Crime Fiction | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

SHOOT ‘EM UP by Janey Mack

September 28, 2016

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A Maisie McGrane Mystery, Book 3

Maisie McGrane is an undercover cop in Chicago – so deep undercover, her large, Irish family of cops and lawyers don’t even know. When there’s an assassination attempt on the mayor, the ATF and DEA want to use Maisie’s connections to infiltrate a dangerous gun and drug cartel in the city.

Meanwhile she’s recovering from some serious wounds, which she tends to forget about. But when her brother is shot, she loses sight of her mission and puts herself in more danger, not to mention her family may end up accidentally blowing her cover.

Her boyfriend is out of the country, and agent Lee Sharpe is trying to move in, complicating things further. This fast moving story has some comedic moments sprinkled throughout, but it is much darker comedy than the oft-compared Janet Evanovich.

This third entry into the series offers little in the way of back-story, making it almost impossible to figure out who’s who, what’s going on, and why we should care, without having read the first two.

9/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SHOOT ‘EM UP by Janey Mack. Kensington (September 27, 2016). ISBN 978-1617736940. 352p.

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DEVIL SENT THE RAIN by Lisa Turner

September 27, 2016

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Detective Billy Able series, Book 3

Memphis police detective Billy Able lands a murder case with his new partner, the ambitious Frankie Malone. The victim, Caroline Lee, found dead wearing her wedding gown in her car in a cow pasture, is Billy’s old high school girlfriend. It’s been years since they’ve been in touch, so it seems there’s no conflict.

The Lee family is Memphis royalty; the mother runs the family law firm where Caroline worked, and they own other businesses in town. The person who found her body, a recently released felon, is a suspect, but there are others, most notably her ex-fiancé. Lee broke off her engagement to the arrogant Indian doctor, who feels humiliated and has been stalking her.

The Lee family has skeletons in the closet, and the investigation deepens into the family history, which causes Billy to examine his own. Frankie proves to be a good partner, as much a workaholic as Billy, and together they chase down every possible lead until the surprising conclusion.

A good Southern police procedural and should appeal to Caroline Haine or Margaret Maron readers.
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9/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DEVIL SENT THE RAIN by Lisa Turner. William Morrow Paperbacks (September 27, 2016). ISBN 978-0062136213. 352p.

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REPUTATIONS by Juan Gabriel Vasquez

September 25, 2016

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A short, but extremely interesting book about a man who has spent four decades of his professional life as a great political cartoonist in Columbia.

Vasquez has made a reputation as someone able to influence politicians, make or break careers, change the opinions of judges and certainly become a person to be both feared and admired by his countrymen. The opening of the book shows the man, Javier Mallarino, at the height of his powers and a force to be reckoned with when he is visited by a young woman out of his past who forces him to reevaluate his past and question his own self worth.

Vasquez writes in an almost stream of conscious style masterfully bringing the reader into the thought processes of Mallarino. The almost forgotten events of his life are brought up and gone over by Javier Mallarino and bring up a story that will come up again and again.

A different type of tale but one that will cause reverberations in the mind of any reader.

9/16 Paul Lane

REPUTATIONS by Juan Gabriel Vasquez. Riverhead Books (September 20, 2016). ISBN 978-1594633478. 208p.

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THE KING OF SHANGHAI by Ian Hamilton

September 14, 2016

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The Triad Years

The book is a continuation of a series of novels by Hamilton featuring Ava Lee, a young Chinese-Canadian forensic accountant residing in Toronto. She had been working with her mentor and business partner Chow Tung who was affectionately been called “Uncle”.

Chow Tung passed away (as recounted in a previous book) and Ava subsequently entered into partnership with a friend and her sister-in-law Amanda, looking for business opportunities. The present novel finds her in China where she encounters a young man that coincidentally Uncle had also been mentoring.

Xu presents Ava and her partners with an exciting business proposition that they are bound to consider. Xu is the head of the Shanghai Triad, and coincidentally is running to become head of all the Triad societies. He indicates that if successful he intends to ask Ava to become his adviser and confidant.

Hamilton’s descriptions of places involved in Ava’s adventures are based on his visits to many of the Far Eastern locales described. The book, which does allude to happenings in prior novels featuring Ava, can be read on its own with no problem. Ava is completely fleshed out and is a very interesting person well equipped to handle the problems she faces. The novel is far from an all nighter but well worth the read for it’s placement in exotic locations that most of the readers might never visit. The treatment of Triads and their life styles is very reminiscent of novels about the personal lives of the Mafia, but blase rather than exciting in description.

