THE VICTIMS' CLUB

4 stars out of 5

Anyone who knows my reading habits knows I'm not a fan of the "glorified short story" format - such as prolific author James Patterson's "Bookshots" and Kindle Singles like this one. But in large part because I get so many freebies to read - most of them advance review copies through NetGalley - I also tend to feel a bit guilty for buying so few books through Amazon (I swear, at one time I bought enough for CEO Jeff Bezos to buy a well-tricked-out BMW). And since I AM a huge Jeffery Deaver fan, when I saw this one for $1.99, the guilt kicked in and I caved.

And it was perfectly good (but then I've read just about everything Deaver has written, and the worst anything ever got was good). It's set in New England's Monroe County, perhaps best known for the ritzy Preston College. Local sheriff's deputy and detective Jon Avery has been assigned a case formerly in the hands of a colleague who took an unexpected leave. A female college researcher, it seems, has been humiliated by Internet publication of half-naked photos via a burner phone - photos taken at a campus party after she was drugged, half-undressed and splayed out in totally nonprofessorial fashion.

The motive, though, is virtually nonexistent; the lack thereof, plus the use of a burner phone, make the case difficult to solve. Then too, Avery quickly runs afoul of the college powers-that-be, who are less than enthusiastic about the possibility of a scandal that could tarnish the school's hallowed halls, ivory towers and (gasp!) highly successful athletic programs.

The ending, which obviously comes rather quickly, answers a few questions including the reason behind the title. But even with a partial conclusion (perhaps this is the launching pad for a new series???), the whole thing makes for an engrossing story. Is it worth $1.99? Well, I polished it off in about 42 minutes. At 4424 KB, that's roughly...oh fuhgettaboutit. Avery complains about the difficulty he has helping his young son with math homework, and trust me, my skills in that department are way worse. You'll have to decide for yourself.

The Victims' Club (Kindle Single) by Jeffery Deaver (Amazon Original Stories, March 2018); 4424 KB.

THE NEW NEIGHBORS

5 stars out of 5

For openers, rating this book isn't easy; it's just different enough to leave me a little bit unsure of whether I loved it or simply liked it a lot. But for sure the plot is intriguing and the story well written - and in the end, after I'd stayed up an hour beyond my usual bedtime because I wanted (make that needed) to finish it, I had to go with 5 stars.

Chapters switch between "writings" by London friends with benefits Jack Walsh and Sydney Baker; together, they've bought a house and are striving for a life like any other couple. Except, that is, they're not; even the purchase of the house - a surprise since they were far from the most qualified bidders - isn't what it appears to be. Jack has misgivings from the start, especially when it comes to all the "junk" left behind by the former owner (like stuffed birds, things that go bump in the night and a few beyond-strange things in the attic that he keeps secret from Syd because he doesn't want to upset her). 

That's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to secrets, though. Jack encounters issues (of his own making) at his job as a social worker; Syd comes from an horrific childhood, the details of which she's never shared with Jack. While she has few misgivings about the house - loves it, in fact - she's seeing her childhood play out before her eyes in the form of Elsie, a 13-year-old neighbor who lives with her ne'er-do-well father. Bottom line? Jack needs Syd and Syd needs Jack - but each is afraid of alienating the other if their former and current lives are fully revealed.

It is when a dead body turns up near their back door that they decide to keep journals, of sorts - resulting in the chapters that reveal bit by bit what really happened, how it all relates to the here and now and depicts a fast-unraveling relationship. The ending isn't too surprising - and for some (in particular, those who view life in right or wrong, black or white terms), I suspect it may not be a satisfying outcome. 

But as they say, hey, it works for me. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. 

The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic (Berkley, April 2018); 349 pp.

DEADLY SECRETS

4.5 stars out of 5

If you're like me and enjoy a good detective series, I highly recommend this one (it's the sixth book featuring London Detective Erika Foster). She's a bit reminiscent of J.D. Robb's Lt. Eve Dallas - another of my favorites - like Eve, tough as nails, but with less of a secretive, angst-ridden background.

The story begins not long after Erika's last case, and she's trying for some semblance of normalcy over the Christmas holidays (four years after her husband and fellow officer Mark was killed in action). But that involves going to a Christmas lunch at her supervisor's house that she's less than thrilled about - so when news of a murder comes in, off she goes to check it out. A young woman named Marissa has been brutally murdered - frozen to the icy ground in front of her home. Further investigation determines she was attacked by a black-clad person wearing a gas mask; and soon enough, Erika learns of other men and women who's been attacked by a similarly clad and as-yet unidentified person.

