MALIBU BURNING

5 stars out of 5

There are a handful of authors whose books I always look forward to reading, and Mr. Goldberg is one of them. And with this book, he once again doesn't disappoint; it's a real barn-burner. Besides that, I absolutely loved the main characters, the super-skillful arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his new partner, Andrew Walker - so much so that I'm hoping we'll see them again (and again) in a series.

For this nonstop adventure, they're hot on the trail of ex-con Danny Cole, a clever thief who, during his prison time, volunteered for the prison's firefighter squad. The work is challenging and dangerous, but to Danny, it beat being stuck in a prison cell and trying to avoid payback from people he'd scammed. But living out in the wilderness sparked not only his expertise with wildfires, but also his desire for another big payoff - along with getting revenge on behalf of a friend who was terribly wronged. Almost as soon as he walked out the prison door as a free man, he began putting together an air-tight plan and assembling his team of experts.

Chapters shift back and forth between Danny's efforts to get rich and what's going on in the lives of the arson team's effort; it's no surprise when everything and everyone come together amid an out-of-control wildfire that threatens multi-million dollar California mansions. Along the way Andrew - himself a seasoned detective - soaked up Walter's extensive knowledge of wildfires (as do readers, BTW). Good thing, because it'll take all that, and more, if they want Danny's grand plan to go down in flames.

Suffice it to say there's never a dull moment from the first page to the rather unexpected ending, whether it be chuckles, gasps or nail-biting angst over which character might not make it to the next chapter. That's another way to say this is another sizzler, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Good job!

Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, September 2023); 286 pp.

THE INVESTIGATOR

5 stars out of 5

As a longtime reader of this author's series featuring U.S. Marshals Service officer Lucas Davenport, I'm familiar with his adopted daughter Letty, who comes from a troubled background (to say the least) but has thrived under the care of Lucas and his physician wife, Weather. Now, she's 24, a college graduate and off on her own working in a ho-hum job for a U.S. Senator. When he learns of her unrest, he gives her an assignment of looking into the theft of oil from several Texas companies. The amount of oil missing and how much money the thefts amount to - chickenfeed in the overall scheme of oil industry profits - aren't of serious interest, but the senator is curious about where the profits are going and wants to make sure it's not to a right-wing militia group.

In part because Letty is still green around the ears when it comes to investigative skills, she's teamed with John Kaiser, a Department of Homeland Security investigator. At first, she's not delighted with that and neither is he, but they manage to put those feelings aside and, ultimately, develop real respect for each other (if it matters, he won me over as well). The thinking is that a woman who runs a far-right website and a male accomplice may be behind the thefts; when Letty and John head for Texas and find a couple of dead bodies clearly related to the two suspects, it moves into the sure-thing department and the chase is on. 

But exactly who they're chasing and what they're planning to do isn't quite so clear; all Letty and John know for sure is that many lives could be in the balance if they can't figure it out in time. Readers, of course, come along for the ride as chapters shift from the perspectives of the heroes and villains before reaching an explosive conclusion. From this reader's perspective, it was a heck of a journey - during which Letty earned her investigator stripes and made a believer out of me. Already, I'm looking forward to her next adventure. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!

The Investigator by John Sandford (G.P. Putnam's Sons, April 2022); 400 pp.

CLEAN HANDS

3 stars out of 5

Have you ever seen that TV commercial for spaghetti sauce - Ragu, if I recall correctly? "It's in there," the narrator says. Well, somewhere in this book is a story, I'm sure, but most of it went over my head in the jumble of endless characters, excessively lengthy chapters that switched gears several times with no warning and an ending that, to put it mildly, was abrupt.

That's not to say there's nothing going on, although sometimes it was hard to tell who was doing what to whom. Here's what I know (or think I know): A merger between two banks goes south, creating two mortal enemies who are planning to fight it out in court. One of those banks is represented by a heavyweight law firm and one of its high-powered attorneys, Elizabeth Carlyle. One of their younger associates screws up big-time by putting sensitive documents related to the lawsuit on his cell phone, which then gets stolen as he moves through Grand Central Station on his way somewhere.

Worried that the documents would be damaging to the firm if they fell into the wrong hands, Elizabeth hires a woman named Valencia, who appears to be some kind of professional mercenary, to find the phone and the thief. But then, the bottom falls out when Elizabeth gets a threat: The documents will be made public unless her firm pays a hefty ransom. Elizabeth agrees, with Valencia in turn agreeing to follow the money surreptitiously and, hopefully, get it back along with those pesky documents.

