5 stars out of 5
Whoa - what a terrific book! It's always a treat to find one that's this hard to put down and offers so many surprise twists and turns.
Actually, the plot itself has a familiar ring; two strangers meet up on an airplane, and, over a few drinks, begin talking about the ups and downs in their lives. For Ted Severson, the biggest "down" is his wife, Miranda; she's cheated on him with the contractor who's building them a mansion overlooking the ocean in Maine, and he's out for revenge. When he mostly jokes that he'd like to kill her, the other stranger. Lily Kintner, doesn't miss a beat. "I'd like to help," she says.
One discussion leads to another, as do the drinks, and before you know it, the wheels of a diabolical plan to get rid of Miranda are put into motion - masterminded by Lily, who - unbeknownst to Ted - has a past filled with more than a few dark secrets. As the plot thickens, readers get glimpses into what's happening (and happened) as each chapter shifts from the perspectives of the three major players and, later on, the detective who's trying to sort things out as he investigates a murder (the name of the victim I shall not reveal).
On a personal note, part of the action takes place in parts of Maine that my husband and I have visited; I was especially happy to see mention of the Kittery Trading Post in Kittery - one of my all-time favorite outdoor stores.
Suffice it to say there are more than a few surprises, and the author is a master at ending each chapter with a hook that made me salivating to learn more only to switch to a different character's perspective in the next one. That's tough to pull off, IMHO; usually, that tactic annoys the heck out of me. Not so here; it meant only that yet again, my long-suffering husband would have to wait a bit longer to get his dinner.
Definitely a winner in my book!
The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson (William Morrow, February 2015); 320 pp.
4 stars out of 5
While I admit to growing a bit tired of the popular Bones
TV show after 10 seasons, I certainly haven't given up; it's a sure bet I'll be watching the Season 11 debut on Oct. 1. For those who might not know, the show is inspired by the books by Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist like her TV and book counterpart Temperance Brennan.
The books have been around even longer; this is the 18th in the series, and I've read almost all of them. Without question, I enjoy the books far more than the TV show; the primary similarity between the two is that they both center around a somewhat emotionally challenged Brennan. Other than that, the twain rarely meets.
Here, she's struggling (still) with her feelings for police detective Andrew Ryan, who has proposed marriage. Not wanting to compromise her independence and still reeling after the betrayal by her ex-husband and father of her now-grown daughter, she keeps putting off a decision, making her the perfect poster child for avoidance behavior. In the midst of the waffling, she gets a visit from a strange woman named Hazel "Lucky" Strike, an amateur Internet sleuth who tries to solve cold cases. The woman brings a frightening tape recording she believes is the voice of an 18-year-old girl who disappeared a few years earlier and whose remains are anonymously stashed in Brennan's lab. The problem? The girl's parents - members of a radical and secretive religious group that's rooted in Catholicism - insist she's not missing; rather, she just ran off with a no-good boyfriend who also can't be found.
Given the lack of hard evidence, Brennan reluctantly does some sleuthing of her own, ending in the backwoods discovery of a few bones that may belong to the missing girl. More sleuthing turns up more bones - and questions of to whom they belong. Brennan gets lots of help from a local law enforcement guy (who's also pretty good in the eye candy department) and some from her own lab colleagues. But mostly, as usual, her headstrong personality demands that she follow the evidence - even if it leads to dangerous places and people and puts her own life in jeopardy.
I enjoyed this book, and, at just 320 pages, breezed through it in no time. I like the somewhat larger role given to Brennan's mother, and as usual, Brennan's sense of humor popped out here and there. And, I definitely didn't foresee the ending. Still, the whole thing seemed a bit on the "lightweight" side, with not quite as much emphasis on the forensics that never fails to grab and hold my attention.
Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs (Bantam, July 2015); 320 pp.
4.5 stars out of 5
This is the first in the author's series of three (so far) featuring NYPD detective and intelligence officer Jeremy Fisk. I've had the first two for a while now (next up is The Execution), and I finally found a lull in my stack of to-read books and decided to give the first one a whirl.
For those who may not be familiar with his name, Dick Wolf is the creator of TV's extremely popular and long-running Law and Order franchise (count me as a big fan who was upset at the cancellation of the original show). This is his first novel, and the first thing I'll happily emphasize is it does not read like a screenplay (but it would, IMHO, make a better-than-average motion picture). No, it reads like a book - just as it should - and a pretty darned good one at that.