9/16 Paul Lane

THE KING OF SHANGHAI by Ian Hamilton. Spiderline (September 13, 2016). ISBN 978-1487001599. 336p.

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DISCOVERING YOU by Brenda Novak

September 9, 2016

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Whiskey Creek, Book 10

The publisher, Mira, sent me this book a while back and it’s been in my mass market to-be-read pile for a few months, but I’m happy to say I’ve worked my way down and have only one or two more books to go in that pile….at least until the Fedex man shows up later today. This was my first Brenda Novak book.

Novak writes romantic suspense, which is not my favorite genre and I don’t understand why exactly. I love suspense, I love romance, but I don’t always love them mixed together. That said, this was a quick read and I did enjoy it.

This may be the tenth book in this series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. I can guess at a few of the romances that came before, and the one that’s coming next, but it definitely works as a first read in the series, at least for me. I know there are readers who only read series in order but while there are some series that definitely require that, most romances don’t. And apparently romantic suspense, at least the ones that I’ve read.

India recently moved to Whiskey Creek, right next door to the Amos family. Middle son Rod takes notice; well, actually all the men do, India is beautiful. But she’s moved to start her life over after her husband was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, right in front of her. Her in-laws are keeping her young daughter for a month to allow her time to get settled, and all them time to spend with their granddaughter but the relationship between India and her in-laws is strained at best.

India meets Rod when she picks him up from the side of the road. Someone has ran him down on his motorcycle, and Rod went after the guy, beating him unconscious. They find themselves confiding in one another rather quickly, and the relationship blooms, which makes India somewhat uncomfortable.

Her ex was released from jail after his trial ended in a hung jury, and he is still obsessed with India. And that is at the heart of the suspense here.

If you haven’t tried Novak, this seems like a good place as any to start. Her reviews are generally quite good and I can certainly understand why. If you like romantic suspense, I highly recommend this book.

9/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DISCOVERING YOU by Brenda Novak. MIRA (May 24, 2016). ISBN 978-0778318804. 400p.

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GHOSTS OF HAVANA by Todd Moss

September 7, 2016

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A Judd Ryker Novel, Book 3

Judd Ryker is a professor who works for the U.S. State Department and his wife, Jessica, for the C.I.A; can this marriage last? They don’t discuss their cases but they have a rule, they will assist each other blindly as needed.

Four suburban soccer dads out on a deep sea fishing trip accidentally cross into Cuba’s waters, where they are captured and imprisoned in Havana. Unbeknownst to the other, both Judd and Jessica get assigned to the case. But when Judd gets in over his head, he phones home for the assist, yet is shocked to learn his wife is a helicopter pilot who can squirrel millions of untraceable American dollars into Cuba to help him out.

There is a subplot with a power hungry politician climbing into bed with a top level spy who is equally power hungry, but doesn’t do much to further the plot. The fact that the U.S. now has relations with Cuba is mostly irrelevant here, but still, this third entry in the Judd Ryker series feels timely.

9/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

GHOSTS OF HAVANA by Todd Moss. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (September 6, 2016). ISBN 978-0399175930. 368p.

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KAROLINA’S TWINS by Ronald H. Balson

September 6, 2016

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Attorney Catherine Lockhart and private investigator Liam Taggart are back in Balson’s third novel, this time with a new client, Lena Woodward, an elderly Holocaust survivor. Lena’s son doesn’t want them looking into anything, and forces a competency hearing in hopes of having himself appointed her guardian.

Meanwhile, Lena spends days telling Catherine about her childhood in Poland, the Nazi takeover of her town, her job as a seamstress that saved her from the first wave of Jews sent to concentration camps, her time with the resistance, her eventual trip to a camp, and her life since the war. Along the way, her childhood best friend, Karolina, is present, and the two girls try and save her twin babies during the war.

Lena has no idea what happened to the babies but if they survived, they would be 70 years old and she is determined to find them. The search takes Liam (and the author) to Poland, Israel and Germany, but it is Lena’s story that is so riveting.

In a departure from Balson’s previous novels, much of the story is told in the first person, befitting a book inspired by a Holocaust survivor’s true story. Readers who crave more books like Once We Were Brothers and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah will be enthralled by Karolina’s Twins.

