5 stars out of 5
The late Ian Fleming's James Bond novels are among my all-time favorite books - and have the distinction of being the only books I've read more than once (for the record, the same is true for the Bond motion pictures). So when the first of the "new" Bond books by Anthony Horowitz, Trigger Mortis, was released in 2015, I was more than a little apprehensive. But that one came through with flying British colors, earning a 5-star rating from me. Apparently, Fleming's estate agreed; he was asked to write another - this one - and by golly, I like it even better than the first.
In a different sense, this one is the first; it takes place as Bond has been called up from the ranks to replace the former 007, who's been killed in the line of duty. When asked by chief M what number he preferred, he responded that keeping the 007 would, among other things, send a message to the enemies that the British service might be down, but never out. Bond's first assignment, however, will put that message to the test.
Not knowing exactly what lies ahead, Bond is looking forward to earning his license to kill; he's headed for the south of France, where his predecessor was shot three times (definitely overkill) while investigating the Corsican underworld and super-corpulent bad guy Jean-Paul Scipio. Known for their abundant profits by manufacturing and distributing quality heroin, it's a puzzlement as to why the Corsicans suddenly brought that activity to a screeching halt. Add in the intrigue of a beautiful former agent who seems to have gone rogue, and Bond has his work cut out for him well before he leaves England.
Once in France, Bond meets up with Reade Griffith, a CIA agent with whom he, well, bonds. He also learns that the gorgeous femme fatale is now involved with Irwin Wolfe, a beyond wealthy businessman who's making a killing (no pun intended) in the manufacture of color film for the motion picture industry (as an aside, one of the interesting parts of this novel is the time setting - not long after World War II and long before the Digital Age we've all come to know and love).
It wouldn't be a Bond novel, of course, if Bond himself didn't narrowly escape mortal danger at least once (and since we all know he made it well past the initial license-to-kill stage, it's not a spoiler to say he doesn't get bumped off in this one). He does get roughed up now and again - and again and again - as he pits his many skills against everything from a high-stakes casino blackjack game to the wiles of a clever but possibly deceitful woman to several unscrupulous bad guys. It's all a high-stakes game that Bond is intent on winning - and for readers, a delightful prequel to what's already come. Good job!
Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz (Harper, November 2018); 290 pp.
5 stars out of 5
This is the fifth book in a series with which I'm unfamiliar, but the description sounded right up my alley. It got that close and then some; I absolutely loved it and am hoping the next one will be heading up my street before too long. Private detective Rick Cahill is the perfect combination of a flawed (sometimes seriously) but likable character, and the straightforward, no-nonsense plot is a refreshing change from the head games of many of today's thrillers that leave you thinking, "What just happened here?"
At no time, I must add, did I feel the least bit left out because I hadn't read the previous books; in fact, I was impressed with the subtle effectiveness in which the author provides background details (that's not to say, however, that finishing this one didn't make me wish I'd heard about the series much earlier). In this one, told in first-person narrative, we first "meet" Rick as he listens to the sultry, soothing voice of "Naomi at Night" offering consolation and advice to midnight callers to her popular radio show. She's been the subject of somewhat veiled threats, and the station's bigwigs have hired Rick to investigate as surreptitiously as possible to avoid negative media attention.
As the story progresses, we learn that he's a former Santa Barbara, California, cop who once managed a restaurant. As for Naomi, it seems she, too, has a background that she doesn't want anyone else to know about; although the police were shown the latest threatening letter, they claimed there was insufficient evidence to take on the case - making Naomi, who has gone to great lengths to protect her real identify - very happy. When the gun she owns illegally is stolen, she of course doesn't file a police report and insists that Rick keep her secret as well.
Meantime, Rick is forced to deal with issues from his own past - a detente with a Russian mobster and his viciously dangerous daughter suddenly returns to haunt him, demanding repayment of a favor owed. Especially given that he's no fan of the local police, he's limited in who he can call for help (happily, one of his old buddies, Moira, still likes him enough to help with both his investigations, albeit reluctantly). But when Rick's actions result in a young woman's abduction, he's got no choice but to go to the cops - and they're not thrilled to have his nose in their business again.
As Rick's investigation continues with help from Moira, his lack of a perfect moral compass rears its head on several occasions (making the story, and Rick, far more interesting, IMHO). Finally, both cases come to exciting, though not necessarily happy, endings - leaving me, as I mentioned earlier, wanting more. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read an advance copy.
Wrong Light by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing, December 2018); 352 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Sometimes, you just want to sit back and be entertained - and this series, one of my favorites, never fails to satisfy. This one I finished in the equivalent of one day not long before the Thanksgiving holiday, providing a much-needed respite before my anxiety over whether the turkey and mashed potatoes will be done at the same time kicks in.
