show, and Evil Janet, another writer who Dani is sure is out to get her. Dave is directing hot actress Chloe Johnson in his series, and Dani finds out he is cheating on her with Chloe. How does she find this out? Because Dani is nuts. She drives past his house when he tells her he can’t see her, she hacks into his AOL account and reads his email, and so forth. But just when you think this is another one of those chick-lit books about a woman obsessing over some guy who is obviously wrong for her, this book takes a sharp turn down a very dark alley and redefines the surprise ending. Asner was a regular on the E! Entertainment channel, and is married to director Steven Soderbergh, who makes a cameo in this book. All that reality adds another dimension – a frighteningly real one – to this chilling tale. 7/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT ALICE FORGOT by Liane Moriarty: Alice Love is a control freak with a gym fetish until the day she falls off her bike during spin class. She knocks herself out, and wakes up having forgotten the last ten years of her life. She’s 39 and thinks she’s 29, thinks it’s 1998 instead of 2008. What Alice forgot is that she’s in the middle of a very nasty divorce; instead, she thinks she’s still madly in love with her husband. What Alice also forgot is her three children, instead she thinks she is pregnant for the first time, and she forgot how far apart she has drifted from her sister. She is released from the hospital, diagnosed with a bad concussion and told that her memory will come back soon. “Old Alice” isn’t too happy with what she starts learning about “new Alice” and the person she has become, and finds it all rather traumatic. Moriarty puts her anguish on the page and the reader can’t help but be immediately drawn into the story.
This is also an epistolary novel; while Alice’s story is told by an omniscient narrator, interspersed are letters her sister writes to her therapist, and her grandmother writes to a long gone fiancé, adding depth to the story. These are wonderfully drawn characters thrust into a most unusual situation. Somewhat reminiscent of Replay by Ken Grimwood, or even the movie Groundhog Day, but with a twist; it begs the question, what would you do if you could relive the past ten years of your life. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down – it is another winner from Amy Einhorn Books at Putnam. Don’t miss it. 08/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT BURNS WITHIN by Sandra Ruttan: This should be labeled as a Friday evening start – since you will likely read all night. Three RCMP “that’s Mounties” once worked a case that left bitter memories with each one. Although they are still in British Columbia they are now working in separate areas. Constable Tain is focused on a series of child abductions, Constable Ashlyn Hart is working arson, and Constable Craig Nolan is handling sex crimes. But when the body of one of the missing girls is found in a building that had been set fire by an arsonist and the wife of a police officer becomes a rape victim – it seems that all three are working a common thread. Ruttan captures the intensity of the streets and daily police work while vividly pointing out that it’s not just the victims that get damaged by criminal acts. Those who uphold the law also pay a price. Very well done – and when’s the next one? 06/08 Jack Quick

WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE by Sarah Dessen: When McClean’s mother leaves her father for the town hero, the college basketball coach, McClean’s life is shattered. The scandal is embarrassing and heartbreaking, and McClean makes the decision to go live with her father. He takes a job as a restaurant consultant, forcing them to move every few months. By her senior year of high school, McClean has been to several schools and has reinvented herself at each, going so far as to change her name, drawing on her middle name for inspiration. She keeps her distance and doesn’t form attachments. But this last move she unwittingly ends up as herself, and makes some good friends, and even possibly a boyfriend. Lots of teen angst among these well drawn characters makes for a moving, touching story with the requisite happy ending. I can see why Dessen is so popular with the teen set. 06/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT I DID FOR LOVE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Georgie York co-starred with Bram Shepard on a hugely successful sitcom for years, even though behind the scenes they fought like cats and dogs; that is, until Bram’s Hollywood exploits led to the show being cancelled. His career bombed, and Georgie married gorgeous movie star Lance Marks, who in a very Hollywood way, quickly leaves her for an equally gorgeous movie star/do-gooder. My gut tells me the story was inspired by the Jennifer-Brad-Angelina tableau, which just makes it that much more interesting. Flash forward several years to Las Vegas, where Georgie & Bram run into each other, get drunk, and get married. Both quickly realize that this may the opportunity they both need to repair their reputations; Bram, as the unreliable actor and Georgie, as the jilted ex-wife. The problem is that they are still fighting like cats and dogs, only they have to hide it from the public and their families and friends. This brings up two problems; can a fake Hollywood marriage survive, and will Georgie & Bram find true love? Phillips has penned yet another humorous and sexy romp that is perfect escape reading. 04/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT LOOKS LIKE CRAZY by Charlotte Hughes: Kate Holly sucks at solving her own problems. As a practicing psychologist, it’s probably not the best thing to let on that her own life is a shambles as she tries to help others mend theirs. Course her patients are part of the problem. A typical morning in Kate’s office seems to involve at least one attempted suicide, public meltdowns, and even dramatic death threats. Now her neighbors are protesting yard art created by her own mother and her soon to be ex-husband is finally calling for another chance, six months too late. Poor Kate has enough on her plate when she begins to receive threatening phone calls on top of all of this (and in addition to the patient who threatened to blow up her office with his insulin vial). It’s no wonder that Kate can’t seem to get her life straight with so much working against her. Charlotte Hughes, co-author of the Full House series with Janet Evanovich, begins what promises to be a fluffy and fun new series with an adorably hilarious leading lady. Book two in the series, Nutcase, is set to hit shelves this month. 02/09 Becky Lejeune

WHAT THE DEAD KNOW by Laura Lippman: An intriguing storyline about a mysterious woman who claims to be a girl who had gone missing thirty years earlier. The narrative shifts back and forth and through the decades leading up from the 1970’s through present day in a powerfully written, intricate story. The cops aren’t convinced, her lawyer just seems content to let her ramble on, and frankly, it was a little difficult to follow – but eventually it worked. This book is definitely a mystery rather than the stand alone thrillers I’ve come to expect from Lippman, and moves much more slowly than I tend to like. There is a terrific twist at the end that I never saw coming. Not my favorite of her works, but I can definitely see why the reviews have been so favorable. 04/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT THE DEAD KNOW by Laura Lippman: Baltimore’s PD’s homicide team is in for a big break when a woman involved in a hit and run accident claims to be one of the long missing Bethany girls. In 1975, sisters Sunny and Heather Bethany caught the bus to the local mall. When their father arrived to pick them up that afternoon, they were nowhere to be found. There were no suspects and no clues as to their whereabouts, until now. The woman quickly clams up, refusing to provide any information that may compromise her current identity. Gradually, however, she begins to give investigators small pieces of the puzzle. Although it remains unclear whether the woman really is who she claims to be, it is apparent that she does have knowledge of the unsolved crime. Through flashbacks, readers are given insight into the lives of the Bethany girls and how this one horrible day ruined the lives around them. Lippman’s third stand-alone proves that she truly is a master of suspense. Like Every Secret Thing and To the Power of Three, she holds her cards close, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The best part is trying to figure out what the twist will be and she never fails to surprise every time. 04/07 Becky Lejeune

WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW by Clifford Garstang: In DC’s Chinatown lies a building called the Nanking Mansion. An assortment of people live within the condos that make up the building: there is Feng-qi who has recently lost his wife. He wants to find a new mother for his two young sons and has brought his own father over from China to help out. There are Susanna and Thomas, the young couple who seem to be inseparable until one day everything changes. Aloysius, a recent divorcee, whose condo shares a wall with the couple, has plans for his new home but hasn’t even bought furniture. Calvin, an unhappy painter, and Daniel, the sculptor, are both artists and both have their own demons to face. Charles and Craig live together with their dog, Sascha, but all is not well in their seemingly happy home. Everyone notices that Claudia has gotten much thinner, but none of her neighbors is really aware of the struggles she faces. Nathan, the author whose place is being sublet by Susanna, has recently returned. And then there’s Sam Artoyen, the building manager, using the basement for illicit napping. Each of these neighbors is as different as can be and each of them has a story to tell. Clifford Garstang’s collection of interconnected short stories makes for an interesting read. His talent lies in creating rich and flawed characters. Each story serves as a fascinating look through a different set of eyes. 11/12 Becky Lejeune

Waiting by Ha Jin: I loved this deceptively simple story about a man trying to get a divorce to marry the woman he loves. A fascinating look at life in contemporary China. Winner of the Pen-Faulkner & National Book Awards.

WAKE OF THE BLOODY ANGEL by Alex Bledsoe: Taking on a case that’s two decades cold is not something Eddie LaCrosse is looking forward to. But the client is his landlord, Angelina, an old friend and bartender who says her long lost love went off to sea and never returned. When Angelina fell for Edward Tew, she vowed to wait while he took to the seas to gain his riches the old-fashioned—and illegal—way, through piracy. One famed score was all it took for Tew to earn his name—Black Edward. And that one score was his last. Rumor has it the captain and his treasure went down with the ship but some say The Bloody Angel still sails. Eddie, along with ex-pirate captain Jane Argo by his side, will have to take to the high seas himself to find out the truth, but will he succeed in solving the mystery of Black Edward and The Bloody Angel? Wake of the Bloody Angel is fourth in Bledsoe’s Eddie LaCrosse series, but can easily be read as a standalone or serve as a good jumping in point for readers new to Bledsoe’s work. Wake is fast paced and action-packed, satisfying both fantasy and mystery cravings. 9/12 Becky Lejeune
WAKING BRIGID by Francis Clark: Celtic mythology, voodoo and Christianity collide in this supernatural debut. During the potato famine in Ireland, seven-year-old Brigid Rourke was sent by her family to join ranks with the Catholic church. It was the only way they could ensure that she would survive the blight. It was important that Brigid survive because she is an hereditary, someone born with powers that are passed down from generation to generation. Brigid, now a full-blown nun, is stationed in Savannah, Georgia. She and the city both survived the Civil War but are now faced with an even greater challenge. A prestigious group of town citizens has been dabbling in the occult, calling forces that even they cannot control. The church first becomes aware of the issue when a patient in the mental asylum is killed within his locked cell. Brigid is one of the nurses on sight and that single event is enough to awaken the power that has been sleeping within her for almost three decades. A secret group of white mages within the church hierarchy is called to Georgia to exorcise the demon and Brigid must quickly learn to harness her gifts or they could all die in the fight. Clark’s use of an historical setting for this supernatural thriller makes it stand out amongst the many that have been released in recent months. Unfortunately, Clark passed away just last year after penning only two complete novels. I look forward, with some regret, to his second and last novel’s release. 02/08 Becky Lejeune

WAKING THE WITCH by Kelley Armstrong: Savannah Levine has been technically working for her adoptive parents’ PI agency for five years. And she’s been waiting all that time for the opportunity to run her own investigation. With Paige and Lucas out of town on vacation, now is finally Savannah’s chance. A fellow PI has been hired by the family of a murdered girl and wants Savannah’s help on the case. In all, three women have been found dead and the small town PD in charge is pretty much stretched to its limit. Though the cops have a suspect in mind, the link between the three girls is questionable, making the case even more difficult to solve. Savannah is definitely up for the job, but soon finds that no one can every truly be prepared for the unexpected. Waking the Witch is first and foremost a fantastic mystery. This is the latest in the Women of the Otherworld series, and although there are hints of Savannah’s past—and a twist that ties that in even more—readers new to the series will have no trouble jumping right in. I loved Armstrong’s characters and will definitely be seeking out more titles in the series. 08/10 Becky Lejeune

WALL STREET NOIR edited by Peter Spiegelman: Probably the only street in the world about which an entire anthology can be written, this entry in Akashic’s noir anthology series includes a stellar cast of 17 crime genre hitters, many with financial backgrounds. Included are Megan Abbot, Richard Aleas, Peter Blauner Henry Blodget, Tim Broderick, Reed Farrel Coleman, John Burdett, Jim Fusilli, James Hime, Richard Light,. David Noonan, Twist Phelan, Stephen Rhodes, Lauren Sanders, Mark Haskell Smith, Peter Speigelman, and Jason Starr. Although the stories are centered on the world’s financial center the action ranges from lower Manhattan to the Gulf Coast to Bangkok. Greed and desperation truly know no bounds. 12/07 Jack Quick

WALKING DEAD by Greg Rucka: Atticus Kodiak has settled down in Georgia with his lover Alena Cizkova, the former professional assassin. That’s Georgia, as in the former USSR. When three members of a neighbor’s family are murdered and their 14 year old daughter abducted, Atticus goes on a mission – to find the girl. It may cost him his relationship with Alena, but do less would cost him his soul. With each outing Rucka reveals more and more insight into character of the once bodyguard, now more accustomed to taking an active role rather than waiting for danger to come to him. As Johnny Cash sang “I walk the line,” so does Atticus. Very nicely done. 07/09 Jack Quick

THE WANDERING GHOST by Martin Limon: In 1972. I served in the US Army’s Second Infantry Division at Camp Casey, Korea. During part of my tour, my superior officer was a WAC – Women’s Army Corps – the first WAC to serve in a combat division in the modern era. Can you believe, in their fifth outing, agents George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, of the Eighth Army Criminal Investigations Division in Seoul, Korea, are sent to Camp Casey, on Korea’s Demilitarized Zone. Their assignment:, find a female MP—the second Division’s first female MP—who has gone missing. Although I don’t recall the atmosphere of sexual harassment as portrayed in the book (who was there to harass?), most everything else rings true with my own memories of a poor Korea dependent on U.S. dollars and military presence. Limon also captures the ill will between “the Division” and the REMF’s at Eighth Army Headquarters in Seoul. We lived under combat conditions. They had dependents, school activities, PX and Commissary, all the comforts of home – and they were distressed when soldiers from the Second came down out of the hills because it reminded the dependents that they were always less than an hour away from being in a war zone. Oh well, enough rambling. Read the book. It’s great. 02/08 Jack Quick

WANNA GET LUCKY? by Deborah Coonts: Can’t afford a weekend jaunt to Vegas? Plunk down your $25 and be transported. Lucky is the customer service manager, AKA the workaholic who reports to “The Big Boss,” of the Babylon Hotel, the newest, lushest, plushest hotel on the strip. When an ex-hooker takes a dive out of the Babylon’s helicopter and ends up dead, Lucky’s job gets considerably more complicated. Lucky also has to juggle a swingers convention, a high tech convention, and a porno award banquet – just another day in Vegas. Throw in Mona, her bordello owning mother, her best friend Teddie, a female impersonator extraordinaire who wants to be more than friends, and a hunky, flirty security guard and you’ve got a rollicking fun read. First book of a series, and I can’t wait for the next installment. 06/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

A WANTED MAN by Lee Child: Jack Reacher is back, and this time he starts off hitchhiking with his broken nose and banged up face. An hour after he sticks out his thumb, he is picked up by two men and a woman, all wearing matching shirts. Reacher figures they are coming from some sort of corporate retreat, and doesn’t think much about hitting the first police road block. This is a different approach for Child; the first half of the book or so is just Reacher in the car with these people while he tries to figure out their story. It could have been slow going except for the rest of the story going on behind him, making for an unusual and very interesting book. Not as much action as is typical in a Reacher novel but the tight writing and well developed secondary characters keeps things moving along nicely. Sure to please fans of the series; newcomers would be better off starting elsewhere. 9/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
A WANTED MAN by Lee Child: The hitchhiker is almost a cliché in crime fiction. Don’t pick up hitchhikers. You may be letting a serial killer into your vehicle – or don’t hitchhike, you may be getting into a vehicle with a serial killer. Now if you are Jack Reacher, even a slightly battered broken nosed Jack Reacher, you don’t really worry that much about encounters with serial killers. Been there, done that. So when he hitches a ride in Nebraska heading east to Virginia he soon discovers he has hitched more than a ride. Two men in the front seat – one with his eyes on the road, the other telling stories that don’t add up. In the back, a woman, silent and obviously nervous. It seems there has been an execution style killing, and the two professionals responsible for the murder have commandeered a car and taken its owner (a woman) hostage. They know law enforcement will be looking for two men alone, so by adding Reacher with their hostage, they figure they can deflect attention until safely outside the killing zone. And that’s just the beginning of what may be the best Reacher yet. Just can’t see Tom Cruise meeting this challenge. 10/12 Jack Quick

THE WAR MAKERS by Nick Carter (John L. Chabliss): originally published in 1936, available as free e-book from http://www.blackmask.com. In this action thriller, secret agents have stolen the Army’s new laser gun just when Europe threatens to boil over into a new armed conflict. Journalist Jack Duane and Moses, his Negro servant, witness the theft and must work with Detective Nick Carter to retrieve the weapon before it is used against the United States with devastating effect. Note again the original publication date – 1936. Interesting read. 12/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WARNING SIGNS by CJ Lyons: Lyons returns to Pittsburgh’s Angels of Mercy Medical Center in her follow-up to last year’s debut, Lifelines. Where Lifelines was essentially Lydia’s tale, this time it’s Amanda’s turn. Med student Amanda Mason is looking forward to her neuro rotation until a strange case presents itself. A woman turns up in the ER with mysterious symptoms: dehydration, elevated sodium levels, and descending paralysis that leaves her unable to move or respond while still being completely conscious and aware. Amanda learns that in the days leading up to her trip to the ER, the woman’s symptoms were shockingly similar to symptoms Amanda has noticed in herself. Worse yet, the woman’s symptoms were also shared by two other women who subsequently died while at Angels. Amanda tells herself that it’s just med school jitters, but even her supervisor, Dr. Lucas Stone, is concerned. Meanwhile, Lydia is in trouble once again when she tries an experimental procedure on a very young trauma patient, Nora thinks she’s being stalked, and Gina has still not recovered her wits or her drive after being shot at while working with the ambulance team. The drama continues in this excellent series. If you’re a fan of shows like ER and Grey’s Anatomy, you’re going to love Lyons’ books. 01/09 Becky Lejeune

WATCH THEM DIE by Kevin O’Brien: It starts with a video – one portraying the choking murder of a woman just like in a famous film sequence. Hannah is a single mom, working in a Seattle video store, trying to stay under the radar because of a rich and abusive husband back in Minneapolis. She finds the unmarked video in the store return box and takes it home to check it out. Then there is another video and another. Apparently she is being stalked and her “admirer” is sending her videos – videos that contain a murder. Then he re-creates the murder in real life. Hannah is afraid to go to the Seattle police, unsure whom she can trust, and sees the body count mounting. Through it all there is her young son to be taken care of. Nicely done. 10/12 Jack Quick

WATCHLIST by Jeffery Deaver, et al: Cleverly disguised as a book, this is a veritable library of modern thriller authors. There are 22 different authors (plus a prologue by M. J. Rose) who have banded together to produce not one, but two great tales starring former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton. In The Chopin Manuscript (part one of WATCHLIST) Middleton is trying to uncover the secret contained in the handwritten notes of composer Chopin. Afterwards, in The Copper Bracelet, he is thrust into an international terror plot which could lead to nuclear war between India and Pakistan, igniting World War III. If you are fan of Deaver, Childs, Finder, Scottoline, Lynds, Rozan, or any of the other of today’s great thriller writers, you’ve got to have this one. A word of warning, however, either pick up on Friday as I did or plan to call in sick the next day. 12/09 Jack Quick Note: The Chopin Manuscript & The Copper Bracelet were originally released as downloadable audiobooks through Audible.com, and The Chopin Manuscript won Audiobook of the Year in 2007 from the Audio Publishers Association. This is the first time either title has appeared in print.

THE WATCHMAN by Robert Crais: This one is Joe Pike’s story. Pike, a former marine, LAPD officer, and mercenary, is hired to protect Larkin Barkley on the word of his former police partner. Barkley, a troubled L.A. woman from a wealthy family, has the misfortune of witnessing something which causes her to be targeted for death, and Pike is immediately in the cross hairs. Partner Elvis Cole starts digging and targets a drug cartel’s money-laundering network as the source of the death squads and identifies Barkley’s father as the possible link. As the book goes forward, Pike and Barkley, so opposite at he beginning come to identify more and more with each other, and this becomes more than a job. Interesting change of pace from the on-going Elvis Cole series, but certainly as excellent, maybe one of the best. 05/07 Jack Quick

THE WATCHTOWER by Lee Carroll: Garet James’s introduction to the world of the fey was sudden, to say the least. After learning that she is descended from the fey herself—she is the latest in a line of women sworn to protect humans—falling in love with a centuries-old vampire, and defeating the evil John Dee, Garet’s new love betrays her, stealing a box that can open a door to the Summer Country. Will Hughes is cursed with immortality and longs to be human once again. In spite of his actions, Garet is ready to forgive Hughes. She travels to France in hopes of following him to that mythic land. But first, she must appeal to a number of local fey, for they hold the key to getting to the other side. The Watchtower not only continues Garet’s story from Black Swan Rising, but alternates chapters with Will’s origin tale as well. I loved the additional characters introduced in this second of the trilogy, but was not as impressed by Hughes’s backstory. The twist in the end was a little too expected and abrupt, but obviously leads straight into the concluding installment of the series. 08/11 Becky Lejeune

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen: This is the kind of book that I kept picking up and putting down, I just wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. A book about the circus? It really didn’t appeal to me, but after hearing so many people rave about it, I finally succumbed and started reading. I was immediately hooked. The main character is Jacob Jankowski, a ninety-something year old man: “I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other.” He narrates the story from the “assisted living facility,” a lovely euphemism for a nursing home, where his children have parked him. Talk in the dining room is a mad buzz about the circus that has come to town, and they are able to watch the tents going up outside their window. A new resident of the home declares that he used to “carry water for elephants” and Jacob calls him a liar, creating the springboard for Jacob’s story to be told.

Jake’s parents are killed in a tragic car accident just weeks shy of his graduating veterinary school. He goes home to find out that they have mortgaged everything to pay his Cornell tuition, and that his father, a successful vet himself, has been paid in food and dry goods for his services during these depression years. Jake is broke and homeless and returns to school to sit for his exams, but his mind wanders so he leaves, jumps a train, and finds himself among the workingmen of a second rate circus. He wrangles himself a job tending the menagerie, all the animals, working for the sadistic August and things really get complicated when Jake falls in love with August’s wife, Marlena. This is an incredibly rich story, detailing life during the depression and behind the scenes at the circus – the language sings, the history is incredibly well researched, making this a fascinating story with an incongruous, yet somehow fitting ending indeed. I read the hardcover, and each chapter includes a historic circus photo from various archives; I’m not sure if those were reproduced in the paperback that is now available. Either way, don’t miss this book. I was so captured by this story that I am now planning a trip to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. 01/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

A WAY WITH MURDER by R.J. Jagger: Set in the early 1950’s, Denver PI Bryson Wilde is first cousin to LA’s Philip Marlowe and New York’s Mike Hammer. So when a curvy young thing brings him an envelope of money and asks for his help in finding a killer, he flicks the butt of his Camel out the open window and starts earning the dough. How could he know just how complicated a maze he was entering. There’s lots of lovely ladies, action, adventure, treasure – all interwoven to produce a heck of a tale that will keep you up reading all night – at least it did me. At the end I was totally exhausted by the twists and turns, but highly satisfied with the read. 3/12 Jack Quick

WAYWARD by Blake Crouch: The second book of the Wayward Pines Series about a paradise set in a period 2000 years from now. Problem is that the paradise is anything but, and is more like a hell on earth. The town was planned for a group of people in the 21st century, and those people went into suspended animation willingly in order to wake up to a society with all wants provided and perfect happiness available to all. In book one Ethan Burke was introduced and was kidnapped and put into suspended animation without requesting it. He awakens and rapidly finds that the town of Wayward Pines and it’s residents are actually subjected to 24 hour surveillance of every word and gesture, an electric fence around the town and snipers on guard everywhere. He becomes one of the few that knows what is going on, and is made the Sheriff of the town by people that have put themselves in charge on an arbitrary basis. Ethan must help enforce a leadership that can tell everyone where they will work, who they will marry, and how children will be educated without knowledge of their parents. He is one of the few that knows what is outside the fence and the dangers that this represents. In a coincidence Ethan meets an old love of his and with her and his present wife begins planning to change what is going on and get rid of the despot that has placed himself in charge due to having funded Athe entire operation. The writing is crisp and events move rapidly keeping the reader totally glued to the pages and wanting more. M. Night Shyamalan is producing a major television program called Wayward Pines for 2014. In addition, book three will be published in 2014. Wayward is a rewarding adventure into a different world than the norm, but one that is a logical outgrowth of today’s society and a logical projection of events moving forward. 9/13 Paul Lane

WE ALL FALL DOWN by Michael Harvey: In Harvey’s continuing series featuring Chicago cop turned private investigator Michael Kelly, Kelly is racing to save his city from a deadly new foe: a biological weapon unleashed underground. When a lightbulb falls in a subway tunnel, it releases a pathogen that could kill millions. While the mayor postures, people begin to die, especially on the city’s grim West Side. Hospitals become morgues. L trains are converted into rolling hearses. Finally, the government acts, sealing off entire sections of the city—but are they keeping people out or in? Meanwhile, Michael Kelly’s hunt for the people who poisoned his city takes him into the tangled underworld of Chicago’s West Side gangs and the even more frightening world of black biology—an elite discipline emerging from the nation’s premier labs, where scientists play God and will stop at nothing to preserve their secrecy. Harvey just keeps betting better and better. LA has Connelly, and Chicago has Harvey. Both are must reads. 09/11 Jack Quick

WEB OF SCRETS by Ernesto Patino: A reasonably well written book with a terrible premise. In 1965, a woman living outside Miami dies in child birth. Thirty years later, Sarah Baker, a married adoptee, receives a phone call. A man claims to know shocking facts about Sarah’s past that he will keep secret for a one-time $4,000 payoff. The secret – that Sarah is bi-racial, with a white mother and black father. This is where the train leaves the tracks. Sarah and husband Mark agree to pay off the blackmailer because of fear that if the blackmailer goes public (in 1995) it will ruin her husband’s career. I’m sorry, but I have lived in the southern United States most of my life, and as we say here, that dog don’t hunt. In 1895 maybe, but not in 1995. Husband Mark starts physically avoiding his wife, tensions mount, and eventually she hires Ex FBI investigator turned P. I. Joe Coopersmith in an attempt to find confirmation and closure. Sarah and Mark eventually settle their issues but, it turns out there are three siblings, one of whom is a Rush Limbaugh clone and another is a spoiled rich man’s wife. Like Sarah, they are approached by a blackmailer. The remainder of the book runs the usual course with Coopersmith in various levels of jeopardy and the mystery eventually being solved. 05/10 Jack Quick
THE WEIGHT by Andrew Vachss: After the very disappointing stand-alone Haiku (at least I hope it was a stand alone) it was good to see some of the old Vachss back in this one. Professional thief Tim “Sugar” Caine finds himself caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. The police have arrested him after a rape victim has mistakenly identified him as her attacker. He can’t clear himself, as he was participating in a jewel robbery at the time. Caine ends up serving a five-year sentence for sexual assault before he’s back on the New York City streets, where he reconnects with Solly Vizner, the man who put the jewel heist together. That is when he finds that one of the crew on the heist may be a threat to the future of Vizner and, ultimately Caine. It is up to Caine to neutralize the threat. Not vintage Vachss but acceptable. 02/11 Jack Quick

THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf: One Iowa morning, two families wake up to find their 7 year old girls are missing. The girls, Calli, a selective mute, and Petra, are best friends. A search ensues, but it is the families’ stories that are so captivating and engrossing. The book is written in short chapters that alternate first person viewpoints amongst almost all the major characters. It makes for a rather unusual dichotomy of careful reading that is somehow very quick, perhaps because it is such a compelling story.
Petra’s father is much older than her mother, and they consider her to be their little miracle. Calli is a sweet girl, but she hasn’t spoken in several years, and as her story unfurls the reasons become less murky. Her father is an abusive alcoholic, but luckily for the family his work on the Alaska pipeline keeps him away from home for extended stretches of time. She has an older brother who is usually kind to her, and their mom is loving and fun. Because she doesn’t speak, her best friend Petra is her voice. The search goes on, lots of old wounds are reopened, and we are drawn into this world in a way that makes this book impossible to put down. A compulsively readable first novel. 04/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE WEIRD SISTERS by Eleanor Brown: The Weird Sisters is a reference to the witches in Macbeth, but here they are the three grown Andreas sisters, who have always had some difficulties in getting along. One still lives at home, the others return when they learn their mother has breast cancer. In reality it is an excuse for the women to get their lives out of disarray. Their father is a college professor and Shakespeare scholar, and they all communicate best in Shakespearian phrases, which Brown kindly translates and/or puts in context for us. Don’t let that scare you off, it is no hardship to read this book, but rather a pleasure, with the added benefit of making this reader feel positively cerebral without the least bit of effort.
They live in Barnwell, a small college town where Rose, the eldest who still lives at home, is a math professor. She’s engaged but her fiancé accepts a teaching assignment in London, forcing Rose to come to terms with what she wants out of life. The middle girl is Bianca, called Bean, who has returned home from the big city, NYC, after being fired for embezzling at her law firm, mostly for shopping purposes. The youngest is the hippie/gypsy Cordelia, who returns home pregnant and not sure what to do about it.
The Weird Sisters is a charming novel filled with warm, fully developed characters who we can’t help caring about, a lovely setting and an interesting, quirky story. I continue my love affair with all books Amy Einhorn (The Help, The Postmistress) with thanks to Neil Nyren who suggested that if I liked one book from a particular editor, I might like another. So far I’m 3 for 3. Count this as another gem from Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam. 1/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WERELING by Steve Feasey: Trey Laporte was orphaned at a young age. He was left to be raised at a halfway house for teens, and never knew much about his parents or his heritage. But everything is different now. Trey is a werewolf, the last of his kind. On the day after he undergoes his first change, Trey is taken under the wing of Lucien Charron, old friend of his father’s, a man who isn’t a man at all but an ancient vampire whose own brother is his mortal enemy. Now Trey must learn to harness his new abilities quickly so that he can defend himself, and the world, against an evil that is rising. I like that Feasey’s approach to the first in this series seems to be a more mature level of writing that doesn’t talk down to the teen audience. The beginning of the book is not a stand out amongst the genre, but by the end, Feasey has built the foundations of a series that could indeed be very different from the other teen paranormal offerings out there. Originally released in the UK as Changeling, and the first in a series of four, Wereling marks Feasey’s US debut. 05/10 Becky Lejeune
WEST OF HERE by Jonathan Evison: I have heard raves about this book since they gave out the advance reader copies at Book Expo last summer, so I was delighted to finally get my hands on a copy. I started reading, put it down, picked it up, put it down and eventually slogged through it. It was not an easy read for me and I found it slow going for sure, but ultimately I did like the book. It follows two timelines, both set in the fictional town of Port Bonita, Washington. The first starts in the 1890s with the earliest settlers; the other is 2006 with a cast of characters mostly descended from the first group. The town is built along the Elwa River, and the damming of that river sort of defines the whole story. It reminded me a bit of one of my favorite books, Wallace Stengel’s Angle of Repose, but I just didn’t find it as gripping. Best I can say is I’m not sorry I read it, but I didn’t love it. 02/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WEST SIDE by John Mackie: Two gay men pick up and kill a look alike for one of them in an insurance scam. Their success causes them to decide to make a career of this activity. It is up to Detective Sergeant Thorn Savage and his Manhattan South Homicide squad to solve the case before there are even more victims. It is a gritty walk through New York’s underbelly told by someone who obviously has been there. It’s a world where even the potholes are dangerous to your health and you never know what the next day – or night – will bring. Excellent police procedural. 01/06 Jack Quick

WHACK-A-MOLE by Chris Grabenstein: Ex-military straight shooter John Ceepak is back, partnered with young pup Danny Boyle, and the beaches are crowded once again down on the Jersey shore. A family of tourists find out that an idyllic summer is just too much to ask for when they find a jar containing a body part sitting on a shelf in the local museum. Things just get complicated from there, with runaway teenage girls missing, more body parts unearthed, and the very real possibility of a serial killer on the loose in this small town. Not to mention Doyle can’t seem to get a date, although Ceepak is doing nicely in that department. The storyline is interesting, there are some nice twists, but as always with this series, it’s the characters that make this book well worth reading. The first beach read of the summer is a winner. 05/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHACK-A-MOLE by Chris Grabenstein: It starts with a class ring, long lost but now recovered by Sea Haven super-Cop John Ceepak, practicing his beach combing metal detecting skills, and ends with a serial killer.. When Ceepak and Danny return the ring to its owner, he nervously tells them that he had given it to a girl who had long ago left him. He claimed to even have trouble remembering her name. The few clues he gives them eventually become crucial when human ears in glass jars appear in a tiny, little-visited museum, and human skulls are unearthed on the beach. They soon learn that the body parts date back to the 1980’s and it appears the killer is about to start again. Once again, Grabenstein nails the summer seashore scene replete with aging boardwalk, tacky souvenirs, unhealthy food, and overindulgence in alcohol. Another winner and third in the Jersey Shore series. All that’s missing is Granny Mazur but I expect her to show up any day now, probably with Lula and Stephanie Plum in hot pursuit. 09/08 Jack Quick

WHACKED by Jules Asner: Dani Hale is a writer for a TV series, a CSI-type clone called Flesh and Bone. Her boyfriend Dave is a director on another TV series, and is a bit of a control freak. Dani has some interesting co-workers; her boss, Steve, who boyfriend Dave is sure is hot for her, Rich Pisani, the retired LAPD cop advisor to the show, and Evil Janet, another writer who Dani is sure is out to get her. Dave is directing hot actress Chloe Johnson in his series, and Dani finds out he is cheating on her with Chloe. How does she find this out? Because Dani is nuts. She drives past his house when he tells her he can’t see her, she hacks into his AOL account and reads his email, and so forth. But just when you think this is another one of those chick-lit books about a woman obsessing over some guy who is obviously wrong for her, this book takes a sharp turn down a very dark alley and redefines the surprise ending. Asner was a regular on the E! Entertainment channel, and is married to director Steven Soderbergh, who makes a cameo in this book. All that reality adds another dimension – a frighteningly real one – to this chilling tale. 7/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT ALICE FORGOT by Liane Moriarty: Alice Love is a control freak with a gym fetish until the day she falls off her bike during spin class. She knocks herself out, and wakes up having forgotten the last ten years of her life. She’s 39 and thinks she’s 29, thinks it’s 1998 instead of 2008. What Alice forgot is that she’s in the middle of a very nasty divorce; instead, she thinks she’s still madly in love with her husband. What Alice also forgot is her three children, instead she thinks she is pregnant for the first time, and she forgot how far apart she has drifted from her sister. She is released from the hospital, diagnosed with a bad concussion and told that her memory will come back soon. “Old Alice” isn’t too happy with what she starts learning about “new Alice” and the person she has become, and finds it all rather traumatic. Moriarty puts her anguish on the page and the reader can’t help but be immediately drawn into the story.
This is also an epistolary novel; while Alice’s story is told by an omniscient narrator, interspersed are letters her sister writes to her therapist, and her grandmother writes to a long gone fiancé, adding depth to the story. These are wonderfully drawn characters thrust into a most unusual situation. Somewhat reminiscent of Replay by Ken Grimwood, or even the movie Groundhog Day, but with a twist; it begs the question, what would you do if you could relive the past ten years of your life. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down – it is another winner from Amy Einhorn Books at Putnam. Don’t miss it. 08/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT BURNS WITHIN by Sandra Ruttan: This should be labeled as a Friday evening start – since you will likely read all night. Three RCMP “that’s Mounties” once worked a case that left bitter memories with each one. Although they are still in British Columbia they are now working in separate areas. Constable Tain is focused on a series of child abductions, Constable Ashlyn Hart is working arson, and Constable Craig Nolan is handling sex crimes. But when the body of one of the missing girls is found in a building that had been set fire by an arsonist and the wife of a police officer becomes a rape victim – it seems that all three are working a common thread. Ruttan captures the intensity of the streets and daily police work while vividly pointing out that it’s not just the victims that get damaged by criminal acts. Those who uphold the law also pay a price. Very well done – and when’s the next one? 06/08 Jack Quick

WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE by Sarah Dessen: When McClean’s mother leaves her father for the town hero, the college basketball coach, McClean’s life is shattered. The scandal is embarrassing and heartbreaking, and McClean makes the decision to go live with her father. He takes a job as a restaurant consultant, forcing them to move every few months. By her senior year of high school, McClean has been to several schools and has reinvented herself at each, going so far as to change her name, drawing on her middle name for inspiration. She keeps her distance and doesn’t form attachments. But this last move she unwittingly ends up as herself, and makes some good friends, and even possibly a boyfriend. Lots of teen angst among these well drawn characters makes for a moving, touching story with the requisite happy ending. I can see why Dessen is so popular with the teen set. 06/11 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT I DID FOR LOVE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Georgie York co-starred with Bram Shepard on a hugely successful sitcom for years, even though behind the scenes they fought like cats and dogs; that is, until Bram’s Hollywood exploits led to the show being cancelled. His career bombed, and Georgie married gorgeous movie star Lance Marks, who in a very Hollywood way, quickly leaves her for an equally gorgeous movie star/do-gooder. My gut tells me the story was inspired by the Jennifer-Brad-Angelina tableau, which just makes it that much more interesting. Flash forward several years to Las Vegas, where Georgie & Bram run into each other, get drunk, and get married. Both quickly realize that this may the opportunity they both need to repair their reputations; Bram, as the unreliable actor and Georgie, as the jilted ex-wife. The problem is that they are still fighting like cats and dogs, only they have to hide it from the public and their families and friends. This brings up two problems; can a fake Hollywood marriage survive, and will Georgie & Bram find true love? Phillips has penned yet another humorous and sexy romp that is perfect escape reading. 04/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT LOOKS LIKE CRAZY by Charlotte Hughes: Kate Holly sucks at solving her own problems. As a practicing psychologist, it’s probably not the best thing to let on that her own life is a shambles as she tries to help others mend theirs. Course her patients are part of the problem. A typical morning in Kate’s office seems to involve at least one attempted suicide, public meltdowns, and even dramatic death threats. Now her neighbors are protesting yard art created by her own mother and her soon to be ex-husband is finally calling for another chance, six months too late. Poor Kate has enough on her plate when she begins to receive threatening phone calls on top of all of this (and in addition to the patient who threatened to blow up her office with his insulin vial). It’s no wonder that Kate can’t seem to get her life straight with so much working against her. Charlotte Hughes, co-author of the Full House series with Janet Evanovich, begins what promises to be a fluffy and fun new series with an adorably hilarious leading lady. Book two in the series, Nutcase, is set to hit shelves this month. 02/09 Becky Lejeune

WHAT THE DEAD KNOW by Laura Lippman: An intriguing storyline about a mysterious woman who claims to be a girl who had gone missing thirty years earlier. The narrative shifts back and forth and through the decades leading up from the 1970’s through present day in a powerfully written, intricate story. The cops aren’t convinced, her lawyer just seems content to let her ramble on, and frankly, it was a little difficult to follow – but eventually it worked. This book is definitely a mystery rather than the stand alone thrillers I’ve come to expect from Lippman, and moves much more slowly than I tend to like. There is a terrific twist at the end that I never saw coming. Not my favorite of her works, but I can definitely see why the reviews have been so favorable. 04/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHAT THE DEAD KNOW by Laura Lippman: Baltimore’s PD’s homicide team is in for a big break when a woman involved in a hit and run accident claims to be one of the long missing Bethany girls. In 1975, sisters Sunny and Heather Bethany caught the bus to the local mall. When their father arrived to pick them up that afternoon, they were nowhere to be found. There were no suspects and no clues as to their whereabouts, until now. The woman quickly clams up, refusing to provide any information that may compromise her current identity. Gradually, however, she begins to give investigators small pieces of the puzzle. Although it remains unclear whether the woman really is who she claims to be, it is apparent that she does have knowledge of the unsolved crime. Through flashbacks, readers are given insight into the lives of the Bethany girls and how this one horrible day ruined the lives around them. Lippman’s third stand-alone proves that she truly is a master of suspense. Like Every Secret Thing and To the Power of Three, she holds her cards close, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The best part is trying to figure out what the twist will be and she never fails to surprise every time. 04/07 Becky Lejeune

WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW by Clifford Garstang: In DC’s Chinatown lies a building called the Nanking Mansion. An assortment of people live within the condos that make up the building: there is Feng-qi who has recently lost his wife. He wants to find a new mother for his two young sons and has brought his own father over from China to help out. There are Susanna and Thomas, the young couple who seem to be inseparable until one day everything changes. Aloysius, a recent divorcee, whose condo shares a wall with the couple, has plans for his new home but hasn’t even bought furniture. Calvin, an unhappy painter, and Daniel, the sculptor, are both artists and both have their own demons to face. Charles and Craig live together with their dog, Sascha, but all is not well in their seemingly happy home. Everyone notices that Claudia has gotten much thinner, but none of her neighbors is really aware of the struggles she faces. Nathan, the author whose place is being sublet by Susanna, has recently returned. And then there’s Sam Artoyen, the building manager, using the basement for illicit napping. Each of these neighbors is as different as can be and each of them has a story to tell. Clifford Garstang’s collection of interconnected short stories makes for an interesting read. His talent lies in creating rich and flawed characters. Each story serves as a fascinating look through a different set of eyes. 11/12 Becky Lejeune

WHAT WE SAW AT NIGHT by Jacquelyn Mitchard: Xeroderma Pigmentosum is a rare genetic disorder that results in a dangerous sun allergy. For people who suffer from XP, even bright light can be fatal. Allie Kim and her two best friends, Rob and Juliet, all have XP. They sleep during the day and live by the dark of night. And they live each day to the fullest. When Juliet begins to teach Allie and Rob Parkour, the trio become heavily involved in the practice. But when one of their evenings of sport leads to their witness of what appears to be a crime, they quickly find themselves in a strange position. Allie is particularly fearful of the danger they could be facing. Juliet seems less willing to accept the fact and Rob isn’t quite sure, which leaves Allie alone in proving what they saw and in hopefully keeping them safe. Mitchard’s latest is the inaugural title in SOHO’s new Teen imprint. What We Saw at Night is a suspenseful teen mystery with an interesting premise and a cliffhanger ending – a promising start to the new imprint and one that will leave readers anxious for the follow up, What We Lost at Night. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

What’s Wrong with Dorfman by John Blumenthal: An entertaining read about a whiny hypochondriac. Well written and funny.

THE WHEEL OF DARKNESS by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child: Agent Pendergast is back. Pendergast and Constance Green have sought out the most reclusive monastery in Tibet. Here, Pendergast hopes that Contance will finally come to peace with the death of her manipulative captor, his own brother, Diogenes. Upon learning that Pendergast is an investigator, the monks present him with a problem and a task. Their monastery had been assigned the responsibility of keeping watch on a very dangerous and holy item, an item that has been recently stolen. They have asked Pendergast to retrieve the item before its evil can be set loose on the world. Pendergast follows this item from Tibet to England and traces it to the ocean liner Brittania, a massive ship about to make its maiden voyage to New York. He secures passage for himself and Constance and, true to form, maneuvers his way into the reluctant graces of the ship’s staff. Shortly after the ship sets sail, passengers come up missing. Then, passengers begin to show up dead and Pendergast must find the item in question in order to stop the madness that has only just begun. Although the authors are adamant (and right) that each of the titles featuring Pendergast can be read as stand-alones, I personally recommend reading them in order. Pendergast, a strange FBI agent who first appears in The Relic grows more and more captivating with each new book. This title especially draws some of those characteristics that fans know and love about the character into question making it a wholly absorbing and thrilling read. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

THE WHEELMAN by Duane Swierczynski: On the back flap of the jacket it says: “A receipt for This Here’s a Stickup, Duane’s nonfiction book on American bank robbery, was found in the getaway car of a San Francisco bandit who’d hit at least thirty California banks.” The leap to fiction wasn’t that bold – this is the story of the very quiet Lennon, the getaway driver for a big bank robbery gone awry in Philadelphia. It’s always interesting when the hero is the bad guy, and this book is no exception to that. Throw in a loosely knit community of bank robbers, the Russian mob, the Italian mob, and crooked cops who are all chasing the money and you start to get the picture of this fast paced, violent yet funny book. Swierczynski may well be the future of crime fiction writing. 11/05 Stacy Alesi

WHEN THE DARK MAN CALLS by Stuart Kaminsky: Ten-year old Jean Kaiser discovered her parents murdered in their bed in North Carolina. Now, twenty-five years later, Jean, a Chicago radio talk-show host with a daughter of her own, is being stalked by a man she knows only by a slow, sinister voice on the telephone. Soon she discovers that the man who killed her parents 25 years ago has been released and is now in Chicago. Reminiscent of Play Misty for Me and just as intriguing. 12/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WHEN A MAN LOVES A WEAPON by Toni McGee Causey: Bobbie Faye is back and in the biggest trouble ever. After she and Trevor Cormier survive their run-in with Sean MacGregor, Bobbie Faye is in need of some domestic bliss. Though Trevor has proposed (and she’s accepted, of course), the two only have a short time playing house before Trevor is sent out on a new op. He’s supposed to be back in two, three days tops, but it’s been seven and Bobbie Faye’s more than a little antsy. Convinced that MacGregor couldn’t possibly be a threat—and so not caring at this point if he is—Bobbie Faye sets out to find (and save) her fiancée. Unfortunately, the only person she can really trust to help her just happens to be her ex, Cam Moreau. His skills as a detective make him perfect for the job, but Cam’s determined to win Bobbie Faye back and won’t let a little diamond ring stand in the way. And although MacGregor, the Irish mobster, has been MIA, he’s been waiting for his chance and is not going down without a fight. Add in a bomb expert with a major grudge, and our favorite Contraband Queen doesn’t stand a chance. This outing is much darker than the previous titles in the series, and though the humor is still there, When a Man Loves a Weapon pushes the series into more of a romantic suspense category than before. I think it shows that Causey is just going to continue to get better and better. A must-read. 08/09 Becky Lejeune

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka: This tiny book packs a big emotional wallop. This is a story about a Japanese-American family living in Berkeley, California during World War II. The father is arrested and sent to a New Mexico prison. A few weeks later, the mother and children are sent to an internment camp in Utah, and they, like the reader, never knows why any of this happens. We are never told the family member’s names, and the story is told very matter-of-factly and without too many grisly details, which just made it all the more powerful for me. Their day-to-day existence is bleak while in the camp, but the harsh realities of freedom don’t come any easier after they are released. The lyrically written final chapter sadly illustrates that this family’s story is really the story of every Japanese-American family that was living in America during the early 1940s. When the Emperor Was Divine is a beautiful homage to an ugly and shameful piece of American history. Don’t miss it.

WHEN THE LAST MAGNOLIA WEEPS by Mary Saums: Willi Taft has multiple challenges this Christmas – a series of warehouse thefts, a murdered priest, and a defaced statue of a civil war general. Who says being a PI is boring? Decisions, decisions, decisions. Okay, lets set the warehouse theft case aside for the next book, focus on the murdered priest since a friend is a suspect there, and in the meantime be on the lookout for anyone dastardly enough to paint a Santa Claus suit on the general, and put wooden reindeer antlers and a shiny red nose on his horse. The plot thickens. The priest isn’t who he said he was, and neither are some of the others. All the mysteries eventually are solved, except the warehouse thefts, and Willi’s life is forever changed. Lets just hope this is not the last we see of her. Recommended. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS? by Kate Atkinson: Jackson Brodie was trying to return to London after a secret trip north to meet the boy he believes is his son. He hops a train, but soon finds that he’s headed in the wrong direction, then the absolute worst happens. The train is derailed and Brodie almost dies. Sixteen-year-old Regina (Reggie) Chase just happens to be in the area when the accident occurs. With her quick thinking and first-aid training, she manages to revive Brodie long enough for the paramedics to arrive. Meanwhile, Reggie’s employer, Dr. Joanna Hunter has learned that the man who murdered her family thirty years ago has just been released from prison. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Monroe is the sad bearer of that news and suggests that Joanna leave town until the expected media frenzy runs down. Louise’s involvement though, is a result of Joanna’s husband and the investigation into his business practices. All four of their stories collide in a most unexpected way. This carefully constructed mystery is a complete surprise for readers. Each character and their respective tales are like pieces of a puzzle, by the end of the book they fit together perfectly. This is my first Kate Atkinson, but it is the third to feature Brodie. It can, as far as I can tell, be read as a complete stand-alone quite easily. 09/08 Becky Lejeune

WHERE THE DEAD LAY by David Levien: PI Frank Behr returns in this follow-up to Levien’s debut, City of the Sun. When Frank discovers his Jiu-jitsu mentor dead, murdered in his own studio, he becomes blinded to everything but the case. Meanwhile, a high-end agency has hired Behr to look into the disappearance of two of its agents. Behr discovers that the two cases share a common link and becomes determined to solve it, no matter the cost. The investigation leads him to a ring of illegal suburban gambling houses and one twisted family hiding a secret. Levien’s sophomore release is a good mystery and a worthwhile read. Where the Dead Lay doesn’t quite pack the punch that City did, but in some ways it is a heavier read. Levien adds more layers to his hero and will leave readers wondering what comes next. 07/09 Becky Lejeune

WHERE WE BELONG by Emily Giffin: I listened to the audio book version, read by Orlagh Cassidy, who did an excellent job. Marian Caldwell has it all; fantastic job producing a hit TV show, a gorgeous NYC apartment, a good looking and powerful boyfriend. Her life takes a sudden turn with a late night knock on her door; the baby she gave up for adoption eighteen years earlier has found her. Kirby is 18 and legally gains access to her file. She decides she wants to meet her biological parents but only gets her mother’s name. Turns out Marian never told the father she was pregnant, in fact she lied and told him she wasn’t. Meeting Kirby has stirred up all sorts of problems; Marian never told her boyfriend about having a baby, and he’s pissed, especially when she tells him the father never knew either. The only one she told was her mother, who swore she wouldn’t tell her father. This bed of lies starts unraveling, turning their lives inside out and forcing Marian and Kirby to appreciate each other and their families. I couldn’t put it down but was disappointed with the ambiguous ending. 7/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE by Maria Semple: Bernadette Fox is a world renown, award winning architect who disappears into the Seattle suburbs with her equally brilliant husband, a Microsoft guru. Their daughter Bee chronicles most of this epistolary novel with first person narrative interspersed with emails, legal documents, and such. Bee attends a private school, and when she aces her semester claims her prize; a trip to Antarctica. Bernadette is getting progressively more agoraphobic, and the thought of traveling frightens her. She’s hired a woman in India via the Internet as a sort of personal assistant to handle all of the things Bernadette no longer can bear to do. But as the trip approaches, Bernadette’s behavior becomes so odd that her husband is forced to act, which ultimately triggers Bernadette’s flight. She disappears, leaving her daughter heartbroken but determined to find her. Bee’s voice is charming and compelling, and this is ultimately the story of a mother daughter relationship in a world gone mad. I loved it. 1/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU by Julianna Baggott & Steve Almond: The debate rages on: can you call a book “chick lit” when the author is a guy? How about if only one of the authors is a guy? This is an epistolary novel about Jane and John, who meet at a wedding. Just as they are about to get intimate, he decides he likes her too much to go through with it, and they decide to try and get to know each other first – through letters. Not even email, but through regular snail mail letters. They return to their respective homes in NY and Philadelphia and commence writing. They tell each other everything, and still they continue. Lots of sexy letters, some amateur psychoanalysis and frankly, it’s rather like being a voyeur, peering over someone’s shoulder and reading their mail. Lots of fun. 06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHILE DROWNING IN THE DESERT by Don Winslow: Another “Don Winslow Lite” outing for Neal Carey. Cary is a reluctant operative for the Friends of the Family, a private investigation firm owned by “The Bank” in Providence, R.I. for the benefit of their wealthier clients. This time Neal is sent to Las Vegas to pick up one 86 year old Nathan Silverstein and return him to his California home. Turns out Silverstein is actually the aging, legendary vaudeville comedian Natty Silver. Neal thinks the most dangerous part of the assignment is being forced to listen to Silver’s shtick nonstop. (Says Silver, I was the one who taught Costello the Who’s on First? Routine). Turns out there are some bad guys after Silver – Heinz, a German money-launderer, and his Lebanese sidekick, Sami, who’s dumber than wood. Meanwhile, Neal’s girl, Karen, is in a raging hurry for marriage and motherhood; and Hope White (billed as “The Great Hope White”), a Vegas performer no longer as young as she once was, is rekindling an old torch for Natty. Neal isn’t a tough guy, but he’s pretty lucky. Lucky enough to find water in the sand and ferry the irascible Natty to safety. 08/10 Jack Quick

WHILE GALILEO PREYS by Joshua Corin: The bodies pile up faster than you can count in this serial killer thriller with political and religious overtones. Former FBI profiler Esme Stuart is caught in the middle after closing the door on her promising FBI career with her marriage to Rafe Stuart and move to Long Island to start a family. Her mentor and ex-boss Tom Piper needs her back to find the link to this madman. Doing so endangers her marriage, her life, and the lives of her husband and daughter Sophie. Corin overplays the career versus family conflict but all in all an acceptable thriller with a deliciously twisty ending. 08/11 Jack Quick

WHILE I DISAPPEAR by Ed Wright: In his second outing, John Ray Horn, a disgraced former movie cowboy and ex-con walks the mean streets of post-WWII Los Angeles in search of the brutal killer who snuffed out the life of Rose Galen, a faded leading lady who co-starred in one of Horn’s films. A shameful secret from the victim’s past forces Horn to challenge the official theory of the crime-that the killing was a random act. Aided by his current boss (and former faithful movie sidekick) Joseph Mad Crow, Horn pounds the pavement and reaches out to old friends to identify the source of Galen’s guilty conscience. 04/06 Jack Quick

WHIPLASH RIVER by Lou Berney: Shake Bouchon has left behind his life of crime and is the proud owner of his very own restaurant. Located in tropical Belize, Shake is confident that he can make it work – and he has to considering he owes a ton of cash to the local drug boss, Baby Jesus, in return for the loan it took to buy the restaurant in the first place. So when someone comes in shooting up the place, Shake knows it’s going to be bad for business. Unfortunately, after playing hero in the event, he finds himself the target of an assassin. When the restaurant goes up in flames, literally, Shake knows he’s got to get out of town quick. Thankfully he has made one friend in the ordeal: Quinn, the man whose life he saved in the shootout. It’s Quinn who turns Shake onto a heist that could bring in some big bucks. Unable to resist, Shake calls on his ex to lend a hand and soon finds himself and his entourage in Egypt planning said job. But can Shake shake those who are after him and get the girl and the cash? This is the second in Berney’s new series but it reads just fine on its own. His style is quick and the dialogue in particular is snappy and funny. Whiplash River is a fun caper mystery that begs to be read in one sitting. 8/12 Becky Lejeune

WHISPERS UNDER GROUND by Ben Aaronovitch: The murder of a US Senator’s son in London stinks of something supernatural, so of course Peter Grant has been called in to investigate. As a representative of the Folly, Peter’s job involves anything with a suspected magical slant. With the newly apprenticed Lesley by his side, Peter follows the leads straight to London’s underground and beyond. But according to his governor, there’s nothing strange in London’s multitude of below ground tunnels. Even the River sisters whose waterways crisscross the very same tunnels have reported nothing untoward in their territory. Undeterred, Peter soon finds evidence of something very strange indeed, something that places this case firmly in Folly purview. Aaronovitch continues to gain traction as the series continues, adding to an already fabulous premise and also expanding on the overall arc of the story with the mystery of the faceless man and the continued investigation into Folly enemies. 8/12 Becky Lejeune
WHIRLWIND by Joseph Garber: Charlie McKenzie is the best – even though he is now disgraced, dismissed and discarded, he is still the best. So when a secret weapon called Whirlwind is stolen by a gorgeous Russian spy Irina, the establishment has no choice but to bring him back. Charlie and Irina are the main characters but there is no absence of villains including a corrupt national security adviser and an evil South African mercenary who are also pursuing Irina. It’s pure escapism, but very nicely done and suspenseful to the very end. Of course there are plot holes if you look closely enough, and enough coincidences to also strain credibility, but hey, when a guy moons the national Security Advisor and threatens to do the same with the President, why can you not go along. Highly recommended. 10/08 Jack Quick

WHISKEY AND WATER by Nina Wright: Not a bad cozy once you get past the cutesy names. The protag is Realtor Whiskey Mattimoe who has a new shitzapoo pup named Velcro and an Afghan hound named Abra (cadabra?). Then, there’s MacArthur the hunky Scotsman, self help author Fenton Flagg, and one Jeb Halloran, who promotes a hormonal reaction from Whiskey, along with other assorted characters. The town of Magnet Springs, Michigan is already uneasy, what with the sightings of former mayor Gil Gruen who drowned last winter (in a previous Whiskey Mattimoe outing) when Abra happens on a crime scene on the shores of Lake Michigan. The victim is Twyla Rendel, newly hired cashier at the Food Duck grocery and tenant in one of Mattimore’s properties. Was Twyla the victim of a rip tide or some other cause? As with most series cozies, all is well at the end in preparation for round five. 06/08 Jack Quick

Whiskey Sour: A Jack Daniels Mystery by J.A. Konrath: I wanted something to escape into, that would make me laugh but even more importantly, keep me turning the pages, and this sure fit the bill. This new series features a Chicago police lieutenant named Jacqueline Daniels, Jack for short – she’s single, middle-aged, and definitely has some history. The story revolves around a serial killer called The Gingerbread Man, who is not only is on a killing spree, he is torturing his victims before killing them, a definite gruesome and gore alert. The secondary characters are well drawn and real, the setting somehow makes Chicago seem intimate, and the story flows. Konrath did a great job, it is so well written that it is hard to believe this is a first novel. Check out the author’s website, http://www.jakonrath.com/ for an excerpt.

