5 stars out of 5
I really like D.D. Warren, a woman who hasn't quite reached "normal" after a very shaky past despite loving, understanding husband Alex and 5-year-old son Jack. Here, she teams up with Flora Dane (a character from previous books), who's also making strides toward normal after more than a year of being kidnapped and seriously abused. Both women bury themselves in their work; D.D. as a sergeant detective with the Boston P.D., and Flora as an advocate who helps other crime victims find new and productive lives.
Neither trusts the other; but sometimes, two heads really are better than one no matter how reluctantly they bump together. In this instance, the motivation to join forces follows the grisly murder of a family of two adults and two children. An older daughter, Roxanna, somehow escaped - presumably because she was out walking the family's two blind dogs.
They seemed like a typical family, but they weren't without issues; the mother, a recovering alcoholic, lost her three children to a frightening foster care experience for a time, only recently turning her life around, getting them back and moving to a small but cozy house. To that end, the question of why the family was murdered in cold blood needs to be answered before they can determine the who. And speaking of the latter, why hasn't Roxanna turned up? Surely she's heard that her family is dead - could it be she's in hiding because she's the killer?
As much as anything, this book is a study in character - or more to the point, how people act (and react) when bad things happen to them. D.D. and Flora are trying to help themselves by helping others; but the Baez family, from mother Juanita to Roxanna, her younger sister Lola and even their much younger brother, Manny, have found their own, very different, ways of coping. Chapters shift from the perspectives of D.D., Flora and Roxanna, each revealing bits of what's going on until they blend together in a far from perfect - but somewhat hopeful - ending.
And from my perspective, I say another one well done. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Look for Me by Lisa Gardner (Dutton, February 2018); 400 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Perhaps the simplest description of what makes this book so special comes from the author herself. The concept was formed, she says, when an acquaintance told some obvious lies and she called her on it.
"I don't lie. I tell what ought to be the truth. There's a difference," she responded.
The author's reaction? "Wow." Funny, but that's exactly what I said when I got to the end of this book.
If you think that explanation tells you what's going on, though, think again; the [happy] dilemma for readers is that it's impossible to tell when each of the characters is telling the truth, when it's what ought to be the truth or when it's an outright lie. As the story unfolds, more background on each is revealed - all the way to the end. Then, even more emotions come into play. Was it what I expected? Not exactly. Was I a surprised? A bit. Was I doubly happy that the publisher gave me the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review? I said it before and it's worth repeating: Wow.
The main characters are Jenny, who had a rough life that includes an abusive former stepfather. Now, she cares for her ailing mother and pens a popular blog titled "You Can't Go Home Again." The other is David, who loves Jenny more than life itself and, more than life itself wants her to second that emotion. Stuck in the middle is Freddie, Jenny's gay best friend who wants nothing more than to retain that title.
The saga begins with the discovery of the body of Jenny's mother, Sal, by a neighbor - accompanied by one of the best lines in the book: "...the snow started falling again. By the time the police came, both dead eyes were filled with it."
Apparently, Sal slipped and fell on the ice and died of natural causes. There was some speculation that Jenny was involved, but a witness came forward who saw her elsewhere at the time of Sal's death. The witness is David; he and Jenny make contact, and they become very close friends. Needless to say, that doesn't sit well with Freddie, who thinks David doesn't meet the smell test. He begins to dig further into David's background, and his suspicions turn into a reality that he shares with Jenny.
Then come more deaths, and readers learn who did what and when, but not necessarily why. Little by little, layers are peeled away to reveal that information, and tension builds until the conclusion. And that left me with a conundrum (which, no doubt, was the author's intent): I was satisfied, sort of, but I wanted more. And what better recommendation can I make for any book besides wow?
The Good Liar by Frances Vick (Bookouture, January 2017); 188 pp.
3 stars out of 5
All things considered, this is a good choice for those interested in espionage and high technology with a few twists added in. Getting the most enjoyment out of it, though, requires buying into the notion that jealousy has a place in a marriage and that otherwise reprehensible behavior performed while under the influence of that emotion can be rationalized as acceptable. For better or worse I do not, thus making it impossible for me to empathize (or sympathize) with either of the two main characters.
