LATEST REVIEWS

LUCKY BASTARD by Deborah Coonts: This is the fourth entry into the Lucky O'Toole Las Vegas Adventures and if you are not familiar with the series, you cam start here but it's probably better if they are read in order. Coonts has created a terrific cast of characters led by Lucky, who has just been promoted to vice president of Customer Relations for the magnificent, fictional Babylon Hotel. If you're a Vegas fan, these books give you an inside look at the running of the high end hotels and some of the people that move through them. The Babylon is hosting one of the premier poker tournaments, bringing lots of high rollers to the hotel. When a dead woman is found draped over a Ferarri in the hotel dealership, the local police have their hands full. Chief suspect is the dead woman's estranged husband, and then more bodes turn up. Lots of action keep the pages turning and there's an undertone of romance to lighten things up. The pages fly by in this terrific tale of suspense and Vegas style fun. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

REQUIEM MASS by Elizabeth Corley: A Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Fenwick Mystery Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Fenwick is just returning to work after burying his wife. His family is tenuously hanging on and Fenwick gets desk duty to ease him back into things. What starts out as a suburban London housewife gone missing turns into ruthless retaliation for a twenty-year-old mystery. Five schoolgirls went off for a walk but only four returned; one of the girls accidentally fell to her death, or at least that is their story. Now they are all grown up and dealing with the past by ignoring it as best as they can. One of the women is the missing housewife, two more are her neighbors, and the fourth is a world famous soprano, due to come home for a fundraiser for the school they all attended. When one of the women is murdered, Fenwick finds the connection between the two cases and sets out to stop the killer from exacting his revenge. He also has to deal with a very troubled son, office politics, and an affair that may be clouding his judgment. Fortunately, he has some good help, including Cooper, who has lots of experience, and a young woman rookie who is sharp as a tack. These characters are well drawn, especially Fenwick, but even the killer avoids cliché. This is a complex case, solved by meticulous police work and culminating in a very tense, superb ending. First of a gritty new series with strong promise, sure to appeal to Tana French, Benjamin Black and Tess Gerritsen fans.  5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

THE FOUR HOUR CHEF: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss: Right off the bat, Ferriss admits he is not a chef. In fact, he is, or was, quite challenged in the kitchen. Determined to overcome this shortcoming, the self help guru set out learning an educational method that he applies here to cooking, but that can be applied to learning just about anything. The book builds so it should be read in order. The first recipe in the book doesn't appear for more than one hundred pages, but those are very interesting reading, and the recipes become more complicated as the book progresses. There are other things that make this stand out from most other cookbooks as well; there are directions for catching and cooking pigeon, for instance, not to mention instructions on how to shoot a deer, rules for foraging, and a recipe for squirrel. I didn't try any of those. I did make the Squash Pappardelle, which was super easy, quick and very delicious and I will definitely be making it again. This was a cookbook that I shared with my cookbook discussion group, so I had a lot of help in trying out recipes. The recipes seem very long but once read are easy to follow, the directions intuitive and clear, and there are lots of pictures. Best of all, almost everyone really liked the food they cooked. This is a great cookbook for kitchen novices or anyone who wants to learn more about food and how to learn. Ferriss is eccentric, to say the least, and he has legions of fans that swear by his methods. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE ASYLUM by John Harwood: Georgina Ferrars can’t remember anything from recent weeks. She has no memory of arriving at Tregannon Asylum and certainly no memory of checking in as a voluntary patient under the alias Lucy Ashton. When the doctor at Tregannon House tells her that she cannot be Georgina Ferrars because the “real” Georgina Ferrars is safe at home in London, Georgina finds herself officially committed. Under lock and key, she has almost no hope of proving her true identity or finding out who has taken her place, but she is determined to try. This latest from Harwood has all the same elements his fans have come to love in his work: a Victorian gothic setting and style as well as dual storylines that alternate from Georgina to a series of letters between her mother and a woman named Rosina. The mystery unfolds at a wonderful pace but the book ultimately falls a bit flat in comparison to Harwood’s earlier works. The reveal at the end is too hurried to truly live up to the expectation built throughout the novel. 5/13 Becky Lejeune

