FINDING KATARINA M. by Elisabeth Elo

March 21, 2019

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Elo has written a riveting and complex novel about a young doctor living and working in Washington D.C. traveling to Russia and encountering the very worse of conditions that country throws at it’s citizens.

Natalie March is a successful surgeon practicing in the United States. She enjoys the benefits of her work including a better than average life style. the reputation that her skill brings and a social life that is good, although can be better. Natalie is the daughter of Vera March, a woman that has emigrated from Russia but leaving with the guilt that she left her family on the way to the Gulag for crimes unmentioned.

Vera is in the throes of illness that Natalie cannot cure and she would do anything to help her mother survive her sickness. Natalie is suddenly visited by a young dancer working with a Russian Ballet company and performing in New York. The girl provides Natalie with details of the family still in Russia that only someone knowing them would be aware of. This includes Vera’s mother and her sister still living in a section of Siberia. The girl’s motives for visiting Natalie soon become clear. The family need help in defecting from Russia since they are in grave danger from the Putin regime. Natalie speaks to her mother and agrees to travel to New York where Saldana, who is the girl that is her cousin is performing.

Going to New York Natalie finds that Saldana has been murdered in what looks like a bad breaking and entering crime. Galvanized into action Natalie decides to travel to Russia and break the news to her family. Her findings and the events surrounding the meetings form a major part of the novel. Elo doing a major job of researching and investigating, paints a picture of a vast land, basically undeveloped and living under the totalitarian hand of absolute dictatorship. The weather in the areas visited is horrendous with normal almost year round temperatures below zero Fahrenheit.

In almost understated tones, Elo brings to life Natalie’s adventures in an alien land while looking for her grandmother and other relatives. A fascinating novel and one which cannot be picked up to read without finishing it.

3/19 Paul Lane

FINDING KATARINA M. by Elisabeth Elo. Polis Books (March 19, 2019). ISBN 978-1947993433. 352p.

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THE MALTA EXCHANGE by Steve Berry

March 20, 2019

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 Cotton Malone, Book 14

The nicest touch about many of Berry’s novels is the close attention paid to the historical setting of the book. He and his wife founded the group “History Matters” and are very involved in bringing to light the actual events occurring in world history.

“The Malta Exchange” features Cotton Malone and what is looking more and more like his protege, Luke Daniels, working on an assignment for the Magellan Billet a secret U.S. government organization. Luke is a new employee with the Billet while Cotton is retired after years of service with them. Cotton is on paid temporary assignment with them in the book The two are sent to Italy to search for papers missing since World War II which delineate an attempt by Winston Churchill to arrange a peace with Mussolini, the than Italian dictator, and which could very well rewrite history if brought to light,

The action in this story takes place during a time when the current Pope has died and a conclave of Cardinals of the Catholic Church has been called to the Vatican to decide upon a new Pope. Mr Berry includes a history of both the Church as well as the island of Malta as background to his novel. These sidebars have been setup as part and parcel of the search for the Churchill papers and, I believe, that they make a good story even better. The Church’s history as depicted, goes back to it’s beginnings and includes events during the reign of Constantine during the fourth century A.D. in which that king became instrumental in making the Church the world wide organization that it currently is. Malta’s history includes centuries of being the territory of one nation after another and beginning at least 5000 years ago as cave drawings show humans living there at that point in the past.

Two brothers have been plotting for years to elevate one of them to the Papacy at the appropriate time. Their scheming and the actual attempt at getting elected to the position via clandestine activities comprise much of the investigative activity of Malone and Daniels. By itself this attempt will draw in readers and with the addition of the well documented historical background make for a great novel.

I reiterate that I find the historical facts brought into Berry’s novels fascinating and bring out the the truism that the events of the past are not cut and dried. They are open to analysis and can be shown to influence events much more than normally thought. Readers can interpret these background explanations as helping to solve a mystery even if they do not enjoy the interjection of new facts in history as part of the book. I, personally, always await the next Steve Berry novel with a great deal of anticipation.