One of them is Neil Henberlin (a.k.a. Neo Henbrin, for no apparent reason); he's in the business of sales for a company called R.E.S., which manufactures some kind of super-secret processor/work station/software related to the oil and gas industry. Unbenownst to anyone except his handler, he's also a Canada Security Intellilgence Service spy, helping his country by pretending to have an affair with, and providing secret information to, the beautiful Chinese double agent Yanmei Albin during meetings in Neil's secret apartment.
But early on, the second main character, Neil's wife Leyna - a woman who is unable to deal with no longer being the apple of her successful politician father's eye (and being a media darling) - discovers the existence of both Yanmei and the apartment. Immediately, she concludes that her husband and Yanmei are having an affair, thus adding another facet to her emotional misery.
Of course, Neil fiercely denies any romantic liaisons; but he is under orders to not reveal his spy status or the real reason for his meetings with Yanmei. Leyna takes no comfort from her husband's denial, and her imagination grows wilder by the minute. And then, something terrible happens in the secret apartment that puts Neil between a rock and a hard place - in trouble with his R.E.S. family, his CSIS handler, Yanmei's elderly but powerful father and yes, his wife. To whom does he owe the most loyalty? Can he keep the government's secrets safe, resolve all the issues and satisfy everyone concerned without someone getting killed or put in jail?
If you want to find out, you'll just have to read the book. As for me, I thank the author for providing a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
Undertow of Loyalty by M.D. Davies (Creativia, November 2017); 279 pp.
4.5 stars out of 5
NOTE: Since my review was posted, the name of this book has been changed to Black Heart. Sorry for the confusion.
Getting in at the beginning of a new series always makes me happy and yes, optimistic. And when it turns out that it's a winner in my book (pun intended), I'm ecstatic. Already, I'm looking forward to reading the next book featuring London Detective Dan Riley.
For openers, he's an intriguing character. Two years before the book begins, his much-loved girlfriend and their unborn baby are killed in a car-motorcycle accident. He's back at work and functioning fairly well, although it's clear he's not even close to coming to terms with her loss (truthfully, he wallows in his grief a little more often than I'd have liked). But he's making progress, and when a man is found dead in the bathtub of a posh hotel room with his wrists cut, Dan goes in for a closer look and determines that the manner of death probably isn't suicide. When the subsequent pathology reports bear out his suspicion, Dan finds himself in the throes of a murder investigation.
Early clues, including a note signed "Daddy Bear" and a relatively expensive stuffed teddy bear suggest a sex-for-hire gone horribly wrong, but something makes Dan's nose start to twitch and think something even more evil may be at play. When another body is discovered - with the same M.O. right down to another teddy bear - it brings to Dan's mind the old fairy tale, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." That, in turn, presents a problem that puts an even greater rush on finding the killer: If both Daddy Bear and Mama Bear are down for the count, can Baby Bear be far behind?
So, the race is on to keep that from happening. Chapters switch from Dan's perspective to that of the killer (readers learn the identity of the woman, who's known by multiple names including - surprise! - Goldilocks, early on). What she's doing is clear from the start; why she's doing it - and whether she'll be caught before she can add her intended finish to the fairy tale - help build suspense and tension right up to the end.
Overall, though, this is a very enjoyable, fast-paced book, and I applaud the author for creating an intriguing character who shows much promise for many more to come. For the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review, I heartily thank the publisher (via NetGalley).
Last Cry by Anna-Lou Weatherley (Bookouture, January 2018); 307 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Another stellar effort - not that I'm surprised, mind you. Washington, D.C., police detective Dr. Alex Cross has long been my favorite of the author's catalog of series characters. Also unexpected, given the title, is the way this one begins: with Cross's upcoming jury trial. The prosecution claims he murdered unarmed cronies of former archenemy Gary Soneji. Alex, of course, insists that they had guns and he shot in self-defense. While awaiting trial, Alex is on suspension and not supposed to have contact with his department - including his former partner John Sampson, who has been recovering from a gunshot would to the head just returned to active duty with a new partner.