WHISKEY SOUR by J. A. Konrath: Chicago Police Department Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels has a particularly gruesome series of homicides on her plate. The “Gingerbread Man” is torturing and killing attractive young women, and then leaving their bodies in very public places. Somewhat uneven and certainly not breaking any new ground, hopefully Konrath, like good Tennessee whiskey, will improve with age. 05/06 Jack Quick

A WHISPER TO THE LIVING by Stuart Kaminsky: Unfortunately Stuart Kamisnky died in the fall of 2009, so A Whisper to the Living is probably our last look at Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, an honest policeman in a very dishonest post-Soviet Union. Rostnikov and his team are searching for a serial killer who has claimed at least 40 victims. Also on their plate is the job of protecting a visiting British journalist who is working on a story about a Moscow prostitution ring. In the middle of all this Rostnikov and his team uncover a chain of murders that lead to a source too high to be held accountable if the police want to keep their jobs or their lives. A typically good Kaminsky read with an eerie title, under the circumstances. If this is the end of the series, it is a fitting one. 01/10 Jack Quick

THE WHISPERER by Donato Carrisi: Mila Vasquez’s specialty is finding the missing. And so, when a mass burial site containing six human arms is discovered, Mila is called in to help. Each of the arms belongs to one of five missing girls. No one knows who the sixth might be. Criminalist Goran Gavila and his team are assigned the case, but Mila is expected to be the key to solving it. Together they will work to unravel a crime that is so heinous and twisted, it will turn all their worlds around. The idea of a killer who never lifts a finger in the act of the crime is disturbing and Carrisi’s twists make it even more so. The Whisperer is dark – really, really dark. It’s definitely one that stays with you long after you put it down. Originally published in 2009, The Whisperer has made its way around Europe before landing on shelves in the States. Hopefully we’ll all be seeing more from this author very soon. 2/12 Becky Lejeune

WHITE by Christopher Whitcomb: This is a follow-up to Whitcomb’s first novel, Black. Hopefully he has good color sense because this is another first rate techno-thriller. Three simultaneous bombings rock the United States. As the President goes on the air to calm the nation, three foreign airline jumbo jets crash at different American airports. In Indonesia, a CIA black operation against a terrorist cell is successful, but three of the six terrorists are good old- fashioned American boys. Post 9/11 elevates to a higher gear with evidence that active support for the Islamic Jihad is coming from within the United States. Special Agent Jeremy Waller from Black has his work cut out for him in this one, as the trail leads all the way to the White House. 09/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

The White by Deborah Larsen, Knopf: Larsen is a poet and short story writer. This is her first novel. Mary Jemison’s capture in 1758 by a Shawnee raiding party is a story that is well known, but under Larsen’s skilled hand it is fresh, intriguing, full of life and beautiful details. I loved the authenticity that Larsen brought to living on the land. The destruction of Mary’s family and her adoption into the world of the Seneca will challenge you . . . and would make a great book to discuss with a group. PS: Larsen herself is an interesting story: she was a nun who left the convent in the 1960’s and her next book will be a non-fiction memoir which I can’t wait to read! ~This review contributed by Ann Nappa

A WHITE ARREST by Ken Bruen: This 2003 offering from Ken Bruen has stood up well in the past decade. Two cops, sixty-two year old Chief Inspector Roberts and his partner, the gleefully brutal Detective Sergeant Brant, after looking for the policemen’s dream: the White Arrest, a high-profile success that makes up for all their past failures. When a bat-wielding lunatic starts lynching drug dealers, Roberts and Brant find the publicity they were looking for. They’ll get their arrest—no matter who they have to pummel through on the way. As with all Bruen, not for the faint of heart, this is not so much a police procedural as a crime procedural, and a good one. 2/13 Jack Quick

THE WHITE DEVIL by Justin Evans: Andrew Taylor screwed up. His college acceptances have been revoked and now he’s given one last chance to clean up his act and get back on track when his father sends him overseas to Harrow School. The four-hundred-year-old British private school has played host to foreign statesmen, eight former Prime Ministers, even royalty… and Lord Byron. It is this famed alumni who is the subject of a play in progress at Harrow and Andrew, who everyone says looks remarkably similar to the poet, is picked to play the lead. But when Andrew witnesses the murder of a friend and classmate, everything at Harrow starts to go wrong. The coroner says the dead student was very sick, but Andrew knows what he saw. And when the murderer appears to him again, Andrew decides he must find out the truth—the truth about the famous Lot ghost and the truth about his friend’s death. This is just Evans’s second novel, but as with A Good and Happy Child, he’s managed to create another completely enthralling tale this time in a modern gothic style with a supernatural twist and famous literary characters. 05/11 Becky Lejeune

WHITE HORSE by Alex Adams: They called the virus White Horse, in honor of the apocalypse it brought with it. Most of the population died of the infection, a small portion appeared to be immune, and the rest became horribly mutated creatures, barely resembling the humans they once were. Before it all came crashing down, Zoe Marshall was just a cleaner at Pope Pharmaceuticals. Recently widowed, Zoe’s main concern was what to do next. Then the jar appeared. An innocent enough container slipped into her apartment while she wasn’t there. The appearance coincides with some of the first deaths, but Zoe is too afraid to see what’s inside. Now, not only does she seem to be immune, but she’s also carrying a child. In the wake of the outbreak, Zoe travels to Europe, following the small shred of a clue that may lead her to the father of her unborn baby. White Horse is an amazing debut. The tale transitions back and forth between the beginning of the outbreak—what led up to Zoe’s current quest—and Zoe’s present. Alex Adams’s writing is poetic even at the most horrific moments of the story. 4/12 Becky Lejeune

THE WHITE LEAGUE by Thomas Zigal: Paul Blanchard and Mark Morvant are college roommates at Tulane University in New Orleans, when both are involved in a tragedy which they cover up. Now in the 1990’s, Blanchard is the respected CEO of the Blanchard family coffee business and a progressive Southerner. Morvant is a white supremacist candidate for governor who threatens to tell all, unless Blanchard not only supports his effort, but enlists the wealthy businessmen from the White League, a secret society that wields great behind the scenes power in New Orleans to back him as well. I’d call this modern Southern gothic if I had to categorize it with overtones of Greg Isles and just a hint of James Lee Burke. With lines like, “New Orleans – The Catholics built it, the Jews own it and the niggers enjoy it,” it’s not pretty but I found it an interesting read which perhaps would have been even better as a prequel to Burke’s The Tinroof Blowdown. 08/07 Jack Quick

THE WHITE MARY by Kira Salak: Marika Vecera is a young war reporter driven by the danger experienced during her assignments. During a trip to the Congo, she is held captive by rebel soldiers and barely escapes with her life. She returns to the States, battered and beaten, mentally worn. Upon her return, she discovers that her idol/mentor Robert Lewis, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, has committed suicide. She devotes her life for the next several months to writing his biography. During her research, she discovers evidence that indicates Lewis is still alive, living in a remote village in Papua New Guinea. Drawn to the possibility that Lewis is still alive, Marika embarks on a journey not knowing what she will find. Her guide is Tobo, a medicine man, provides her with guidance along the way. During this journey, Marika learns a lot about humankind, and more importantly, herself. The White Mary is an incredibly powerful and empowering tale about one woman’s dedication to her career. While the scenes detailing the atrocities that are occurring clear across the world are difficult to read at times, the end result gives you an appreciation for all that we have as inhabitants of the “civilized” world. 08/08 Jennifer Lawrence

THE WHITE MARY by Kira Salak: Journalist Marika Vecera has made her career traveling to some of the world’s most dangerous war-torn countries in search of her next story. When she learns that her idol, famed journalist Richard Lewis, has died as the result of a suicide, she decides to write his life story in hopes of learning what could possibly have caused him to take his own life. Just a few months into her project, however, Marika receives information that leads her to believe that Lewis may in fact still be alive. A missionary stationed in Papua New Guinea had attempted to contact Lewis’s sister claiming that he had seen Lewis in the jungles of New Guinea. Lewis’s sister had written the man off as a flake, but Marika is not so sure. Marike decides to travel to Papua New Guinea herself in an attempt to learn the truth. Her journey is harrowing and at times utterly gruesome. It’s scary and humbling to think that much of Marika’s adventures both in Papua New Guinea and in her job as a journalist are actually based on Kira Salak’s own experiences. Salak alternates chapters between Marika’s current journey and her experiences that led her there, allowing the reader insight into her emotional motivations as well as her physical travels. An amazing read that will absorb and consume readers. 08/08 Becky Lejeune

WHITE NOISE by Don DeLillo: When I first read White Noise twenty-five years ago, I felt that it was an important book and Don DeLillo was an author I should follow. The novel seemed to me to be an amazingly clever and effective satire of our society in the United States in general and of the academic community in particular. I have read most of what Mr. DeLillo has written since that time and not felt myself as moved by these subsequent books. So I was particularly anxious to read White Noise again upon its 25th anniversary re-publication. I am pleased to report that not only has it withstood the test of time, but its messages may be even more relevant to our current society.

The main character in the novel, Jack Gladney, is a college professor in an archetypical small town. He is the creator and head of the Department of Hitler Studies within the college’s cultural studies division. He is envied by his peers for having created an entirely new discipline (despite his secretly never having learned to speak German). The interactions of Jack and his colleagues underline the potential for vacuity in such studies – a seminar in car crash movies, for example. And although these academics speak with heavy portent, the content of their discussion is almost always without significance. Surely, that has relevance to our present society in which the communications industry wants “content” rather than ideas and financial institutions are selling “product” rather than investments.
One theme of the book is the ever-present noise in our society. The “white noise” discussed by DeLillo’s book involves television and radio and commercial messages. Surely, the noise level is even higher (and less meaningful) today with the internet, social networking, iPods, texting and twittering. In this day and age, White Noise seems not just relevant but prescient.
A second major theme is the fear of death. Jack is exposed to probably lethal chemicals during an “airborne toxic event.” This airborne toxic event is at the core of the story – Jack and his family first hear about it simply as a part of the noise, then they can see it drawing closer, then they are ordered to evacuate. Subsequently, Jack is told by his doctor that, at some point, the substance he has ingested will kill him.
Jack’s wife, Babette, has an obsessive fear of death of her own. This leads her to submit to a sad and sleazy affair with the manufacturer of an illegal drug designed to control the fear of death. The juxtaposition of “white noise” and the fear of death poses the question of whether we generate this white noise simply to avoid that fear.
I don’t know if I would call White Noise a classic, but it is a good work-out for your brain and surely a book that you should read. 03/10 Geoffrey R. Hamlin
WHITE MEAT by Peter Corris: “She’s a blonde, thin, a bitch and a bloodsucker. She acts freaked out, you know? But she’s really ice-cool. Know what we call her down here?” Hardy shook his head. “White Meat.” Noni is the missing, beautiful, spoiled daughter of Hardy’s bookie, Ted Tarleton. Tarleton wants her found and is willing to pay for his wishes. Hardy is in that business and can stand a few knocks if it keeps him in tobacco and booze, even if it means taking on a killer of a case. Another strong outing for Australia’s foremost private enquiry agent. 12/07 Jack Quick

The White Road by Robert DeMaria: Set in the 1950’s, this finely written novel of friendship and love is both moving and thought provoking. The depth and personality of the characters were extremely satisfying, as were the historical references to the time period. A truly lovely book. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHITE SHADOW by Ace Atkins: I have tried the Nick Travers series twice and couldn’t get into them. I thought this one would be different. It’s about the unsolved murder of real-life Tampa crime boss Charlie Wall in 1955. The plot turns on the quest to find the killer, taking detective Ed Dodge and a local reporter on a journey from Tampa’s Latin Quarter to pre-revolutionary Havana. I don’t know whether it’s my prior experience, excessive detail, too many characters or just my own Tampa experiences conflicting with Atkins’ remembrances, but I just couldn’t ever get into this one either, so laid it down near the half way point. 07/07 Jack Quick

WHITE SHOTGUN by April Smith: In the language of the mafias, a murder where the body is never found is called lupara bianco, or white shotgun. It is such a murder combined with the surfacing of a previously unknown half-sister that sends Ana Grey down the rabbit hole of an FBI undercover operation into one of the ‘mafias.’ Nicoli Nicosa, a new breed mafia associate who operates as a coffee magnate, is a primary person of interest for the FBI. When it becomes known that Nicosa’s wife, Cecilia, is a half-sister Ana never knew existed, and has reached out to Ana for an unknown reason, the FBI brass force Grey into a deep-cover op to gather intelligence. When Cecilia is kidnapped, Ana finds that a red sense of family inspires her to step outside the FBI and risk her career by working “off the books” with her sister’s mobster husband to bring Cecilia home. Enlisting the help of her ex-Delta-Force boyfriend, Sterling McCord, and a tactical force of recruited mercenaries, Ana hangs her life and career over the edge to recover her sister, dead or alive. Nicely done. 07/11 Jack Quick

White Teeth by Zadie Smith: Amazing first novel but didn’t live up to it’s hype, at least not for me. But then again, what book does? (Harry Potter excluded!) This book has been short listed for what seems like every award, without a win yet.

THE WHITE TIGER by Aravind Adiga: If not a “must read”, Aravind Adiga’s debut novel, The White Tiger, certainly qualifies as a “should read.” It was the recipient of this year’s Man Booker prize in the face of very stiff competition. (Salman Rushdie was not even short-listed). Adiga, who describes himself as influenced by Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, tells the story of Balgram, a precocious but extremely poor Indian child, who through use of his wits and a disturbing crime of opportunity, converts himself into a successful entrepreneur in the New India. The story is told in epistolary fashion in a series of letters to the premier of China in order to facilitate the premier’s understanding of India before he comes to visit. While it is told in humorous fashion, the magnitude of Indian poverty, corruption, and class restrictions are starkly outlined and a reminder to us all that even during times of economic miracles, many are left behind. And after his success, Balgram remains as invisible to the authorities as he was as a poor child in the keeping of a corrupt school master. 12/08 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

WHITE TIGER by Michael Allen Dymmoch: In 1992, Michael Allen Dymmoch won St. Martin’s contest for “best traditional mystery” for THE MAN WHO UNDERSTOOD CATS, which was anything but a “traditional” mystery. From the start, I’ve been a fan of this author and her series featuring John Thinnes and Jack Caleb.
Why isn’t it traditional? For one thing, a major focus of the book is the very real and hard-won friendship between the two men. Caleb, a psychiatrist is gay and Thinnes, a pretty traditional sort of guy, is a Chicago police detective. The stories often delve into real life issues, real life people and they have always made me think.
The newest book in the series is WHITE TIGER which was just nominated for a “Lammy Award” in the category of “Gay Men’s Mystery” from the Lambda Literary Foundation. The issue is Vietnam, which for many Americans still has enormous influence and consequence. Hue An Lee is found dead; twenty-five years ago, she mattered to Thinnes back in Saigon, where he served as an MP. His connections to her and her son Tien Lee, mean that he’s too close to investigate the murder. Caleb served as a medic, and the alternating stories of then and now from the perspectives of the two men, are at times fascinating, at times sorrowful. If you have no interest or understanding of this period of American history, WHITE TIGER might not appeal. But it’s not a diatribe, it’s not for or against the war or the Vietnamese people, it’s just a story of a time in people’s lives that had a huge impact, and how they all, separately and together, dealt with it and the ways in which the conflict still affects people.
Dymmoch always knows what she’s doing when she writes. The series isn’t flashy, but the books never fail to impress me and WHITE TIGER is no exception. 03/06 Andi Shechter

WHITEOUT by Ken Follett: When you are Ken Follett, even an “off work” is still pretty darn good. The setting is Scotland and the action revolves around Christmas at a pharmaceuticals company that makes antiviral drugs. Two doses of an experimental drug are missing, a technician and a lab rabbit are dead, the owner’s estranged son is planning to break into the lab because of his gambling debts, the female head of security is falling for the widowed owner whose daughter’s are on the edge of a husband swapping episode. In the middle of this soap opera a pretty good actual mystery breaks out and is eventually resolved. Unfortunately the characters are not as fully developed as they could be and the plot is quite predictable. Not his best effort, but still readable. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WHITEWASH by Alex Kava: Sabrina Galloway’s once close-knit family has crumbled in the wake of her mother’s death. Her father has had himself committed to an institution and her brother has seemingly disappeared, so Sabrina has dropped everything to move to Florida and be closer to her father. A position in the lab at EchoEnergy and participation in what could be the greatest scientific achievement of the century is something Sabrina is excited to be a part of. EchoEnergy has come up with a way to accelerate oil production through special processing of meat by-products. This new technology promises to free the United States from its dependency on other countries for oil. Sabrina is surprised and worried, however, when she discovers that EchoEnergy’s innovative processing plan may not be working quite as expected. Her boss, the man who developed the technology, has gone missing and no one else seems to be concerned with her discovery. Then, Sabrina witnesses the murder of a co-worker and news reports are calling her the killer. It looks as if someone has taken her suspicions seriously after all and means to shut her up permanently. Kava is well known for her profiling series featuring FBI agent Maggie O’Dell. Whitewash, an eco/political thriller, is her first stand-alone. The plot is interesting and the political aspect is not so heavy that the average reader will feel bogged down. Fans will love it and it’s the perfect opportunity for new readers to give Kava a try. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

WHO IS SHAYLA HACKER? by Evan Kilgore: Five different people – a lonely systems analyst in a large city, a 17 year small-town girl abandoned by an older brother, a groom who is a self mutilator who abandons his wife on their wedding day, a retiring police detective, and a female blue collar contractor working to renovate an airport terminal. All are connected by a single question – Who is Shayla Hacker? Thus begins a strange journey in a book I personally found fascinating. Driven by an obsession the five strangers don’t fully understand they cross the country and the world, passing through each other’s lives, in search of a girl and an answer. In spite of being warned off by authorities they continue until the answer is finally revealed, or is it? An unusual and very enjoyable outing. 07/07 Jack Quick

THE WHOLE TRUTH by David Baldacci: Viral marketing is a marketing technique that uses pre-existing social networks to achieve marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet. When the huge advertising and lobbying budget of mega-defense contractor, Ares Corporation, seem to be losing its effectiveness, Nicholas Creel, the billionaire founder of the company, decides to use viral marketing to generate new demand. As he says, “I’m not interested in wars that stop at a hundred days or devolve into gloried gangland street fights. That doesn’t even pay the light bill.” Starting by planting fake news stories on the Internet about Russian atrocities, the propaganda campaign soon turns violent with the massacre of the members of a London think tank, the Phoenix Group, apparently by a Russian hit team. It’s all high tech and high suspense, with only a shadowy operative named A. Shaw and a disgraced female journalist to thwart Creel’s evil plot. Better leave the lights on for this one which is reminiscent of some of the early Robert Ludlum thrillers. 05/09 Jack Quick

WICKED APPETITE by Janet Evanovich: For the past few years, Evanovich has been serving up a smaller, lighter version of her Stephanie Plum books called “Between the Numbers” novels, all based around holiday themes, i.e. Plum Spooky, Visions of Sugar Plums, and so forth. The major differences between the regular Plum books and these were size (these were 200 page books) and a supernatural character named Diesel. This new book is based on that character.
Diesel is an “unmentionable” giving him certain powers like the ability to open any locked door by merely touching it. He’s also a very hot blonde, with a dark, sexy cousin, Gerwulf Grimoire, who is his evil counterpart. In this novel he shows up in Salem, Massachusetts, at the home of Elizabeth Tucker, cupcake baker extraordinaire. Turns out she’s an unmentionable too, only she didn’t know it. Diesel is on the search for stones that represent the “7 Deadly Sins” so that he can keep them safe from his cousin. The first, gluttony, is supposed to be in Salem. Lots of Plum-inspired hijinks ensue as they hunt down the stone.
I enjoyed this book as it showcased Evanovich humor without the usual cast of characters. I liked the new characters; Tucker, a young, single woman who has inherited an old ramshackle house from a dead relative; Clara, her boss at the bakery; Glo, a co-worker who keeps trying out spells from a book she bought, instead creating havoc; and the setting. Salem, home to the infamous witch trials and now a tourist trap replete with magic shops on every corner, seems like yet another character in this light, funny book. Whether or not you’ve grown tired of the Plum books, but still enjoy Evanovich humor, then this book is for you. 09/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WICKED AUTUMN by G. M. Malliet: When one of my favorite authors, in this case, Mary Kay Andrews, personally recommends a book, I tend to take it seriously and get that book quickly. Wicked Autumn is the first book of a new English mystery series featuring Max Tudor, a former MI5 agent turned vicar of St. Edwold’s in the charming little village of Nether Monkslip. Tudor is an intriguing character as are the rest of the inhabitants of this sleepy little town. When Wanda, the unpopular leader of the Women’s Institute, is found dead in the village hall during the Harvest Fayre, the annual charity she arranged, no one really seems to mourn her but her husband, leaving a list of suspects that looked suspiciously like the census list. This is a traditional cozy English mystery with a touch of humor found in these characters and a well constructed plot that for me gets bogged down a bit by all the description. Nonetheless, it is a charming story. 3/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WICKED BUSINESS by Janet Evanovich: This is the continuing saga of Lizzy and Diesel, those other-worldly characters in search of the missing stones representing each of the deadly sins. We met Diesel years ago in a “between the numbers” Stephanie Plum book but he has moved from New Jersey to Massachusetts. Part romance, part fantasy and part mystery, these books are entertaining if you are easily entertained. Luckily this was my week for mindless fluff and this worked for me. This book centers on the search for the stone representing Lust, but despite that there is no sex in this book, just a hint of longing now and then. There are regular characters, and in this case by regular I mean reoccurring, because there is nothing regular about Wulf, Diesel’s evil cousin, Glo, who thinks she is a wizard, and of course Diesel’s pet monkey who is brighter than most people I know. There is also a new character, Anarchy, a wild woman who is also after Wulf’s powers and the stone and has a penchant for torching buildings. The plot is simple, the mystery forgettable but there are some laughs here if you like Evanovich’s broad sense of humor, and I do. 8/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WICKED CITY by Ace Atkins: “WELCOME TO PHENIX CITY, Alabama, population 23,205. Located across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia we offer all the basic amenities of small town Southern life. There’s Cobb’s Barber Shop, where kindly grey-headed gentlemen discuss local politics and current affairs between the buzz of the clippers and local radio ag reports. And we have the friendly Elite Café, where Mr. Ross Gibson will cook you up the best plate of eggs and grits with red-eye gravy you ever tasted. We have a Bentley’s Grocery Store, the Phenix City Pharmacy, and the wonderful Palace Theatre, where on Saturdays a kid can get in for fifty cents and watch the latest B westerns or the new adventure of Francis the Talking Mule. Phenix City also boasts Idle Hour Amusement park – you can take a miniature train from downtown into the hills and roller-skate, bowl, and swim. There is even a little zoo there with bears and lions and monkeys. All of this mixed with dozens of churches, Christian and civic clubs, and one of the best hospitals in east Alabama make Phenix City an ideal place for the family. Not to mention the world-famous nightclubs, clip joints, and brothels. Phenix City is probably best known for its whores.” Thus begins Atkins’ fictional account of the cleanup of Phenix City, which began after the state Attorney General-elect Albert Patterson, was shot and killed on June 18, 1954, after running a campaign to clean up Phenix City (He was succeeded by his son who carried out his father’s plan). Larger than life characters include Ex-boxer and appointed sheriff Lamar Murphy, opposed by crooked Deputy Bert Fuller, Madame (in the traditional sense) Fannie Belle, and the redneck mafia determined to keep Phenix City sinful and profitable. Although the ending is obvious, the journey is most enjoyable, particularly if you have a personal interest in the area, as I, a native Alabamian do. 05/08 Jack Quick

