Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

THE TRAVELERS by Chris Pavone

March 8, 2016

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Chris Pavone’s first novel, The Expats, set the stage for his second and now his third book. The stories involve Americans whose working lives in some way involve residing or traveling overseas.

Will Rhodes is recently married and somewhat insolvent, gets a job as a travel writer for the prestigious magazine, “The Traveler.” His work is to travel all over the world and write attractive articles about the food in different areas he visits in order to attract a well to do clientele that subscribe to the magazine – and are also probable clients for a series of travel agencies that have been set up by the publication.

One night he meets a very attractive woman in Argentina wine country and in spite of his being married, starts an affair. It seems that she wants to entrap him via a blackmail scheme into accepting an offer he can’t refuse.

At her orders, he travels all over Europe from France to Ireland onto a mega yacht and to an isolated cabin on the rugged cliffs of Iceland. Will is drawn further and further into a web of intrigue with connections to a gigantic global conspiracy.

The people closest to him, including his new wife, all seem to be involved in the conspiracy and may prove to be the greatest threats to him. The ending is not telegraphed but becomes the only weak area in a novel that is compelling. It would almost appear as if Pavone just came to a point that he thought would be a logical ending and he proceeded to do just that – end it.

3/16 Paul Lane

THE TRAVELERS by Chris Pavone. Crown (March 8, 2016). ISBN 978-0385348485. 448p.

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DEADLY JEWELS by Jeannette de Beauvoir

March 7, 2016

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A McGill University doctoral candidate, Patricia Mason, has made an amazing discovery; she has found some of England’s crown jewels in a locked room under the city of Montreal, where they were hidden from the Nazis during World War II.

The mayor believes this find could be great publicity for the city, and calls in publicity director Martine LeDuc to put a good spin on it. It shouldn’t be difficult, until a skeleton is found alongside the jewels, a stone goes missing, and Mason is murdered.

LeDuc once again calls on her friend, Detective-Lieutenant Julian Fletcher, whose family’s wealth and prestige allow him great latitude with the police department, in this terrific second book (The Asylum, 2015) of the series.

Turns out a Neo-Nazi group is interested in the jewels, as they believe, as did Hitler, that the stones possess mystical powers. The story moves back and forth from very interesting World War II flashbacks to the present day, a riveting mystery. LeDuc’s personal life adds to her stress level, as her husband wants his children to move in with them on a permanent basis. Steve Berry fans should enjoy this.

3/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DEADLY JEWELS by Jeannette de Beauvoir. Minotaur Books (March 8, 2016). ISBN 978-1250045409. 352p.

Kindle

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THE CAIRO CODE by Glenn Meade

March 6, 2016

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Novels about love existing during the course of war and the strains put upon the lovers by the conflict raging about them are plentiful. The Cairo Code is an excellent book revolving around a segment of World War II and the parts three people play in the drama.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met in Cairo, Egypt during November 1943 in order to discuss plans going forward for operation Overlord, the invasion of Europe at a near future date. Hitler had the impression that if this invasion were allowed to take place, it would be the capstone on the defeat of Germany, which he felt was already started. He ordered the assassination of both Roosevelt and Churchill, with the emphasis on murdering the US president as primary.

Major Johann Halder, a brilliant agent of the Abwere, was assigned to head the attempt along with Rachael Stern, an Egyptologist, to accompany him to supply credibility that they were in Cairo to reexamine tombs. Their families had been excavating those tombs prior to the war. Stern, of Jewish descent, was being held at a concentration camp and released to Major Halder with the promise that she would be freed after the successful venture, as well as her parents, who were also being held prisoner by the Nazis.

The Americans, getting wind of the plot, assigned Lt. Colonel Harry Weaver to go after Halder and his party. Weaver was one the best officers the U.S. had and was thought to be the soldier that could foil the plot. The caveat in this was that Harry, Halder and Rachel had been together at excavations in Egypt with their families prior to the war. They had been close friends but both Harry and Johann fell in love with Rachel, and never knew whether or not she was in love with either of them.

The story revolves around the chase between Harry and his two friends, and if any of them would be able to actually kill their former friends or object of love. Meade handles the sequences of the chase and reactions of both sides with knowledge that they were facing former great friends and what they would do if they actually met. There was an attempt by the Nazis to kill Roosevelt at the Cairo conference in real life which obviously did not succeed. But the major thrust of Meade’s story involves love tested by being on opposite sides during a world war.

Extremely well done novel with the reader easily being caught up in the emotions and activities of both sides. The ending is not at all telegraphed but does leave the reader with the impression that he or she has just finished one of the most satisfying stories written in a long time.

3/16 Paul Lane

THE CAIRO CODE by Glenn Meade . Pinnacle (February 23, 2016). ISBN 978-0786037308. 416p.

