LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL SECRETS by Joey Green

July 30, 2016

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121 Ingenious Tips to Endure Cramped Planes, Car Trouble, Awful Hotels, and Other Trips from Hell

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but probably not what it was. These are what are popularly called “life hacks,” from tampon ear plugs to recharging a dead battery with red wine. That last tip was just odd – I would much rather call the auto club and drink the red wine while I waited. But I digress.

If you’re a camper, be it RV or roughing it, a good chunk of the book is devoted to you. With tips like How to Protect a Trailer Hitch with a Tennis Ball, How to Clean Road Grime from the Windshield with Coca-Cola, How to Make a Barbecue Grill from a Coffee Can and a Rake, How to Store Spices in Tic Tac Boxes, and many more.

Those of you who enjoy cruising may want to know How to Sneak Liquor Aboard with Food Coloring, How to Hide Your Money in a Potato Chip Bag, or for those stranded at sea, How to Deodorize a Nonworking Toilet with Coffee. Hotel travelers may want to know How to Hide Valuables in a Comfy Chair, How to Seal Curtains Shut with Clothes Hangers, and my personal favorite, How to Electrocute an Intruder with a Table Lamp – I didn’t hear about that at ThrillerFest!

You get the idea. The book is divided by method of travel from the aforementioned hotels, camping and cruising to trains, buses, cars, airplanes and even packing tricks. It’s a great gift book for a friend who travels a lot or for those who enjoy reading about unusual ways to do things you didn’t even realize you may need to do.

07/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL SECRETS by Joey Green. Chicago Review Press (May 1, 2016). ISBN 978-1613735046. 240p.

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DEAD JOKER by Ann Holt

July 28, 2016

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Hanne Wilhelmsen Novels, Book 5

Hanne Wilhelmsen is a middle-aged lesbian detective in Oslo, Norway who has a problem case fall in her lap. The Chief Prosecutor’s wife has been murdered – she was decapitated by her own antique sword, with her husband’s fingerprints all over it. Plus he’s offering up an alternative suspect who happens to have died a few weeks earlier.

Nonetheless, Wilhelmsen doesn’t really believe he’s guilty but even with her deputy, Billy T, helping, she has a hard time finding another suspect. Then a reporter is also decapitated and Wilhelmsen needs to figure out how the two deaths are related.

Meanwhile, her long time partner at home has been diagnosed with cancer and the stress of her home life and these cases is definitely taking its toll, all played out against the bleak Norwegian backdrop. The pacing is leisurely, especially for a Scandinavian thriller, but the character development almost makes up for it.

Holt is Norway’s former Minister of Justice. Readers who enjoy Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series or Karin Fossum’s Inspector Sejer series will feel like they are back in Scandinavia.

7/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DEAD JOKER by Ann Holt. Scribner (July 26, 2016). ISBN 978-1501123269. 368p.

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THE GIRLS IN THE GARDEN by Lisa Jewell

July 27, 2016

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In the aftermath of a community party, a girl falls victim to a terrible attack. She’s found unconscious by her younger sister while their mother lay passed out drunk in their nearby flat.

Months earlier, in the wake of another tragedy and short on funds, Clare and her two daughters, Grace and Pip, were forced to move into a small London flat. The new home offered two positives: a chance to hide from their past and the unexpected hidden gem of a communal garden. As months passed, the family made friends amongst their neighbors. But now the quiet safety of their new existence has been shattered. And everyone is a potential suspect.

Jewell’s latest begins with the attack in question. It’s a fairly shocking start to the book, but after this opening chapter the reader is launched backward in time to “Before.” In fact, Jewell takes the story months back in the characters’ timeline with Clare, Pip, and Grace having just moved into their new flat. And it’s clear as soon as we meet this family that something horrible has happened. Something that has forced them to uproot and basically hide in this new neighborhood.

This particular start and immediate flash backward sets a great tone for the book as a whole – one that hints at secrets and possible clues to the eventual attack around every corner. That suspicion and the deliberate pacing of the book make for a quite suspenseful and utterly enjoyable read. And the end was one even I didn’t fully see coming.

7/16 Becky LeJeune

THE GIRLS IN THE GARDEN by Lisa Jewell. Atria Books (June 7, 2016). ISBN: 978-1476792217. 320p.

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MY BEST FRIEND’S EXORCISM by Grady Hendrix

July 25, 2016

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Gretchen has been Abby’s best friend since fourth grade. That was the year that Abby’s classmates decided to go horseback riding instead of attending her birthday and Gretchen, the weird new girl, was the only one to show.

Since then, the two girls have been inseparable. They do everything together, including dabbling with LSD. And sure they’ve heard the rumors about bad trips and other craziness, but neither of them could have predicted the changes that come over Gretchen in the wake of their experimentation. Changes that force everyone to turn their backs on her. Everyone except Abby, that is. Changes that are downright evil.

Fears of Satanism and the devil’s influence were rampant in the eighties, with claims that everything from D&D to heavy metal could lead kids to the dark side. Hendrix successfully plays off of those fears, offering up a great sense of dark nostalgia for horror fans.