WICKED PREY by John Sandford: All books give you a sense of time and place, sometimes generic and sometimes specific. Sandford’s latest is very specific – the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN. For Lucas Davenport the headaches are just beginning. In addition to the usual assortment of protestors and hangers-on associated with this kind of event, Lucas has a crew of professional stickup men in town who’ve spotted several lucrative opportunities, ranging from political moneymen with briefcases full of cash to that armored-car warehouse with the weakness in its security system. A while back, a stray bullet put a pimp and petty thief named Randy Whitcomb in a wheelchair, and, ever since, the man has been nursing his grudge into a full head of psychotic steam. He blames Davenport for the bullet, but it’s no fun just shooting him. That wouldn’t be painful enough. Not when Davenport has a pretty fourteen-year-old adopted daughter that Whitcomb can target instead. And then there’s the young man with the .50 caliber sniper rifle and the right- wing-crazy background, roaming through a city filled with the most powerful politicians on earth. This may be the wildest “prey” yet, certainly one of the most adrenaline filled. Go for it, even if you are a Democrat. 07/09 Jack Quick

WIDE OPEN by Deborah Coates: Hallie Michaels has just ten days to find out what happened to her sister, Dell. Rumor has it that Dell committed suicide, but Hallie knows that can’t be the case. With Dell’s ghost trailing along, Hallie becomes determined to discover the truth behind her sister’s death. As more ghosts follow, it becomes clear that something strange is going on in Grand Rapids. While Wide Open has its own clear conclusion, it helps knowing that it’s just part of a larger story. What comes next for Hallie and her ghosts is unclear, but Coates has definitely created an intriguing heroine and a “wide open” range of possibilities for the follow up titles. 3/12 Becky Lejeune

THE WIDOW’S STRIKE by Brad Taylor: Number four in a series about a secret US government group designated as the Taskforce and Pike Logan who leads one of the squads in that group. Like the first three books Widow’s Strike is fast, engrossing and presents an operation described by a retired Delta Force officer that infuses it with a reality not available in many other novels about Special forces clandestine work. Pike, and his partner Jennifer Cahill own a business that designs protective systems for companies around the world which really gives them entree to travel freely doing Taskforce work. There is a developing romantic interest between Pike and Jennifer, but so far in the series is in the background. Jennifer works with Pike’s squad on missions and does the work of others in the group and with her fellows puts herself in harm’s way. A mutation of a deadly virus has fallen into the hands of a rogue group of Iranians who are determined to use it against the United States as punishment for daring to prohibit their country from developing nuclear weapons. Their chosen method of delivery is to use a Black Widow, a Chechen woman part of a group of suicide bombers, with a reputation for mass slaughter unrivaled in other groups. Pike and his group follow the Black Widow and her control officer across Southeast Asia and eventually into the US in order to stop them. Action is constant with no let up in chasing down the threats and working around the many obstacles placed in the Taskforce’s path. Brad Taylor has been in many of the places that his characters go to, and is very conversant with black operations and the reactions of the people taking part in them. A plus in this book is the characterization of the woman who is the Black Widow. Taylor goes into her thoughts and feelings and does a very credible job of fleshing out a person that is going to kill herself in order to kill others to life. We manage to get an idea of why she is there and why she continues to move towards her mission with the certain knowledge that she will not survive it. Book five in the series is a given and will undoubtedly prove as exciting as the first four when it comes out. 7/13 Paul Lane

WIFE 22 by Melanie Gideon: This book has garnered quite a bit of buzz and it is most deserving. And if the title, Wife 22, brings to mind that classic, Catch 22, it should; in “Q&A with Author Melanie Gideon” on Amazon.com, Gideon says she thinks of marriage as a “catch 22”. And so it is in this quirky epistolary novel about a couple who have been married for almost twenty years. Alice is feeling sort of stuck in a rut; she knows William loves her but is he bored with her? Is she bored with him? When Alice receives an email asking her to participate in a marriage study, she signs up and is assigned the anonymous moniker, “Wife 22” and is asked questions, via email, by the also anonymous “Researcher 101”. As the study goes on, Alice gets to relive the highlights and lowest points of her marriage and starts to have feelings for her researcher. Will they meet? Is she ready for an affair? Using emails, Facebook postings and such to propel the story along brings a fresh twist to this examination of marriage in the twenty-first century, along with a lot of laughs, and a lot of heart. These characters spring to life on the page and we can’t help but get emotionally invested. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. 6/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WIFE 22 by Melanie Gideon: Alice and William have been married for almost twenty years. The spark has become something of a fizzle of late and Alice isn’t sure what to do. When she receives an email regarding participation in a survey study on marriage in the 21st century, Alice signs up. Her anonymous contributions as Wife 22 allow Alice to look back at her relationship and remember the things that brought her and William together. Her online conversations with Researcher 101 (her anonymous contact at the study) makes Alice realize what’s missing in her relationship—just the kind of interest and attention Researcher 101 has been paying to her. Is Alice’s marriage reaching its end or is it possible to start again? Wife 22 is a truly sweet and heartwarming read. I loved Alice and all of her quirks and paranoia. Gideon’s whole cast of characters shines. 6/12 Becky Lejeune

WILD LAWS by Jim Hansen: The ninth entry in the Laws series sends Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry half way around the world to the mean streets of Hong Kong seeking a killer who has targeted a mysterious woman for death. It doesn’t take Coventry long to hook-up with a beautiful young Hong Kong detective. As his Denver homicide partner, Shalifa Netherwood says, “You’ve done this a thousand times, Bryson…you meet a woman and – bam. – everything else in the universe disappears.” Together Bryson and his Hong Kong cohort travel from the highest of high society haunts to the seediest underground hideaways to catch their prey. Throw in art and money, and s-e-x and you have the wildest Laws adventure yet. Not only is Coventry’s life potentially at stake – he may also lose his job in Denver. That would be a real bummer. And to top it off, Coventry isn’t even trying to solve the right crime. Can’t wait for the sequel to this one. 03/10 Jack Quick

THE WILD ROAD by Marjorie Liu: A woman wakes in a smoky hotel room with no memory of how she got there – no memories at all, actually. There are three dead bodies on the floor and a note pinned to her jacket that reads simply, “Run.” With nowhere to go and no other options, she escapes into the world outside. She ends up bumping into Lannes Hannelore, one of the few remaining gargoyles in the world. In spite of Lannes’s fear of letting anyone get to close, for reasons of his own, he feels compelled to help this woman. They soon find themselves on the run from an unknown assailant who seems to be able to find them anywhere they go. Their only solution is to track him down themselves and try to unravel the mystery of the woman’s identity along the way. The Wild Road is a steamy paranormal romance/mystery that reads like an adult fairytale. It is also the latest installment to Liu’s Dirk and Steele series. Dirk and Steele is a paranormal detective agency that links each book together. However, each title seems to focus on a new set of characters – readers can jump into the series at any point and skip around as much as they like without feeling at all lost. 11/08 Becky Lejeune

WILD THING by Josh Bazell: You should have no problem picking out this book at your local library or bookstore. Its the one with the international orange cover trimmed with bright white and egg yolk yellow. Inside the contents make the cover look tame. Dr. Lionel Azimuth, aka Dr. Peter Brown, aka former mob hit man Pietro Brnwa, is hired by a reclusive billionaire to go on an expedition looking for a legendary Loch Ness type monster in Minnesota. He sends along a sexy but self-destructive paleontologist to “assist” our hero. After working their way through an army of murderers, mobsters, and international drug dealers will they find the elusive lake monster? Better yet, will they even survive? If you enjoyed BEAT THE REAPER, you will love this follow-up. 3/12 Jack Quick

WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW? by Ed Gorman: Richard Conners, a notorious liberal in the small Iowa town of Black River Falls where PI and lawyer Sam McCain makes his living, shows up at McCain’s door, near death, and succumbs without naming his attacker. McCain has no faith in the investigative ability of local law enforcement, so he proceeds on his own. In short order, he’s also confronted with the deaths of a former FBI agent now fronting an anti-Communist organization and two other right-wing activists. Just as Ed McBain made the fictitious 87th precinct famous, Gorman has created a microcosm of late 1950’s America and populated it with interesting and sometimes offbeat characters who reflect the thoughts and conflicts of that time. A most enjoyable series. 01/10 Jack Quick

WILLING SPIRITS by Phyllis Schieber: Jane Hoffman and Gwen Baker have been friends for decades. Jane was there for Gwen when her husband, Theodore, left her to raise two young children alone. They’ve raised their children together and through the years their friendship has endured as well. Now, they are in their 40s and are facing larger, more painful crisis. Jane comes home early to find her husband, Arnold, in bed with another woman. Their marriage has never been a strong one. Arnold’s always been an empty shell of a man, more concerned about his needs than hers. And when Arnold attempts to walk right back into her life, rather than conceding to him like she’s done for their entire marriage, Jane begins to think first about what she wants. And when their daughter, Caroline, comes to her with news that will change their lives, Jane must be there to support her in a way her own mother was never able to do. Gwen has been in a relationship with Daniel, a married man, for several years. When he tells her that he’s going to leave his wife, she begins to wonder if this is what she really wants. She’d become used to having her own space, but now Daniel wants to move in with her. She can’t help but flash back to her marriage to Theodore and all she was forced to give up for that relationship. Is she ready to give up her independence again? Schieber tells an endearing tale about the friendship of two women. Despite the many challenges they each suffered in life, they never take for granted their friendship. Through the years as their friendship grows, they both discover a bit about themselves as well. Shieber’s lesson is an important one: value the needs of others but never forget the value of one’s self. 03/09 Jennifer Lawrence

THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE: A DARK TOWER NOVEL by Stephen King: As Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy make their way from the Green Palace to Calla, they find themselves stuck in a massive stormfront. The Starkblast is so rare that it’s the stuff of legend: always headed up by an unusually warm front, the storm is a sudden and sharp drop in temperature paired with massive winds that leaves destruction and death in its wake. As Roland and his ka-tet take refuge in an abandoned city hall, Roland regales the group with two stories from his youth. The first is one of his earliest adventures as a gunslinger, tracking and facing down a murderous skin-changer. The second is a story called “The Wind Through the Keyhole,” an old tale Roland’s own mother used to read him as a child. In series order the book falls between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla, but it brings very little to the series itself. Instead, The Wind Through the Keyhole is a small taste of Mid-World but it’s a welcome return to the series nonetheless. 1/13 Becky Lejeune

WINDWALKER by Natasha Mostert: In an attempt to escape from the memory of her brother’s recent death, photographer Justine Callaway takes a job as the caretaker of the English manor called Parradine Park. She knows nothing of the house’s dark history but is immediately drawn to the neglected estate. Justine soon finds herself becoming obsessed with events that took place in the home nearly a decade ago. Parradine Park was once the not so happy home of the Buchanan family. One evening, eldest son Adam snapped and murdered his own brother. Adam was never seen again. Unable to deal with the loss of her favorite son, their mother committed suicide and Adam’s sister abandoned the home shortly thereafter. Justine is haunted by this tale and to learn as much as she can about Adam Buchanan and the event that tore his family apart. Thousands of miles away, in a town called Kepler’s Bay, Adam Buchanan has made a new life for himself. He lives in almost complete solitude and never forgets the crime that caused this punishment. He does dream, however. Adam has long believed that his soul mate awaits him somewhere, in this life or the next. By strange coincidence, he happens across a magazine carrying and article about Justine. From that moment forward, he knows that she is the one. Will these two fated lovers meet or will their own tragic pasts keep them forever apart? As someone who does not typically read romance, I must say that this melancholy tale is very atypical to the genre. Mostert’s style is much more suitable to literary fiction and I think she would be much more appreciated there. I highly recommend Windwalker if you are looking for a great modern gothic read. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

WINGS TO THE KINGDOM by Cherie Priest: Eden Moore has been trying to keep her talent under wraps, but those seeking to connect with their dearly departed keep tracking her down anyway. When a friend mentions a recent spectral appearance at the Chickamauga battlefield, Eden’s curiosity is piqued. The area has always been host to a bevy of ghost stories but this latest stands out. A pair of professional ghost hunters has even come onto the scene to investigate. Then very real—and deadly—gunshots begin to once again ring out across the battlefield and Eden is caught in the crosshairs. Cherie Priest is admittedly one of my favorite authors. Her debut, and first in this series (Four and Twenty Blackbirds), was a chilling Southern ghost story and she doesn’t lose any steam in this second installment. Eden is a fantastic character and Priest makes excellent use of actual history and folklore in her tales, with some creative license of course. 12/10 Becky Lejeune

A WINTER HAUNTING by Dan Simmons: It’s been four decades since the summer when Dale and his friends fought evil in Elm Haven. Four decades since Duane McBride was murdered. Dale’s memories of that year are hazy at best, but after a failed suicide attempt, he’s decided that it’s time to return. His plan is to rent Duane’s old farmhouse and spend the next nine months writing his latest novel. But the farmhouse holds secrets as well as a lingering presence and Dale’s visit to his childhood hometown is plagued by strange events. Dale doesn’t believe in ghosts, but the alternative, that he might be finally losing his mind, is even worse. Simmons’s tales run the gamut from science fiction and horror to historical fiction and mystery, and each one I’ve read so far has been a complete masterpiece of fiction. I particularly love the atmosphere he’s able to build, which makes books like A Winter Haunting and its companion (they can each be read alone), Summer of Night, particularly chilling and exceptional horror reads. 03/11 Becky Lejeune

WITHER by Lauren DeStefano: After conquering cancer and creating a stronger, healthier generation of children through genetic manipulation, life expectancy strangely plummets: boys live to be twenty-five and girls live to be only twenty. No one has found a cure and many have lost hope altogether. To make matters worse, girls are being kidnapped and sold into polygamist marriages. Rhine and her twin brother Rowan have been taking care of each other since their parents died. At sixteen, they know that Rhine is at risk and their fears are realized when she is taken and forced to marry a wealthy Florida man. But Rhine is unwilling to play the role of token wife and breeder, and from day one, she begins hatching a plan for her escape. But Rhine never counted on becoming attached. She finds friends and allies in her fellow brides and a boy who works in the house, placing all of them in danger. A post-disaster, futuristic teen book that’s impossible to put down, Wither is definitely worth all of the hype. This first in the trilogy will leave readers breathless with anticipation of what will come next. 05/11 Becky Lejeune

WITHOUT MERCY by Lisa Jackson: Julia “Jules” Farentino is an unemployed twenty-five-year-old teacher battling the memories of her father’s murder. The nightmares and headaches were terrible enough to cause her issues at work, but it’s her sister who’s suffered the most. Shaylee’s behavior in recent years has landed her in enough trouble that she’s now been ordered to attend the Blue Rock Academy, a boarding school cut off from the outside world that is said to turn problem children around. In fact, the testimonials from past students and their parents would make the place seem like the perfect solution for Shay, but Jules is not convinced. A recent scandal involving one of the Academy’s teachers paired with a missing student who disappeared without a trace makes Jules certain that the school is hiding something sinister. Jules manages to obtain a teaching position at Blue Rock and arrives the same day that two students are attacked and left for dead on campus. Can Julia unravel the mystery of Blue Rock in time to save her sister or will she herself become a victim of whatever is stalking the campus? Lisa Jackson can always be relied upon for a thrilling read with plenty of twists. The surprise ending was bit expected and predictable, but didn’t make Without Mercy any less enjoyable. 04/10 Becky Lejeune

WICKED BREAK by Jeff Shelby: In his second outing, San Diego surfer PI Noah Braddock is hired by Peter Pluto to find Pluto’s brother Linc, a college student whose apartment has a stash of guns. In short order, Linc’s neighbor is shot, Pluto is killed, and Braddock is severely beaten. From there on out, its gangbangers and skinheads and lots of manly action. Throw in some love interest and a problem parent and you have a good fast read with some humor and plenty of action. Kind of what you would expect from a surfer PI. 08/06 Jack Quick

WICKED GAME by Jeri Smith-Ready: Ciara Griffin is a con-woman looking for a real job. She manages to get hired on as a Sales and Marketing intern at WMMP Radio. Unlike many stations out there today, WMMP’s djs really care about the music. You see they’re all vampires. Apparently, the vamps have a hard time letting go of the era in which they were alive and the station was set up to help them deal with the change in times – the music provides them something concrete that they can hold on to, which makes it easier for them to cope with the time that has past. The problem is this, the owner, a vamp herself, is looking to ensure her retirement and a big corporate conglomerate has offered to buy out the station which would leave the rest of the undead djs out of a job. Ciara is supposed to help figure out a way to boost the station’s popularity and bring in enough cash to discourage the sale. She does, but her plan involves outing the vamps themselves in hopes that it will prove to be a great marketing gimmick without actually convincing people that the undead really do walk among us. Unfortunately, her campaign is not so popular with other area vamps. Smith-Ready’s urban fantasy is both sharp and witty, Ciara is a spunky and sarcastically funny heroine, and the whole book is a fresh spin on the classic vampire mythology making it a stand-out title amongst its peers. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

WILD CRIMES edited by Dana Stabenow – Nicely done paperback anthology of eleven short stories of mystery set in the wild. Authors include Stabenow, Loren Estleman, Laurie King, and S.J. Rozan. A good “waiting room” book to kill those odd few minutes. For sure, it takes you away from “street crime.” 08/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

Wild Justice by Phillip Margolin: Very scary, gruesome thriller that kept me up half the night reading, then too scared to sleep! What more could you want from a book? Definitely his best work yet.

WILD JUSTICE By Phillip Margolin: Somebody gave me a well read paperback of this and told me I’d like it…
I did. This one is made a good read by the fact that it’s very much an ensemble piece. No one character in the thread of the story stands out. In fact, you actually find yourself rooting for the bad guy here in spots!.
No brief synopsis could describe what goes on in this one. Imagine part legal stuff, vs. some truly sick and motivated people, all with their own agendas and risks. Think along the lines of a print Robert Altman movie.
I have to admit that I figured out who the bad guy was early on.. But that’s only because I’ve been reading this stuff for nearly four decades. I know the signs when I see ’em. But this is a really good yarn, skillfully told from both the legal and action standpoints. And the interaction between all the sets, and subsets, of players makes this a unique thriller, one that does not depend on a sole hero, but allows ALL the players in the tale to have their fame or misfortune. This is a good one. 05/06 DOC

THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE by Haruki Murakami: First, Toru Okada’s cat goes missing. Then, Kumiko, his wife goes missing as well. Toru is told, both by Kumiko and her family, to leave her alone and grant her wish for a divorce. He is told that she has been seeing another man. Toru believes, however, that something is amiss. He believes that Kumiko is being held, against her wishes, and he vows to continue to search for her and win her back. Along the way, Toru meets some very unusual characters including his teenage neighbor who is recovering from an accident that caused the death of her boyfriend, a pair of psychic sisters, and an ex-military man who is finally ready to tell his story. All of the people that Toru meets will prepare him in some way for what ultimately needs to be done to discover the true fate of his wife. Murakami’s prose is both lyrical and bewitching. Each new character has his or her own tale to tell, creating little vignettes or breaks from Toru’s own story. This strange, and sometimes confusing, tale is one that will leave you guessing until the end. 03/07 Becky Lejeune

THE WINTER GHOSTS by Kate Mosse: Freddie never recovered from the loss of his older brother. In fact, Freddie found himself temporarily installed in a sanatorium after a nervous breakdown. When his car goes off the road in a remote part of the Pyrenees, Freddie manages to find shelter at an inn in a small mountain town. That evening, he attends a local celebration and meets an entrancing young woman. The following morning, however, all evidence of the woman is gone and Freddie finds himself in the throes of a terrible fever. No doubt others believe Freddie is of a delicate mental state, but surely the girl was not his imagination. As with Mosse’s other books, the inspiration for The Winter Ghosts lies in actual French history. This time, it’s the fourteenth-century massacre of the Cathars that is the basis for the tale. The Winter Ghosts is written in the style of a classic Victorian ghost story and is an intriguing read. 12/11 Becky Lejeune

WINTER MOON: Three novellas by Mercedes Lackey, Tanith Lee and C. E. Murphy: This is one of those books that I would suggest, not facetiously, that if you like this sort of thing, you’ll like the book. Mercedes Lackey’s “Moontide” is a totally enjoyable story about a kingdom where power is up for grabs, marriages are made to cement relationships and the lead character, the king’s daughter, isn’t having any of it. There are overtones of Celtic/Irish lore and a “saturnine” “bearded” ally who seems vaguely Arabic, but it’s an interesting realm and a good adventure It didn’t need to be as long as a novella; I got it long before the story ended.
C.E. Murphy’s story, while set in my home of Seattle, bugged me; the character seemed far too young, whiny and immature to be a cop. The story relies too much on references to events that happened before this tale began and there are measly little errors that should have been fixed; “Tetris” does not involve anyone “dying horribly” and Indians do not have skin “as red as brick” – which any adult, especially a Seattle-based cop, should know. We have Indians here in Seattle. Go look. Okay, it’s in her imagination but I lost patience with her. And naming your car and insisting It’s a “her not an it”? Please.
And I apologize to the Tanith Lee fans; while her “The Heart of the Moon” seemed well-written as far as I got, it’s too spiritual and goddessy for my taste and I could not finish it. If you like stories about spirituality and power, if you were into moon goddess stuff back when, or even now, you’ll likely enjoy all of these tales more than I did. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Andi Shechter.

WINTERWOOD by Patrick McCabe: This disturbing novel is the story of one man’s sick obsession and eventual downward spiral into madness. Redmond Hatch hails from the mountain village of Slievenageeha, a place where it’s not unusual to hear more urban Irishmen refer to folk as being inbred and country, amongst other things. Redmond, a reporter for a Dublin paper, has returned to cover a story on mountain folklore. While writing the story he befriends a man named Ned Strange, who the locals lovingly call Auld Pappie. Ned has been teaching the young children the art of ceilidh – a sort of barn dance with folk music – and also entertains the villagers with tales of the old times. Ned is revered for keeping the culture alive but he is not the pure soul he first appears to be. Under the influence of some pretty heavy homebrew, Ned reveals to Redmond some startling information about his past. Years later, Ned is imprisoned after sexually assaulting and killing a local boy. Redmond becomes fixated on Ned and his crime to the point that he soon destroys his own family. Redmond’s own life even begins to resemble Ned’s stories and the two become somewhat indistinguishable from one another. Although the use of a non-linear storyline certainly lends belief to Redmond’s crumbling sanity, it also makes the story very hard to follow. This is ultimately a bleak and depressing, not to mention somewhat confusing, book. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

WISHFUL SINFUL by Tracy Dunham: After losing a highly publicized capital punishment case, attorney Tal Jefferson leaves her big city law firm and hectic life, returning to the small Georgia town where she was raised. For a while she finds comfort in memories and booze, but when a childhood friend is accused of a brutal murder, Tal must quickly clean up her act as she finds her own life in danger from the consequences of small town secrets with big time implications. First in the series. A little uneven but shows promise. 04/06 Jack Quick

THE WITCH’S DAUGHTER by Paula Brackston: Elizabeth Hawksmith has been running for such a long time. For centuries she’s been tracked by Gideon Masters, an evil sorcerer who was once her only hope. After her family was killed by the plague, Elizabeth and her mother were accused of witchcraft. Gideon was her savior but he wished to keep her as his own. Elizabeth has narrowly escaped him throughout the years, hiding in plain sight and adopting new identities, always using her powers to help those around her. But when Elizabeth finally decides to take on a pupil of her own, she will be forced to choose: continue running or take a stand. The Witch’s Daughter is a wonderful combination of historical fiction and paranormal. Brackston’s story alternates between past and present as she mixes tales of Elizabeth’s early life with the present day, tying in historical events including Jack the Ripper and the horrors of WWI. I did find the ending to be a bit brief considering the build. Overall, a really enjoyable read, though. 1/11 Becky Lejeune

WITCHLING by Yasmine Galenorn: The D’Artigo sisters are half fae, half human. Each has their own ability, but their human genes have an inconvenient effect on their powers. Camille is a witch whose spells don’t always come out just right, Delilah is a shapeshifter who transforms into an orange tabby when she’s stressed, and Menolly is having a hard time adjusting to life as a vampire. But they’re all doing their best and they’ve been working in the human realm as agents with the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. When a fellow otherworlder is murdered, all signs point to a new and evil boss in the Subterranean Realm. If he’s able to get through the natural barriers between the worlds, all hell would surely break loose. The D’Artigo sisters learn that there were nine spirit seals created ages ago as protection for the realms. Defending the seals is the only way the sisters can ensure that the realms remain safe. This first in the series has a wonderful fairy tale feel about it that sets it apart from others in the paranormal romance/mystery genre. It’ll be interesting to continue the stories and learn more about the sisters as well as the realms and other creatures introduced. 05/10 Becky Lejeune

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE by Sally Koslow: While some people are lucky enough to hang onto friends for a lifetime, others find that life can sometimes lead friends in different directions. Talia, Chloe, Quincy, and Jules are all facing big life changes. And when two of the friends betray each other in ways that seem unforgivable, it starts to look unlikely that the group will make it through and remain close. Quincy is house hunting for the perfect home when luck finally comes her way in the form of a fantastic apartment that’s an even more fantastic deal. Problem is, Jules’s boyfriend lives in the same building and wants the place for himself. Meanwhile, Talia is finding it hard to make ends meet when she accidentally intercepts a call for Chloe from one of New York’s best headhunters. Sally Koslow’s story is one concerning the tricky balance of true friendship, something that many women can and will relate to. A bit snarkier than Leah Stewart’s The Myth of You and Me, With Friends Like These touches on the same issues in a much lighter way. 09/10 Becky Lejeune

WITH THIS KISS by Eloisa James: This is a three part, e-book only novella. The main character is Lady Grace, the daughter from The Ugly Duckling. Lady Grace has grown up with Colin Barry, but when she turns into a teenager, she falls in love with him. He is in the Royal Navy and hates it, and Grace writes him upbeat letters about their families and all the gossip. Eventually, he comes home but he falls in love with Grace’s younger sister, a natural siren who has men falling at her feet right and left. He goes back to sea, Grace stops writing, and she eventually meets a man from Scotland who falls for her. She agrees to marry him even though her heart belongs to Colin. Lots of angst and several twists keep the pages turning until the requisite happy ending. This is a fast, fun read and Eloisa James fans won’t want to miss it. Right now you have to buy each part separately for $.99 each. Amazon does list the complete book for $2.99 but it won’t be available in that format until 6/25/13. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill by Parnell Hall: As a cruciverbalist of long standing, I have really enjoyed Parnell Hall’s series about The Puzzle Lady. As readers of these books know, the Puzzle Lady is not really Cora Felton whose picture appears on the Puzzle Lady’s publications, but her attractive young niece, Sherry, who really constructs the puzzles. The efforts of both of them to conceal this deception is a basis for on-going hilarity in all of these stories since Cora has no idea how to solve a crossword, much less create one.
This story begins as the oft-wed Cora is about to commit matrimony one more time. Of course, this time it is Mr. Right. As we start across and down, we can guess two things. First, that he will turn out to be Mr. Wrong and secondly, that his chances of actually making it to the altar are slim to none. Correct on both counts.
The complication in the plot is Sherry’s ex-husband who physically abused her. He is now engaged to her best friend. He suggests that they have a double wedding with Cora and her intended so that Sherry can serve as the Maid of Honor in both weddings simultaneously. This cannot be good.
Everything that can go wrong, does. With very funny results.
One word of caution, this time out Mr. Hall has eschewed crosswords in favor of cryptograms and letter substitution. Nonetheless, this is a great holiday read and will be enjoyed by all of us who worship at the altar of Will Shortz.
Readers who enjoy wrestling with language may also enjoy Reginald Hill’s last two books, Dialogues of the Dead and Death’s Jest-Book, although they are lengthier and more complex than Mr. Hall’s delightful tales. 12/03 ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

Without Fail by Lee Child: I couldn’t put down this gripping thriller involving an attempted assassination of the Vice President. I’ve never read Mr. Child before, but I loved his main character, Jack Reacher. I am looking forward to catching up on his backlist.