3/19 Paul Lane

THE MALTA EXCHANGE by Steve Berry. Minotaur Books (March 5, 2019). ISBN 978-1250140265. 416p.

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INSPECTION by Josh Malerman

March 19, 2019

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Malerman has the wonderful ability to deliver exciting books with “different” plots for his readers. Inspection is no exception to this rule.

At the beginning the reader will fully be invested in the idea that it is a situation existing in a future when “Big Brother” is watching every move made by the residents of their country. This is not the case. It is set in a present time when a radical deviation from the norm has been set up by wealthy people interested in proving a point they are sure of.

Two separate schools have been built in a forest location very far from prying eyes. One is an institution populated only by boys with no females around, and the other by girls with no males around. Each has existed for years with no contact with the outside world. The children, as they are, have no nouns in their language that lead to the realization that there is an opposite sex. They have been given the names only of the letters of the alphabet and told that they developed on special trees and taken off when ready to survive on their own.

The head of the boys unit is known as D.A.D. with the girls’ supervisor M.O.M. The children are being trained with advanced courses in the arts and sciences with the thinking that left without the distraction of sex they will not be subjected to the strains that normally exist with the interaction between men and women. They will, therefore develop into geniuses and make contributions to mankind beyond the normality of other groups growing up in regular circumstances.

The story moves between the boy “J” and the girl “K” as they both independently begin questioning their supervision and the constraints of their sheltered existences. The ending is a completely logical one given the circumstances as developed and complete an extremely engrossing novel. Several sleepless, but rewarding, nights are in store for the reader as they are drawn into the world created by the author. Very well done.

3/19 Paul Lane

INSPECTION by Josh Malerman. Del Rey (March 19, 2019). ISBN 978-1524796990 400p.

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RUN AWAY by Harlan Coben

March 19, 2019

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There is a truism involved in reading any of Harlan Coben’s books. I have found it so over the years that I have had the pleasure of reading them. And that is one has to begin to read his latest novel early on an otherwise free day. And that is because the author captures you quickly and it is impossible to put it down before finishing it. “Run Away” is no exception although it does involve a stretch of the imagination to accept the plot closely adhering to what might be real life. But that is the author’s job: telling a good story in a way that captures his or her reader’s interest and attention. And that is what Coben does and does well with this novel being no exception.

Ingrid and Simon, husband and wife, live in Manhattan with their three children. They are both successful in their individual careers; Ingrid a pediatrician and Simon a partner in a lucrative counselling service advising others how to invest their money. Due to their professions an upscale life style is attained. It would be perfect except for a conflict with their eldest child: Paige. She has had many strong arguments with her parents and the opening of the book is at a point where Paige has run away from home. She has not returned nor even called during that period. Simon misses her very much and has taken to sitting in a section of the nearby Central Park at a spot that his daughter loved thinking of her.

About six months after Paige disappeared and while Simon is sitting in that spot he sees his daughter playing the violin for money from the onlookers there. He attempts to talk to her, but she runs from him. The remainder of the book sets up Simon and his wife’s search for Paige. They run into drug dealers, a cult, DNA testing and it’s consequences, two murderers and the killing done by these people. Yes. a search such as is being described would most likely not have all the depicted events occur in real life. But in the hands of Harlan Coben these become a necessary part of the plot and termed the author’s literary license to tell his story. Well done and engrossing novel.

3/19 Paul Lane

RUN AWAY by Harlan Coben. Grand Central Publishing (March 19, 2019). ISBN 978-1538748466. 384p.