Abby and Gretchen are normal teens testing boundaries while still maintaining good GPAs and basically following the rules. So when their night of adventure takes a dark turn, they both immediately blame the drugs. But Abby soon realizes there’s more to it: Gretchen starts seeing things and acting strangely, missing school more and more frequently, even neglecting basic hygiene. She argues with their mutual friends, pushing people further and further away until only Abby steadfastly remains by her side.

At first, Gretchen’s behavior can be chalked up to basic teen angst. She fights with her parents, who Abby knows are overbearing to say the least. Possession is, of course, the furthest thing from Abby’s mind. But Gretchen’s behavior becomes more erratic, forcing Abby to take drastic measures and consider the fact that something much darker must be to blame for what’s happening.

Readers are taken along for the ride as Abby’s friendship is stretched to its limits and beyond in a story that becomes increasingly more creepy and disturbing as it plays out. And it’s oh, so very fun.

7/16 Becky LeJeune

MY BEST FRIEND’S EXORCISM by Grady Hendrix. Quirk Books (May 17, 2016). ISBN: 978-1594748622. 336p.

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GUILTY MINDS by Joseph Finder

July 23, 2016

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Nick Heller has appeared several times in previous novels by Joseph Finder. He is a private spy for hire, an intelligence operative that works for lawyers, politicians, and in some cases for foreign governments.

Nick has been well fleshed out, a person that is addicted to doing things his own way and with a record of getting tough chores done. In this novel, Nick is called to Washington to help prevent a scandal enveloping the Chief Justice of the Supreme court.

A reporter has uncovered facts indicating that the Justice was involved with an “escort”, a young lady that is paid for her services. The reporter has indicated that she will publish the story in 48 hours, something that will ruin the Justice’s reputation as well as involving the Supreme Court, an elite institution in the government.

Complicating the matter is that Nick arrives just as the “escort” is found murdered and doubt is cast on the Chief Justice. The case has taken a very dangerous turn with possible repercussions echoing throughout the government. Heller has just 48 hours to find the actual mastermind of the conspiracy before others fall victim to the scandal sweeping the government and ruining many reputations in its path.

Finder is a master craftsman and is in his element setting up the story, the characters and the twisted path to the truth.

7/16 Paul Lane

GUILTY MINDS by Joseph Finder. Dutton (July 19, 2016). ISBN 978-0525954620. 400p.

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Author Linda Fairstein: 3 writing skills I learned from practicing law

July 22, 2016

Before becoming a full-time writer Linda Fairstein (KILLER LOOK) was a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. She gives three examples of how her time in the courtroom influenced her writing.

Killer Look (An Alexandra Cooper Novel)

New York Times bestselling author Linda Fairstein delivers a heart-pounding thriller that explores the dark secrets of Manhattan’s iconic fashion scene in her latest Alexandra Cooper novel.

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New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world, well-known for its glamour and style. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the runway, where American haute couture continually astounds with its creativity, daring, and innovation in the name of beauty. Yet high fashion means high stakes, as Alex Cooper quickly discovers when businessman and designer Wolf Savage is found dead in an apparent suicide, mere days before the biggest show of his career. When the man’s daughter insists Savage’s death was murder, the case becomes more than a media sensation: It is a race to find a killer in a world created entirely out of fantasy and illusion.

With her own job at the DA’s office in jeopardy, and the temptation to self-medicate her PTSD with alcohol almost too strong to resist, Alex is not anyone’s first choice for help. But she is determined to uncover the grime—and the possible homicide—beneath the glitz. Along with detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, Alex must penetrate the twisted roots and mixed motives among the high-profile players in the Garment District. The investigation takes the trio from the missing money in Wolf Savage’s international fashion house to his own recovery from addiction; from the role of Louisiana Voodoo in his life to his excessive womanizing; and to the family secrets he kept so well-hidden, even from those closest to him—just as things are about to get deadly on the catwalk.

With Killer Look, Linda Fairstein proves once again why she is the “Queen of Intelligent Suspense.”*

*Lee Child

Linda Fairstein was chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the district attorney’s office in Manhattan for more than two decades and is America’s foremost legal expert on sexual assault and domestic violence. Her Alexandra Cooper novels are international bestsellers and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She lives in Manhattan and on Martha’s Vineyard.

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OUTFOXED by David Rosenfelt

July 21, 2016

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An Andy Carpenter Novel, Book 14

David Rosenfelt has written many successful novels featuring defense lawyer Andy Carpenter. There are a large number of similarities in the books; Andy has inherited a great deal of money so he does not have any pressing need nor does he really want to work. He loves dogs and his first love is sharing a business with Willie Miller, a man that he saved from execution by the state. Their business is rescuing dogs and setting them up with qualified owners. He is in love with Laurie, who was once with the police, still shares a lot of contacts, and is now married to Andy plus sharing an adopted son. He maintains an office manned by a secretary who devotes her time to doing crossword puzzles and little else.

With the above factors appearing in every Andy Carpenter book and all books leading to a trial for a where Andy must prove someone innocent, in spite of the odds against them, is what makes them so popular and keeps us going back for more. Surely one thing is the tongue-in-check approach to the characters. But most of all are the little changes involved in each novel.