WITHOUT MERCY by Jack Higgins: Either you enjoy Higgins as a “comfort read” or you don’t. Personally I do, and if his characters aren’t the deepest or his plots the most complex, he still knows how to tell a tale and involve the reader. Sean Dillon–former IRA enforcer now working for British intelligence–seeks revenge on the Russian agents responsible for murdering his colleague Hanna Bernstein. Meanwhile the Russians are trying to salvage their plan to obtain a steady supply of oil from Iraq. It probably isn’t possible, but there is always the underlying thought that maybe there is something to this premise, after all. 01/06 Jack Quick

WITHOUT WARNING by Eugenia Lovett West: Now in her late forties, with her children grown and gone, Emma Streat should be looking forward to starting the next chapter of her life, but she never counted on that next chapter beginning with her husband’s death. Just before their latest trip to London, Emma’s husband begins acting jumpy: nervous and snapping at her for seemingly no good reason. After an abrupt departure back to the States, Emma’s husband is killed in what is initially thought to be a hit-and-run accident. Emma’s discovery of a note regarding one of his coworkers is just the first clue that something is amiss. As Emma digs into her husband’s death, she uncovers a web of intrigue involving spies, dangerous weapons developments, and state secrets that those in power are dying to keep under wraps. This first in Lovett West’s series is a surprisingly different read than one would initially expect. Much darker than a cozy, Without Warning is a mystery edging into the world of political thrillers. An exciting start to what promises to be a smart new series. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

WIVES AND SISTERS by Natalie R. Collins: I’m always intrigued by books about a different culture, and this one is an in depth look at the Mormons told from the perspective of a woman who feels her whole life has been lived under a cloud, and with good reason. The author knows her subject; she was raised in a Mormon home in Utah.
I loved the opening line of this book: “I was six years old the first time I had an inkling God would not always protect me.”
And I couldn’t put it down until I read the last line.
Six year old Allison Jensen and her best friend are playing in a field when they hear a gun shot. The shooter, an older man with a beard, yells at the girls to take off their clothes. Instead, they take off running, hand in hand. But when Allison turns to look behind them to see if they are being chased, she falls and is knocked unconscious. When she awakens, her friend is gone and never is found. But that is just the tip of the iceberg of Allison’s problems. As she grows older she also has to deal with a religion she doesn’t understand and doesn’t quite believe in, an abusive father, the deaths of loved ones and a rape, but most devastating of all is the suspected cover up of these tragedies by her family and her church. It makes for a most heartrending and compelling story that will not be easily forgotten. 02/05

THE WOLF AT THE DOOR by Jack Higgins: Higgins’s 17th Sean Dillon thriller (after A Darker Place), starts with a bang. Presidential advisor Blake Johnson is shot at the dock of his place off Long Island. In London, General Charles Ferguson, who’s just left a late-night meeting of Commonwealth ministers, is walking toward his car when it explodes, killing his driver. In New York City, Major Harry Miller, who’s in the U.S. to attend a U.N. meeting, goes for a stroll in Central Park, where he neatly turns the tables on another hired hit man. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is behind all this as payback for their being such a thorn in his side over the years. Good eventually triumphs as it always does in Higgins outings but not before there is some heart stopping action and even a wee bit of whisky drinking. Another good one. 02/10 Jack Quick

WOLFBREED by S.A. Swann: 1221, Eastern Europe: An outpost of Christian knights from the Crusades is attacked and wiped out by what appears to be a giant wolf. One knight survives, killing the wolf and discovering her lair—and her offspring. For the next eighteen years, the Order of the Hospital of St. Mary will train these creatures to be their own beasts of battle. Their single goal is to kill the enemies of their masters. Lilly was raised to be a powerful weapon, but the knights will soon discover that she is not a mindless creature. It is 1239 when Lilly finally escapes, but her master and his fellow knights will not give her up so easily. In fact, Lilly’s escape may be the catalyst in a conflict that’s been brewing between the nearby landowners and the knights who have ruled them with an iron fist for over a decade. Whether Lilly’s protectors will stand by her once the truth of her identity is revealed is the biggest question, though. I really enjoyed this blend of historical fiction and paranormal. Wolfbreed is a great standout amongst the werewolf titles of late. The sequel, Wolf’s Cross, is due out this month. 07/10 Becky Lejeune
THE WOLFMAN by Nicholas Pekearo: Marlowe Higgins is a bit of a loaner. He moves from town to town, never settling down in one place. You see, Marlowe Higgins is a werewolf. For years the Wolf existed, uncontrolled and killing at random. Until Marlowe trained the Wolf to only kill those he deemed bad enough to die. A serial killer, The Rose Killer, has begun to kill young women in the small town where Higgins is currently residing. He works closely with Daniel Pearce, a local police detective, to obtain details regarding the crimes and focuses his attention on alleviating the small town of this horrible killer. Pekearo did a wonderful job with this amazing thriller/horror novel. The descriptions of the Wolf’s actions were downright gory and added to the intensity of this book. This is definitely a book that would attract readers from several different genres, ranging from paranormal thrillers to true crime. The Wolfman was Pekearo’s first and only published work. Pekearo was a volunteer for the NYPD Auxiliary Police Officer and was killed in the line of duty in 2007. 06/08 Jennifer Lawrence

WOLVES EAT DOGS by Martin Cruz Smith: Senior Investigator Arkady Renko is investigating the death of Pasha Ivanov, the wealthy president of Moscow’s NoviRus Corporation, who plunged 10 stories to the pavement from his designer apartment. Renko’s boss, Prosecutor Zurin declares the death a suicide but Renko, being Renko, isn’t so sure and wonders about details like the 50 kilos of salt in Ivanov’s closet and the fact that he was clutching a salt shaker at the moment of his death. Renko’s persistence causes him to be sent to Chernobyl and the Zone of Exclusion. Can he solve the case before the radiation permanently affects him? Dark and brooding, but very well written. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK by Susan Hill: As a young man, Arthur Kipps experienced unspeakable horror. For decades, he’s attempted to put the events at Eel Marsh House behind him, but now it’s time to once again dredge up the past and face the truth. One of Kipps’s first assignments as a solicitor was to help with the handling of Alice Drablow’s estate. Alice, a widow who had recently passed away, had no one else to close out her affairs. Arthur was sent to Eel Marsh House, a dreary estate in the midst of a marsh and accessible only during low tides, as a representative of the firm where he’d recently been hired on. The locals were of no help and Kipps knew that there was more to Eel Marsh House and Alice Drablow than anyone would admit. Still, he was determined to do the job right. But Arthur would soon find that there are some forces that cannot be reasoned with. The Woman in Black is a chilling and atmospheric ghost story, recently adapted for the big screen. The book is wonderfully dark and creepy and I can’t wait to see what the movie has in store. 2/12 Becky Lejeune

A WOMAN TO BLAME by Marthanne Shubert: Gin Ritchey is the re-incarnation of Travis McGee. She lives on the Blue Jasmine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and works as a private detective when she feels like it. She is financially secure as the result of the books her husband published before his untimely death. Would be singer Agnes Stierholz, AKA “Bunny” is having it on with Nick Rossano, one of the retired New Jersey snowbirds about three times her age when her fiancé arrives from Flint, Michigan, at Ritchey’s door, or boat slip, as it were. A couple of weeks later when Nick, a diabetic, is found dead in bed, Ritchey begins to wonder if there might be more here than meets the eye. Not bad for a beach read, but nothing challenging. 02/09 Jack Quick

THE WONDER BREAD SUMMER by Jessica Anya Blau: It all begins with a dressing room and some coke. Allie Dodgson is flat broke after loaning her boyfriend all of her savings and her scholarship money. He said it was a guaranteed return – he just needed the funds to buy out a local bar and then he’d pay her back with interest. Then he dumped her. Tuition is due and Allie’s behind on rent but her boss keeps promising her he’ll pay up and then reneging on the deal. Spurred on by the drugs, Allie decides enough is enough. She steals a Wonderbread bag loaded down with cocaine and hits the road. Now with her boss’s henchmen on her tail, Allie’s becoming desperate. Convinced her folks can help, she drives to LA where she runs into an old friend, a paraplegic porn producer, and Billy Idol. This latest from Jessica Anya Blau is a blast. It’s a quirky read set in the 80s and loosely based on Alice In Wonderland – if you’re easily offended you probably won’t like it, but if you’re into oddball humor and overall fabulously fun stories Wonder Bread Summer is not to be missed. 6/13 Becky Lejeune

WONDROUS STRANGE by Lesley Livingston: In Central Park lies the Samhain Gate, a thin connection between the worlds that King Auberon tried to seal and failed. Each year at Halloween, the gate opens and Auberon’s Janus guards — changelings chosen specifically to guard the gate — are set to work. Sonny Flannery, Auberon’s favorite Janus, can sense beings from the realm of the fey, comes in handy tracking down troublemakers as part of his job. One night, though, he senses something else, something he is not familiar with. His search leads him to a teenage girl, by all appearances a normal human. He leaves her to begin his duties, only to discover later that there is something very special about this mortal. He is able to track her, but will he be able to figure out what she is and can he protect her from what is to come, or will he even need to? This is a fairy story, but not a fairy tale. The fey are not cute or sweet, in fact, this tale draws from just about every dark myth there is, and, of course, from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream as well. Wondrous Strange is a great teen read but is fun for adults as well. If you enjoy mythology and stories of the fey, then I’d recommend snagging this one for yourself before passing it along. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

THE WOODS by Harlan Coben: This book came out several months ago and I wasn’t really planning on reading it; I gave up on Coben after the ridiculous ending in No Second Chance. But so many people raved about this new one, I decided to give him another try. Coben writes these twisty, gripping thrillers, taking ordinary people and putting them in extraordinary circumstances, but he inevitably winds up writing himself into a corner with endings that are either too neatly tied up or even worse, don’t make sense. With The Woods, he’s redeemed himself. The premise is the stuff legends are made of – Paul Copeland was working in a summer camp and was supposed to be on night duty, but instead, snuck off into the woods with his girlfriend. But four teenagers were murdered that night, including Paul’s sister. Spring forward twenty years and Copeland is now a county prosecutor with political ambitions. He’s asked to identify a body that he believes to be one of the teenagers that was supposedly killed that night at camp, unraveling twenty years of history and then some. Tons of suspense, lots of twists and intricate plotting overcome the shallow characters to make this a furiously fast, fun read with an ending that made sense. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE WOODS by Harlan Coben: Paul “Cope” Copeland was the counselor on duty the night his sister and three other campers were killed. Years later he still lives with the guilt he associates with that night. It was his responsibility to make sure the kids were safe and he failed. Maybe, if he hadn’t been on duty they would have lived. The bodies of two of the campers, his own sister and a boy named Gil Perez, were never found. Two decades after the murders Cope is once again being questioned by police. A man calling himself Manolo Santiago has been found murdered. In his pocket, he carried a magazine article about Cope. Cope believes the man may actually be Gil Perez. Faced with this, and the possibility that his own sister may have survived, Cope begins to reinvestigate the crime that so devastated his family and changed his life forever. Oh, Harlan Coben, you keep me up so late at night! Though regrettably this is not one of my favorites, The Woods is still a guaranteed edge of your seat thriller that will satisfy Coben fans until next year. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

The Wooden Nickel by William Carpenter, Little Brown: I read this book for two simple reasons. First I have an interest in Maine (grandparents). Second I have an interest in lobsters (live ones, no butter). I got what I wanted and I got Lucky Lunt. I loved the main character Lucky. He was so politically incorrect, so crazy, so fierce, and so wrongly named! I kept thinking “he’ll stop now- he’s gotta” but he never did and I was glad he didn’t. Lucky lives in Orphan Point, Maine and spends his summer, when he ought to be watching his health and looking after his family, turning his life upside down. Carpenter’s writing is terrific and it was fun to be out on the ocean with Lucky or having a Rolling Rock with him. Here is your comp title: if you like Richard Russo (and I do) you will like this book. A great read and an unforgettable character. I’ll leave it to the scholars to explain the meaning of the rogue whale, or you can when you read it.

PS: William Carpenter has written one novel and three books of poetry. He is a professor at College of the Atlantic in Maine. He lists American Psycho and The Satanic Verses as some of his favorite novels – – gotta love that. Check out his bio on the Little Brown website. ~This review contributed by Ann Nappa

WORKING FOR THE DEVIL by Lilith Saintcrow: Dante Valentine is a Necromance – she has the ability to raise the dead. She uses her talent mostly to aid her clients in tying up legal matters and various loose ends. Occasionally, she also offers her services as a bounty hunter. Now she’s been given an assignment that’s a bit different. She’s been hired by the Dark Prince himself to track down and assassinate a rogue demon. Dante is not inclined to accept the assignment until she discovers the identity of said demon. Vardimal Santino almost killed Dante last time they met. He did kill her best friend. Now, Dante is literally hell-bent on getting her revenge. The first in this complex new urban fantasy series is sure to grab readers’ attentions. Dante is a gritty and tenacious heroine with a somewhat mysterious past who lives in a bleak future incarnation of our world. Saintcrow combines elements of mystery and fantasy to bring readers an exceptional page turning read. Although Working for the Devil was originally published last year, it has been reprinted and released simultaneously with the second and third books in the series, which is a good thing because I promise you will be scrambling to pick up the next book. Books four and five will follow in November and January, respectively. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

WORLD WAR Z by Max Brooks: Okay, so as usual I have to start with a disclaimer—EVEN IF YOU HATE ZOMBIES, YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS BOOK ANYWAY. I mean, of course, everyone hates actual zombies, but I like stories about them and I’m sure a lot of people don’t.
Anyway. I finished reading this book on the same day I saw the movie I Am Legend, and I have to say I was a bit twitchy when walking into dark places for the rest of the week, but this is not really a horror novel. It’s actually told as an oral history (many people compare it to Studs Terkel, who I haven’t read, so I can’t speak to that, but if that sounds cool to you, go for it). According to the book, (and the jacket copy and everything is completely written as if this was a TRUE STORY) there was this major zombie war sometime in the near future, and the author has traveled all over the world interviewing people about their experiences during the conflict. It’s absolutely realistic in terms of what might really happen if a huge army of zombies started attacking people all over the world. Really unusual and creative. Jenne Bergstrom 03/08

THE WORST KIND OF LIES by John Patrick Lamont: Billed as the first of the Sum of Life Trilogy, The Worst Kind of Lies is a tell-all about greed, deceit, betrayal and even murder (??) in the modern insurance industry. At 500 pages it contains more minutiae than most would care for about that industry. Moreover the fact that the company being dissected is Titanic Insurance Company of Kansas should tell you most of what you need to know. If you get your kicks watching MSNBC and the stock market ticker, you will love this one. Otherwise, might want to stick to lighter fare. 05/09 Jack Quick

WORST NIGHTMARES by Shane Briant: Best-selling and award-winning author Dermot Nolan has a problem. It seems the well has run dry, at least for now. Nothing is inspiring him and he has already run through his million-dollar advance, with no possible way of paying it back. When he first receives the Dream Healer’s journal, Dermot is annoyed and disgusted. Annoyed that yet again someone has approached him to get their book published, and disgusted with the writing and the story. The “journal” recounts the murders of victims chosen based on their worst nightmares. Each of these people approached the Dream Healer through his website, thinking that he would cure them of the dreams that plague them. Instead, they were brutally murdered and all of it has been recorded for Dermot to read. He and his wife, Neela, never thought that it was real, though. In fact, when the author kills himself, it is Neela who convinces Dermot to take the story and make it his own. But Dermot never told his wife what he found at the so-called murder sites. And then someone dies in a scene straight out of Dermot’s new bestseller. Briant’s debut, a thriller/horror reminiscent of both King’s Secret Window, Secret Garden and Saw, is a twisted read. I would have liked more from the Dream Healer’s perspective, but given that he dies in the beginning… or does he? 05/09 Becky Lejeune

WORTH DYING FOR by Lee Child: Child continues to prove that a series can keep getting better with this 14th entry of the Jack Reacher series. Reacher is still recovering from the ending of 61 Hours; he can barely lift his arms and moves like a man in pain. He ends up in a small town in Nebraska, where he overhears a conversation in a bar where a doctor won’t attend to a woman with a bloody nose that won’t stop bleeding. He intervenes, driving the inebriated doctor to the woman’s house, setting off a course of events that could not have been foreseen.
It’s obvious to Reacher that this woman was beaten by her husband and not for the first time. Reacher, with his unflappable sense of justice, seeks out her husband and breaks his nose. The Duncan family runs this small part of Nebraska, and a punch in the face will most certainly be retaliated. After Reacher takes care of the two ex-football players sent to teach him a lesson, the whole thing just escalates into what it really is: something illegal is underfoot and making the Duncan family rich, and there is a decades old cover-up of a missing child. Reacher decides to hang around and right these wrongs. Lots of action, some interesting characters, and a small town with that sense of desolation that Child does so well makes this a book that I couldn’t put it down. 10/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
WORTH DYING FOR by Lee Child: Physically, Reacher is recovering from the after effects of his adventures in 61 Hours. Mentally, he is in the “Don’t Mess With me, I Am An Angry Bear” mode. In an isolated Nebraska town where he has been dropped off from a hitchhike, he comes across an alcoholic doctor that he takes to Eleanor Duncan, who’s married to the abusive Seth, for a “nosebleed”, the result of Seth’s anger. Turn about is fair play, so Reacher breaks Seth’s nose after disposing of his bodyguard. This prompts members of the Duncan clan, who are involved in an illegal trafficking scheme, to seek revenge, which leads to two more would-be heavyweights lying in the dust. Now firmly committed, Reacher winds up trying to solve a decades-old case concerning a missing eight-year-old girl. With each succeeding book Reacher assumes even greater superhuman capabilities, but he remains entertaining as he goes from crisis to crisis. Continue to recommend this series. 12/10 Jack Quick

THE WOUNDED AND THE SLAIN by David Goodis: Hardcase Crime #31 is a reprint of 1955 classic. Although not as widely known as his contemporaries – Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammet – Goodis was noted producing some first rate fiction, turning out some five million words for pulp magazines, as well as serial novels and scripts for radio adventure shows. This one is the tale of a troubled married couple who fly to Jamaica for a last chance at patching things up. James ends up in a Kingston slum battling for his life, while Cora falls victim to another man. And to top it off, it has an awesome cover. Very much recommended. 05/07 Jack Quick

THE WRECK OF THE TWILIGHT LIMITED by Joe Formichella: I had just assumed the position of Program Director at a Dothan, Alabama television station when the Twilight Limited Amtrak train plunged off a bridge deep in the Alabama bayou near Mobile on September 22, 1993. Forty-seven people were killed in the tragedy; which was ultimately determined to have been caused by a barge striking a railroad bridge on a foggy night, displacing the rails. Our television station was one of the first on the scene providing coverage to the nation. Joe Formichella tells the story of the accident, alternating between the time of the wreck and five years later. I enjoyed the book because of my personal connection to the event, but would not recommend it for everyone. 06/10 Jack Quick

WRECKER’S KEY by Christine Kling: Nestor Frias calls tugboat Captain and owner Seychelle Sullivan for help after he runs a millionaire’s yacht aground in Key West. Nestor insists the GPS navigation system was somehow compromised, but while Seychelle is towing the yacht to Fort Lauderdale, Nestor is killed in a windsurfing accident that his pregnant widow insists was murder. An unexpected reunion with an old childhood friend, Ben Baker, once a nerd, now a hottie, provides some romantic tension while Seychelle tries to get to the truth behind Nestor’s accidents. Go ahead, admit it, the ending surprised you, right? 04/07 Jack Quick

THE WRITING CLASS by Jincy Willett: Amy Gallup has pretty much succeeded in cutting herself off from the world. Her last remaining connection, and only significant human contact, comes from the creative writing class she teaches. It’s an extension course – continued education for adults, some of whom are actually interested in writing; some of those are actually good. Amy is enthusiastic about this group and grows to like them more than most. But then one of her students reveals a strange critique she received after sharing a piece with the class. The following week it happens again with another student. Soon what seems no more than a mean prank escalates to something violent and terrifying. Amy and her class are determined to continue, against the odds, and discover the culprit behind these terrible acts. Willet’s whodunit is packed with witty sarcasm and clever humor. She’s also managed to give a significant voice to each of her characters which makes the reading (and the readings in the reading) that much more interesting and believable. A light mystery full of dark and sarcastic humor. 06/08 Becky Lejeune

THE WRITING ON MY FOREHEAD by Nafisa Haji: In the aftermath of 9/11, Saira Qadar is forced to make some tough decisions. As she faces the recent death of her sister, she recalls the stories that have accompanied her throughout the years. Stories of bravery, pain, and secrecy shared by many of the members of her family, stories that have affected each decision in her life. See, even from a young age, Saira had the ability to get others to tell her their tales and gossip. Through them, she learned about one grandfather’s torrid love affair — an event that literally ripped his family apart — and another grandfather’s attempts to change the world. She also learned about her great-aunt’s decisions to go against the expectations of a woman to marry and raise children. Consequently, it is her story that has most influenced Saira’s decisions to follow her own heart, a choice that has sometimes left her on the outs with her own family and culture. But Saira’s own story also shows a profound love of family and, through its telling, an understanding of her culture and the way each generation has helped to shape it. A touching debut from a very talented author. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD by Declan Hughes: LA private eye Edward Loy has returned to his boyhood home of Dublin for his mother’s funeral. On the way home from the service a friend asks him to find her missing husband – leading to bodies, danger, and a fearsome organized crime gang. Loy is hampered by the fact that the Dublin he grew up in no longer the Dublin of today. This should please fans of Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos – as it did me. 03/06 Jack Quick

XOMBIES: APOCALYPSE BLUES by Walter Greatshell: Lulu Pangloss lives a bit of a nomadic life: off the grid and sometimes relying on the kindness of others for basic necessities. As a result, she and her mother miss the news reports about the outbreak and spread of Agent X, a highly infectious contagion that has turned much of the population into zombies, or xombies. It’s discovered that the outbreak began with women, but Lulu seems to have a rare genetic disorder that leaves her immune. Her mother is not so lucky. Lulu barely escapes, hitching a ride with a man who could very well be her father as he races toward a nuclear sub set to carry top-secret information that could be mankind’s last hope. The ship’s crew, a handful of soldiers and boys barely trained for service, are suspicious of Lulu, but she soon proves herself to be an important and resourceful asset to the survivors. As the sub treks north, towards a destination known only to the captain, Lulu and her fellow travelers fight against all odds to avoid infection and live another day. Greatshell’s zombie apocalypse tale was originally published in 2004. Now retitled and reprinted, with a sequel on the way, Xombies: Apocalypse Blues makes for an amusing zombie-filled read with a bit of a twist and a cliffhanger of an ending. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

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What’s Wrong with Dorfman by John Blumenthal: An entertaining read about a whiny hypochondriac. Well written and funny.

THE WHEEL OF DARKNESS by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child: Agent Pendergast is back. Pendergast and Constance Green have sought out the most reclusive monastery in Tibet. Here, Pendergast hopes that Contance will finally come to peace with the death of her manipulative captor, his own brother, Diogenes. Upon learning that Pendergast is an investigator, the monks present him with a problem and a task. Their monastery had been assigned the responsibility of keeping watch on a very dangerous and holy item, an item that has been recently stolen. They have asked Pendergast to retrieve the item before its evil can be set loose on the world. Pendergast follows this item from Tibet to England and traces it to the ocean liner Brittania, a massive ship about to make its maiden voyage to New York. He secures passage for himself and Constance and, true to form, maneuvers his way into the reluctant graces of the ship’s staff. Shortly after the ship sets sail, passengers come up missing. Then, passengers begin to show up dead and Pendergast must find the item in question in order to stop the madness that has only just begun. Although the authors are adamant (and right) that each of the titles featuring Pendergast can be read as stand-alones, I personally recommend reading them in order. Pendergast, a strange FBI agent who first appears in The Relic grows more and more captivating with each new book. This title especially draws some of those characteristics that fans know and love about the character into question making it a wholly absorbing and thrilling read. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

THE WHEELMAN by Duane Swierczynski: On the back flap of the jacket it says: “A receipt for This Here’s a Stickup, Duane’s nonfiction book on American bank robbery, was found in the getaway car of a San Francisco bandit who’d hit at least thirty California banks.” The leap to fiction wasn’t that bold – this is the story of the very quiet Lennon, the getaway driver for a big bank robbery gone awry in Philadelphia. It’s always interesting when the hero is the bad guy, and this book is no exception to that. Throw in a loosely knit community of bank robbers, the Russian mob, the Italian mob, and crooked cops who are all chasing the money and you start to get the picture of this fast paced, violent yet funny book. Swierczynski may well be the future of crime fiction writing. 11/05 Stacy Alesi

WHEN THE DARK MAN CALLS by Stuart Kaminsky: Ten-year old Jean Kaiser discovered her parents murdered in their bed in North Carolina. Now, twenty-five years later, Jean, a Chicago radio talk-show host with a daughter of her own, is being stalked by a man she knows only by a slow, sinister voice on the telephone. Soon she discovers that the man who killed her parents 25 years ago has been released and is now in Chicago. Reminiscent of Play Misty for Me and just as intriguing. 12/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WHEN A MAN LOVES A WEAPON by Toni McGee Causey: Bobbie Faye is back and in the biggest trouble ever. After she and Trevor Cormier survive their run-in with Sean MacGregor, Bobbie Faye is in need of some domestic bliss. Though Trevor has proposed (and she’s accepted, of course), the two only have a short time playing house before Trevor is sent out on a new op. He’s supposed to be back in two, three days tops, but it’s been seven and Bobbie Faye’s more than a little antsy. Convinced that MacGregor couldn’t possibly be a threat—and so not caring at this point if he is—Bobbie Faye sets out to find (and save) her fiancée. Unfortunately, the only person she can really trust to help her just happens to be her ex, Cam Moreau. His skills as a detective make him perfect for the job, but Cam’s determined to win Bobbie Faye back and won’t let a little diamond ring stand in the way. And although MacGregor, the Irish mobster, has been MIA, he’s been waiting for his chance and is not going down without a fight. Add in a bomb expert with a major grudge, and our favorite Contraband Queen doesn’t stand a chance. This outing is much darker than the previous titles in the series, and though the humor is still there, When a Man Loves a Weapon pushes the series into more of a romantic suspense category than before. I think it shows that Causey is just going to continue to get better and better. A must-read. 08/09 Becky Lejeune

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka: This tiny book packs a big emotional wallop. This is a story about a Japanese-American family living in Berkeley, California during World War II. The father is arrested and sent to a New Mexico prison. A few weeks later, the mother and children are sent to an internment camp in Utah, and they, like the reader, never knows why any of this happens. We are never told the family member’s names, and the story is told very matter-of-factly and without too many grisly details, which just made it all the more powerful for me. Their day-to-day existence is bleak while in the camp, but the harsh realities of freedom don’t come any easier after they are released. The lyrically written final chapter sadly illustrates that this family’s story is really the story of every Japanese-American family that was living in America during the early 1940s. When the Emperor Was Divine is a beautiful homage to an ugly and shameful piece of American history. Don’t miss it.