From that point on, things got so convoluted and ridden with characters, those characters' relatives and relatives of their relatives that I really couldn't follow it (although I did deduce that almost everyone involved was following almost everyone else to varying degrees of success). It might have gone more smoothly had the chapters been shorter. It's not a lengthy book, but there are only four chapters, so just about every "set" of characters gets a place in each one, but with zero transition. Many times I had to flip back a page or two in my Kindle when I realized I wasn't reading about the characters I thought I was.

In the end, although technically the writing (as in grammar, punctuation and spelling) had no noticeable glitches, I'm afraid this one just didn't click with me. Just the same, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-publication copy.

Clean Hands by Patrick Hoffman (Atlantic Monthly Press, June 2020); 288 pp.

STRIKE ME DOWN

5 stars out of 5

It's not often I stay up later than usual and finish a book in bed, even if there are just a couple of chapters to go. Add this one to the short list of those that made the trip upstairs.

Mostly that's because the story is so unique - when was the last time you saw a character who's an international kickboxing phenom (female, no less)? Ditto for one who's a cracker-jack forensic accountant (also a female)? Throw in the the sudden disappearance of $20 million and husbands and wives who, let's say, don't seem well suited to each other, and you've got the makings for a page-turner.

The company at which the money went missing is Strike, a multimillion dollar joint creation of that aforesaid phenom, Logan Russo, and her husband, Gregory Abbott. The company is wildly successful, cashing in big-time on Logan's fame. Now, they're throwing a huge tournament with $20 million in prize money plus the chance to replace Logan as the new "face" of the company. But therein lie a couple of issues: First, Gregg suspects Logan has the hots for one of their young trainers and wants him as her replacement. Second, and most pressing, is the disappearance of all that prize money.

Enter Nora's firm, which has built a reputation for digging through numbers to expose corporate theft and fraud. Gregg contacted them, knowing of their expertise through a prior meeting (and one-night stand) with Nora away from their Minneapolis base. Understandably, Nora - who's also a member of the local Strike gym and can hold her own with a kickboxing bag - is hesitant to accept Strike (and Gregg) as a client. But her partner gives her the green light and she gives in - despite concerns expressed by her husband, Mike, with whom she has a self-described "open marriage" as well as a 10-year-old son.

Her hardest task may be determining who to believe; Gregg and Logan are pointing fingers at each other. Nora's investigation becomes central to the story, which shifts in perspective from Nora to Gregg. By the end, the whole thing took a couple of very dark turns, all leading up to an exciting ending that showcases all of Nora's considerable talents.

Honestly, I'll be the first to say I probably wouldn't want to hang out with any of this crew; I love strong women, but Logan and Nora take it to a whole 'nother level. Neither is even close to perfect (although they're at the top of their respective games career-wise) - but then neither are any of their male counterparts - not at Strike and not at Nora's firm. Still, there's something riveting about each and every one, adding interest, intrigue and hints of unspoken love interests that may be lurking in the background (or perhaps just in my own mind).

All in all, I found it well worth reading. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, April 2020); 348 pp.

THE BURGLAR

4 stars out of 5

I really enjoyed this book, but I admit it's a rather strange one. The title "burglar" is Elle, who has been on her own almost since she can remember - surviving by becoming adept at the ins and outs of theft (more to the point, how to get in and get out without getting caught). By now, she's got it down to a science; her powers of observation and tricks of the trade at times nearly obliterating the line of credibility. And then, she enters a house looking for goodies, finds three murder victims in an upstairs bedroom, and life as she knows it goes belly up.

The strange part, I guess, comes because the entire book is done in a matter-of-fact, narration style with very little dialogue. It's certainly not uninteresting - in fact, it's quite easy to read and entertaining enough that I was reluctant to put it down. But neither can I call it thrilling; most of the way through, it felt more like I was reading an instruction sheet on how to commit burglary than a murder mystery. Not a bad thing, mind you - as I said, I quite enjoyed the reading experience and thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. But on the other hand, at no time did I get close to the edge of my seat.

Elle's discovery of those aforementioned bodies was accompanied by discovery that the murders (and a few more tawdry moments involving the two woman and a man) were caught on a camcorder. Always striving to stay ahead of whatever game with which she's not already well acquainted, she quickly surmises that what's on the tape might be valuable to the police. So, she steals the camera and makes copies of what's on it - minus, of course, any hint that she was ever involved (or so she thinks) - and re-burglarizes the place to return the camera for the police to find. If nothing else, she's a burglar with a conscience; she's never stolen more than she needs nor harmed anyone and insists that she never will.

That assumption is challenged, though, when Elle learns that not only do some very nasty characters know she was there, they're intent on tracking her down and, most likely, subjecting her to the same fate as the victims she found. That notion really hits home when someone she cares for is put down for the count (keep in mind that she's a loner who doesn't care for much of anybody, so this is a major milestone). 

