THE OTHER WOMAN

5 stars out of 5

How did I love thee? When I counted the ways, I ended up with way more than 5 reasons. But since 5 stars is as high as most ratings go, that number will have to suffice - but it certainly isn't enough to do this book justice.

In the interests of full disclosure, Israeli intelligence chief Gabriel Allon ranks No. 1 on my top 10 list of all-time favorite book "heroes" - a place he's held for quite a few years now. This is his 18th appearance, and I'll say with no hesitation that he's in no danger of being knocked off that lofty perch any time soon. Of course, he didn't get there all by himself; he had considerable help from the author, who created not only him, but a cast of other interesting characters and put them in the middle of intriguing stories that make me, at least, reluctant to put them down.

This one is no exception; in fact, I'd call it the best of the series I've read in recent years. Maybe that's because the story mirrors, at least to a certain extent, what's going on in the real world. Readers get more than a passing glimpse at the tenuous relationships among the intelligence communities of Israel, Great Britain and the United States as they all try to get the drop on the Russians and save their own reputations without stepping too hard on each other's toes. 

The book begins with Gabriel in Vienna, where he and his cohorts are directing the defection of a known spy. Just as they're about to reel him in, he's unceremoniously murdered - and initial evidence points to Gabriel as the killer. While the tabloids keep the incident in the news, Gabriel and his team realize there must be a leak within their own ranks (in which agency remains for them to determine). So it is that they set out to "out" the mole, prove Gabriel's innocence and restore order to what's become an embarrassing situation that threatens to ruin already shaky alliances.

From that point on, the story gets more complex with even more far-reaching implications (all the way back to the 1950s and 1960s). Admittedly, therein may be one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much; I'm old enough to remember the events that are such an integral part of this story. There's not much more I can reveal without giving too much away, though, except to say that the details are so intricately woven that as a whole it's totally mesmerizing. Oh, and one other thing: If you have but one book to read for the rest of this year, you won't go wrong if you make it this one.

The Other Woman by Daniel Silva (Harper, July 2018); 497 pp.

FOUR FUNERALS AND MAYBE A WEDDING

5 stars out of 5

Hang with me here: With a fast-approaching release date, this book was next up on my list of advance review copies from the publisher (via NetGalley) and I really needed to get it done. Problem was, one of my top 5 favorite New York Times best-selling mystery/thriller authors had a just-out book that was screaming my name. Oh well, I said - this one's not a 500-pager; I'll hurry through it and get on to the one I really want to read. Well, hurry through it I did - but the reason took an about-face a couple of chapters in. So engaging and entertaining are the characters and story here that I really, really got into it and, for the duration, totally forgot about that "other" book.

Golly.

Now that I've finished, in fact, I'm kicking myself for not finding this series earlier (this is, I believe, the 12th "Royal Spyness" novel). I call it a Royal Treat, and I'm already looking forward to the next one. The setting here is 1935, and series star, Lady Georgiana Rannoch, is in London trying to keep plans for her upcoming wedding to Darcy O'Mara from getting out of hand (the guest list, for instance, keeps growingm but offending royal relatives just wouldn't be proper, don't you know). Half the fun of the book, I hasten to add, is learning how people - rich and poor - lived and interacted way back then. 

Early on, Georgie happens upon a reason to be doubtful of her beloved Darcy's faithfulness - and apparently, she has no real idea what he does for a living - but she stalwartly carries on (I guess proper ladies don't ask too many questions). But Darcy makes so few appearances in the book that about all I can discern is that besides being gone much of the time he's dapper, hunky and can charm the socks off of anyone who comes near. 

But as Georgie soon learns, there's many a slip between the bridal cup and the lip. Not only must she deal with the fast-approaching wedding details, she must attend the wedding of her mother's father to a woman who's said to be a cruel and awful woman. And then there's Georgie's mother; she's planning to marry a German who's well connected to the Nazis. As if that weren't enough to bring on the vapors, where on earth will Georgie and Darcy live once they're married? Since Darcy isn't around enough to put in an opinion, that decision, too, is left to Georgie.

The matter is happily settled when the out-of-the-country first husband of Georgie's mother offers his home, an enormous estate called Eynsleigh. Or so Georgie thinks - until she moves in to get the house in order. Right away, she must deal with the hired help, who not only don't seem to know their places, but they can't perform their duties responsibly and - lordie - clearly aren't happy that a lady of the manor has settled in to make their lives miserable.

