A WRENCH IN THE WORKS

5 stars out of 5

I'm not a huge fan of cozy mysteries, but I warmed up to this one almost from the first page. By the time I finished, I was positively toasty!

This is the sixth in the author's "Fixer-Upper" mystery series, and since I've not read any of the other five, I went in with a bit of trepidation. But at no time did I feel at the slightest disadvantage; this one stands on its own beautifully (although finishing it did make me wish I'd read the rest - yes, it's that good). The author does an outstanding job of filling in background from the previous books - which should make series fans who may have forgotten a detail or two happy as well as those of us new to the game.

Part of the reason I enjoyed this so much is because I saw a bit of myself in lead character Shannon Hammer, who BTW has the perfect last name for a building contractor, which she is. I, too, fondly remember childhood years following my father around as he pounded nails, screwed screws and tackled home remodeling projects (once in a while letting me help). Unlike Shannon and her younger TV-star sister Chloe, though, I forgot everything I ever learned from dear old dad once I left home for college.

As this story begins, Chloe is returning home to Lighthouse Cove for the first time in a while, bringing with her the cast and crew of her very popular home improvement show. The intent is that Chloe and her co-star, Blake Bennett, will film their restoration of one of the elegant Victorian homes for which Lighthouse Cove is known. Included in the cast of characters is the show's particularly nasty producer - who "fires" cast and crew members with regularity, Chloe and her husband- the latter of whom just happens to be her husband.

Because of Shannon's building expertise, she'll be working alongside her sister on the show. Just before starting to film the first segment in which one of two homes will be selected for a redo, the sisters go for an inside look at the one they're hoping will be chosen and find something that can't be repaired: A dead body. Someone, it seems, had it in for producer Bree. But who? After all, virtually no one involved in the production liked her, except possibly her husband.

But the show must go on - and so it does, as does the investigation led by the local police chief, who seems to have put Chloe on his list of prime suspects. As filming begins, though, still another murder victim turns up and an extension ladder suddenly collapses with Chloe at the top. Clearly, someone's ratcheted up the action in Lighthouse Cove - and it's up to the police, with help from Shannon (who, for the record, has found several dead bodies over the course of the series), to identify the perpetrator before someone else bites the sawdust.

I especially enjoyed the details involved in filming the TV show as well as the strong characters like Shannon, Chloe and Shannon's handsome, ex-Navy SEAL boyfriend, Mac Sullivan. One of my objections to cozies is the headstrong, overbearing females who can't keep their noses where they belong and run off willy-nilly despite protests and outright warnings from law enforcement. There's almost none of that here; Shannon respects the police chief (a childhood friend), is quite capable and always does her "thing," but she does it sensibly without alienating everyone around her. That alone, I hasten to add, makes me eager to read more in this series. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this one. 

A Wrench in the Works by Kate Carlisle (Berkley, November 2018); 303 pp.

SOLACE ISLAND

4 stars out of 5

Billed as a "contemporary novel with a strong suspense element," I must first and foremost warn those who, like me, aren't into "bodice-rippers" that this book is littered with the stuff. "He was envious of the strands of [her] hair for their right to caress her face at will," is a mild example; most of the rest is far, far more graphic. The suspense part didn't rear its much-anticipated head until the 50% mark (and boy, was I ever happy to see it).

Suffice it to say, then, that had I not received an advance copy for review (which I'd requested because the author is an award-winning actress I admire), it's likely that I'd have called it quits early on. But I didn't; and given the excellent writing and almost edge-of-seat action (once it got going), I must say that overall, this is a very good book with which anyone who loves romance combined with suspense should be absolutely delighted (put another way, just because the romance genre isn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it isn't well done).

It begins with 27-year-old Maggie Harris getting dumped by her five-year fiance the day before the wedding. As they've been running a successful business together, Maggie insists that he buy her out or else she'll sell her interest to someone else. To get some much-needed "me" time, Maggie agrees to her sister Eve's proposition to take a three-week getaway on Solace Island off the Washington coast. On the ferry trip to the island, a distraught Maggie is noticed by hunky Luke Benson, a baker who lives on the island and sells his popular breads at the weekly market. When Maggie gets lost trying to find their rental cottage in the dark, she once again encounters Luke - a meeting that, as readers might suspect, arouses Luke's prurient interest in getting to know her better.

