THE DISAPPEARED by Kristina Ohlsson

April 5, 2014

This is the follow up to Silenced and the third entry of the terrific Frederika Bergman crime series by Swedish bestselling author Kristina Ohlsson.

Detective Alex Rechte remembers well the case he had of a missing girl a couple of years earlier, so when a dismembered young woman’s body is found, he realizes right away who it is. As the site is excavated, another body is unearthed; this one a man that has been buried for a much longer time, decades in fact, and then another body is unearthed.

Investigative Analyst Fredrika Bergman is assigned the task of looking into the young woman’s life and finds that she has been researching a children’s author, Thea Aldrin, who was convicted of murdering her partner and suspected of foul play with her missing teenage son. Aldrin seems to have some sort of association to all of the bodies, but she is mute and cannot help. Bergman disturbingly also finds her own partner’s name among the young woman’s effects, but things have been strained between them so she is reluctant to pursue it.

Rechte is a recent widow, and work is his salvation as he becomes obsessed with the case. The third member of the team, Detective Peter Rydh, recently reconciled with his wife, and has her support as he delves into the murders that threaten to consume them all. This is a complicated yet fast moving story, and the detectives all find themselves with personal connections to the case that eventually involve an internal investigation.

Ohlsson excels at creating multi-layered stories with three dimensional, substantive characters, and she does it brilliantly here; the intertwining storylines culminate with a shocking ending. Scandinavian crime fiction fans should be enthralled.

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

4/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DISAPPEARED by Kristina Ohlsson. Atria/Emily Bestler Books (March 4, 2014). ISBN 978-1476734002. 416p.

Comments Off on THE DISAPPEARED by Kristina Ohlsson | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

FOREST GHOST by Graham Masterton

April 3, 2014

Masterton spins a tale of horror that moves from the U.S. to Poland, and probably begins in ancient times. His style to deliver the proper atmosphere is to understate the events and feelings.

The narrative opens when a troop of Boy Scouts and their leaders commit suicide in a forest area and leave no clue as to what motivated them to take their own lives. Jack Wallace’s son Sparky was friends with one of the boys that did away with himself and he wants to travel to the scene to come to grips with what happened.

Sparky is stricken with a degree of autism, but has a knack for forecasting the future by reading the alignments of the stars and planets. His appeals to his father draws Jack into an investigation of the reasons for the mass suicides and causes both to undertake a journey to Poland.

It was in a forest during the second world war that Jack’s grandfather killed himself while fighting the Nazis and is believed to be due to the same cause that occurred with the Boy Scouts. While in Poland Jack and Sparky believe they actually see the evil that caused the suicides of both their grandfather and the Boy Scout troop. They return to the states and begin a full investigation finding that contact with the evil that is the cause of the suicides may be a worldwide phenomenon and have been present in the world since the beginning of time.

For those readers that enjoy a well done horror story they have one with Forest Ghost that will not be forgotten in a long time.

4/14 Paul Lane

FOREST GHOST by Graham Masterton. Severn House Publishers; First World Publication edition (April 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0727883445. 256p.

Comments Off on FOREST GHOST by Graham Masterton | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Horror | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

MISSING YOU by Harlan Coben

April 2, 2014

Harlan Coben has the knack of constantly coming out with books incorporating different and varied plots. Missing You is certainly one such book.

The plot involves setting up victims for extortion of large sums of money and than murdering them via the use of an online dating site. Kat Donovan is a New York City police officer. She is the third in a line after both her grandfather and father. After a love affair that went sour 18 years earlier, she has not been able to connect romantically with another man that would appeal to her for marriage.

A good friend of hers convinces her to go onto a dating website. By chance she comes across the photo and data of her former boyfriend and attempts to resurrect the affair. An attempt to recontact her former lover coupled with the plea of a young boy to help find his mother who he believes was kidnapped while going away for a weekend with a man she met on the same website Kat is on pulls Kat into a plot involving large scale kidnapping and murder for money.

Coben is a master at pulling together many seemingly unrelated events in a logical and fascinating way. Missing You is no exception and becomes his usual all nighter. Character development of all principal protagonists is excellent and the reader is left with complete understanding of motivations – both good and evil. Personal flaws are not hidden but utilized real and acting as they would in these situations in real life. Another Coben winner and leaving the reader anxiously awaiting his next book.

