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ASYLUM CITY by Liad Shoham

December 10, 2014

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Tel Aviv police officer Anat Nachmias gets her first murder case when a young woman is found dead in her apartment. The victim is Michal Poleg, who worked helping African refugees settle into Israel.

One of the refugees she helped was Gabriel, who had emigrated along with his sister, but she was kidnapped, and he doesn’t even know if she’s alive. Then Gabriel comes forward and confesses that he killed Michal, but his story doesn’t jive with the evidence.

Nachmias’s bosses just want the case closed, and she angers her co-workers and superiors when she continues to investigate. Michal’s boss, Itai, also doesn’t believe Gabriel and he works with Nachmias to try to figure out who really killed Michal and why Gabriel is taking the fall.

This in depth look at the immigration crisis in Tel Aviv somewhat mirrors the problems, both political and real, in the U.S., and adds some complexity to this thriller. A strong sense of foreboding runs throughout the book and makes this a real page-turner.

Shoham is one of the bestselling thriller writers in Israel, and this is his second book, after the excellent Line Up, that has been published in the U.S.

12/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ASYLUM CITY by Liad Shoham. Harper (December 9, 2014). ISBN 978-0062237538. 352p.

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FIVE by Ursula Archer

December 9, 2014

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Austrian detective Beatrice Kaspary lands an unusual case of grisly geocaching in this combination police procedural and fast paced thriller.

A woman’s body is found with geographic coordinates tattooed on the soles of her feet, leading Kaspary and her partner Florin on an unusual chase. Following the GPS leads them to a box containing a body part and a puzzle, which they must solve to find the next cache.

Luckily, one of their coworkers is familiar with geocaching and is able to explain it all, so readers unfamiliar with the usually tame hobby will understand it too.

There are red herrings galore while the body count keeps climbing in this deadly treasure hunt, causing the overworked detectives to feel even more pressure to solve it fast.

The stereotypical police detective Kaspary is divorced and married to the job, and has to deal with a difficult and demanding ex and the constant juggling of her kids and her job. Her relationship with Florin hints at a possible romance down the road and adds another level of interest to the story. Sure to appeal to Stieg Larsson fans.

12/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

Five by Ursula Archer. Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (December 9, 2014). ISBN 978-1250037411. 336p.

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KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE by Paula Daly

December 5, 2014

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Natty spends a lot of time juggling her various responsibilities. With two teenage daughters and a busy hotel to run, it’s a lot for anyone to handle. But Natty has the help of her husband, Sean, and together they make it work. Then their eldest has to be rushed into surgery while on a trip to France. Natty wants to be by her side but worries about how her family and work will handle her being gone.

Fortunately, her longtime friend, Eve, arrives in the nick of time.

Eve offers to stay and help out at home while Natty travels to France. But Natty’s relief is short lived when she returns to discover that Eve and Sean have begun a serious affair. It seems in spite if their friendship, Eve is set to take Natty’s place. But Natty isn’t going to go down without a fight.

Keep Your Friends Close is a really twisted thriller. We’re talking Fatal Attraction meets The Hand That Rocks the Cradle craziness. And it’s completely awesome.

Daly quite disturbingly offers readers a glimpse into Eve’s mind throughout the story. Let me tell you, Eve is one scary and manipulative monster of a character. There’s no question about siding with Natty, but there’s also Sean to consider in the matter. I love how Daly builds the story, leaving the reader not quite sure how to feel about Sean’s actions. It makes Keep Your Friends Close both an intense thriller and an emotional psychological suspense.

11/14 Becky LeJeune

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE by Paula Daly. Grove Press (August 19, 2014). ISBN: 978-0802123206. 320p.

1 Comment | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Thriller | Permalink
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ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Kruger

December 4, 2014

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Okay, so I’m late to the party. It happens; not often, but it happens. Ordinary Grace is anything but ordinary; in fact it would not be an exaggeration to say it is extraordinary. A New York Times bestseller, School Library Journal Best Book of 2013, and as you probably know (or should know, especially if you follow me on Twitter) winner of the “EBAM” – Edgar, Barry, Anthony & Macavity awards for best novel, plus the Dilys Award and well, you get the idea. I did a little digging and could not find another mystery that had won this many awards. Closest I could find was Val McDermid, A Place of Execution (4 awards) & Dennis Lehane, Mystic River (4 awards) according to The Mystery Bookshelf.

That said, I hadn’t read it so this book had a lot to live up to, and I’m thrilled to say it did and then some. So what’s all the fuss about?

A series of deaths in a small Minnesota town are at the center of this literary mystery, but it is the characters that are at the heart of this novel, and the setting, really another character, is just the icing on the cake.

Our protagonist is 13 year old Frank Drum, who forty years later is telling us about his last summer in 1961 New Breman, Minnesota. The book opens with a friend of Frank’s found dead, and quickly other deaths occur.