Also as readers might suspect, there's many a slip between the cup and Maggie's lips; when Luke fails to show up for a "thank you" dinner at Maggie and Eve's place, the sisters are, well, not happy. Because they've decided to try selling Maggie's sweet treats at the market but are thwarted by the local rules and regulations, they ask Luke for help with getting their feet in the door. Wanting to spend more time with Maggie, Luke agrees.

As mentioned above, at about the half-way mark, the plot thickens as Maggie is nearly run down by a car. In fact, it's likely she'd have been killed on the spot without a last-second shove by Luke (which in turn brings into question who he really is and what he's doing on the island besides baking). His background comes to the forefront even more when, for their safety, Maggie and Eve move into his high-tech, spectacular home on the island. By now, Maggie has pretty much decided that she shares Luke's lust, but given what she doesn't know about him, can she trust him? Of course, readers learn the answer to that question as the story - and more attempts on Maggie's life - play out. Everything leads to an exciting finish, part of which I expected and part I missed by a country mile. My conclusion? Except for the focus on body parts and innovative ways they can be utilized, this really is a riveting book.

Solace Island by Meg Tilly (Berkley, November 2018); 301 pp.

DYING FOR JUSTICE

4 stars out of 5

This is, I believe, a first book for the author and the

first of a series. Now that I've finished it, I'd say congratulations to the former and it's off to a good start to the latter.  Put another way, I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Julia Ainsworth is a 25-year-old lawyer in London. Her father, a lawyer and prominent politician, asks her to represent a teenage boy named Michael, the son of his friends Tom and Nicole Bradley. Although Michael claims to be innocent, he is accused of shooting a man who was out hunting with the Bradleys on their vast property - a man considered a top candidate for Chancellor of the Exchequer (as is Julia's father). 

Julia gets help from her inexplicably wealthy friend Danny, who in turn suggests an alliance with Chris Carter, a hunky ex-M15 agent who now runs his own business and is well-versed in "cognitive empathy" (a.k.a. software that analyzes behavioral clues). After reviewing videotapes of Michael, he concludes that the boy's insistence that he shot a deer and not a human is the truth; no, he's not the killer. But knowing isn't proving - and all the hard evidence continues to point to Michael.

Julia remains convinced of Michael's innocence, though, and insists that she'll keep digging to get to the truth. But clearly, someone isn't thrilled about that prospect; and when an horrific accident turns out to be meant for Julia, everything starts to go south in a hurry. Bit by bit, more clues are unearthed - some literally - leading the three teamsters to a prime suspect. But except for her growing romantic interest in Chris, Julia grows more and more unhappy with the direction the investigation is going; it's heading way too close to home for comfort.

Although I enjoyed this relatively short and fast-paced book, I do hope to see a bit more expansive transition throughout and greater character development in subsequent efforts (the chapters here seemed a bit "jumpy," and truth be told, I never felt much of a connection with the main characters, including Julia). But as I said at the beginning, this is a solid first effort that I'm sure other readers will enjoy as much as I did. Many thanks to the author for offering me an advance copy for me to read and review.

Dying for Justice by Pauline Isaksen (Amazon Digital Services LLC, December 2018); 185 pp.

EYE FOR AN EYE

4 stars out of 5

After reading several of the author's books featuring Jessica Daniel without really relating to the Greater Manchester, England, detective investigator, I think I've finally warmed up to her. To be clear, all the books I've read have been very good - it's just that Jessica herself wasn't a character I would be eager to sit down with at a bar and share drinks. This installment, though, won me over; so Jessica, if you ever cross the Pond and land in northeastern Ohio, I'm buying.

How that mental switcheroo came about is a sort of yin-yang thing, actually. There are so many different "plots" going on in this one that it's almost hard to keep the players straight (and the bits with the rock star who thinks a ghost is out to get him and bridezilla-to-be whose fiance has gone missing are, quite honestly, borderline silly). On the other side of the equation, all those story lines provide greater insights into Jessica's background and personality, thus allowing me to get to know, and like, her better - so all's well that ends well. And speaking of endings, as is the author's norm in this series, there's a cliffhanger - but it's not nearly as in-your-face as in previous books.

