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In this sequel to The Doll, Vanessa Michael Munroe is utilizing her gift for learning languages, living in Djibouti as Michael, a man, working as an interpreter for a private maritime security company. Her boss, Leo, forces her into working on a ship, which she quickly discovers is running guns.

The ship is attacked by pirates off the Somali coast, but Munroe escapes, taking the captain with her. Turns out the captain is really what the pirates were after, and she hides him in a small private hospital while she tries to figure out her next move. She contacts Leo’s wife, who is desperate to get her husband back and Munroe agrees to help. They figure out that they are going to have to hijack the ship back, and those negotiations are complicated and deadly.

This action adventure thriller moves along at breakneck speed with the requisite violence peppering most pages. Munroe is a smart, fiercely strong yet damaged woman in the vein of Lisbeth Salander, who could hold her own with Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne or Barry Eisler’s Rain.

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

7/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE CATCH by Taylor Stevens. Crown (July 15, 2014). ISBN 978-0385348935. 352p.

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Madge’s husband Frank has her kidnapped in hopes of collecting on an insurance policy, but she finds out, shoots him in the knees, and takes off with the $200,000. She plans on taking a Greek cruise with her best friend Karen, but Karen’s crazy one-eyed wolf-dog bites the ear off a man, so she takes the dog on the lam. Several characters, including Madge’s ex-husband, the kidnapper, a cop on suspension, a narcoleptic driver and more are following the money from Ireland to Greece.

This is screwball comedy at its most complicated, with super short chapters told from the viewpoints of myriad characters. These characters would be right at home in a comic book, but none are very sympathetic or believable, so it’s hard to find one to root for. The book is dialogue heavy, which helps move it along at a frantic pace. It’s not dark enough to be considered noir, but should appeal to Tim Dorsey fans and readers who like comic capers.

This is the sequel to The Big O and picks up right where that book left off, so it’s probably better to start there.

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

7/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CRIME ALWAYS PAYS by Declan Burke. Severn House Publishers; Sew edition (July 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0727883759. 256p.

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Buckell was raised in the Caribbean before he returned to the U.S. His novel provides an insight into the politics and problems of the islands that are currently mainly tourist areas. It is set a little into the future and brings the islands into a setting that has made them economically much different than they are today.

They have improved their infrastructures due to the finding and selling of large oil deposits in their offshore waters. Most important, an agency termed the Caribbean Intelligence Agency was formed by a consortium of the islands’ governments, trained by the CIA and British MI6. It consists of highly trained and capable agents fighting the enemies of the Caribbean.

Prudence (Roo) Jones was an agent of the Caribbean group until he built himself a personal fortune,retired and decided to dedicate his life to beach combing and traveling on his boat. Events that occurred prior to this novel’s opening made him the caretaker for his orphaned teenaged nephew. He is immersed in making sure that the boy goes to school and takes an interest in making sure that his nephew grows up to be a good citizen and adult.

A message is received from a former colleague marked, “You will get this if I am dead.” Roo had worked with that man while both were agents of the Caribbean Intelligence Agency and were firm friends. Roo goes after the package indicated in the message in the interest of following through on their friendship.

Shortly after the message arrives, a beautiful young lady knocks on his door announcing that she is his now deceased friend’s sister. While Roo knew that there was no sister he goes along with her to try and determine what she is after.

Buckell creates an atmosphere of constant action both with bad guys coming out, and several hurricanes starting up in a Caribbean whose weather patterns have greatly changed. The book retains the reader’s undivided attention and is definitely an all nighter as the various blanks are filled in including the young lady’s intentions and definitely setting up the next book in this series. Excellent read.

6/14 Paul Lane

HURRICANE FEVER by Tobias S. Buckell. Tor Books; First Edition edition (July 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0765319227. 272p.