4/14 Paul Lane

MISSING YOU by Harlan Coben.  Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (March 18, 2014). ISBN 978-0525953494. 400p.

Comments Off on MISSING YOU by Harlan Coben | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

MIND OF WINTER by Laura Kasischke

March 30, 2014

Thirteen years ago, Holly and her husband, Eric, traveled to Siberia to meet their daughter, Tatiana. In the gloomy and sad setting of Pokrova Orphanage #2, they fell in love with that tiny, pale girl and her big, dark eyes.

On a snowy Christmas morning so many years later, though, Holly wakes in fear. She has become convinced that something followed them home from Russia. As her husband sets off to the airport and Holly prepares for the big celebratory dinner that’s to come, that one thought plagues her mind.

Soon the snow has blanketed everything and one by one the guests cancel. Roads are closed and Holly and Tatiana are forced to spend the day alone. And as Holly mulls over that pervasive thought, she begins to notice that Tatiana’s behavior has grown increasingly odd.

Laura Kasischke’s latest is a gripping and hypnotic read. Much of the story is focused on Holly’s own introspection. She tries first to determine why she feels something has followed them and what it might mean. She examines her relationship with her daughter, her husband, and her own family giving the reader keen insight into her life, past and present.

The image of a family—a mother and daughter in particular—coming apart at the seams on Christmas morning is effective enough, but the addition of the snowstorm and Holly’s memories of her trips to the Russian orphanage makes Mind of Winter that much more chilling. The entire book is amazing right up to the pitch perfect ending.

3/14 Becky Lejeune

MIND OF WINTER by Laura Kasischke. Harper (March 25, 2014). ISBN 978-0062284396. 288p.

Comments Off on MIND OF WINTER by Laura Kasischke | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

RED RISING by Pierce Brown

March 29, 2014

Darrow was born and raised below the surface of Mars. It is the only life he’s ever known, but it is one of honor. Darrow and his kin are Reds, the first people sent to Mars. The people responsible for mining the very elements that will save Earth and allow the red planet to support life. Their work is hard, but the reward is great. Or so Darrow has always been taught.

Darrow and his people have been kept in the dark for generations; Mars has already been terraformed and settled. The new life they were promised has been kept from them and the Reds are now enslaved to the constant demand for helium-3 as the rest of Society spreads further and further through the galaxy.

But one group knows the truth. That very group wants to enact change and they need Darrow’s help to do so.

This first in Brown’s new trilogy is a powerful debut. The world building alone is magnificent—a terraformed Mars inhabited by a whole world of people, all divided into castes by color based on their professions and power. The Reds are at the bottom and the Golds at the very top. And within those castes, there is even further delineation.

Red Rising is a pretty brutal read, to be quite honest, but one that will surely appeal to both teen and adult dystopian fans.

3/14 Becky Lejeune

RED RISING by Pierce Brown. Del Rey (January 28, 2014). ISBN 978-0345539786. 382p.

Comments Off on RED RISING by Pierce Brown | Book Reviews, Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

REDDEVIL 4 by Eric C. Leuthardt

March 28, 2014

Three murders, three suspects caught in the act. For detectives Edwin Krantz and Tara Dezner, this Saturday in St. Louis is off to a bloody start. The scenes are shockingly similar but there’s seemingly no connection between the three killers, except for their doctor.

It’s 2053 and scientific achievements have significantly altered every aspect of daily life. Neroprosthetic implants connect people instantaneously, eliminating the need for phones and computers. Medical diagnostics have become more efficient and reliable, as have actual investigations. Dr. Hagan Maerici is a researcher and surgeon working on creating the world’s first true artificial intelligence.

Just as he begins to reach a breakthrough, however, he must turn is attention to the case at hand. All three suspects are his patients and all three are showing significant health deterioration in the wake of their arrests. Dezner is convinced that the medical anomalies are a ruse meant to disprove actual guilt, but Maerici is certain this isn’t the case. But aside from motive and connection, the thing that’s most mysterious is how the three killers have ended up in this state. And as long as the answer eludes them, they have no way of knowing if the crimes are isolated to their three suspects or if the city could be facing more to come.

