WOLF by Mo Hayder

August 7, 2014

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This latest in Mo Hayder’s Jack Caffery series kicks off with a stray dog. A little girl’s frantic parents finally find her after she’s wandered off to follow a dog in the woods. The dog was wearing a note, one the girl couldn’t read on her own, but after the response to her straying she doesn’t raise the issue with her parents. She’d left the dog in the hands of a man who promised to find its owner and that was fine with her.

That is the man Jack knows as the Walking Man. The note reads “Help Us.” In exchange for Jack’s help in finding the people who own the dog, the Walking Man promises to finally share key information on the disappearance of Jack’s brother. For Jack, it could mean closure to something that has haunted him for so long. But the case with the dog turns out to be more complicated than he could ever imagine. As Jack searches for clues that will lead to the identity of the hand behind the message, one family is facing down a nightmare that could end in all of their deaths.

I have truly enjoyed every chilling new book from Mo Hayder. The Jack Caffery series is one of my all time favorites and one I highly recommend to anyone looking for intricate and tightly plotted thrillers and isn’t afraid of the darkest of dark details.

Wolf is no exception in any of those regards. I did mourn the absence of Flea in this outing but I have to admit that the final scene between Jack and the Walking Man – one that’s been coming for a few books now – makes Wolf truly outstanding. A warning to anyone who may not be current with the series, I don’t suggest reading Wolf until you’ve caught up. The ending here is definitely not going to be as effective if you haven’t read the books in order.

7/14 Becky Lejeune

WOLF by Mo Hayder. Atlantic Monthly Press; First Edition edition (May 6, 2014). ISBN 978-0802122506. 352p.

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THE TRUTH ABOUT LEO by Katie MacAlister

August 6, 2014

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I was not familiar with the author, but when this book appeared on the Library Reads August list, I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, this is the first book I’ve gotten from a Library Reads list that was disappointing.

Purportedly a Regency romance, this didn’t feel that way at all. I would describe it more as a screwball comedy that happens to be set in Regency England, but the humor and especially all the sexual innuendo felt much too modern to fit the time period.

Dagmar, an impoverished princess of Danish and English descent, is forced to flee her home in Copenhagen, when her cousin, the Prince Regent, threatens to send her to a French convent unless she leaves his house and country. Not having any other family to rely on, and no money for passage anywhere, the solution to her problems just falls into her lap – or rather, her garden.

Julia, her companion, tells her there is an unconscious man lying in the garden. The doctor says he won’t last the night, but Dagmar puts her nursing skills to the test. When he is finally able to mumble a bit, she ascertains that Leo is an English soldier and unmarried. She gets the Prince to send over the Bishop to marry them, thus securing passage to England with her soldier/husband.

Weeks later, when he finally shakes off his fever and regains complete consciousness, he finds himself married with no recollection of the woman or the wedding. Upon arrival in England, Dagmar explores her sexuality freely and they fall in love, but she  is feeling guilty about how she married him and is constantly offering to set him free.

Meanwhile, they are houseguests of the Daltons, whose relative was murdered years earlier in Copenhagen and they are hopeful that Dagmar can help them find the murderess. Leo’s friends, the Brittons, add a lot more crazy to the story and madcap hijinks ensue until the happy ending.

This was a quick, silly read and I doubt I’ll read anything else by this author. Not my cup of tea for sure.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE TRUTH ABOUT LEO by Katie MacAlister. Sourcebooks Casablanca (August 5, 2014). ISBN 978-1402294457. 384p.

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DEADOUT by Jon McGoran

August 5, 2014

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Detective Doyle Carrick and Nola Watkins (Book 2)

McGoran brings back Philadelphia detective Doyle Carrick and his girlfriend Nola in another intriguing eco-thriller that takes the GMO food angle first explored in Drift to a whole new level.

The bees on Martha’s Vineyard appear to be dying off at an accelerated rate, leaving the farmers to hand pollinate their crops or use GMO bees. A large agribusiness has offered to test out their lab created bees on the island, but not everyone wants them there.

A weekend trip to the Vineyard lands Nola a job on an organic farm and her new boss, Teddy Renfrew, is especially vociferous about keeping the GMO bees off the island, to the point where he may be endangering a deal his father has cooked up. The senior Renfrew hires Carrick to keep an eye on Teddy, who definitely doesn’t want the interference. But when someone takes pot shots at Carrick, he realizes there is something deadly going on.

The characters are never fully realized here, and the story gets bogged down with the technicalities of the dwindling bee problem, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Fans of Drift and other eco-thrillers will want to read this.

Copyright ©2014 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DEADOUT by Jon McGoran. Forge Books; First Edition edition (August 5, 2014). ISBN 978-0765334718. 400p.

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NATURAL BORN CHARMER by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

August 4, 2014

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Susan Elizabeth Phillips is one of the queens of the romance world, one of the elite few that have crossed over from original paperback publication to hardcovers, along with the likes of Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie, and Jayne Anne Krentz, AKA Amanda Quick, AKA Jayne Castle and who knows who else. Phillips’ crossover has been hugely successful; her books are best sellers.

