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 

Quantico Rules by Gene Riehl: F.B.I. agent Puller Monk is the damaged protagonist of this first novel by a former F.B.I. agent, whose experience shines through every page.  Monk is a gambler, barely managing to keep on the right side of a bad habit.  He is assigned to the SPIN unit, short for Special Inquiries, and his inquiry is into a Supreme Court Judge nominee.  An almost insignificant discrepancy is on her security paperwork, a missing week during her college days, but that turns into something considerably more sinister.  This is a page turner for sure, but for some reason, nothing really surprised me here.  A decent first effort, but I'm hoping for more in the next installment - more tension, more twists, more suspense. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

QUANTICO RULES by Gene Riehl:  Puller Monk, FBI agent, compulsive gambler, and accomplished liar is head of the SPIN squad; i.e. Special Inquiries.  Right now he is checking out Judge Brenda Thompson to make sure she's squeaky clean before the confirmation hearings begin for her nomination to the Supreme Court.  When a minor discrepancy shows up in Thompson’s record, Monk’s boss wants the investigation shut down.  This is akin to waving a red flag in Monk’s face and away we go.  Monk is a strong but believable character full of contradictions and obsessions.  This could be the start of something good. 06/06 Jack Quick

QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE by Max Allan Collins:  Hardcase crime number 61 brings back Quarry, the contract killer featured in, among other titles The First Quarry which detailed the start of his career and The Last Quarry which covered the ending.  Not surprisingly Quarry in the Middle, set in the mid 1980’s bridges the two.  The Broker is dead and Quarry has taken his files.  Using them he gets hired killer’s targets to hire him to kill the killers.  Still with me?  So Quarry goes to Haydee’s Port, Illinois (locally known as Hades) following a fellow contract killer named Monahan who is gunning for Richard Cornell, owner of the Paddlewheel Casino.  Monahan’s employer is one Jerry G, son of mob-connected Gigi Giovanni, owner of Cornell's main competition, the less-classy Lucky Devil.  So now it is up to Quarry to eliminate the Giovanni’s.  Actually it is a much better read than my explanation. Try it. 11/09 Jack Quick  

QUARRY’S LIST by Max Allan Collins: A thirty year old effort from Collins but still imminently readable. Quarry is a hit man. All you need to know about him is that he has a job to do and he does it, professionally – unless someone else gets him first. Reads a lot like a Mickey Spillane, or maybe just everyone is thinking about Mickey these days. Another one of this finish in one setting shoot ‘em ups. 08/06 Jack Quick

QUEEN OF BABBLE by Meg Cabot: The first in this new series for adults by Princess Diaries author, Meg Cabot, finds Lizzie Nichols in a bind. Lizzie has an awful habit – she can’t keep a secret. That’s the least of her problems when she finds herself broke and sleeping above the washing machine in her English boyfriend’s parents’ house. She quickly realizes that this relationship is not meant to be. Could it be the hideous Michael Jackson style jacket he insists on wearing? Or maybe it’s the fact that he lied about his job, lives with his parents and expects Lizzie to loan him money to pay his debts! Lizzie hops a train to France where she spills her own mortifying secrets the hottie sitting next to her. Normally, this would not be a problem. What are the chances that she’ll run into him again, right? Unfortunately, the hottie just happens to be her best friend’s boss! This hilariously sweet and cute novel is a refreshingly light and easy read.  10/06 Becky LeJeune

QUEEN OF BABBLE GETS HITCHED by Meg Cabot:  Lizzie Nichols is confused, and rightly so. When we last left Lizzie at the end of Queen of Babble in the Big City she had just spent the night with Chaz, her best friend’s ex, and discovered that Luke, her own ex, was down on one knee on her doorstep. After accepting Luke’s proposal though, she begins to get nauseated and break out in hives at the thought of the actual wedding. Plus, what are all these confusing feelings she has about Chaz all of the sudden? Luke is a prince, for real, and he’s perfect. Chaz, on the other hand, has no fashion sense and has sworn off marriage. But it’s Chaz, not Luke, who remembers that Lizzie likes a glass of ice on the side with her wine and it’s Chaz, not Luke, who is there for Lizzie when she really needs him. Then Luke drops the big one on Lizzie and tells her he’s going to France for the summer. And what, does he expect her to just up and leave what with her newfound success in the New York wedding gown scene? It’s enough to drive a girl insane. Poor Lizzie, her adventures do make for some pretty amusing reading, though. I absolutely love Meg Cabot’s books, she never lets me down. They’re light and funny and they just always make you smile.  06/08 Becky Lejeune   

QUEEN OF BABBLE IN THE BIG CITY by Meg Cabot: Lizzie Nichols is back. Following the events of her last tale, Queen of Babble, Lizzie has relocated to the Big Apple with her boyfriend Luke (the Prince). At first, she and her best friend Shari are supposed to find a place together but then Luke asks her to move in and Lizzie can’t help but say yes. This leaves Shari living with her boyfriend Chaz. Everything should be perfect, but it’s far from it. Lizzie is having trouble finding her dream job, restoring vintage clothing, until a neighbor turns her onto Monsieur Henri and his wedding restoration business. One problem, Lizzie is so desperate that she offers to work for free. Chaz is there to bail her out and lands Lizzie a part time job with his father’s law firm. Things are still not quite rosy for Lizzie and her pals. Chaz and Shari’s relationship is on the rocks and Lizzie thinks her boyfriend’s mother may be having an affair. She’s doing her very best to keep her mouth shut this time, the results of which are nothing short of hilarious. If you haven’t tried Cabot’s adult titles, I highly recommend them. They’re light, easy, and just plain fun. 07/07 Becky Lejeune

QUEEN OF DIAMONDS by R. O. Palmer:  Ngoc Soan is a Vietnamese refugee who, following in her father’s footsteps, has built a thriving diamond company in Philadelphia. She decides to defy the De Beers diamond cartel which controls the world supply, by seeking to exploit a revolutionary mining discovery - a discovery that De Beers will do anything to suppress.  Other characters include a sinister Russian, a brilliant geologist, a rival tycoon and Ngoc's own ambitious niece. Add in Paul Weeks, master of surveillance can disguise and you have the makings of a great read.  Enjoyable. 02/07 Jack Quick

QUEENE OF LIGHT by Jennifer Armintrout: The world has been split. After discovering magic folk around them, humans banish them underground. Now, there is the Lightworld and the Darkworld. Lightworld, where Queene Mab and her fae court live, is home for Ayla, a half human, half faery assassin. When an assignment takes her to the Darkworld, Ayla makes what could be a fatal mistake. Her human side gives her an advantage over Malachi, an angel of death who has followed her into that realm. One touch leaves him mortal and desperate for revenge. Ayla should have killed him then, but she spared him, breaking her vow to the assassins’ guild. Broken and left by his own kind, Malachi becomes obsessed with finding Ayla and the unlikely pair become undeniably drawn to one another. Their union could mean terrible consequences, especially when Ayla is drawn into a conflict that has severe ramifications for the Lightworld and its occupants. Queene of Light is the first in a new trilogy that will appeal to readers of paranormal romance, high fantasy, and urban fantasy as well. A great and imaginative tale and the start of a story that will no doubt be amazing in scope.  09/09 Becky Lejeune 

QUEENPIN by Megan Abbott: I don’t know if its noir or not, but I like it.  In this short but sharp tale, the unnamed 22-year-old female narrator becomes the protégé of Gloria Denton, the hard as nails long legged collector for the mob.  Gloria recognizes the same hardness in her, takes her under her wing and teaches her how to dress, move, behave and act as she begins to assist her in the pick up, transport, and distribution of payoffs and winnings.  But then love or lust enters the picture in the form of smooth talking Vic Riordan.  The result is inevitable and suddenly you find yourself in the middle of a tawdry ness that was there all along under the glitz and glitter.  Eagerly awaiting her next book.  08/07 Jack Quick 

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 

A QUESTION OF BLOOD by Ian Rankin: John Rebus and his younger partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke, are trying to close the case of a withdrawn ex-soldier named Lee Herdman, who apparently shot three teenage boys at a Scottish private school, leaving two of them dead, before turning the pistol on himself. But is the case that straight forward or is there more to the story? Rebus is handicapped because of badly burned hands, an injury he insists has no connection to the burning death of a small-time crook who'd been stalking Siobhan. Like a fine wine, Rebus only gets better with age and in his 14th outing he comes very close to going over the edge and losing his police position. At 525 pages, it’s not a “short read” but it is a good one. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE QUESTORY OF ROOT KARBUNKULUS by Kamilla Read:  Root Karbunkulus’s life sucks. Really. She’s fourteen and being raised by her two disgusting aunts who she’s expected to wait on hand and foot. In fact, at one point she’d all but given up on any sort of different life. All that is about to change for Root. She’s about to discover that everything she’s ever known about herself is absolutely wrong. For one, she’s not related to her yucky aunts in any way. In fact, she’s not even from this world. She hails from a world called DréAmm and she and just over one hundred other kids are about to embark on a treasure quest that will change their lives forever. This is just the beginning, though. First in an ambitious new series, Questory will appeal to young Harry Potter and fantasy fans everywhere. Parents will get a kick out of reading it, but I’m not sure if it will have the same universal appeal as HP. We’ll just have to see. 07/08 Becky Lejeune 

THE QUICKIE by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge:  Okay, I admit I picked this one this up based on the title and the fact that Patterson’s output is like potato chips – not necessarily satisfying, but still hard to resist picking one up on occasion.  This one is quite simple.  NYPD cop Lauren Stillwell decides to exact revenge on her husband after seeing him leaving a hotel with another woman.  However, in the process she witnesses a shocking crime.  Now it’s not only her marriage that’s in jeopardy but also her job and perhaps even her life.  A quickie read, hardly more than a couple of beers, and oh, could you pass me over that bowl of potato chips. 08/07 Jack Quick 