From there on, it could be called utter chaos; the staff still can't, or won't, do their jobs (and how can one possibly survive when the proper accoutrements don't accompany high tea?), monkey wrenches get thrown at a couple of the upcoming weddings and at least one dead body turns up. Georgie's mother's decision to move in doesn't seem to help much; in fact, the two ladies soon learn that they may be facing danger far greater than losing a satin shoe in the mud.

But everything gets worked out in the end, although not necessarily to all the characters' satisfaction. I, however, was totally satisfied with this delightful book. More, please!

Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding by Rhys Bowen (Berkley, August 2018); 304 pp.

ROBERT B. PARKER'S COLORBLIND

5 stars out of 5

If I'm honest, although I very much enjoyed the other books by this author, who took over the series after the death of Robert B. Parker, they never quite measured up to the originals. This one, in which Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone returns to his job after a couple of months in rehab, doesn't read like "classic" Jesse either. Rather, it does something that seems perfect to me after all these years: brings major changes to Jesse's life including a persona that seems a bit different (not the least of which is that he sometimes speaks in full sentences). It's also a great story that held my interest throughout; so if I'm right that this book signals the beginning of a new Jesse, I'm all for it.

Jesse also has left his former home and moved to a condo, removed the bottle of booze from the bottom drawer of his desk at work, hired a newbie cop named Alisha and started going to AA meetings (the latter albeit reluctantly). Talk about a fresh start! Soon, he lands in the middle of a new case as well - the vicious beating and rape of a black woman. The M.O. reminds Jesse of a similar murder years earlier, and suspicions are that there's a connection to the Saviors of Society, who may be attacking interracial couples. Just what the normally peaceful town of Paradise needs.

And then, the almost unthinkable happens: Alisha is accused of murdering an unarmed man - the son of the Saviors leader, no less. Despite the damning evidence against her, Jesse smells a rat and isn't willing to believe she's guilty as charged. Proving that, however, won't be easy; he'll need to garner all his notable investigative skills - and some help from friends - if he's to get to the bottom of what really happened before the Saviors take their demand for "justice" into their own hands.

As all this is happening, Jesse continues to have mixed feelings about sobriety and meets a young man named Cole who, let's say, isn't fond of authority. Feeling some kind of connection, Jesse tries his best to help Cole (or at least keep him out of serious trouble). But will the kid be worth the effort? Maybe, maybe not; I'll never tell!

I will, however, be looking forward to the next chapter in Jesse's new life. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this one. 

Robert B. Parker's Colorblind by Reed Farrel Coleman (G.P. Putnam's Sons, September 2018); 368 pp.

JANUARY BLACK ICE/FEBRUARY WHITE LIES/MARCH BLUES

4 stars out of 5

As I write this, it's mid-summer. What could be better than sitting in the shade of a big old tree (well, maybe it would be sitting on an ocean beach) and reading a cozy mystery? Not much, in my book. And just as those relaxing thoughts popped into my head, I happened across a six-book series that's pretty close to perfect for just such occasions.

In truth, I didn't "happen" across them; rather, the author happens to have been one of my husband's speech and debate team students in high school (we won't say how many years ago). When he  reconnected with her on Facebook not long ago, he passed on to me that she's written quite a few books. Curious, I checked them out and found her "Cat Collier" series. Hmmm, I said, I'm always on the lookout for a new mystery-type series, and this one just might work. Oh, and did I mention that it's mid-summer?

Because they're more like short stories than books, I snagged a boxed set of all six at Amazon. Figuring I'd read one to see how I liked it, I ignored my waiting stack of advance review books from publishers to sneak in the first one. Like it I did - quite well, in fact - and since it took only about an hour to finish, I kept going another couple of hours to read two more before I had to turn to the books I'm obligated to review. Better still, now I've got three more waiting in the wings to look forward to (yeah, I know about that sentence-ending preposition no-no, but hey - I'm not getting paid to write this, so deal with it).

This review, then, is of the first three in the series. Needless to say, the brevity of each means I can't divulge much about any of the stories without giving too much away, but I'll share what I can. First, though, I'll advise other readers interested in the series to start at the beginning (advice I give with any series). The length of each makes them perfect for the above occasions - or waiting in a doctor's office or long line somewhere - but it doesn't allow much room for carrying over details of what happened previously. 