Needless to say, Alex doesn't get much time to wallow in self-doubt or worry about whether or not the juries will find him not guilty; early on, a young blonde girl is kidnapped from a school yard - right in front of Alex and his wife Bree's son's eyes. As it turns out, it may not be an isolated incident; horrifying videos begin to appear on the Dark Web that suggest a pattern of similar kidnappings and quite possibly murder. Alex soon hears from his old partner, who needs under-the-table help with the case.
Also meantime, Alex decides to hang out his psychotherapist shingle once again, mostly to keep his mind off the trial. He asks for, and gets, referrals from some of his old cronies. One, an old friend, presents a special challenge; others, however, may not be on the up-and-up. Back at home, the indefatigable (and lovable) Nana Mama holds down the fort as the kids continue to demonstrate their considerable potential.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable experience that opens up new possibilities for Alex and the rest of the family.
The People vs. Alex Cross by James Patterson (Little, Brown and Co., November 2017); 413 pp.
4 stars out of 5
If I discovered that my husband of a decade isn't even close to who he claims to be and his truth goes against everything I've ever worked for and believed in, would I hang around even for the sake of our kids? Until it happens to me, I can't say for certain, but I seriously doubt it. But get pregnant by accident not once, but four times? Oh, hell no!
Such were my reactions as I read this otherwise totally engrossing debut novel that already is, according to several reports, slated to become a motion picture starring Charlize Theron. But setting aside my feelings that a professional woman like successful CIA analyst Vivian Miller simply couldn't, and wouldn't, make this many dumb decisions, I really, really enjoyed this book and all its psychological drama.
Vivian, you see, is trying to ferret out a Russian sleeper cell. One fateful day, she makes a breakthrough - and discovers the photos of five spies who are operating in the United States. Great news, surely; and for four of the five, that's true. The identity of one, however, chills her to the bone - bringing her entire married life into serious question and threatening the lives of her family, including the four children she shares with her much-loved husband Matt.
Now that she knows, she must wrestle with what she will do about it; at least the first quarter of the book deals with her angst in trying to rationalize her decision either way. Once she makes it, of course, there will be no turning back, and her life - and those of her husband and young children - will be forever changed (for better or worse).
Finally, she makes her choice, and from that point on, things turn exciting. Throughout, Vivian continues to fret over every word, action and facial expression coming from everyone around her, but the action is inescapable and the twists (most of them surprising) keep coming right up to the end.
As other reviewers have said, the book is reminiscent of FX TV's popular series, The Americans; visions of stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys danced through my head throughout whether or not I wanted them to. I also can see potential for the movie, and it might be interesting to see how the story translates to the big screen. I'll probably pass, since I'm not much of a movie-goer (especially if I've read the book). As for the latter, I absolutely recommend it and offer sincere thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Need to Know by Karen Cleveland (Ballantine Books, January 2018); 304 pp.
4.5 stars out of 5
I've always maintained that declarations of whether or not a book is well written shouldn't be soured by how much you love, relate to, or even like, the main characters - ttttthat's my story and I'm sticking to it. But when you do, it sure sweetens the whole experience - as was, happily, the case here. In fact, perhaps the primary strength of this book is the exceptionally well-developed characters.
The top two are Max Caplan, a private investigator and former cop who left the force under a cloud; he's divorced and has a smart, headstrong daughter named Nell. Complementing "Cap" is Alice Vega, perhaps more of a bounty hunter than private eye. She's single, extremely focused, somewhat psychic and weighs in with a hefty load of emotional baggage of her own. They come together when Alice is hired to find two young sisters who have gone missing in Denville, Pa. (not far from Philadelphia).
Vega, asks Cap for help with the case, but he turns her down - claiming he's busy chasing a bad guy who's from New Castle, Pa. (which, for the record, isn't far from my own home in northeastern Ohio), but in reality more because he doesn't want to interact with his former cronies on the police force. Not to be deterred (she's intensely focused, remember?), Vega takes off and finds the guy, thus removing Cap's reason for not jumping into her own fray. Apparently, she's very good at what she does; at one point, she tells Cap that she expects to earn $50,000 for finding the missing girls - and she's willing to split it 50-50 with him.
