LAST SEEN ALIVE

5 stars out of 5

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed another book by this author - but not in this series - I didn't hesitate when I got a chance to read a pre-release copy of this one (thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley). Now, the only thing that disappoints me is that I missed the first four, although this one stands on its own quite well. It was so good, in fact, that I put off making dinner for an hour and a half so I could get to the exciting finish.

She was the one who got away: Abigail Ellery Hathaway, now a Boston detective, managed to escape serial torturer and killer of women Frances Coben. He was caught and has been languishing in prison for a couple of decades; the man who found and saved her, FBI agent Reed Markham, later became her lover. Still traumatized by the horrific treatment she endured at Coven's hands, Ellery, as she now calls herself, recently called things off with Reed. But now, out of the blue, Coben claims he's remorseful and wants to come clean by revealing the location of some of his victims' bodies (minus the body parts he keeps as trophies) - but only if he can confess to his "Abby."

Reed objects, but a TV crew gets into the act as well and puts some pressure on the powers-that-be. Just because the confrontation might bring closure to families of the victims, Reed and Ellery agree to meet Coben in prison. It's arranged, but Coben does little more than confuse the issue. Confounding things even more, a new body turns up with a too-similar M.O. - but Coben couldn't possibly have done it from jail. Or could he?

Amid all this, the impossible happens (no, I won't say what) - and from that point on, I was on the edge of my seat even though some of the happenings were predictable. Besides that, I really liked Ellery and Reed (him in particular), so I had my fingers and toes crossed that they'd get back together again (no, I won't reveal that, either). All in all, a most engrossing novel very much recommended.

Last Seen Alive by Joanna Schaffhausen (Minotaur Books, January 2022); 320 pp.

MERCY

4 stars out of 5

For openers, this is a difficult book to review; while FBI agent Atlee Pine grows closer every day to finding her long-lost kidnapped twin sister Mercy - with lots of help from Atlee's older and more sensible administrative assistant, Carol Blum - describing whether or not they succeed in this fourth book in the series (and how and what happens next if she does or does not) would be too revealing.

What I can say is that Atlee has found proof that Mercy escaped those who captured and imprisoned her many years earlier. What became of her after that remains a mystery to Atlee; it's entirely possible that she's no longer alive. Just knowing that she escaped, though, is more than enough incentive for Atlee and Carol to take a leave from the FBI to concentrate even harder on tracking her down.

Needless to say, their journey is fraught with roadblocks, several of which are life-threatening (overdone, IMHO, to the point at which I said, "Whoa, nobody could survive this." But then, I suppose it was a cake walk for Mercy, whose captive years are described in even more horrific detail. Put another way, if explicit barbarian-style torture isn't your cup of tea, you'll want to skip parts of this one. It's also heavier on melodrama than usual, which was a bit of a turn-off for me as well. 

Overall, though, while I won't say this, the fourth book in the series, is my favorite, it was entertaining as always. It certainly brought the series to full circle - wrapping up several loose ends and leaving  me with only the question of what happens next. So hey, I've followed the series from the beginning, so if there are other chapters to follow, count me in!

Mercy by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, November 2021); 417 pp.

A THOUSAND STEPS

5 stars out of 5

Dr. Timothy Leary's "Tune in, turn on, drop out" is a mantra I well remember from the late 1960s; even though I was a happy housewife with two small children, the colorful, free-thinking counterculture of California was in many ways appealing to me - and definitely helped change my somewhat sheltered Midwestern thinking. If nothing else, this engaging book brought those old memories to life and provided insights into what really went on back then. 

But it's much, much more than that; it's an up-close-and-personal look into the bittersweet life of 16-year-old Matt Anthony, who tries to make sense of things in Laguna Beach in 1968. It's not easy; most days, Matt has to make do with peanut butter on taco shells or fish he's caught for dinner because his mother is high as a kite and his father is missing in action. Happily, his older brother isn't - he's seeing action in Viet Nam, hoping to stay alive for the last few months of his tour of duty so he can return home. Matt earns a pittance delivering newspapers and tries his best to stay out of the drug scene; but then, his older sister Jasmine disappears without a trace.

His mother deals with the issue by moving into the heart of hippie land, living and working on a commune-style tomato-canning production line. That leaves Matt mostly on his own, having to decide almost on an hourly basis whether finding something to eat or looking for his sister takes precedence. Many of his "friends" straddle the fence between the police and the hippies, and some are willing to slip Matt some munchies (no, not THAT kind) or a job that earns him a few much-needed bucks. As for the cops, a couple seem sympathetic to his sister's disappearance, but Matt doesn't trust that they're really doing anything to find her. And on the other side, some of his best friends are hippies, but since their main focus is on "enlightenment," he doesn't fully trust them, either. So for the most part, he, too, is straddling the fence - all the while growing into a young man for whom life somehow can never be the same.