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THE CHANCE by Robyn Carr

March 18, 2019

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Thunder Point, Book 4

From the publisher:

Share the joys, heartbreaks, challenges and triumphs of the people who inhabit the small Oregon town of Thunder Point with #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr 

With its breathtaking vistas and down-to-earth people, Thunder Point is the perfect place for FBI agent Laine Carrington to recuperate from a gunshot wound and contemplate her future. The locals embraced Laine as one of their own after she risked her life to save a young girl from a dangerous cult. Knowing her wounds go beyond the physical, Laine hopes she’ll fit in for a while and find her true self in a town that feels safe. She may even learn to open her heart to others, something an undercover agent has little time to indulge.

Eric Gentry is also new to Thunder Point. Although he’s a man with a dark past, he’s determined to put down roots and get to know the daughter he only recently discovered. When Laine and Eric meet, their attraction is obvious to everyone. But while the law enforcement agent and the reformed criminal want to make things work, their differences may run too deep…unless they take a chance on each other and find that deep and mysterious bond that belongs to those who choose love over fear.

We met Laine briefly in The Hero. She was an FBI agent working undercover at the commune who helped Devon (and others) escape. Spoiler alert: if you haven’t read The Hero, stop reading now!

Laine was shot and rescued by Rawley, Cooper, Devon and Spencer and ended up with a fairly serious shoulder injury due to the gunshot. This book opens as she has taken a leave of absence from the FBI to recover more fully. It’s only been a few months but she needs some space from her job and her family back in Boston. She moves to Thunder Point because she wants to get as far away from her father as possible. Laine is from a family of doctors, and her father’s disapproval of her career choice comes to a head after she is shot. Thunder Point is always welcoming to strangers, especially when one of their own, Devon, is a friend.

We also met Eric briefly when he found out that his high school girlfriend did, in fact, have the baby she told him she was carrying. He ran at the time, and didn’t give her a whole lot of thought. But now that he’s found her, Eric is grateful to start a relationship with her. That leads him to buying the service station in Thunder Point, and to meeting Laine.

You couldn’t find two more different people if you tried. Eric is an uneducated former felon who grew up with very little, and Laine is FBI and Boston Brahmin, not exactly a match you’d expect. But they find their way to each other, one step at a time, and it’s a terrific romance. Laine is also dealing with family stuff that adds another layer to the story.

Another rather abrupt ending forced me to start book five in the series, The Promise. I am thoroughly enjoying this series!

3/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE CHANCE by Robyn Carr. MIRA; 1st edition (February 25, 2014). ISBN 978-0778315995. 360p.

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THE GARDENER OF EDEN by David Downie

March 17, 2019

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The novel opens with the sudden appearance in the Timber logging town of Carverville by a middle aged man calling himself JP. Carverville is an area of the U.S. that has seen better days and the consequent relocation of many of it’s young people looking for a better future.

JP is one of these and has returned after an absence of 40 years. He finds work at a run down motel basically trying to tidy the place in return for food and room to park the RV that he has arrived in.

Events involve in James, as his name is, discovering that shadows envelope the town and corruption runs rampant. As more and more facts emerge about what is going on in Carverville the author makes his personal position clear. He indicates through his characters that the downfall of many areas n the country are being adversely affected by the actions of the government. While this opinion may not be held by the reader the story is still an interesting one.

James finds old high school friends and what has happened to them over the years. The corruption is done by people that he knew in the past and gave indications even than of what they will become later. There is no surprise in reading Downie’s novel and the ending is one that is totally logical based on events as described.

The book is not an all night grabber but is a good story written by an author who has a good many credits to his name.

3/19 Paul Lane

THE GARDENER OF EDEN by David Downie. Pegasus Books; 1 edition (March 5, 2019). ISBN 978-1643130040. 272p.

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THE HERO by Robyn Carr

March 16, 2019

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Thunder Point, Book 3

From the publisher:

With warmth and sensitivity, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr shows readers that falling in love can be the bravest act of all. 

In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can’t be worse than what they’ve left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need.