POPPET by Mo Hayder: This latest installment in Mo Hayder’s Jack Caffery series finds the detective facing two cases. The first is that of Misty Kitson, a model who went missing from rehab in Skin. Caffery knows the truth about Misty and believes it’s time to bring the case to a close but can’t do so without the cooperation of another officer. Meanwhile, patients are dying at the Beechway psychiatric hospital. The wards at Beechway are plagued by chilling rumors of a creature called the Maude, and recent events at the hospital have caused a resurgence in supposed sightings. With every new mishap blamed on this mythical monster, the unexpected death of a patient only adds fuel to the fire. AJ LeGrande is convinced there may be some truth behind the stories. In fact, he suspects it could be linked to a recently released patient who’s now gone missing. If AJ is right, it’s possible blame could be set on the Beechway staff. He approaches Caffery in hopes the detective can begin an inquiry while keeping things under wraps. Believe it or not, Poppet does work quite well as a stand alone. I don’t recommend it as such by any means. Hayder is a one of my favorite authors. Readers diving in with Poppet will miss the evolution of Caffery and Flea as well as the brilliant plot that’s been building throughout the series.  5/13 Becky Lejeune 

THE SWEET DEAD LIFE by Joy Preble: In the five years since her father left, Jenna Samuels’s life has gone steadily downhill. Her mother has become a recluse, her teenage brother supports the family with two part time jobs, and Jenna is showing signs of some strange and indeterminate illness. Then things get weird. Jenna and her brother are almost killed in a car accident on the way to the hospital. Amazingly, Jenna survives and her brother, Casey, comes out not just unscathed but improved. Turns out Casey did die in the accident after all. Now he’s been sent to serve as a guardian angel and help put his family back together by finding out what’s wrong with Jenna and their mom and what happened to their dad. The Sweet Dead Life is Joy Preble’s contribution to the growing list of teen mysteries for the new SOHO Teen imprint. In Jenna and Casey, Preble has created convincing and likeable teen characters with real problems. The mystery is well plotted and her overall style is light and funny. The combination of paranormal and mystery elements along with the snarky teen heroine makes The Sweet Dead Life a fun and easy read, perfect for a teen audience. 5/13 Becky Lejeune

THE LEVELING by Dan Mayland: Second of two novels about Mark Sava, former CIA station chief of Azerbaijan, his former employee and girl friend Daria Buckingham, and ex-Navy Seal John Decker. The book can stand alone, and there is no gray area dependent upon knowledge of incidents in the first book The Colonel's Mistake to detract from enjoying The Leveling. Mayland has traveled extensively in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran and incorporates his knowledge of these countries to tell a spy story beyond the normal settings of England, France, Scandinavia, North Africa and the mid east. Sava has left his position as CIA station chief in Azerbaijan and taken up teaching at a university in the capital, Baku, in order to remain in a city that he has come to be very fond of. While tutoring a student. shots are taken at him and he later finds that his apartment has been ransacked. He is given no chance to find out the cause of the attempt on his life and why his apartment should be torn apart when an Azerbaijani official, and theoretical friend of his. orders him out of the country. As he is about to leave he gets an e-mail from John Decker, copy also to Daria whom he hasn't seen in some time providing clues about trouble that John has gotten into. Sava and Daria get together again and begin a search for Decker taking them through Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and finally into Iran discovering an international plot that could lead even the United States into war. Action is fast, well done and places the characters into scenarios that are logical and based upon current world events. With the book's ending it is quite obvious that Dan Mayland is not done with the three leading protagonists and they will appear again shortly. Highly recommended for fast credible action and descriptions of areas outside of the normal spy novel settings. 05/13 Paul Lane

THE INNOCENCE GAME by Michael Harvey: An engrossing and different novel written by an author mainly famous for his books about a private detective named Michael Kelly. This stand alone novel concerns three students enrolled in a graduate level seminar at a top journalism school. The purpose of the seminar is to allow the participants to engage in research designed to find new evidence in "solved" cases and possibly allow falsely imprisoned individuals to be freed from jail. The three students, Ian Joyce, Sarah Gold and Jake Havens, seemingly have little in common until they select a case regarding a young boy killed 10 years ago with the accused murderer killed while in jail. The three unearth fact after fact about that case and tie it with other murders seemingly committed by individuals imprisoned for those crimes and than killed in prison. The three find that there is more and more commonality than is apparent among them including possible romance and rivalry between Ian and Jake with regard to Sarah. Mr Harvey slowly but surely pulls the reader towards a conclusion and the possibility that the crimes and the reason for them reach high up into local, state and federal governments as a means of controlling events favorable to certain people. A must read and a good reason for a stay up all night session. 05/13 Paul Lane

