Reviews - lots of them. Please check out the
Latest Reviews - books read this month; Fiction - alphabetical by
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SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S by James Patterson:
Admittedly, the premise of this book is a little odd. Girl falls in love with
her childhood imaginary friend. But, despite this, Breakfast at Tiffany's
is a pretty fabulous book. Jane is a lonely child that grows up to be a lonely
woman. Her mother, head of a Broadway theatre company is oppressive and
overbearing. Jane's attempts to spread her wings and fly are repeatedly
squashed. Then one day she sees him, Michael, her childhood imaginary friend.
The only person she could ever confide in, the only person that truly understood
her. He shows her that she has the strength and ability to walk out from
beneath her mother's overbearing arms and become the woman she is meant to be.
Aside from the odd premise, this is a wonderfully endearing love story, based on
something Patterson's son said to him---"'Love means you never have to be
apart." 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence
TWENTY WISHES by Debbie Macomber: Anne Marie Roche is a recent widow.
Despite having several close friends and owning a successful bookstore, she
feels alone. Anne Marie's close friends also feel the loneliness of widowhood.
Lillie Higgins lost her husband in a plane crash, the same crash that took the
life of the husband of her daughter, Barbie Higgins. Elise Beaumont lost her
husband to cancer. Anne Marie and her friends get together and celebrate their
lives. They discuss their hopes and dreams. Each decides to create a list of
twenty wishes, dreams that they've had all their lives but have never fulfilled.
In subsequent months, all of the women start acting on their wishes. Anne
Marie's first wish: Find one good thing about life. To her, it seemed to be an
admission of how depressed and low she really felt. She finds that Ellen is the
key to her happiness, and together Anne Marie and Ellen quickly fulfill their
twenty wishes. This was my first "Blossom Street" book and I absolutely loved
it. Macomber's characters come alive and I feel like they are a part of my life.
Finishing the book, I felt a sense of loss, but I have plans to pick up the rest
of the "Blossom Street" books and continue on with these truly amazing women.
05/08 Jennifer Lawrence
THE DEPARTMENT OF LOST & FOUND by Allison Wynn Scotch: Natalie Miller is
the top aid of one of New York's women senators. She's devoted all of her time
and energy to her career. Then she learns that she has breast cancer, and she's
forced to devoting all her time and energy to her survival. She takes a look at
the decisions she's made throughout her life and puts all of her energy into
finding her past loves of her life so she can determine what went wrong. It
turns out that she is the one to blame---she consistently chooses her job and
her career over love and her own personal happiness. Natalie's therapist
suggests that she use a journal to channel her pain into, rather than falling
into a state of depression. She learns how to embrace life and live it at its
fullest. This book was amazing. The journal entries allow the reader to witness
the evolution Natalie goes through during this self-discovery. Rather than being
a downer, this book was incredibly uplifting. It realistically portrayed the
frightening truth behind cancer and its victims but still provided hope.
05/08 Jennifer Lawrence
NO
ONE LEFT TO TELL by Jordan Dane:
When the body of a Dunhill
Corporation security agent is found hanging in a church, a cryptic message
carved into his chest, Raven MacKenzie knows she’s in for a difficult case. She
and her partner have been ordered to cooperate with the corporation’s owner as
much as possible and that means working with her handpicked head of security,
Christian Delacorte. Christian has a colored past and believes dirty cops were
responsible for the death of his family when he was a young boy, so he has no
reason to respect or trust the boys and girls in blue. He makes his distaste
very obvious, but finds that he is strongly attracted to Raven in spite of all
of this. Raven is also drawn to Delacorte but can’t ignore the signs that point
to him as the prime suspect in the case. Like Lisa Gardner, and Lisa Unger,
Dane’s edge-of-your-seat action-packed thrillers are a perfect blend of suspense
and romance. While Dane’s debut title, No One Heard Her Scream, is a
stand-alone (for now) MacKenzie’s own story will continue with this month’s
release of No One Lives Forever. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
ISLAND OF
LOST GIRLS by Jennifer McMahon:
Rhonda lives in a small town. The kind of town where
everyone knows your name and everyone knows your business. She makes a last
minute stop at the town’s only gas station one afternoon and ends up being the
only witness to quite a strange occurrence – a rabbit gets out of a gold VW
beetle and walks over to a neighboring car where a girl sits waiting for her
mother. The girl gets out, takes the rabbit’s hand, and gets into the beetle.
They drive away before a shocked Rhonda can even think to do anything about it.
Appalled by her own lack of action, Rhonda becomes determined to help find the
missing girl. The case will force Rhonda to finally face memories of her own
past that have been dormant up until now, memories of a summer long ago when
everything she knew as a child began to change. Island deals with many of
the same issues that were found in McMahon’s phenomenal debut, Promise Not to
Tell. Both books tackle issues of child abuse, childhood secrets, and the
nature of small towns. McMahon has a real talent for expressing the conflicting
range of emotions felt by her heroines. She’s also great at creating these quiet
mysteries that really involve the reader. It’s easy to sympathize with her
characters, and she manages to keep the outcome a surprise even while she’s
given you every clue you need to figure it out. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
WICKED GAME by Jeri Smith-Ready:
Ciara Griffin is a con-woman
looking for a real job. She manages to get hired on as a Sales and Marketing
intern at WMMP Radio. Unlike many stations out there today, WMMP’s djs really
care about the music. You see they’re all vampires. Apparently, the vamps have a
hard time letting go of the era in which they were alive and the station was set
up to help them deal with the change in times - the music provides them
something concrete that they can hold on to, which makes it easier for them to
cope with the time that has past. The problem is this, the owner, a vamp
herself, is looking to ensure her retirement and a big corporate conglomerate
has offered to buy out the station which would leave the rest of the undead djs
out of a job. Ciara is supposed to help figure out a way to boost the station’s
popularity and bring in enough cash to discourage the sale. She does, but her
plan involves outing the vamps themselves in hopes that it will prove to be a
great marketing gimmick without actually convincing people that the undead
really do walk among us. Unfortunately, her campaign is not so popular with
other area vamps. Smith-Ready’s urban fantasy is both sharp and witty, Ciara is
a spunky and sarcastically funny heroine, and the whole book is a fresh spin on
the classic vampire mythology making it a stand-out title amongst its peers. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
ONE
FOOT IN THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost:
It’s been four years since
the events of Frost’s debut Night Huntress title, Halfway to the Grave.
Cat has agreed to work for Homeland Security tracking down and eliminating evil
vamps, but she can’t help pining for the man that got away – or the vamp that
she let go, in this case. She did it to protect him from her new employers, so
she knows that it was for the best, and she’s finally going to attempt to move
on. Unfortunately for her, someone has placed a significant bounty on her head
and Bones has decided that they’ve been apart long enough. It seems he’d rather
stay where he can keep a close eye on her and protect her, especially when his
own sire decides that he would like the Red Reaper (the vamp nickname for Cat)
for his very own. Course Cat’s boss and coworkers are none too pleased about the
new setup, until they realize just what an asset Bones can be. Frost toes the
line between the newly minted urban fantasy genre and paranormal romance. The
book contains enough steamy sex to earn itself a place firmly in the romance
genre, but in my opinion the series will still appeal to readers who aren’t
normally too big into the romance aspect. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
The Blood Ballad by Rett
MacPherson: The eleventh Torie O’Shea mystery takes readers back to New
Kassel, Missouri, to the tourist town on the Mississippi River that Torie and
her family call home. There’s no doubt that some of the enjoyment of this
mystery series comes from Torie’s family life. And, the genealogist and town
historian can’t believe that she might have been wrong about her own family
history. When she’s shot at while spending the night at the birding Olympics,
she thought it was odd. But, why do corpses just tumble at her feet, down a
hill, and land in front of her? Even worse, the corpse mailed her a ballad that
might be connected to the mystery of her family history. Even worse, maybe, for
Torie, but it makes one more enjoyable story to MacPherson’s fans.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
When We Get to Surf City: A
Journey Through America in Pursuit of Rock and Roll, Friendship, and Dreams by
Bob Greene: Like his other books, Greene’s latest makes the reader nostalgic
for a past you never knew. Or, if you were lucky enough to be a teenager during
the 1960s, it might bring back memories. In 1992, when a musician for Jan and
Dean’s road band contacted Greene, he never expected that letter would change
his life. For the next fifteen years, Greene spent his summers meeting up with
the band, performing and enjoying their company. He had the chance to meet the
performers of his teen years, the Beach Boys, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, the
Everly Brothers, and, of course, Jan and Dean. It’s a book tinged with sadness,
with Jan Berry’s accident hanging over the whole book. It’s also the story of a
group of men, “Lost Boys,” as Greene refers to them, who spend their summers
together, in friendship, just “playing.” If anyone can make the reader long for
the past, it’s Bob Greene.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
Small Favor by Jim Butcher:
The latest Dresden Files book starts out on the light note of a snowball fight,
but, before he can enjoy it, Harry Dresden is caught up in a another war between
the forces of Summer and Winter. Chicago’s only wizard has to bring in friends
and family in order to take care of the small favor he owes to Mab, the Winter
Queen. Harry and his friends face one horror after another as they try to rescue
Gentleman Johnny Marcone, the lord of Chicago’s underworld. It’s even worse when
a young girl is kidnapped, because Harry takes it personally. Small Favor is
another strong entry in this outstanding series, a series with dark humor, magic
and suspense.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
Cats in May by Doreen Tovey:
Tovey’s 1959 story about her two Siamese cats has been republished in a
delightful little format with drawings by Dan Brown. Tovey’s cats became
celebrities in England, but she had to live with the rivalry between Solomon and
Sheba. Her husband’s lack of mechanical skills did not make life any easier. Add
in the stories about the pet squirrel and Doreen’s grandmother, and Cats in
May is a fun book for light reading.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
Chloe Anne: Force of Nature by
Valerie Oblath: Chloe Anne, a voluptuous cat, “too beautiful for words,”
tells her life story, through her owner, Oblath. Before her adoption from the
Humane Society, Chloe Anne led a pedestrian life, with a pedestrian name, Penny.