Somewhat reluctantly, Cap recapitulates, making them something of a team (which, depending on the situation or who's thinking about it, can be for better or for worse). Clues ferreted out and followed up by Vega and Cap turn out to be productive enough that the local police and FBI opt to at least consider them serious players in the chase (albeit grudgingly). While there's never any romantic interaction between the two, the potential chemistry is there - if only in Cap's mind. When it comes to investigation, they're not always on an identical wavelength; here, score one for Cap, and there, the edge goes to Vega.
There's plenty of action as well as false leads and twists to make for a hard-to-put-down story with an ending revelation that I didn't predict ahead of time (neither did Cap nor Vega, at least until the last couple of chapters, so I don't feel too bad). When I finished the last page, I said two things to myself: First, this is a really good book; and second, I sure hope I'll see these two characters again. Meantime, a big thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna (Doubleday, January 2018); 320 pp.
5 stars out of 5
I read so many books - make that so many good books - that it's rare for me to say "Wow!" when I finish one. But by golly, that's exactly what I said when I got to the last page here. From the beginning, I was hooked - and spent the rest of the book trying my best to figure out how it would end. My efforts, however, went for naught; the closer I got to the finish line, the faster my theories were adeptly written out.
The story begins as Vanessa is living with her elderly Aunt Charlotte in a small apartment - dumped by her filthy rich, suave and debonair ex-husband Richard, who at one time was her raison d'etre; even her unexpressed wishes were his commands. Now, while Vanessa struggles to eke out a living and get her shattered life back together, Richard has found a new love - a beautiful co-worker he'll soon be taking as his wife.
But not if Vanessa can help it. Determined to prevent the wedding from happening, she stalks the bride-to-be, Emma, looking for a way to make contact, gain her trust and convince her that Richard isn't the prize she believes he is. That's easier said than done, though; Richard - a very controlling sort - is determined to "protect" his new love from the old one, a woman he's often claimed is a psychological mess and an alcoholic to boot. Even Vanessa has her doubts from time to time; is it possible that Richard is right and she's gone off the mental deep end as her mother did years ago? And even if she finds a way to meet Emma one-on-one, what can she say or do to make Emma believe she's not the one who's lying?
Needless to say, the twists and turns that follow are too numerous to mention here even if I wanted to spoil the story for other readers. Of course, I don't, so besides my earlier "Wow!" I'll just say this is one of the best books I've read this year and I highly recommend it. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (St. Martin's Press, January 2018); 352 pp.
4 stars out of 5
I've now read four of the authors' Under Suspicion series, and quite honestly, I've enjoyed every one. Some of my enthusiasm, I know, comes from the media angle; I spent years in the industry, albeit on the print side of the desk - so if it involves news reporting, I'm all in. That said, holding my interest goes well beyond the setting; a solid story and relatable characters need to be in the mix as well.
And they are. Mind you, I'd call all these books lightweights when it comes to blood-and-guts type action; in this case, there's just one murder - a mega-wealthy businesswoman is tossed off the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If that's not your style, you may want to pass; but that's perfectly okay with me. What's not, though, is that the romance parts in this one go way beyond sappy (for the most part accounting for my rating of 4 stars instead of 5). The rest of the story, though, held my attention throughout.
Here's the deal: Laurie Moran produces a popular TV show titled, appropriately, "Under Suspicion," which opens new eyes on cold cases. Although it's been only three years since that aforementioned woman took a header off the museum roof and the case in theory remains under investigation, Attorney Ryan Nichols, who replaced Laurie's now-estranged love interest, Attorney Alex Buckley, as the show's host, is hot to trot on taking it on. Ryan, as it turns out, is friends with and believes to be innocent the primary suspect in the case: The 20-years-younger fiance of the murdered woman, Virginia Wakeling.
Laurie is reluctant at first - partly because she misses Alex terribly and is no fan of Ryan - but when further investigation reveals that several of the victim's family members, including a daughter, son and son-in-law, may have had means, motive and opportunity as well, she capitulates and the game is on. Aided by her father, Leo Farley, retired NYPD first deputy commissioner who now serves on an anti-terrorism task force, she begins to obtain requisite permissions, line up interviews and secure background footage for what looks to be another hit show.