Five years earlier, a prominent physician is murdered - shot just as he returned home from work. His emotionally distressed wife, Kendra, was upstairs sleeping; no one saw the shooting take place, and the killer was never found. Now, the doctor's hoity-toity parents, who are convinced their daughter-in-law somehow masterminded the murder, are demanding that Laurie Moran, producer of the popular TV show "Under Suspicion," feature the case on the show. Years ago, Laurie turned down their offer, largely because Kendra refused to cooperate.
For whatever reason, she's on board this time around; so while Laurie is still a bit reluctant, she agrees that the show must go on. In the middle of trying to gather background information and people to interview, she's making plans to marry her fiance Alex, a district attorney who's about to be sworn in as a federal court judge, and find a new place where she, Alex, and her young son can live.
Quickly, she learns that what appears on the surface isn't necessarily true. Kendra has some serious issues, and her dead husband had some secrets of his own. Digging deeper, Laurie finds herself in danger as well, but is it related to the doctor's murder or something else? Good question, but one for me to know and you to find out by reading it for yourself. Another good one!
You Don't Own Me by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon and Schuster, November 2018); 288 pp.
5 stars out of 5
What can I say about a 160-page story without giving too much away? Not a lot, except that it's by Stephen King. For me, that's quite sufficient.
Beyond that, though, I can't go far. Scott Carey, who lives in Castle Rock, has started to lose weight at an alarming rate - like a pound a day or more (fortunately, he's a pretty big guy; otherwise, the story would have been over almost before it started). He's also a bit annoyed with one of the married lesbians who live next door; a runner, she heads out with her two large dogs, who make his yard a potty stop, but she refuses to acknowledge their behavior. She's become a royal pain in his butt (and in most of the townspeople's as well - many of whom simply don't support her lifestyle and are openly shunning the restaurant she and her partner have opened and are trying desperately to make a success).
Despite her rebuffs, Scott is determined to seek at least friendly coexistence with the couple - after all, the partner is pleasant enough. At the same time, he's consulting with a local retired doctor friend about his perplexing weight loss. You see, although the pounds are coming off, he has more energy than ever; even stranger is that he weighs exactly the same with or without clothing, and even if he holds a heavy object while standing on the scales. Early on, that unexplained weight loss brought to mind another Stephen King favorite of mine: Thinner, published in 1984 and written under the name of Richard Bachman (if nothing else, that's proof that I've been an S.K. fan almost forever).
This one, though, lacks his usual creepiness - it could, in fact, almost be classified as a "feel-good" story. At this time of year in given the current political climate, that's not a bad thing.
Elevation by Stephen King (Scribner, October 2018); 160 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Without doubt, this is one of the saddest and most haunting books I've read in a while (close to downright depressing, in fact). What's more, about a third of it was so unsettling that insofar as possible, I skimmed through it. It is written matter-of-factly, without emotion - but the emotion comes through loud and clear nonetheless. Did I love it? In many ways, no; but in the overall scheme of things, it's pretty darned awesome.
Let me clarify. The depressing part came near the end, when facts not previously in evidence were revealed (let's just say that O Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" came to mind). The unsettling part came in the middle, when details of the World War II military life of Pete Banning, one of the main characters, was outlined in all-too-vivid detail. If there's anything in this world I'd rather not read about, see, or listen to, it's the horrors of war. And the entire middle section of this book, Titled "The Boneyard," lays it all out. Yes, it's a very important part of the story - but had I known it was coming I'd have left sneaker tracks on the sidewalk running the other way.
That said, what a story it is. Set in small-town Clanton, Mississippi, after World War II has ended and Pete, thought to have been killed, returns home to his extensive cotton farm as a decorated hero. His wife, Liza, is in a mental institution - at Pete's orders - and their son and daughter are grown. In 1946, at the age of 43, Pete is about to do something virtually unthinkable, especially for a man of his stature; commit a cold-blooded murder. He freely admits to his guilt; what he refuses to admit, though, is his motive. He will, he insists, go to his death - a very real possibility if he's convicted by a jury - with his secret intact. His long-time family lawyer, nor his sister Flora, who lives on the farm, nor his children will ever hear the reason behind his action - at least never from his lips.
From that point on, much of the narrative focuses on Pete's family background and what and how his children are doing, all of which takes place in a deep-South setting in which "coloreds" handle menial tasks and are not allowed to sit on the front porch of any home nor anywhere in a courtroom except the balcony. And of course, let's not forget the section that details what happened to him in the war when he was part of the historic Bataan Death March in the Philippines. Even though I didn't want to read it, I can't imagine the research it took to pull all that together. In the final section, "The Betrayal," readers, along with Pete's two children - find out what really happened.