However, she found herself loved and cherished, adopted by Oblath, and sharing a
pampered life with Cinders, the other cat in the house. Chloe Anne has a
wonderful sense of humor, and cat lovers will totally love and accept this book,
although other readers might find us nuts. It’s the perfect book for the cat
lover in your life.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
The Night Tourist by Katherine
Marsh: Marsh’s mystery just won the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery.
Fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians will appreciate this
story about a boy’s attempt to find his dead mother in the underworld. Jack
Perdu is a fourteen year old Classics scholar, whose mother died in New York
City. When Jack’s sent there to see a doctor, after a car accident, he stumbles
across a ghost in the subway. Soon, he knows from Euri’s stories, and his
classic studies, that he might be able to find his mother. Jack’s journey
through the underworld, with a teenage ghost as guide, is a fascinating mystery.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
BABY SHARK'S HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION by Robert Fate: Pulp fiction makes a
comeback with this series featuring Kristin Van Dijk, better known as Baby
Shark, the pool-hustling, butt-kicking 18-year-old heroine of Baby Shark
and Baby Shark’s Beaumont Blues. Kristin is comfortable in her job as a
private eye at the Millett Agency in 1950’s Texas. Their latest case seems
simple enough; pick up bootlegger Travis Horner’s girlfriend and bring her back
to him. Horner is one of the biggest bootleggers in Oklahoma, and his girlfriend
happens to be the daughter of his biggest rival, Bull Smike. But someone doesn’t
want that to happen, Otis is set up and Baby Shark walks into a fight and a
shootout. The fights and shootouts continue nonstop until Baby Shark finds out
that Horner considers himself to be a world class pool player. She challenges
him to a game, and all scores are settled. These books must be read in order as
there are no explanations as to what came before or how and why all these
relationships were formed. The language is rough and the body count high in this
fast paced shoot-‘em-up.
05/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
BABY SHARK'S HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION by Robert Fate:
No one does action-packed, visual books as well as Fate does. Once again, he
brings Baby Shark, Kristin Van Dijk, to life. Kristin, who lost her pool hustler
father to murder, and her own life as she knew it to a group of men who beat and
raped her, is now a private investigator teamed up with Otis Millett. They agree
to find a bootlegger's girlfriend, but by the time Kristin arrives on the scene,
Otis is beaten, and they face a number of gunmen. It takes all of Kristin's
skills to escape with Otis and the girl, Savannah Smike. By the time they
discover that Savannah is the daughter of a rival bootlegger, it's too late,
Kristin and Otis are targets of ruthless killers, willing to shoot them down,
for some unknown reason. As in the two previous Baby Shark books, readers will
be cheering for Kristin as she takes down the bad guys, with a pool cue, and her
wits.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
THE PRINCE OF FROGTOWN by Rick Bragg: The author of All Over But
the Shoutin’ and Ava’s Man, completes his family cycle by breaking
the reader’s heart one more time. This time, Bragg digs into his father’s story,
the man he viewed as a drunk who couldn’t keep his family together. When Bragg,
himself, becomes a stepfather, he realizes he might not have understood his
father’s life. He contacts family members and his father’s friends to discover a
truth he never knew. The Prince of Frogtown wraps itself around the story
of a mill town, the story of a man and a family, and, ultimately, the story of
Rick Bragg. All Over But the Shoutin’ may still be a favorite of many
people, but fans should read this in order to complete the family story.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
WHERE HAVE ALL THE LEADERS GONE? by Lee Iacocca: Iacocca’s book may be
the most important book people should read in an election year. It summarizes
the problems with our government, and our country, and raises a call to arms.
Iacocca says he’s sick and tired of politicians who don’t listen to the people,
politicians who are running the country into the ground. He admits Americans are
to blame as well, but he encourages everyone to carefully choose a president.
Iacocca’s call to action demands outrage, action, and sacrifice from everyone.
He offers a great deal of hope for the country, if we’re willing to take action.
Where Have All the Leaders Gone? is a book that demands answers.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
THE
HOST by Stephenie Meyer:
They call themselves souls.
They can live essentially forever transferring themselves from one host to
another, and Earth is just their latest conquest. Wanderer has lived more lives
on more planets than most of her kind. It is for this reason that she is chosen
to be placed inside one of the remaining resistant humans. The Seekers know that
Melanie was with others and they hope that Wanderer will be able to tell them
where these people are hiding. From the beginning, this host is different from
the others. Melanie’s consciousness seems to have remained, and her memories of
loved ones haunt Wanderer day and night. Melanie’s increasingly insistent voice
drives Wanderer to the desert where she hopes to finally track down Melanie’s
hiding family. Along the way, Wanderer begins to bond with Melanie and the other
humans, and as a result, she becomes unsure where her place is in this life. In
a utopian society that lives a collective, but perfect existence, there is no
room for individuality. Humans embrace this aspect of life and though it is new
and foreign to Wanderer, it offers her something that her previous existences
never have. This is a more complex story than any synopsis can really express,
but it’s essentially a tale of love, friendship, and the need to belong
somewhere. Meyer has already conquered the teen scene, and captured the hearts
of many adult readers as well, with her Twilight series. The Host
is an absolutely amazing book that will give those few remaining holdouts the
opportunity to see just what all the fuss is about. I’ll tell you now, it’s all
true - I loved The Host and can’t recommend it highly enough.
05/08
Becky Lejeune
NOVEL
ABOUT MY WIFE by Emily Perkins: Tom
and Ann are expecting their first child and they couldn’t be happier. Their
story begins with a train derailment. Ann claimed that she had been feeling ill
and left work early which caused her to be on the train. Everyone was fine,
including Ann, but she subsequently admits that the reason she left work early
was because a man had been following her. Ann mentions the man only a few more
times, and Tom assumes that the problem has gone away. Then Ann’s behavior
begins to change, frantic cleaning sessions, strange smells that only she can
detect, and an almost obsessive return to her sculptures – tiny protectors she
leaves all around the house. Tom begins to suspect that the wild mood swings and
neuroses may not be a symptom of the pregnancy after all. The story is his
attempt, after the fact, to outline his wife’s spiral into madness, something of
an attempt to find the moment when it all began. Tom reveals Ann’s fate almost
at the very beginning, but even with that knowledge, Perkins’s characters and
their pain are so real and so touching that you hope things will turn out
differently just this once. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
THE
TENTH GIFT by Jane Johnson: Julia Lovat’s lover has decided that its time to call it
quits; he wants to make a go of it with his wife. As a parting gift, he gives
Julia a book called the “The Needle Woman’s Glorie,” a centuries-old tome that
is filled with embroidery patterns popular in the 1600s. It’s also filled with
the writings of the original owner, Catherine Anne Tregenna, Cat for short, who
was captured by Moroccan corsairs in 1625. Cat was to be taken back to Africa
and sold into slavery, and she used the book to keep track of her story. The
more Julia learns of Cat’s life, the more enthralled she becomes with the tale
and the more questions she has about Cat’s eventual fate. Cat’s story has a
profound effect on Julia, and sends her on her own adventure to Morocco in an
attempt to learn more. Johnson’s book about a book is part mystery, part
adventure, part history, and part romance. Throw in some pirates and ghosts of
the past and you’ve got a surefire recipe for a summer hit. This book lived up
to every expectation I had for it given its literary counterparts. Johson’s
Tenth Gift is similar in style to Carol Goodman’s literary mysteries.
05/08
Becky Lejeune
BLOODSTONE by Nate Kenyon:
An ancient evil lies waiting
below the surface of quiet White Falls, Maine. Billy Smith’s nightmares have
been preparing him for the danger to come and he answers the subconscious call
that leads him there. Along the way, he kidnaps Angel, a woman who shares
Billy’s nightmares, and brings her along for the ride. The two soon realize that
although they have no idea what awaits them at the end of their journey, they do
share a common bond and their once hostile relationship evolves into something
more. Jeb Taylor has lived with the stain of his father’s horrible crime all his
life. Now his father is dead, but his ghost won’t let Jeb be. In fact, people
all over White Falls find themselves tossing and turning nightly with strange
nightmares, haunted by the sins of their pasts. I guess this Stoker nominated
title just wasn’t for me. First off, it reminded me way too much of another
nominated title (from the same year) Sarah Langan’s The Keeper. Kenyon’s
book, however, is slow to develop and left me with a feeling that there was
something missing. The build-up to the final revelation is underwhelming and I
still don’t really “get” what was happening. I wanted to like it but was sadly
disappointed. Overall, other reviews of the book have been positive, though.
05/08
Becky Lejeune
WICKED CITY
by Ace Atkins: “WELCOME TO PHENIX CITY, Alabama, population 23,205.
Located across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia we offer all the
basic amenities of small town Southern life. There’s Cobb’s Barber Shop, where
kindly grey-headed gentlemen discuss local politics and current affairs between
the buzz of the clippers and local radio ag reports. And we have the friendly
Elite Café, where Mr. Ross Gibson will cook you up the best plate of eggs and
grits with red-eye gravy you ever tasted. We have a Bentley’s Grocery Store,
the Phenix City Pharmacy, and the wonderful Palace Theatre, where on Saturdays a
kid can get in for fifty cents and watch the latest B westerns or the new
adventure of Francis the Talking Mule. Phenix City also boasts Idle Hour
Amusement park – you can take a miniature train from downtown into the hills and
roller-skate, bowl, and swim. There is even a little zoo there with bears and
lions and monkeys. All of this mixed with dozens of churches, Christian and
civic clubs, and one of the best hospitals in east Alabama make Phenix City an
ideal place for the family. Not to mention the world-famous nightclubs, clip
joints, and brothels. Phenix City is probably best known for its whores.”
Thus begins Atkins’ fictional account of the cleanup of Phenix City, which began
after the state Attorney General-elect Albert Patterson, was shot and killed on
June 18, 1954, after running a campaign to clean up Phenix City (He was
succeeded by his son who carried out his father’s plan). Larger than life
characters include Ex-boxer and appointed sheriff Lamar Murphy, opposed by
crooked Deputy Bert Fuller, Madame (in the traditional sense) Fannie Belle, and
the redneck mafia determined to keep Phenix City sinful and profitable.