As the widowed father of a vulnerable young boy, Spencer Lawson knows something about needing friendship. But he’s not looking for anything else. Instead, he’s thrown his energy into his new role as Thunder Point’s high school football coach. Tough and demanding to his team, off the field he’s gentle and kind…just the kind of man who could heal Devon’s wounded heart.

Devon thought she wanted to hide from the world. But in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it…and sometimes, you find a hero.

This is the most suspenseful book in the series so far. Devon is the latest addition to Thunder Point, by way of her “cousin”, Rawley. Rawley is a character that has been in the Thunder Point series since the first book, but has always been a bit of an enigma. Here we come to know him a little bit better, although that is not saying much. But we find out the most important thing; he, like almost everyone else in town, is a good person with some heavy baggage. In his case, it’s baggage that he’s been toting around since the Vietnam War. He has had PTSD issues and is known for mostly not saying much, so hard to get to know. But when he reaches out to Devon and her daughter Mercy, we can see him softening.

But this is a romance and Rawley is not the love interest. Spencer is. Spencer is a fairly recent widower, with an unusual situation with his son Austin. Spencer’s wife suffered with cancer for a few years before finally succumbing to the disease. But shortly before her death, her family was tested to see if anyone would be a good candidate for a bone marrow transfer. And that testing revealed that Spencer was not Austin’s father.  Spencer’s starting over in Thunder Point makes a lot of sense; he and Austin need a fresh start, need to get away from all the sadness that permeated their lives for years.

Devon has her own history that I knew was going to lead to, well, let’s just say no spoiler alert here. I kind of knew what was going to happen but didn’t know when or how it would be resolved, so still plenty of suspense going on in this book.

Again it is the characters that make the story. Even the reclusive Rawley adds more depth to the story, the town and its inhabitants. I am really enjoying my stay in Thunder Point, and rolled right into book four, The Chance. Another excellent read from Robyn Carr, who has become one of my favorite authors. She writes small towns in the northwestern United States, somewhat like Debbie Macomber does, but puts a more realistic spin on things. People occasionally use bad language. They have sex! Even before they marry! Nothing too gratuitous, but there is no denying it either.

I am loving this series. My biggest criticism is that the books tend to end somewhat abruptly, but maybe that’s by design. I don’t seem to be able to finish one and go somewhere else, Carr has turned into my crack! Totally addicting reads but I’m not complaining.

3/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE HERO by Robyn Carr.  MIRA; 1st edition (August 27, 2013). ISBN 978-0778314592. 379p.

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BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward

March 15, 2019

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One can say that this book is a wonderful love story, but it is a novel far above the recounting of a romance. It is a story that moves through various twists and turns granting the mesmerized reader a good deal of sleepless moments while glued to the pages.

Maddie (Madeline) and Ian’s love story begins when she is in a position overseas and visits a friend of hers in a nearby country. At a party she meets Ian who is a professional soldier in the British army. He is currently part of a detachment guarding diplomats stationed at embassies in that country. She falls for him, and he for her but it takes a period of 16 years for the two to finally marry and settle in Maddie’s home state of Kansas. Their union produces a beautiful son named Charlie loved by both in a marriage that seems very successful.

Things change when Maddie suffers an accident during a camping trip, scarring her face and causing her to begin seeing a therapist to help her come to grips with the disfigurement. It is during her visits to the analyst that the fact that Ian suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) due to his constant postings into combat areas comes out. Since it is Maddie that is used as the first person narrator we learn much about the symptoms of Ian’s PTSD as outlined by her. She is, by her own admission, living with a man with an abundance of phobias that make life for both difficult.

The ending is an incredible piece of writing which brings the reader through several complete changes of view about what has and is happening. Ward has written other novels prior to “Beautiful Bad” but she has certainly vaulted to a place right at the apex of the literary world. I can’t wait for her next book and I’m sure that this will be the reaction of anyone reading this book.

3/19 Paul Lane

BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward. Knopf (March 5, 2019). ISBN 978-0525521877. 272p.