9/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

KAROLINA’S TWINS by Ronald H. Balson. St. Martin’s Press (September 6, 2016). ISBN 978-1250098375. 320p.

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DAMAGED by Lisa Scottoline

September 5, 2016

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A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel, Book 4

This is the fourth entry into the rebranded Rosata & DiNunzio series, and the story focuses on Mary DiNunzio.

Her wedding to Anthony is just weeks away when a heartbreaking case drops into her lap. A janitor is suing Patrick O’Brien, a ten-year-old boy who is small for his age, severely dyslexic, and suffering from anxiety disorder. His grandfather, his guardian, hires Mary to put on his defense.

Opposing counsel is the reviled Nick Machiavelli, who is trying his damnedest to live up to his namesake. The boy is accused of coming after the janitor with scissors, but it quickly becomes apparent that the janitor has abused the boy.

When his grandfather dies of an insulin overdose, Patrick is the prime suspect. Mary wants to foster the boy but Anthony is in California, and neither of them is consulting the other about major life changes, which does not bode well for the couple.

Scottoline seems to be merging her family driven standalones with her legal series, and doing a fine job of it. She continues to be one of my go-to authors, I just love all her books.

9/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DAMAGED by Lisa Scottoline. St. Martin’s Press; First Edition edition (August 16, 2016). ISBN 978-1250099624. 416p.

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THE ONE MAN by Andrew Gross

August 24, 2016

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Andrew Gross has written probably the most moving novel that I have read.

To say that it is an emotional roller coaster is the truth, but does not do it the justice it deserves. The book involves a lengthy look at the real horrors of a Nazi concentration camp and the daily struggle of the people trapped there just to somehow survive.

I am a fan of Mr. Gross, and in my opinion this novel is far and away the best work among many good works that he has given us.

In 1944, Alfred Mendl is taken away from his family in Poland, and along with many others is sent to a men’s concentration camp. His notes and papers on his work are taken from him and destroyed. The Nazis have no idea that they confiscated work that only one other person in the world has, and which when combined with work done by other scientists could start a war – or win one.

Nathan Blum, a Polish Jew who has successfully escaped from Poland but was forced to leave his family behind to be slaughtered, has certain requisite qualities that make him the ideal man for a scheme to rescue Mendl from the camp. He is Semitic in appearance, speaks both Polish and German. He is assigned to desk work for the U.S. army in Washington but desperately wants to do something more important for the war effort. The plan to rescue Mendl involves actually breaking into the camp he is at, and bringing him out to be sent to the United States to work with the scientists currently at work attempting to build a nuclear weapon. To be successful there must be an almost impossible combination of events that occur.

There is not one single way to put down the book without finishing it, and the reader arrives at a surprising end literally drained of emotion. Vivid descriptions of the horrors prevalent in the camp cannot fail to stir any reader who has only experienced the Holocaust through reading history. Andrew Gross brings us there and creates an ambience that will stay for quite a while.

8/16 Paul Lane

THE ONE MAN by Andrew Gross. Minotaur Books (August 23, 2016). ISBN 978-1250079503. 432p.

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CURIOUS MINDS by Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton

August 17, 2016

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Knight and Moon Series, Book 1

In the first entry of the Knight and Moon series, Evanovich and Sutton have teamed up again (Wicked Charms) to introduce the eponymous Emerson Knight and Riley Moon. Moon is a Harvard MBA with her first job as an analyst for Blane-Grunwald, a large, privately held bank, and Knight is their largest depositor; young, good looking and a bit of an eccentric.

When Knight demands to see his gold deposits, Moon is dispatched to placate him at his home, Mysterioso Manor, which boasts wild animals roaming freely and a classic car collection. The two of them fall into an adventure looking for the missing Grunwald partner that gets significantly more dangerous as they stumble onto an evil plot to steal the world’s gold.

The humor occasionally borders on silly, but the one liners fly as fast and furious as the pages do in this auspicious start to the new series. Evanovich fans will find this series closer in style to the Stephanie Plum series rather than the slightly more sophisticated Fox & O’Hare series.

8/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

CURIOUS MINDS by Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton. Bantam (August 16, 2016). ISBN 978-0553392685. 336p.

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2 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Humor | Permalink
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