HER DARK LIES

5 stars out of 5

If I had 10 bucks for every body that turns up in this one, I might not be able to buy that beach shack I've been wanting on my beloved North Carolina Outer Banks, but I sure would eat like a queen for a week or two! Wow - just when you thought still-standing characters would be safe, bam - another one bites the island dust.

The island is Isle Isola, off the coast of Italy. That's where uber-rich Compton family has a getaway villa that's nothing short of a castle. And that's where the wedding of son Jackson "Jack" Compton and his bride-to-be, Claire Hunter, will take place, with many family members enjoying luxurious pre-wedding festivities that have been organized to the nth degree by the Compton's highly experienced and competent staff.

But even before Jack and Claire arrive on the island, it's clear something is amiss; as they arrive at Claire's Nashville digs after an event - accompanied by a Compton family security guard - they're accosted by a masked intruder. Surviving that (I'll leave you to read the book to find out how that happens), they try to put it behind them and set off for the island. But almost the second they set foot on it, it's clear that something is amiss here as well. No, it's not Jack's family; despite Claire's background as a multi-tattooed junkie turned noteworthy artist whose work (thanks in large part to a boost from Jack) now sells for thousands of dollars, they appear to welcome her with open arms. 

Rather, the island itself, and the villa, that are suspect  For openers, a skeleton is unearthed that may have close ties to Jack; this is not, for the record, his first go-'round at marriage - his first ending with the tragic death of his wife Morgan. In any event, Jack's mother, firmly established as the family matriarch, wants the discovery swept under the rug. No one - not even Jack - reveals the circumstances surrounding Morgan's death.

Early on, it's obvious that someone isn't exactly thrilled with the upcoming wedding. Her dream dress, which she personally designed, is ruined. When that disturbs, but doesn't stop, the wedding, the shutdown and loss of all data from the family's server causes even more concern. And when that fails to put the brakes on the wedding, the murders begin.

Chapters from the viewpoint of other characters - including the person behind all the mayhem - are interspersed, giving readers an awareness (already suspected) of who's behind all the mayhem as well as insights on the main characters' backgrounds that help with an understanding of why. The action picks up even steam near the ending, which brings a few new and somewhat surprising insights as well. All told? Well-written and enjoyable. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison (MIRA, March 2021); 356 pp.

GOOD GIRLS LIE

5 stars out of 5

Wow! Add this one to my short list of books I really, really didn't want to put down. Absolutely loved it from start to finish.

Much of my reason for enjoyment is the in-depth, intriguing character development; each and every one has a complex, often secretive backstory, revealed as the story progresses. As might be expected, there are twists - some quite surprising - that kept me hooked as well. I'm aware, though, that some say the story has its unbelievable moments. I agree that's true to a degree; but in my mind,  there's no reason a good story can't stretch the imagination a bit. I'm not reading it because I want to be immersed in total reality - in many cases, in fact, that wouldn't be any fun at all.

As this one opens, a recently orphaned girl named Ashlyn Carr has come to the elite Goode School in Virginia. She was admitted following a Skype-type interview by the dean, Dr. Ford Julianne Westhaven. The students here are highly intelligent but societal misfits, and Ash definitely fits the profile. But almost the moment she arrives, Ash bumps heads with senior Becca - the daughter of a powerful senator - who's clearly bonkers but just as clearly rules the student body with a heavy hand. The plot thickens when one of the girls is found dead - hanging from the front gates. 

Flashbacks show Ash's life before her life got Goode when she and her parents lived in England, and it's not pretty. And early on, Ash (and readers) learn that life at Goode isn't very pretty either; there are secret societies and cliques, for instance, that bring out the worst in the girls who live here. Nor do the faculty and staff get off easy - they have their own secrets and peccadilloes that make life miserable for themselves and others around them.

Although Ash is talented enough to get private lessons from the school's computer whiz teacher, she can't seem to make much headway when it comes to making friends. Even her roommate, Camile - another girl who has some serious secrets to hide - turns on her. Then suddenly, the tide seems to turn when Ash receives a coveted invitation to the Attic from Becca - a rarity for a freshman and a sure sign that Ash has finally made the grade.

Or not. After all, good girls lie, don't they? A big part of the appeal of this story is trying to figure out which (if any) of the Goode girls are truthful. Thoroughly enjoyable book, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison (MIRA, December 2019); 464 pp.

THE LAST SECOND

5 stars out of 5


I've read two of this "Brit in the FBI" series and absolutely loved them both, so when I got the chance to wade into this one as an advance review copy, I was ecstatic. And guess what? The story is a bit more "out there" than the others, but it's yet another 5-star winner in my book.

The very likable characters, in particular special agents Nicholas Drummond and his sweetie, Michaela "Mike" Caine, are back. The two are staying with friends and other regular characters Grant and Kitsune Thornton, while Mike nurses a nearly healed broken ankle that happened during a previous adventure. Mike and Nicholas head the FBI Covert Eyes Team, while Grant runs a private security company that's been hired to protect Jean-Pierre Broussard, the founder of Galactus Industries.

In the prologue, readers learn that astronaut Dr. Nevaeh Patel was drummed out of the space program after a near-death experience during a spacewalking event, after which she claimed to have heard extraterrestrial voices called the Numen. No one believed her and most think she's gone bonkers - and thus unfit for another outer space mission. Insisting she's not crazy, Nevaeh quits the program, later hooking up with Broussard. He wants someone to take over that company while he searches the seas for the "Holy Grail" - a rock believed to have healing powers.