I'll also point out that anyone who is familiar with the Mahoning and Shenango valleys of northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania should get an extra kick out of reading these. That's where the author is from, and references that pop up are sure to elicit smiles. The fictitional setting of Heaton Valley, for instance, brings to mind the original name of the town in which we, and the author, used to live. There's a Central Park that overlooks the Mahoning River there, and the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport is just a few miles away. Also of interest are the names of some of the characters (which I won't mention here to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent). That seems to be a pattern; I'm told my husband and I make an appearance in a couple of the author's other books. Woo hoo!

Everything revolves around Mary Catherine Collier, better known as Cat. As are the heroines in just about every cozy mystery I've read, she's her own person - independent and strong-willed. Unlike many of them, though, she's not bull-headed; when someone points out the folly of doing something stupid, she tends to listen. And although she's single, she's not bogged down in memories of a murdered husband for whom she still pines. Better still, from my point of view, she isn't wishy-washy - constantly wondering if she should do this, or that, or if she's offended him, or her. In both name and personality, she reminds me a great deal of Mary Catherine, the nanny in the Michael Bennett series by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. 

In the first one, "January Black Ice," readers learn that Cat is the obituary writer for the "Heaton Valley Herald" (a task she performs among other researchy kinds of things). Early on, Cat gets called to meet with Detrick Bittmor, an elderly and irascible lawyer who suspects that a young man who's been sitting on a park bench every day staring up at his penthouse window may be his son - and more importantly, his only heir. He'd like Cat to finagle her way into the young man's good graces and try to ferret out the truth. Somewhat reluctantly, she takes on the challenge. On the one hand, she learns that she likes him a lot. On the other, there's a good chance that his life (and maybe hers) could be in danger. 

Resolution of that issue brought me to the next story, "February White Lies." In this one, Cat's newspaper goes out of business, she opens a business

called Red Cat Investigations and she's canoodling with Carter, the young man she met in the first story. He's now formed something of a bond with his father, and in part because he and Cat are smitten, they've moved to the old man's fancy building (both with offices, and he in an apartment as well). Cat takes on and easily solves a couple of Mickey Mouse cases, after which she lands a far more serious one that involves a murder. More disturbing, though, are clues near the end of the story that her sweetie Carter might have something to hide (honestly, I'm not very fond of him anyway, so if she loses him, good riddance  - he fills the role of whiny heroine that I detest in other cozies even though he's a, well, guy).

Then it's on to No. 3, "March Bliss." Cat is still enamored of Carter and ensconced in her luxurious new office - complete with a new secretary she met under very different circumstances in the second story. She gets hired by a mother who wants to find her errant school-age daughter Lark.

Cat locates her, but not under the best of circumstances (let's just say mom isn't pleased when she finds what her daughter's been up to). As Cat pokes her nose further, she not only alienates Carter but ends up in a life-threatening situation herself.

Now I'm looking forward to the next three, which I'll work in here and there around what's already on my book plate. Meantime, if  you're looking for them - as I hope you will - the titles are "April Yellow Moon," "Lavender Mist of May" and "June Green Leaves of Deceit"). Happy reading!

January Black Ice/February White Lies/March Blues by Carol Ann Kauffman (Amazon Digital Services LLC (94, 102 and 100 pp., respectively).

PAST TENSE

4.5 stars

Honestly, I'm not at all sure how much I'd like Jack Reacher if I met him in person because he doesn't pull any punches, but I'm certain I'd want him on my side in a fight for the same reason. And in this, the 23rd book in the series, he gets plenty of opportunity to practice his considerable skill.

The story begins as Reacher walks and hitchhikes near a remote and tiny town in New Hampshire on his way to wherever else the wind (or more accurately, any driver who gives him a lift) takes him. When he recalls his late father Stan saying he grew up in the town, though, Reacher decides to pay a visit to the family homestead - if he can find it, that is.

Concurrently, Shorty and Patty, a pair of grifters from Canada - on their way to New York with a get-rich-quick plan in tow - have car trouble. Just as the old jalopy is ready to blow, they spot a sign pointing to a motel in a heavily wooded area of (you guessed it), New Hampshire. Yep, there's a halfway decent room available - but very soon, it becomes obvious that this isn't your average Motel 6. In fact, they may have happened upon their very worst nightmare.

Chapters follow the progress as Reacher tries to find what appears to be nonexistent evidence of his father's old home and the couple try to find their way out of the mess they're in. As expected, the two storylines end up converging - but not before plenty of action takes place in both. Early on, Reacher gets on the bad side of a bad seed and his wealthy father; although the local police are for the most part on Reacher's side - after all, he's been both an Army guy and a fellow cop - they don't want Trouble with a capital T that rhymes with P that stands for Problem. Just go on your way, they tell Reacher, hoping he'll heed their advice.