So it is that she decides to investigate on her own in hopes of finding out who committed the murders that got the whole ball rolling and, more important, why. That not only puts her in an unfamiliar world of shady fine art deals, upper-crust snobs with whom her only connection is the goodies she's stolen from people like them in the past and those who will stop at nothing - including killing her - to make sure their own illicit plans don't go awry. In the end, perhaps the real question is, who's the better burglar? Read and find out!

The Burglar by Thomas Perry (Mysterious Press, January 2019); 304 pp.

ACCESSORIES TO DIE FOR

4 stars out of 5

Every once in a while, I do enjoy kicking back with a cozy mystery; there's usually a decent story with enough action to keep me interested while leaving my fingernails intact. The only downside, for me, is that the main character too often is borderline silly - never listening to anyone while she (it's almost always a female) sticks her nose into everybody's business and whines when something she says or does goes wrong. Thankfully, that isn't the case with former New York assistant District Attorney Irene Seligman. She's quite intelligent, sensible and capable of dealing with situations and people.

Except, that is, her mother Adelle; a more truly obnoxious character I haven't come across in a long time and will be content never to see again. She goes miles beyond the quintessential Jewish mother - and to the very end it remains a mystery to me why Irene agreed to leave her big city career and come home to Sante Fe, New Mexico, to "take care of" her. Oy!

But come home Irene did, and now she's operating a consignment shop selling high-end discards, many courtesy of Adelle's snooty friends. The store, called Irene's Closet, is in the historic Native American part of the city; and it is in this arena that much of the story takes root. Local jewelry-maker Juanita Calabaza is beside herself trying to locate her missing son Danny, who's one misstep away from gang life and drug addiction. Juanita fears that Danny stole a sacred tribal necklace, then sold it to a shady French artifacts dealer to finance his drug habit. She'd be happy to see the guy dead, she says - and prophetically, that's exactly what happens. Now she's in the crosshairs of the police, who consider Juanita their No. 1 suspect.

Irene, though, believes otherwise; no way her friend Juanita murdered anyone - her only goal is to find her son before he, too, turns up in the morgue. Meantime (while trying to placate her mother's constant demands - Lordy, what a pain she is), Irene's "friend" P.J. Bailey, a successful criminal lawyer gets into the act because he represents clients who insist they were ripped off by the French guy. I suspect Irene and P.J. are supposed to be in the throes of romantic tension, but I must say nothing either of them said or did made me believe there's any hope whatsoever for any such liaison. P.J. is far more likable than Adelle (but then so are at least half the people in the entire world), but still, I'd never allow his shoes anywhere near the underside of my bed.

There are plenty of false starts, chases and starts as well as very interesting information about local Native American history and customs. Since this is one of a series, I don't think I'll spoil anything by saying that Irene remains relatively unscathed at the end - ready, no doubt, for another adventure. I'm up for it as well - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one.

Accessories to Die For by Paula Paul (Random House LLC, December 2017); 180 pp.

CAMINO ISLAND

5 stars out of 5

If I could change the title, I think I'd rename it Anatomy of a Heist. The writing is very matter-of-fact - nothing very thrilling or exciting - that begins with the theft of five one-of-a-kind F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts from the bowels of the Princeton University Firestone Library. From there, it follows the day-to-day (often minute-by-minute) lives of the thieves and those who want to find them and bring the manuscripts back to their rightful home. It's divided into sections, each of which details the relevant characters and events pretty much on a minute-by-minute basis.

"The Heist," the opening section, brings readers an up-close-and-personal look at the robbers and how they planned the job and carried off the loot. "The Dealer" focuses on Bruce Cable, owner of a popular bookstore on Florida's Camino Island who collects rare books and, despite having a gorgeous French wife who deals in antiques, is quite the ladies' man. That's followed by "The Recruit," which introduces Mercer Mann, a semi-successful novelist and current teacher at the University of North Carolina. She's desperately trying to get out of a writing slump, hoping to get published and sell enough books to pay off her massive student loans and live the life of a successful writer.

In earlier days, Mercer was a frequent visitor to Camino Island and thus is familiar with its small tourist town of Santa Rosa, where Bruce's bookstore is located. When powers-that-be suspect that Bruce somehow may be involved in the theft of the manuscripts, which are insured for a whopping $25 million, she's considered the perfect "spy" and is offered the job of getting close enough to Bruce to learn his secrets. What they're willing to pay for her services is mind-boggling; but she wonders if its worth selling her soul as a snitch. Even if she can get over that hump, does she have what it takes to convince Bruce that she's just a curious, temporary island resident who has an interest in old books? And what if it turns out that Bruce has no secrets at all?