During one of the many lulls in Andy’s legal work, he and his partner Willie, have come up with a plan to train dogs for prisoners in the hope that they will adopt them when released from prison. Brian Atkins, completing a five year sentence, is helping with a fox terrier named Boomer, and they hope he will adopt the dog upon release. But, and this is the but that really begins an Andy Carpenter novel, one day Andy comes to the prison and finds that Brian has utilized Boomer in a unique escape plan. The next day the man that Brian claimed had framed him is murdered, and the Carpenter brigade finds itself involved with a new client, and the need to keep Boomer.

David Rosenfelt does it again. The novel keeps the reader engrossed, and at the end satisfied, and impatiently awaiting the next Andy Carpenter book. As usual very well done.

7/16 Paul Lane

OUTFOXED by David Rosenfelt. Minotaur Books (July 19, 2016). ISBN 978-1250055347. 336p.

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Misconceptions about being a recalibrated veteran

July 20, 2016

Travis Mills (author of TOUGH AS THEY COME) is one of five soldiers to survive quadruple amputee injuries from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He discusses misconceptions others have about his experience, and why he doesn’t dwell in the past.

Thousands have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Five have survived quadruple amputee injuries. This is one soldier’s story.

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Thousands of soldiers die year to defend their country. United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills was sure that he would become another statistic when, during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was caught in an IED blast four days before his twenty-fifth birthday. Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost—Travis became one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.

Suddenly forced to reconcile with the fact that he no longer had arms or legs, Travis was faced with a future drastically different from the one he had imagined for himself. He would never again be able to lead his squad, stroke his fingers against his wife’s cheek, or pick up his infant daughter.

Travis struggled through the painful and anxious days of rehabilitation so that he could regain the strength to live his life to the fullest. With enormous willpower and endurance, the unconditional love of his family, and a generous amount of faith, Travis shocked everyone with his remarkable recovery. Even without limbs, he still swims, dances with his wife, rides mountain bikes, and drives his daughter to school.

Travis inspires thousands every day with his remarkable journey. He doesn’t want to be thought of as wounded. “I’m just a man with scars,” he says, “living life to the fullest and best I know how.”

TOUGH AS THEY COME by Travis Mills & Marcus Brotherton. Convergent Books (October 27, 2015). ISBN: 978-1101904787. 272p.

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FALLING by Jane Green

July 19, 2016

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Emma Montague is a British transplant of the manor born. She moves to New York to pursue a high powered career in banking until she just burns out on it. She then moves to Westport, Connecticut and finds an old, very dated house for rent near the beach. The landlord, Dominic, is a good looking single father who, as it turns out, lives right next door with his 6 year old son, Jesse.

There is instant chemistry between them, but not the fireworks kind, more the comfortable kind. When you meet someone and you feel like you’ve known them forever, somehow.

Emma is trying to figure out what to do with her life and for the first time, finally feels like she’s found a home. The house is so dated with it’s pink shag carpeting that it gives Emma something to do, something she loves. She decides to start looking for work in interior design.

Dominic is a carpenter and a bartender, and he invites Emma to visit him at work. He buys her drinks, but is dating a young hottie. Eventually they both realize that there is something undeniable between them, and they fall into bed and in love.

Jesse loves Emma, until he finds her sleeping in his father’s bed. It’s just been the two of them since his mother took off after he was born, and he doesn’t want to share. Their relationship is rocky but Emma works hard at it and eventually wears the little fella down.

This is not a romance, happily ever after type book but instead a look at the different relationships we form in our lives and how they grow and change. The characters are so well drawn that I was completely hooked, but I couldn’t see where it was going until I reached the stunning conclusion. Another excellent read from Jane Green.

7/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

FALLING by Jane Green. Berkley (July 19, 2016). ISBN: 978-0399583285. 384p.

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NIGHT AND DAY by Iris Johansen

July 18, 2016

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An Eve Duncan Novel, Book 21

The action starts on page one as Eve is pregnant, Joe Quinn is hovering about, and they are protecting a young girl, Cara, from her murderous mother. They are all hiding in Scotland; Jock is keeping a close eye on the girl, Eve’s daughter, Jane, is there as well, helping MacDuff look for Cira’s gold.

Eve’s deceased daughter, Bonnie, still speaks to her, Jane hears things in the Scottish mists, and Caleb can do things to people’s blood from killing men to making Jane lust for him. There are a lot of paranormal elements going on in this story that moves from Scotland to Russia as Cara is snatched by her mother, Natalie, a complete sociopath who is planning her demise. Jock is hot on her trail, Eve is too, and all confusion is laid to rest by novel’s end.

Iris Johansen fans will undoubtedly enjoy the conclusion to this story arc in the Eve Duncan series while new readers will be best served starting with book 19, Shadow Play, where this story arc begins, or even book 20, Hide Away.

7/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

NIGHT AND DAY by Iris Johansen. St. Martin’s Press (July 19, 2016). ISBN 978-1250075833. 352p.

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