Fisk is reminiscent of other action heroes - Brad Thor's Scot Harvath comes to mind mostly, I suppose, because I recently finished the most recent installment, Code of Conduct. Even the plot has a somewhat familiar ring to it: the good guys and gals trying to catch the bad ones who may have ties to the late Osama Bin Laden and are out to do dastardly things to the American infidels. Usually, that's a bit of a turn-off for me; I'm well aware of the threat and know it's a hot topic, but (maybe because of that) I'm less than enthusiastic when it's the theme of books I read for pleasure.
That said, author Wolfe manages to keep the concept fresh (and, thank goodness, doesn't set any scenes in Iran or Afghanistan). All the action, which heats up quickly, happens on U.S. soil and doesn't stop till the end. The whole thing begins as six passengers on an international flight to Newark, N.J, struggle with and subdue a would-be hijacker who apparently had planned to destroy New York City's new Freedom Tower before its official July 4 dedication. But all may not be what it seems; Fisk and officer (and love interest) Krina Gersten agree that the hijacker's confession may be a little too pat; could his actions be a diversion to cover up an even more serious plot? And if so, can they find out the real target in time to prevent a deadly post-9/11 disaster?
I've learned the answers, of course, but I'm not telling; if you want to know what happens, go read the book for yourself. My only "complaint," such as it is, is that the suspicions and conclusions Fisk reaches sometimes seem a bit beyond the human thinking process - but then maybe that's why they pay him the big bucks. But while that prompted a slight deduction in review stars, I'm glad I finally read this one, and for sure I won't keep the next one in the series on the back burner very long.
The Intercept by Dick Wolf (Harper paperback/Kindle, May 2013); 433 pp.
5 stars out of 5
It's always interesting to see what political hot buttons will set author Brad Thor on a conservative roll in his books featuring counter-terrorism operative Scot Harvath - this is the 15th in the series. Sure enough, expressed mostly through Harvath's musings, he hits a bunch of them here, ranging from the United Nations and CIA to the government's penchant for spying on citizens to the belief that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander (i.e., if our enemies do it to us, why shouldn't we return the favor?) But agree with his philosophies or not - for me, it's more often not - he sure can write a heck of a story.
Just about ready to head out for a long-awaited, relaxing vacation with his girlfriend (well, as much as the adventure-loving former SEAL is able to relax), Harvath gets called back into action by the private firm for which he's now employed. He loves his work here because the company is able to color outside the lines when necessary; they get jobs done that those who must follow rules and regulations and function within official channels can't (such as torture and murder), and he's exceptionally good at what he does.
Initially, the job involves a trip to a clinic deep within the Congo, where it appears there's been a cover-up of a mass murder. That leads to the realization that countries of the world - most notably the United States and Israel - are the targets of a terrorism plot involving the spread of a deadly disease. At the center of the plot is a secret committee whose members are beyond reach of the law of the land. Harvath and his team, however, are well acquainted with ways to circumvent such boundaries; still, learning the identity of those plotting to revamp and take over the world, tracking them down and ending the threat of human extinction puts Harvath's nearly super-human skills (as well as some pretty nifty technology) to the test.
Yes, the whole thing is a little over the top in the believability department, but hey, it probably could happen (and besides, who today doesn't worry at least a little bit about bioterrorism)? If ever that were to come to pass for real, I just hope there'll be somebody like Harvath in our corner!
Code of Conduct by Brad Thor (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, July 2015); 368 pp.
4 stars out of 5
This is the 34th novel about the life and loves of super-rich New York lawyer Stone Barrington. Although I enjoyed it more than some of the others over the past couple of years, I must note that I read it almost in one sitting - and on a day I was cooking dinner for friends, no less. In part, that's because it's just 320 pages; it's also because even when something happens that borders on action, no one gets the least bit worked up and it's easy to breeze through without fear of missing anything important. At times, in fact, the "excitement" happens when both parties hang up the phone.
Case in point: A typical conversation, as Stone - who apparently has become the target of mobsters - is warned to hole up in his fortified mansion.
"If I can't go out, then maybe I should have a dinner party. I don't do that often enough."
All rightee, then. But don't misunderstand; such is the author's style, and - Lord help me - I've rather come to enjoy the laid-back way the characters approach day-to-day life, even when murder happens and friends' lives are threatened. This one begins as Stone is introduced to a man looking to do business in New York, with guidance from Stone's prestigious law firm, Woodman & Weld. Turns out, though, that the man is encroaching on the established territory of a few criminals - and they don't take kindly to the situation.