A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS by R.J. Ellory: This literary mystery and coming-of-age tale is an absolutely amazing read. Eleven-year-old Joseph Vaughan could have lived out an unassuming life in his small rural Georgia town. But over the years, Joseph faced events that many would never experience; events that shaped his life in unexpected ways. It is 1939 when his father dies. Joseph, a bright student, is encouraged by both his mother and his teacher to develop his promising writing skills. When a girl in his class is kidnapped and murdered, Joseph takes a special interest, collecting facts about the murder and even forming his own band of Guardians to track the killer. As more girls are found, Joseph becomes entangled in the case, eventually discovering one of the bodies himself. For decades, the girls would haunt him, until he is faced once again with the death of someone close to him, someone whose murder resembles those of so long ago. Joseph’s pursuit of the truth sends him down a path that will change him forever. As he struggles with growing up, with prison, and even with fame, Joseph never forgets the murders that plagued his hometown or the body that he found. Ellory’s American debut is a brilliant read—enthralling and lyrical prose paired with a smart mystery that will literally leave you guessing until the very last page.  09/09 Becky Lejeune 

QUINCANNON’S GAME by Bill Pronzini: Former Secret Service agent turned detective John Quincannon is featured in this collection of four short stories. The first, involves a serial burglar, and the others feature a fraudulent rainmaker, a bogus psychic, and a couple of con artists. Combining two genres--detective story and western, in this case--is always tricky but Pronzini, a veteran of both, blends the two seamlessly but isn’t that what you would expect? 04/06 Jack Quick 

THE RACE by Richard North Patterson: A war hero is seeking the Republican nomination for President in this timely, fast-paced yarn. Republican Senator Corey Grace leans to the left - he's pro choice, stem cell research and gay marriage - and he's one of the top three contenders for his party's nomination. His competitors are favorite son Senator Rob Marotta, who will pander to anyone and do anything to get the nomination, and the Reverend Bob Christy, a right wing preacher with a national following. Grace has a few other stumbling blocks as well: he votes his conscience instead of along the party line, and even worse, he’s divorced and dating a beautiful, famous African-American actress. This is a well researched, in-depth look at the voting process in America, examining the unbridled lust for power of a right wing media magnate and a power-crazed lobbyist looking for complete hegemony by seating the next president. A three way tie at the national convention leads to a fairy-tale ending, but it's the wild ride to get there that’s so much fun.  11/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2007 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission. 

THE RACE by Richard North Patterson:  What a perfect read to start on Super-Duper Tuesday.  Across the top of my ARC is the question CAN AN HONEST MAN BECOME PRESIDENT?  Unfortunately, I think we all know the answer to that.  Anyway, in the book, Corey Grace, former decorated Gulf War Air Force pilot and current Senator from Ohio is in a fierce presidential primary battle with the party establishment favorite, and a charismatic leader of Conservative Christians. Sound familiar, so far?  Grace’s dalliance with African-American movie star Lexie Hart is a complicating factor.  THE RACE has it all - racism, terrorism, religious fundamentalism, gay rights, and powerful media monopolies with their own agenda. Grace must endure betrayal, excruciating moral choices, and secrets that can destroy lives only to arrive at a deadlocked party convention where he must choose between Lexie and his presidential ambitions.  With his fifteenth novel, Patterson has definitely raised the bar, and produced a must read for anyone into this year’s US Presidential politics. 02/08 Jack Quick

Rag Man by Pete Hautman: Serio-comic novel that takes a business partnership gone bad to a new dimension.  Throw in ethical and moral dilemmas and the age old question of good versus evil and there you have this quick, funny read.

RAIN GODS by James Lee Burke:  With apologies to all my author friends, but if there is a better book published this year, I doubt I will be able to stand it.  Thirty eight years after Burke’s 1971 Lay Down My Sword and Shield, he brings back Hackberry Holland, former defense attorney, Texas congressional candidate, maverick alcoholic, ACLU staffer and now small town sheriff.  His beloved wife Rie is dead of uterine cancer, his twin boys have left home and he is left to deal with life.  Holland gets involved with former New Orleans bad guys relocated after Katrina.  His experiences as a POW survivor in Korea have enabled him to continue to function after discovering the burial site of nine massacred Thai women, a crime that brings FBI and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials running. Preacher Jack Collins has been called in to dispose of Pete Flores and his girl friend (Pete is a possible witness to the massacre).  The FBI wants to us them for bait and Holland must try to save their lives. Lowlifes, strong female characters, violence, a battle of wills and wits, but most of all lyrical writing that may be the best ever from even such a master as Burke. From the opening sentence – “On the burnt-out end of a July day in Southwest Texas, in a crossroads community whose only economic importance has depended upon its relationship to a roach paste factory the EPA had shut down twenty years before, a young man driving a car without window glass stopped by an abandoned blue-and-white stucco filling station that has once sold Pure gas during the Depression and was now home to bats and clusters of tumbleweed.” – to further observations like describing the actions of a local bootlegger – “Ouzel tries to keep it simple. No tax stamps or labels to create undue paperwork.” – this is writing that transcends any genre pre-conceptions. 08/09 Jack Quick 

RAISING ATLANTIS by Thomas Greanias:  Archaeologist Dr. Conrad Yeats, the son of a US astronaut, is apprehended by U.S. Special Forces in Peru and sent to Antarctica, where a glacial earthquake has exposed a mysterious monument older than the Earth itself.  In Rome, the Pope summons environmental activist Dr. Serena Serghetti to the Vatican...and reveals a terrifying vision of apocalyptic disaster. She too, is dispatched to Antarctica.   In space, a weather satellite reveals four massive storms forming around the South Pole...and three U.S. spy satellites disappear from orbit. Are these the end times, when the legends of a lost civilization and the prophecies of the world's great religions come together to lead one man and one woman on the ultimate voyage, a journey to the center of time, as awe-inspiring as the dawn of man--and as inevitable as doomsday. Nicely done thriller obviously over the top but with solid roots.  I am looking forward to the second and third volumes in this series. 03/10 Jack Quick 

THE RAPTURE by Liz Jensen: Gabrielle Fox is an art therapist who has survived a terrible accident. But it’s come at a cost: the accident claimed the life of her lover, and Gabrielle herself has been left paralyzed from the waist down. Wheelchair-bound and determined to return to work in spite of her superiors’ recommendations otherwise, she takes a post at an asylum for adolescents. Here she meets Bethany Krall, a 16-year-old who stabbed her mother to death with a screwdriver. Bethany’s treatment involves electrotherapy—the only thing that seems to bring her back to reality—but one side effect of the therapy is the delusion that she can see terrible events around the globe before they occur. Gabrielle’s whole world is turned upside down when she comes to believe that Bethany does in fact have the ability to predict these events. But who will believe Gabrielle and is there anything that can be done to prepare people for what is to come? The Rapture is a dark thriller with an apocalyptic view of our effects on the world. It’s also a very smart read with a well-thought-out plot. Definitely a book that stands out amongst the crowd. 08/09 Becky Lejeune

THE RASNER EFFECT by Mark Rosendorf:  Ever ask a Mainer for directions and he says “Ya can’t get there from here.”  That phrase would seem to define Rick Rasner.  Rasner is a therapist at the Brookhill Children’s Psychiatric Residence, a retro type facility for troubled urban teens run by an oppressive director named Katherine Miller who bullies staff and patients on an equal opportunity basis.  Rasner’s path to this position was set years ago when he barely survived a terrorist attack on a New York City bridge which left his car destroyed, his family killed, and his own near death experience (he flat-lined multiple times enroute to treatment).  The trauma left him with virtually no memory although his communications skills were not affected.   The attack also derailed the career of mercenary Jake Scarberry who was deemed responsible for not stopping the attack.  Now the Duke Organization which caused the initial explosion has resurfaced, putting Rick Rasner and Jake in mortal danger.  Also at risk is Clara Blue, one of Rick’s patients with whom he has developed a close relationship.  Complex but exciting, this is a thriller that will leave you wondering who is good and who is evil, and who should win. 12/09 Jack Quick

THE RATS by James Herbert: The war has long since ended but London still bears the scars of the battle. The East End is by no means the posh urban setting that London is famous for. No, the East End is where the downtrodden and poor live. The East End is where the rats first appear, swarming up from the underground and attacking people in the subway, hiding in the trash heaps and killing innocent bystanders, plaguing the poorest part of the city – the part no one cares about. Harris cares, though. He grew up in the East End and when the rats attack one of his students, and later the school where he teaches, he knows he must step in and help. Originally published in 1974, The Rats marked the beginning of James Herbert’s career as a published author. For over three decades the “British Stephen King” has been scaring the pants off readers with his gory and violent tales. This is the book that started it all. Herbert should be on every horror fan’s reading list if he isn’t already. The Rats is still in print and available in the US and is the first in a trilogy, followed by Lair and Domain. The Rats is essentially a creature feature with a social message that is still very relevant today.  11/08 Becky Lejeune

RAVEN BLACK by Ann Cleeves: Cleeves won the first Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award in England for this crime novel, and deservedly so. Just published in the United States, the story takes the reader to the Shetland Islands, a setting not overly explored in literature. The islands are isolated, and feel particularly lonely in January, the time of this story. When a sixteen-year-old girl is found murdered, the villagers’ suspicions turn to Magnus Tait, a man who is slightly mentally disabled, the primary suspect when a young girl disappeared eight years earlier. They’re eager to pin the blame on him, but Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez has his doubts. He himself was once lonely and an outsider in that village, so he’s a sympathetic listener as he interviews the newcomer who found the body, and the teens who may know something about the victim. Perez is the perfect detective for the investigation in a community where everyone knows each other, and their secrets and lives are interwoven. I can only compare this outstanding book with Louise Penny’s Still Life and Val McDermid’s A Place of Execution, two other wonderful crime novels set in small, isolated villages, brought vividly to life by the authors. It’s going to seem like forever until the next book, White Nights, is published. 06/07 Lesa Holstine

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

RAVENS by George Dawes Green: Childhood friends Romeo and Shaw have a plan that is finally going to get them to the big times. While passing through Georgia on their way to Florida, Shaw overhears news of a recent big-ticket lottery win. He is able to find out who the winning family is and hatches a scheme that will make both he and Romeo rich beyond their wildest dreams. There’s just one catch: the winning family has to be completely compliant in the plan. To do this, Shaw puts his friend in the role of enforcer and hit man, something the somewhat sweet-tempered Romeo is having a little trouble swallowing. But Romeo is willing to do anything for his friend. Soon, Shaw has a slew of people under his spell, and even the family themselves have started to fall for it. But in this kind of story, things can’t possibly end well. Or could they? George Dawes Green throws readers a curveball that they may or may not see coming. Either way, this is the kind of story that drags you along for the ride—before you know it you’re totally sucked in. 07/09 Becky Lejeune 