I'd love to say the story is heart-warming - and in a sense, it is; throughout many of the pages, all I really wanted to do was give Matt a big hug and tell him everything would be all right. In spots, I was near tears; in others, I chuckled. In the end, I think, I was satisfied. To the author, I say thanks for a totally engrossing story that will, like memories of my young-adult years, stay with me for some time. And more thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. This one for sure is a don't miss.

A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker (Forge Books, January 2022); 368 pp.

THE DROWNING GIRLS

4 stars out of 5

Small-town Denton, Pennsylvania, detective Josie Quinn is enjoying holiday time with her husband, Noah (a police force lieutenant), her twin sister and TV show host Trinity and other family members when a co-worker, Detective Finn Mettner, knocks on the door. He's been dating Amber Watts, the department's press liaison, and he frantically insists she's gone missing. He convinces Josie to come with him to Amber's home; when they see a reference to a nearby dam written in the ice on Amber's car windshield, Josie heads out. What she finds is a woman's hand, but she manages to grab it too late to stop it and the rest of the body from being washed away. The good news? It's not Amber.

The only real clue is Amber's diary - with Josie's name on it - containing a set of numbers that no one can decipher. The cause of death is determined to be murder, but when the dead woman finally is identified, the investigative waters become even more muddled. Some leads point to a possible connection with a wildly popular preacher-man who, with his wife, is building a mega-church at the outskirts of town. But that, too, goes nowhere fast. A couple of Amber's relatives who turn up turn out to be quirky as all get-out, but there's no hard evidence that they're connected to the murder. And Finn's almost stalker-like behavior toward Amber doesn't help, instead pushing him to the top of the suspect list despite Josie's initial insistence that he's innocent.

The fact is, Amber remains missing and feared dead. But hope springs eternal, so Josie, Noah and the rest of the team keep looking for her while trying to solve the murder at the dam. Still, time is of the essence; If Amber has been kidnapped and is still alive, can they find her before the searchers' worst fears come true? The only thing I'll say is that the last handful of chapters makes for the most frenzied, twisted-up ending I've read in a long while. All told, it's another solid entry in this enjoyable series (this is the 13th book), and I'm pretty sure it will please old fans and create new ones as well. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy.

The Drowning Girls by Lisa Regan (Bookouture, December 2021); 391 pp.

THE DARK HOURS

5 stars out of 5

As an avid reader, it's been interesting to me that authors of many of the books I've read over the past couple of years that are set in the present somehow manage to totally avoid what's going on in the world - most notably, the COVID-19 pandemic. A couple have set the time frame slightly before or slightly after, while others simply avoid the issue and carry on with their stories as if it didn't exist. Now comes a story that hits it - and other political goings-on - square on the nose (or more accurately, on the mask that's covering the nose). If I appreciated nothing else in this book, I'll give kudos for that.

That said, it gets my vote for many other reasons, including an intriguing and attention-holding plot and competent, well-developed characters. That I've come to love them over previous books helps, of course, but overall that doesn't matter much; even if there's an occasional clinker amid the series (to which no author is immune), the characters are strong enough to carry the plot and result in a positive rating. For sure, though, this one's no clinker.

Detective Renee Ballard is assigned to the West Hollywood Police Department's Sexual Assault team; checking out a homeless area under an overpass is where this story begins - as do the references to the vagaries of vaccinations and masking (Renee actually contracted the virus, which knocked her out of action for three weeks; now, she's been vaccinated and is very careful about wearing a mask herself). Most recently, she's been on the trail of a "tag team" of rapists who have struck twice. Here, a man is shot - perhaps accidentally - and it turns out the bullet came from the gun that was used in one of retired Detective Harry Bosch's cases back in 2011 (interestingly, while Harry has some health issues, he says he's not been vaccinated "yet," so Renee wears a mask when they interact in person).

Although Harry's murder book seems to have inexplicably disappeared from the department, he saved enough information for them to hit the ground running with their investigation. And then, Renee gets a call saying that the "Midnight Men" rapists have struck again. Now she's got two cases to worry about, but as the murder investigation with Harry heats up, she gets the order to turn it over to a different unit. Never one to follow the letter of the law (on occasion, she's been known to stomp on it), Renee refuses to let go, although she and Harry try to stay under the radar while they try to find a link between his 2011 case and the current shooting.