SHOTGUN LULLABY by Steve Ulfelder: Conway Sax, former racecar driver turned Massachusetts mechanic, is a recovering alcoholic and a member of the Barnburners, a tightly knit group that is an offshoot of Alcoholics Anonymous. A new member of the group, Gus, bears a striking resemblance to Sax’s estranged son so Sax becomes his sponsor and champion. Gus lives in a halfway house, but when three of the housemates are murdered, Sax correctly figures that Gus was the real target. There are a lot of suspects; Gus’s wealthy father, his trophy wife, the crime family Gus ripped off, and a con man from Texas. Sax may have his drinking under control but not his temper, which gets him into a few near death situations and some trouble at home. The bodies keep piling up and the action doesn’t let up while Sax turns fixer. With help from his parole officer’s son and a local cop, Sax finally figures out who is behind all the killing and why. This action packed story moves lightning fast and Sax makes an appealingly damaged protagonist. Dennis Lehane and Robert B. Parker fans should enjoy Ulfelder as well. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2013 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association. Reprinted with permission.

THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI by Helene Wecker: It’s 1899 when Chava and Ahmad come to New York. Chava is a golem. She was created and brought to this New World as a wife for a man who unfortunately didn’t survive the voyage. But she was lucky that her husband-to-be did manage to wake her before he died. She’s lucky again when she meets a rabbi who knows exactly what she is. He takes her under his wing and names her Chava, after his own grandmother. Ahmad is a jinni who has been trapped for centuries in an old flask that has been passed down from generation to generation. The owner of the flask is completely unaware of the magic inhabitant and so the jinni’s release comes as a surprise to the tinsmith hired to fix the old thing. The jinni has no knowledge of how he came to be trapped in the flask but quickly realizes that part of his curse has left him stuck in human form. Like the golem’s rabbi, the tinsmith decides to help the jinni and takes him on as an apprentice. When the golem and the jinni finally meet, they can each see the other for what they truly are. Together, they form a bond and a friendship that will help them both in this new and foreign land. Turn of the century New York City proves to be an enchanting setting for this fairy tale wrapped immigration story. The Golem and the Jinni, their histories, and the folklore they both come from make Helene Wecker’s debut a truly remarkable and unforgettable read.  5/13 Becky Lejeune

THE ELITE by Kiera Cass: The competition grows more challenging as the Selection continues. Only six girls remain but America Singer still isn’t sure about her feelings for the Prince. With her childhood sweetheart, Aspen, serving as her personal guard in the palace things are even more complicated. Prince Maxon has already made his feelings clear and says that with her word he’d end the competition that moment. But America has witnessed some things in the course of the Selection that she isn’t sure she’s prepared to handle. Would her feelings for Maxon balance out her fears of the responsibility of being queen? This second in the Selection trilogy is just as much fun as the first. There’s a bit more of the history of Illea included in this installment as well, which makes me think there are big things to come in the final title – more than just who Maxon will choose as his bride (or better yet, who America will choose for herself.). The story as a whole is fairly light but there is a good amount of action and politics as well, all of which makes Cass’s teen series both intriguing and enjoyable. 5/13 Becky Lejeune

15 SECONDS by Andrew Gross: It starts out with two seemingly unrelated events. First, 19 year old Amanda Hofer, stoned on prescription drugs, is involved in a traffic accident that kills a mother and her young son, a child never seen by his father who is serving in Afghanistan. Then a Doctor is stopped in Jacksonville, Florida, in a seemingly meaningless traffic stop. Things get ugly when backup cops arrive but eventually everything settles down. Doctor Henry Steadman thinks he is going to get off with a warning. But then a blue sedan drives by and shots ring out. The policeman who stopped Dr. Steadman is dead, and Steadman knows there are a bunch of policemen who think he is the killer, so he runs to the only friend he has in Jacksonville. When he gets there he finds his friend shot to death. From there on, things only get progessively worse for Henry Steadman. On the run and cut off from the help he needs, Steadman's only hope is a Jacksonville Community Relations officer who seems to be the only one willing to not pass judgment on Steadman's guilt or innocence. Will that be enough? Andrew Gross cut his teeth co-authoring with James Patterson but has certainly come into his own. This one puts the thrill in thriller as a diabolical plot unfolds trapping the guilty and the innocent in a maze from which there appears to be no exit. Yes there are parts that are "over the top" but isn't that true of most thrillers? That is part of what makes them so exciting. This one was unputdownable. 5/13 Jack Quick