Frank’s father is a minister, attending to the flocks of three small area churches. His mother struggles with being a pastor’s wife, and finds solace in music and leading the church choir. His eldest sister Ariel is a brilliant musician with a slight deformity from a harelip surgery who is slated to go to Julliard in the fall. Jake is Frank’s younger brother who suffers from stuttering, and is often tortured as children are about his affliction.

This family deals with death, with God and faith, with community and the long term repercussions of war in this beautifully written, soul searing novel. If I had to sum it up in one word it would be – unforgettable. Don’t miss it.

12/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Kruger. Atria Books; Reprint edition (March 4, 2014). ISBN 978-1451645859. 336p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Literary, Mystery | Permalink
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THE PERFECT MOTHER by Nina Darnton

December 3, 2014

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Emma Lewis is the perfect daughter; bright, pretty, and she also has a big heart. The Princeton sophomore moves to Spain for a semester abroad and halfway through makes the call home that is every parent’s nightmare; a young man from a prominent Spanish family has been stabbed to death in her apartment, and Emma is the prime suspect.

She concocts a tale in a pathetic attempt to protect her drug dealer boyfriend, and her mother flies in to stand by her daughter, refusing to doubt a word of it. Her father, an attorney, knows she is lying but wants to protect her, and he hires a private detective and attorney to help clear her name.

The story becomes a media frenzy, the stress is playing havoc on her parent’s marriage, and slowly the truth begins to emerge and her mother has to face the fact that Emma is not the same girl who left home. The changing relationships in this devastated family ring true, especially as the mystery is slowly revealed.

If you were glued to Nancy Grace during the Amanda Knox trials, the obvious inspiration for this story, this is the book for you.

12/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE PERFECT MOTHER by Nina Darnton. Plume (November 25, 2014). ISBN 978-0142196731. 240p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Legal, Mystery | Permalink
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THE MERCILESS by Danielle Vega

December 2, 2014

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In spite of the fact that every new town and every new school offers Sofia a new chance to fit in, the constant moving makes it hard to make – and keep – friends. When her mother moves the family to a town literally called “Friend,” though, things start looking up.

On her first day at school, Sofia meets Riley, Grace, and Alexis. The girls are fun and friendly and immediately welcome Sofia into their group as if she’s always been part of it. But Sofia soon learns that the girls – Riley in particular – are overly interested in another classmate. This girl, Brooklyn, used to be their friend. They say though that Brooklyn has changed. That Brooklyn is different. That Brooklyn is evil. With Riley at the helm, the group decides that they must save Brooklyn from her sins and Sofia is forced to make a horrible decision.

The Merciless is disturbing on so many levels. First, Sofia’s desire to fit in leaves her in quite an unfortunate position. She’s easily manipulated and follows Riley’s lead from the start. Second, the book begins by making the reader believe one thing when by the end we discover something quite different is going on: it’s all horrific, but the twist takes the book to a whole different level.

I did find that the story jumped a little too quickly into the action. I wasn’t sure I believed that Sofia would let herself fall so easily into Riley’s plans – or as quickly as she did. Further insight into her character did somewhat prove me wrong but a bit more focus on the character development earlier in the story would have been much more effective, in my opinion. All in all it left me on the fence about the book. On the one hand it reminded me a lot of the 90s horror I grew up on, so there was a definite nostalgic appeal. On the other hand the plot seemed much more focused on overall shock value than on believable and well-rounded characters.

11/14 Becky LeJeune

THE MERCILESS by Danielle Vega. Razorbill (June 12, 2014). ISBN: 978-1595147226. 336p.

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FULL MEASURE by T. Jefferson Parker

November 30, 2014

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US Marine Patrick Norris has seen the worst that Afghanistan has to offer–excruciating heat, bitter cold, and death waiting behind every rock as comrades are blown to pieces by bombs and snipers. He returns home not knowing the worst is ahead of him.

The avocado ranch his family has owned for generations in Fallbrook, in the foothills of San Diego, has been destroyed by a massive wildfire and the parents he loves are facing ruin. Patrick’s older brother Ted is drawn into a circle of violent, criminal misfits.

Patrick puts his own plans to become a fishing guide on hold to save the family’s home and falls in love with Iris, a beautiful and unusual woman, when disaster strikes.

A tale of two brothers and overcoming the odds. Maybe Parker’s best and I have to give a shout out to another outstanding Fallbrook mystery writer – Randy Hicks.

11/14 Jack Quick

Another review:

Patrick Norris was a marine serving in Afghanistan amid the killings, bombings chaos of war and the sight of friends killed and maimed. He is discharged, and returns home to a small town in California near the marine base of Camp Pendleton with a dream of opening his own sport fishing business, catering to a clientele that wants some guidance in fishing for game fish.

Much to his surprise and dismay, he discovers that the avocado tree ranch his family has owned and worked for years, located in the foothills of San Diego, has been destroyed by a wildfire. Consequently his parents are facing ruin in the aftermath of the blaze.