Although the ending is obvious, the journey is most enjoyable, particularly if
you have a personal interest in the area, as I, a native Alabamian do. 05/08 Jack Quick
THE ACCIDENT MAN
by Tom Cain: British journalist Tom Cain has come up with a new twist on
an old story. It’s Paris, 1997 and hit man Samuel Carver is in a tunnel
preparing to do a job. The car wreck he creates causes a speeding black
Mercedes to crash into a stone pillar, surely killing the car’s occupants.
Moments later, Carver finds himself the target of an apparent Russian killer.
Only later does he learn that the victim of his actions was, in fact, Princess
Diana, and not the terrorist he was told would be occupying the car. Since
Carver only does bad guys, he vows revenge on the people who set him up. This
includes several spy organizations and various intermediaries. Think James Bond
without the government backing. Nicely written and perhaps the basis for an
on-going series featuring Carver and his Russian female accomplice. Wilbur
Smith calls this “This is the best first thriller I have read since The Day
of the Jackal, and that was a long time ago.” Not a bad recommendation.
05/08 Jack Quick
LIEBERMAN’S FOLLY
by Stuart Kaminsky: Having finished all the Porfiry Rostnikov series
(except the one due out in August) and all the Lew Fonesca series, I am now
tackling the third of Kaminsky’s four separate mystery series. Abe “Rabbi”
Lieberman and Bill "Father Murphy" Hanrahan are Chicago cops. In this first
outing, a past informant, prostitute Estralda Valdez, is murdered even though
Hanrahan is supposed to be watching out for her. After her death, he and
Lieberman seek her killer, even though their rules happy captain, who is unhappy
about negative publicity; opposes, since after all, she was only a prostitute.
It will be interesting to see what direction Kaminksy takes this series and
whether he develops these characters as thoroughly as those in his other books.
Recommended. 05/08 Jack Quick
LIEBERMAN’S CHOICE
by Stuart Kaminsky: It’s a cop’s worst nightmare for sixty-year-old
Chicago cop Abe Lieberman. A fellow officer, Bernie Shephard, has found his
wife and a fellow officer in bed together and blown them away with a shotgun.
Then he barricades himself on his roof with food, his dog, guns, and
explosives. Abe knows all the parties involved and it falls eventually to him
to solve the matter after a failed SWAT team assault yields additional
casualties. Another good one from a master storyteller. 05/08 Jack Quick
THE SCORELESS THAI
by Lawrence Block: Originally published as Two for Tanner in
paperback in 1968, this hardcover reprint seems dated now but still a great read
today. Tanner is the Korean War veteran with a head injury that destroyed his
sleep center. Never having to sleep Tanner has plenty of time to become
interested in hopeless causes, oppressed groups, obscure languages and exotic
travel. In this fourth Tanner novel, he is in Thailand looking for a missing
girlfriend, singer Tuppence Nagwa, an African-American beauty into the jazz
scene. She and her fellow musicians have been kidnapped by Communist
insurgents, immediately after a major burglary of the local royal jewelry
collection. It’s Tanner to the rescue but not without his own pitfalls and
perils. Again, a great read or re-read. 05/08 Jack Quick
THREE LITTLE WORDS by Ashley
Rhodes-Courter: Ashley Rhodes survived 9 years and a total of 19 foster
parents. "Three Little Words" describes the many cases of abuse Ashley
experienced in the near decade that she spent in the foster care system. Ashley
and her brother, Luke, were forced to live in foster homes overrun with children
and suffered unspeakable abuse. The odds were against her in a system that still
has problems. Yet she not only survived, she flourished. Throughout her
experience in the foster system she attempted to reach out to authorities about
the atrocities that she and her foster siblings faced. Each time she was
ignored; she was simply an unruly child seeking attention. After she was
adopted, Ashley went on to become an advocate for the foster care system and her
voice was finally heard. One of the most powerful parts of the book is the three
little words alluded to in the title. They aren’t “I Love You” as many would
expect, but “I guess so” which is what Rhodes said to a judge on the day of her
adoption. 05/08 Jennifer
Lawrence
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS by
Katrina Kittle: Sarah Ladens is struggling to keep her family intact after
the death of her husband. Her oldest son, Nate, has been getting in trouble at
school and her youngest, Danny is barely getting by. Sarah learns that her best
friend is charged with a horrendous crime against her son, a classmate of
Danny's, as well as several other young children in this small, close-knit town.
Sarah must determine who to believe--the scathing evidence the police has found,
or her best friend. And caught in the middle is Jordan, Danny's classmate.
Jordan has never known what it feels like to really be loved. Now, without
parents, he's destined to become part of the foster care system. The Ladens step
up and offer to foster him. After a long and difficult struggle, the Ladens,
once again a family of four all begins to heal. The Kindness of Strangers is
powerful and full of emotion. Katrina Kittle deals with a sensitive topic that
is often buried. The emotion that each of the characters experience is genuine
and believable. The reader feels that they are part of the story, a member of
the community that is forced to deal with this horrendous crime. 05/08
Jennifer Lawrence
TARNISHED BEAUTY by Cecilia
Samartin: Jamilet is a beautiful young woman from a small town in Mexico.
Throughout her life she has been shunned by local townspeople because of a
horrible birthmark that taints her back and part of her legs. She flees to Los
Angeles illegally in order to seek treatment for her birthmark and begins
working at a local mental institution. Her patient is an elderly man named
Antonio, a difficult and angry man from Spain. Antonio steals Jamilet's illegal
immigration documents and promises to return them upon the condition that she
listens to his story. Jamilet agrees, and thus begins an unbreakable bond.
Antonio’s story details his pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago in Spain
with his friend Tomas prior to joining the priesthood. Inspired by Antonio’s
story, Jamilet learns that her mark does not define her as a person. Beauty is
more than skin deep. She breaks herself free of the shell that has been
preventing her from opening up and allowing herself to love. The ending of the
story was a bit sudden; several aspects were left hanging, but this doesn't
detract from the powerful storytelling. 05/08
Jennifer Lawrence
HOLD TIGHT by Harlan Coben: I have had a love/hate relationship with
Coben's books for some time now. I was his biggest champion when he wrote
his first standalone thriller, Tell No One. But as he continued to
write and define the "family thriller", I started having serious issues.
Coben can suck a reader in and keep those pages turning like nobody's business,
but a few books ago I noticed that he was writing himself into a corner and
taking absurd, unbelievable, completely far-fetched ways out of it. That,
combined with his penchant for wrapping up every loose end in the last two pages
caused me to stop reading him. But I was persuaded to try his last book,
The Woods, and I was delighted to find that he finally learned how to
write a believable, albeit entirely too detailed, ending. Which brings me
to his latest effort, Hold Tight.
Coben recently penned an op-ed piece for the NY Times titled "The
Undercover Parent", about why parents should install software to spy on
their children's every move, every time they go online. He slams that ball
home in this book. In lovely suburban New Jersey, one such family is
weighing that very option as their teenage son's grades are sliding and his
behavior becomes erratic. The arguments both for and against are well
presented, and it is an integral part of the story which includes moms getting
murdered, teenage drug parties, and a teenage suicide - most of your basic
parental nightmares rolled up into one riveting read - with an ending that makes
sense. All in all, I'm happy to say this was an excellent read and a marvelous
way to spend a few hours.
05/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
CERTAIN GIRLS by
Jennifer Weiner: Weiner writes good chick-lit. She's the author
of In Her Shoes, which became a blockbuster movie with Cameron Diaz and
Toni Collette. Weiner's first novel was the chick-lit bestseller Good
in Bed and Certain Girls is the sequel. In Good in Bed, our
heroine Candace "Cannie" Shapiro gets dumped and reads about it in a magazine
article written by the dumper. In retaliation, she writes a very angry,
very funny novel that becomes a huge bestseller. Now we meet up with
Cannie about 10 years later, as she's getting ready for her daughter Joy's bat
mitzvah. The story is told in alternating first person chapters between
Joy and Cannie, so we get both perspectives of the coming-of-age,
mother-daughter relationship in all its glory. Being a mother of a 15 year
old who went through the bat mitzvah process not that long ago, I could easily
relate. Cannie has been pseudonymously writing a young adult sci-fi series
for years and reveling in being a wife and mother. The angst arises when
Joy gets hold of a copy of her mother's bestseller, which raises all sorts of
questions about her family. Certain Girls has lots of angst, lots of
laughs and a very bittersweet ending - I loved it.
05/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
THE FORTUNE
COOKIE CHRONICLES: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee:
I love Chinese food, and I love humorously written, well researched food books,
so when I heard about this one, I couldn't wait to get my chopsticks on it.
I am really glad I did. This is a fact-filled, fun read about the history
of Chinese food in America, that includes amazing research that took the author
all through China and Japan. Japan, you say? Why yes, because our
beloved fortune cookies are not Chinese in origin, but rather Japanese. In
fact, we are now exporting "American fortune cookies" to China. The idea
of delivering food to people's homes started with a savvy Chinese restaurant
owner in New York City. And Lee explores the relationship between Jews and
Chinese food, including a chapter devoted to the only Glatt Kosher Chinese
restaurant in the southeastern United States, and its Peking Duck scandal.
She goes looking for the origin of one of our most popular dishes, General Tso's
chicken, and explains why chop suey is disappearing off of Chinese restaurant
menus all across America - hint: neither dish is Chinese in origin. This
is a quick, fun read, perfect to read in small bites and guaranteed to make you
hungry.
05/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
THE BLACK DOVE
by Steve Hockensmith: There is a joke about a fellow from Minnesota who
took as his bride, a lady from Palestine. To honor both their cultures, they
named their firstborn son “Yassir Youbetcha”. Gustav “Old Red” Amlingmeyer and
his brother Otto “Big Red” Amlingmeyer find themselves in Chinatown in San
Francisco in 1893. Although cowpokes by training, the brothers fancy themselves
experts as “deducifying” like their idol, the immortal Sherlock Holmes. The
brothers face guns and hatchets while defying the San Francisco Police
Department, brutal Barbary Coast hoodlums and the deadly Chinatown tongs. Their
friend, Dr. Chan, is a victim of the hunt for the mysterious, exotic, and
enigmatic hard to find “Black Dove.” All that’s missing is Jackie Chan as “Chon
Wang” from Shanghai Noon. Definitely not your every day mystery but definitely
amusing.