He'd love to, but he's got problems of his own (not the least of which is getting on the bad side of the folks he runs into when he finally locates the family town). Besides that, other local and otherwise innocent folks are finding themselves in potential danger simply because they helped Reacher; how can he possibly turn his back on them and hike away?

And so it goes, with excitement and action building all the way from town to the woods and back to an explosive end. If I have an issue, it's that I have a hard time believing in coincidences - meaning things that happen at precisely the time they should to make the story work. Life usually doesn't follow that kind of pattern - but then again, it's Reacher's life, not mine. In the end I'm happy, and I'll be looking forward to the next installment as usual. Meantime, I'm thanking the publisher (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this one.

Past Tense by Lee Child (Dell, November 2018); 400 pp.

BABY TEETH

3 stars out of 5

"Dysfunctional" doesn't come close to describing this family of three: Mother Suzette, father Alex and young daughter Hanna. Reminiscent of the 1956 horror-thriller movie "The Bad Seed," Hanna is the Devil incarnate; she spends her days dreaming that Mommy is dead (and conjuring up ways to make that happen) so she can have her beloved Daddy all to herself.

Both parents have issues; Suzette, who has suffered from Crohn's disease since childhood, had a messed-up, uncaring mother and constantly worries that she won't be perfect in the eyes of her husband and even the daughter she's come to fear. Alex fuels Suzette's internal combustion by loving her perfection, whether it be through her beauty, their magazine-worthy home or the child he refuses to believe could possibly have a nasty bone in her little body. Both parents are understandably concerned about Hanna's development, but asking what she's thinking won't be much help because she doesn't talk. In fact, she hasn't spoken a single word for all of her seven years. 

She does, however, have a precocious brain, clearly understanding almost everything that's said to her and a whole lot more; for instance, she knows her way around computer searches better than I do. She's also fond of barking, growling and making other ungodly noises, especially when she's around people she doesn't like and wants to upset (including her mother, of course).

Mom and Dad have tried special schools, but to no avail; Hanna simply does something so awful - like setting a wastebasket on fire - that she gets expelled every time. Dad, of course, balks at Mom's attempts to seek more help; after all, he goes to work all day and comes home to find a sweet, loving daughter who's all smiles and smooches. So what's not to love?

Readers learn early on, getting clued in on what's really happening by way of chapters told from Suzette's and Hanna's perspectives. Although there's rarely a dull moment, though, it's positively agonizing to read chapter after chapter as Suzette continues to question what she's doing wrong all the while being terrified of her own child and Alex can't see beyond the end of his own nose. And Hanna? Well, I've given it considerable thought since I finished the book and concluded there's not a single nice thing I can say about her.

Suffice it to say, then, that reading this book isn't much fun. Sure, there's nerve-wracking tension and the constant question of what could this kid possibly come up with next, but mostly I just wanted somebody to get bumped off (and I didn't much care which one bit the dust). That said, this is a well-written book that's loaded with page-turning incentives; those who enjoy psychologically damaged characters as in "Carrie," "Rosemary's Baby" and "Children of the Corn," I think, are in for a real treat. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance review copy.

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage (St. Martin's Press, July 2018); 320 pp.

FACTOR MAN

5 stars out of 5


Now hear this: My mathematics skills are limited to basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - and even then, there's an even chance I won't get it right. Change the problem to apples vs. oranges or trains passing in the night, and well, you might as well be speaking ancient Greek. So it was with more than a little trepidation that I started this book, written by a guy with (gasp!) a Ph.D. in astrophysics.

Oh what the heck, I said, I sailed through Neil deGrasse Tyson's Astrophysics for People in a Hurry without sinking - how bad could this one be? As it turns out, not bad at all; in fact, it was so engrossing that I took my Kindle to bed to finish the last chapter and epilogue (for the record, something I never, ever do). The final verdict? Wow!

The very creative and clever story focuses on "Factor Man," who claims to have resolved the "number factoring" that's used to encrypt information on the Internet and what's called "God's algorithm." Making available these heretofore impossible solutions, it is believed, will allow those who know the code to solve virtually any problem known to humankind (as of 2017, when initial announcement of availability was made). The benefits for business and industry, the government and the future of the entire world may well lie in the applications made possible by this discovery simply because the implications and applications are unlimited - and, needless to say, highly coveted. 