RAZOR GIRL by Marianne Mancusi:  Molly Anderson wanted nothing more than to be a normal teen with normal parents. Unfortunately, her father had other plans. A brilliant scientist who was once contracted by the US government to create an army of super-soldiers, Molly’s father knows all too well that the end is near. Molly is to be his most perfect creation - cybernetically enhanced and trained to survive the coming apocalypse. Six years have passed since Molly and her mother entered the underground bunker that her father had prepared for them. Six years without contact with anyone other than each other. Six years with no news from the outside. Molly emerges, alone, to discover that although the scenery has changed little, the people are all gone, turned into zombies or killed by the virus that had just started to break out when she went into hiding. She joins a small band of survivors and sets off to find her father, sure that he has survived and that he can help them to start anew. A post-apocalyptic/futuristic romance with zombies. It just doesn’t get much better. Light-cyberpunk with inspiration drawn from William Gibson, Razor Girl is great for readers who are looking for something a little different in the romance world. 08/08 Becky Lejeune

THE REACH by Nate Kenyon:  Psychology major Jess Chambers is top her class and has been pegged for a special project by her professor and mentor, Dr. Shelley. It seems Shelley is guardian of a very special little girl, a girl who until now has been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Strange considering the girl was diagnosed such at just six years of age and schizophrenia usually begins to show around puberty. The girl has become unresponsive, almost catatonic even, and the doctors think that a new face may be just the thing to bring her back to reality. Jess agrees and instantly can see that there is something much more going on with this case than her superiors are willing to share. As Jess grows to know the girl, she can tell that there is something terribly wrong with what she’s been told. Meanwhile, scientists have also come to notice the young girl and hope to cash in on a new drug designed to enhance powers that have manifested in the child. These powers are beyond Jess’s belief, but she will have to open herself to their possibility in order to help the girl as best she can. Kenyon’s second release is an extremely satisfying horror read that’s already earning him comparison to Stephen King himself. The story is certainly reminiscent of classics like Carrie and Firestarter, but I believe Kenyon has a voice and style that are all his own, both of which will place him firmly at the top of any horror fan’s must read. 12/08 Becky Lejeune 

REBEL ISLAND by Rick Riordan: Tres Navarre and his new bride are honeymooning on Re bel Island, a place Tres and his family visited when he was growing up.  Newly married but with a baby on the way very soon, Tres is dismayed to find himself in the middle of a hurricane, stranded on the island, with the possibility of a serial killer on the loose.  A reminder of the past shows up in the form of a corpse shot dead in room 12.  As more guests die, it is up to Tres to sort out the reasons and relate them to the summer that changed everything in his life. A summer he could never forget but never entirely remember either.  This series just keeps getting better and better. 12/08 Jack Quick  

RECKLESS by Andrew Gross: A family is brutally murdered in Greenwich, Connecticut which starts off a chain of events that sometimes mirror the headlines.  Money managers gone off the deep end, old banking companies collapsing and international terrorists take center stage in this fast paced financial thriller, the latest from James Patterson's protégé. Ty Hauck returns as his former lover is one of the family members murdered in Greenwich. The local cops think it's a robbery gone bad, but Hauck has his own suspicions. Gross gives just enough finance information to make the story plausible but not enough to slow down the action. Interesting characters and a tight, twisty plot make this a gripping read - the protégé has surpassed his master.  05/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RECKLESS by Andrew Gross: Ty Hauck started with NYPD and then became chief of detectives at Greenwich, Connecticut, before leaving to become an investigator for a world-wide security firm.  He is stunned to learn that a former lover, who still lives in Greenwich has been murdered, along with Mark Glassman, the chief equities trader at a top investment bank.  On the surface it looks like a burglary gone bad. Hauck has the motivation and the expertise to connect the dots on the case which is the tip of a global terrorist conspiracy, with global financial implications. Do the phrases “too big to fail” and “collapse of the US banking system” sound familiar? Once again the ex James Patterson co-author scores with a book that no less an authority than Lee Child calls a automatic must read. The best one yet. 05/10 Jack Quick 

RED CAT by Peter Spiegelman: I was sucked in by the cover; it's dark and sexy, and fortunately, so is the novel behind the cover.  John March is a private investigator, former cop, and a work-driven loner in New York City.  His über-successful brother David comes to him for help because an affair with a woman he met on the Internet has turned from torrid to terrible - he's tried to end it and she's threatening to tell his wife and his boss.  Problem is, all David knows about her is her screenname; Wren.  John starts investigating when an unidentified woman's body with a tattoo of a red cat on her leg is found in the river, and David looks good as the prime suspect in her murder.  Turns out Wren isn't really a blackmailer; she's making performance art videos, secretly filming men she has affairs with - or is it porn?  Either way there are lots of suspects and more twists than kinks in this provocative noir thriller. 03/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RED CHAMELEON by Stuart Kaminsky: Chief Inspector Rostnikov has offended the powers that be by applying for an exit visa. Now he is reduced to investigating “minor” crimes like the shooting death of an old Jew and theft of a brass candlestick. Rostnikov, along with Emil Karpo and Sacha Tkach could be the heart of the 87th precinct – in Moscow. At night Rostnikov reads a chapter of an 87th Precinct novel because of his admiration of Carella and the other guys. During the daytime he proves their equal in solving crimes, no matter who wants them solved or left unsolved. Another excellent police procedural. 12/05 Jack Quick.

RED FLASH by Kiva Wolfe:  Diamonds and gemstones, the Russian Mafia, Brazilian criminals, murder, obsession, betrayal, exotic locations, sex, mayhem and double crosses.  It all starts when a former triathlete finds out that the Russian Mafia caused his nephew’s death and that his older brother is involved with that same group in a gem smuggling scheme.  Then it gets interesting.  Everyone wants the gems, some badly enough to kill for them.  Who will succeed and who will merely survive?  When the stakes are this high the rules are merely an inconvenience.  Interesting first effort. 02/06 Jack Quick

RED-HEADED STEPCHILD by Jaye Wells: This first in a new urban fantasy series featuring a half mage, half vampire assassin is great fun. Sabina Kane would have been a high-born vamp if her bloodline had been pure. As such, she is relegated to wet work on behalf of her grandmother, the Alpha and leader of the Domina, those who rule the vampire race. Sabine would like nothing more than to prove her loyalty and capability to her grandmother and finally earn the respect she deserves. This is why she accepts a job that sends her straight into an enemy’s camp, posing as a disgruntled vamp with vengeance on her mind. This group, led by the charismatic Clovis Trakiya, a half vamp himself, says that their goal is to unite the supernatural races, but Clovis’s own personal vendetta is against the Domina itself. This assignment will truly test Sabina in ways that she could never prepare for and will force her to face the truth about her birth for the very first time. I am very much looking forward to continuing this series. Wells’s unique spin on her subject and the questions left open about Sabina’s heritage are going to make this a stand-out series in the genre. 04/09 Becky Lejeune  

RED HOOK by Gabriel Cohen:  I think a good author is one who can take a fairly ordinary plot and bring it to life such that you feel you are part of the story.  Detective Jack Leightner is investigating the murder of a young Dominican, Tomas Berrios, found stabbed to death with concrete blocks tied to his legs.  His killers were apparently interrupted as they were planning to drop him into the river.  Leightner becomes obsessed with the case, which happened in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn where he was born. Leightner has to deal with memories of his father, his dead brother, his failed marriage, and the son from whom he is estranged.  Not that much of a mystery, but a good police procedural with characterizations that are uncanny. A first effort, and definitely recommended. 01/08 Jack Quick

RED SEA by Emily Benedek: Three international flights, each from different airlines and leaving from different countries, have been brought down over water in one afternoon. Although none of the flights were leaving from or headed to Israel, it is decided that a threat to the country’s security is an undeniable possibility that warrants their participation in the investigation. Julian Granot, a former commander in the Israeli Special Forces, is brought in as part of the investigating team. Granot’s inquiries soon lead him to a promising American journalist with some interesting theories concerning airline security. Marie Petersen’s curiosity is piqued when Granot suggests that they team up on the search and trade information. He leads her to a shop in England that repairs video machines on planes. Then, an innocuous observation on Marie’s part leads Granot to a possible lead. It appears that a man Granot has come up against in the past paid a visit to the shop just days before the crashes occurred. He visited again on the evening that Marie interviewed the owners of the shop. Then another plane goes down and Granot is convinced that this man could be the mastermind behind the terrorist plot. Shockingly enough, this story’s inspiration lies in actual interviews conducted by Benedek who easily transitions from journalist to novelist with Red Sea. Benedek’s superb debut promises to place her at the top of the thriller genre as firm competition for the likes of Stephen Coonts and Nelson DeMille. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

RED RAIN by Michael Crow: Luther Ewing’s genes, from his African-American Marine Sergeant father and French-Vietnamese mother, give him the appearance of an American Indian. In the Army, they called him “Cheyenne.” Now an Army Special Forces veteran with a steel plate in his head, he is a detective with the Baltimore County Police Department, with a reputation as a quiet competent narcotics cop. Here he is called “5-0” after the popular television show. Then his past comes back to haunt him when he hears about a Russian named “Vaseline.” Could this be Vassily, his mentor and nemesis whose wartime skills and abilities match those of Ewing? Now Ewing must revert to being “Shooter,” Vassily’s name for him when the CIA recruited them both to fight against the Serbs in Sarajevo. It was there that Ewing perfected his skills as a sniper before being shot in the head and almost killed. An edgier Jack Reacher type in his first outing. Recommended. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant: This is a book people feel passionately about; they either love it or hate it, and it seems to fall along lines of gender; women love it, men not so much.  

I had a lot of baggage along with this book.  It has been a huge seller in my store; the author, an intelligent and gracious woman, did a signing last year to the biggest crowd we've ever had (over 250 people!) and you could not, for the past two years, work a day in my store without having to straighten a stack of it, refill a display of it, or walk through the store without tripping over this book.  It was, for a bookseller, a book to be avoided on principle!  But I also had a lot of respect for it.  

It grew, not from the publisher spending megabucks or winning the Oprah lottery, but strictly from word of mouth. Originally published in 1997, it finally hit the NY Times bestseller list in December, 2000 where it still lingers six months later.  Once read, it is easy to see why.  The story is based on Genesis, primarily verse 34, the story of Dinah's rape.  Short story indeed, until Diamant gets a hold of it.  Some call it midrash, she calls it a novel, I call it a great read!