05/08 Jack Quick
DEAD TIME
by Stephen White: If I had to describe this book in one word it would be
“messy”. Messy plot line and even messier presentation. If it were anyone
other that Stephen White I would have chucked it, but I persevered and am glad I
did. Here’s the messy theme – At the end of White’s last book, Dry Ice,
his bi-sexual friend and neighbor Adrienne is killed in a suicide bomb attack
while visiting Israel. She has left instructions that she wants Alex and his
wife, Lauren, to adopt her son Jonas. At Adrienne’s memorial service her
uptight brother from back in New York tells Alex he wants Jonas to come live
with him. While Alex is processing this, Alex’ ex-wife Meredith shows up. She
tells Alex she is pregnant and engaged. All this adds strain to Alex’
relationship with current wife Lauren whose MS is acting up. Lauren leaves for
Europe with their daughter to look for a daughter she had given up for adoption
before meeting Alex. Alex goes to New York City to be close to Jonas while
Jonas is spending three weeks with Adrienne’s brother and his family. While in
New York, Meredith contacts him. She had miscarried her child and then she and
fiancé Eric had engaged a surrogate to bear their child, using fertilized eggs
left over from the in vitro process. Still with me? Eric was involved in a
decade old mystery involving the disappearance of a woman at the Grand Canyon
that connects back to the disappearance of the would-be surrogate mother. Now,
to make it even more interesting the story is told in alternating chapters from
the standpoint of Alex and then from ex-wife Meredith, interrupted by flashbacks
to the Grand Canyon trip involving Eric. If you can keep all the balls bouncing
it’s a good story and everything ends well, sort of. To learn more, you’ll just
have to try it yourself. 05/08 Jack Quick
THE SEX CLUB by L. J. Sellers:
I grew up in and currently live in Birmingham, Alabama where Eric Rudolph
killed officer
Robert Sanderson and critically injured nurse Emily Lyons in the bombing of an
abortion clinic
January 29,
1998. Consequently, I feel a special
empathy with Kera
Kollmorgan, a registered nurse at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Eugene,
Oregon, which suffers a similar encounter. A pipe bomb goes off, damaging the
building and causing severe injuries to one patient.
Things only get
worse the next day when the dead body of a young girl who has visited the clinic
is fond in a nearby dumpster. Detective Wade Jackson is initially assigned to
the bombing case and later to the homicide. He is a single father of a
fourteen- year old girl who was friends with the victim. In addition to the
personal implications, there are also political implications complicating the
case. I understand this is the first of a series featuring Detective Jackson. I
hope so, and think it will do well. 05/08 Jack Quick
QUANTICO
by Greg Bear: It’s the not too distant future and the FBI and other
assorted alphabet agencies are on the track of gene-keyed anthrax (Remember
2001?). The focus of the book is on two classmates at the FBI Training
Academy. One is William Griffin, son a legendary FBI agent, who ends up
following a case in which his father is almost killed. The other is Fouad Al-Husam,
who ends up on super-secret missions to the Middle East. Bear does an excellent
job of interweaving their stories with that of the terrorists in a very
believable scenario. At the end it’s up to Griffin, Al-Husam, and veteran agent
Rebecca Rose to pull the plug on this potentially devastating group. Well
done. I want to go back and read his previous, Dead Lines. 05/08 Jack Quick
DANCING ABOVE THE WAVES
by Susan Walerstein: Wealthy Bostonian Jack "Scooter" McCalister has it
all - a degree from Brown, a Vassar graduate trophy wife, houses in Boston,
Clary’s Cove, Palm Springs, Maui and Aspen; a Commander 24 powerboat, a restored
Porsche Speedster, enough money to cash in stocks for $500,000 without a
problem, and a mistress who was once “the prettiest girl on the Island.” But
now it all comes crashing down as Jack, rushing to meet the ferry, hits a
pedestrian with his car – a young girl, and then he leaves the scene, not
knowing whether she is dead or alive. There are witnesses – the girl’s
boyfriend, and Jack’s pregnant mistress who starts having second thoughts about
Jack’s suitability as a father. There are problems at the magazine he and his
wife co-manage, a blackmailer appears, and Jack’s once wonderful life is now
going down the tubes. An interesting psychological thriller, although there are
truly few sympathetic characters. Even the dead teenager had sneaked out of her
home and was high on drugs when the accident occurred. Enough suspense to keep
you going to the end of this debut novel. 05/08 Jack Quick
CHILD
44 by Tom Rob Smith:
In Stalinist Russia, the
government would have you believe that Communism is the only way to live, that
their system is the best, that they’ve eliminated crime and jealousy. To attempt
to speak out and disprove the government means years of hard labor and even
death. Everyone lives on edge wondering if they will be the next ones on the
militia’s hit list. Leo Demidov, a war hero and well-respected member of the
elite militia, has never questioned authority until now. His wife is accused of
being a spy and Leo must show where his loyalties lie – with his superiors, or
with his family. The wrong decision results in his exile and demotion. Then, a
body is discovered. The accused is a mentally challenged teen from a local
asylum. Leo knows that the boy can’t be responsible. In fact, Leo knows that
this is not the first murder of its kind. But how do you prove there is a serial
killer on the loose in a country that disavows even the possibility of crime. On
his own, Leo discovers a second body in the area and, believing that he has
proven the boy’s innocence, turns it over to authorities. Instead, the boy is
killed for the first murder and a witch-hunt begins for a second killer, the
government’s way of eliminating undesirables amongst their perfect society. A
search through local records reveals over forty bodies and Leo will literally
risk everything to find the real killer. This is one of the most talked about
books of the year, and I’ve got to tell you, it definitely lives up to the hype.
It’s brilliant debut based on painstaking research. Smith’s attention, not only
to the physical details of his setting, but to the emotional strain and
motivations of his characters amidst this environment are impeccable. This will
be one of the best books you read all year. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
THE
LADY ELIZABETH by Alison Weir:
Historian Weir’s latest is a
fictional depiction of Queen Elizabeth I in the years prior to the beginning of
her monarchy. As with last year’s Innocent Traitor, the story of Lady
Jane Grey, Weir has used historical record and creative license to create an
addictive and dramatic story that begins with Mary’s revelation to her younger
sister that her mother, Anne Boleyn, has been put to death for the crime of
treason against the king in 1536 through to Mary’s death in 1558. A twist in
Weir’s tale is the notion that Elizabeth conceived and miscarried a child
fathered by Thomas Seymour. People have been fascinated with tales of the
British monarchy for ages, and the timely release of Weir’s novel provides a
perfect opportunity for fans of titles such as The Other Boleyn Girl to
gain more insight into this fascinating piece of history – taken with a grain of
salt, of course. Readers looking for a more accurate depiction can tackle Weir’s
extensive non-fiction collection on the Tudors, but the fictional interpretation
leaves more room for the consideration of less popular, but still remotely
possible, “conspiracy theories” that make for provocative reading. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
THE
DARKEST NIGHT by Gena Showalter:
They were ancient warriors of
the highest order until jealousy prompted an irreversible mistake. The story of
Pandora and her box is well known, but Showalter adds another twist to this
famous myth. Pandora was one of these ancient warriors, set to guard a box
housing all of the evils of the world. Maddox, a fellow warrior is so incensed
over Pandora’s assignment that he and his fellow warriors steal the box,
accidentally releasing the demons housed within. As punishment, each of the
warriors must house within them one of the demons from the box. Maddox’s
punishment is the demon of violence. As further punishment for killing Pandora,
he is murdered every night at midnight, his soul sent to hell, and resurrected
each morning. The men live in a tower in Budapest, surprisingly supportive of
the surrounding community who view them as angels. Ashlyn Darrow has been
plagued with psychic abilities – she hears voices and conversations everywhere
she goes. She seeks out the men in hopes that they may be able to help her and
gets much more than she bargained for. She and Maddox are instantly drawn to one
another, which could mean real problems since the men have taken great pains to
avoid bringing outsiders into their sanctuary. This is an intriguing concept for
a romance series, and it’s going to be a definite favorite amongst fans of the
paranormal. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
THE
QUEEN’S BASTARD by C. E. Murphy:
Belinda Primrose has been
raised to believe that her parents died years ago in an accident. Just before
her twelfth birthday, the truth about her birth is finally revealed. Her mother
is none other than Queen Lorraine and her father is the man she believed to be
her uncle. She can never reveal the truth of her heritage, and she must help to
ensure that her mother’s seat on the throne remains unthreatened, at all costs.
After spending ten years training and acting as an assassin securing the
Aulunian queen’s interests, Belinda is given a new task. She is to infiltrate
the royal family of a neighboring kingdom and find out if there are plans
against Lorraine. Belinda seduces the prince and discovers that they share a
common bond. The two have special abilities, powers that have lain hidden in
Belinda until now. With these abilities becoming more and more powerful each
day, Belinda finds herself in a position of power and possibility that has
remained unattainable to the bastard child. The question is whether she can
overcome the evil and greed that has begun to taint her and stay loyal to her
mother, or if she will be the instrument that will bring the Titian Queen down.
Belinda’s dilemma is an interesting one that elicits many emotions from readers.