From there, the story unfolds bit by bit, section by section - always in a mostly narrative, little dialogue fashion. For readers, that means no nail-biting or edge-of-seat balancing, which may not sit all that well with those who demand knock-'em-dead action (nor will, perhaps, the lack of courtroom drama). But as with any writer worth his or her salt, the devil is in the details - and in that respect, Grisham is as good as it gets. It was fascinating to see how deftly he weaves together all the bits and pieces into the whole story that builds to the ending - which, as might be expected, is understated as well. Good job!

Camino Island by John Grisham (Random House LLC, June 2017); 304 pp.

BETTER TO GIVE THAN DECEIVE

4 stars out of 5

A good bit of what happens in this book exceeds the boundaries of what I believe could happen in real life, but no matter; it's one of the most  intriguing and, well, just plain fun plots I've read in a long time - and I thank the publisher for making it available to me in exchange for an honest review.

It's almost impossible to describe what happens without revealing too much, but in essence it involves three grifters who manage to steal a couple of million bucks before Frank, the leader of the pack, gets arrested for a heist of a different sort. Now he's awaiting trial, and the money the other two thought they'd all share is blowing in the wind. Needless to say, they want their cut; grifters through and through, they're willing to do whatever it takes, including a double-cross that involves rigging Frank's trial, to get it.

But there's many a slip between the cup and the lip - too many to count, in fact. Just when I thought everything would go according to plan, a monkey wrench that altered the dynamic of the entire plot gets tossed in. Not until the end did I know how things would turn out; and even at that point, I learned that nothing's written in stone. Maybe that means there's a sequel in the works, but then again, maybe not.

I should add that according to the publisher, a less "sexually explicit" edition available. I can't imagine why that's necessary - I certainly wasn't offended by what little I encountered, and it seemed so unessential to the plot that I wondered why it was there at all. But if you object to that even a hint at kind of thing, I guess it'd good to know you can opt for a more chaste version.

Better To Give Than Deceive by Kobrinica Press (Kobrinica Press, December 2014); 252 pp.

DANGEROUS BET

3 stars out of 5

I discovered this book through eReaderIQ Daily, where it was offered free not long ago. The description sounded interesting, so I did what I always do next - check the reviews at Amazon.com. There were only a dozen, all with the highest possible rating. While that always gives me pause (as I've said many times before, I could round up that many friends and family members and ply a couple of sentences and a handful of stars out of them with a six-pack of beer), I decided what the heck and went for it.

About a month later I was looking for something relatively short to read while waiting for a new book from a favorite author to be released, and I turned to this one (it's just 205 pages). Before I started, though, I looked at the reviews once again. This time, there were 16  - 14 of them 5-star and two that were awful (one reviewer deemed it so bad he or she couldn't even finish it).

That didn't cheer me up, but if I've learned anything over my many years of reading, it's to not put a lot of stock in extremely high or extremely low ratings. And sure enough, I put this it square in the middle rating-wise. It's not great, but neither is it terrible; put another way, after reading it from beginning to end, I don't feel it was a waste of my time.

Based on what others said, I expected to find a ton of grammar, spelling and punctuation errors (a huge turn-off for me and one reason I hesitated to start the book, BTW). But while I did notice a few glitches (the main character "wrecked" his brain trying to understand and put "bate" on his fish hook and another came along "baring" bad news, for instance), for the most part all the technical stuff was where and how it should be.

Rather, what kept me from awarding a top-notch rating was in the story itself. A senior intelligence officer with the Bureau of Counter Spying Activities whose hobby is tracking the results of a national lottery learns, quite unexpectedly, that he's become a target for assassination by his own agency. He manages to survive the attempt and goes underground to try and ferret out an explanation for his sudden fall from grace. In the process, he uncovers the theft of millions of dollars from the lottery - and the race is on to see whether he can learn who's behind it before they find him again.

It's an intriguing plot, but it's carried out in a convoluted and confusing manner with writing that's a bit too ponderous for me; even after I finished the book, I had little sense of how the theft really was carried out. When I  read at one point, for instance, that "hundreds of thousands" of lottery forms were stored on two CDs, I had to wonder how that could happen; heck, I can't even fit half the photos I took on a two-day vacation on four CDs, let alone just two. The chapters jump around from various characters' perspectives as well, and it was hard for me to follow who's who. At no time did I make any meaningful connection with any of the characters, nor did I really care much beyond plain old curiosity what happened to any of them including the "hero."

That said, I was able to glean a general idea of what was going on, albeit mostly in the last couple of chapters and the epilogue. That was sufficient for me to conclude that this one's neither winner nor loser and most likely will be enjoyed by those who enjoy complicated plots. And besides, you know what they say: Different strokes for different folks.

Dangerous Bet: A Conspiracy Thriller by Jack Gardner (Amazon Digital Services Inc., February 2015); 205 pp.