Eric C. Leuthardt’s debut is a brilliant melding of science fiction and police procedural. And when I say brilliant, I do mean it – Leuthardt is a bio engineer and neurosurgeon.

The science aspects in RedDevil 4 can be a bit overwhelming for a layperson (like myself) but the story moves along at an incredible pace. The entire thing plays out in just over 36 hours as a whole and features almost non-stop action alongside a frighteningly easy to believe premise. In short, RedDevil 4 is an impossible to put down thriller.

3/14 Becky Lejeune

REDDEVIL 4 by Eric C. Leuthardt. Forge Books (February 4, 2014). ISBN 978-0765332561. 368p.

Comments Off on REDDEVIL 4 by Eric C. Leuthardt | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

HOW ABOUT NEVER–IS NEVER GOOD FOR YOU? by Bob Mankoff

March 26, 2014

“My Life in Cartoons”

This is a memoir of sorts, from the cartoon editor of the New Yorker. If you’re not familiar, the New Yorker has long been home to some of the most intelligent and cutting edge cartoons and is often the first thing long time readers look at, including this one. Bob Mankoff explains how he got there and why he loves his jobs – not only is he editor, he is also a cartoonist.

If you love smart, witty and often political cartoons, then this is the book for you. If you are looking for tips on how to win the caption contests, this is also the book for you. And if you ever wondered how a cartoonist becomes a cartoonist and makes a career out of it, then this is definitely the book for you.

I must admit that I’m a long time New Yorker cartoon fan so I happily delved into this and was not disappointed. In fact, I raced through it in one night, laughing like a fool. Luckily, I was home alone and didn’t have to explain myself to anyone.

how-about-neverOften laugh out loud funny and always interesting, I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it to New Yorker fans and those who’ve even never picked up the magazine as well. When you need a break from heart pounding thrillers, thought provoking literary books or dystopian nightmares, this light, fast, funny read is the perfect respite.

 

 

 

3/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HOW ABOUT NEVER–IS NEVER GOOD FOR YOU? by Bob Mankoff . Henry Holt and Co. (March 25, 2014). ISBN  978-0805095906. 304p.

1 Comment | Book Reviews, Memoir, Nonfiction | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

APOCALYPSE by Dean Crawford

March 24, 2014


This is the third Crawford novel featuring Ethan Warner, continuing the trend of setting up a plot that is outside of the normal and involving him in scenarios that enter into the paranormal. Warner is summoned by the Defense Intelligence Agency to help with the investigation of a double murder of a woman and her daughter.

Within moments of arriving at the scene with his partner Nicola Lopez, Ethan is telephoned by the woman’s husband who tells him that he did not commit the murders, but he himself will be killed within 24 hours, knows the murderer who is not yet aware that he will kill, and predicts various events that will occur during the 24 hour period.

The opening throws Ethan and Nicola into an investigation that involves the Bermuda Triangle, and the mysteries surrounding it, a huge undersea installation first built by the military and taken over by a private company and a logically developed and explained method of seeing into the near future.

Crawford has a knack for grabbing the reader and drawing him or her into the book, explaining the possible science behind developments portrayed in easy to understand terms without making these events explained away by glossing over them. High adventure very well done with out of the ordinary plots continues to be Crawford’s forte and he guarantees sleepless nights for the reader engrossed in his book.

3/14 Paul Lane

APOCALYPSE by Dean Crawford. Touchstone (March 18, 2014). ISBN 978-1451659498. 416p.

Comments Off on APOCALYPSE by Dean Crawford | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

FEARIE TALES ed by Stephen Jones

March 23, 2014


STORIES OF THE GRIMM AND GRUESOME

From Cinderella to Hansel and Gretel, the tales of the Brothers Grimm have been told for generations. Anyone who has read the original versions (the unedited for kids versions) knows these are dark and bloody stories indeed, but this latest collection edited by Stephen Jones takes the tales one step further with fifteen of today’s top horror authors adding their own twists to a variety of Grimm classics. Some of the stories are well known—Robert Shearman takes on Hansel and Gretel with his “Peckish” and both Ramsey Campbell and John Ajvide Lindqvist offer up very different versions of Rumpelstiltskin—while other tales may be a bit lesser so—Angela Slatter tackles The Robber Bridegroom and Garth Nix offers up a weird western version of The Hare’s Bride—but each tale is preceded by its Grimm inspiration.