At times she is not at all a likeable heroine, at others it is impossible not to
sympathize with her. With so many aspects left to explain and a cliffhanger of
an ending fantasy readers are sure to be on edge until the next installment of
the story hits shelves. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
THE
DEAL by Adam Gittlin:
Jonah Gray has it all,
wealth, power, and all the drugs and women he wants. As the third generation of
a family of real estate moguls, he has learned the business well and is one of
the best. When a longtime friend, and heir to one of the world’s most powerful
international businesses contacts Jonah and tells him that the company wants him
to orchestrate a huge deal for them, Jonah and his team jump at the idea. The
chances of earning out an enormous payday are almost guaranteed. Unfortunately,
like all things that seem to good to be true, this deal might be Jonah’s
downfall. As everything begins to fall apart around him, Jonah starts to put
together the pieces that will eventually uncover a conspiracy that has been
years in the making. To tell anymore would be to give too much away, but I can
tell you there is more to this book than greedy real estate deals. A crazy
stalker, murder, and stolen Faberge eggs all play a part in this smart thriller
by newcomer Gittlin. If you like Joseph Finder and Stephen Frey, you’re going to
love Adam Gittlin. 05/08
Becky Lejeune
MURDER IS BINDING by Lorna Barrett:
Barrett’s first Booktown Mystery is a delightful introduction to Tricia Miles,
owner of a mystery bookstore in a town that welcomes bookstores, Stoneham, New
Hampshire. It’s just a shame that the owner of the Cookery, the cookbook store,
is found murdered. It’s even worse that Tricia, the newcomer in town, is the
primary suspect. Tricia doesn’t welcome her sister’s help, or her presence in
Stoneham, but she needs her. She can’t escape the suspicions of the police
chief, so Tricia, along with her sister, Angelica, pries into the local secrets.
Here’s hoping that Barrett will return readers to Stoneham, and other Booktown
mysteries, in the near future.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
THE CRAGGY HOLE IN MY HEART AND THE CAT WHO FIXED IT by Geneen Roth: Roth
tells the story of the kitten she didn’t want, the father she was afraid to
lose, and the love she found in life. After sixteen years of an eating disorder,
Roth quit diets, settled at her natural weight, wrote two books, and taught
workshops. What she couldn’t overcome was her fear of losing everyone she loved.
Roth didn’t think she had the capacity to love, because she was afraid to let
herself love. And, then along came Blanche, a white kitten who grew to be twenty
pounds, and turned out to be a he. The woman who was out of touch with her
feelings suddenly found herself dealing with her feelings about her father, and
the acceptance of a cat who gave her love with no strings attached. Roth takes a
fascinating journey of growth in this book about love and loss.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
THE HOUSE ON FORTUNE STREET by Margot Livesey: The lives of four people
intertwine in an absorbing story about how chance can turn a life around.
Although Dara and Abigail met at the university, they were both changed by an
incident in their lives at the age of ten. Part of the story tells how the two
women coped with their lives as a result of their childhood, as a result of
their friendship, and, as a result of a man. Livesey skillfully relates the
story through the eyes of four characters, Dara and Abigail, as well as that of
Cameron, Dara’s father, and Sean, the man Abigail loved. The House on Fortune
Street tells of the roles people take in their own lives, and the choices
made to get there. It’s a fascinating story.
05/08 Lesa Holstine
THE UNRAVELING OF VIOLETA BELLl by C.R. Corwin: The third Morgue Mama
Mystery is the best in the series yet. Maddy Sprowls is the curmudgeonly
newspaper librarian for an Ohio paper. She seldom suggests stories, but when she
does, and murder follows, Maddy follows the trail. Four women hired the same cab
driver every Saturday to take them to garage and estate sales. When one is
killed after the story runs, Maddy is asked to investigate on behalf of the
cabbie. Who was the victim, Violeta Bell? Was she killed because of a newspaper
story? Or is there a connection to the antiques she used to sell? What about her
claim to the Romanian throne? It’s a complicated case, but much of the appeal of
this latest mystery lies in the character of Maddy, a librarian with a tough
exterior, a heart of gold, and a mind for crime.
05/08 Lesa Holstine

"The whole family is a bunch of dangerous freaks...Most are ex-cons or
junkies or deranged from inbreeding. Five
have died violently, three are back in prison, two have gone
insane from untreated venereal
disease, and one writes book reviews."
--- Triggerfish Twist by Tim Dorsey

DEEP DISH by Mary
Kay Andrews: I look forward to Andrews's books because they are usually
romantic suspense that are fast and funny reads. This one is not really
any of those things. I loved the premise, the two main characters are TV
chefs who end up competing for their own show on "The Cooking Channel".
But that these two competitors would get together was apparent from day one, yet
it just dragged on and on. I kept waiting for a dead body to turn up or
for something to happen, but it never did, so there was no suspense to speak of
other than the how and/or when they would end up together. I was looking for
some behind the scenes cooking show drama, and there really wasn't any of that
either. It was a quick read and there were a few laughs, but most of it
just felt repetitive. All in all, it was a major disappointment.
04/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
BLACK CROSS by Greg Iles: Iles is one of my
favorite authors, and I've been going back and reading his older books that I
had missed. I believe this was his second novel, and while it is very
different from his more recent books, it is excellent and Iles considers it his
best book, with good reason. The plot is basically built around a young
doctor attending his physician grandfather's funeral. He meets a Rabbi at
the cemetery, who asks for a ride back and proceeds to tell the young doctor a
story about his grandfather that makes up most of the book. This is a
Holocaust story, and a chilling one; Iles did a lot of research for this and it
shows. The premise is that Dr. Mark McConnell, "Mac", a pacifist,
was doing research in poisonous gas when he is manipulated into going on a
dangerous mission with Jonas Stern, a Zionist terrorist, into Nazi Germany.
The Nazis had developed Sarin, and Soman, deadly gases that the Allies had no
protection against, other than this plan. With Winston Churchill's
blessing, these men set off for training and their mission. This is a
frightening story that is intensely riveting, and a terrific read.
04/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
STALKED
by Brian Freeman: There is a saying that revenge is a dish best served
cold, but even Duluth, Minnesota, can become red hot when you look underneath
all that beautiful winter snow. Duluth Police Lieutenant Jonathan Stride is
certain that his partner Maggie Bei didn’t kill her husband, but she is hiding a
secret. There are other secrets as well. A beautiful young woman has
disappeared and his lover – former Las Vegas cop and now Duluth P.I. is chasing
a blackmailer, who seems to know all the city’s little secrets, including
Maggie’s. Throw in some kinky sex, and a who did what to whom and when and how
and you have a great long weekend book that will keep you turning pages all the
way to the end. A good one. 04/08 Jack Quick
A NORTHERN THUNDER
by Andy Harp: The author of this state of the art techno-thriller is a
retired US Marine Corps Colonel which gives added authenticity to the
narrative. Basically the Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea, a Communist
nation in desperate financial straits, concentrates its military resources on
swiftly creating missile technology that can give it power and a source of much
needed foreign exchange with terrorists and other rogue nations. To protect
their investment they send forth an assassin to secretly kill scientists
identified as having the ability to disrupt their plans. While the FBI is
trying to cope with the assassin, the US military calls up retired Marine
Reservist Will Parker to flush out the scientist in North Korea most critical to
their plans. Although not a terribly original plot, a smooth writing style and
the author’s military expertise make this an above average read. Recommended. 04/08 Jack Quick
DELUSION
by Peter Abrahams: Although not as powerful as James Lee Burke’s Tin
Roof Blowdown, this Southern thriller is also set in the wake of a fictional
Katrina type hurricane. Twenty years ago Nell Jerrau’s eyewitness testimony
sent Alvin “Pirate” Dupree to prison for the murder of her then boyfriend,
Johnny Blanton. In the process Nell also met Clay, her current husband, then
detective and now Chief of Police of Belle Ville. The flooding from the
hurricane has unearthed potential exculpatory evidence that would free Dupree,
if it is valid. The stress from the resultant spotlight on their family
adversely affects Norah, Nell’s daughter, who is Johnny’s biological child.
Nell knows she must uncover Johnny’s true killer if she will ever be able to
regain control of her life. Evocative of some of Greg Isles modern Southern
gothic tales and quite readable. 04/08 Jack Quick
DEATH WILL GET YOU SOBER by Elizabeth Zelvin:
Zelvin’s debut mystery is an insightful view into the world of the alcoholic and
recovering alcoholic. Bruce Kohler wakes up on Christmas Day in a detox, and
finds different people in the room with him in the next couple days. When he’s
sober enough to talk to his roommate, he appreciates the latest one, Godfrey
Brandon Kettleworth the Third, known as God or Guff. Bruce is still in detox
when he stumbles over the body of a dead man, but it’s not a shocking death.
Guff’s death stuns Kohler, and leads him to an investigation with his two best
friends, another recovering alcoholic, and a counselor. Death Will Get You Sober
is not only an intriguing mystery, but also a view into a world many of us never
see.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
A PALE HORSE by Charles Todd: Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge
handles a complicated case of guilt in the latest book in this post-WWI series.
When a group of schoolboys finds a body in the ruins of an abbey, their guilt
and fear of the devil allow them to let their schoolmaster to become a suspect.
It’s only when Rutledge shows up, looking for a missing man for the War Office,
that the boys admit to their discovery. Even so, Rutledge doesn’t have answers,
because no one will claim or identify the man. Todd’s latest mystery is an
intriguing story of the past haunting the present. Although it’s set in 1920,
the story is timeless.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
THE
PHILOSOPHER’S APPRENTICE by James Morrow:
This is a tale in three
parts, each being equally fascinating and equally mind-boggling. In part one,
Mason Ambrose is hired to act as tutor and moral coach to Londa Sabacthani, a
young girl living on a private island off of Florida. As it turns out, the girl
is actually one of three clones created so that their “mother” can experience
every stage of motherhood before she dies. Part two begins ten years after the
end of part one. Ambrose and Londa have not spoken in ten years. Londa’s grown,
completed her own college education, and has in fact created her own sort-of
utopian village using Ambrose’s philosophy teachings to create a better world.
Her plan backfires, however, when a group of crazy religious fundamentalists
gets wind of some of her varied “works.” In part three, Londa has abandoned her
more positive approach to bettering society – she’s also thrown aside Ambrose’s
well-meaning warnings in regards to her more extreme plan to exact change on
today’s morally ambiguous society. Humorous, tedious, and enlightening are all
appropriate ways to describe this book. Morrow is wonderful in his wacky and
illustrative prose, but he can also prompt some pretty heavy thoughts despite
his mostly light tone. A thought provoking, if somewhat confusing read.