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SAVING SOPHIE by Ronald H. Balson

March 5, 2016

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This is the follow up to Once We Were Brothers, a hugely popular by word-of-mouth book that was originally self published, then picked up by St. Martins. Ron Balson is a practicing attorney in Chicago so writing novels is his second career, and he’s quite good at it.

The two protagonists from Once We Were Brothers, private investigator Liam and attorney Catherine, return here and move between Chicago and the Middle East. The story opens with the theft of 88 million dollars and a man on the run, and we don’t know anything at all about the whys or hows of it. And then we learn…

The titled “Sophie” is a young girl who has been kidnapped by her maternal grandfather and taken to his fortress of a home in Palestine.

Sophie’s father, Jack Sommers, is heartbroken. His wife had died and when his in-laws sued for custody, trying to prove he was an unfit father, they lost their case. But Jack felt bad about cutting off his daughter from her grandparents, so he suggested visitation once a month. On their third visit, they disappeared with Sophie.

Jack is a lawyer and he manages to embezzle money in hopes of paying ransom and getting his daughter back. He disappears, but his partners in crime end up dead and there is still no sign of anyone getting Sophie back to him. Liam and Catherine are hired to find the money and Jack Sommers, and in the process agree to try and help Jack get his daughter back.

The story moves to the Middle East and Balson does a phenomenal job of interspersing the history of Zionism, the state of Israel and all the fighting in the Middle East going back to biblical times, creating a fascinating back drop to the present day story.

Turns out grandpa is from a long line of terrorists, and is in the middle of planning a September 11th size attack using biological warfare, creating a terrifying culmination to the story.

This is another exciting thriller from a terrific storyteller.

3/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SAVING SOPHIE by Ronald H. Balson. St. Martin’s Griffin (September 15, 2015). ISBN 978-1250065858. 448p.

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THE BIG REWIND by Libby Cudmore

March 4, 2016

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One misdelivered piece of mail lands Jett smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation.

It’s a mix tape, on cassette no less. And when it arrives, Jett, being the nice neighbor she is, heads over to KitKat’s apartment to hand deliver it. After her knocking brings no answer but the desperate cries of KitKat’s cat, Jett starts to worry and lets herself in, discovering that someone has very recently (based on the burning pot brownies) bludgeoned the party planner and baker with her own rolling pin.

KitKat’s boyfriend is the prime suspect in the case, especially when a neighbor claims to have seen him at the apartment just hours before the crime took place. But KitKat’s friends aren’t so sure. And Jett, a temp at a PI agency (proofreading, not investigating) can’t say no when KitKat’s own sister begs for her help. Jett is sure the mix tape itself is a big clue, and intends to start there. But how do you track down an anonymous mix tape creator in a city as big as the Big Apple?

Libby Cudmore’s debut is a fantastic. A mystery set around a mix tape? I grew up in the days of mix tapes and was seriously craving an amateur sleuth read as well. The Big Rewind not only hit the spot mystery wise but proved to be a nostalgic trip through music and mix tape history, too.

Mix tapes are so deep. Or they can be. Some are just samplings of music meant to widen your horizons (most of the ones I received were) but a tape like the one here represents the creator’s deepest feelings. So it makes sense that when Jett finally tracks down a cassette player to listen to said tape, she realizes this is someone who could very well have killed KitKat.

The investigation and the tape prompt Jett to go on a journey through her own mix tapes and ex boyfriends, even going to far as to track some of them down, forcing her to reevaluate her own past as she digs deeper into KitKat’s.

The Big Rewind is funky and fun. A mystery filled with music and the sights and sounds of Brooklyn.

(There’s even a Spotify playlist to listen to as you read.)

3/16 Becky LeJeune

THE BIG REWIND by Libby Cudmore. William Morrow Paperbacks (February 2, 2016). ISBN 978-0062403537. 256p.

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GONE AGAIN by James Grippando

March 3, 2016

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In an afterward, Grippando, the creator of Jack Swyteck, an attorney practicing in Florida, indicates that he is sending Jack back into his literary roots. This is exactly what is done as Swyteck becomes involved with defending a prisoner on death row as he did in the first novel introducing him, The Pardon.

A young girl named Sashi Burgette disappeared on her way to school three previously. While a body was never found, an ex-con named Dylan Kyle was stopped for drunken driving shortly after the disappearance was reported. An article of Sashi’s clothing was found in his vehicle and a police video of Kyle’s drunken explanation of events provided enough circumstantial evidence for a jury to convict him of murder.

A few days prior to Kyle’s execution, Sashi’s mother visits Swyteck, who is doing pro bono work at the Freedom Institute and blurts out that she received a phone call from her daughter,indicating that she is still alive. Jack, in the interest of justice being served, jumps into the case in spite of the police indicating the call is a hoax, the death warrant already signed by the governor of Florida, and the state attorney declaring that the case is closed.