Red Water by Judith Freeman:  It could be called historical fiction or cultural fiction or religious fiction or all of the above, yet somehow this book defies labeling.  It is an intimate look at polygamy, at the beginnings of the Mormon faith, and at the second worst civil crime ever committed in this country, after the Oklahoma City bombing.  It was called the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and pardon my ignorance, but I had never even heard of it prior to reading this book.   In 1857, 120 California-bound pioneers were massacred by a Mormon militia, who blamed it on their American Indian allies.   The well written, fascinating novelization of these events is told from the perspective of three of the wives of John D. Lee, the man who was eventually convicted of the crime.  I was so intrigued by this book that I started poking around the web, looking for more info and found tons available.  The Massacre is still being debated and studied.  Some recent articles are in the Salt Lake Tribune.

REDEMPTION by Lee Jackson: Benjamin Xavier Trinity is on his way to a government mandated job when he is waylaid by a snowstorm. He lands in Redemption, Montana, population 200. Carlene Ryton offers Ben a position as an all around handyman and café worker at the Grinnin’ Bear Café. Here, Ben endears himself to the townsfolk, doing favors and helping out wherever needed. The folks know he’s an ex-con, they just don’t know the whole truth behind his record. Ben is a convicted terrorist, a man whose past will forever hover around him like a black cloud. He was never given a chance to defend himself and never given a fair trial, but he will be forever marked by the most hate inducing crime known to man in this day and age. In this future America, gas and supply shortages are a regular occurrence as a result of the war, and Homeland Security has become the most powerful law-enforcing agency in the country. Ben defends his innocence, but is there anyone left who will listen in this bleak future? This harsh incarnation of America is not too far off the mark. Jackson’s tale reveals a slew of truly scary prospects that will burrow into readers’ consciences. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

REIGN OF THE RAT by Gil Smolin: For centuries leprosy created the same mind numbing fear that AIDS has caused in modern times.  A disease without a cure, its victims sentenced to a long period of suffering.  Now a new drug-resistant strain of leprosy appears and it looks like the only hope for a cure is to unearth the frozen remains of a medieval corpse destroyed by the Black Plague.  Why?  Because the symptoms not only mimic leprosy but also the deadly ones of the Black Plague.  Firmly grounded in the reality of what is happening in medicine today as the result of over use of antibiotics, this one will keep you up at night.  Smolin is an ophthalmologist and experienced writer.  This is his first novel.  Recommended. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE REINCARNATIONIST by M. J. Rose:  Josh Ryder has been experiencing memories that are not his own. It began after a bombing in Rome where Josh, a photojournalist, was working a story. He was left comatose and awoke weeks later with vivid recollections of life in ancient Rome. In an attempt to learn more, Josh becomes involved with an organization known as the Phoenix Foundation - a group that investigates past life regression in children. When a discovery at a dig in Rome interests the group, Josh is sent as one of the foundation’s representatives to the site. The find could finally provide solid proof of reincarnation and also allow others to experience exactly what Josh does – memories of past lives. The foundation is not the only group interested in this item, though. While Josh is on the site, the lead archaeologist is attacked and the artifact is stolen. Josh vows to recover the item and, in doing so hopes, to unlock the truth behind his strange visions. In The Reincarnationist, Rose combines historical elements with the theory of reincarnation to create a truly amazing thriller. The characters are believable, the settings are magnificent, and in most cases real. Rose masterfully transitions readers from one century to the next making this a smooth read that is easy to get lost in for hours. M.J. Rose is no newcomer to the literary field, but this is her first mainstream suspense novel, one that should finally earn her the recognition she deserves and introduce new readers to her fantastic talent. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

THE RELIABLE WIFE by Robert Goolrick: Catherine Land has packed up her simple wardrobe for her train ride to meet her new husband, Ralph Truitt. Truitt placed a personal ad for a "reliable wife" and waits at the train station for her in freezing 1907 Wisconsin, the richest man in a town where the cold drives people to occasional heinous acts of insanity. Truitt has been a widower for many years, and is eagerly awaiting his new bride.  But this is no great romantic love story, and neither Ralph nor Catherine are exactly what they seem to be.  For one thing, Catherine has also brought along a bottle of arsenic for her new husband. Every assumption is turned on its head in this hot, hot story and Goolrick pulls off one of the great reads of the year. 8/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

RELICS by Mary Anna Evans: Faye Longchamp, a descendent of a plantation owner and slaves, is thirty-six years old and has never left Florida. For the sake of an archeological project, she and her friend Joe Wolf Mantooth travel to Alabama to investigate the roots of the Sujosa, a group of people who have lived an isolated life there for centuries. Faye’s responsibility might be the archeological dig, but when her roommate, the project oral historian, dies in a fire, she digs for the truth behind the fire, and the lifestyle of the Sujosa people. Evans’ latest mystery is an enthralling sequel to Artifacts. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

THE RENEGADES by T. Jefferson Parker:  This is the highly anticipated sequel to one of my favorite books from 2008, L.A. Outlaws. Renegades is set in the modern day Wild West of Los Angeles - yes, there is such a place.  Our hero from L.A. Outlaws, Charlie Hood, is grieving for his lost love and trying to get on with his life and his career.  He's paired up with Terry Laws, a community legend who unfortunately gets gunned down in front of Charlie and the chase for the killer is on.  But it's not that simple or straightforward, there are a lot of twists and turns here amid a couple of strong sub-plots, but Parker manages to draw it all together in the brilliant conclusion.  Another excellent thriller from the under-the-radar Parker, although not quite at the same level as its predecessor. 02/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE RENEGADES by T. Jefferson Parker: This book features Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy Charlie Hood first introduced in L.A. Outlaws. Hood isn’t completely over the death of Suzanne Jones aka Allison Murrieta when he is drawn into this tale of bad cops, betrayal, drugs, murder and blackmail.  It’s the wild, wild west all over with most everyone carrying guns, but no white hats and black hats to tell the good guys from the bad, just shades of gray.  Parker continues to deliver the goods, getting better with each outing.  Hopefully he can keep this series going for a long time.  I am a fan. 02/09 Jack Quick

THE REPLACEMENT CHILD by Christine Barber: The Santa Fe Capital Tribune has often received tips from a woman they call the Scanner Lady. Her regular phone calls regarding reports she’s overheard on her police scanner have become an almost weekly occurrence at the paper. Night editor Lucy Newroe happens to be on duty when the latest call comes in: Scanner Lady has overheard news of a dead body in a call made by two men she believes are city cops. Lucy follows up the next day but is told that no such report came in. The closest case is that of a woman who drove off a bridge. Just days later, Lucy, a sometime volunteer medic, answers a call involving an older woman who’s found dead after an apparent home invasion – she had a police scanner sitting on her kitchen table. Lucy has to wonder if this is her Scanner Lady and if the death is more than just a coincidence. As she digs deeper she meets Detective Gil Montoya. Montoya has been assigned as family liaison on the bridge case. The state officers are in charge but the victim is the sister of a city cop from Montoya’s unit. Montoya thinks there’s more to his case than meets the eye, but is not sure where or if Scanner Lady fits in at all. Lucy and Montoya’s reluctant semi-partnership and their interplay is fascinating. I can only hope that this is going to be a series. Barber’s debut is a truly great mystery and can be a great foundation for what I think would be a wonderful series. 10/08 Becky Lejeune 

Replay by Ken Grimwood:  I loved the movie "Groundhog Day" and this book goes there and beyond.  Our hero has a heart attack and dies when he's 43 years old, then wakes up in his 18 year old body...all memories of the past 25 years intact.  Then it happens again, and again, and again...leading to the question if you could do it all over again, knowing what you know now, would you?  It makes for a very interesting premise that draws to a very satisfying conclusion.  Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch  

REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN by Barry Eisler:  The assassin is the hero of this book, John Rain, who wants nothing more than to retire and spend time with his Mossad-agent girlfriend.  But duty calls when he's contacted by former CIA-agent-turned-rogue Jim Hilger and he learns that Hilger is holding his only friend, Dox, hostage until Rain completes three assassinations.  Rain knows that the probability of he or Dox surviving the third is not too good, and with a little help from a business associate at the CIA and the Mossad, Rain gets to work on saving his friend.  Lots of action, exotic locales, and edge-of-your-seat suspense make this a really fun read.  Fans of Lee Child should enjoy the larger-than-life, half Japanese-half American hero, John Rain. 06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch  

RESOLUTION by Robert B. Parker:  The man is a genius, an absolute genius.  In this follow up to 2005’s Appaloosa, Everett Hitch and Virgil Cole are teamed up in the town of Resolution.  Hitch is hired initially as the bouncer for the local real-estate magnate (saloon, house of ill repute, hotel, restaurant and general store), and quickly dispatches one Koy Wickman the local “hardass.”  Things are beginning to be more civilized afterwards until Cole shows up along with the infamous Cato and Rose, a “matched pair” of gunmen hired to replace Wickman.  The action is electric, the dialogue is sparse, and you can “see” John Wayne or Clint Eastwood on every page.  I love Spencer but if Parker wants to do westerns, I welcome his next one.  09/08 Jack Quick  

RESONANCE by A.J. Scudiere:  Approximately 200 million years ago, map north was magnetic south. Ten million years later, the poles switched places and have continued to do so about every sixty million years. The last polar shift sixty five million years ago caused the deaths of entire species, species we call dinosaurs.  Right now Dr. Becky Sorenson has some seriously mutated frogs in her lab.  In Los Angeles bees are making abnormal columns on the side of the freeways.  In Georgia, birds are migrating out of season. People are dying now from what might be SuperAIDS. Is this the beginning of the next polar shift? We are five million years overdue.  How much time do we have left? Just when you thought we were safe from a swine flu pandemic, this comes along. Depending on your own orientation, this one is either: interesting, intriguing, or don’t-turn-out-the-lights-I-am-scared-witless reading. You decide for yourself.  06/09 Jack Quick 

RESTITUTION by Lee Vance:  If Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma as postulated by Sir Winston Churchill, then Restitution is a great way to attempt to unravel it.  Peter Tyler, a Wall Street hotshot, is the prime suspect when his wife Jenna is murdered.  Although they had been having some marital problems, Peter loved her passionately and misses her greatly.  As he attempts to find out who did, in fact, kill her, Peter finds himself involved with money scams, stolen art, a pharmaceutical giant and a brilliant, ruthless and tortured act of vengeance.  Peter's best friend, Russian business tycoon Andrei Zhilina, may hold the key, so it’s off to Moscow to seek answers. Pretty near “unputdownable.”  10/07 Jack Quick 