RIVER OF
HEAVEN by Lee Martin:
Sam Brady is a solitary
bachelor who has taken great pains to ensure that his homosexuality remains a
secret to those around him. After his neighbor’s wife dies, it becomes harder
for Sam to keep himself closed off. He and Arthur strike up a tenuous friendship
at first, bonding over the building of a custom doghouse for Sam’s basset hound,
Stump. The doghouse, a small ship with a deck and cannon ports, attracts the
attention of a local column writer for the paper, a writer whose great uncle was
once Sam’s best friend, Dewey. At the age of 15, Dewey committed suicide on the
train tracks near his house. The reporter has some questions about the events,
though, and it is soon revealed that Sam has some other secrets in his past that
he would rather not come to light. Enter Cal, Sam’s long lost brother. Cal has
just recently survived a nationally broadcasted hostage situation and shows up
on Sam’s doorstep, bringing more than a little trouble along with him. Pulitzer
Prize finalist, Martin returns with an amazing story of loneliness, secrets, and
ultimately forgiveness. River of Heaven is a touching literary tale with
just a tinge of mystery – highly recommended. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
THE
DEATH CHAMBER by Sarah Rayne:
UK author, Sarah Rayne,
returns with yet another chilling thriller about family secrets and the people
who will do just about anything to make sure they stay forgotten. Georgina Grey
has lost everything. Her business partner left with all the cash, and Georgina’s
boyfriend, so it’s something of a saving grace when she receives a letter from
the Caradoc Society. The society was set up ages ago to deal with psychic
phenomena. It seems Georgina’s grandfather, a man she never met, left a good
portion of money to the society – money that, after being used to pay off the
society’s debts, will fall to Georgina. All Georgina knows about her grandfather
is that he once served as the prison doctor at Calvary Gaol, a prison
specifically for death row inmates. She makes the trip hoping to learn more
about the man and meets TV host Chad Ingram. Ingram and his team are working on
a show about Calvary and Georgina promises to let them use any relevant
information she finds. Unfortunately for Georgina, this is one man’s worst
nightmare - not only could his family’s terrible secrets be unearthed, but for
them to be aired for national viewing is something he cannot, and will not,
allow. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
AFTER
HOURS AT THE ALMOST HOME by Tara Yellen:
It’s Super Bowl Sunday
and the Broncos are playing. It’s going to be the busiest day of the year for
Denver’s Almost Home Bar and Grill which means that it’s the worst possible day
for a new girl to start, and for one of the bar’s seasoned employees to
disappear. Denny was leaving after his shift and is forced to work a double
thanks to Marna’s untimely no-show. JJ has never waitressed before and everyone
is giving her a hard time. Keith was supposed to leave with Marna but hasn’t
heard a word from her. Marna also promised a special day with Colleen’s daughter
Lily, neither of which have heard from her either. The staff makes it through
the day, and closes up shop, but that’s when things get really interesting at
the Almost Home. Everyone who’s ever had to work in the service industry can
relate to Yellen’s tale. Anyone who has ever had doubts about what comes next in
life, whether the decisions they make are the right ones and if everything will
work out in the end, will connect with at least one of the characters in this
book. It’s that combination of the quirky dysfunctional family situation that
occurs in any workplace and the instances of self-doubt that everyone suffers
that collide in this earnest literary debut. After creating such a resonating
story in After Hours at the Almost Home, Yellen will surely be one to
watch in literary circles for years to come. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
ANOTHER THING TO
FALL by Laura Lippman: Baltimore is the temporary home of a big budget
television series, which doesn’t please the locals as much as one would think.
Tess Monaghan manages to ruin a day’s shooting while out rowing, and in the
process finds herself the sought after security detail for Selene, the
twenty-year-old star of the show. Strange things are happening on set, and Tess
agrees to baby-sit providing the producers give Crow’s latest project, Lloyd, a
job. The details are worked out, but when Tess is outsmarted by Selene, she is
forced to bring in extra help. Then one of the production staff is murdered, and
it seems like everyone on set is suspect, from the producers to the actors to
the writers and the staff. The production of a television series is complicated
business, and Lippman includes lots of Hollywood detail in this Charm City
murder mystery. It’s an interesting story with a lot of characters, but
unfortunately Tess is the only character that is fully fleshed out. Not
Lippman’s best effort, but fans of the series will want to read it anyway.
04/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
Copyright © 2008 Cahners
Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with
permission.
LITTLE SHOP OF MURDERS
by Susan Goodwill:
In what has to be the funniest
bank robbery on record, Walter, a stooped balding man dressed in a red plaid
bathrobe, floppy slippers, and armed with a lethal banana (?) robs the bank.
Kate London and her Aunt Kitty are soon
in hot (?) pursuit in Kitty’s 1974 white Eldorado convertible. Imagine their
surprise when they see William Jefferson Clinton driving Walter’s getaway car.
(Actually it’s only a guy wearing a Bill Clinton mask). Lets see, then there is
the Treasury Department; the Devil’s Cheerleaders, a biker gang; pandemonium at
the Sausage Festival; a giant man-eating plant from Splotski’s Theatre Rentals;
a dead body; unsympathetic law enforcement officials; ugly shoes; (Donna Moore?)
and in the middle a somewhat engaging mystery. There is little doubt this one
is a work of fiction, and fun.
04/08 Jack Quick
MURDER UNDER THE LOON
by Gerald Anderson:
John Hofstead always wore a coat and tie,
and in winter often a vest as well. After all, you wouldn’t want to entrust
your money to just any insurance man. John was so good at his work that
Hofstead Hail Insurance was now one of the most prosperous firms in Fergus
Falls, Minnesota. So it just didn’t seem right when Hofstead’s body was found
in the snow beneath a giant concrete loon, the apparent victim of a snowmobile
accident. Sheriff Palmer Knutson isn’t so sure. After all there are no
footprints in the snow and the death came on the eve of Hofstead’s planned
announcement of the successor to his position as President of the Company he had
founded. Had one of the four employees or their spouses taken the matter into
their own hands to avoid the announcement? Its old-fashioned greed, ambition
and jealousy in the North Country with a full cast of characters. Never fear
Sheriff Knutson and wily deputy Orly Peterson will prevail. 04/08 Jack Quick
THE PRICE OF BLOOD
by Declan Hughes: If you are a fan of Ken Bruen and have not yet tried
Declan Hughes, you have a treat in store. Written in the same gritty manner but
with a bit more lavish detail, Hughes follows Dublin PI Ed Loy, first in 2006’s
The Wrong Kind of Blood, 2007's The Color of Blood and now in
The Price of Blood. When you have both Michael Connelly and John Connolly
among your fans you have to be doing something right. In this outing Father
Vincent Tyrrell hires Loy to find Patrick Hutton, a jockey missing for 10
years. There is not one, but rather two grisly murders with which Loy becomes
involved. Before the final conclusion at a famous Irish horse-racing festival
Loy will be beaten up, warned off, and blamed for actions taken and not taken.
Parts are brutal – but it couldn’t be any other way. So pour yourself a pint
and enjoy. 04/08 Jack Quick
DEATH WAS THE OTHER WOMAN
by Linda L. Richards: Katherine “Kitty” Panghorn doesn’t drink bourbon.
Nor does she drink gasoline, which she suspects would taste a lot like bourbon,
but she is still one tough cookie. She has been orphaned by the financial crash
of 1929, which led her wealthy father to take that big leap, having first lost
his wife, and then his fortune. A girl’s got to earn a living, particularly in
a Depression, so Kitty is pretty lucky to have hooked up with Dexter “Dex”
Theroux, practicing alcoholic and erstwhile Los Angeles gumshoe. At least Kitty
has done okay until Dex’s latest job – a woman hires him to tail her boyfriend,
who turns out to be one of Los Angeles most corrupt businessmen. When the
bodies start appearing and disappearing, Kitty knows that she and Dex have to
solve this one, because its far more than her paycheck that is at risk. Nicely
done and reminiscent of some of the pre World War II classics. 04/08 Jack Quick
THE PRODIGY by Charles
Atkins: Charles Atkins is
Dr. Charles Atkins, a practicing psychiatrist and Yale professor published both
in Psychiatric News and Writer’s Digest along with two other
novels prior to this one. Who better to take you inside the head of a
dangerous sociopath with the opportunity and means to act on his every impulse.
James "Jimmy" Martin IV should never have been released, but the combination of
incredible wealth and a devoted twin sister, can trump even a lifetime sentence
in a mental institution. The product of sadistic parents, Jimmy and his twin
Ellen are cunning, ruthless, amoral and capable of just about anything. Better
read with the lights on. 04/08 Jack Quick
HELL’S BAY
by James W. Hall: Thorn is back in his wildest adventure yet. He is
leading a fishing expedition into the isolated lakes and mangrove swamps of
Hells Bay in the Everglades when he meets up with the Bates family. They are
one of Florida’s aristocratic pioneer clans with huge holdings in real estate
and mining. The family matriarch Abigail has been killed and her heirs want
Thorn to solve the case, claiming he is, in fact, a long lost relative.
Deliverance, meet Cape Fear, in what is probably Hall’s best effort
to date. You can cut the tension with one of Thorn’s sharp fishing knives while
in the background the sound of banjos can be heard over the surf. Hall
certainly knows his Florida and with lines like “the air smelled of snakes and
damp mud and an occasional gust of a sharp insistent citrus scent that made her
think of a teenage boy’s first cologne,” you are pulled right into the swamps
and sloughs. 04/08 Jack Quick
THE HUNT
by Allison Brennan: Seven known victims and nine more women missing.
One survivor who escaped “The Butcher” twelve years ago. A threesome determined
to catch the killer. Miranda Moore, a former FBI trainee, who is the only known
survivor of The Butcher, is now a member of the local search and rescue squad in
Montana. Nick Thomas, Miranda’s former boyfriend, who is still in love with
her, is now the Sheriff. Quincy Patterson, the FBI agent who investigated
Miranda’s abduction, is back to help Nick and Miranda catch the killer.