The Reckoning by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 2018); 417 pp.
3.5 stars out of 5
Only twice in my life have I ever seen a real, live Broadway play; it happened sometime in the early 1980s when my husband and I accompanied a group of college business students who went to New York City to learn more about the garment industry. We managed to get discount tickets to two plays: "Noises Off," and "A Chorus Line." Both were awesome (the latter falling into the "OMG, I've died and gone to heaven" category). And while I've seen many Broadway touring company productions locally since then, nothing ever will compare to the "real" experience.
It was with that meager but thrilling experience in mind that I looked forward to reading this book, in which the author provides an inside look at some of the productions that have made an impact in ways far beyond simple entertainment. From "Angels in America" to "Hamilton," he examines how and why various shows have tried to shed light on societal issues like AIDS, slavery and divisive politics. It was interesting to learn, for instance, of Broadway's overall disdain for then-President Ronald Reagan, who refused to even acknowledge the existence of AIDS or, perhaps more importantly, approve funding for AIDS research. Also noteworthy, to me at least, was that when New York City virtually came to a halt after the horrific events of 9/11, city leaders including then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani ordered theater owners to reopen as a sign that the show - and in the broader sense the entire city - must go on.
In part because the book isn't very long, I'll leave the details of the plays to the author and you can read them for yourself. I must, however, note that I'm hoping it underwent a more thorough copy-editing before its release. I read an advance copy courtesy of the publisher (via NetGalley), for which I'm very appreciative. But I found numerous errors (it's Harriet TUBman, not TAUBman, for instance), and there's enough of what I'll call "jumping around" within the chapters that at times it's a little hard to follow. Overall, though, the author has put together an excellent history with insights that should enlighten theater-lovers everywhere.
Rise Up! by Chris Jones (Methuen Drama, November 2018); 240 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Let's get the good stuff out of the way early on: This is a fantastic book; giving it the top rating of 5 stars is a no-brainer.
Apparently, this is the third book in the series featuring Detective Lucy Harwin (although in the author's notes, she mentions that it's a prequel, presumably to the first two books, neither of which I've read). In any event, I had zero problem following along with nary a "Huh?" along the way, so it stands alone perfectly. And did I mention that it's a fantastic book?
Lucy, who's recently split with her husband because of his philandering and is the mother of a teenage daughter, is called to an abandoned church. There, she finds a dead woman, the victim of an horrific murder. The cause of death is evident, but there are no clues nor evidence pointing to a motive. Conventional thinking is that it could be the work of a devil worshipper, but none of the investigators are buying into that theory at this point. Lucy intends to give it her all, though, if only because it's her first major solo case.
Lucy's regular partner, Detective Sergeant Matthew Jackson (Mattie) takes off on a pre-scheduled vacation, leaving her to partner up with an officer in whom she has little confidence. As she's grousing about that, another woman, a church volunteer, turns up murdered in similar grotesque fashion. This one, however, hits close to home: She's the elderly mother of Lucy's police force boss. Sympathy aside, that adds another dimension to the case; like it or not, her boss must be added to any list of potential suspects.
Hints as to the killer's identity are slowly revealed through flashback chapters that reveal a child and his mother horribly abused by a Bible-thumping father/husband. Back in the present, Lucy's daughter reluctantly gets involved in volunteering at the church, where she lands a job babysitting the daughter of another volunteer - a beautiful woman who's caught the eye of the vicar, whose spouse is married to a truly wretched person. As the investigation continues, Lucy becomes worried not only for the future of her career, but for her daughter - who just might be on the killer's hit list.
The action-filled story moves along quickly, and I have no doubt that those who really can't put it down will be able to start and finish it on the same day. Personally, I'm delighted not only to have read such an enjoyable book, but also to have found a new series. Already, I'm looking forward to the next one. Meanwhile, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this one.
Last Light by Helen Phifer (Bookouture, November 2018); 296 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Generally speaking, I shy away from short stories. But once in a while, especially if it's coming from a favorite author, I relent. Recent releases by Dean Koontz and Jonathan Kellerman come to mind - short stories they wrote as lead-ins to upcoming books. In fact, I've even read a shorty by this author, who's also on my list of favorites -- albeit one co-written with M.J. Rose for the anthology FaceOff a few years back (an outstanding compilation that I highly recommended, BTW). So when I got a chance to read an advance copy of this one, I didn't hesitate.