Jessica is still struggling with the loss of Adam, the love of her life and the victim of a car bombing meant for Jessica. He's been in a hospital in a coma from which he's not expected to recover for quite some time, pitting her hope against reality. She's also desperate to find her teenage friend Bex, a runaway who's been living with Jessica but suddenly went missing. The primary story, though, is the release from mental hospital custody of Damian Walker, who abducted and gruesomely murdered several women 17 years earlier. Deemed "safe" for society, he's been stashed in a sort of witness protection program under a new name. Not long afterward, another woman is murdered in a similar fashion, raising suspicions that Walker is neither safe nor sane. Problem is, he wears a leg monitor 24/7 and clearly never left his house. Among those most upset is Anne, one of Walker's years-ago targets who managed to survive with serious physical and mental injuries.

After yet another woman turns up dead, Jessica and her team are charged with finding out whether Walker is somehow escaping or someone else is trying to frame him. In between, she has to deal with that very annoying bride-to-be - who's managed to make a media spectacle of herself and the cops who aren't helping her - and that rock star who seems to have taken a shine to Jessica. Oh yes, and worry that Bex flew the coop because of something Jessica said or did.

All in all, another satisfying series entry. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

Eye for an Eye by Kerry Wilkinson (Pan Macmillan , January 2018; Bookouture, November 2018); 321 pp.

THE HOLLOW OF FEAR

5 stars out of 5

What a clever, thoroughly delightful book! 


At the outset, though, I wasn't so enthusiastic; set in Victorian England, with language and customs to match, I realized I wouldn't be able to breeze through this one as I'm accustomed to doing with other mysteries and thrillers. But a couple of chapters into it, I realized I didn't want to.

This is, for the record, the third in the author's "Lady Sherlock" series (and the first, but definitely not the last, for me). The star of the show, Charlotte Holmes, is a consulting detective in Sherlock Holmes fashion - operating a business at 18 Baker Street - with a Mrs. Watson as a helper when needed. Lacking the standard social graces of the times, she and her sister, Olivia, are estranged from the parents they "disgraced" and on their own (a third sister, Bernadine, is disabled and still lives at home but plays a role in this story as well). The Sherlock nemesis, Moriarty, gets frequent mention as an archenemy.

When a home construction disaster forces participants at a party there (Charlotte included)  to relocate to the mansion of her friend and love interest, the handsome Lord Ingram, things don't quite go as planned. Early on, a young servant who's sent to fetch ice from the ice house makes a gruesome discovery: The body of Ingram's estranged wife, who's been missing for a time but thought to have run away of her own accord. Scotland Yard comes running, and the subsequent investigation points to Lord Ingram as the perpetrator. Charlotte, of course, is certain that he's innocent and, mostly disguised as "Sherrinford" Holmes, Sherlock's brother, puts her powers of deduction to work to unearth the real killer (even as she loses her usual "power" to chow down, especially sweets).

Along the way, there are too many twists, turns and sleights of hand and mind to mention, and everything is resolved in the end including Charlotte's appetite (well, almost everything; this is, after all, a series). Thus, I'm already yearning to read the next installment. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this one and introduce me to a wonderful series.

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas (Berkley, October 2018); 335 pp.

STONE COLD

5 stars out of 5


Starting a book by an author with whom I'm not familiar always makes me nervous. Will it make me eager to read another or want to toss it in the garbage? In this case, knowing I'd promised the author to write a review when I finished added another layer of distress; goodness knows, the last thing I want to do is hurt anyone's feelings. But I'm happy to say that within the first couple of chapters, my worries went out the window. Not only did I enjoy it thoroughly, I've found a new series that hit the ground running.

While she and partner Tony Francisco are trying to track down a particularly nasty serial killer in and around Eugene Falls, Florida, Detective Rebecca Watson gets called into court as a witness for the prosecution. A man convicted of murdering his girlfriend five years ago gets that original trial thrown out on a technicality and is granted a retrial. Watson's former partner was killed in an accident on his way to deliver evidence from the crime scene back then, and now the defense is determined to prove that the evidence was tainted by either the partner or Rebecca herself.