Clues lead in different directions, including to a strange young man who tended to focus his photography skills on the murdered Marissa and the elderly woman for whom Marissa was a part-time caregiver. But just as things are at something of a stalemate, the story takes a bit of a detour from the usual format. Erika is called to deal with issues of her late husband Mark's aging father, leaving co-worker (and another favorite character) Moss in charge of the department and heading up the biggest case of her career. As events transpire for both women, readers see more of their personal sides.

Truthfully, the departure is a little bit painful; Moss seems to be so far out of her element that she's almost rendered ineffective, and while it's nice to know Erika has a softer side in there somewhere, I much prefer her when it doesn't show quite so much. 

That said, it's a totally engrossing book that's hard to put down (I read it easily in two days of spare time). The ending is both exciting and surprising - I guessed the who, but never in a million years would I have come up with the very intriguing why. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this latest installment in exchange for an honest review. Good job once again!

Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza (Bookouture, April 2018); 270 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.

LET ME LIE

4 stars out of 5

If plot twists were swooshes, this book would give Nike a run for

its money. Just when I thought I had it nailed, the next chapter came along and forced me to think again.

The whole thing starts on a faulty premise: Anna Johnson's parents, Tom and Caroline, committed suicide seven months apart (each waiting for high tide before jumping off a cliff into the ocean). Anna is devastated, but she's beginning to deal with the heartbreak with the help of her new baby, Ella, and Ella's father, Mark Hemmings. She's never been convinced that her loving parents would have done themselves in, so a year later when she gets an anonymous note telling her that the deaths weren't suicides, she becomes even more determined to find out what really happened.

Needless to say, that ruffles some feathers; for sure, Mark (who's a mental health counselor) isn't pleased, and neither is Tom's brother Billy, co-owner with his brother of a once highly profitable car dealership. Despite their misgivings, Anna takes the note to the police, where it ends up in the lap of retired detective Murray Mackenzie, who's still with the department but relegated to a desk job. He's got personal issues as well, in the form of a much-loved wife who is in more than out of a mental rehabilitation facility. In fact, Murray no longer has any real authority to investigate, but something about the case piques his interest and he forges ahead while skirting official channels.

Much of the focus is on what's going on with Anna and Murray (the latter of whom I'd love to read more about). Chapters shift from Anna's and Murray's perspectives to that of an unknown person familiar with the situation, as the TV news wonks are fond of saying. Each chapter adds tidbits of new information, culminating in an exciting, and for the most part surprising, final chapter.

Notice I didn't use the word "ending;" that's because what it actually means isn't clear (I think I know, but then what do I know, really)? And if I'm honest, much as I loved the book, even though we see Anna grow more and more paranoid, some of her reactions somehow didn't seem to "fit."

But hey, it's the sum of the parts that make a whole, and this book is a whole lot of good. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh (Berkley, March 2018); 395 pp.

THE BELOVEDS

4 stars out of 5

There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead;
When she was good, she was very, very good,
And when she was bad she was horrid.

-Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme

It's hard to believe there's a more horrid girl than Elizabeth Stash (a.k.a. Betty). She's paranoid, narcisstic, psychopathic, sociopathic, and oh yes, a murderer.

So what's not to love? Nothing, if you ask her. In her view, she's perfect - and perfectly willing to blame everyone else in the world when things don't go her way. 

From the time her younger "Beloved" sister Gloria was born, you see, Betty was deprived of her rightful first-born status by a mother who clearly loved baby sister best. And from there, it's downhill all the way. Not only did near-angel Gloria steal Betty's mother, she stole her best friend Alice and Henry, the love of her life. To add insult to injury, Henry, married sister Gloria; but as it turns out, that wasn't the mother of all snubs. No, that happened when the girls' mother died, leaving the family home, dubbed Pipits, to Gloria and Henry. And now Betty - who believes in her heart of evil hearts that the house should be hers - sets out to set things right.

The entire book is narrated by Betty, thus exposing her ever-more-delusional plans and plots  to first, get the property back, and later, to get revenge on everyone she's convinced has wronged her. Emphasis on everyone; in addition to Gloria, Henry and Alice, there's her art gallery owner husband Bert, cantankerous downstairs neighbors at her London apartment building, Gloria's elderly cleaning lady; the list goes on and on and on. 

I'll stop here and say if you don't enjoy watching an already demented mind become more sinister by the day, this probably isn't your cup of tea. Plenty happens, but it's always shaded by Betty's twisted perspective, which is enhanced by copious amounts of gin and a few tranquilizers. As a student of psychology, I found the story riveting right up to the end; but that, alas, is where my enthusiasm ends. I rather felt as if I'd just been dashed in the face with a bucket of cold water - it's that abrupt. All I'll say further is that if it's closure you want, you'll be disappointed (I'll acknowledge, though, that in many ways, it's appropriate given the rest of the story).