The main hunk in this book was apparently introduced in her previous book, Match Me if You Can. Dean Robillard is the “natural born charmer” of title fame. A star quarterback for the fictional Chicago Stars, he’s gorgeous, rich, and famous – a deadly combination for Blue Bailey.

Blue is our down-on-her-luck heroine, who Dean rescues after her boyfriend dumps her for a blonder model, and effectively strands her in the middle of nowhere. She allows Dean to rescue her, and they embark on a road trip to his vacation home in rural Tennessee, bantering all the way.

Of course, nothing is more attractive to a man like Dean than a woman he thinks is playing hard to get. Little does he know that Blue is determined to be impossible to get.

The small town setting in Tennessee adds to the appeal; there are no malls and no chain stores, and the dowager who inherited the town is determined to keep it that way. Lots of crisp, witty dialogue highlight this warm, fast-moving story that draws the reader in. The characters are sympathetic and believable, and we get to know them well.

There are multiple story lines that mesh well together, creating a heartwarming, romantic tale that is fast, sexy and fun yet still emotionally appealing. This terrific diversion is as light and sweet as a snow cone, perfect for a summer day.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NATURAL BORN CHARMER by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Avon (April 29, 2014). ISBN 978-0062118196. 384p.

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SNIPER’S HONOR by Stephen Hunter

August 3, 2014

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Bob Lee Swagger’s war was Vietnam and now the former sniper has been out of the game a long time, and, sadly, nothing has ever replaced what he’s appalled to call the killing fever.

Then his friend Kathy Reilly, Moscow correspondent for the Washington Post, sends Bob an e-mail asking for his help in researching a story about legendary WWII Russian sniper Ludmilla Milli Petrova, whose name mysteriously disappeared from the historical record around 1945. Why was she expunged from both German and Russian records? Will Swagger help Reilly track the story?

As Swagger and Reilly slowly unravel Milli’s past they discover that, even 70 years after the fact, there are still people who don’t want the story told.

Perhaps most memorable of all, though, is Hunter’s vivid re-creation of the carnage on the Eastern Front, where, as Milli notes, the Russians’ only advantage over the Germans was numbers: If they kill us five to one, we bring six to one . . . we shall prevail because, all things being equal, we can outbleed them. May be Hunter’s best ever.

8/14 Jack Quick

SNIPER’S HONOR by Stephen Hunter. Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (May 20, 2014). ISBN 978-1451640212. 432p.

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BLISS HOUSE by Laura Benedict

August 2, 2014

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Almost everyone in Old Gate can agree that there’s something very wrong with Bliss House. It has a history that’s marred by tragedy, but Rainey Adams doesn’t set any stock in such matters. It’s just a house. The recent incident didn’t even occur in the house itself, but outside on the grounds. And it’s exactly that incident that put Bliss House in Rainey’s budget.

The move to Old Gate is a much-needed fresh start for Rainey and her teenage daughter and Bliss House is the kind of project any interior designer can lose themselves in. It’s exactly what Rainey needs to distract herself from the tragic loss of her husband. But it’s Ariel Rainey hopes will really benefit from the move. The accident that claimed her father’s life also left the girl physically scarred and disfigured. As a result she’s become more sullen with each passing day, even going so far as to refuse to leave the house.

At first, Ariel has mixed feelings about the move: sure it’s an escape from her past but she resents her mother’s efforts. It doesn’t take long for Ariel to warm to their new home, though. She feels a connection to the house and is certain that since moving in her scars have begun to fade and her limbs have begun to strengthen. But Bliss House is changing Ariel in other ways as well. As the house begins to reveal its secrets to the teen, Rainey realizes that Bliss House may not be the salvation she’d once hoped it would be.

Laura Benedict’s latest is just the first of what I hope will be many Bliss House stories to come.

Bliss House features a bit of a dual storyline. Benedict kicks it off with Allison, a young girl newly involved with a young man named Michael. Their budding relationship is anything but rosy, though, and Allison soon finds herself Michael’s prisoner. Decades later Rainey – a Bliss by blood – arrives to once again lay claim to the historic family home. It comes as no surprise then when Benedict quickly reveals to the reader that Rainey had a cousin named Michael who’s been missing for quite some time.

As the story unravels Benedict spins a web of sex and seduction, madness and murder, and love and loss. It’s a haunted house story with many layers, all of which come together to make Bliss House a chilling and atmospheric read.

8/14 Becky Lejeune

BLISS HOUSE by Laura Benedict. Pegasus (June 15, 2014). ISBN 978-1605985725. 400p.

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Deep Down, a Jack Reacher Story by Lee Child

July 31, 2014

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I admit it, I’m a “Reacher Creature,” one of the millions of Lee Child fans. He is now writing faster than ever, but 2 books a year isn’t enough. So he’s also turning out occasional Jack Reacher short stories. These are available as downloadable ebooks or audiobooks for very little money – $1.99 for the Kindle version.

This one is set in the 1980’s and has Reacher called into Washington D.C. to find out who is selling information about new sniper rifles. He is asked to go undercover as an Army sniper and sit in on a Congressional hearing.

Being Reacher, he outsmarts everyone and outfights everyone. What’s not to like?