Early on, readers learn that Rebecca has a contentious relationship with her mother. And surprise: that same mother now has a relationship with the defendant, occupying a prominent seat behind him while Rebecca tries to focus on her testimony. Worse, mommy dearest may have provided fodder to the defense attorney that he can use to discredit her daughter.

As an aside, after years of reading books in the mystery/thriller genre, I've concluded that somewhere it must be written that female lead characters  must have lurid backgrounds; just once, I'd love to find one who had a relatively normal childhood like my own. My most "awful" memory, in fact, is the scent of cow manure wafting over the fields as I waited at the end of our farmhouse lane for the school bus to pick me up each morning. On the other hand, messy childhoods do make for more intrigue (not to mention plot twists), so I concede that if I were a fiction writer, I'd want my heroines to have endured something more soul-scarring than animal odors. To that end, Rebecca doesn't lack in that department; in addition to the aforementioned estranged mother, she's got a former husband who broke her heart plus years of dealing with far more psyche-damaging experiences - all of which jump to the forefront when she least wants them to.

It is the search for the serial killer, though, that occupies center stage throughout most of the book. Victims keep turning up with indications of particularly gruesome torture - but what fails to turn up is any connection among them. Rebecca is frustrated that the trial is making her miss out on some of the investigation, although her hunky partner, together with Jerry Carrubba of NCIS, seem to have that situation well in hand (amid a bit of levity provided by Rebecca's two "aunties" and her sweet dog). Finally, a link to the victims is unearthed, Rebecca's trial comes to an end (you really don't expect me to tell you how, do you)? From that point on, the case begins to pick up speed and, from the reader's perspective, edge-of-seat excitement. 

Clearly, this series is off to a great start. To the author, thank you - and please, sir, may I have some more?

Stone Cold by James Glass (The Wild Rose Press Inc., October 2018); 202 pp.

HOLY GHOST

5 stars out of 5


Virgil Flowers is back! And while he may be a bit more mellow than before he hooked up with girlfriend Frankie Nobles - who's pregnant with their baby, by the way - he hasn't lost much of his irreverent edge. Flashes of humor are here as always, this time nailing politics, frozen potpies and even visions of the Virgin Mary. Also sprinkled liberally throughout is the "f" word (fans of Virgil won't be shocked at all, but I mention it as a caution to those who might be). 

In my eyes, though, Virgil can do no wrong (well, let's say that when he does, it just makes him more lovable). In fact, I learned here that we have a new special bond; apparently, both of us are good at distinguishing the smells of manure from various farm animals (cows, chickens, pigs and horses in particular). I don't know about Virgil, but it's a skill I honed by spending my 18 formative years on a farm and at county fairs. 

As this story begins, Virgil is called to a tiny town in Minnesota, where a random sniper may be at work. Not long ago, the town became a tourist attraction, thanks to mysterious sightings of a "floating" Virgin Mary image at the local Catholic church. So far, two victims have been targeted - but as luck (or bad aim) would have it, neither was killed. That changes, though, when one of the town's socialites takes a fatal bullet.

The only clue is that all were shot at precisely 4:15 p.m., but no one can figure out why. Virgil and his cohorts, including Jenkins and Shrake, keep working the case, which early on leads to a local shooting range (after all, regular customers would be expected to know their way around guns). Nothing turns up - not even the owner - until the investigative team gets another unwelcome surprise. That the community also serves as home to a group of Nazi sympathizers adds more possibilities to the mix.

More details I can't reveal without spoiling things for others, but I will say (grudgingly) that the person I was certain was the shooter was way off the mark. The identity of the real killer - and the motive - came as a complete surprise (and the ending brought a surprise of a totally different sort). All told, this is yet another Flowers book that comes up roses. Good job!

Holy Ghost by John Sandford (G.P. Putnam's Sons, October 2018); 400 pp.

FEAR: TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE

4 stars out of 5

In the interests of full disclosure, I'm squarely in the anti-Trump camp; as a self-described moderate to flaming liberal and long-time champion of overall human and First Amendment rights (not to mention a retired newspaper editor), his election to the Presidency has been a bitter pill that remains stuck in my craw. Almost every day, the man does or says something else that, IMHO, sets our already great country back at least 50 years. As such, reading this "inside look" compiled by a respected journalist was a must-read.