All in all, its quite an interesting and different tale. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Beloveds by Maureen Lindley (Gallery Books, April 2018); 336 pp.

AFTER ANNA

4 stars out of 5

Postpartum psychosis left Maggie Ippoliti without her precious baby daughter, Anna (her nefarious ex-husband Florian obtained custody and kept the girl away from Maggie for 17 years). Now that Maggie has found some semblance of happiness with her doctor-husband Noah and stepson Caleb, Anna appears out of nowhere, wanting, it appears, to make up for lost time. Needless to say, Maggie is overwhelmed, overjoyed and desperate to please the girl - and delighted that she gets a ton of support from Noah and Caleb.

Ah, but it wouldn't be a story if everything went smoothly from there on. No, things soon begin happening that mess with Maggie's already messed-up head; her obsession with keeping her long-lost daughter satisfied (and literally close to her broken mommy heart) renders her oblivious to anyone else's concerns. Then, the unthinkable happens; Anna is murdered - and the person charged with the crime is none other than Noah. Devastated, Maggie kicks Noah to the curb and continues to care for Caleb, with only her long-time friend Kathy and Anna to lean on.

A major focus is on Noah's subsequent trial and the outcome thereof; chapters switch from Maggie and Noah's life before and after Anna arrived on the scene, sprinkling clues as to what really happened. The trial part is for the most part interesting, but mostly because I'm a fan of courtroom proceedings. This one, though, just kept plodding along, going not much of anywhere, and I lost more than a modicum of interest throughout much of the middle portion of the book.

Once the jury rendered its verdict (you really didn't think I'd reveal that, did you?), the action begins to heat up - almost too fast (think of a big pot of beef stew coming to a boil so quickly that you never got to savor the aroma of simmering). The final section brings twists and revelations almost like slings and arrows. And the ending? Way too neatly tied up to be believable, especially given Maggie's thoughts and actions earlier in the book (but then I admit to being a cynic when it comes to seriously damaged relationships that suddenly transform into all's right with the world).

Don't get me wrong - it all makes for an enjoyable book that I recommend - but as a whole it fell short of a 5-star rating for me. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

After Anna by Lisa Scottoline (St. Martin's Press, April 2018); 400 pp.

LAST NIGHT

4 stars out of 5

Rose Denton is having a tough go of it. She and her 20-year husband are just going through the motions at this point - barely - and their 18-year-old daughter Olivia has evolved into a surly witch with a capital B. Rose's job as a high-end IT system saleswoman is getting harder by the day, and she's getting signals from her boss that improvement is in order stat (or else). And when she goes off on what should be a routine overnight business trip, she wakes up behind the wheel of her car in a remote field. If that weren't bad enough, there's blood on the windshield and hood; but Rose isn't seriously injured, and there's no body - human or animal - anywhere around.

Panicking, and endlessly speculating about what might have happened, Rose returns home, surreptitiously spit-shines the car and starts watching the news to see if anyone has turned up dead. In her spare time, she tries to avoid fighting with her husband and daughter, whose good-for-nothing boyfriend has gone missing. Olivia is nearly hysterical, and it doesn't help that his most recent activity was a fight with Rose.

Other strange things begin to happen, such as a possible break-in at Rose's home and personal items that mysteriously disappear and reappear. Along the way, readers learn that there's more to Rose than meets the eye; apparently, she's been keeping a deep, dark secret from her past that involves three childhood friends (one of whom died years ago and another who spent the past two decades in jail).

Weird things keep happening to Rose, to the point where she suspects everybody from her husband Dan to Olivia's boyfriend. But wait, could what happened years ago be connected to what's happening to her now? The conclusion, complete with a bit of a cliffhanger, is exciting, though I can't say it was particularly surprising. All in all, it's a good, solid effort, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Last Night by Kerry Wilkinson (Bookouture, March 2018); 364 pp.

THE BROKEN GIRLS

5 stars out of 5

Once I started this book, except for refilling my beer glass, grabbing a quick sandwich and catching a few zzzzs, I didn't put it down. Yes, folks, I loved it - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

The story opens in 1950 at Idlewild Hall in Vermont, a boarding school for girls who just don't fit in anywhere else. Four of the school's incorrigibles become unlikely roommates, and they band together to try and make their lives less miserable and deal with rumors that the school is haunted by a mysterious woman named Mary Hand. Then, one of the four leaves for an unexpected weekend visit with relatives and is never seen again. 