Much more than that I can't say without revealing too much, except that it's a thoroughly engrossing adventure that I didn't want to put down until I had to - and even then, I polished it off in two days of spare time. In short, another one well done and highly recommended!

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., November 2021); 401 pp.

THE MAID

5 stars out of 5

If nothing else, I'll give this one 5 stars for originality, not to mention grabbing my attention from the beginning and holding it throughout. The focus is on Molly Gray, who is employed as a maid at a fancy hotel. But she's neither typical nor run-of-the-mill; I'd describe her as someone who is seriously socially deficient with OCD. Her whole life is wanting to please and going to extremes to follow instructions to the letter from those she respects - her boss and, until her death a few months ago, her grandmother, with whom she lived.

Now, one of her two life's compasses is gone - her Gran - leaving her to fend for herself with nothing but memories of things the elderly woman used to say to keep her grounded. More than ever before, Molly's work becomes her life; nothing makes her happier than making a guest's room spotless - just as she continues to make her home that way even though Gran is gone. The slightest rule infraction by others or upset in her routine drives her almost over the edge; imagine, then, her reaction when she starts to clean the hotel suite occupied by wealthy Charles Black and his beautiful wife Giselle and discovers the man in his bed - quite dead.

As the subsequent investigation proceeds, Molly finds herself moving from person of interest to prime suspect. In her naivete, Molly is, if nothing else, a trusting soul - totally unable to see the bad in people or comprehend that anyone would ever even think about taking advantage of her. That attribute cost her dearly in the past, and it stands to do her in now as she turns to for help to people who may not be on the up-and-up. On the plus side, she's certainly not devoid of real friends - people who understand her quirkiness and social shortcomings and want to help. Eventually, everything gets sorted out, with a couple of twists I didn't see coming (though they're not as serious as I'd expected to see happen).

Bottom line? If you're looking for a story that's thoroughly entertaining and a bit different, I suggest giving this one a try. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

The Maid by Nita Prose (Ballantine Books, January 2022); 304 pp.

ABSENCE OF MALLETS

4 stars out of 5

This is the ninth book in the author's "Fixer-Upper" series; my acquaintance - and love - began with the sixth, and I've remained a loyal and happy reader ever since. It's refreshing to find a cozy mystery heroine, in this case professional contractor Shannon Hammer (yep, that's her real last name), who isn't oblivious to anyone other than herself and actually listens to reason. Growing up with a father who could build and/or repair just about anything, as did Shannon, gives me yet another way to relate - I just wish he'd taught me more than how to drive a nail and paint fence boards.

This one brings a happy circumstance: Shannon and hunky thriller writer Mac Sullivan are cohabitating. Shannon, who specializes in Victorian style, is working on a project to build 50 tiny houses for homeless or needy veterans, with half - plus a community center- already in place and occupied. In addition to writing his next book, the wealthy Mac has turned the historic lighthouse mansion into a retreat for writers. Still another project, started in a previous book, is restoration of part of a former insane asylum to become a posh hotel for Shannon's friend Jane. Shannon's sister Chloe, also a contractor but one who hosts a popular TV show on the West Coast, is married to local police chief Eric and commutes on occasion to visit Shannon (and, of course, her husband). 

As this one begins, work is progressing on the veterans' project, and Shannon is about to start teaching a class on building basics for women. Mac is hosting a small group of writers, one of whom turns out to be a boorish loudmouth named Lewis, who rankles just about every human he meets, including Mac and Shannon. Chloe is home for a visit, and everything seems to be going along swimmingly until the unthinkable happens: Shannon's new friend, a female veteran who's agreed to lend her talents to the housing project, turns up dead near Mac's shuttered-for-restoration lighthouse. The weapon appears to be one of the mallets the woman used in her art projects (hence the title of the book, I assume).

It's pretty clear there's a murderer among them all, but no one wants to think it's one of the veterans. Could it be one of Mac's guests at the writers' retreat? Or even Shannon's old nemesis from back in high school, who's beyond obnoxious to everyone? Everyone, from Shannon to Mac to Chloe and Eric, start investigating - but their efforts don't turn up much except the possibility that one or more of them may be the killer's next target.

Of course, all the details get hammered out in the end, but not without a bit of breath-holding on the part of this reader, at least. I have to say a couple of the characters in this one seemed borderline silly, but the whole thing was a treat as always (I love reading details of the construction trade) so I don't hesitate to recommend it. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Absence of Mallets by Kate Carlisle (Berkley, December 2021); 304 pages.