I'm actually glad it's very short, because I really didn't want to put it down and could finish it in one sitting. As it begins, Detective D.D. Warren is at home with her crime scene analyst husband Alex and their son Jack after a day that began with a very much alive man coming to the station to insist that really, he's very much dead. Believing him to be a bit deranged, the cops send him home. That belief turns upside down a couple of hours later, though, when they get a phone call: It seems the man was on the right track but spoke a bit too soon. Now, his claim is official - and the knife in his back is a dead giveaway that someone else helped him prove his point.
Sections of the book shift back and forth from the after-work discussion to the police station and the beginning of D.D.'s day, from announcement of the man's death to the progress and conclusion of the investigation. Much of that takes place inside the man's ostentatious home, wherein live the man's widow and several exceptionally well-paid servants - all of whom are suspects. Because everything happens in such short order I can't say more without giving away too much, but it's all cleverly written with overtones of the game of Clue: We know it was a knife, but was it the chef in the kitchen? The doctor in the bedroom? The wife in the sitting room? In the end, I'm glad I didn't put money on my chosen culprit; had I done that, I'd be eating ramen noodles for the rest of the week.
After the case wraps up, readers can take a peek at the author's next D.D. Warren book. Me? Thanks, but I prefer to wait for the whole thing and go in cold turkey - but it's there for inquiring minds who want to know ahead of time.
The Guy Who Died Twice by Lisa Gardner (Penquin Group, January 2019); page length not listed.
5 stars out of 5
After I finished the first book in this series that brings together retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch and current detective Renee Ballard, I knew I wanted to read more. Admittedly, I wasn't all that taken with Ballard in The Late Show, but the aging Harry has never failed to reel me in. It's much the same here; I'm still not an all-out Ballard fan, but by golly, the story is so good that it didn't matter. And, the more I learn about Ballard the more appealing she's becoming (I very much like the way she interacts with Bosch). In fact, by the end of this one I felt more attuned to Ballard than to Bosch.
After her complaint of sexual harassment at her old job fell flat, she was reassigned to the night shift, where she's been for three years now. With her partner on bereavement leave, she's been working solo. One night, Bosch wanders in, claiming to be looking for information on the murder of 15-year-old Daisy Clayton nine years earlier. Intrigued by both the case and Bosch himself, Ballard decides to help and gets permission to look into what's now a cold case - pretty much working in her spare time.
Of course, both Bosch and Ballard are working on other cases, and those stories get interwoven via chapters that shift in perspective from one to the other. Readers also learn more of what has shaped each of their characters, from Ballard's childhood to Bosch's shaky standing with the LAPD.
As the spare-time investigation of Daisy's murder gets under way, it's interesting to watch the evolution of their interactions as Ballard at first takes issue with Bosch's so-what attitude toward bending the rules (unlike her, he's got nothing much to lose). Concurrently, Bosch gains a bit of respect for her position - and in the end, they meet in the middle in a sort of tentative acceptance (and a partnership that, I presume, will continue in future books). There's nothing tentative about my opinion of that: Bring 'em on!
Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., October 2018); 448 pp.
5 stars out of 5
After 56 years of marriage, my husband and I are still getting along just fine, even though we don't always agree. But we're both long-time fans of Felix Francis (and his prolific author-father, Dick, before him). And after reading this one, we are in total accord: This is perhaps the best of the son's lot so far.
The star of the show is Harrison "Harry" Foster, an attorney who focuses on crisis management at a prominent London firm. Despite his total lack of interest in and knowledge of horse racing, his boss taps him to head to Newmarket, where a fire at Chadwick Stables has resulted in the devastating loss of several horses, including one owned by Foster's firm's client that's considered a shoe-in to win the upcoming Derby. When Harry arrives, he's greeted by a totally dysfunctional family, plenty of mud, and the unexpected discovery of human remains amid the ashes.
Who the victim turns out to be turns the Chadwick family upside down - from Patriarch Oliver (who's mostly handed the thoroughbred stables over to son Ryan), to other son Declan, who has set off on his own horse-racing venture. Throw in another son, an estranged daughter and all of their significant others and it's a volatile mix that turns more deadly every day. Clearly, though, there's a major family secret that started the infighting - and as the fire investigation heats up, it threatens to bring everyone to his or her knees - including Harry.
Will he live to see his interest in new love - the sister of the woman who runs day-to-day operations at Chadwick Stables - come to fruition? Of course, my lips are sealed. All I'll say is it's a race to an exciting finish. Well done!
Crisis by Felix Francis (G.P. Putnam's Sons, October 2018); 384 pp.