Grippando proceeds to grab the reader with twists and turns of the story that seemingly complicate events beyond any readily visible solution. And, at the same time Jack’s wife, Andie Henning, is about to have a baby. Andie works for the FBI normally doing undercover work. While still able to handle work prior to going on maternity leave, Andie discovers some details related to the crime Jack is working on. She is not able to pass the information onto Jack due to constraints placed on what she can divulge, but does manage to provide some help to her husband.

The book is by any definition an all nighter as are the previous novels in the Swyteck series and certainly motivates readers to seek out the next in this series.

3/16 Paul Lane

GONE AGAIN by James Grippando. Harper (March 1, 2016). ISBN 978-0062368706. 400p.

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BEHOLD THE BONES by Natalie C. Parker

March 2, 2016

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Beware the Wild (Book 2)

Ever since Sterling saved her brother from the swamp, things in Sticks have been just a little bit stranger, the Shine has been just a little stronger, and the ghost sightings just a little more frequent. But for Candy, nothing has changed. She still can’t see the things her friends Sterling and Abigail see.

Candy knows she has the power to repel the Shine – they learned that when the swamp took Phin – but she doesn’t understand why she’s the only one who can’t see it. After a desperate attempt to change that, though, the ghosts in Sticks start coming out in droves. And folks soon learn that Candy has the ability to send them away.

Then the King family arrives. Their father is a producer on a ghost hunting show that wants Sticks – and Candy – to be the subject of their latest venture. Candy wants no part in it, but the Kings are pretty insistent. Plus, they seem to know an awful lot about the Shine. Candy strikes up a hesitant friendship with new classmate Nova King in the hopes that she can answer some of Candy’s questions about the magic surrounding Sticks. But Nova isn’t willing to share information freely. She wants something in return. Something only Candy can offer.

This follow up to Beware the Wild takes readers back to Sticks and the characters of that previous tale. This time, however, readers are given a story from Candy’s perspective.

Like its predecessor, I liked Behold the Bones but, again like its predecessor, there was something missing in the development of the story. The narrative felt thin as a whole, like there were pieces missing from the story, and Candy herself came across as flighty and confusing. The creepiness factor did save this one a bit, but I wanted to love it and just couldn’t.

3/16 Becky LeJeune

BEHOLD THE BONES by Natalie C. Parker. HarperTeen (February 23, 2016). ISBN 978-0062241559. 368p.

1 Comment | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Young Adult | Permalink
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Win the March ’16 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

March 1, 2016

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Beware the Ides of March! No real danger here but I am giving away some exciting books this month, all autographed by the authors. Don’t forget to check back…you never know when new titles will be added. To enter, go to the Win Books page. Best of luck!

FOOL ME ONCE by Harlan Coben: In the course of eight consecutive #1 New York Times bestsellers, millions of readers have discovered Harlan Coben’s page-turning thrillers, filled with his trademark edge-of-your-seat suspense and gut-wrenching emotion. In Fool Me Once, Coben once again outdoes himself.

THE PASSENGER by Lisa Lutz: From the author of the New York Times bestselling Spellman Files series, Lisa Lutz’s latest blistering thriller is about a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past: you’ll want to buckle up for the ride!

FAR FROM TRUE by Linwood Barclay: New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Linwood Barclay delivers the second spine-chilling thriller set in the troubled town of Promise Falls, following the electrifying cliffhanger ending of Broken Promise…

THE ADVOCATE’S DAUGHTER by Anthony Franze: A Washington, D.C. lawyer and a frequent major media commentator on the Supreme Court, Anthony Franze delivers a high-stakes story of family, power, loss and revenge set within the insular world of the highest court of our country.

CLAWBACK by J.A. Jance: In New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance’s latest thriller, Ali Reynolds faces her most controversial mystery yet, solving the murder of a man whose Ponzi scheme bankrupted hundreds of people, and left them seeking justice…or revenge.

TAKEDOWN: A Small-Town Cop’s Battle Against the Hells Angels and the Nation’s Biggest Drug Gang by Jeff Buck with Jon Land & Lindsay Preston: Jeff Buck spent more than twenty years working as an undercover drug officer involved in some of the biggest drug busts of the past generation. Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the acclaimed Caitlin Strong series and the co-written nonfiction bestseller, Betrayal. Lindsay Preston has written numerous nonfiction works for some of the most prominent figures in finance, law, and sports.

THE MADWOMAN UPSTAIRS by Catherine Lowell: In Catherine Lowell’s smart and original debut novel, the only remaining descendant of the Brontë family embarks on a modern-day literary scavenger hunt to find the family’s long-rumored secret estate, using only the clues her eccentric father left behind, and the Brontës’ own novels.