WHEN THE LAST MAGNOLIA WEEPS by Mary Saums: Willi Taft has multiple challenges this Christmas – a series of warehouse thefts, a murdered priest, and a defaced statue of a civil war general. Who says being a PI is boring? Decisions, decisions, decisions. Okay, lets set the warehouse theft case aside for the next book, focus on the murdered priest since a friend is a suspect there, and in the meantime be on the lookout for anyone dastardly enough to paint a Santa Claus suit on the general, and put wooden reindeer antlers and a shiny red nose on his horse. The plot thickens. The priest isn’t who he said he was, and neither are some of the others. All the mysteries eventually are solved, except the warehouse thefts, and Willi’s life is forever changed. Lets just hope this is not the last we see of her. Recommended. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS? by Kate Atkinson: Jackson Brodie was trying to return to London after a secret trip north to meet the boy he believes is his son. He hops a train, but soon finds that he’s headed in the wrong direction, then the absolute worst happens. The train is derailed and Brodie almost dies. Sixteen-year-old Regina (Reggie) Chase just happens to be in the area when the accident occurs. With her quick thinking and first-aid training, she manages to revive Brodie long enough for the paramedics to arrive. Meanwhile, Reggie’s employer, Dr. Joanna Hunter has learned that the man who murdered her family thirty years ago has just been released from prison. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Monroe is the sad bearer of that news and suggests that Joanna leave town until the expected media frenzy runs down. Louise’s involvement though, is a result of Joanna’s husband and the investigation into his business practices. All four of their stories collide in a most unexpected way. This carefully constructed mystery is a complete surprise for readers. Each character and their respective tales are like pieces of a puzzle, by the end of the book they fit together perfectly. This is my first Kate Atkinson, but it is the third to feature Brodie. It can, as far as I can tell, be read as a complete stand-alone quite easily. 09/08 Becky Lejeune

WHERE THE DEAD LAY by David Levien: PI Frank Behr returns in this follow-up to Levien’s debut, City of the Sun. When Frank discovers his Jiu-jitsu mentor dead, murdered in his own studio, he becomes blinded to everything but the case. Meanwhile, a high-end agency has hired Behr to look into the disappearance of two of its agents. Behr discovers that the two cases share a common link and becomes determined to solve it, no matter the cost. The investigation leads him to a ring of illegal suburban gambling houses and one twisted family hiding a secret. Levien’s sophomore release is a good mystery and a worthwhile read. Where the Dead Lay doesn’t quite pack the punch that City did, but in some ways it is a heavier read. Levien adds more layers to his hero and will leave readers wondering what comes next. 07/09 Becky Lejeune

WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU by Julianna Baggott & Steve Almond: The debate rages on: can you call a book “chick lit” when the author is a guy? How about if only one of the authors is a guy? This is an epistolary novel about Jane and John, who meet at a wedding. Just as they are about to get intimate, he decides he likes her too much to go through with it, and they decide to try and get to know each other first – through letters. Not even email, but through regular snail mail letters. They return to their respective homes in NY and Philadelphia and commence writing. They tell each other everything, and still they continue. Lots of sexy letters, some amateur psychoanalysis and frankly, it’s rather like being a voyeur, peering over someone’s shoulder and reading their mail. Lots of fun. 06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHILE DROWNING IN THE DESERT by Don Winslow: Another “Don Winslow Lite” outing for Neal Carey. Cary is a reluctant operative for the Friends of the Family, a private investigation firm owned by “The Bank” in Providence, R.I. for the benefit of their wealthier clients. This time Neal is sent to Las Vegas to pick up one 86 year old Nathan Silverstein and return him to his California home. Turns out Silverstein is actually the aging, legendary vaudeville comedian Natty Silver. Neal thinks the most dangerous part of the assignment is being forced to listen to Silver’s shtick nonstop. (Says Silver, I was the one who taught Costello the Who’s on First? Routine). Turns out there are some bad guys after Silver – Heinz, a German money-launderer, and his Lebanese sidekick, Sami, who’s dumber than wood. Meanwhile, Neal’s girl, Karen, is in a raging hurry for marriage and motherhood; and Hope White (billed as “The Great Hope White”), a Vegas performer no longer as young as she once was, is rekindling an old torch for Natty. Neal isn’t a tough guy, but he’s pretty lucky. Lucky enough to find water in the sand and ferry the irascible Natty to safety. 08/10 Jack Quick

WHILE GALILEO PREYS by Joshua Corin: The bodies pile up faster than you can count in this serial killer thriller with political and religious overtones. Former FBI profiler Esme Stuart is caught in the middle after closing the door on her promising FBI career with her marriage to Rafe Stuart and move to Long Island to start a family. Her mentor and ex-boss Tom Piper needs her back to find the link to this madman. Doing so endangers her marriage, her life, and the lives of her husband and daughter Sophie. Corin overplays the career versus family conflict but all in all an acceptable thriller with a deliciously twisty ending. 08/11 Jack Quick

WHILE I DISAPPEAR by Ed Wright: In his second outing, John Ray Horn, a disgraced former movie cowboy and ex-con walks the mean streets of post-WWII Los Angeles in search of the brutal killer who snuffed out the life of Rose Galen, a faded leading lady who co-starred in one of Horn’s films. A shameful secret from the victim’s past forces Horn to challenge the official theory of the crime-that the killing was a random act. Aided by his current boss (and former faithful movie sidekick) Joseph Mad Crow, Horn pounds the pavement and reaches out to old friends to identify the source of Galen’s guilty conscience. 04/06 Jack Quick

WHIPLASH RIVER by Lou Berney: Shake Bouchon has left behind his life of crime and is the proud owner of his very own restaurant. Located in tropical Belize, Shake is confident that he can make it work – and he has to considering he owes a ton of cash to the local drug boss, Baby Jesus, in return for the loan it took to buy the restaurant in the first place. So when someone comes in shooting up the place, Shake knows it’s going to be bad for business. Unfortunately, after playing hero in the event, he finds himself the target of an assassin. When the restaurant goes up in flames, literally, Shake knows he’s got to get out of town quick. Thankfully he has made one friend in the ordeal: Quinn, the man whose life he saved in the shootout. It’s Quinn who turns Shake onto a heist that could bring in some big bucks. Unable to resist, Shake calls on his ex to lend a hand and soon finds himself and his entourage in Egypt planning said job. But can Shake shake those who are after him and get the girl and the cash? This is the second in Berney’s new series but it reads just fine on its own. His style is quick and the dialogue in particular is snappy and funny. Whiplash River is a fun caper mystery that begs to be read in one sitting. 8/12 Becky Lejeune

WHISPERS UNDER GROUND by Ben Aaronovitch: The murder of a US Senator’s son in London stinks of something supernatural, so of course Peter Grant has been called in to investigate. As a representative of the Folly, Peter’s job involves anything with a suspected magical slant. With the newly apprenticed Lesley by his side, Peter follows the leads straight to London’s underground and beyond. But according to his governor, there’s nothing strange in London’s multitude of below ground tunnels. Even the River sisters whose waterways crisscross the very same tunnels have reported nothing untoward in their territory. Undeterred, Peter soon finds evidence of something very strange indeed, something that places this case firmly in Folly purview. Aaronovitch continues to gain traction as the series continues, adding to an already fabulous premise and also expanding on the overall arc of the story with the mystery of the faceless man and the continued investigation into Folly enemies. 8/12 Becky Lejeune
WHIRLWIND by Joseph Garber: Charlie McKenzie is the best – even though he is now disgraced, dismissed and discarded, he is still the best. So when a secret weapon called Whirlwind is stolen by a gorgeous Russian spy Irina, the establishment has no choice but to bring him back. Charlie and Irina are the main characters but there is no absence of villains including a corrupt national security adviser and an evil South African mercenary who are also pursuing Irina. It’s pure escapism, but very nicely done and suspenseful to the very end. Of course there are plot holes if you look closely enough, and enough coincidences to also strain credibility, but hey, when a guy moons the national Security Advisor and threatens to do the same with the President, why can you not go along. Highly recommended. 10/08 Jack Quick

WHISKEY AND WATER by Nina Wright: Not a bad cozy once you get past the cutesy names. The protag is Realtor Whiskey Mattimoe who has a new shitzapoo pup named Velcro and an Afghan hound named Abra (cadabra?). Then, there’s MacArthur the hunky Scotsman, self help author Fenton Flagg, and one Jeb Halloran, who promotes a hormonal reaction from Whiskey, along with other assorted characters. The town of Magnet Springs, Michigan is already uneasy, what with the sightings of former mayor Gil Gruen who drowned last winter (in a previous Whiskey Mattimoe outing) when Abra happens on a crime scene on the shores of Lake Michigan. The victim is Twyla Rendel, newly hired cashier at the Food Duck grocery and tenant in one of Mattimore’s properties. Was Twyla the victim of a rip tide or some other cause? As with most series cozies, all is well at the end in preparation for round five. 06/08 Jack Quick

Whiskey Sour: A Jack Daniels Mystery by J.A. Konrath: I wanted something to escape into, that would make me laugh but even more importantly, keep me turning the pages, and this sure fit the bill. This new series features a Chicago police lieutenant named Jacqueline Daniels, Jack for short – she’s single, middle-aged, and definitely has some history. The story revolves around a serial killer called The Gingerbread Man, who is not only is on a killing spree, he is torturing his victims before killing them, a definite gruesome and gore alert. The secondary characters are well drawn and real, the setting somehow makes Chicago seem intimate, and the story flows. Konrath did a great job, it is so well written that it is hard to believe this is a first novel. Check out the author’s website, http://www.jakonrath.com/ for an excerpt.

WHISKEY SOUR by J. A. Konrath: Chicago Police Department Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels has a particularly gruesome series of homicides on her plate. The “Gingerbread Man” is torturing and killing attractive young women, and then leaving their bodies in very public places. Somewhat uneven and certainly not breaking any new ground, hopefully Konrath, like good Tennessee whiskey, will improve with age. 05/06 Jack Quick

A WHISPER TO THE LIVING by Stuart Kaminsky: Unfortunately Stuart Kamisnky died in the fall of 2009, so A Whisper to the Living is probably our last look at Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, an honest policeman in a very dishonest post-Soviet Union. Rostnikov and his team are searching for a serial killer who has claimed at least 40 victims. Also on their plate is the job of protecting a visiting British journalist who is working on a story about a Moscow prostitution ring. In the middle of all this Rostnikov and his team uncover a chain of murders that lead to a source too high to be held accountable if the police want to keep their jobs or their lives. A typically good Kaminsky read with an eerie title, under the circumstances. If this is the end of the series, it is a fitting one. 01/10 Jack Quick

THE WHISPERER by Donato Carrisi: Mila Vasquez’s specialty is finding the missing. And so, when a mass burial site containing six human arms is discovered, Mila is called in to help. Each of the arms belongs to one of five missing girls. No one knows who the sixth might be. Criminalist Goran Gavila and his team are assigned the case, but Mila is expected to be the key to solving it. Together they will work to unravel a crime that is so heinous and twisted, it will turn all their worlds around. The idea of a killer who never lifts a finger in the act of the crime is disturbing and Carrisi’s twists make it even more so. The Whisperer is dark – really, really dark. It’s definitely one that stays with you long after you put it down. Originally published in 2009, The Whisperer has made its way around Europe before landing on shelves in the States. Hopefully we’ll all be seeing more from this author very soon. 2/12 Becky Lejeune

WHITE by Christopher Whitcomb: This is a follow-up to Whitcomb’s first novel, Black. Hopefully he has good color sense because this is another first rate techno-thriller. Three simultaneous bombings rock the United States. As the President goes on the air to calm the nation, three foreign airline jumbo jets crash at different American airports. In Indonesia, a CIA black operation against a terrorist cell is successful, but three of the six terrorists are good old- fashioned American boys. Post 9/11 elevates to a higher gear with evidence that active support for the Islamic Jihad is coming from within the United States. Special Agent Jeremy Waller from Black has his work cut out for him in this one, as the trail leads all the way to the White House. 09/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

The White by Deborah Larsen, Knopf: Larsen is a poet and short story writer. This is her first novel. Mary Jemison’s capture in 1758 by a Shawnee raiding party is a story that is well known, but under Larsen’s skilled hand it is fresh, intriguing, full of life and beautiful details. I loved the authenticity that Larsen brought to living on the land. The destruction of Mary’s family and her adoption into the world of the Seneca will challenge you . . . and would make a great book to discuss with a group.

PS: Larsen herself is an interesting story: she was a nun who left the convent in the 1960’s and her next book will be a non-fiction memoir which I can’t wait to read! ~This review contributed by Ann Nappa

THE WHITE DEVIL by Justin Evans: Andrew Taylor screwed up. His college acceptances have been revoked and now he’s given one last chance to clean up his act and get back on track when his father sends him overseas to Harrow School. The four-hundred-year-old British private school has played host to foreign statesmen, eight former Prime Ministers, even royalty… and Lord Byron. It is this famed alumni who is the subject of a play in progress at Harrow and Andrew, who everyone says looks remarkably similar to the poet, is picked to play the lead. But when Andrew witnesses the murder of a friend and classmate, everything at Harrow starts to go wrong. The coroner says the dead student was very sick, but Andrew knows what he saw. And when the murderer appears to him again, Andrew decides he must find out the truth—the truth about the famous Lot ghost and the truth about his friend’s death. This is just Evans’s second novel, but as with A Good and Happy Child, he’s managed to create another completely enthralling tale this time in a modern gothic style with a supernatural twist and famous literary characters. 05/11 Becky Lejeune

WHITE HORSE by Alex Adams: They called the virus White Horse, in honor of the apocalypse it brought with it. Most of the population died of the infection, a small portion appeared to be immune, and the rest became horribly mutated creatures, barely resembling the humans they once were. Before it all came crashing down, Zoe Marshall was just a cleaner at Pope Pharmaceuticals. Recently widowed, Zoe’s main concern was what to do next. Then the jar appeared. An innocent enough container slipped into her apartment while she wasn’t there. The appearance coincides with some of the first deaths, but Zoe is too afraid to see what’s inside. Now, not only does she seem to be immune, but she’s also carrying a child. In the wake of the outbreak, Zoe travels to Europe, following the small shred of a clue that may lead her to the father of her unborn baby. White Horse is an amazing debut. The tale transitions back and forth between the beginning of the outbreak—what led up to Zoe’s current quest—and Zoe’s present. Alex Adams’s writing is poetic even at the most horrific moments of the story. 4/12 Becky Lejeune

THE WHITE LEAGUE by Thomas Zigal: Paul Blanchard and Mark Morvant are college roommates at Tulane University in New Orleans, when both are involved in a tragedy which they cover up. Now in the 1990’s, Blanchard is the respected CEO of the Blanchard family coffee business and a progressive Southerner. Morvant is a white supremacist candidate for governor who threatens to tell all, unless Blanchard not only supports his effort, but enlists the wealthy businessmen from the White League, a secret society that wields great behind the scenes power in New Orleans to back him as well. I’d call this modern Southern gothic if I had to categorize it with overtones of Greg Isles and just a hint of James Lee Burke. With lines like, “New Orleans – The Catholics built it, the Jews own it and the niggers enjoy it,” it’s not pretty but I found it an interesting read which perhaps would have been even better as a prequel to Burke’s The Tinroof Blowdown. 08/07 Jack Quick

THE WHITE MARY by Kira Salak: Marika Vecera is a young war reporter driven by the danger experienced during her assignments. During a trip to the Congo, she is held captive by rebel soldiers and barely escapes with her life. She returns to the States, battered and beaten, mentally worn. Upon her return, she discovers that her idol/mentor Robert Lewis, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, has committed suicide. She devotes her life for the next several months to writing his biography. During her research, she discovers evidence that indicates Lewis is still alive, living in a remote village in Papua New Guinea. Drawn to the possibility that Lewis is still alive, Marika embarks on a journey not knowing what she will find. Her guide is Tobo, a medicine man, provides her with guidance along the way. During this journey, Marika learns a lot about humankind, and more importantly, herself. The White Mary is an incredibly powerful and empowering tale about one woman’s dedication to her career. While the scenes detailing the atrocities that are occurring clear across the world are difficult to read at times, the end result gives you an appreciation for all that we have as inhabitants of the “civilized” world. 08/08 Jennifer Lawrence

THE WHITE MARY by Kira Salak: Journalist Marika Vecera has made her career traveling to some of the world’s most dangerous war-torn countries in search of her next story. When she learns that her idol, famed journalist Richard Lewis, has died as the result of a suicide, she decides to write his life story in hopes of learning what could possibly have caused him to take his own life. Just a few months into her project, however, Marika receives information that leads her to believe that Lewis may in fact still be alive. A missionary stationed in Papua New Guinea had attempted to contact Lewis’s sister claiming that he had seen Lewis in the jungles of New Guinea. Lewis’s sister had written the man off as a flake, but Marika is not so sure. Marike decides to travel to Papua New Guinea herself in an attempt to learn the truth. Her journey is harrowing and at times utterly gruesome. It’s scary and humbling to think that much of Marika’s adventures both in Papua New Guinea and in her job as a journalist are actually based on Kira Salak’s own experiences. Salak alternates chapters between Marika’s current journey and her experiences that led her there, allowing the reader insight into her emotional motivations as well as her physical travels. An amazing read that will absorb and consume readers. 08/08 Becky Lejeune

WHITE NOISE by Don DeLillo: When I first read White Noise twenty-five years ago, I felt that it was an important book and Don DeLillo was an author I should follow. The novel seemed to me to be an amazingly clever and effective satire of our society in the United States in general and of the academic community in particular. I have read most of what Mr. DeLillo has written since that time and not felt myself as moved by these subsequent books. So I was particularly anxious to read White Noise again upon its 25th anniversary re-publication. I am pleased to report that not only has it withstood the test of time, but its messages may be even more relevant to our current society.

The main character in the novel, Jack Gladney, is a college professor in an archetypical small town. He is the creator and head of the Department of Hitler Studies within the college’s cultural studies division. He is envied by his peers for having created an entirely new discipline (despite his secretly never having learned to speak German). The interactions of Jack and his colleagues underline the potential for vacuity in such studies – a seminar in car crash movies, for example. And although these academics speak with heavy portent, the content of their discussion is almost always without significance. Surely, that has relevance to our present society in which the communications industry wants “content” rather than ideas and financial institutions are selling “product” rather than investments.
One theme of the book is the ever-present noise in our society. The “white noise” discussed by DeLillo’s book involves television and radio and commercial messages. Surely, the noise level is even higher (and less meaningful) today with the internet, social networking, iPods, texting and twittering. In this day and age, White Noise seems not just relevant but prescient.
A second major theme is the fear of death. Jack is exposed to probably lethal chemicals during an “airborne toxic event.” This airborne toxic event is at the core of the story – Jack and his family first hear about it simply as a part of the noise, then they can see it drawing closer, then they are ordered to evacuate. Subsequently, Jack is told by his doctor that, at some point, the substance he has ingested will kill him.
Jack’s wife, Babette, has an obsessive fear of death of her own. This leads her to submit to a sad and sleazy affair with the manufacturer of an illegal drug designed to control the fear of death. The juxtaposition of “white noise” and the fear of death poses the question of whether we generate this white noise simply to avoid that fear.
I don’t know if I would call White Noise a classic, but it is a good work-out for your brain and surely a book that you should read. 03/10 Geoffrey R. Hamlin
WHITE MEAT by Peter Corris: “She’s a blonde, thin, a bitch and a bloodsucker. She acts freaked out, you know? But she’s really ice-cool. Know what we call her down here?” Hardy shook his head. “White Meat.” Noni is the missing, beautiful, spoiled daughter of Hardy’s bookie, Ted Tarleton. Tarleton wants her found and is willing to pay for his wishes. Hardy is in that business and can stand a few knocks if it keeps him in tobacco and booze, even if it means taking on a killer of a case. Another strong outing for Australia’s foremost private enquiry agent. 12/07 Jack Quick

The White Road by Robert DeMaria: Set in the 1950’s, this finely written novel of friendship and love is both moving and thought provoking. The depth and personality of the characters were extremely satisfying, as were the historical references to the time period. A truly lovely book. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WHITE SHADOW by Ace Atkins: I have tried the Nick Travers series twice and couldn’t get into them. I thought this one would be different. It’s about the unsolved murder of real-life Tampa crime boss Charlie Wall in 1955. The plot turns on the quest to find the killer, taking detective Ed Dodge and a local reporter on a journey from Tampa’s Latin Quarter to pre-revolutionary Havana. I don’t know whether it’s my prior experience, excessive detail, too many characters or just my own Tampa experiences conflicting with Atkins’ remembrances, but I just couldn’t ever get into this one either, so laid it down near the half way point. 07/07 Jack Quick

WHITE SHOTGUN by April Smith: In the language of the mafias, a murder where the body is never found is called lupara bianco, or white shotgun. It is such a murder combined with the surfacing of a previously unknown half-sister that sends Ana Grey down the rabbit hole of an FBI undercover operation into one of the ‘mafias.’ Nicoli Nicosa, a new breed mafia associate who operates as a coffee magnate, is a primary person of interest for the FBI. When it becomes known that Nicosa’s wife, Cecilia, is a half-sister Ana never knew existed, and has reached out to Ana for an unknown reason, the FBI brass force Grey into a deep-cover op to gather intelligence. When Cecilia is kidnapped, Ana finds that a red sense of family inspires her to step outside the FBI and risk her career by working “off the books” with her sister’s mobster husband to bring Cecilia home. Enlisting the help of her ex-Delta-Force boyfriend, Sterling McCord, and a tactical force of recruited mercenaries, Ana hangs her life and career over the edge to recover her sister, dead or alive. Nicely done. 07/11 Jack Quick

White Teeth by Zadie Smith: Amazing first novel but didn’t live up to it’s hype, at least not for me. But then again, what book does? (Harry Potter excluded!) This book has been short listed for what seems like every award, without a win yet.