Now it's 2014, when the long-abandoned school buildings and property are purchased by a buyer who plans to restore the place to its former glory and reopen it as a school. Local freelance writer Fiona Sheridan decides to do a story on the property. Fiona's interest, though, goes beyond the typical historical approach; 20 years ago, her older sister Deb was murdered - her body dumped in a field near the school. Deb's boyfriend was convicted and has been in jail ever since, but Fiona always suspected he might be innocent. Fiona's boyfriend, local cop Jamie, is less than enthusiastic about digging up old bones (so to speak); but her father, a well-known but mostly retired journalist, stands behind her.

As the story progresses, flashback chapters offer details of what was going on in 1950 from the perspective of each of the four roommates, while "here and now" chapters outline Fiona's efforts to gather information for her story. But the more she learns, the more she's sure she still needs to learn - and the more she meets resistance from people who would go to extreme lengths to ensure that what happened in the past stays in the past. Interesting connections turn up, including a tie-in with the Holocaust, and there are more than a few twists (some surprising, others not so much) along the way as well.

Definitely a winner for me - highly recommended!

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (Berkley, March 2018); 334 pp.

THE ONE

5 stars out of 5

At-home DNA test kits seem to be all the rage now - I admit to being tempted by them myself (and will buy one if the cost drops about half). For the most part, the results reveal ethnic background and/or health risks based on heredity. But if you could take a DNA test that would put you together with "the one" - your absolute soul mate with whom you have a forever-and-ever love bond - would you sign up? At my age, and nearly 56 years of marriage to the same guy, I daresay there isn't much point. But what If you're single, or already have found the person you believe to be your one and only? And more to the point, what would you do if you learn that your predestined mate isn't the one you're with?

Ah, the plot starts out thick, and trust me, it thickens from that point on. Readers are introduced to five people from different walks of life who accepted the challenge, available from a wildly successful company that researched and developed the process. Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick and Ellie- all have been notified that a "Match" has been found. And - for better or worse - each has paid for the opportunity to connect with that perfect person.

Chapters show the progress of each of the five matches from beginning to end as well as what's happening around them. Nick, for instance, is happily engaged to Sally. Ellie lives the life of a self-made and wildly successful, but lonely, entrepreneur; Christopher has a secret life that he's not eager to share with anyone else - until, perhaps, he meets his "match."

And so it goes, with each chapter revealing more details and adding complexity (and sometimes nail-biting action) to each person's story - and yes, there are some big surprises along the way. Once I reached the halfway point, quite honestly, I didn't want to put the book down. Yes, I suppose some of the outcomes stretch believability boundaries a bit, but on the other hand, when I really think about it, as comedian Judy Tenuta says, it could happen.

Perhaps more than anything, though, this is an insightful look into human behavior - a realization that what we do in one situation can impact, often irrevocably, what happens in another. Whether intentional or not, the book also touches on the moral and ethical ramifications of DNA testing, particularly as it becomes more detailed - and more readily available. Is there really such a thing as too much information?

In the end, it's a "Wow!" from me. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The One by John Marrs (Hanover Square Press, February 2018); 416 pp.)

RED SPARROW

5 stars out of 5


After seeing trailers for the just-released motion picture starring Jennifer Lawrence and Joel Edgerton and learning that it's based on a book of the same name, my husband decided to give the book - the first in a trilogy - a try. Then he told me it was very, very good.

Whether or not we watch movie remains to be seen (pun intended), but I knew I wanted to read the book first. I also knew it's close to 600 pages - not easy to fit into a stack of advance-copy books I've agreed to read and review. But make time I did, and I'm ever so glad. It's one of the best spy thrillers I've read in a very long time.

At first blush, the story seemed reminiscent of the TV show "The Americans" starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys; spies and counterspies, each trying to recruit others while remaining "black" (i.e., undetected and unidentified). Main characters Nathaniel Nash is a young CIA officer, assigned as the handler of a top-level Russian undercover U.S. spy; Dominika Egorova is a wounded (both physically and mentally) former Russian ballerina who stays on her toes under the watchful eye of her powerful uncle. But when her uncle sends her to "Sparrow School" - euphemism for a place females learn the art of seduction for the purpose of recruiting spies for the Russian government, her love of her home country under the dastardly Vladimir Putin and his loyal minions turns sour. 

Needless to say, Nate and Dominika are brought together to serve cross purposes; he to recruit her, she to recruit him. And needless to say, it doesn't quite work out that way. It does, though, make for an intricately woven, hard-to-put-down story interlaced with tricks of the spy trade, twists and surprises - none of which, alas, I can describe without spoiling the book for other readers. 

I can, however, is highly recommend this book - and I do. Outstanding!

Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews (Scribner, June 2013); 577 pp.