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TOMORROW THERE WILL BE SUN by Dana Reinhardt

March 14, 2019

Reinhardt (Tell Us Something True) brings two families together on a vacation at a luxurious villa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in this marital farce.

Jenna plans the trip for her husband Peter’s 50th birthday and invites his best friend/business partner, Solly, along with his family – his second, much younger wife, their young son and Solly’s disreputable teenage son from his first marriage. Jenna’s sullen teenage daughter is attracted to the troubled teen which makes Jenna uncomfortable, but her real problem is Peter’s beautiful, young assistant that he’s left in charge of the business, and their secretive phone conversations.

Meanwhile, Solly is the life of the party while Peter is acting the sycophant, and both of them are getting on Jenna’s last nerve. Things come to a head when political unrest in the town forces everyone to stay inside, causing feelings that have been brewing beneath the surface to explode.

Verdict: The interaction of all these characters makes for compelling reading and is often amusing, while book groups should find lots to discuss. Should appeal to fans of Jane Green and Emma Straub.

©Library Journal, 2019

3/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

TOMORROW THERE WILL BE SUN by Dana Reinhardt. Pamela Dorman Books (March 12, 2019). ISBN: 978-0525557968. 288p.

From Paul Lane:

Jenna and her husband Peter have been married for 20 years, have a 16 year old daughter. They are comfortable; not rich, with Peter in business with his lifelong best friend Solly. Jenna is a planner and makes the decision to plan an extraordinary vacation to best celebrate Peter becoming 50 years of age, with Solly to reach that age a few months later. After much research and deliberation Jenna sets up a dream seven day trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She rents a private villa with all the trimmings right next to the ocean.

Both couples, Jenna’s daughter and Solly’s two boys are with them, all primed to have the vacation of a lifetime. Upon arrival at the villa they are greeted by their maid and butler who will do all the cooking, serve drinks, clean up the quarters and leave the vacationers nothing to do but enjoy themselves. it does start out that way, but begins to go downhill slowly but surely. Using Jenna as the first person narrator, Reinhardt keeps the reader following the changes in situation and in the thinking and feeling of the group. She shows herself to be a master in painting the personalities and characters of the adults, teenage children and a young, quite spoiled little boy.

This is indicated as being Reinhardt’s first adult novel after writing many children’s books. After spending all night panting to finish the book I certainly am hoping she follows up with more adult fiction which I’m sure will give me additional sleepless, but pleasant evenings. A very well done book with a very surprising ending becoming the capstone of an excellent read.

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THE RIVER by Peter Heller

March 13, 2019

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Rafting or canoeing on a swift flowing river is a passion for many people, with the actuality of such a trip a dream come true. Wynn and Jack, two friends meeting in college, find that they share this love and have taken several such trips during their academic careers.

Heller follows them on an adventure in northern Canada canoeing on the Maskwa river. The background and descriptions supplied by the author are sufficient enough to allow any reader to vicariously experience the trip with the boys. But the events depicted also make for a rousing adventure story that will make the novel an excellent read.

At the onset of the trip, Wynn and Jack are flown by plane with the idea that after the trip ends the pilot can be telephoned to come and pick them up. But, after several days of voyaging they detect a huge forest fire starting behind them and realize that they cannot turn back but must continue on to a point from which a pickup can be arranged.

Continuing on, they meet two men halted and getting drunk. The boys tell them about the fire and continue on. Further along they hear a heated argument between a man and a woman coming from the fogbound shore area and decide that they should be left alone. The next day they spot a man, alone, paddling along and decide to investigate the whereabouts of the woman.

The interactions between the fire, the boys the two drunks, and the man and woman provide the ingredients for the story. A well told adventure tale and one that will engage the reader and keep him or her riveted to the book.

3/19 Paul Lane

THE RIVER by Peter Heller. Knopf (March 5, 2019). ISBN 978-0525521877. 272p.

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