That's when the action - if you want to call it that - begins, highlighted by a few murders, friends with bullseyes on their backs, anticipation of delivery of a fancy new airplane and [mercifully brief] reports of Stone bedding just about every eligible female he encounters including - be still my heart- a self-described "sex addict." The ending is gobsmackingly abrupt, leaving unfinished business that I suppose will be continued in the next book. On the plus side, since the last few were published within a few months of each other, I don't expect to wait long to find out.
Naked Greed by Stuart Woods (G.P. Putnam's Sons, July 2015); 320 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Sherlock Holmes, the well-known detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 1880s, has long been a favorite of mine. Of course, I read most of the novels and short stories many years ago and continue to "follow" his adventures in every motion picture and TV show that turns up (actor Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal in TV's "Sherlock" is a favorite). But until recently - when it was a special Kindle offer - I had no idea this book (or its predecessor, The House of Silk, existed. In fact, it was an Amazon Best Book of the Month in December 2014, and I learned that both books were approved by Doyle's estate.
It was the description, though, that reeled me in: The mystery "explores what really happened when Sherlock Holmes and his arch nemesis, Professor Moriarty, tumbled to their doom at the Reichenbach Falls." I stayed on hooked all the way to the end - an end that, for the record, pretty much blew me away.
The story begins not long after the two enemies tumbled over the falls, effectively eliminating one of the criminals sought by both the Pinkerton agency and Scotland Yard. Now, another one has moved to the top of the most-wanted list, and it appears he fancies himself a worthy successor to Moriarty. Pinkerton agent Frederick Chase, who provides a first-person narration here, has come to Europe from New York in hopes of tracking down the criminal, named Clarence Devereaux. Chase meets up with Scotland Yard Inspector Athelney Jones, a dedicated Holmes aficionado, and they join forces on a search that takes them through unsavory parts of London and puts their lives at risk with regularity.
The writing style mirrors that of Doyle (that is to say a little bit stuffy, but totally fun), and references to that author's works are too numerous to mention. I don't think it's necessary to have read Doyle's works to enjoy this book, but on the other hand, a little familiarity with them certainly enhanced my enjoyment. I'll also emphasize that this is not a book about Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Watson per se; the references to both are many, but neither makes a personal appearance (Sherlock, of course, was lost at the Swiss falls before this book begins).
In summary, this is the first book in a while that elicited a "Wow!" from me when I got to the end. I also learned that author Horowitz has written a James Bond novel (another all-time favorite character of mine) set for release in the United States in September 2015, titled Trigger Mortis. Big surprise - I'm heading to Amazon to pre-order a Kindle version as we speak.
Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz (Harper, December 2014); 309 pp.
5 stars out of 5
This short story lays the foundation for Jonathan Kellerman's upcoming book, The Murderer's Daughter, set for release in mid-August 2015. Although I've been vocal about not being a fan of the so-called "prequels," I caved in this time simply because it's written by an author at the Top 3 of my favorites list.
At just 47 pages it took only half an hour or so to read, and I'm happy to say it's excellent. The story stands alone, but - as I'm sure is the intent - the ending left me wondering what will happen next. No doubt I'll forget everything I read by the time I get the full book on my Kindle Fire, though (one of the reasons I avoid prequels), so I'll write a quick review that I can use to refresh my memory before I dive into the real thing.
The story begins in 1965 (put in my perspective, at that time our son would have been two years old and I was a stay-at-home mom), when a young man named Malcolm Bluestone takes a break between finishing a Harvard degree and starting law school to visit his older brother Steve in California. The two are far enough apart in age that they've never been close, but Malcolm admires Steve and his free-wheeling lifestyle as a movie "star."
So far, Malcolm has walked the more conventional path favored by his elderly parents - Jewish immigrants who fled Germany to escape the wrath of Hitler's regime - but he's also harbored a desire to veer off course and create his own walkway. While visiting his brother's movie set and witnessing an incident that shocks him to the core, he makes the decision to do exactly that: After all, it's the right thing to do.
The Right Thing to Do (short story, Kindle Single) by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, July 2015); 47 pp.
Whoa - what a terrific book! It's always a treat to find one that's this hard to put down and offers so many surprise twists and turns.