THE ACCOUNTING by William Lashner: William Lashner is the author of several successful detective novels featuring Victor Carl. The Accounting is a stand alone book with a lightning fast delivery, an engrossing plot and characters that are flawed but unforgettable. Jon Willing aided by his best friends Augie and Ben find a cache of money hidden with a large quantity of drugs in one of the houses in their neighborhood, lived in by two brothers who are their enemies. They agree to steal the money, hide it and not touch it until there is no longer any possibility of the theft being traced to them. Twenty-five years after the theft Jon finds himself in a failing marriage, out of a job due to the great recession slamming the country, estranged from his two children and facing financial ruin. To make matters worse his friend Augie is not returning his calls, and when Jon goes to Las Vegas to check on him he finds him in his bed, tortured and murdered. Realization hits letting Jon know that the worse has happened and the people behind the stolen money are now after him and his friends looking for payback. Escaping from them finds Jon running around the country and facing his past and real or imagined friends and enemies in getting to the resolution of his problems. Lashner keeps the reader glued to the book and going from one crisis to another. The ending is logically arrived at and quite satisfying in the light of the events depicted. Awaiting the author's next book is a given. 05/13 Paul Lane

A CASE OF REDEMPTION by Adam Mitzner: Dan Sorensen was a very successful defense attorney at the start of a promising career with a large New York law firm. Just after winning a high profile case, his wife and daughter are killed by a drunk driver. Dan, traumatized and devastated by the sudden loss, sinks into a period of despair leaving the firm and doing very little other than sinking towards the path of becoming an alcoholic. About 18 months after the tragedy, Dan is coerced into attending a dinner party given by relatives. He is approached by a beautiful woman and talked into coming back into the law in order to represent a rapper that has been accused of murdering his pop star girl friend. The rapper (stage name "Legally Dead") has fired his first attorney, and based on Dan's win of the case settled before the deaths of his wife and daughter, wants Dan to represent him. A partnership is set up with Nina, the woman that approached him at the dinner, when it develops that she is leaving a law firm in order to try and get more meaning into her life. The two meet with L.D. (Legally Dead) and he agrees to have Dan and Nina represent him. The pair begin preparations and work at Dan's house on the administrative aspects of the defense. In the course of the trial the two find that they are falling in love, with Dan the biggest beneficiary of both the relationship and work on the trial when he finds that he is coming back to an interest in life again. Adam Mitzner's day job is as a practicing attorney in New York, making his descriptions and analysis of the trial and byplay in it as real as possible. His characters live and breathe, acting as they undoubtedly would if involved in the action surrounding the trial. The end is not telegraphed but is a logical one and the reactions of all participants in the story definitely what they would have been in real life. A page turner, and a forecaster of Adam Mitzner's success in the literary world. Certainly making sure that the reader looks forward to future books by him. 05/13 Paul Lane

WITH THIS KISS by Eloisa James: This is a three part, e-book only novella. The main character is Lady Grace, the daughter from The Ugly Duckling. Lady Grace has grown up with Colin Barry, but when she turns into a teenager, she falls in love with him. He is in the Royal Navy and hates it, and Grace writes him upbeat letters about their families and all the gossip. Eventually, he comes home but he falls in love with Grace's younger sister, a natural siren who has men falling at her feet right and left. He goes back to sea, Grace stops writing, and she eventually meets a man from Scotland who falls for her. She agrees to marry him even though her heart belongs to Colin. Lots of angst and several twists keep the pages turning until the requisite happy ending. This is a fast, fun read and Eloisa James fans won't want to miss it. Right now you have to buy each part separately for $.99 each. Amazon does list the complete book for $2.99 but it won't be available in that format until 6/25/13. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

AND THEN SHE FELL by Stephanie Laurens: This is part of Laurens' Cynster series. Henrietta is known as the "Matchbreaker" because she's willing to tell the truth when asked. Her brother's best friend, James Glossup, is wooing a friend, but Henrietta knows he has to marry within a month or lose his inheritance. That bit of info causes the demise of that relationship, and James is quite put out. After he explains the situation, Henrietta feels bad and decides to become a matchmaker and help him find a bride quickly. But spending all that time together finds them falling in love, but neither will admit it as the matchmaking continues. Another enjoyable Regency romance from Laurens. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