Restoring Grace by Katie Fforde: Fforde’s latest romantic comedy is another fun story. Grace Soudley is rattling around in her old house, feeling sorry for herself after her divorce, when Ellie Summers lands on her doorstep. Ellie is single, pregnant, and about to leave her boyfriend, so she needs a place to live. Kindhearted Grace takes her in, then agrees to allow her ex-stepdaughter to stay as well. There might be dry rot in the house and acquaintances in the bedrooms, but nothing throws Grace for a loop like the appearance of Flynn Cormack in her life. The story bogs down some in the middle, and it could have been shorter, but no one does romantic British comedy as well as Fforde. 07/06 Lesa Holstine

Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin:  Resurrection Men is Ian Rankin's latest Inspector John Rebus outing. It is a solid effort and shows why the popularity of this series is growing. The setting, in Edinburgh, is interesting, the police work is sound and the hero is the Scot's version of the tough cop whose life is going to pieces while he soldiers on.
    John Rebus is no upperclass Lord Peter Wimsey, although I would like to think that the name is an acknowledgement of a worthy predecessor. Like Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, Inspector Rebus' success in solving complicated and politically sensitive murders is second only to his indifference to and annoyance with authority.
    At the outset of this novel, this characteristic has landed Rebus in a special class at the Scottish Police College where characters of that ilk are given one last chance to redeem themselves. His class of 6 christens themselves "The Wild Bunch." Rankin explains "...these were lifers, men who'd been on the force an average of twenty years. Most were nearing the point where they could leave on full pension. Tullianllan was their last-chance saloon. They were here to atone, to be resurrected."
    As an exercise in re-learning how to investigate as part of a team, within proper police protocols, the class is assigned a project from the unsolved case files. Their case involves a brutal murder. Meanwhile, back at Rebus' old station, his protege Siobhan Clarke, is continuing Rebus' investigation into the murder of an art dealer.
    Not surprisingly, the two investigations intertwine with the common links being possibly some members of the class and Rebus' longtime adversary, Morris Gerald Cafferty (Big Ger). Rebus is called upon to perform a delicate balancing act to survive. As always, this is accomplished at considerable cost to himself and those around him.
    This is a gripping, hard-nosed detective story. A gritty guy in a gritty town. What more could you ask for.  This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

Retribution by Jilliane P. Hoffman:  Wow.  This is dark - very dark - and disturbing and really well done.  Chloe Larson is a beautiful young law student who suffers a brutal rape at the hands of a sadist who leaves her for dead.  She survives, but is left scarred, both physically and emotionally.  Twelve years later she's evolved into C. J. Townsend, crackerjack prosecutor in Miami who lands the biggest case of her career when a serial killer known as Cupid is caught in her jurisdiction.  Cupid's calling card is that after torturing his victims - all young, beautiful blondes - he claims his trophy, their hearts.  Townsend is determined to get this monster the death penalty and everything seems to be working in her favor, until she meets the defendant and her nightmares become real again.  The court process is fascinating in Hoffman's hands; she is a former Florida assistant state attorney and it shows.  The book could have used better editing; there are some minor errors and some repetitiveness, but nothing major enough to pull me out of the story.  The violence is graphic without being gratuitous with details of some really heinous crimes, and the ending is superb.  This is one very powerful debut novel.  12/03

Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes by Cathy Holton: Many women will find Holton’s first novel to be very satisfying if they’ve longed for revenge or felt cheated by a husband or significant other. Three women have given their lives for their husbands’ careers as partners in a law firm in Ithaca, Georgia. Following the company party, though, they discover their husbands were not just hunting animals on their annual hunting trip. Readers will root for the three women as they plot their revenge. This story is even more fun than Nancy Thayer’s The Hot Flash Club.  05/06 Lesa Holstine

REVENGE OF THE KUDZU DEBUTANTES by Cathy Holton: Friends Nita Broadwell, Eadie Booth, and Lavonne Zibolsky have been trying to coast by and endure their thankless marriages for some time now. Lavonne, a northern transplant to Ithaca, Georgia, has become addicted to food as a way to fill the unexplained void in her life. Nita on the other hand, is addicted to trashy romance novels since her husband seems to be showing less and less interest in her every day. And Eadie is working on getting her husband back as he once again steps out with a mistress. All this changes when the wives discover that their husbands have been cheating on them at their annual hunting trips. Nita, Eadie, and Lavonne devise a hilarious scheme of revenge against their philandering spouses that will ensure that the women come out on top. Oh, if Desperate Housewives took place in Georgia. This is a great book for summer - Holton will have you laughing out loud. 08/07 Becky Lejeune

REVENGE OF THE ROSE by Nicole Galland: The focus of Nicole Galland’s follow up to last year’s The Fool’s Tale is courtly love as well as courtly gossip. Famous court minstrel Jouglet is Lord Konrad’s right hand man. He is the lord’s confidant and is one of his most trusted advisors. Jouglet is also close friends with Willem and his sister Lienor. It is no secret that Jouglet wishes to be more than just friends with the lovely Lienor when he cunningly manipulates Willem into the court. Willem impresses Lord Konrad with his chivalry, honor and talents. However, Jouglet and Willem will soon discover just how sharp gossip can be and all of his clever maneuverings may backfire on Jouglet. Galland’s enormous talent is evident in this multi-layered and witty historical novel. The scheming and plotting of the numerous characters makes for a hilarious read with a fabulous twist in the end. 09/06 Becky LeJeune

REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz: In the third Spellman story, Izzy Spellman is still suffering fallout from her actions in Curse of the Spellmans (now out in paperback). Her court-ordered therapy sessions are not going well ever since her first therapist ratted her out to the court and had her entire sentence reinstated, and now her new therapist has figured out all of her time-wasting tricks. Plus, Izzy’s parents are none to pleased that she’s left the family business to be a bartender. Their pleas are ignored and so they convince Izzy’s boss to fire her. Izzy’s solution, move into her brother’s secret basement apartment without him knowing. Now, broke and suffering from no sleep, a result of the paranoid nightmares she’s been having about her brother busting in on her new digs, Izzy finds that she’s being blackmailed and tailed on a regular basis. Could it be the case she’s taken practically pro bono to help a friend, or has someone discovered her new living situation? As usually, Izzy’s antics and her wacky family make for hilarious reading. I dare you not to laugh out loud while reading any of Lutz’s titles; I love them. 03/09 Becky Lejeune    

The Ribbon Murders by Sharon Ervin: Ervin’s debut mystery introduces two characters that work well together, crime reporter Jancy Dewhurst and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Agent Jim Wills. The two clash when they first meet at a crime scene, but it isn’t long before they realize their investigative skills complement each other. When men are found murdered with blue ribbons around their penises, Jancy makes the first connection. She is very aware of details. Wills is a very determined investigator. Together they work the crime scenes in Bishop, Oklahoma to find their serial killer. Very early on in the book, it is obvious who the killer is, but the characters are so good together that the reader will enjoy watching them piece together the crimes. 04/06 Lesa Holstine

THE RICHEST SEASON by Maryann McFadden:  Joanna Harrison has had enough. Her children are grown and the demands of her husband’s job have left her feeling neglected and alone. Upon learning that her husband’s latest promotion will require them to pick up and move, yet again, Joanna decides she’s not going to take it anymore. Instead, after shipping husband Paul off on his latest business trip, she packs her things and leaves her home in New Jersey to start a new life on Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. Upon arrival, however, Joanna realizes just how hard it’s going to be. Alone, with no one to turn to for help, or even a shoulder to cry on, Joanna becomes determined to make things work. She finds employment with Grace Finelli, an elderly woman seeking a companion. What Joanna doesn’t know is that Grace has only six months to live. Then Paul shows up demanding that Joanna return home. Her refusal only angers him more, but he doesn’t tell her that in addition to losing her, he has also lost his job. As each of the three deals with their own issues, they find that they are each facing the possibility of dramatic changes in their lives. This wonderful debut is a rich, character driven story that will appeal to any reader looking for a heartfelt summer read. 06/08 Becky Lejeune  

THE RICHEST SEASON by Maryann McFadden:  Joanna has been married to Paul for 25 years. In those two and a half decades, they have moved dozens of times, following Paul’s successful career. Each time, Joanna is expected to be the dutiful corporate wife by packing up and following Paul around without any complaints. But when Joanna learns that another move is eminent, she packs her bags and heads down to Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, an area she had fallen in love with years ago. She moves in with Grace, an older woman who retreated to Pawley’s Island to live out her last few months of life. Joanna’s impromptu “holiday” extends to several months, during which she finds a bit of happiness that she’s been missing for so long. McFadden wrote a wonderful account of a woman’s struggle for independence. The reader experiences the story from three viewpoints: Joanna, her husband Paul, and Grace. The lessons learned by each character during their journey of self discovery are very valuable, and for this reason I envision this book generating a lot of discussion in book clubs nationwide. 08/08 Jennifer Lawrence

RIDE WITH ME, MARIAH MONTANA by Ivan Doig: Since reading Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men last year, I have been revisiting authors who write about the American West - McCarthy's older works, Wallace Stegner, the poet Richard Hugo and Ivan Doig, who was suggested to me by my sister who lives in Billings, Montana. She sent me a copy of Ride With Me before I was about to visit her for a family reunion in Yellowstone.
    In the tradition of many books about the West, it is a road trip story. Not quite Kesey's bus, but close. In this case, the vehicle is a battered old RV driven by an old Montanan former rodeo champion turned sheepherder, Jick McCaskill. The other occupants are his redheaded daughter Mariah, a photographer and her ex-husband Riley Wright, a newspaper columnist. Mariah and Riley have been assigned by their newspaper to do a series celebrating Montana's centennial by traveling across the state to see what they can see.
    Riley is doing it because he still has the hots for Mariah. Jicks is along to see if he can keep her from making the same mistake all over again. And therein is the tale. 