RAIN DOGS by Adrian McKinty: A Detective Sean Duffy Novel. “Shot through with a smart, crackling humor that manages to be both dark and witty. . . . [Sean Duffy] is utterly and pleasurably human.” —BOSTON GLOBE “Exceptionally smart police procedurals.” —BOOKLIST FOUR STARRED REVIEWS!

THE CAPITALIST by Peter Steiner: The villains who abuse our monetary system get what’s coming to them in this ingenious fifth novel in the critically acclaimed Louis Morgon series, written by cartoonist, painter, and novelist Peter Steiner.

HIDE AND SEEK by Michael Zolezzi: There are certain criminal cases that are talked about generations after the investigation is closed. In Hide and Seek, such a case lands in Detective Jake Skinner and his partner, Detective Dan Rico’s, laps.

You can win autographed copies of all these books! If you are new to the site, each month I run a contest in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers organization. We put together a list of books from debut authors to bestsellers, so you can win some of your favorites and find some new favorites.

What makes this contest really special is that all of the books (except eBooks) are signed by the author! Books with multiple authors will be signed by at least one of the authors.

Don’t forget, if you subscribe to the newsletter or follow this blog, you get an extra entry into every contest you enter. Check out the Win Books page for more information on all these books and how you to enter this month’s contest.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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FINDING WINNIE by Lindsay Mattick

February 26, 2016

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The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Winner of the 2016 Caldecott Medal

I don’t review children’s books as a rule, but every now and then something comes to my attention and I am compelled to share it. I absolutely fell in love with this book. A short explanation first…

Every year I like to look at the Newbery Award and Caldecott Medal winners. They are always excellent children’s books and this year was particularly exciting. According to CNN, Matt de la Peña is the first Latino author to win the Newbery Medal for outstanding contribution to children’s literature for his book “Last Stop on Market Street,” illustrated by Christian Robinson. It’s a lovely book.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Finding Winnie is beautifully illustrated, but it was the story that moved me to write about it here.

The author, Lindsay Mattick, is the great-granddaughter of Captain Harry Colebourn, and as the back flap of the book tells us, she “grew up thinking of Winnie-the-Pooh as her own great-grandbear.” Captain Colebourn was a veterinarian in Winnipeg, Canada, and went into the army during WWI to take care of the horses. On a train ride, he saw a trapper with a bear cub sitting at the station. He offered the trapper $20 for the cub, and named her Winnipeg, Winnie for short. She became the camp mascot. Eventually Harry was being shipped out overseas and took the cub with him, but he knew he couldn’t take her into a war zone.

Harry gave the bear to the London Zoo, where a little boy befriended the bear. That boy’s name was Christopher Robin and the rest, as they say, is history.

The book’s last pages are like a scrapbook, with photos of Harry, Winnie, the page from his diary when he bought the cub, and more.

If you’re a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh, (and who isn’t,) you will enjoy this amazing, engaging book.

I want my own copy – hear that, Little Brown?

2/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

FINDING WINNIE by Lindsay Mattick. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (October 20, 2015). ISBN 978-0316324908. 56p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Nonfiction | Tagged: Children's | Permalink
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GRETEL AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING FROG PRINTS by P. J. Brackston

February 25, 2016

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A Brothers Grimm Mystery

Gretel of Gesternstadt (of Hansel and Gretel fame) has made quite a name for herself throughout Bavaria as a private investigator of some note. And so, when Albrecht Durer the Much Much Younger has two of his ancestor’s famous paintings stolen from right under his very nose, Gretel is the one he seeks out.

The case starts on a sour note, however, when Durer’s messenger dies in Gretel’s front hall. Fearing a delay due to questioning in the matter, Gretel absconds to Nuremberg to get started on the case. With the lure of a payday and a chance to shop in Nuremberg’s fine establishments bolstering her on, she immediately gets started. But when the Kingsman from Gesternstadt arrives in Nuremberg intent on arresting Gretel, things become somewhat complicated. Eluding the officials while attempting to catch a thief is a bit above and beyond, but Gretel is determined to solve this one and reap the rewards.

Readers may already know P. J. Brackston and her work as Paula Brackston, but this first in her new Brothers Grimm Mysteries is a bit of a change from her Witch books.

Set in eighteenth-century Bavaria, the series, helmed by a thirty-year-old Gretel, features Grimm characters galore. In fact, this first outing finds Gretel and Hans calling on an old friend who has a penchant for crying wolf for a place to stay.

At times, the actual mystery of the missing frog prints does take a backseat to the overall setting of the story. Brackston’s unique premise and Gretel’s hilarious antics are quite fun reading, though, making this a very promising start to a fun and quirky new series.

2/16 Becky LeJeune

GRETEL AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING FROG PRINTS by P. J. Brackston. Pegasus (January 15, 2015). ISBN 978-1605986722. 352p.

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