THE WHITE TIGER by Aravind Adiga: If not a “must read”, Aravind Adiga’s debut novel, The White Tiger, certainly qualifies as a “should read.” It was the recipient of this year’s Man Booker prize in the face of very stiff competition. (Salman Rushdie was not even short-listed). Adiga, who describes himself as influenced by Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, tells the story of Balgram, a precocious but extremely poor Indian child, who through use of his wits and a disturbing crime of opportunity, converts himself into a successful entrepreneur in the New India. The story is told in epistolary fashion in a series of letters to the premier of China in order to facilitate the premier’s understanding of India before he comes to visit. While it is told in humorous fashion, the magnitude of Indian poverty, corruption, and class restrictions are starkly outlined and a reminder to us all that even during times of economic miracles, many are left behind. And after his success, Balgram remains as invisible to the authorities as he was as a poor child in the keeping of a corrupt school master. 12/08 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

WHITE TIGER by Michael Allen Dymmoch: In 1992, Michael Allen Dymmoch won St. Martin’s contest for “best traditional mystery” for THE MAN WHO UNDERSTOOD CATS, which was anything but a “traditional” mystery. From the start, I’ve been a fan of this author and her series featuring John Thinnes and Jack Caleb.
Why isn’t it traditional? For one thing, a major focus of the book is the very real and hard-won friendship between the two men. Caleb, a psychiatrist is gay and Thinnes, a pretty traditional sort of guy, is a Chicago police detective. The stories often delve into real life issues, real life people and they have always made me think.
The newest book in the series is WHITE TIGER which was just nominated for a “Lammy Award” in the category of “Gay Men’s Mystery” from the Lambda Literary Foundation. The issue is Vietnam, which for many Americans still has enormous influence and consequence. Hue An Lee is found dead; twenty-five years ago, she mattered to Thinnes back in Saigon, where he served as an MP. His connections to her and her son Tien Lee, mean that he’s too close to investigate the murder. Caleb served as a medic, and the alternating stories of then and now from the perspectives of the two men, are at times fascinating, at times sorrowful. If you have no interest or understanding of this period of American history, WHITE TIGER might not appeal. But it’s not a diatribe, it’s not for or against the war or the Vietnamese people, it’s just a story of a time in people’s lives that had a huge impact, and how they all, separately and together, dealt with it and the ways in which the conflict still affects people.
Dymmoch always knows what she’s doing when she writes. The series isn’t flashy, but the books never fail to impress me and WHITE TIGER is no exception. 03/06 Andi Shechter

WHITEOUT by Ken Follett: When you are Ken Follett, even an “off work” is still pretty darn good. The setting is Scotland and the action revolves around Christmas at a pharmaceuticals company that makes antiviral drugs. Two doses of an experimental drug are missing, a technician and a lab rabbit are dead, the owner’s estranged son is planning to break into the lab because of his gambling debts, the female head of security is falling for the widowed owner whose daughter’s are on the edge of a husband swapping episode. In the middle of this soap opera a pretty good actual mystery breaks out and is eventually resolved. Unfortunately the characters are not as fully developed as they could be and the plot is quite predictable. Not his best effort, but still readable. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

WHITEWASH by Alex Kava: Sabrina Galloway’s once close-knit family has crumbled in the wake of her mother’s death. Her father has had himself committed to an institution and her brother has seemingly disappeared, so Sabrina has dropped everything to move to Florida and be closer to her father. A position in the lab at EchoEnergy and participation in what could be the greatest scientific achievement of the century is something Sabrina is excited to be a part of. EchoEnergy has come up with a way to accelerate oil production through special processing of meat by-products. This new technology promises to free the United States from its dependency on other countries for oil. Sabrina is surprised and worried, however, when she discovers that EchoEnergy’s innovative processing plan may not be working quite as expected. Her boss, the man who developed the technology, has gone missing and no one else seems to be concerned with her discovery. Then, Sabrina witnesses the murder of a co-worker and news reports are calling her the killer. It looks as if someone has taken her suspicions seriously after all and means to shut her up permanently. Kava is well known for her profiling series featuring FBI agent Maggie O’Dell. Whitewash, an eco/political thriller, is her first stand-alone. The plot is interesting and the political aspect is not so heavy that the average reader will feel bogged down. Fans will love it and it’s the perfect opportunity for new readers to give Kava a try. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

WHO IS SHAYLA HACKER? by Evan Kilgore: Five different people – a lonely systems analyst in a large city, a 17 year small-town girl abandoned by an older brother, a groom who is a self mutilator who abandons his wife on their wedding day, a retiring police detective, and a female blue collar contractor working to renovate an airport terminal. All are connected by a single question – Who is Shayla Hacker? Thus begins a strange journey in a book I personally found fascinating. Driven by an obsession the five strangers don’t fully understand they cross the country and the world, passing through each other’s lives, in search of a girl and an answer. In spite of being warned off by authorities they continue until the answer is finally revealed, or is it? An unusual and very enjoyable outing. 07/07 Jack Quick

THE WHOLE TRUTH by David Baldacci: Viral marketing is a marketing technique that uses pre-existing social networks to achieve marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet. When the huge advertising and lobbying budget of mega-defense contractor, Ares Corporation, seem to be losing its effectiveness, Nicholas Creel, the billionaire founder of the company, decides to use viral marketing to generate new demand. As he says, “I’m not interested in wars that stop at a hundred days or devolve into gloried gangland street fights. That doesn’t even pay the light bill.” Starting by planting fake news stories on the Internet about Russian atrocities, the propaganda campaign soon turns violent with the massacre of the members of a London think tank, the Phoenix Group, apparently by a Russian hit team. It’s all high tech and high suspense, with only a shadowy operative named A. Shaw and a disgraced female journalist to thwart Creel’s evil plot. Better leave the lights on for this one which is reminiscent of some of the early Robert Ludlum thrillers. 05/09 Jack Quick

WICKED APPETITE by Janet Evanovich: For the past few years, Evanovich has been serving up a smaller, lighter version of her Stephanie Plum books called “Between the Numbers” novels, all based around holiday themes, i.e. Plum Spooky, Visions of Sugar Plums, and so forth. The major differences between the regular Plum books and these were size (these were 200 page books) and a supernatural character named Diesel. This new book is based on that character.
Diesel is an “unmentionable” giving him certain powers like the ability to open any locked door by merely touching it. He’s also a very hot blonde, with a dark, sexy cousin, Gerwulf Grimoire, who is his evil counterpart. In this novel he shows up in Salem, Massachusetts, at the home of Elizabeth Tucker, cupcake baker extraordinaire. Turns out she’s an unmentionable too, only she didn’t know it. Diesel is on the search for stones that represent the “7 Deadly Sins” so that he can keep them safe from his cousin. The first, gluttony, is supposed to be in Salem. Lots of Plum-inspired hijinks ensue as they hunt down the stone.
I enjoyed this book as it showcased Evanovich humor without the usual cast of characters. I liked the new characters; Tucker, a young, single woman who has inherited an old ramshackle house from a dead relative; Clara, her boss at the bakery; Glo, a co-worker who keeps trying out spells from a book she bought, instead creating havoc; and the setting. Salem, home to the infamous witch trials and now a tourist trap replete with magic shops on every corner, seems like yet another character in this light, funny book. Whether or not you’ve grown tired of the Plum books, but still enjoy Evanovich humor, then this book is for you. 09/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WICKED AUTUMN by G. M. Malliet: When one of my favorite authors, in this case, Mary Kay Andrews, personally recommends a book, I tend to take it seriously and get that book quickly. Wicked Autumn is the first book of a new English mystery series featuring Max Tudor, a former MI5 agent turned vicar of St. Edwold’s in the charming little village of Nether Monkslip. Tudor is an intriguing character as are the rest of the inhabitants of this sleepy little town. When Wanda, the unpopular leader of the Women’s Institute, is found dead in the village hall during the Harvest Fayre, the annual charity she arranged, no one really seems to mourn her but her husband, leaving a list of suspects that looked suspiciously like the census list. This is a traditional cozy English mystery with a touch of humor found in these characters and a well constructed plot that for me gets bogged down a bit by all the description. Nonetheless, it is a charming story. 3/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WICKED BUSINESS by Janet Evanovich: This is the continuing saga of Lizzy and Diesel, those other-worldly characters in search of the missing stones representing each of the deadly sins. We met Diesel years ago in a “between the numbers” Stephanie Plum book but he has moved from New Jersey to Massachusetts. Part romance, part fantasy and part mystery, these books are entertaining if you are easily entertained. Luckily this was my week for mindless fluff and this worked for me. This book centers on the search for the stone representing Lust, but despite that there is no sex in this book, just a hint of longing now and then. There are regular characters, and in this case by regular I mean reoccurring, because there is nothing regular about Wulf, Diesel’s evil cousin, Glo, who thinks she is a wizard, and of course Diesel’s pet monkey who is brighter than most people I know. There is also a new character, Anarchy, a wild woman who is also after Wulf’s powers and the stone and has a penchant for torching buildings. The plot is simple, the mystery forgettable but there are some laughs here if you like Evanovich’s broad sense of humor, and I do. 8/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WICKED CITY by Ace Atkins: “WELCOME TO PHENIX CITY, Alabama, population 23,205. Located across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia we offer all the basic amenities of small town Southern life. There’s Cobb’s Barber Shop, where kindly grey-headed gentlemen discuss local politics and current affairs between the buzz of the clippers and local radio ag reports. And we have the friendly Elite Café, where Mr. Ross Gibson will cook you up the best plate of eggs and grits with red-eye gravy you ever tasted. We have a Bentley’s Grocery Store, the Phenix City Pharmacy, and the wonderful Palace Theatre, where on Saturdays a kid can get in for fifty cents and watch the latest B westerns or the new adventure of Francis the Talking Mule. Phenix City also boasts Idle Hour Amusement park – you can take a miniature train from downtown into the hills and roller-skate, bowl, and swim. There is even a little zoo there with bears and lions and monkeys. All of this mixed with dozens of churches, Christian and civic clubs, and one of the best hospitals in east Alabama make Phenix City an ideal place for the family. Not to mention the world-famous nightclubs, clip joints, and brothels. Phenix City is probably best known for its whores.” Thus begins Atkins’ fictional account of the cleanup of Phenix City, which began after the state Attorney General-elect Albert Patterson, was shot and killed on June 18, 1954, after running a campaign to clean up Phenix City (He was succeeded by his son who carried out his father’s plan). Larger than life characters include Ex-boxer and appointed sheriff Lamar Murphy, opposed by crooked Deputy Bert Fuller, Madame (in the traditional sense) Fannie Belle, and the redneck mafia determined to keep Phenix City sinful and profitable. Although the ending is obvious, the journey is most enjoyable, particularly if you have a personal interest in the area, as I, a native Alabamian do. 05/08 Jack Quick

WICKED PREY by John Sandford: All books give you a sense of time and place, sometimes generic and sometimes specific. Sandford’s latest is very specific – the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN. For Lucas Davenport the headaches are just beginning. In addition to the usual assortment of protestors and hangers-on associated with this kind of event, Lucas has a crew of professional stickup men in town who’ve spotted several lucrative opportunities, ranging from political moneymen with briefcases full of cash to that armored-car warehouse with the weakness in its security system. A while back, a stray bullet put a pimp and petty thief named Randy Whitcomb in a wheelchair, and, ever since, the man has been nursing his grudge into a full head of psychotic steam. He blames Davenport for the bullet, but it’s no fun just shooting him. That wouldn’t be painful enough. Not when Davenport has a pretty fourteen-year-old adopted daughter that Whitcomb can target instead. And then there’s the young man with the .50 caliber sniper rifle and the right- wing-crazy background, roaming through a city filled with the most powerful politicians on earth. This may be the wildest “prey” yet, certainly one of the most adrenaline filled. Go for it, even if you are a Democrat. 07/09 Jack Quick

WIDE OPEN by Deborah Coates: Hallie Michaels has just ten days to find out what happened to her sister, Dell. Rumor has it that Dell committed suicide, but Hallie knows that can’t be the case. With Dell’s ghost trailing along, Hallie becomes determined to discover the truth behind her sister’s death. As more ghosts follow, it becomes clear that something strange is going on in Grand Rapids. While Wide Open has its own clear conclusion, it helps knowing that it’s just part of a larger story. What comes next for Hallie and her ghosts is unclear, but Coates has definitely created an intriguing heroine and a “wide open” range of possibilities for the follow up titles. 3/12 Becky Lejeune

WIFE 22 by Melanie Gideon: This book has garnered quite a bit of buzz and it is most deserving. And if the title, Wife 22, brings to mind that classic, Catch 22, it should; in “Q&A with Author Melanie Gideon” on Amazon.com, Gideon says she thinks of marriage as a “catch 22”. And so it is in this quirky epistolary novel about a couple who have been married for almost twenty years. Alice is feeling sort of stuck in a rut; she knows William loves her but is he bored with her? Is she bored with him? When Alice receives an email asking her to participate in a marriage study, she signs up and is assigned the anonymous moniker, “Wife 22” and is asked questions, via email, by the also anonymous “Researcher 101”. As the study goes on, Alice gets to relive the highlights and lowest points of her marriage and starts to have feelings for her researcher. Will they meet? Is she ready for an affair? Using emails, Facebook postings and such to propel the story along brings a fresh twist to this examination of marriage in the twenty-first century, along with a lot of laughs, and a lot of heart. These characters spring to life on the page and we can’t help but get emotionally invested. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. 6/12 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

WIFE 22 by Melanie Gideon: Alice and William have been married for almost twenty years. The spark has become something of a fizzle of late and Alice isn’t sure what to do. When she receives an email regarding participation in a survey study on marriage in the 21st century, Alice signs up. Her anonymous contributions as Wife 22 allow Alice to look back at her relationship and remember the things that brought her and William together. Her online conversations with Researcher 101 (her anonymous contact at the study) makes Alice realize what’s missing in her relationship—just the kind of interest and attention Researcher 101 has been paying to her. Is Alice’s marriage reaching its end or is it possible to start again? Wife 22 is a truly sweet and heartwarming read. I loved Alice and all of her quirks and paranoia. Gideon’s whole cast of characters shines. 6/12 Becky Lejeune

WILD LAWS by Jim Hansen: The ninth entry in the Laws series sends Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry half way around the world to the mean streets of Hong Kong seeking a killer who has targeted a mysterious woman for death. It doesn’t take Coventry long to hook-up with a beautiful young Hong Kong detective. As his Denver homicide partner, Shalifa Netherwood says, “You’ve done this a thousand times, Bryson…you meet a woman and – bam. – everything else in the universe disappears.” Together Bryson and his Hong Kong cohort travel from the highest of high society haunts to the seediest underground hideaways to catch their prey. Throw in art and money, and s-e-x and you have the wildest Laws adventure yet. Not only is Coventry’s life potentially at stake – he may also lose his job in Denver. That would be a real bummer. And to top it off, Coventry isn’t even trying to solve the right crime. Can’t wait for the sequel to this one. 03/10 Jack Quick

THE WILD ROAD by Marjorie Liu: A woman wakes in a smoky hotel room with no memory of how she got there – no memories at all, actually. There are three dead bodies on the floor and a note pinned to her jacket that reads simply, “Run.” With nowhere to go and no other options, she escapes into the world outside. She ends up bumping into Lannes Hannelore, one of the few remaining gargoyles in the world. In spite of Lannes’s fear of letting anyone get to close, for reasons of his own, he feels compelled to help this woman. They soon find themselves on the run from an unknown assailant who seems to be able to find them anywhere they go. Their only solution is to track him down themselves and try to unravel the mystery of the woman’s identity along the way. The Wild Road is a steamy paranormal romance/mystery that reads like an adult fairytale. It is also the latest installment to Liu’s Dirk and Steele series. Dirk and Steele is a paranormal detective agency that links each book together. However, each title seems to focus on a new set of characters – readers can jump into the series at any point and skip around as much as they like without feeling at all lost. 11/08 Becky Lejeune

WILD THING by Josh Bazell: You should have no problem picking out this book at your local library or bookstore. Its the one with the international orange cover trimmed with bright white and egg yolk yellow. Inside the contents make the cover look tame. Dr. Lionel Azimuth, aka Dr. Peter Brown, aka former mob hit man Pietro Brnwa, is hired by a reclusive billionaire to go on an expedition looking for a legendary Loch Ness type monster in Minnesota. He sends along a sexy but self-destructive paleontologist to “assist” our hero. After working their way through an army of murderers, mobsters, and international drug dealers will they find the elusive lake monster? Better yet, will they even survive? If you enjoyed BEAT THE REAPER, you will love this follow-up. 3/12 Jack Quick

WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW? by Ed Gorman: Richard Conners, a notorious liberal in the small Iowa town of Black River Falls where PI and lawyer Sam McCain makes his living, shows up at McCain’s door, near death, and succumbs without naming his attacker. McCain has no faith in the investigative ability of local law enforcement, so he proceeds on his own. In short order, he’s also confronted with the deaths of a former FBI agent now fronting an anti-Communist organization and two other right-wing activists. Just as Ed McBain made the fictitious 87th precinct famous, Gorman has created a microcosm of late 1950’s America and populated it with interesting and sometimes offbeat characters who reflect the thoughts and conflicts of that time. A most enjoyable series. 01/10 Jack Quick

WILLING SPIRITS by Phyllis Schieber: Jane Hoffman and Gwen Baker have been friends for decades. Jane was there for Gwen when her husband, Theodore, left her to raise two young children alone. They’ve raised their children together and through the years their friendship has endured as well. Now, they are in their 40s and are facing larger, more painful crisis. Jane comes home early to find her husband, Arnold, in bed with another woman. Their marriage has never been a strong one. Arnold’s always been an empty shell of a man, more concerned about his needs than hers. And when Arnold attempts to walk right back into her life, rather than conceding to him like she’s done for their entire marriage, Jane begins to think first about what she wants. And when their daughter, Caroline, comes to her with news that will change their lives, Jane must be there to support her in a way her own mother was never able to do. Gwen has been in a relationship with Daniel, a married man, for several years. When he tells her that he’s going to leave his wife, she begins to wonder if this is what she really wants. She’d become used to having her own space, but now Daniel wants to move in with her. She can’t help but flash back to her marriage to Theodore and all she was forced to give up for that relationship. Is she ready to give up her independence again? Schieber tells an endearing tale about the friendship of two women. Despite the many challenges they each suffered in life, they never take for granted their friendship. Through the years as their friendship grows, they both discover a bit about themselves as well. Shieber’s lesson is an important one: value the needs of others but never forget the value of one’s self. 03/09 Jennifer Lawrence

WINDWALKER by Natasha Mostert: In an attempt to escape from the memory of her brother’s recent death, photographer Justine Callaway takes a job as the caretaker of the English manor called Parradine Park. She knows nothing of the house’s dark history but is immediately drawn to the neglected estate. Justine soon finds herself becoming obsessed with events that took place in the home nearly a decade ago. Parradine Park was once the not so happy home of the Buchanan family. One evening, eldest son Adam snapped and murdered his own brother. Adam was never seen again. Unable to deal with the loss of her favorite son, their mother committed suicide and Adam’s sister abandoned the home shortly thereafter. Justine is haunted by this tale and to learn as much as she can about Adam Buchanan and the event that tore his family apart. Thousands of miles away, in a town called Kepler’s Bay, Adam Buchanan has made a new life for himself. He lives in almost complete solitude and never forgets the crime that caused this punishment. He does dream, however. Adam has long believed that his soul mate awaits him somewhere, in this life or the next. By strange coincidence, he happens across a magazine carrying and article about Justine. From that moment forward, he knows that she is the one. Will these two fated lovers meet or will their own tragic pasts keep them forever apart? As someone who does not typically read romance, I must say that this melancholy tale is very atypical to the genre. Mostert’s style is much more suitable to literary fiction and I think she would be much more appreciated there. I highly recommend Windwalker if you are looking for a great modern gothic read. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

WINGS TO THE KINGDOM by Cherie Priest: Eden Moore has been trying to keep her talent under wraps, but those seeking to connect with their dearly departed keep tracking her down anyway. When a friend mentions a recent spectral appearance at the Chickamauga battlefield, Eden’s curiosity is piqued. The area has always been host to a bevy of ghost stories but this latest stands out. A pair of professional ghost hunters has even come onto the scene to investigate. Then very real—and deadly—gunshots begin to once again ring out across the battlefield and Eden is caught in the crosshairs. Cherie Priest is admittedly one of my favorite authors. Her debut, and first in this series (Four and Twenty Blackbirds), was a chilling Southern ghost story and she doesn’t lose any steam in this second installment. Eden is a fantastic character and Priest makes excellent use of actual history and folklore in her tales, with some creative license of course. 12/10 Becky Lejeune

A WINTER HAUNTING by Dan Simmons: It’s been four decades since the summer when Dale and his friends fought evil in Elm Haven. Four decades since Duane McBride was murdered. Dale’s memories of that year are hazy at best, but after a failed suicide attempt, he’s decided that it’s time to return. His plan is to rent Duane’s old farmhouse and spend the next nine months writing his latest novel. But the farmhouse holds secrets as well as a lingering presence and Dale’s visit to his childhood hometown is plagued by strange events. Dale doesn’t believe in ghosts, but the alternative, that he might be finally losing his mind, is even worse. Simmons’s tales run the gamut from science fiction and horror to historical fiction and mystery, and each one I’ve read so far has been a complete masterpiece of fiction. I particularly love the atmosphere he’s able to build, which makes books like A Winter Haunting and its companion (they can each be read alone), Summer of Night, particularly chilling and exceptional horror reads. 03/11 Becky Lejeune

WIRED by Liz Maverick: L. Roxanne Zaborovsky, Roxy, is having a bad night. While walking to the neighborhood convenience store, Roxy is interrupted by two men who seem to be fighting over her. One of the two men, Mason Merrick, just happens to be her ex-roommate’s old boyfriend. She decides to trust Mason, for now, but what he reveals to her may be just a little too much to handle. Mason is a wire crosser, he travels through time attempting to restore the original lines of fate altered by Leonardo Kaysar, the other man in the fight. Roxy soon discovers that Mason’s motives may not be so altruistic after all. It seems that each man is trying to manipulate the future to benefit his own cause. Unsure who to trust, and unable to rely on even her own memories, Roxanne is forced to play this deadly game through to the end. This pulse pounding, nonstop race through time is like no romance novel you’ve ever read before.
Maverick’s title is the first to be published by Dorchester under their new SHOMI imprint – am imprint devoted to cutting edge romance for a less traditional, and younger, romance audience. 07/07 Becky Lejeune

WITHER by Lauren DeStefano: After conquering cancer and creating a stronger, healthier generation of children through genetic manipulation, life expectancy strangely plummets: boys live to be twenty-five and girls live to be only twenty. No one has found a cure and many have lost hope altogether. To make matters worse, girls are being kidnapped and sold into polygamist marriages. Rhine and her twin brother Rowan have been taking care of each other since their parents died. At sixteen, they know that Rhine is at risk and their fears are realized when she is taken and forced to marry a wealthy Florida man. But Rhine is unwilling to play the role of token wife and breeder, and from day one, she begins hatching a plan for her escape. But Rhine never counted on becoming attached. She finds friends and allies in her fellow brides and a boy who works in the house, placing all of them in danger. A post-disaster, futuristic teen book that’s impossible to put down, Wither is definitely worth all of the hype. This first in the trilogy will leave readers breathless with anticipation of what will come next. 05/11 Becky Lejeune

WITHOUT MERCY by Lisa Jackson: Julia “Jules” Farentino is an unemployed twenty-five-year-old teacher battling the memories of her father’s murder. The nightmares and headaches were terrible enough to cause her issues at work, but it’s her sister who’s suffered the most. Shaylee’s behavior in recent years has landed her in enough trouble that she’s now been ordered to attend the Blue Rock Academy, a boarding school cut off from the outside world that is said to turn problem children around. In fact, the testimonials from past students and their parents would make the place seem like the perfect solution for Shay, but Jules is not convinced. A recent scandal involving one of the Academy’s teachers paired with a missing student who disappeared without a trace makes Jules certain that the school is hiding something sinister. Jules manages to obtain a teaching position at Blue Rock and arrives the same day that two students are attacked and left for dead on campus. Can Julia unravel the mystery of Blue Rock in time to save her sister or will she herself become a victim of whatever is stalking the campus? Lisa Jackson can always be relied upon for a thrilling read with plenty of twists. The surprise ending was bit expected and predictable, but didn’t make Without Mercy any less enjoyable. 04/10 Becky Lejeune

WICKED BREAK by Jeff Shelby: In his second outing, San Diego surfer PI Noah Braddock is hired by Peter Pluto to find Pluto’s brother Linc, a college student whose apartment has a stash of guns. In short order, Linc’s neighbor is shot, Pluto is killed, and Braddock is severely beaten. From there on out, its gangbangers and skinheads and lots of manly action. Throw in some love interest and a problem parent and you have a good fast read with some humor and plenty of action. Kind of what you would expect from a surfer PI. 08/06 Jack Quick

WICKED GAME by Jeri Smith-Ready: Ciara Griffin is a con-woman looking for a real job. She manages to get hired on as a Sales and Marketing intern at WMMP Radio. Unlike many stations out there today, WMMP’s djs really care about the music. You see they’re all vampires. Apparently, the vamps have a hard time letting go of the era in which they were alive and the station was set up to help them deal with the change in times – the music provides them something concrete that they can hold on to, which makes it easier for them to cope with the time that has past. The problem is this, the owner, a vamp herself, is looking to ensure her retirement and a big corporate conglomerate has offered to buy out the station which would leave the rest of the undead djs out of a job. Ciara is supposed to help figure out a way to boost the station’s popularity and bring in enough cash to discourage the sale. She does, but her plan involves outing the vamps themselves in hopes that it will prove to be a great marketing gimmick without actually convincing people that the undead really do walk among us. Unfortunately, her campaign is not so popular with other area vamps. Smith-Ready’s urban fantasy is both sharp and witty, Ciara is a spunky and sarcastically funny heroine, and the whole book is a fresh spin on the classic vampire mythology making it a stand-out title amongst its peers. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

WILD CRIMES edited by Dana Stabenow – Nicely done paperback anthology of eleven short stories of mystery set in the wild. Authors include Stabenow, Loren Estleman, Laurie King, and S.J. Rozan. A good “waiting room” book to kill those odd few minutes. For sure, it takes you away from “street crime.” 08/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

Wild Justice by Phillip Margolin: Very scary, gruesome thriller that kept me up half the night reading, then too scared to sleep! What more could you want from a book? Definitely his best work yet.

WILD JUSTICE By Phillip Margolin: Somebody gave me a well read paperback of this and told me I’d like it…
I did. This one is made a good read by the fact that it’s very much an ensemble piece. No one character in the thread of the story stands out. In fact, you actually find yourself rooting for the bad guy here in spots!.
No brief synopsis could describe what goes on in this one. Imagine part legal stuff, vs. some truly sick and motivated people, all with their own agendas and risks. Think along the lines of a print Robert Altman movie.
I have to admit that I figured out who the bad guy was early on.. But that’s only because I’ve been reading this stuff for nearly four decades. I know the signs when I see ’em. But this is a really good yarn, skillfully told from both the legal and action standpoints. And the interaction between all the sets, and subsets, of players makes this a unique thriller, one that does not depend on a sole hero, but allows ALL the players in the tale to have their fame or misfortune. This is a good one. 05/06 DOC

THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE by Haruki Murakami: First, Toru Okada’s cat goes missing. Then, Kumiko, his wife goes missing as well. Toru is told, both by Kumiko and her family, to leave her alone and grant her wish for a divorce. He is told that she has been seeing another man. Toru believes, however, that something is amiss. He believes that Kumiko is being held, against her wishes, and he vows to continue to search for her and win her back. Along the way, Toru meets some very unusual characters including his teenage neighbor who is recovering from an accident that caused the death of her boyfriend, a pair of psychic sisters, and an ex-military man who is finally ready to tell his story. All of the people that Toru meets will prepare him in some way for what ultimately needs to be done to discover the true fate of his wife. Murakami’s prose is both lyrical and bewitching. Each new character has his or her own tale to tell, creating little vignettes or breaks from Toru’s own story. This strange, and sometimes confusing, tale is one that will leave you guessing until the end. 03/07 Becky Lejeune

THE WINTER GHOSTS by Kate Mosse: Freddie never recovered from the loss of his older brother. In fact, Freddie found himself temporarily installed in a sanatorium after a nervous breakdown. When his car goes off the road in a remote part of the Pyrenees, Freddie manages to find shelter at an inn in a small mountain town. That evening, he attends a local celebration and meets an entrancing young woman. The following morning, however, all evidence of the woman is gone and Freddie finds himself in the throes of a terrible fever. No doubt others believe Freddie is of a delicate mental state, but surely the girl was not his imagination. As with Mosse’s other books, the inspiration for The Winter Ghosts lies in actual French history. This time, it’s the fourteenth-century massacre of the Cathars that is the basis for the tale. The Winter Ghosts is written in the style of a classic Victorian ghost story and is an intriguing read. 12/11 Becky Lejeune

WINTER MOON: Three novellas by Mercedes Lackey, Tanith Lee and C. E. Murphy: This is one of those books that I would suggest, not facetiously, that if you like this sort of thing, you’ll like the book. Mercedes Lackey’s “Moontide” is a totally enjoyable story about a kingdom where power is up for grabs, marriages are made to cement relationships and the lead character, the king’s daughter, isn’t having any of it. There are overtones of Celtic/Irish lore and a “saturnine” “bearded” ally who seems vaguely Arabic, but it’s an interesting realm and a good adventure It didn’t need to be as long as a novella; I got it long before the story ended.
C.E. Murphy’s story, while set in my home of Seattle, bugged me; the character seemed far too young, whiny and immature to be a cop. The story relies too much on references to events that happened before this tale began and there are measly little errors that should have been fixed; “Tetris” does not involve anyone “dying horribly” and Indians do not have skin “as red as brick” – which any adult, especially a Seattle-based cop, should know. We have Indians here in Seattle. Go look. Okay, it’s in her imagination but I lost patience with her. And naming your car and insisting It’s a “her not an it”? Please.
And I apologize to the Tanith Lee fans; while her “The Heart of the Moon” seemed well-written as far as I got, it’s too spiritual and goddessy for my taste and I could not finish it. If you like stories about spirituality and power, if you were into moon goddess stuff back when, or even now, you’ll likely enjoy all of these tales more than I did. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Andi Shechter.

WINTERWOOD by Patrick McCabe: This disturbing novel is the story of one man’s sick obsession and eventual downward spiral into madness. Redmond Hatch hails from the mountain village of Slievenageeha, a place where it’s not unusual to hear more urban Irishmen refer to folk as being inbred and country, amongst other things. Redmond, a reporter for a Dublin paper, has returned to cover a story on mountain folklore. While writing the story he befriends a man named Ned Strange, who the locals lovingly call Auld Pappie. Ned has been teaching the young children the art of ceilidh – a sort of barn dance with folk music – and also entertains the villagers with tales of the old times. Ned is revered for keeping the culture alive but he is not the pure soul he first appears to be. Under the influence of some pretty heavy homebrew, Ned reveals to Redmond some startling information about his past. Years later, Ned is imprisoned after sexually assaulting and killing a local boy. Redmond becomes fixated on Ned and his crime to the point that he soon destroys his own family. Redmond’s own life even begins to resemble Ned’s stories and the two become somewhat indistinguishable from one another. Although the use of a non-linear storyline certainly lends belief to Redmond’s crumbling sanity, it also makes the story very hard to follow. This is ultimately a bleak and depressing, not to mention somewhat confusing, book. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

WISHFUL SINFUL by Tracy Dunham: After losing a highly publicized capital punishment case, attorney Tal Jefferson leaves her big city law firm and hectic life, returning to the small Georgia town where she was raised. For a while she finds comfort in memories and booze, but when a childhood friend is accused of a brutal murder, Tal must quickly clean up her act as she finds her own life in danger from the consequences of small town secrets with big time implications. First in the series. A little uneven but shows promise. 04/06 Jack Quick

THE WITCH’S DAUGHTER by Paula Brackston: Elizabeth Hawksmith has been running for such a long time. For centuries she’s been tracked by Gideon Masters, an evil sorcerer who was once her only hope. After her family was killed by the plague, Elizabeth and her mother were accused of witchcraft. Gideon was her savior but he wished to keep her as his own. Elizabeth has narrowly escaped him throughout the years, hiding in plain sight and adopting new identities, always using her powers to help those around her. But when Elizabeth finally decides to take on a pupil of her own, she will be forced to choose: continue running or take a stand. The Witch’s Daughter is a wonderful combination of historical fiction and paranormal. Brackston’s story alternates between past and present as she mixes tales of Elizabeth’s early life with the present day, tying in historical events including Jack the Ripper and the horrors of WWI. I did find the ending to be a bit brief considering the build. Overall, a really enjoyable read, though. 1/11 Becky Lejeune

WITCHLING by Yasmine Galenorn: The D’Artigo sisters are half fae, half human. Each has their own ability, but their human genes have an inconvenient effect on their powers. Camille is a witch whose spells don’t always come out just right, Delilah is a shapeshifter who transforms into an orange tabby when she’s stressed, and Menolly is having a hard time adjusting to life as a vampire. But they’re all doing their best and they’ve been working in the human realm as agents with the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. When a fellow otherworlder is murdered, all signs point to a new and evil boss in the Subterranean Realm. If he’s able to get through the natural barriers between the worlds, all hell would surely break loose. The D’Artigo sisters learn that there were nine spirit seals created ages ago as protection for the realms. Defending the seals is the only way the sisters can ensure that the realms remain safe. This first in the series has a wonderful fairy tale feel about it that sets it apart from others in the paranormal romance/mystery genre. It’ll be interesting to continue the stories and learn more about the sisters as well as the realms and other creatures introduced. 05/10 Becky Lejeune

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE by Sally Koslow: While some people are lucky enough to hang onto friends for a lifetime, others find that life can sometimes lead friends in different directions. Talia, Chloe, Quincy, and Jules are all facing big life changes. And when two of the friends betray each other in ways that seem unforgivable, it starts to look unlikely that the group will make it through and remain close. Quincy is house hunting for the perfect home when luck finally comes her way in the form of a fantastic apartment that’s an even more fantastic deal. Problem is, Jules’s boyfriend lives in the same building and wants the place for himself. Meanwhile, Talia is finding it hard to make ends meet when she accidentally intercepts a call for Chloe from one of New York’s best headhunters. Sally Koslow’s story is one concerning the tricky balance of true friendship, something that many women can and will relate to. A bit snarkier than Leah Stewart’s The Myth of You and Me, With Friends Like These touches on the same issues in a much lighter way. 09/10 Becky Lejeune
With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill by Parnell Hall: As a cruciverbalist of long standing, I have really enjoyed Parnell Hall’s series about The Puzzle Lady. As readers of these books know, the Puzzle Lady is not really Cora Felton whose picture appears on the Puzzle Lady’s publications, but her attractive young niece, Sherry, who really constructs the puzzles. The efforts of both of them to conceal this deception is a basis for on-going hilarity in all of these stories since Cora has no idea how to solve a crossword, much less create one.
This story begins as the oft-wed Cora is about to commit matrimony one more time. Of course, this time it is Mr. Right. As we start across and down, we can guess two things. First, that he will turn out to be Mr. Wrong and secondly, that his chances of actually making it to the altar are slim to none. Correct on both counts.
The complication in the plot is Sherry’s ex-husband who physically abused her. He is now engaged to her best friend. He suggests that they have a double wedding with Cora and her intended so that Sherry can serve as the Maid of Honor in both weddings simultaneously. This cannot be good.
Everything that can go wrong, does. With very funny results.
One word of caution, this time out Mr. Hall has eschewed crosswords in favor of cryptograms and letter substitution. Nonetheless, this is a great holiday read and will be enjoyed by all of us who worship at the altar of Will Shortz.
Readers who enjoy wrestling with language may also enjoy Reginald Hill’s last two books, Dialogues of the Dead and Death’s Jest-Book, although they are lengthier and more complex than Mr. Hall’s delightful tales. 12/03 ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

Without Fail by Lee Child: I couldn’t put down this gripping thriller involving an attempted assassination of the Vice President. I’ve never read Mr. Child before, but I loved his main character, Jack Reacher. I am looking forward to catching up on his backlist.

WITHOUT MERCY by Jack Higgins: Either you enjoy Higgins as a “comfort read” or you don’t. Personally I do, and if his characters aren’t the deepest or his plots the most complex, he still knows how to tell a tale and involve the reader. Sean Dillon–former IRA enforcer now working for British intelligence–seeks revenge on the Russian agents responsible for murdering his colleague Hanna Bernstein. Meanwhile the Russians are trying to salvage their plan to obtain a steady supply of oil from Iraq. It probably isn’t possible, but there is always the underlying thought that maybe there is something to this premise, after all. 01/06 Jack Quick

WITHOUT WARNING by Eugenia Lovett West: Now in her late forties, with her children grown and gone, Emma Streat should be looking forward to starting the next chapter of her life, but she never counted on that next chapter beginning with her husband’s death. Just before their latest trip to London, Emma’s husband begins acting jumpy: nervous and snapping at her for seemingly no good reason. After an abrupt departure back to the States, Emma’s husband is killed in what is initially thought to be a hit-and-run accident. Emma’s discovery of a note regarding one of his coworkers is just the first clue that something is amiss. As Emma digs into her husband’s death, she uncovers a web of intrigue involving spies, dangerous weapons developments, and state secrets that those in power are dying to keep under wraps. This first in Lovett West’s series is a surprisingly different read than one would initially expect. Much darker than a cozy, Without Warning is a mystery edging into the world of political thrillers. An exciting start to what promises to be a smart new series. 11/09 Becky Lejeune

WIVES AND SISTERS by Natalie R. Collins: I’m always intrigued by books about a different culture, and this one is an in depth look at the Mormons told from the perspective of a woman who feels her whole life has been lived under a cloud, and with good reason. The author knows her subject; she was raised in a Mormon home in Utah.
I loved the opening line of this book: “I was six years old the first time I had an inkling God would not always protect me.”
And I couldn’t put it down until I read the last line.
Six year old Allison Jensen and her best friend are playing in a field when they hear a gun shot. The shooter, an older man with a beard, yells at the girls to take off their clothes. Instead, they take off running, hand in hand. But when Allison turns to look behind them to see if they are being chased, she falls and is knocked unconscious. When she awakens, her friend is gone and never is found. But that is just the tip of the iceberg of Allison’s problems. As she grows older she also has to deal with a religion she doesn’t understand and doesn’t quite believe in, an abusive father, the deaths of loved ones and a rape, but most devastating of all is the suspected cover up of these tragedies by her family and her church. It makes for a most heartrending and compelling story that will not be easily forgotten. 02/05

THE WOLF AT THE DOOR by Jack Higgins: Higgins’s 17th Sean Dillon thriller (after A Darker Place), starts with a bang. Presidential advisor Blake Johnson is shot at the dock of his place off Long Island. In London, General Charles Ferguson, who’s just left a late-night meeting of Commonwealth ministers, is walking toward his car when it explodes, killing his driver. In New York City, Major Harry Miller, who’s in the U.S. to attend a U.N. meeting, goes for a stroll in Central Park, where he neatly turns the tables on another hired hit man. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is behind all this as payback for their being such a thorn in his side over the years. Good eventually triumphs as it always does in Higgins outings but not before there is some heart stopping action and even a wee bit of whisky drinking. Another good one. 02/10 Jack Quick

WOLFBREED by S.A. Swann: 1221, Eastern Europe: An outpost of Christian knights from the Crusades is attacked and wiped out by what appears to be a giant wolf. One knight survives, killing the wolf and discovering her lair—and her offspring. For the next eighteen years, the Order of the Hospital of St. Mary will train these creatures to be their own beasts of battle. Their single goal is to kill the enemies of their masters. Lilly was raised to be a powerful weapon, but the knights will soon discover that she is not a mindless creature. It is 1239 when Lilly finally escapes, but her master and his fellow knights will not give her up so easily. In fact, Lilly’s escape may be the catalyst in a conflict that’s been brewing between the nearby landowners and the knights who have ruled them with an iron fist for over a decade. Whether Lilly’s protectors will stand by her once the truth of her identity is revealed is the biggest question, though. I really enjoyed this blend of historical fiction and paranormal. Wolfbreed is a great standout amongst the werewolf titles of late. The sequel, Wolf’s Cross, is due out this month. 07/10 Becky Lejeune
THE WOLFMAN by Nicholas Pekearo: Marlowe Higgins is a bit of a loaner. He moves from town to town, never settling down in one place. You see, Marlowe Higgins is a werewolf. For years the Wolf existed, uncontrolled and killing at random. Until Marlowe trained the Wolf to only kill those he deemed bad enough to die. A serial killer, The Rose Killer, has begun to kill young women in the small town where Higgins is currently residing. He works closely with Daniel Pearce, a local police detective, to obtain details regarding the crimes and focuses his attention on alleviating the small town of this horrible killer. Pekearo did a wonderful job with this amazing thriller/horror novel. The descriptions of the Wolf’s actions were downright gory and added to the intensity of this book. This is definitely a book that would attract readers from several different genres, ranging from paranormal thrillers to true crime. The Wolfman was Pekearo’s first and only published work. Pekearo was a volunteer for the NYPD Auxiliary Police Officer and was killed in the line of duty in 2007. 06/08 Jennifer Lawrence

WOLVES EAT DOGS by Martin Cruz Smith: Senior Investigator Arkady Renko is investigating the death of Pasha Ivanov, the wealthy president of Moscow’s NoviRus Corporation, who plunged 10 stories to the pavement from his designer apartment. Renko’s boss, Prosecutor Zurin declares the death a suicide but Renko, being Renko, isn’t so sure and wonders about details like the 50 kilos of salt in Ivanov’s closet and the fact that he was clutching a salt shaker at the moment of his death. Renko’s persistence causes him to be sent to Chernobyl and the Zone of Exclusion. Can he solve the case before the radiation permanently affects him? Dark and brooding, but very well written. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK by Susan Hill: As a young man, Arthur Kipps experienced unspeakable horror. For decades, he’s attempted to put the events at Eel Marsh House behind him, but now it’s time to once again dredge up the past and face the truth. One of Kipps’s first assignments as a solicitor was to help with the handling of Alice Drablow’s estate. Alice, a widow who had recently passed away, had no one else to close out her affairs. Arthur was sent to Eel Marsh House, a dreary estate in the midst of a marsh and accessible only during low tides, as a representative of the firm where he’d recently been hired on. The locals were of no help and Kipps knew that there was more to Eel Marsh House and Alice Drablow than anyone would admit. Still, he was determined to do the job right. But Arthur would soon find that there are some forces that cannot be reasoned with. The Woman in Black is a chilling and atmospheric ghost story, recently adapted for the big screen. The book is wonderfully dark and creepy and I can’t wait to see what the movie has in store. 2/12 Becky Lejeune

A WOMAN TO BLAME by Marthanne Shubert: Gin Ritchey is the re-incarnation of Travis McGee. She lives on the Blue Jasmine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and works as a private detective when she feels like it. She is financially secure as the result of the books her husband published before his untimely death. Would be singer Agnes Stierholz, AKA “Bunny” is having it on with Nick Rossano, one of the retired New Jersey snowbirds about three times her age when her fiancé arrives from Flint, Michigan, at Ritchey’s door, or boat slip, as it were. A couple of weeks later when Nick, a diabetic, is found dead in bed, Ritchey begins to wonder if there might be more here than meets the eye. Not bad for a beach read, but nothing challenging. 02/09 Jack Quick

WONDROUS STRANGE by Lesley Livingston: In Central Park lies the Samhain Gate, a thin connection between the worlds that King Auberon tried to seal and failed. Each year at Halloween, the gate opens and Auberon’s Janus guards — changelings chosen specifically to guard the gate — are set to work. Sonny Flannery, Auberon’s favorite Janus, can sense beings from the realm of the fey, comes in handy tracking down troublemakers as part of his job. One night, though, he senses something else, something he is not familiar with. His search leads him to a teenage girl, by all appearances a normal human. He leaves her to begin his duties, only to discover later that there is something very special about this mortal. He is able to track her, but will he be able to figure out what she is and can he protect her from what is to come, or will he even need to? This is a fairy story, but not a fairy tale. The fey are not cute or sweet, in fact, this tale draws from just about every dark myth there is, and, of course, from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream as well. Wondrous Strange is a great teen read but is fun for adults as well. If you enjoy mythology and stories of the fey, then I’d recommend snagging this one for yourself before passing it along. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

THE WOODS by Harlan Coben: This book came out several months ago and I wasn’t really planning on reading it; I gave up on Coben after the ridiculous ending in No Second Chance. But so many people raved about this new one, I decided to give him another try. Coben writes these twisty, gripping thrillers, taking ordinary people and putting them in extraordinary circumstances, but he inevitably winds up writing himself into a corner with endings that are either too neatly tied up or even worse, don’t make sense. With The Woods, he’s redeemed himself. The premise is the stuff legends are made of – Paul Copeland was working in a summer camp and was supposed to be on night duty, but instead, snuck off into the woods with his girlfriend. But four teenagers were murdered that night, including Paul’s sister. Spring forward twenty years and Copeland is now a county prosecutor with political ambitions. He’s asked to identify a body that he believes to be one of the teenagers that was supposedly killed that night at camp, unraveling twenty years of history and then some. Tons of suspense, lots of twists and intricate plotting overcome the shallow characters to make this a furiously fast, fun read with an ending that made sense. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE WOODS by Harlan Coben: Paul “Cope” Copeland was the counselor on duty the night his sister and three other campers were killed. Years later he still lives with the guilt he associates with that night. It was his responsibility to make sure the kids were safe and he failed. Maybe, if he hadn’t been on duty they would have lived. The bodies of two of the campers, his own sister and a boy named Gil Perez, were never found. Two decades after the murders Cope is once again being questioned by police. A man calling himself Manolo Santiago has been found murdered. In his pocket, he carried a magazine article about Cope. Cope believes the man may actually be Gil Perez. Faced with this, and the possibility that his own sister may have survived, Cope begins to reinvestigate the crime that so devastated his family and changed his life forever. Oh, Harlan Coben, you keep me up so late at night! Though regrettably this is not one of my favorites, The Woods is still a guaranteed edge of your seat thriller that will satisfy Coben fans until next year. 06/07 Becky Lejeune

The Wooden Nickel by William Carpenter, Little Brown: I read this book for two simple reasons. First I have an interest in Maine (grandparents). Second I have an interest in lobsters (live ones, no butter). I got what I wanted and I got Lucky Lunt. I loved the main character Lucky. He was so politically incorrect, so crazy, so fierce, and so wrongly named! I kept thinking “he’ll stop now- he’s gotta” but he never did and I was glad he didn’t. Lucky lives in Orphan Point, Maine and spends his summer, when he ought to be watching his health and looking after his family, turning his life upside down. Carpenter’s writing is terrific and it was fun to be out on the ocean with Lucky or having a Rolling Rock with him. Here is your comp title: if you like Richard Russo (and I do) you will like this book. A great read and an unforgettable character. I’ll leave it to the scholars to explain the meaning of the rogue whale, or you can when you read it.

PS: William Carpenter has written one novel and three books of poetry. He is a professor at College of the Atlantic in Maine. He lists American Psycho and The Satanic Verses as some of his favorite novels – – gotta love that. Check out his bio on the Little Brown website. ~This review contributed by Ann Nappa

WORKING FOR THE DEVIL by Lilith Saintcrow: Dante Valentine is a Necromance – she has the ability to raise the dead. She uses her talent mostly to aid her clients in tying up legal matters and various loose ends. Occasionally, she also offers her services as a bounty hunter. Now she’s been given an assignment that’s a bit different. She’s been hired by the Dark Prince himself to track down and assassinate a rogue demon. Dante is not inclined to accept the assignment until she discovers the identity of said demon. Vardimal Santino almost killed Dante last time they met. He did kill her best friend. Now, Dante is literally hell-bent on getting her revenge. The first in this complex new urban fantasy series is sure to grab readers’ attentions. Dante is a gritty and tenacious heroine with a somewhat mysterious past who lives in a bleak future incarnation of our world. Saintcrow combines elements of mystery and fantasy to bring readers an exceptional page turning read. Although Working for the Devil was originally published last year, it has been reprinted and released simultaneously with the second and third books in the series, which is a good thing because I promise you will be scrambling to pick up the next book. Books four and five will follow in November and January, respectively. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

WORLD WAR Z by Max Brooks: Okay, so as usual I have to start with a disclaimer—EVEN IF YOU HATE ZOMBIES, YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS BOOK ANYWAY. I mean, of course, everyone hates actual zombies, but I like stories about them and I’m sure a lot of people don’t.
Anyway. I finished reading this book on the same day I saw the movie I Am Legend, and I have to say I was a bit twitchy when walking into dark places for the rest of the week, but this is not really a horror novel. It’s actually told as an oral history (many people compare it to Studs Terkel, who I haven’t read, so I can’t speak to that, but if that sounds cool to you, go for it). According to the book, (and the jacket copy and everything is completely written as if this was a TRUE STORY) there was this major zombie war sometime in the near future, and the author has traveled all over the world interviewing people about their experiences during the conflict. It’s absolutely realistic in terms of what might really happen if a huge army of zombies started attacking people all over the world. Really unusual and creative. Jenne Bergstrom 03/08

THE WORST KIND OF LIES by John Patrick Lamont: Billed as the first of the Sum of Life Trilogy, The Worst Kind of Lies is a tell-all about greed, deceit, betrayal and even murder (??) in the modern insurance industry. At 500 pages it contains more minutiae than most would care for about that industry. Moreover the fact that the company being dissected is Titanic Insurance Company of Kansas should tell you most of what you need to know. If you get your kicks watching MSNBC and the stock market ticker, you will love this one. Otherwise, might want to stick to lighter fare. 05/09 Jack Quick

WORST NIGHTMARES by Shane Briant: Best-selling and award-winning author Dermot Nolan has a problem. It seems the well has run dry, at least for now. Nothing is inspiring him and he has already run through his million-dollar advance, with no possible way of paying it back. When he first receives the Dream Healer’s journal, Dermot is annoyed and disgusted. Annoyed that yet again someone has approached him to get their book published, and disgusted with the writing and the story. The “journal” recounts the murders of victims chosen based on their worst nightmares. Each of these people approached the Dream Healer through his website, thinking that he would cure them of the dreams that plague them. Instead, they were brutally murdered and all of it has been recorded for Dermot to read. He and his wife, Neela, never thought that it was real, though. In fact, when the author kills himself, it is Neela who convinces Dermot to take the story and make it his own. But Dermot never told his wife what he found at the so-called murder sites. And then someone dies in a scene straight out of Dermot’s new bestseller. Briant’s debut, a thriller/horror reminiscent of both King’s Secret Window, Secret Garden and Saw, is a twisted read. I would have liked more from the Dream Healer’s perspective, but given that he dies in the beginning… or does he? 05/09 Becky Lejeune

WORTH DYING FOR by Lee Child: Child continues to prove that a series can keep getting better with this 14th entry of the Jack Reacher series. Reacher is still recovering from the ending of 61 Hours; he can barely lift his arms and moves like a man in pain. He ends up in a small town in Nebraska, where he overhears a conversation in a bar where a doctor won’t attend to a woman with a bloody nose that won’t stop bleeding. He intervenes, driving the inebriated doctor to the woman’s house, setting off a course of events that could not have been foreseen.
It’s obvious to Reacher that this woman was beaten by her husband and not for the first time. Reacher, with his unflappable sense of justice, seeks out her husband and breaks his nose. The Duncan family runs this small part of Nebraska, and a punch in the face will most certainly be retaliated. After Reacher takes care of the two ex-football players sent to teach him a lesson, the whole thing just escalates into what it really is: something illegal is underfoot and making the Duncan family rich, and there is a decades old cover-up of a missing child. Reacher decides to hang around and right these wrongs. Lots of action, some interesting characters, and a small town with that sense of desolation that Child does so well makes this a book that I couldn’t put it down. 10/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
WORTH DYING FOR by Lee Child: Physically, Reacher is recovering from the after effects of his adventures in 61 Hours. Mentally, he is in the “Don’t Mess With me, I Am An Angry Bear” mode. In an isolated Nebraska town where he has been dropped off from a hitchhike, he comes across an alcoholic doctor that he takes to Eleanor Duncan, who’s married to the abusive Seth, for a “nosebleed”, the result of Seth’s anger. Turn about is fair play, so Reacher breaks Seth’s nose after disposing of his bodyguard. This prompts members of the Duncan clan, who are involved in an illegal trafficking scheme, to seek revenge, which leads to two more would-be heavyweights lying in the dust. Now firmly committed, Reacher winds up trying to solve a decades-old case concerning a missing eight-year-old girl. With each succeeding book Reacher assumes even greater superhuman capabilities, but he remains entertaining as he goes from crisis to crisis. Continue to recommend this series. 12/10 Jack Quick

THE WOUNDED AND THE SLAIN by David Goodis: Hardcase Crime #31 is a reprint of 1955 classic. Although not as widely known as his contemporaries – Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammet – Goodis was noted producing some first rate fiction, turning out some five million words for pulp magazines, as well as serial novels and scripts for radio adventure shows. This one is the tale of a troubled married couple who fly to Jamaica for a last chance at patching things up. James ends up in a Kingston slum battling for his life, while Cora falls victim to another man. And to top it off, it has an awesome cover. Very much recommended. 05/07 Jack Quick

THE WRECK OF THE TWILIGHT LIMITED by Joe Formichella: I had just assumed the position of Program Director at a Dothan, Alabama television station when the Twilight Limited Amtrak train plunged off a bridge deep in the Alabama bayou near Mobile on September 22, 1993. Forty-seven people were killed in the tragedy; which was ultimately determined to have been caused by a barge striking a railroad bridge on a foggy night, displacing the rails. Our television station was one of the first on the scene providing coverage to the nation. Joe Formichella tells the story of the accident, alternating between the time of the wreck and five years later. I enjoyed the book because of my personal connection to the event, but would not recommend it for everyone. 06/10 Jack Quick

WRECKER’S KEY by Christine Kling: Nestor Frias calls tugboat Captain and owner Seychelle Sullivan for help after he runs a millionaire’s yacht aground in Key West. Nestor insists the GPS navigation system was somehow compromised, but while Seychelle is towing the yacht to Fort Lauderdale, Nestor is killed in a windsurfing accident that his pregnant widow insists was murder. An unexpected reunion with an old childhood friend, Ben Baker, once a nerd, now a hottie, provides some romantic tension while Seychelle tries to get to the truth behind Nestor’s accidents. Go ahead, admit it, the ending surprised you, right? 04/07 Jack Quick

THE WRITING CLASS by Jincy Willett: Amy Gallup has pretty much succeeded in cutting herself off from the world. Her last remaining connection, and only significant human contact, comes from the creative writing class she teaches. It’s an extension course – continued education for adults, some of whom are actually interested in writing; some of those are actually good. Amy is enthusiastic about this group and grows to like them more than most. But then one of her students reveals a strange critique she received after sharing a piece with the class. The following week it happens again with another student. Soon what seems no more than a mean prank escalates to something violent and terrifying. Amy and her class are determined to continue, against the odds, and discover the culprit behind these terrible acts. Willet’s whodunit is packed with witty sarcasm and clever humor. She’s also managed to give a significant voice to each of her characters which makes the reading (and the readings in the reading) that much more interesting and believable. A light mystery full of dark and sarcastic humor. 06/08 Becky Lejeune

THE WRITING ON MY FOREHEAD by Nafisa Haji: In the aftermath of 9/11, Saira Qadar is forced to make some tough decisions. As she faces the recent death of her sister, she recalls the stories that have accompanied her throughout the years. Stories of bravery, pain, and secrecy shared by many of the members of her family, stories that have affected each decision in her life. See, even from a young age, Saira had the ability to get others to tell her their tales and gossip. Through them, she learned about one grandfather’s torrid love affair — an event that literally ripped his family apart — and another grandfather’s attempts to change the world. She also learned about her great-aunt’s decisions to go against the expectations of a woman to marry and raise children. Consequently, it is her story that has most influenced Saira’s decisions to follow her own heart, a choice that has sometimes left her on the outs with her own family and culture. But Saira’s own story also shows a profound love of family and, through its telling, an understanding of her culture and the way each generation has helped to shape it. A touching debut from a very talented author. 03/09 Becky Lejeune

THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD by Declan Hughes: LA private eye Edward Loy has returned to his boyhood home of Dublin for his mother’s funeral. On the way home from the service a friend asks him to find her missing husband – leading to bodies, danger, and a fearsome organized crime gang. Loy is hampered by the fact that the Dublin he grew up in no longer the Dublin of today. This should please fans of Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos – as it did me. 03/06 Jack Quick

XOMBIES: APOCALYPSE BLUES by Walter Greatshell: Lulu Pangloss lives a bit of a nomadic life: off the grid and sometimes relying on the kindness of others for basic necessities. As a result, she and her mother miss the news reports about the outbreak and spread of Agent X, a highly infectious contagion that has turned much of the population into zombies, or xombies. It’s discovered that the outbreak began with women, but Lulu seems to have a rare genetic disorder that leaves her immune. Her mother is not so lucky. Lulu barely escapes, hitching a ride with a man who could very well be her father as he races toward a nuclear sub set to carry top-secret information that could be mankind’s last hope. The ship’s crew, a handful of soldiers and boys barely trained for service, are suspicious of Lulu, but she soon proves herself to be an important and resourceful asset to the survivors. As the sub treks north, towards a destination known only to the captain, Lulu and her fellow travelers fight against all odds to avoid infection and live another day. Greatshell’s zombie apocalypse tale was originally published in 2004. Now retitled and reprinted, with a sequel on the way, Xombies: Apocalypse Blues makes for an amusing zombie-filled read with a bit of a twist and a cliffhanger of an ending. 11/09 Becky Lejeune