No doubt I'm not alone;  it's clearly a popular book among readers with my mindset, even though nothing much here struck me as something I didn't already know, or at least suspect. I'd guess that it won't have much appeal to Trump supporters; but that said, anyone looking for confirmation of his bullying people he doesn't consider to be "loyal" and bludgeoning anyone who gets in his way will find it in spades and call it a tribute to a [Make America] great man.

Detractors will, of course, cry "fake news," but I don't buy it; the author is reporting what others have seen and heard, with everything documented, footnoted and otherwise verified (a substantial portion of the book, in fact, consists of Source Notes). The story begins six years before the election and reveals Trump's pattern of "denial when needed or useful or more convenient." Or, as one Trump attorney reportedly said, "He's a professional liar."

It would be pointless to regurgitate all the insights from the book - you'll just have to read it for yourself if you want the down and dirty. Suffice it to say every page reinforces what I already believe with all my heart and soul: This is a man not even remotely qualified to be the leader of the free world (as a TV personality and businessman, I'll give him a pass, but not in our nation's highest office). This is an interesting and historically important book that deserves to be read - to be sure, I'm glad I did. Now bring on the mid-terms!

Fear by Bob Woodward (Simon & Schuster, September 2018); 449 pp.)

SIX CATS A SLAYIN'

5 stars out of 5

This is the 10th book in this wonderful "Cat in the Stacks" series, to which I'm sorry to say I came late to the game by reading just one. That's not a mistake I intended to make again, though, so I was delighted to be approved for an advance review copy by the publisher (via NetGalley). The two I've read stand alone well, I must add, but on the other hand, I'm always of the opinion that with any series, it's always best to start at the beginning.

There are a few reasons for my fondness of these books, but I admit "cozy" isn't among them. While I do enjoy this kind of mystery once in a while as a break from my usual mind-twisting, eye-rolling thrillers, too often I'm forced to read about a headstrong heroine who refuses to listen to reason (for the record, headstrong women I like; it's the ignoring wisdom and advice to the point of nearly being killed that gives me fits). Here, there's none of that; widower Charlie Harris, who works in the Athena College Library in Mississippi, is a fully grown, sensible adult who just happens to have an interest in crime-solving.

He also has a cat. Not just any old cat, mind you, but a Maine Coon named Diesel - who of course has a personality all his own. Hence another big reason I love this series: For years, I've missed the antics of Siamese kitties Koko and Yum Yum, the creations of the late Lilian Jackson Braun, author of The Cat Who books. The similarities with this series are abundant - including an arts-loving main character (in those books, former journalist "Qwill" Qwilleran) who has an intelligent lady friend he sees regularly but with whom he is not joined at the hip and who lives in a spacious, but somewhat unique, house.

Did I mention cats? They're plentiful here; in fact, counting Diesel, there are six (title alert). Five of them are young kittens, mysteriously dumped on Charlie's doorstep just before Christmas. An accompanying anonymous note begs Charlie to care for them - a plea, needless to say, that cat-loving Charlie can't ignore. With help from friends (and support from Diesel, who's intrigued by the little ones), Charlie corrals them in a living-room pen, making sure they have food, water and clean litter boxes.

Meanwhile, Charlie has a new across-the-street neighbor named Gerry Albritton, who claims to be a realtor and has atrocious taste in outdoor Christmas decorations. She's also more than a bit on the flirtatious side; early on, Charlie learns to avoid her as much as possible. When he gets an invitation to her Christmas party, then, his first instinct is to beg off; but curiosity about the inside of her house and seeing other neighbors' reactions get the better of him. Lady friend Helen Louise Brady in tow, he vows to make the best of the situation.

Then, amid even more curiosity about why on earth Gerry would serve top-of-the-line bubbly and Sam's Club munchies, Charlie and Helen Louise overhead some heated arguments between Gerry and a couple of other guests. Not long afterward, the unthinkable happens: Gerry drops dead right in front of the guests. 