Miranda’s feelings about Quincy are unresolved as are hers about him. The
tension among these three only adds to the mix, as they try to prevent the
Butcher from kidnapping, torturing and then executing his next victim – by
turning them loose in the woods and hunting them down like animals. Another
good one. 04/08 Jack Quick
A PALE HORSE
by Charles Todd: Hmm. To start with, Charles Todd is really a mother and
son writing team. She lives in Delaware. He lives in North Carolina. The book
is decidedly British, with much of the action occurring not in the London we
know but in Berkshire, specifically where cottages once built to house lepers
stand in the shadow of a great white horse cut into the chalk hillside. The
action occurs during that lull after the Great War and before the Great
Depression. The protag, Inspector Ian Rutledge, is a World War I vet who
regularly listens and often talks to Hamish, a ghostly character whose
acquaintance he made in the trenches in France during the war. I am so glad I
didn’t pay any attention to the above because this is one great book. A police
procedural with a puzzle that keeps you turning page after page. Now I have
learned this is the tenth outing for Inspector Rutledge so I have nine more
treats in store. Awesome. 04/08 Jack Quick
HOLD TIGHT by Harlan Coben:
A night with a
Harlan Coben book is a guaranteed night without sleep. In his latest
stand-alone, parents come face-to-face with their worst nightmares. Tia and Mike
Baye are concerned when their son, Adam, becomes more reserved and introverted
after the suicide of one of his classmates. They go to extremes by installing a
program on his computer that will track all of his activities online. Each day,
the company responsible sends them a report, and each day is the same mundane
stuff. Everything changes when Tia comes across a disturbingly cryptic instant
message, and an e-mail about a party Adam is to attend. Mike plans to take Adam
to a hockey game, to keep him from going to the party, but Adam disappears. It’s
not the first time their son has run off, but Mike and Tia know there has to be
something more than teen angst at play here. Coben is the absolute king of
suspense - no one does it like he can. In Hold Tight he weaves multiple
plot lines together to create yet another page-turning thrill ride that will
keep you awake all night. If you pay attention, you just might recognize some
familiar faces, too. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
RAVENOUS by Ray Garton:
The town of Big Rock has some
big problems. A serial rapist has been stalking women in town, and now it looks
as though Emily Crane, the receptionist at the local sheriff’s office, has
become the latest victim. The thing about it is Emily’s description of her
attacker is vastly different from the other rape reports. Emily did manage to
stab her attacker before she passed out, but Sheriff Farrell Hurley has just
witnessed the body walking out of the coroner’s office. Minutes later, one of
his deputies is ripped apart in what seems to be an animal attack. Two more
bodies are discovered, torn to pieces like the deputy, when a stranger appears
and tells Hurley that he has a werewolf infestation on his hands. Of course the
sheriff doesn’t believe it, and things are made worse when the stranger tells
him that it spreads like a virus and is transmitted through sex. Hurley and his
men must get the outbreak under control before it spreads too far. It’s an
interesting twist on the classic werewolf mythology. Garton’s style is
reminiscent of the campy horror films we all love – lots of gratuitous gore and
violence, and a killer ending. Werewolves haven’t seen this much action since
the 80s. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
SUCCUBUS IN THE CITY by Nina Harper:
Lily and her friends are some
of satan’s top minions. Lily lures men through lust and delivers them straight
to hell, after sleeping with them of course. Her life has left her longing for
true love, though, and she may just have found it in sexy PI Nathan Coleman.
Problem is, her cover may be about to be blown. A group of serious religious
fundamentalists seems to be gaining some inside information about the ladies and
their occupations. Their goal is to eliminate the women by any means. The ladies
are tasked to discover the demon mole who’s been doling out clues to the
mortals, and deliver him straight to satan herself. Harper’s debut has the
perfect blend of romance, mystery, and paranormal elements, making it a fun and
light addition to the urban fantasy genre. It’s a hip first installment to
another original new series. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
EASY
INNOCENCE by Libby Fischer Hellman:
When a teenage girl is found
beaten to death in the woods, the police figure they’ve got an open and shut
case. A local man, a convicted sex offender, was found standing over the body,
covered in blood and holding a baseball bat. Georgia Davis has been hired by the
man’s sister to find the real killer. The man in question is mentally challenged
and, according to his sister, has never shown any signs of violence. Georgia
also believes the man to be innocent based on the alarming rate at which the
cops have been moving the case to court. Georgia, a cop on suspension,
investigated a case only two years prior where a group of teens had been
participating in a hazing ritual in the same place this girl was found. Her
investigation turns over some rather disturbing information about these teens
and their extra-curricular activities. She’s also ruffling some pretty important
feathers and someone will do just about anything to make sure she keeps her
mouth shut. Easy Innocence is a quick and intense mystery with a clever
plot and a tough heroine. Georgia Davis one I hope we see more of soon. Highly
recommended. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
ANTIQUES TO DIE
FOR by Jane K. Cleland: The third Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery is the
best in the series. Josie has become a successful businesswoman with Josie
Prescott Antiques and Appraisal. When a friend dies, leaving behind a
twelve-year-old sister, and a message about an unknown treasure that will make
her rich, Josie is the logical person to help Paige find that treasure. When she
becomes the target of a stalker, who had sent her dead friend flowers, she’s the
logical person to become his next victim. With her various resources, she’s the
right person to track a killer and a treasure. Antiques to Die For is a strong
entry in the series.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks: The Pulitzer Prize-winning author
of March and Year of Wonders, takes readers back through the history of one
book, the Sarajevo Haggadah, to tell a story of racism, discrimination, and
hatred, but sometimes the courage of individuals. Hanna Heath, a book
conservator, is asked to restore the invaluable manuscript. Intrigued by the
work, Hanna longs to know why an insect wing, a white hair, and a wine stain are
in it. Those remnants allows the author to trace the Haggadah’s history, back
through Sarajevo, Vienna, Venice, and Spain. The book bears silent witness to
religious intolerance, back from the Nazis to the Inquisition and earlier
periods. Time after time, though, individuals rise up to save the Haggadah, and,
in doing so, save something in the human spirit. Even Hanna is forced to fight
to preserve the book, in a fascinating story.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
A STINGRAY BIT MY NIPPLE! By Erik Torkells: When travelers submitted
their stories to Budget Travel magazine’s True Stories section, they included
anecdotes that poked fun at themselves and their traveling companions. In a
small book, filled with photographs, people tell their stories of exotic travel
and encounters with everything from monkeys to stingrays. Some of the stories,
and pictures, are not exactly appropriate for younger readers. However, it's a
fun book that takes the armchair traveler from Tibet to Zimbabwe, and sometimes
makes us glad we stayed home.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
THE ELEMENTS OF COOKING: Translating the Chef's Craft for Every Kitchen by
Michael Ruhlman: I love books about food, and this is a really good one.
So good, in fact, that after I borrowed a copy from the library to read, I went
out and bought my own copy. This collection of essays is a a sort of
primer for the home chef, and includes a fabulous section on something as basic
as stock - not only does it come in cans & boxes at your local grocery store,
you can easily make it at home. Many of those French cooking terms are
explained in plain English, and I especially loved his advice on what to
purchase for a new kitchen - he reminds us that if you look in most restaurant
kitchens, especially those of top rated chefs, you will see some of the oldest,
grungiest beat-up looking pots and pans, despite their celebrity lines available
at your local Bed, Bath & Beyond, which Ruhlman deems overpriced and
unnecessary. He suggests finding your local restaurant supply company, and
gives specific suggestions as to what to look for and pricing. That
chapter alone is worth the price of the book. All in all, an excellent primer
for the new cook and an interesting read for the more experienced one.
04/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
PERFUMES: The Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez: Who would
think a guide book to perfume would be a fun read? I certainly didn't but
then I found myself laughing out loud while reading the "Feminine Fragrance"
chapter written by Sanchez, where she pronounced, ""What scent drives men wild?"
After years of intense research, we know the definitive answer. It is
bacon."
I'm the sort of person that has instant aversions (usually followed by instant
headaches) to a lot of perfumes and colognes. I found one I liked several
years ago, and I stick with it. Unfortunately, my perfume of choice isn't
included in this guide. My teenage daughter selected a perfume about a
year ago, her first, and that one wasn't in the guide either, so I can't call it
definitive. It is, however, informative. Their explanations of the
various types of perfumes - feminines, masculines, chypres, loud, quiet, etc. -
are clear and comprehensible, and there are lists of the best perfumes
(Shalimar? Really??) in the back of the book. If you like perfume, and
wonder why you like different ones on different days and for different
occasions, this book will help explain that, and help you choose.
04/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
MURDER TALKS TURKEY by Deb Baker: In order to understand Gertie Johnson, you have to remember she
named her children Heather, Star and Blaze, all names of horses she wanted but
never had. Blaze is the local sheriff but he’s out of commission with bacterial
meningitis on this fine spring day in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. So there is
sixty-six year old Gertie, standing in line at the Stonely Credit Union on April
1 to cash her social security check when a man wearing a ski mask pulls a gun
and demands all the money. Obviously he was from out of town, or he would have
known everyone in Stonely was armed and most can shoot a nickel off the top of a
soda can. So the robber is shot down by a police sniper in a room full of
witnesses, but where is the money? In the excitement, the money has disappeared
and its Gertie, Cora Mae, and Kitty, the geriatric gumshoes who must track it
down. So pull up a plate of “hot dish” and have it. It’s a regular whodunit.
04/08 Jack Quick
TWISTED
by Andrea Kane: A childhood friend of Sloane Burbank is one of several
young women who have disappeared without a trace. Burbank, a 30 year old former
FBI agent, is now a special consultant after almost being killed herself. Penny
Truman’s mother hires Sloane to look into the matter of Penny’s disappearance
and then Sloane learns that Derek Parker, her former lover is the FBI agent in
charge of the case. Parker and Burbank had split after the stabbing that almost
took Burbank’s life just over a year ago. Will the two get back together or
will the stress of the case force them apart irrevocably? One of the better
romantic suspense efforts of late and the start of a new series. Looking
forward to number two. 04/08 Jack Quick
INFECTED
by Scott Sigler: CIA operative Dew Phillips has never had an assignment
quite like this one. Across the country ordinary people are going berserk and
killing strangers, family, anyone in their path. Phillips’ mission is to
capture one of these maniacs alive. At the same time CDC epidemiologist
Margaret Montoya is working with the killers’ corpses to learn if there is a
common source for these outbreaks. She finds all the killers are victims of a
bioengineered parasite far more complex than current science could create. At
the heart of the battle for the human race is Perry Dawsey, former football
player and now cubicle-bound desk jockey who wakes up one morning to find
several mysterious welts growing on his body. Then he begins hearing voices,
acting strangely and thinking mysterious thoughts. Where will it end?