That is, if he's right. And if he is, the man who has gone to great lengths to remain anonymous until "FMCOP" (Factor Man Coming Out Party) stands to become the wealthiest human on the planet. So first, he's got to convince key people that he can do what he says he can. Assuming the answer is yes, his intent is to sell the code to the highest bidder - with some very interesting exceptions - then give it to the U.S. government and, ultimately, to anyone who wants it, free of charge. Initially, he reveals his plan to New York Times reporter William Burkett, explaining that he will factor increasingly higher numbers as evidence that his claims are for real; at a certain point, the numbers will reach the level currently considered unfactorable by experts. Factor Man will accept submissions at his blog at his discretion (the names of those whose suggestions are accepted are in and of themselves pretty doggone cool).

But of course, there's many a slip between cup and lip. The Chinese, who have been prohibited from bidding, are, shall we say, not happy. The only good Factor Man, they decide, is a dead Factor Man. But there's that pesky "anonymous" thing; before they can eliminate him, they must identify him. Meanwhile in the United States, the FBI has become quite interested in identifying him as well; they don't want to kill him, of course, but once they learn the Chinese are after him, they pull out all the stops to ensure that they find him first.

Sp the chase is on; and holy camoly, what a chase it is! Please note that as a mostly retired journalist who is on the whole proud of her spelling ability, I regrettably admit to not being sure how to spell "camoly." I've found it written as "comoly" and "cannoli" (the latter as in the popular Italian dessert), but I'll go with Urbanthesaurus.org's version above. In any event, what struck me most about this book is that I can't imagine what kind of mind could conjure up such a clever, well-thought-out plot - especially one that involves a subject that under normal circumstances is like a foreign language to me. It was amazing, thrilling, educational and, in spots, downright chuckle-producing. But most important to me besides loving it, math-challenged me "got" it. Many thanks to the author, who provided a review copy to me (via NetGalley). As I said in the second paragraph above, wow!

Factor Man by Matt Ginsberg (Zowie Press, March 2018); 281 pp.

PARADOX

5 stars out of 5


Granted, I'm semi-retired - but finish a nearly 450-page book in two days? Certainly not a normal happenin' thing, but finish it I did. Yes, the story is engrossing and I love FBI agents Sherlock and Savich (this is the 22nd installment in the series). But I'll also credit the author's uncanny way of ending each chapter at such a tantalizing point that it's almost impossible to resist the "just one more" temptation. So strong is that pull, in fact, that at one point I realized I'd read eight chapters beyond the point at which I really, really needed to turn off my Kindle and do something else.

Also curious, BTW, is that almost all the female characters have what at first blush I'd assume are "male" names, among them Ty, Morgan, Marty and Gunny. Happenstance, or intention? And if the latter, why? Inquiring minds would love to know. But I digress.

The married agents have a young son named Sean, of whom, some would say, they're overprotective. That proves to be warranted, though, when in the middle of the night Savich is awakened by warning beeps - and runs to her son's room to find an intruder standing over the child's bed. The man, who was wielding a knife, manages to escape - but the incident forces Savich and Sherlock to acknowledge that their family is on the hit list of a very nasty person.

Around the same time, Willicot, Maryland, police chief Ty Christie is relaxing at her cottage on Lake Massey when to what do her wondering eyes doth appear than a frightening scene: One of two people out in a boat smacks the other and dumps the body overboard, an apparent murder. When said body is found by divers, it turns out to be a female federal prosecutor who's been dating Salo Porto, an FBI agent-friend of Savich, who in turn is called in to help.

But divers find not only that freshly killed body, but a rather large array of old bones and a unique belt buckle - raising suspicions of a serial killer. Most of the bones were collected not far from an abandoned mansion in which two entire families were murdered; since then, the property has been deemed "haunted" and has stood empty. When Savich and Sherlock go inside, they find nothing noteworthy except a single very tidy bedroom amid an otherwise decaying house. That is, until Savich has one of his "visions," leading him to the upper level and the discovery of his old friend Porto, who's been locked in a closet and left to die.

Turns out the killer is a relatively young man who recently escaped from a mental institution - a man with ties not only to the woman he just killed but to Savich, who was forced to kill the man's young girlfriend back when he was arrested. Evidence leads to the certainty that he was the man who attempted to kidnap (or perhaps murder) Savich and Sherlock's son.