MURDER AS A FINE ART by David Morrell: In his outstanding novel First Blood, David Morrell depicts a Vietnam veteran afflicted by post traumatic stress syndrome involved in violent confrontation with law officers of a small town. The horror of war and killing motivate John Rambo, to what happens to him in that town. "Murder As A Fine Art" has at its premise the psychology behind a murderer's motivation. The novel is set in London in 1854 during the mid years of the Victorian age and shortly after the Crimean War between England and Russia. Two sets of murders take place: the first in a shop after business hours, and the second a few days later in a tavern. Called to the scene of the first set of murders is Sean Ryan who is depicted as one of the first detectives in England to have studied scientific detection methods. He approaches the murders with both an active searching for clues and a logical attitude towards the set up of the crime scene. Utilizing persons that actually lived at the time and facts about them enables Morrell to enhance the story and plot. First is Thomas De Quincey who was infamous for his memoir "Confessions of an English Opium-Eater". He was a suspect in murders committed 43 years earlier in London due to his essay "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts". He is enticed to come to London with his daughter by an anonymous offer of lodgings in order to meet with a woman that he loved during the period of the first murders and lost touch with. The murders currently perpetrated are similiar to those committed 43 years earlier and De Quincey again becomes a suspect. Next is Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston known as Lord Palmerston and home secretary during the period depicted in the book. An historical view of him shown by Morrell was his active secret movements to foment unrest in Europe as a means of fostering England's continued rise to power. He was involved with protecting the Opium Trade with China which is an important background issue in the novel. He was a superb politician and his political machinations are done justice in the book. In an afterward David Morrell indicates that he spent a year researching the London of 1854 and his descriptions enhance an already good story. The noise, the filth, the overcrowding, the life of people forced by poverty to live on the streets is presented as it was and are an integral part of resurrecting the London of the era. The motivations of the murderer and the reasons for the crimes will be understood by today's reader based upon current knowledge of abnormal psychology. An engrossing read and one which will keep the reader glued to the pages. 05/13 Paul Lane

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill: When Victoria “Vic” McQueen rides her blue Tuff Burner bike she can travel a bridge that doesn’t exist and go anywhere to find anything. Charlie Manx, a serial kidnapper and all around bad guy, shares this ability. For him, it’s his old Rolls Royce and his road leads to Christmasland. For years, Manx eluded officials who never even connected his crimes. All that came to an end when Vic went in search of trouble. Her bridge led her to Manx’s house where, with the help of some very nice folks in Gunbarrel, Colorado, Manx was finally taken down. Or was he? Manx is a man like no other and he’s never forgotten the girl who got away. Vic is all grown up but things haven’t gotten any easier for her. She suspects she’s going crazy but when Manx shows up again she knows she’s the only one who can take him down for good. This latest from Hill is phenomenal. NOS4A2 is wonderfully creepy and wholly original. Definitely highly recommended. 5/13 Becky Lejeune  

THE TIME OF MY LIFE by Cecelia Ahern: Lucy Silchester is ignoring her life. He’s a bit frumpy and he’s kind of a mess and when he schedules an appointment to talk, Lucy goes out of her way to avoid him. She’s not even sure why her life is calling. It’s not like she’s unhappy. But Lucy has spent so long skating by and hiding things from those around her that she’s not even sure what she wants anymore. She’s lied about her breakup with her ex, she’s lied on her resume and has a job she’s not quite qualified for, she’s even kept her apartment off limits to her friends and family. She says that she was the one who dumped the ex, she’s secretly outsourced the Spanish portion of her job to someone else, and she claims the apartment is her personal space. The reality is, Lucy is in need of a change and whether she likes it or not, life is going to make it happen. This is probably one of my favorites from Ahern. For an author who never disappoints, she has managed to surprise me with something completely new and different. The idea that life is a real entity who forces Lucy (who’s pretty fantastic, I must say) to face facts is so much fun. Another hilarious and heartfelt read from one of my favorite authors. 5/13 Becky Lejeune  