But not everyone is thrilled at the prospect of airing dirty linen on TV - most notably the killer, who, needless to say, is dead set on remaining unidentified. If that means stopping Laurie dead in her tracks, so be it. Beyond that, if Laurie is able to survive all that befalls her and an hour later chow down on dinner and drinks (God forbid losing a reservation at a fancy restaurant), bless her heart. That kind of intestinal fortitude makes me reasonably certain she'll make it to another day and another book - and I'll be waiting to read it.
Every Breath You Take by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, Novembeer 2017); 305 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Private eye Elvis Cole and his partner, Joe Pike, make a great team - reminiscent of the late Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Hawk. Together, they can take on the world. But when they bump up against a trio of teens who specialize in upscale burglaries, they may have met their match.
For much of the first half of this book, Elvis takes solo center stage. He's hired by Devon Connor, whose son Tyson has been deviating wildly from his usual sweet self. It seems he's acquired some cash, expensive clothes and other high-end items, and his mother wants to find out if he's into the illicit drug business. As it turns out, it's worse; he and a couple of friends have been getting their jollies (and plenty of flashy trinkets) by invading the homes of the very wealthy, taking what they like and reselling what they don't want to keep.
With the cooperation of Tyson's mother, Elvis works out a deal through which Tyson will turn himself in with minimal consequences - but the deal goes south when Tyson goes missing. Around the same time, one of the teenage cohorts ends up dead - and while at first blush it looks to be a case of road rage gone horribly wrong, the bullets in the body tell a much different story.
Now, Elvis knows that Tyson and the third teen, an exceptionally maniculative girl, are sure to be the next targets of two highly accomplished hit men who apparently have been hired by one of the burglary victims. He calls in his partner Joe to help find the kids, but for a time the trail doesn't lead much of anywhere except to more dead bodies. When they finally start to close in on the teens, so, too, do the hit men. Who will get to them first results in a not-so-merry chase that kept me turning pages all the way to the end.
All in all, another excellent installment in this series - one of my favorites. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
The Wanted by Robert Crais (G.P. Putnam's Sons, December 2017); 336 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Love this series; loved this book. From the first page on, I didn't want to put it down and, for the record, I read the whole thing in record time.
While there's no shortage of action, though, this one - the 17th - focuses far less on the almost otherworldly side of FBI Special Agent A.X.L. (Aloysius) Pendergast. Maybe that's because his beloved ward, Constance Greene, isn't part of his life now; she's retreated to a monastery, apparently with no plans to return any time soon - and understandably, he's in a bit of a personal funk. But by the end of the book, he's picked up investigative steam - finding clues, digesting them and spitting out spot-on conclusions.
The saga begins with the murder of the daughter of a ruthless, much-hated technology billionaire. It's a killing with a gruesome twist: There's a body, but no head. The case falls under the purview of Lt. Vincent D'Agosta, who's less than thrilled that it landed in his lap in large part because he knows the whole thing will turn into a media circus. So it is, then, that he's not unhappy when his rather eccentric friend Pendergast turns up at the crime scene.
A shortage of clues leaves both men scratching their heads - Pendergast less so, of course - and the situation slides downhill fast. Not only does another victim turn up (well, most of him, anyway; he, too, is headless), but a nosy newspaper reporter got a whiff of a Pulitzer and starts sharpening his pencil - to the point of coining the phrase to describe New York City that became the title of the book.
Still, law enforcement folks try hard to squelch the rumor that a deranged serial killer is on the loose, but those efforts take a nosedive as more heads roll (literally). Now, there's little doubt that the murders are the work of one person (perhaps with a cohort); and it's up to Pendergast and D'Agosta to discover the why and, of course, the who - the sooner the better.
Meanwhile, the reporter's articles continue to rile up the general public (as well as spark a sub-plot scenario that, as an aside, to me seemed totally out of joint with the rest of the story). Near the end, the action takes a very serious turn toward the worst-case scenario, leading Pendergast on a not-so-merry chase that could result in no possibility of an 18th book.
If there is one, though, it's a sure bet I'll be chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. As for this one, three cheers to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy (via NetGalley).
City of Endless Night by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, January 2018); 368 pp.
5 stars out of 5