But strong suspicion isn't proof (nor are Savich's visions), so the chase is on to gather evidence and track down the killer. The investigation efforts get a big boost from Christie and Palo, who join forces and become major characters in the rest of the book. Even though the killer is known, though, there's plenty of action and even more head games to carry the story through to the end (with a little left over for another book). In short, it's another winner - and once again I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance review copy.

Paradox by Catherine Coulter (Gallery Books, July 2018); 448 pp.

LAST WITNESS

4 stars out of 5


Engrossing, fast-paced story - and maybe better still, a character who's a highly capable cop tinged with vulnerability (in fact, he and his wife remind me a bit of another favorite couple of mine, James Patterson's Alex Cross and his wife, Bree Stone). I missed the first book in this series, but trust me, I'll be at the head of the line when the next one comes out (reportedly in early 2019).

Detective Inspector Zachariah Boateng, who is South African, works for the Lewisham Major Investigative Team (U.K.) and is married to Etta, an attorney. Their young daughter Amelia was shot and killed five years ago (I presume that was detailed in the first book). Responding to an invitation from old friend and police colleague Troy McEwen to come talk about "back then," Zac walks in to find Troy dead - an apparent suicide. Zac thinks otherwise, believing that Troy's death is connected to some mistakes that happened during a case they worked some 20 years earlier that they buried under the paperwork.

If Zac is correct about Troy's death being a murder, he believes he could be a target as well - as could others involved in that long-ago incident. When a another one turns up dead, Zac is certain he's on the hit list as well. Problem is, he can't conduct an official investigation of Troy's death without revealing everything he knows about what really happened back then - details he's never shared with anyone, including Etta; putting the spotlight on them could, in all likelihood, cost him his career and his marriage. So amid his other duties, Zac tries to work in surreptitious investigation of Troy's death, with the assumption that there's a single killer with the singular purpose of evening up the score. But can he find that killer before the killer gets to him?

The path toward that end is filled with speed bumps, misdirections and dead ends as expected - and the ending leaves the door a little bit open for future stories (also as expected with a series). The ride at times seemed a bit choppy and disconnected, but my overall take is that I enjoyed it - in no small part because the driver is such an interesting character that I want to read more about him. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the advance review copy. Good job!

Last Witness by Chris Merritt (Bookouture, July 2018); 325 pp.

SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER

4 stars out of 5


For sure, this book held my attention all the way through. In fact, it latched on so tightly that our dinner got put on hold for a little over an hour while I plowed through to the final page. But that said, I really never really "connected" with any of the characters (more on that in a bit). Besides that, thoughts of same concept, different author kept niggling at the back of my brain as I turned the pages.

Here's the deal: Michael Frazier is living the good life with his second wife, Angela, in Cottonsville, Kentucky; that they're trying, so far unsuccessfully, to have a baby is frustrating, but they're hanging in there. His first marriage to a kooky sort named Erica didn't make it much past a year, and they went their separate ways.

Until now. Suddenly, Erica appears at Michael's door, begging him to help find her missing 9-year-old daughter Felicity. Why Michael, after all these years? Well, Erica tells him, because you're Felicity's father. To put it mildly, Michael is stunned - and questions whether it's even true. Nonetheless, he just can't find it in his heart not to help, even when Angela - who's just as stunned as Michael, if not more - tells him he should stay home and let the police handle things. But Erica insists she must take matters into her own hands because the police aren't taking her daughter's disappearance seriously (after all, it's been most of a day and they haven't found her).

So off he goes. It is at this early point, I must add, that I wrote Michael off. Sure, I "get" (well, sort of) his concern over a missing child that might be his and his reluctance to leave an ex-wife in the lurch even though he thinks she's nuts; on the other hand, I just can't work up sympathy for people who totally ignore common sense. But then, of course, there'd be no story. So there we are.

Everything and everyone moves along quickly from then on, bringing a few surprises as chapters follow the progress and setbacks of Michael and Erica, Angela, Michael's sister Lynn and their mother, and the two primary cops working the case. Little by little, readers learn that every character comes with issues - some more related to the child's disappearance than others - and broken trust becomes a common theme among them all.

Most important, though, is whether or not they'll find the child (and the kidnapper) in time to save her. That, in fact, overshadows all else, adding an edge-of-the-seat tension that doesn't quit till the end. Overall, it's quite an enjoyable ride, reinforcing what I already believe: Given excellent writing, it's not necessary to fall in love with the characters to be happy that you've read a book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance review copy.

Somebody's Daughter by David Bell (Berkley, July 2018); 432 pp.