THE MERMAID OF BROOKLYN by Amy Shearn: When Jenny Lipkin’s husband disappears, the mother of two isn’t terribly worried. Her husband has been known to go on unannounced gambling weekends in the past. No, Jenny’s not worried. She is pissed, though. And stressed out. And the longer her husband is missing the more stressed and upset she becomes until one day she finally cracks. Help comes in the form of a rusalka – a mermaid – who saves Jenny after a fall from the Brooklyn Bridge. With the rusalka by her side, Jenny begins to put her life back together, but is her savior even real? There are so many things I loved about Amy Shearn’s latest. Shearn’s writing is wonderfully sarcastic and funny but also quite elegant. This unique blend brings both the characters and setting to life, making the story fun and believable. What I found I liked the most, though, was the fact that you never quite know whether the rusalka is real or a figment of Jenny’s imagination. The Mermaid of Brooklyn is an amusing and sweet read about families and motherhood. 5/13 Becky Lejeune 

RELISH: An Adventure in Food, Style, and Everyday Fun by Daphne Oz: The cover of this book features a photo of the beautiful Daphne Oz looking somewhat like a throwback to a 1950's housewife, hair in a messy bun, tied on skirt, or is it an apron? Her book is also somewhat of a throwback; part cookbook for sure, but mostly a how to be a successful homemaker for her generation of Millennials. If you're not familiar, Daphne is one of the co-hosts of The Chew on ABC, author of The Dorm Room Diet: The 10-Step Program for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle Plan That Really Works, but is most famous for her last name; Dr. Oz is her dad. In her new book she discusses healthy eating, healthy living, decorating, juggling family and career, crafting, weddings, and so much more. The timing of this release is a gentle nudge towards gifts for upcoming college graduates, spring engagements and young marrieds, and that's probably a good idea. Included is some very practical advice running the gamut from how to hang a picture to how to take a great picture. The recipes include some vegan dishes like Oz Family Cauliflower Pesto Mash, which is as delicious as it sounds, especially if you adore pesto as much as I do. Other recipes run the gamut from Oz Family Stir-Fried Rice with shrimp, or the vegetarian alternative of tempeh, to Chile Jam Chicken with Carmelized Sweet Potatoes and Peaches (yum!) and another favorite, Roasted Cauliflower Grilled Cheese with Jalapeno Aioli, which I all I can say is the recipe only makes one sandwich so you are going to want to double it at least. Desserts are included, most have fruit but lest you think that means they are healthy, think again - Strawberry Cake with Caramel Fleur de Sel Whipped Cream Frosting is positively decadent. But no worries, Daphne fans will find her amazing smoothie recipes here as well. There are lots of pictures throughout the book representing all areas of young life, and I especially enjoyed her wedding photos. This is a lovely and useful book. 5/13 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE HIT by David Baldacci: Will Robie was introduced in The Innocent. He is an assassin working for the CIA and charged with killing persons deemed enemies of the United States at any location necessary. A skilled killer, with no mercy, he is considered by his peers at the agency as one of the best they have handling the assignments given to him, and not questioning the reason for the kill order. Will is handed the assignment of hunting down and killing Jessica Reel, a fellow employee who has apparently gone rogue and murdered two officers of the CIA with no reason, nor any official sanction to do so. Jessica has a reputation of being almost as good as, or possibly as good as Will in handling assignments for the CIA. With David Baldacci setting up the scenario we know that all is not as initially depicted, and the reader is again treated to another engrossing novel by this master craftsman. What is the truth, and where does it lead Will is a fascinating study in what could happen when people in power find reasons to abuse that power thinking that they are the only ones knowing what is right and wrong. The plot leads us from an assignment to stop a rogue agent to a conspiracy taking place at very high government levels. With his usual talent for fleshing out people in this books, we become involved in the action, and do understand why everyone acts as they do. Another page turner by Baldacci, and a continued desire to read more books by him. 05/13 Paul Lane