Enter local detective Kanesha, who's annoyed that her mother, Azalea, continues to be Charlie's housekeeper when she really doesn't need the job. Kanesha is good at her job, and for the moment, at least, she's open to some help from Charlie. From that point on, it's a race to 1) discover the identity of the kitten-dumper, 2) discover the identity of the killer and 3) get Charlie's house ready for his own Christmas party, which this year will include a couple of very special grandbabies. All those details I'll leave it to others to read so as not to spoil anything, but suffice it to say all's well that ends well. A thoroughly enjoyable adventure!

Six Cats a Slayin' by Miranda James (Berkley, October 2018); 304 pp.

CLOSER

5 stars out of 5

Absolutely loved this one - my only "issue" was that all the other things I needed to do got in the way of finishing it in one sitting. Oh well - guess there's something to be said for anticipation making me wait.

Chapters switch back and forth among several characters, such as Emma, a paralegal with a talented 10-year-old daughter Maisie; Maisie herself; Emma's mum Val; and Joanne, an attorney and Emma's boss who's also the mother of 10-year-old Piper (the latter a selfish, nasty bully who simply doesn't understand the word "no" - probably because the little twit has never heard it).

Each character has some sort of past secret, as slowly revealed in the chapters. At issue in the beginning, though, is that Emma and her husband Shaun have given up on their marriage. They've come to an amicable exchange of responsibilities when it comes to Maisie, and they still live in their home (albeit in separate rooms). That worked fine until Shaun found the love of his new life - and whoops, it turns out to be Joanne. 

The three adults seem to be dealing with the somewhat uncomfortable situation fairly well, but Maisie is particularly disturbed. Not only does she not understand what's really going on with her parents, she absolutely detests Piper; they go to the same dance classes where, needless to say, Piper is an prima donna extraordinaire. Then her dad moved in with Joanne, forcing Maisie into much more contact with Piper than she ever wants (honestly, I can't blame the kid; Piper is a totally obnoxious brat who could use a few good smacks upside the head). But every time Maisie tries to tell her dad or, God forbid, Piper's mum about the awful things Piper says and does, they defend Piper and tell Maisie to try harder.

Emma's mum does realize her daughter's discomfort - manifested both in personality and behavioral changes - but Maisie retreats within herself and won't open up to anyone. And Emma's attempts to warn Shaun that Piper (and perhaps Joanne) are putting Maisie in danger fall on eyes and ears that are blinded and deafened by his newfound one true love. So, Emma decides to do some digging for herself; but as she embarks on that journey, events of her past begin to haunt her, threatening a danger of a different sort.

Everything comes to a head near the end, with more than one major surprise and a cliffhanger ending that will curl your mustache even if you don't have one. Kudos to the author, and thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. Whew!

Closer by K.L. Slater (Bookouture, October 2018); 354 pp.

THE FORGOTTEN

5 stars out of 5

Subtitled "How the People of One Pennsylvania County Elected Donald Trump and Changed America," this book offers a look through the eyes of several residents of Luzerne County - many of whom voted for, and still support, #45. Why that matters is that of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the latter had the most electoral votes; Trump won largely because of his showing here - by a margin of nearly 20 points.

I had two reasons for wanting to read the book, the first of which is that it's really hard for me to comprehend why - other than to make sure Hillary Clinton wouldn't win, which I understand - anyone would want someone like The Donald in our country's highest office (which of course reveals my personal view on the subject). The second reason is that the Luzerne County is somewhat familiar; I've visited several times - a few to conduct employee development seminars at the community college in the county seat of Wilkes-Barre. The people I met were friendly and warm, and the surrounding scenery is, as I repeatedly told my seminar participants, close to breathtaking. Besides that, the county seems to somewhat mirror that of Ohio's Mahoning Valley - where I live - at least in terms of how the local economy has fared since the demise of heavy industry.

The author visited the county four or five times, I believe, questioning numerous residents as to why they voted the way they did and then compiling the responses of about a dozen to form this book. In between are demographic facts about the county and its residents, such as an overall lack of college-educated residents and substantial increases in minorities moving in over the last several years. Also worthy of note to me, at least, is that Pennsylvania as a whole is home to more hate groups than any other U.S. state.