Patrick’s brother Ted is living with the family. He is a gentle, trusting person by nature but tormented by dark thoughts. With Patrick back, Ted falls in with a criminal element as a means of proving himself worthy of his brother’s and parent’s love. Patrick puts his own plans on hold in order to help his parents move through the crisis they face and also attempts to get Ted on a path to normalcy and a full life. He meets and falls in love with Iris in the course of his attempts to help both his parents and his brother.

Parker is known for his many crime novels but makes a major departure with Full Measure. He explores the emotions, thoughts and currents experienced by the characters in the book. When Ted makes some major personal blunders, Patrick goes to his aid with a love only a brother has for a sibling getting himself into major problems. This is not a typical Parker novel, delving into a world of emotions and feelings rather than describing a crime taking place. Well done, and hopefully leading to other books by the versatile Parker straying from the mysteries he is famous for.

10/14 Paul Lane

FULL MEASURE by T. Jefferson Parker. St. Martin’s Press (October 7, 2014). ISBN 978-1250052001. 288p.

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W IS FOR WASTED by Sue Grafton

November 29, 2014

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Kinsey Millhone Mysteries

When Kinsey Millhone receives a call asking for help in identifying a dead man found with her card in his possession, of course she unhesitatingly steps in to try and help. Kinsey has never met the man in question but offers to do some asking around to see what she can uncover. As she cracks the mystery of his identity, though, things become even more complicated than before.

Meanwhile, it’s been three months since the murder of fellow PI Pete Wolinsky. Kinsey doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to be dragged into the unsolved case whether she likes it or not.

Twenty-three titles in, Sue Grafton’s series is still one of my all-time favorites. Kinsey is whip smart and completely no nonsense, traits that really do come in handy in this latest.

Without giving too much away, I will say that W forces Kinsey to face more of her growing family issues as well as some past relationship issues. Kinsey’s family story is, of course, a long-running theme of the series. Orphaned at a young age and raised by a spinster aunt, Kinsey never met any of her extended family. And while she did begin discovering various connections in previous books, there are a lot of issues she’s still not faced with regards to her family history. We do finally get the long-awaited return of Dietz in this one, too.

With just three titles to go in the series, I’m definitely not ready to say goodbye. That said, I also can’t wait to see what Kinsey will be up against in X.

11/14 Becky LeJeune

W IS FOR WASTED by Sue Grafton. Berkley; Reprint edition (August 5, 2014). ISBN: 978-0425271575. 448p.

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A CERTAIN RETRIBUTION by Michael Lister

November 28, 2014

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Investigative reporter Merrick McKnight is back in this sequel to Thunder Beach, set in his hometown of Wewathitchka, called “Wewa” by the locals, in Northern Florida.

Somehow recovered from losing his wife and son, he runs into Reggie Summers, a beautiful young woman that McKnight had a crush on in high school, but now seems to be lacking in self-esteem. She’s a single mom and thinks herself somehow inadequate and beneath the notice of the reporter whom she admires.

The police department in this small town is corrupt, and McKnight is there investigating when a cop is killed, apparently with his own gun.

This is a gristly tale of cop killers and small town corruption, but also a romance between McKnight and Summers, and to complicate things even further, author Michael Lister makes an appearance as himself; a mystery writer much admired in this small town. This book is advertised as a twentieth anniversary celebration of Lister as a novelist, so there are several nods to twenty years of history here. The setting is atypical for Florida novels and is interesting in of itself, and lots of dialogue helps move the story along.

11/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

A CERTAIN RETRIBUTION by Michael Lister. Pulpwood Press (November 28, 2014). ISBN 978-1888146462. 232p.

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RAISE THE STAKES by Lucy Smith

November 26, 2014

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It is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

That’s what former rivals, Lauren Hart and Pierce Maverick, thought as they mixed business with pleasure exploring their fantasies in The Sunday Arrangement. Their fun and games, however, now threaten to explode their world, hurting not only them personally but also the businesses they represent can be taken down with them.

Pierce’s assistant April, who mistakenly believes Pierce is enamored of her, has uncovered photographic evidence of their sexual dalliances and is threatening to expose them both to the world unless Pierce abandons Lauren and marries her.

Soon Lauren finds herself in the position she has always wanted – CEO of her family owned business – but with three immediate challenges – preventing two blackmail attempts and thwarting a hostile takeover. Can she handle the challenges? Will the price include the relationship with Pierce?

Batten down the hatches, bring out the good scotch and get ready for a truly bumpy ride as Lauren navigates the hallways of power. As importantly will the experience make Lauren a better, more adult person. Another face paced read “adult” read.

eBook only

11/14 Jack Quick

RAISE THE STAKES by Lucy Smith. LucySmith.com (October 28, 2014). ASIN: B00P00ARCQ

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