TRAVELS IN ELYSIUM by William Azuski: A mystery, awash with metaphysical discussions about history, the meaning of life, and if the witnessing of a white light by people that have had a near death experience means that there is another existence after dying. Nicolas Pedrosa, a recent university graduate living in England is stuck in a dead end job when he comes upon a newspaper ad looking for an archaeological apprentice for work on a dig on the Greek island of Santorini. Nick applies for the job and in spite of no real credentials, gets it. Upon arrival he begins work with the director of the project, Marcus Huxley, who is fixated with proving that the buildings, artifacts, paintings and writings that have been unearthed so far prove that the fabled city of Atlantis has been discovered by the team he heads up. The writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato talk of a cultured city in the Atlantic destroyed by an earthquake, and one of the areas that scientists believe might have been Atlantis is Santorini. Nicolas and others in Huxley's team fall under the spell of the director's philosophies and ideas and begin to imagine that they had separate lives in Atlantis as well as those they live today. Scenes of Atlantis become real to them, and the presence of spirits permeate their thoughts. Huxley leads the team also in the direction of thinking that the Greek concept of Charion ferrying the dead to another land is real and the portal to that land is in the area they have excavated. There are discussions of different concepts between the characters often leading them into following Marcus Huxley onto subjects which are completely metaphysical in nature and sufficiently well presented to carry the reader into analyzing what is discussed. Azuski's concept of Atlantis existing on Santorini and being destroyed by a titanic earthquake is a fascinating one, and his juxtaposition of events in the present with those that may have taken place in the past is unique. A very original and enjoyable adventure into past and present events vividly presented. 05/13 Paul Lane

BLOOD MAKES NOISE by Gregory Widen: Widen has done several screenplays prior to this his first novel and his writing is clear and crisp with no false steps in telling the story. An afterward indicates that the idea is based on true events occurring after the death of Eva Peron (Evita) in Argentina with, of course fictional license involved in creating the entire story. Michael Suslov, one of the first actual CIA agents working for the new agency and a man raised in Argentina is serving at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1955 with a group consisting mainly of FBI agents. A contact of Michael's and a member of Argentine Military Intelligence summons him to a secret vault which contains the body of the legendary Evita. He is asked to move the body to a new location due to the probable fall of Juan Peron from power. Michael feels obligated to do it and makes arrangements to do so. While preparing for the move there is a home invasion at his house, and in the chaos surrounding the break in, he accidentally shoots his wife and kills both her and their unborn baby. Sixteen years after these events Michael Suslov is barely able to go through the days and nights with the horror of his crime haunting him. The same member of Argentine Military Intelligence that contacted him to hide Evita's body contacts him again, asking for help to bring her back to Argentina in the light of the probable return to power of Peron. In an attempt to somehow quiet the demons haunting him, Michael agrees. There are other forces anxious to get hold of Evita's body and all their interactions are carefully delineated within the book. Widen does an excellent job of fleshing out the principal characters allowing the reader to understand their thoughts, reservations, ideas and consequent actions. Blood Makes Noise is truly a book to sit down with and enjoy for the story, the writing and the descriptions of the events of the period after Evita's death and the later passing of Juan Peron and subsequent rise to power of his last wife Isabel. 05/13 Paul Lane

SCARE ME by Richard Parker: A very taut extremely fast paced novel that drags the reader into the spinning world of a psychopathic serial killer and doesn't let up until the very last pages. Will Frost, a successful British businessman is awakened one night from a sound sleep by a call from a woman telling him that he should immediately check himself out on Google. Will does so and is plunged head long into a horror never before imagined by himself nor his wife Carla. He sees seven houses on a site created for him and told that he must visit them in order, or his daughter and her boyfriend will be killed. The couple ascertain that the two have been kidnapped and are being held captive. Will begins a trip to each of the houses as guided by directions on a laptop he carries with him. He is told that he has to get an item owned by his daughter at each of the houses. The horror is that occupants of the houses have been brutally killed and left for him to discover and in most cases murdered just prior to his arrival. In the space of four days he is bounced from England to the U.S to the Far East and back again to England with no apparent rhyme or reason. Parker shows himself to be a master at maintaining the tensions of not knowing if Will's daughter is dead coupled with coming head on with indescribable violent murders of people he doesn't know anything about. We experience the complete exhaustion of the Frosts as each works via cell phone with the other in order to comply with the seemingly senseless directives of the killer. Scare Me is a book that readers will finish in one sitting and end up exhausted from event after horrifying event coming one after another. Excellent read and masterful fleshing out of people forced to comply with the dictates of lunacy, and this includes the motives of the killer explained at the book's ending. 05/13 Paul Lane

