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Carys Jones has a very unusual profession. She makes her living authenticating rare books for clients like museums, galleries, and wealthy collectors that can afford the high costs of establishing authenticity of the item or items they are interested in.

We meet her at the moment that her largest current customer is committed to an insane asylum. He makes a deal with Carys to authenticate a book and also follow it’s printed clues to a destination. In return he offers her his entire collection of rare books worth millions if she will successfully find the item that the book provides clues for. The veritable offer that cannot be refused sets Carys off on the adventure of a lifetime.

The item being sought is a tomb. Of whom is a find of all time and if excavated could change the course of history, possibly reshape national boundaries, and revamp all modern thought about the historic past. The estimated carbon dating for the writing of the book places it about the middle of the sixth century A.D. The writer is a monk that did live at that time, residing in a section of what is currently Wales.

The path to solving the puzzle delineated by the manuscript lies in a trip to Wales. Carys goes there, finds a romance with a young Welshman who helps her and also some confrontations with the ghost of the Monk that wrote the book.

To remove the book from the possibility of becoming a ghost story Frieswick offers an explanation of the spectral appearances that may be what is happening to Carys. Could be, but the ghost’s appearances does become important to several events depicted. The reader will be able to decide on their own which explanation is valid.

When it develops that the tomb in question is actually in the New World the action moves to the Cape Cod area of the United States. The finale of the novel becomes a bit of a spoiler when it develops into something that while a surprise, doesn’t do justice to the the crafting of the story. It is as if Frieswick found she was at the end of the main great idea and reached out for the first ending available. In spite of this I must indicate that future books by the author will be sought by me with a good deal of anticipation.

4/19 Paul Lane

THE GHOST MANUSCRIPT by Kris Frieswick.  Post Hill Press (April 2, 2019). ISBN 978-1642930245. 432p.

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This is Hamilton’s first published book and it is an interesting and readable opener. Her aim is to tell the story of a young woman whose mind is warped due to a traumatic experience that happened to her when she was ten years old. The events are narrated by Juliette in their entirety and it is her thoughts and ideas that are featured in the story.

The book begins with a man that Juliette has been with for several months telling her that their affair is over and that she must leave the apartment they share. It is Juliette’s reaction to this decision by Nathan, the man she was living with, that begins the tale and establishes the direction of events. Juliette decides that this decision is the wrong one for Nathan and begins a plan to retake him. He is an airline pilot, and she goes as far as getting a job as a cabin attendant with the same airline he works for. Successful at this Juliette sets up meetings with Nathan, moves to get rid of the new girlfriend he is seeing, and manipulates events to make sure that she gets her way.

The picture of Juliette as a person with a God complex is quite well done by the author and very well paints her as someone that cannot come to grips with any situation in which she is not correct in her own actions. The reader is pointed towards the bad that other individuals do to her and how Juliette must work hard to turn the situation around to make sure she does get her way.

The novel makes for a compelling read with one detracting feature. The front piece outline indicates that there is a surprise ending in store for the reader. Sort of yes, but underwhelming over all and more than a minor detraction and does leave the reader more than a little unsatisfied.

3/19 Paul Lane

THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND by Karen Hamilton. Graydon House; Original edition (March 26, 2019). ISBN 978-1525831508. 352p.

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The author presents us with an interesting study in several areas. One is the relationship of a mother and her teen aged daughter, the second a portrait of a young girl struggling to find herself in the changing world of adolescence, and the final a study in the hold a pedophile could engender with their prey.

Emmy Fisher is a woman that is managing a bed and breakfast that has come down to her from family. The hotel is located in the beautiful sun drenched section of Florida known as the “Keys” She is divorced from her husband but retains a friendly relationship with him as both parents keep an eye on their daughter Leah. Leah has been raised living on the keys, and we enter her life during the summer between her high school sophomore year and her Junior year. Skye is her best friend,her own age and they have been attached almost since birth.

Tragedy occurs one evening when Leah decides to go for a swim after dark and drowns. Devastated, Emmy cannot cope with the loss, and looks in every nook and corner for memorabilia of her daughter. She does not expect to find evidence that Leah had been having an affair, and apparently with someone much older than her. When she does it devastates her as she tries to find out who it was that her daughter had been having the illicit affair it looks like she has taken part in.

Her ex-husband arrives from the area of the country he has been living in, and Skye begins her own effort to encounter her best friend’s secret lover. The novel is well written and leaves the reader with the very agreeable feeling of reading a good book, and certainly awaiting Tate’s next one. Certainly an excellent read.

3/19 Paul Lane

I’LL BE WATCHING YOU by Courtney Evan Tate. MIRA; Original edition (March 26, 2019). ISBN 978-0778351290. 336p.

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Joel C. Rosenberg has published many fictional novels involved with international spy craft. In a great many of these books it would appear that the author has sources that seem to be providing him with information about what is really going on behind the scenes in countries that are enemies of the United States. His latest novel turns on actions involving three countries that would like to see the U.S. destroyed while they take center stage in the world. These are Russia, North Korea and Iran. Marcus Ryker a protagonist utilized prior to this book by Mr. Rosenberg and a former member of the Secret Service is utilized to tell the story.

Setting the stage for the events described in the book Iran approaches North Korea to sell them high power nuclear bombs which can be used attached to missiles made by the Persians to attack both the U.S. and their ally Israel. Both countries, controlled by Russia,get permission from them to consummate the sale.
Marcus has been persuaded to supervise a visit to Russia on another matter does so also taking the opportunity to visit with Oleg Kraskin a double agent he runs. Kraskin convinces Marcus to bring him into the U.S. with the caveat that he is bringing a great deal of confidential information obtained from the Russian president who is Kraskin’s father in law. Before traveling with Ryker to safe haven Kraskin finds that he must foil a plot by the Russian president to hit the U.S. by bombing them in a preemptive strike. Kraskin shoots and kills his father in law, and also his assistant and convinces Marcus to smuggle him out of Russia. The Moscow Chief of Station, Jenny Morris, helps the two by piloting a plane with them as passengers.

The plot takes shape when the plane is shot down by Russians over Russian territory. Events unfolding make the novel another good read by Rosenberg. There is the hiding from and eluding the Russian military, overcoming the negative attitude of the U.S. that feels Marcus has aided and abetted the murders without notifying and receiving permission from his own government. To also complicate this very complex matter Jenny Morris is wounded when the plane is attacked.
The interactions between Russia, Iran and North Korea could very well be a real scenario between nations whose goals include destruction of their perceived enemies: the U.S. and Israel. An excellent book by Joel C. Rosenberg and one that will definitely entice the reader into an all night read plus keeping eyes out for the author’s next novel.

3/19 Paul Lane

THE PERSIAN GAMBLE by Joel C. Rosenberg. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (March 12, 2019). ISBN 978-1496406187. 448p.

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