Honestly, I really didn't run into any "Aha" moments here; most of the reasons given for dissatisfaction I've heard many times before. Hillary seemed to "look down" on people like them; government-programs like NAFTA and support of a global economy have cost them jobs; and social programs make it too easy for people to stay on what appears to be an ever-expanding dole and, more to the point, live as well or better than many of those who struggle to make a living the old-fashioned way. So to a large extent, the support of Trump there simply reflects a desire to get away from the same old, same old. As one man noted, "Washington is broke, and I need someone to go down there with a sledgehammer."

Still, seeing their in-depth feelings in their own words is a bit eye-opening - especially on issues like immigration, which they claim not to oppose; after all, most of them come from immigrant parents or grandparents. At issue is legality; immigrants are welcome, but only if they follow the prescribed rules and are willing to "assimilate" into this country (meaning, for the most part, be willing to work hard and learn English) just like the residents' ancestors did. No, a wall isn't necessary, but some kind of effective border security certainly is - so Trump's get-tough stand on that issue came through loud and clear.

With few available jobs and little hope that things will get better any time soon, it's easy to see why the people here think they've been "forgotten," ignored and not good enough to count. On purpose, I did not use the word "disenfranchised" - a term more associated with political correctness. And if there is a recurring theme in this book, it is total disdain for having to tiptoe around others, particularly those who don't share their work ethic and family values. Cut to the bottom line, then, Trump was saying what they were feeling - even though many agreed that his actions, comments and tweets were (and still are) "over the top." And despite the fact that their support of Trump has destroyed friendships - and in some instances, entire families - those who voted for him aren't backing down. Almost to a person, they give him high marks after 18 months in office and insist they'll vote for him next time around.

As a self-described moderate-to-flaming liberal, I admit that most of the views expressed here are way outside my political wheelhouse (although I do share their concerns on some issues, like the need for immigration reform and maintaining Second Amendment rights - just not with quite the same restrictions in mind). Put another way, some parts of the book gave me hope while others scared the bejeesus out of me.

For anyone interested in expanding their horizons - or looking for confirmation and support of their own views - this is a well-written, important book that reflects the times that are a'changin'. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a copy for review.

The Forgotten by Ben Bradlee Jr. (Little, Brown and Co., October 2018); 304 pp.

THE WARNING

5 stars out of 5

Within a few chapters after starting this book, I had a bad feeling. Oh no, I said to no one there, not another woman with a bone in her teeth who refuses to let go and can't listen to reason. Now that I've finished, I've changed my attitude to so what? This book is WAY too good to get hung up on a single character (especially one who does, for the most part, have good reasons for being so obstinate). The story is riveting and truly hard to put down; I actually asked my sweet husband to record one of my favorite TV shows so that I could finish the book and watch the show later.

Three years earlier, Zoe Monaghan and her husband, Jake, lost the younger of their two sons. Ethan, age 14, and his best friend Josh somehow fell into a nearby river and drowned after inexplicably sneaking out in the middle of the night; both deaths were deemed accidental. Unable to deal with the emotional upheaval, Zoe, Jake and their remaining son, Harley, move to London, leaving Josh's parents, Roberta and Adrian - who simply can't afford to relocate. At their new location, Jake and his friend Liam are working hard to get their business going, so Jake isn't around to offer much emotional support for his wife and son.

Out of the blue, Zoe - a nurse at at a fertilization clinic - gets an anonymous email claiming that Ethan's death wasn't an accident. While Jake is dismissive (and isn't willing to stir the coals of an old and very destructive fire), Zoe is determined to get to the bottom of the message. She's not sure it isn't a prank at this point, but neither is she willing to disregard it. Ignoring advice from Jake and the local police, she sets out to contact anyone and everyone who knew Ethan and Josh back then to at the very least find out why they went to the river in the first place. By all accounts, Josh is headstrong almost to the point of incorrigible; but her son, she insists, had his head on straight and wouldn't have gone along with anything he felt was wrong.

As time - and more mysterious emails - go along, readers learn that just about everyone involved has secrets (some much darker than others). Some offer clues to the drownings, while others threaten to disrupt the lives of the major characters for totally different reasons. Thrown in the mix are chapters from the perspective of another anonymous character - an apparent stalker of an unknown victim. Who both turn out to be provides yet another twist to a road already filled with unexpected turns.

In short, outstanding - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

The Warning by Kathryn Croft (Bookouture, October 2018); 351 pp.