STOLEN by Daniel Palmer: Daniel Palmer, in an engrossing novel, brings us the ultimate identity theft book, and as he has done in his previous stories keeps the reader riveted to the pages right up to the final words. John and Ruby are young marrieds seemingly on top of the world, both with John's growing on line gaming business and a perfect marriage when like a bolt of lightening their world crashes around them. Ruby is hit with a devastating diagnosis of cancer, and the low end insurance they have will not pay the bills for the proper treatment. John, frantic at his wife's apparent death sentence, devises a scheme based on his knowledge of computer controls. He searches out and grabs the identities of two people that have played his games on line and have the profiles of barely hanging onto a much better insurance plan. The scheme seems to begin working immediately with Ruby's treatment being paid by the other insurance plan when out of the blue he gets a call from the man whose identity he has stolen. John is told that the scam will not be reported if he does what the man wants him to do. His nightmare begins when he is ordered to steal expensive scarves from a high end store and doesn't do so. A woman living in the same building as he and Ruby is killed in a violently gruesome fashion and John is told that this is the price for not playing "Criminal," the game devised by his caller. More demands are made and John finds himself in a web of terror attempting to comply with those demands and trying to save lives threatened by the man tormenting him. He has to continue in order that Ruby can receive her treatment or she will die, but lives a life trapped in the hands of what is really a serial killer in action. Characterizations of the people in the story are excellent and in keeping with Palmer's previous books. The ending is not telegraphed at any point but is logical and well thought out. Chalk up another winner for Daniel Palmer. 05/13 Paul Lane

EX-PATRIOTS by Peter Clines: St. George, Stealth, Zzzap, and Cerberus have seen friends and allies fall in the two years since the Zombocalypse. They and the LA survivors who have populated The Mount have survived though and that’s reason for celebration. Their little fireworks show catches the attention of a military outpost who soon sends an entourage to check things out. The visit proves that they aren’t the only survivors, something that comes as a relief to the superheroes and the rest of The Mount. But these are no ordinary military men and women. They’re the remains of Project Krypton, a science experiment intent on creating super soldiers. St. George and crew agree to a short trip out to Krypton’s base in Yuma but soon find that the military has plans that differ a bit from their own. Plans that they aren’t ready to outright reveal to the superheroes. This excellent follow up to Ex-Heroes gives readers a bit more insight into the existing superheroes while also introducing a few new faces—both good and bad. Ex-Patriots is equally as addicting as its predecessor and is a great fix for any zombie and/or action adventure craving. 5/13 Becky Lejeune 

LONDON FALLING by Paul Cornell: When Rob Toshak, the so-called king of London, dies while in police custody, it falls on DI James Quill, Kevin Sefton, Tony Costain, and analyst Lisa Ross to figure out who did it. The problem is, the death happened in the interview room while Quill himself was watching. And it was a pretty graphic and gruesome death, too. The team soon discovers that their top suspect is a little old lady rumored to be a serial killing witch with a penchant for football. Legend has it she’ll kill anyone who scores a hat trick against her favorite team. Impossible as it seems, the group has to admit there’s truth behind the rumor when they all strangely become gifted with the “sight.” Now privy to a whole different side of London, they find they’re on their own to chase down a killer like none they’ve ever faced before. In London Falling, Paul Cornell has set the scene for a fabulous new urban fantasy series. The reader is dropped in the midst of an already in progress investigation. Much of the story unfolds along the way bringing the reader completely up to speed by the time the new investigation has begun. It’s well worth the rocky start. The pacing picks up significantly and the book ends with a cliffhanger-like set up for the expected second in the series. 5/13 Becky Lejeune 

RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA by Kimberly McCreight: Shock cannot begin to describe how Kate Baron feels when she learns that her teenage daughter has died in an apparent suicide. Just a short time before it happened, Kate received a call asking her to pick up her daughter from school. Amelia had been caught cheating and was to be suspended. Cheating—and suicide—were so against everything she knew about her daughter. In the weeks after the funeral, Kate forces herself to face facts. But when she receives a text simply stating, “She didn’t jump,” Kate knows there has to be more to the story. She quickly learns that Amelia was hiding things, but was it enough to push her to kill herself? Reconstructing Amelia is a tense and suspenseful read, a thriller of the highest order. Chapters alternate between Kate present day and Amelia in the months leading up to her death, with texts, Facebook updates, and posts from the unofficial Grace Hall gossip blog, gRaCeFULLY. Don’t plan to start this one late in the evening unless you’re prepared to read through to the very end. You won’t be able to put it down. 5/13 Becky Lejeune