Amazingly fast read for such a technical thriller and definitely recommended.
04/08 Jack Quick
THUGS AND KISSES
by Sue Ann Jaffarian: California-based paralegal Odelia Grey is living
large and in charge. Its Class reunion time and while wheel chair bound
boyfriend Greg stays home, attractive widower Devin Frye escorts Odelia. After
30 years Odelia has forgotten just how miserable her high school years were but
she is quickly reminded just how cruel people can be. Then Donny Oliver, her
tormentor, winds up dead, and next her boss, Mike Steele, vanishes just before a
major trial. Is Odelia cursed or is there something else afoot. An excellent
follow-up to 2003’s The Curse of The Holy Pail, Odelia shows once again why she
is an original and very funny character. Enjoyable. 04/08 Jack Quick
RITUAL by Mo Hayder:
This latest release by Hayder
marks the return of DI Jack Caffery. He’s transferred to Bristol where divers,
led by Phoebe “Flea” Marley, have just discovered a severed hand in the harbor.
Most of the bodies that wash up in the harbor turn out to be the result of
suicide. Something about this particular case is different, though, and the
second hand is soon discovered buried beneath a local restaurant. Marley's and
Caffrey's research into the case leads them to the African practices and beliefs
of Muti, where various parts of both animals and humans are used in ritualistic
manners for everything from luck to protection. Given the way the hands were
removed, they also come to believe that the victim in question may actually
still be alive, but just how long he can last without medical attention is the
question. Time is quickly running out as the team races to unravel this strange
case. Another fantastic thriller from one of the best in the business. Although
this is the third book to feature Caffery (following Birdman and The
Treatment) it can be read as a stand-alone and is the first installment in
what Hayder refers to as her Walking Man series. Ritual is available now
in the UK and can be ordered through specialty stores stateside. Official US
release date is this fall. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
CODEX
632 by Jose Rodrigues dos Santos:
Historian Martinho Toscano has been hired by a certain
organization to research the original discovery of Brazil. In his studies, he
comes across some surprising information in regards to Christopher Columbus and
his voyage to the Americas. Unfortunately, Toscano passes away due to natural
causes before he can reveal his discovery. It seems the historian was an
extremely careful and paranoid man since he kept all of his notes in code. So,
the organization approaches scholar and professor Thomas Noronha, a specialist
in cryptography, to decode the notes and finish Toscano’s research. Noronha
discovers that there is some question as to Columbus’s true identity and he is
soon thoroughly enmeshed in the same mystery that so consumed Toscano. Codex
632 is touted as the “book that outsold Harry Potter in Portugal.”
Unfortunately, I can’t really see why. At best the book reads like an
interesting history lesson. At worst, it is a meandering and repetitive story
with flat characters. The last few chapters seem like an attempt to finally
flesh out Noronha and his family, but it is both awkward and too little too
late. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
BLOOD
TIES by Pamela Freeman:
In a world ruled by warlords,
where ghosts walk amongst the living, one man is planning an act of revenge that
has been generations in the making. Thousands of years ago, Acton and his troops
spread throughout what would become the Eleven Domains, raping, plundering, and
murdering the original inhabitants. Those who survived took to the road,
becoming known from then on as the Travelers. Bramble and Ash both carry
Traveler blood within them and though they lead very different lives, their
fates are intertwined and their paths will finally intersect in this first book
of the Castings Trilogy. This story is primarily theirs - Freeman weaves their
tales together, telling their separate histories and the trials that will lead
to their involvement in the events to come. Their stories are interspersed with
that of Saker, the enchanter who helps to set events into motion, and others
that are met along the way. This is Freeman’s first adult title and marks the
beginning of what promises to be a fascinating fantasy trilogy that melds
together political intrigue and magic. 04/08
Becky Lejeune
CARROT CAKE
MURDER by Joanne Fluke: Family reunions can be deadly, especially when the
black sheep returns. Hannah Swensen’s business partner took time off for a
family reunion, but no one expected Uncle Gus to return to Lake Eden, Minnesota.
When he does show up, it turns out there are a number of people with reasons to
hate him, from the women he dumped, to the men he borrowed money from. After
he’s killed, though, the women turn to Hannah for help in the investigation.
Fluke’s latest mystery has terrific looking recipes, as usual. However, Hannah
still can’t decide if she’s in love with Norman or Mike, and this is starting to
become an issue for Fluke’s readers. This cozy mystery series is starting to
drag.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
THE ALPINE TRAITOR by Mary Daheim: Despite the fact this is the twentieth
in Daheim’s Alpine mystery series, it’s one of the strongest stories yet. Emma
Lord is the middle-aged newspaper publisher in Alpine, Washington, who gets
dragged into investigations because of her job. This time, it’s her newspaper
itself, and her past, that drags her in. When there’s an offer to purchase the
Advocate, Emma is shocked to discover the children of her late lover are behind
the deal. She’s even more shocked when a man turns up dead, and she becomes a
suspect. She discovers a complicated scheme behind the whole deal in a mystery
that hinges on her past. Daheim’s mysteries haven’t grown stale.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
BULLS ISLAND by Dorothea Benton Frank: Betts McGee is horrified when her
bosses in New York send her to Charleston, South Carolina to work on a land
development project. She fled that city nineteen years earlier, rejected by her
family and the family of the man she still loves. Now, she has to return and
work with J.D. Langley, her son’s father. J.D. still carries a torch for Betts,
and never knew he had a son. Frank always writes interesting stories, set in her
beloved South Carolina. Despite her characters, who are sometimes stereotypes,
and often melodramatic, she still writes stories that catch the reader’s
interest. Bulls Island is no exception.
04/08 Lesa Holstine
THE
KILLER'S WIFE
by Bill Floyd: What if your somewhat controlling, know-it-all husband
turned out to be a serial killer? That is the intriguing premise of
Floyd's debut novel that never quite lives up to expectations. Nina Mosley
has a baby before she is finally able to admit to herself that there is
something wrong in her marriage and with her husband. By that point, he's
decided to trust her, and leaves her the evidence she needs to turn him in, get
a divorce, move cross country and change her name. Years pass and then she
is confronted by the parent of one of her ex's victims, turning her new life
upside down. When her son is kidnapped by a copycat killer, the tension
really escalates. While interesting and towards the end, very suspenseful,
the book tends to meander choppily between the back story and the present day
situation, but all in all, a very impressive debut.
04/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch
THE PREY
by Allison Brennan: It has to be a crime writer’s worst night mare.
Rowan Smith’s books have done very well, so well that two have been made into
movies and she is now in a rented Malibu beach house working on the screenplay
for her third movie. Then the press shows up, followed by the police and the
FBI. A woman in Colorado with the same name, looks, and occupation as a
character in one of her books is found dead in Denver. Then another person is
killed in a direct rip off from the pages of her books. Is there a connection
with her former career as an FBI agent, or is this a fan expressing his devotion
in a most disturbing fashion. Terrific plot and good characterization. I
definitely will read more by Ms. Brennan. 04/08 Jack Quick
THE SOCORRO BLAST
by Pari
Noskin Taichert:
At first I didn’t really care that much for New Mexico public relations expert
Sasha Solomon, but either she is changing or I am. I think its because there is
now more action and less woo woo In this enjoyable third outing, Sasha has been
hired by Socorro town leader Papi Sanchez to help the town boost tourism. This
is great from Sasha’s point of view since her favorite niece is a graduate
student at New Mexico Tech in Socorro studying explosive technology. But when
Gabi is victimized by a mailbox bomb, is she the victim of random violence or is
this a hate crime, since Gabi is Jewish with an Iranian surname? Not only is
Socorro the home of New Mexico Tech, it is the home of secrets and scandals that
imperil Sasha as she searches for the truth. First rate. 04/08 Jack Quick
LEGWORK
by Katy Munger: A simplistic description would be that Casey Jones is
Stephanie Plum without the humor, or a rough edged Southern edition of Kinsey
Milhone. She's smart, talented and durable, and reminds me most of Barbara
Seranella’s Munch. She served time in Florida on a drug bust engineered by her
ex-husband, so she can’t get her North Carolina private investigator's license.
She has to be content with doing legwork for legitimate Raleigh private
investigator. Bobby D -- a blimp-sized eating machine with a bad toupee. Her
latest assignment – body guarding Senatorial hopeful Mary Lee Masters – turns
deadly when a shotgunned corpse is found in the candidate’s jeep at her home.
Its obviously dirty politics, but just who is responsible. Recommended. 04/08 Jack Quick
BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN
by Charles Bock: What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.
In this case, that’s a good thing. This is the story of America’s “mutant”
children, raised on video games, independence, and a disconnect with reality as
most of us see it. Newell is a twelve year old runaway, not from anything or
toward anything, but just because he can. Cheri Blossom doesn’t see anything
wrong with mutilating her body in the name of “art”. Bing Beiderbixze is into
pornography as an alternative to the real world where he is singularly
physically unattractive. Ponyboy, who is mentally challenged, gay Kenny and his
wacky aunt – all of these characters are larger than life and distorted by the
life in which they exist.
"What am I supposed to do,"
Kenny asks at the end of the book, not only on his own behalf but in the name of
lost and confused humanity. "Just what am I supposed to do now?” BEAUTIFUL
CHILDREN is not an easy read, nor is it a polished work. I read it in an
electronic version. Perhaps in print, where you could more easily move back and
forth to keep up with the various threads, it would be better. I came away with
that dull washed out feeling you get after too little sleep, too much
stimulation, and wondering if it was all worth it. 04/08 Jack Quick
KILLER YEAR, edited by Lee
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