But Nevaeh has much more on her mind than running a company that puts small satellites in space at an affordable cost. Those voices never stopped calling, you see, and they're getting louder by the day - urging her to undertake a project that will disrupt the entire world and give them, and Nevaeh, total control. Once Mike and Nicholas learn what's going on, they have other ideas - but can they find a way to stop what she's about to make happen, even if it's at the last second?

A good bit of the almost nonstop action takes place at sea, with scenes reminiscent (to me, at least) of Clive Cussler's NUMA Files books. As the two intersecting plots on land and water begin to seriously converge, all the characters get involved in ultra-dangerous situations that call for super-human feats, and the ending is worthy of an Ian Fleming 007 novel. My verdict? Thank goodness for one of the most boring Super Bowl games ever (and I haven't missed a single one since the 1967 inaugural game) that allowed me to finish the final third of the book nonstop. And speaking of thanks, I'll send some to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review it. 

The Last Second by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison (Gallery Books, March 2019); 464 pp.

THE SIXTH DAY

5 stars out of 5


Mix in a dash of Dan Brown's DaVinci Code, a splash of James Patterson's Private and a whole lot of originality from two very talented co-authors and what do you get? A page-turner of history-linked chills, thrills and intrigue that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. In fact, I highly recommend the entire "Brit in the FBI" series (this one, I believe, is the fifth).

Primary characters and friends with benefits Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are on the special Covert Eyes FBI team - one that plays well with the FBI's British counterpart (Nicholas is the first British agent to join the FBI). They've been called in amid what is thought to be assassinations of a couple of business and political bigwigs in London, with the hope that the team can  sort things out and, needless to say, catch the culprit(s). As readers learn early on, the killings may be linked to the Castle of Vlad Dracul III in 1448 and a mysterious Voynich Manuscript that involves cryptophasia (a.k.a., a language of twins); the occasional chapter flips to days of old to trace the manuscript's footprint throughout its elusive history.

The trail extends far and wide but seems to be tied to Roman Ardelean, the uber-wealthy owner of a cybersecurity firm that provides software to governments and businesses worldwide. Not insignificantly, he's also a descendant of Vlad the Impaler (often believed to be Dracula), and his twin brother, computer genius Radu, suffers from a particularly nasty and incurable form of hemophilia. The brothers are convinced that pages in the Voynich Manuscript - pages that have just turned up at a London historical museum after having been mysteriously "discovered" by Romanian expert Dr. Isabella Marin - spell out what Radu needs for a complete recovery.

In between are real and threatened attacks by a cadre of seriously high-tech drones and seemingly low-tech but deadly falcons; whether or not they're all connected to the Ardeleans and the manuscript will put to the test the considerable computer skills of Nicholas and his team-member friend Adam in what might be called a battle of the programmers. Non-techies needn't worry, though; everything is explain well enough that even an aging grandmother like me can understand it (well, enough that it all made sense, at least). 

Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review - which is that this is a very exciting, well-written story you don't want to miss. Another winner!

The Sixth Day by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison (Gallery Books, April 2018); 528 pp.

THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE

5 stars out of 5

Woo hoo - it's The DaVinci Code meets Indiana Jones - what a doozy of a book! Now that I've finished, seems to me it would make a great movie as well (hint, hint). Should that ever happen, though, my advice, as always, is to read the book first.

Actually, this is the fourth in the authors' "A Brit in the FBI" series. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit apprehensive about how much I'd enjoy it for that reason; would I be lost because I hadn't read the first three? No doubt I missed a few nuances because of my unfamiliarity, but I needn't have worried: the book and I got along famously - to the point that I nearly cheered when heavy duty winds blew out our cable TV, Internet and landline phone service for a few hours, giving me the perfect excuse to finish the last few chapters with no interruptions.

And did I mention it's a doozy? It's got everything I could ask for: almost nonstop action, likable characters and borderline impossible technology that threatens the planet's very existence. Although this book is way better, at times I was reminded of James Patterson's Private series (most of which I've enjoyed as well). That, I think, comes from the similar focus on a team and banter among the various members, all of whom enormously like and respect one another.

The characters here form the Covert Eyes team - a group of FBI special agents that includes Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine. They get a surprise call asking for help from an elusive thief known as the Fox (real name, Kitsune, and I gather she appeared in a previous book or books and isn't exactly a friend of Nick or Mike). After she stole an artifact that has ties to the Ark of the Covenant from an Istanbul museum, she explains, the client who hired her is trying to kill her and she's hiding out in Venice. Moreover, she claims to have overheard a conversation suggesting that a recent and very deadly Gobi Desert sandstorm didn't happen by accident.

Intrigued in large part by the notion that someone out there may be controlling the weather rather than saving Kitsune's hide, Nick and Mike and the team convince their supervisors of the need to find out what's really going on. Right from the start, what they find is danger; apparently, Kitsune didn't exaggerate - someone really is out to get her, and they'll be quite happy to take down Nick and Mike in the process. Clues lead from New York to Venice to the Gobi Desert to the Bermuda Triangle, passing too close for comfort to some very unsavory characters including a particularly nasty set of twins.

All told, it's an exciting journey loaded with near super-human efforts, espionage, a touch of what some might call the supernatural and, of course, that weather control thing. Already, I'm all ready for the next installment! A huge thank you to the publisher (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this one in exchange for an honest review.

The Devil's Triangle by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison (Gallery Books, March 2017); 512 pp.