A new story, Not a Drill: A Jack Reacher Short Story (Kindle Single) is now available as well.

 

7/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

Deep Down, a Jack Reacher Story by Lee Child. Delacorte Press (July 16, 2012). ASIN: B008ED5G9A. File Size: 1148 KB. Print Length: 44p.

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DEAR DAUGHTER by Elizabeth Little

July 31, 2014

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Former celebrity Janie Jenkins gets out of jail on a technicality after serving ten years for killing her society mother. She doesn’t remember doing it, and she didn’t like her mother very much, but once out, she’s determined to find out what really happened.

Janie’s smart but she also has a smart mouth, which tends to put people off. She has her attorney Noah on her side, but she has a hard time telling him – or anyone else – the truth. Meanwhile tabloid reporter Trace is after her, convinced she’s guilty and willing to put his money where his mouth is, offering a large reward for her whereabouts.

Jenkins starts digging into her mother’s past, which leads her to Ardelle, South Dakota, a small town filled with small town secrets and a cast of quirky, sketchy characters, including a suspicious police chief, but Janie keeps them all guessing. It seems that the more she finds out, the more she needs to find out as the mystery deepens with every passing page.

Janie is an unusual protagonist but readers who favor strong, smart women will be intrigued.

 

Copyright ©2014 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association.

7/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DEAR DAUGHTER by Elizabeth Little. Viking Adult (July 31, 2014). ISBN 978-0670016389. 384p.

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THE SEA GARDEN by Deborah Lawrenson

July 30, 2014

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Three interconnected stories make up this lush and intriguing latest from The Lantern author Deborah Lawrenson.

Ellie Brooke is looking to really make a name for herself and her garden design business. The restoration of an historic garden on the island of Porquerolles could be just the thing to really get the attention the business needs. But when Ellie meets the family that wants to hire her, she realizes that the job is more complicated than it seems.

In WWII Provence young Marthe has been apprenticing at the Distillerie Musset. Things are changing in their little village and Marthe knows that it’s the result of the war. The Mussets have taken Marthe into their home, offering her shelter and a job, so she feels a certain amount of guilt in suspecting that they are keeping things from her. The truth, that the Mussets are part of the growing resistance in France, could put everyone around them at risk.

Like many of the young women in England, Iris wanted to join up and help the war effort. She’d planned to sign on as a Wren – the Women’s Royal Naval Service – but was recommended for the Special Operations Executive instead. From their office in London, Iris and her colleagues run a specialized spy ring in France. When Iris meets and falls for an operative who later goes missing, though, her job takes her well beyond 64 Baker Street.

These three women and their stories intertwine to become one larger tale in The Sea Garden. There’s even a nod to The Lantern as well, though it’s not at all necessary to have read it beforehand.

I loved the idea of the connected novellas. Each tale is its own all-encompassing story but there are some mysteries as well. The answers to those mysteries come only in completing the book as a whole.

7/14 Becky Lejeune

THE SEA GARDEN by Deborah Lawrenson. Harper (June 24, 2014). ISBN 978-0062279668. 320p.

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BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty

July 29, 2014

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Wow!

My first Moriarty book was What Alice Forgot, a fast, entertaining read with memorable characters and an unusual story. Then I picked up The Husband’s Secret, and saw that she really stepped up her game. Big Little Lies is her latest and it appears that Moriarty just keeps upping the bar.

The book opens at a school event for parents in the small beach town of Pirriwee, Australia – but it could be Any Town, USA, too. This costume event – all the parents are dressed as Elvis Presley or Audry Hepburn, is part of  a Trivia Night fundraiser for the public elementary school. The drinks are strong and the food hasn’t arrived yet, so everyone is getting drunk and having a good time, that is until someone dies. The police are called, and then we are left hanging – the story moves back in time to six months earlier.

Sprinkled throughout the pages are little snippets from the police interviews, with parents gossiping about everything that’s gone on that semester. This is black comedy at its best, and the story moves back towards the day of reckoning with lightning speed.

At its heart, this is a story is about bullying. On the first day of school, Amabella (not a misspelling) accuses Ziggy of trying to choke her, and has the bruises to prove it. Ziggy and his very young, single mom Jane have just moved to this small town and he instantly becomes the class pariah. The parents all take sides, with the emotional Madeleine and the super wealthy Celeste forming the Jane triumverate, and the “blonde bobs,” a group of helicopter moms with identical haircuts, taking the other side.

The perfect Celeste is in a deeply troubled marriage, but no one knows. Madeleine’s teenage daughter (from her first marriage) is pulling away from her and towards her new stepmother, the eternally calm, yoga loving Bonnie. And Jane is running away from something.

There are so many secrets in this small town, the malicious gossip is scintillating and  neverending, and the characters are fraught with all the foibles we’ve come to expect from Moriarty. The way she builds almost unbearable suspense is simply magical, especially as we don’t even know who dies until the end, never mind who did it. Moriarty has become one of my favorite authors and this is a page turner of the finest kind. Don’t miss it.

7/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty. Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam (July 29, 2014). ISBN 978-0399167065. 384p.

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