    It is fine adventure and the people are drawn with honesty and affection, warts, oddities and all. I believe that I enjoyed this book more than anything else that I have read this year.  11/06 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

RIDING GAIN by Joyce Krieg: Joyce Krieg writes a wonderful series about talk radio, particularly for those of us fascinated by radio stations as they used to be. Sacramento disk jockey and talk show host Shauna J. Bogart is caught up in a mystery when her former intern is murdered in a local park. When talking to grieving relatives of both the suspect and the victim, Bogart stumbles upon some unsettling information about a local treatment center, Footprints Lodge. Even a voice from her past who calls into her show seems to be pushing her towards an investigation of Footprints. Shauna J. Bogart is a DJ with a heart. Her knowledge of radio and local history leads to major clues to solve the crimes and bring relief to families in grief. Krieg neatly wraps up all the loose ends as she ties together two murders, tracking devices, and changes in radio in this third satisfying mystery in the “Talk Radio” series. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

Right as Rain by George Pelecanos:  As I started reading this mystery, it felt preachy to me in a racial sort of way. But the story sucked me in and either the preaching stopped or I stopped noticing.  A good, gritty mystery involving a white cop killing a black cop, set in the inner city of Washington D.C. 

THE RIGHTEOUS MEN by Sam Bourne: Rookie reporter, Will Monroe, takes a novel approach to his first murder by deciding to write a “human interest” story about the victim. What he discovers is a surprise to everyone. Shortly thereafter, Will investigates another murder – this one in rural Washington. The murders seem unconnected but, upon returning home, he discovers that his wife has been kidnapped. What comes next is an edge of your seat roller coaster ride as Will fights against a deadline that could lead to the end of the world. Meticulous research into Kabbalic mysticism and Jewish prophecy, paired with vivid characters and insight into the ultra-orthodox community of Crown Heights, makes this and interesting and exciting read. While the surprise twist ending comes as not much of a surprise, overall I found this to be a very satisfying read and a thrilling debut. Sam Bourne is a pseudonym for British journalist Jonathan Freedland. 08/06 Becky LeJeune

RING by Koji Suzuki: Japanese author, Koji Suzuki, is probably the most well-known Asian horror author today. Ring, the book that inspired multiple horror film hits, is actually the first in a trilogy of tales. In this first installment, journalist Asakawa is inspired to write a piece on a series of mysterious deaths after drawing a connection between a taxi man’s story and the death of his own niece. Like the film, he discovers that a total of four teens all died under strange circumstances, all at the very same time on the very same day. Asakawa is joined in his search by his best friend Ryuji, a professor with an upsetting habit and an interest in the occult. While there are minute similarities between the ultimate revelation at the end of this tale and the film version, the book remains vastly different in its specifics. Ring is worth the read for any horror fan, but having seen the film it does lose a bit of its punch. Hopefully this is not the case with the follow-up titles, Spiral and Loop, as I am hoping to be as creeped out in reading them as I was in first seeing The Ring. 06/08 Becky Lejeune  

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 

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 Ritual Bath by Faye Kellerman:  The first in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series.  He's a cop, she's an Orthodox Jew.  They meet and chemistry is redefined.  I ripped through this one in a few hours and within 2 weeks read the rest of the series.  The early ones are best.

RITUALS OF THE SEASON by Margaret Maron: Its just ten days until the wedding and Judge Deborah Knott can hardly remember whether she is to stay the night with finance Deputy Dwight Bryant or go home to her place. It is that hectic with Christmas around the corner, the slaying of an Assistant District Attorney and her adopted daughter, a possible death sentence appeal, her house torn up by plumbers and carpenters and a very pregnant matron of honor. Somehow Knott keeps it all together as she is at the center of a whirlwind of pre-nuptial pre-holiday activity. Maron once again demonstrates she knows Eastern North Carolina and its characters – bless your heart, but sometimes she can be almost too southern, not unlike our beloved sweet tea, which, in a pinch, can always substitute for syrup. This twelfth Knott adventure is to be released 8/25/05. 08/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

RIZZO'S WAR by Lou Manfredo: “There’s no wrong, there’s no right, there just is.” That is the philosophy of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn detective Lou Rizzo.  Rizzo has a new young partner, Mike McQueen, who got the promotion after a lucky break in a case.  McQueen knows it was luck that got him his shield, but he's determined to prove himself. Being partnered with Rizzo, who's nearing retirement and under an Internal Affairs investigation, could be a mixed blessing. Politics rears its ugly head when they are assigned to find a missing girl, the teenage daughter of a powerful city councilman. This is a police procedural of the best kind - a terrific cop sharing his wisdom, a gritty city setting and dabs of organized crime, racism, and politics. Manfredo's debut novel is a winner and sure to appeal to fans of Michael Connelly and Ed McBain. 09/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROAD DOGS by Elmore Leonard:  Its reunion time with three of Leonard’s most memorable characters. Jack Foley (Out of Sight) is back in prison in Florida, and hooks up with Cundo Rey, the pint-size Cuban (LaBrava), who soon engineers their early release--legally, this time.  Jack's happy to be out and enjoying the California hospitality of Cundo and his wife Dawn (LaBrava and Riding the Rap).  There are just a few issues. Dawn is lovely but husband Cundo is a murderously jealous husband who may get tired of Jack being around.  Dawn likes M-O-N-E-Y and thinks Jack may be the best meal ticket.  Jack – well first he owes Cundo thirty big ones from getting him sprung.  When you have robbed a hundred and twenty or banks, the solution to that problem would seem to be at hand? Nobody does it better than the senior Mr. Leonard, so kick back and enjoy this one like a fine Havana with a pitcher of fresh mojitos. 06/09 Jack Quick  

ROAD KILL by Zoe Sharp: Sharp revs up the tension in this transition piece in the Charlie Fox thriller series. After returning home from her job in First Drop, Charlie needs some time to recuperate mentally. She’s destined for trouble instead. When a friend suffers terrible injuries in a motorcycle accident, she asks Charlie to watch over her son on a trip with the Devil’s Bridge riders. Since Charlie and her lover, Sean Meyer, know they don’t have the entire story, they reluctantly accompany the group on a ride across Ireland. With this group, violence seems to spring up everyplace, from a ride home after a funeral in England, to a bar in Ireland. And, until Charlie and Sean can ferret out the truth, they’re riding blindly into trouble. Sharp’s books are fast-paced thrillers, and Road Kill is no exception. Readers with an interest in motorcycles will appreciate it most, but anyone wanting a top-notch story can go along for the ride. 09/07 Lesa Holstine

ROADSIDE CROSSES by Jeffery Deaver:  Complex and timely story about cyber-bullying and its effects. Travis Brigham is the driver in a car crash in which two girls are killed. He then becomes the target of a cyber-world smear campaign.  The near death of one of the accusing bloggers involves Kathryn Dance and the California Bureau of Investigation.  Brigham disappears and additional attacks occur.  Each is preceded with a crude roadside cross.  Meanwhile, Dance also looks into a mercy killing at Monterey Bay Hospital of a young Monterrey County deputy badly burned by the escaping Daniel Pell in a previous case. At the same time, Robert Harper, a special prosecutor from the attorney general's office in Sacramento, begins an investigation that will affect Dance.   It would be much better without the frequent information dumps about kinesics (body language) and Internet history and customs, but without them, the pace might be just be too blistering. 07/09 Jack Quick   

ROBBERS by Christopher Cook:  Compared by some to the works of James Lee Burke, this debut novel follows two criminal drifters, Eddie and Ray Bob, across the hot dry dusty expanse of Texas, pursued by Rule Hooks, a crafty Texas Ranger who has been told he looks like country singer Porter Waggoner and could be played by Tommy Lee Jones without any problem.  In the first chapter, a convenience store clerk is killed for a penny – he wants $4.01 for a pack of Camel cigarettes and the boys only have $4.00.  Afterwards, they have the pack of Camels, a carton of Marlboros and all the money that was in the register.  Their only regret?  They forgot to pick up some cold beer.  You know how it has to end, but the journey is worth the time and effort with striking imagery and vivid insights into rural Texas life, and its often mind numbing consequences.  It’s the kind of life where the local scoutmaster is shot and killed by his wife when she catches him in bed with her sister:  “Used a twelve gauge with buckshot.  Fat jackoff died in the saddle.  A real asshole, too, always yelling about our uniforms, how we looked. Shoulda give her a merit badge for civic duty.” “Or marksmanship,” sniggered Ray Bob.  I love it. 12/07 Jack Quick

ROCOCO by Adriana Trigiani: Trigiani steps outside her realm of women protagonists to write a book starring a man: Bartolomeo di Crespi, the interior designer extraordinaire of Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey and a charming, loving family man.  "B" is 40, unmarried but the unofficial family patriarch and confidant to his sprawling, extended Italian family.  He's nominally engaged although neither B nor his fiancée are interested in marrying, but her mother is the wealthiest woman in NJ and she has her heart set on it.  The small town revolves around the church, and when the priest decides it's time to renovate, B assumes the job will be his, and it is - but only after a fight.  Redoing the church has been his long held secret dream, and he desperately wants to make it come true.  Infused with Trigiani's characteristic humor and love, Rococo draws the reader into this lovely cocoon of a book where we learn about the miracles of Fatima, family, and love.

ROGUE by Rachel Vincent: Stray – a human who becomes a werecat after being bitten rather than one who is born into the Pride Rogue – any werecat who commits a capital crime according to the laws of the Pride, includes disclosure, or the failure of a werecat to keep themselves hidden, and the creation of strays whether purposeful or accidental. Faythe Sanders has come to a reluctant agreement with her father. Unwilling to settle down and begin producing her own offspring, Faythe is training as an enforcer within the Pride. She and Marc have finally worked out their differences since Faythe was kidnapped and almost killed in Stray, and things are looking good. That is, until, the bodies of murdered toms (male werecats) begin to pop up in Pride territory. The deaths seem to coincide with a missing person’s case in each area - all strippers, and all resembling Faythe. In fact, the missing person’s reports bring to mind certain college campus murders that Faythe had heard about just before her own kidnapping. The truth behind the killings will bring Faythe face-to-face with a new enemy and will upset the balance of her own existence. Like Vicki Pettersson’s Zodiac series, Rachel Vincent’s werecats are unlike anything else out there. The continued development of the werecat mythology is incredibly fascinating and I can’t wait to see what she brings in next. Rogue has a total cliffhanger ending and I’m just dying to know what’s going to happen in Pride (due out next spring). 04/08 Becky Lejeune 

ROGUE THREAT by A.J. Tata: Matt Garrett, a paramilitary operative with the CIA, is still recovering from his last mission when the U.S. government calls on his services once again. A number of uavs (unmanned aerial vehicles), called Predators, have gone missing and a terrorist plot is suspected. Everyone’s worst nightmares are realized when a group of public landmarks are destroyed by devastating attacks. And more targets will be hit way unless the plotters’ demands are met, or unless Garrett can stop them. The man behind the plot has a personal vendetta against Matt Garrett, though, and his mission in the Philippines is connected to the current threat in ways that Garrett could never imagine. Tata delivers an entertaining military thriller with intriguing technothriller aspects. The strength of this read lies in Tata’s evident military expertise and in the Garrett brothers themselves, heroes worthy indeed of Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy) comparison. Rogue Threat is second in Tata’s Threat series and can be read as a stand-alone, but I’d recommend tracking down Sudden Threat to get the whole story before Garrett’s return in the third title of the series. 01/10 Becky Lejeune 

ROLLING THUNDER by Chris Grabenstein:  I love this series, and it was in danger of going by the wayside. I was delighted that another house had the good sense to pick it up. John Ceepak has more on his plate than usual when his father gets out of jail on early release and shows up at the Jersey shore again. The pier has been revitalized with new rides and a new wooden rollercoaster, "Rolling Thunder", but things don't go well on opening day when the owner's wife has a heart attack and dies on the first ride. Things go downhill from there when a young girl is murdered and the town's leading citizens are implicated. I enjoy these characters and over the course of these books, watching Danny Boyle become a man. Can't wait for the next installment.  07/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROLLING THUNDER by Chris Grabenstein: I have a confession. My first Chris Grabenstein Danny and Ceepak novel was a flat out DNF. I kept hearing how good he was from friends and finally tried one of his non-series books which I thought was great. So I decided to tackle this series again. About fifteen pages after my first DNF, the darn thing took off, and I have read and enjoyed every page thereafter including this one (including the bright orange or is it electric tangerine cover). Rolling Thunder is the name of the old fashioned wooden roller coaster erected by entrepreneur Paddy O’Malley at the struggling resort town of Sea Haven, N.J... O’Malley’s wife suffers a fatal heart attack on the inaugural ride on the roller coaster. Shortly thereafter, the dismembered body of a party girl turns up in two suitcases. A check of her cell phone records indicates the last time she used it was to text O’Malley. Before the investigation is over Danny and John will face corrupt politicians, powerful business people, Ceepak’s father, and even enemies within the Sea Haven Police. Department. The corruption Ceepak sees drives him to be even more vigilantly upright. In the end Grabenstein pulls it all together nicely. Definitely recommended. 06/10 Jack Quick

ROOM FOR LOVE by Andrea Meyer:  Chick lit with an interesting premise based somewhat on reality; Meyer wrote an article for a NY newspaper about meeting men by looking in the classifieds - for apartments.  She expands on that thesis in this cute but occasionally tedious debut novel.  Jacquie is working at a film magazine and barely making ends meet.  She has been drifting from one bad relationship to another when her sister moves in with her, creating havoc at home too.  When her sister starts dating the men she's meeting while looking for apartments, Jacquie pitches the idea as an article to a women's magazine.  They bite, with the proviso that she actually do it.  The characters are somewhat underdeveloped, and starting each chapter with a classified ad for an apartment grows old, but despite these minor misgivings, it is still a fun read. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROOTS OF EVIL by Sarah Rayne: Lucy Trent and her family have always lived in the shadow of her scandalous grandmother, Lucretia von Wolff, and the shocking events that led to the end of her life. Baroness Lucretia von Wolff was a silent screen actress who was later said to be a spy for the Nazis. In 1952, she killed two men and then committed suicide in the Ashwood film studio. The family secrets have surfaced again thanks to a woman who intends to write her thesis on the psychological aspects of the murders. The thesis also questions whether Lucretia actually committed the murders and has also resurrected a second mystery, that of the child Alraune. The researcher’s body is found only days later in the abandoned Ashwood studio. The murder bears a striking resemblance to the infamous last scene of Lucretia’s most famous film – Alraune. This is an intriguing multi-layered mystery that traces events as early as the 1920s, through Auschwitz, and into the present. Sarah Rayne is a pseudonym for a well-known British horror author (I have yet to figure out who) and was created when the author decided to break from her genre and begin writing psychological suspense. Though you probably will not be able to find Rayne’s titles shelved at most bookstores (I found mine in a specialty store), they are all available to order through most major chains as well as Amazon.com. I highly recommend this book and believe that it is well worth it to wait a few days for shipping. As an interesting side note, for those that are curious, the story of Alraune can be traced back to Germanic folk legend. 11/06 Becky LeJeune

ROSES by Leila Meacham: This sprawling novel by a relatively unknown septuagenarian novelist is sure to please fans of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind and Colleen McCullough's The Thorn Birds. Set in Texas and spanning three generations, this is the story of two families, the cotton farming Tollivers and the lumber producing Warwicks.  Percy Warwick falls in love with Mary Tolliver, his best friend's younger sister, from the moment of her birth. But Mary's true love is Somerset, the family's cotton plantation.  When 16 year old Mary's father dies, he leaves Somerset to Mary, effectively disinheriting his wife and son and destroying his family in the process. Two generations later, it seems history is about to repeat itself when Mary disinherits her niece and heir, Rachel, freeing her from what she believes to be the Tolliver curse. Reading this is an emotional rollercoaster ride; fast and furious with lots of ups and downs, hairpin turns and most of all, fun. Don't miss it. 02/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ROSTINKOV’S VACATION by Stuart Kaminsky: Rostnikov and his wife Sarah are on vacation at the Lermontov Hotel watching the bathers brave the cold polluted Black Sea waters when Georgi Vasilievich, an old colleague, shows up. Their renewed association comes to a quick end when Georgi is found dead on his deck chair facing the sea. The coroner says it was a heart attack, but Rostnikov knows better. Why was there dirt on Georgi's hand and why was the knuckle of his middle finger broken? Someone had murdered his friend, and figured that because Vasilievich was a lonely old man no one would care. While Rostnikov is busy with this case in this 7th Kaminsky police procedural, his colleagues back in Moscow have their hands full with a string of computer thefts, all of them owned by Jews who have been bearing the brunt for the country's economic troubles, and a psychotic killer bent on political assassination. All three men are led to a final confrontation in Soviet Square, game pieces in a country where everything and nothing has changed. Another excellent outing in the series. 02/07 Jack Quick

ROUGH COUNTRY by John Sanford: On the surface it seems almost routine. While Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers is competing in a fishing tournament in a remote area of Minnesota he gets a call from Lucas Davenport to go investigate a sniper shooting death at a nearby resort.  Turns out the resort is for women only, mostly lesbians looking for a place to relax, get fit, recover from plastic surgery, commune with nature, etc.  The victim is a woman and initial indications from forensics indicates a female perp.  The more Virgil digs, the more complicated it gets, particularly after he finds out this isn’t the first murder – that one occurred the year before. And then there is a third murder….  Well, it is obvious Virgil has to shift into high gear to solve this one.  I still like Lucas Davenport best but Virgil is coming into his own.  Wonder if we will ever have one featuring Lucas’ favorite nun. 10/09 Jack Quick 

ROUGH DRAFT by James W. Hall: It should have been Miami Police Detective Hannah Keller’s happiest day. Her first mystery novel had been purchased. But when she went home to tell her proud parents she found them dead, assassinated gang-style by killers leaving a sole witness, Keller's then six-year-old son, Randall. The case has remained unsolved since. Now, Miami FBI agents Frank Sheffield and Helen Shane are out to capture the man who murdered a U.S. senator's daughter. They're sure that the killer is Hal Bonner, hired gun for the Cali cartel, and they decide to use Keller and her son as decoys to capture Bonner. In a creepy plot twist, Keller finds a copy of her first novel marked with scribblings that contain a secret code. As the good guys chase the bad guys in choppers, cars and UPS vans, you start casting the individual roles for the screen version. No Thorn, but still a first rate read. 04/07 Jack Quick

ROUGH JUSTICE by Jack Higgins:  When you get to double digits in a series (this is the 15th Sean Dillon thriller), you have to expect an occasional downer.  This outing introduces a new-comer to the team of Sean Dillon, Harry Salter, et al, in the form of one Major Harry Miller.  Actually Dillon and Miller have some history as you learn as this one unfolds.  Miller is a Clark Kent type, mild-mannered Member of Parliament, who is actually the British prime minister's secret hit man.  Blake Johnson brings in the American side as they all go after a combination of Al-Qaeda, Islamic Fundamentalists and modern day Russians.  This reads more like a Bond movie script than some of Higgins previous work.  Enjoyable, but not top shelf. 04/09 Jack Quick   

ROUGH WEATHER by Robert B. Parker: For Spenser’s 36th adventure, Parker brings back an old nemesis, the Gray Man, who almost killed him in 1977’s SMALL VICES. This time around Spenser is hired by the wealthy Heidi Bradshaw to be at her daughter's wedding on Tashtego Island in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The ceremony is interrupted by an armed gang, headed by Ruger (the Gray Man), who kills the groom and abducts the bride. With the assistance of Spenser’s usual friends, he sets out to recover the missing bride. It’s another great Spenser and it possibly sets the stage for number 37.  12/08 Jack Quick

RUBICON by Lawrence Alexander:  Right out of today’s headlines, an idealistic young senator from California named Bobby Hart discovers an assassination plot under the code name Rubicon that is to occur before the next Presidential election.  He doesn’t know who is behind the plan, who is the target, when the event will occur or how, but he does come to realize this is, in fact, a plot to steal the country.  It is up to Hart to solve the mystery and prevent the assassination.   After stealing the election was just the beginning.  How much truth is there in this book?  Let’s hope that it is truly a work of fiction. 06/08 Jack Quick 

RUBICON by Lawrence Alexander:  It’s a political suspense novel perfect for an election year. Bobby Hart, a senator from California, decides not to run for the presidency, due to family concerns. However, he’s soon caught up in election year politics when he witnesses an assassination. To make it worse, he has friends that warned him there would be assassinations to disrupt the government, but the friends were killed while trying to give him details. As Hart stumbles around in the dark, the campaigns are thrown into turmoil. It’s going to take some digging on Bobby’s part to find the shocking truth behind the attempt to disrupt the election process. Rubicon is a partisan book, and it will leave the reader wondering about the state of the country.  07/08 Lesa Holstine

THE RUINS by Scott Smith: Critics are buzzing about Scott Smith’s much-anticipated second novel. After twelve years, Smith has finally produced what is being described as a thriller/horror. A group of friends vacationing in Mexico plan to take a day trip into the jungle. Their destination – an archaeological dig at an old mine shaft. Upon arrival the group is greeted by some very unfriendly locals, two abandoned tents overgrown with vines, and the stripped remains of the archaeological team. What follows is the harrowing psychological deterioration as they realize that they may never make it off the hill. Readers should realize that certain aspects of this book are grossly misleading. Based on the title and the jacket description, I went into this expecting something completely different. I must admit, after all the buzz, I had high expectations and as a result I was a little disappointed. This was not a “horror” novel but rather a psychological suspense. However, once I was able to get past these initial expectations, I was intrigued by the shocking and gruesome story that followed. This is a very twisted vacation read.  09/06 Becky LeJeune

RULES OF DECEPTION by Christopher Reich:  Just how well do you know your spouse? Dr. Jonathan Ransom is about to face this very question, and the answer could be more than one man can handle. When Emma is killed in a climbing accident, Jonathan is devastated. A day later, a letter arrives addressed to Emma. In the envelope, Jonathan finds two baggage claim tickets. When Jonathan shows up to pick up the mysterious bags, he is accosted by two Swiss police officers. Instinct kicks in and Jonathan accidentally kills one of the officers while defending himself. Now he has become one of the most wanted men in Switzerland, and what he finds in the bags doesn’t help the situation one bit. Meanwhile, the assassination of a Dutch engineer living in Switzerland has raised some interesting questions. Just what this man’s death has to do with Jonathan and his quest to discover the truth about his wife is unclear, but the murder trail is leading investigators straight towards this unlikely fugitive. Reich’s latest is drawing worthy comparison to Robert Ludlum, admittedly one of espionage fiction’s greatest authors. The best thing about Rules is that it never becomes too bogged down in politics. As with all spy fiction, the political aspect is always present, but it’s not overwhelming to a layperson like me. Rules of Deception is an intense thriller that will definitely satisfy readers of the genre, whether they’re familiar with Reich’s work or not. 07/08 Becky Lejeune  

RULES OF DECEPTION by Christopher Reich:  Does anyone truly know another person? Emma, the wife of Dr. Jonathan Ransom of Doctors Without Borders, dies in a skiing accident in the Swiss Alps.  Afterwards, the grieving Ransom receives a letter, posted to Emma, but delayed in delivery until after her death.  The note leads to the discovery that Emma led a double life as a spy.  Suddenly Ransom is in a frantic life and death chase across northern Europe. The plot is extremely complicated with a huge cast of characters, but the pace is breathtaking and in the end, you will see how it all fits together – albeit you may be totally exhausted by that point. One of my best reads of the year. 06/09 Jack Quick 

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE by James Patterson:  Second outing for NYC Detective Mike Bennett, caregiver for ten children, all of whom we met in STEP ON A CRACK. This time the Teacher is a calculating killer showing New York who is boss, killing the city’s most powerful and arrogant.  Think Miss Manners with an Uzi who is determined to clean things up.  Some of the citizenry seems to approve, but for the elite of New York it’s a call to terror.  Enter superhero Mike Bennett (10 children?) to save the day.  Its disaster time for the Big Apple and all ten kids are down with the flu.   Not the worst of the Patterson collaborations, but not really first rank either. 04/09 Jack Quick   

RUNEMARKS by Joanne Harris:  According to Norse mythology, Ragnarok meant the end of the world. It was to be the penultimate battle between the gods and it would result in all of their deaths. Harris’s first young adult fantasy takes place 500 years after the end of the world. In this time, people have forgotten the old gods. They no longer have time for fancy, whimsy, or dreams. In fact, they fear these things above all else, as they bring about chaos. Their world is one of rules and order. Maddy Smith does not fit into this world. For one, she was born with a rune mark on her hand. The people of Malbry fear Maddy and her mark and talk among the village is that Maddy may be a witch. Maddy’s one friend is an outsider who calls himself One-Eye. At the age of seven, Maddy begs One-Eye to teach her about the runes, to tell her what the mark on her hand means, and most of all to teach her to use and harness the power that the runes hold. One-Eye has his own plans, though, and those plans involve keeping Maddy in the dark as long as possible in regards to what she really is. Maddy’s life as she knows it is about to be turned upside down as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. What began as a bedtime story for her nine year old daughter has become a fantasy novel four years in the making. Although technically a book for young adults, the story contains the same elements that can be found in any one of Harris’s novels. Runemarks is a great story steeped in Norse mythology and perfect for any reader who is young at heart. Fans should know that Harris has already confirmed there will be a follow-up somewhere down the road, her daughter has insisted upon it. 01/08 Becky Lejeune

RUNNER by Thomas Perry: After a ten year absence, Jane Whitefield returns.  Whitefield, a Native American living a quiet life as the wife of a surgeon in upstate New York, had retired from her under-the-radar work as a “guide,” someone who helped people in peril vanish from their pursuers.  A pregnant young woman shows up at the hospital during a fund-raiser.  Her pursuers set off a bomb trying to capture her in the ensuing confusion. Instead, she is able to hook up with Jane, who reluctantly agrees to get back into the game.  The game, however, has become more much complicated in the last decade with cell phones and databases and the proliferation of the Internet.  Jane has to adapt to the new environment and in doing so, becomes the hunter. A ten year absence has only made Perry’s writing sharper.  Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another decade for the next one. 10/09 Jack Quick

THE RUNNER by Peter May: This is May’s fifth and my first thriller featuring Chinese detective Li Yan and American pathologist Margaret Campbell.  Beijing is all buzz about hosting the upcoming Olympics, Ms. Campbell is pregnant with their child, and the couple is seeking to get married when the deaths of two potential Olympians take precedence.   A top Chinese swimmer kills himself and an Olympic weightlifter dies in the arms of his Beijing mistress.  Both are actually murders and connected to an inexplicable series of "accidents" which has taken the lives of some of China's best athletes. All personal matters must be put on hold until Detective Li can get to the bottom of the matter. Very well done.  I will definitely go back and read the previous outings. 02/10 Jack Quick

RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL by Jamie Freveletti: Emma Caldridge is one lucky woman. When her plan crashes in the jungles of Columbia, Emma finds herself thrown clear of the wreckage, hidden from the group of guerillas that arrives soon after to round up the remaining passengers. And Emma has some tricks up her sleeve as well: She’s a biochemist who runs ultramarathons. In other words, Emma has just the resources one would need to survive in such a situation. She tracks the guerillas and passengers as they trek into the woods, keeping far enough behind to remain undetected, hoping that she can last long enough to be saved. But Emma is hiding a secret as well. A secret that makes her a valuable commodity in the war that is taking place around her. Meanwhile, as American authorities begin looking for the persons responsible for the crash, their intel on Emma is beginning to make her look like a possible suspect. It will take everything Emma has to make it through this one, and the forces after her can’t imagine what they’re going to come up against. Running From the Devil is a page-turning adventure/political thriller and a fabulous read. Freveletti, already accomplished in so many ways, is sure to add best-selling author to the list after this one. 05/09 Becky Lejeune  

RUNNING SCARED by Cheryl Norman:  After enduring years of abuse at the hands of her husband, Ashley Adams finally got the nerve to leave, and it nearly cost her her life to do so. Her divorce has only just been finalized, but Ashley has already made great progress in putting her life back together. She’s even been training to run her very first marathon. This morning, though, Ashley and her running partner find themselves right in the middle of a drive-by shooting, not a common occurrence in their small Florida town by any means. Ashley is convinced that her ex is behind it all, but the police don't have enough evidence to charge him. To make matters worse, the police aren’t even sure if Ashley was the intended target at all. Detective Rick Edwards knows that Ashley’s fear of her ex is not unfounded, though. In fact, he’s seen first-hand the results of the abuse and he’s taken a special interest in making sure that no harm comes to Ashley again. Running Scared is an easy and light romantic suspense/mystery bordering on cozy - not too heavy on the violence or the sex. My one complaint is that some of the dialogue is a bit dated for the fairly young heroine. She’s in the habit of saying "mercy," and "oh, dear,” in response to being shot at. 09/08 Becky Lejeune  

RUNNING WRECKED by Mark Combes: Phil Riley has come from Minnesota to the Caribbean’s Isla Tortuga for a fresh start. A job at the dive shop during the day, good friends and lots of cold beer afterwards, life is good. Then he discovers the beautiful sailboat Miss Princess abandoned and adrift. Why are the police lackadaisical about investigating? What happened to the family that was aboard? Riley’s fumbling attempts to play detective may foil a kidnap plot, or it may cost him his life. A bit uneven, like many first works, but shows promise. 06/07 Jack Quick

RUNOFF by Mark Coggins:  Leonora Lee is the all-powerful “Dragon Lady” of San Francisco’s Chinatown.  She is accustomed to getting her way in all things, so when her hand-picked mayoral candidate fails even to carry the predominantly Chinese precincts, see sends for August Riordan, rapidly becoming San Francisco’s go-to Private Investigator.  Lee wants to know if the election was rigged, who did it, why they did it and how they did it.  Once she has her answers, you sense she can handle the situation nicely.  Coggins obviously knows what Herb Caen called Baghdad by the Bay, its people and its politics. Recommended.  12/07 Jack Quick

RUSH HOUR RULES by Huw Powell:  It started out as an innocent bit of pub entertainment.  At the insistence of his girlfriend, E. Z. Tyler reluctantly allows himself to be the subject of a hypnotist, as far as he is aware for the first time ever. The next thing he knows is he is in the middle of mayhem and murder.  It seems that the trance triggers a lost memory which causes his best friend Jason (actually his minder) to kill several onlookers and attempt to kill E.Z., who fatally clobbers Jason with a chair.  Tyler is arrested and the next day exposed to government officials who interrogate him and then plan to kill him.   He escapes and the chase is on. What is it he knows but doesn’t know that he knows. Tyler exhibits remarkable ingenuity as he proceeds at a breakneck “rush hour” pace to save himself – and the world. Nicely done and recommended. 11/09 Jack Quick  

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