A few of my personal favorites include Peter Crowther’s “The Artemis Line,” a dark and creepy tale inspired by the Grimm’s story of changelings; Neil Gaiman’s oddly lyrical “Down to a Sunless Sea,” inspired by The Singing Bone; Michael Marshall Smith’s super fun “Look Inside”; and of course John Ajvide Lindqvist’s “Come Unto Me,” which plays on the Scandinavian legend of the tomte.

For anyone who enjoys horror and fairy tales, this is the perfect collection (and it makes for some nightmarish bedtime reading!). Whether you like your stories gory and gruesome or chillingly atmospheric, there’s something in Fearie Tales for everyone.

Fearie Tales is out now in the UK and will be available in the U.S. 9/23/2014

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Don’t Scare the Children
The Wilful Child
Find my Name by Ramsey Campbell
The Singing Bone
Down to a Sunless Sea by Neil Gaiman
Rapunzel
Open Your Window, Golden Hair by Tanith Lee
The Hare’s Bride
Crossing the Line by Garth Nix
Hansel and Gretel
Peckish by Robert Shearman
The Three Little Men in the Wood
Look Inside by Michael Marshall Smith
The Story of a Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was
Fräulein Fearnot by Markus Heitz
Cinderella
The Ash-Boy by Christopher Fowler
The Elves #1
The Changeling by Brian Lumley
The Nixie of Mill-Pond
The Silken Drum by Reggie Oliver
The Robber Bridegroom
By the Weeping Gate by Angela Slatter
Fräu Trude
Anything to Me is Sweeter, Than to Cross Shock-Headed Peter by Brian Hodge
The Elves #2
The Artemis Line by Peter Crowther
The Old Woman in the Wood
The Silken People by Joanne Harris
Rumpelstiltskin
Come Unto Me by John Ajvide Lindqvist
The Shroud

3/14 Becky Lejeune

FEARIE TALES ed by Stephen Jones. Jo Fletcher Books (24 Oct 2013). ISBN 978-1782064701. 430p. (UK)
Jo Fletcher Books (September 23, 2014). ISBN 978-1623658069 (US)

Comments Off on FEARIE TALES ed by Stephen Jones | Book Reviews, Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

A MAN CAME OUT OF A DOOR IN THE MOUNTAIN by Adrianne Harun

March 21, 2014


The devil has come to town and for Leo Kreutzer and his friends life will never be the same.

Theirs is a small town, one that relies on the local logging industry for much of its economy. For years, native girls have been going missing but until now it’s never directly touched Leo and his friends. Recently graduated, they all find themselves in a bit of an odd spot: Leo is taking summer correspondence courses at his mother’s behest while also helping care for his ailing uncle, Jackie has taken a job in the kitchen at the logging camp, Ursie is working in housekeeping at one of the town’s few motels while her brother Bryan does the occasional work for the local drug gang, and Tessa spends her days looking after her sister’s kids. It’s this break—the time between school and really entering the real world—that leaves Ursie, Jackie, and Bryan particularly vulnerable to two strange newcomers: Hana Swann and Keven Seven.

Adrianne Harun’s debut is an oddball of a read. The story itself is a blending of mystery, folklore, and magical realism and Harun’s style is not only intriguing but somewhat hypnotic. The narrative is interspersed with legends and tales as told by Leo’s Uncle Lud. Each of the stories serve as little interludes that not only give the readers perspective into Leo’s character and the local culture, but also influence both the reader and Leo in teasing out the truth about Swann and Seven.

It’s a fascinating book that likely won’t appeal to everyone, but is a magical and engaging read for just the right audience.

3/14 Becky Lejeune

A MAN CAME OUT OF A DOOR IN THE MOUNTAIN by Adrianne Harun. Penguin Books (February 25, 2014). ISBN 978-0670786107. 272p.

1 Comment | Book Reviews, Fiction | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »