5 stars out of 5
What could possibly be better than finding an exciting new series? When it's written by a favorite author, that's what! Such is the case here for sure - and for sure I'm already chomping at the bit for the next installment.
The new character is a complex guy named Colter Shaw, who grew up as a son of exceptionally well-educated parents who ditched mainstream life for a survivalist existence. They taught their children well; their father, from off an ever-deepening end, and their mother from a more practical (and loving) perspective as she struggled to rein in her husband's paranoia. Long since, Colt moved back to reality (even going to college and law school) and now makes a living primarily by earning reward money offered for locating missing loved ones. He's not a bounty hunter; he picks his jobs only after carefully researching both the reward offerers and the victims. On every case, one of his strengths - long ago instilled by his now-deceased father - is assessing probabilities (whether or not he'll be successful, which suspect is more likely to be the perpetrator, etc.) Adding to the overall strength of the book is that interspersed throughout are recollections from Colt's growing-up years - some good, some not so much - all of which give readers intriguing insights into what motivates him.
The story opens as Colt is in over his head - literally; he's trying to save a very pregnant woman who's been locked into a boat that's sinking in frigid water. We get a glimpse or two of what might happen before the scene shifts to two days earlier, when someone tries to toss a Molotov cocktail into Colt's RV. Shortly thereafter, he learns of a $10,000 reward from a Silicon Valley father who's desperate to find his missing daughter. Colt drives his RV to a park there, rents a car, visits the father and agrees to take on the case. During the investigation, he encounters a professional computer game tester named Maddie, who drags him to a huge convention and introduces him to a world he didn't even know existed - a world filled with characters who love killing, both virtually and, quite possibly, in real life.
Although I'm working on some kind of electronic gadget a big part of every day, whether it be my desktop or Kindle or smartphone - I've never had more than a passing interest in playing animated games. As such, a good bit of the plentiful and complex information on that topic that's in here pretty much sailed over my head. On the other hand, I learned quite a few things - all of which added to the story and made it even more interesting. I can't say more without giving away too much, but the ending brings everything together (including the woman on the sinking ship) as well as leaves the door wide open to the next chapter in Colt's life.
For me, that can't come soon enough, so please get busy, Mr. Deaver. While I wait, I'll thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review the first of what I'm confident will be a great series.
The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver (G. P. Putnam's Sons, May 2019); 416 pp.
4 stars out of 5
Based on the official description, I figured this book would have a melodramatic bent. But in no time at all, the bent went for broke and stayed there till the end. That said, it's very well written, moves along quickly and serves up several doses of suspense. For those reasons, I'm comfortable giving it 4 stars even if it isn't quite my cup of tea.
Becky Gerard and her husband of 20 years, Carl, have an almost 16-year-old daughter, Meghan, who's been in and out of doctors' offices and hospitals for years. All that time, there's been no firm diagnosis and no let-up in Becky's all-consuming attempts to find one (and ultimately, of course, a cure). The book begins as Becky is leaving Boston on an airplane, reluctantly leaving her ailing daughter for California to visit her dying mother. When she gets a just-at-takeoff text from Carl telling her he's taken Meghan to the hospital yet again, the news throws Becky in such an emotional meltdown that she gets thrown off the plane.
Chapters shift among perspectives of various characters, and next up is pediatrician Zach Fisher, who still gets nightmares about the death of his young son Will. Turns out he's the physician examining Meghan this time around, and he wastes little of it coming up with a diagnosis of mitochondrial disorder, the same disorder (aha!) that resulted in his son's death. Others at the hospital aren't as ready to accept Zach's conclusion, though; not only is there no specific set of symptoms, Zach has earned a reputation for diagnosing way too many patients with the disorder. Becky, though, has no reservations whatsoever; instantly, Zach achieves demigod status - and the devil take anyone who disagrees (including her husband, who after all this time is far less inclined to grasp at straws).
Becky, now firmly allied with Zach, not only grasps the straws, she darned near squashes the life out of the suckers. Her emotional outbursts are epic, especially as Meghan's episodes become increasingly serious - prompting the medical community (sans Zach, of course) to conclude that Meghan may be a victim of her mother's Munchausen by proxy. Along the way, readers also learn that secrets abound - not every character is as he or she seems - thus building excitement to learn the truth. Near the end, the story takes a darker turn, resulting in a conclusion that for me was half expected, half not.
The overarching question, I guess, is how far would a mother will go to save her sick child, especially when the rest of the world is conspiring against her (and as a mother/grandmother myself, I concede that there are few, if any, boundaries). Overall, this is a story that should appeal to anyone who enjoys relentless angst mixed with a hefty dose of medical details and a few thrills. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer (St. Martin's Press, April 2019); 374 pp.
5 stars out of 5
By golly, this is a good book! In fact, it's an excellent series; I admit I skipped the first one ("Cold Comfort"), but I thoroughly enjoyed the second ("Cold Trail") and this, the third featuring Hartbourne Metro Detective Bridgette Cash, is better still.
As this one begins, Bridgette is back at work after events of the previous book brought trauma - including the loss of her partner. She's escorted to an underwater cave, where a diver found two dead bodies: one many years old and the other relatively fresh. Both, it's determined, died as a result of gunshots to the head. Other than that, clues as to their identity remain submerged, but Bridgette begins an investigation that hopefully will land results.
Her beloved supervisor, Felix Delray. has her back; but he's at the mercy of a commissioner who, let's just say, isn't Bridgette's biggest fan (nor she his). In part because Bridgette may be in danger as a result of her continued attempts to find the person who murdered her mother a couple of decades ago, the commissioner orders up a new partner named Aaron Sterling. He's obnoxious, arrogant and disdainful of women (Bridgette in particular), but she's determined to make the best of the situation.
Initially focusing on the more recent victim, Bridgette finally narrows the list to a missing person at a local horse breeder's operation. Her boss claims to know nothing about the place (why the police wouldn't be fully aware of it since it sponsors an annual race that brings in an attendance of 70,000 is a puzzlement to me, but hey). At any rate, he gives Bridgette the go-ahead to visit, checking out the stable that belonged to the man who suddenly disappeared and learning that he isn't the first.
That discovery leads to other links in the investigative chain, a bang-up ending and, of course, fodder for another book. For those who enjoy police procedurals with interesting characters and plenty of action, I recommend that you give this series a try. Meantime, I thank the author for offering me a copy to read and review. Well done!
Cold Hard Cash by Trevor Douglas (Amazon Digital Services LLC, March 2019); 325 pp.
5 stars out of 5
This is the 19th in the author's series featuring Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett, and having read them all, it's one of the best, I think. Granted, it leans a bit more toward the dark side with some really nasty characters, but the story was so intriguing - and moved along so quickly - that I kept pushing to get to the conclusion as fast as I could.
After losing his job at the conclusion of the previous book, Joe is back in the saddle again, this time out in the wilds investigating leg hold traps that have been set but not retrieved - a no-no in this territory where wild animals are supposed to roam free. Usually, it's not easy to determine who the traps belong to, but in this case, the owner's initials are on the trap. Before he can do much about it, though, he's called by another nearby ranger, Katelyn Hamm, who has spotted a drone swooping down and scaring the bejesus out of herds of deer.
As it turns out, the drone belongs to the grandfather of the young man Joe's daughter Lucy is dating (she's the last of the three daughters still in the cozy nest of Joe and his librarian wife, Marybeth). Even Joe's old friend Nate Romanowski gets in on the action; an experienced falconer and outdoorsman with a shady past, he watches until the next time the drone takes to the skies, encourages his birds to do likewise (with a bang-up result).
But when Joe finally locates the old man in a remote hideaway that doesn't even show up on his GPS, the reception is far from cordial. Confounding matters is that when he and Kate start to take steps that would charge the old guy with breaking the law, the law inexplicably fights back. That sets Joe to wondering: Why on earth is the FBI protecting the man?
Meanwhile, four extremely skilled killers - three men and a woman - start showing up in the area, and dead bodies start showing up as well. It's thought that the killers, dubbed the Wolf Pack, are working for a cartel - apparently trying to find the old man who's in the Witness Protection program to keep him safe until he can testify against other cartel bigwigs.
Needless to say, Joe isn't one to back down; but all too soon, he discovers that putting himself in between the killers and their intended prey might not be the smartest thing he's ever done - and it could even cost him, and his family and friends, their lives. Bodies keep piling up right to the exciting end (which, of course, I won't reveal). All I'll say is this one is a don't-miss, especially for diehard followers like me. Well done!
Wolf Pack by C.J. Box (G.P. Putnam's Sons, March 2019); 384 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Oh my - an exciting, can't-put-down thriller from one of my favorite authors. Toward the end, when the action really heats up, I thought I'd figured things out. But boy, was I wrong - and that made for even more thrills.
The first handful of chapters, though, did make me wonder how the rest would go. They skip from scenario to scenario - introducing new characters in each - making me worry that I'd lose sight of who was who (even though I expected the three main "stories" would merge at some point). And merge they did, in fairly short order - with each appearance adding details leading to the bang-up ending.
At the start, financial consultant Simon Greene is in New York's Central Park, following up on a tip that his runaway, drug-addicted daughter Paige would be there. And she is, but she's definitely not overjoyed to see him - and neither is her drug supplier and abusive boyfriend. Simon and the boyfriend get into an altercation that quickly turns physical - with Simon getting the worst of it - and both he and Paige get away.
At the same time in Chicago, hot-shot private investigator Elena Ramirez has been hired by the wealthy father of a son who's gone missing. Then there's a switch to Ash and his partner, religious cult devotee Dee Dee, who have a penchant for killing - at least when someone else is willing to pay for their services.
The story primarily follows Simon and his pediatric physician wife Ingrid as they try to figure out why and with whom Paige, in her first year at college, went off the deep end - with the ultimate goal of finding her and getting her back into rehab. In-between chapters document Elena's efforts to find the missing son - which in the process puts her in contact with Simon - as well as Ash and Dee Dee's murderous pursuits. The details of each scenario begin to come together, leading to that gobsmacking ending I mentioned at the outset.
I have to be honest: I absolutely loved this book, but there were a few things that didn't quite ring true-to-life as I know it. But also honestly, who cares? Not me, that's for sure. Kudos on a thoroughly enjoyable, highly recommended book for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Run Away by Harlan Coben (Grand Central Publishing, March 2019); 384 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Choosing the word "enthralled" to describe my feelings toward this historical mystery - especially since it's full of murder, mayhem and some very nasty people - might seem a bit strange, but that's exactly how I felt from the first page to the last. It's also my first of 14 books in this series, so another prime emotion I felt when I finished is sadness that I hadn't read the predecessors. What an attention-holding, well-written book!
It's also well-researched, and that adds substantially to the "flavor." Set in London circa 1814, the story is greatly enhanced by descriptions of the city, what was happening elsewhere in the world (Paris had just sent Napoleon packing, for instance) and terminology appropriate to the time. The characters spoke and acted the way I'd expect from that time period - although I must say that Sebastian St. Cyr and his wife, Hero, are far less stodgy than their family and friends (which only made me like them all the more).
As this one begins, Sebastian is called in to help find out who murdered and pretty thoroughly mutilated Lord Ashworth, a man who not long ago married Sebastian's young niece Stephanie. Ashworth has a long history of abusing anyone who tickles his fancy (or refuses to) - most notably children and young ladies - so while no one owns up to the murder, neither does anyone express sorrow that he bit the dust. That widespread attitude, of course, makes the suspect pool grow as each new clue is revealed; the consensus, though, is that the killer is female (with Stephanie, who recently gave birth to twins but is estranged from Ashworth, at the top of the list).
Sebastian desperately hopes to prove her innocence, but first he must convince himself. Complicating matters is that other dead bodies are turning up, thought to be somehow connected to Ashworth's murder. Besides that, a Russian delegation, including a snobbish high-ranking princess, is in town for what may be nefarious purposes - and before long, entanglements with Ashworth are unearthed and members of their entourage are added to the suspects' list as well. The more Sebastian digs in, the more it becomes clear that the hole he's creating may be the perfect size for his own grave.
This story stands alone well, although there were a few allusions to people and events that no doubt would be better understood by those who read previous books. Also, the fact that some of the characters were called by different names or titles here and there was a bit confusing to me at times(Sebastian is also known as Viscount Devlin, for example). But honestly, none of that really got in the way. I found this book absolutely delightful - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Who Slays the Wicked by C. S. Harris (Berkley, April 2019); 352 pp.
4 stars out of 5
Only a couple of authors have written separate serial books featuring two different characters I absolutely love, and John Sandford is one of them. For years, law enforcement agents Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport have been never-miss favorites. It is the latter who takes center stage here (although happily, Virgil makes a couple of appearances as well).
That said, most characters in long-running series - at least in my experience, and I'll cite as examples works by both Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, J.D. Robb and Janet Evanovich - over the years tend to lose a titch of the pizzazz that hooked me in the first place, and Lucas and Virgil are no exceptions. But hey: most of these characters aren't exactly spring chickens anymore, so slowing down a bit is to be expected (as I approach octogenarian status. I know this all too well).
In fact, in this, the 29th in the series; even Lucas himself has a few moments of self-doubt. But he's still filthy rich (millions earned by gaming software he developed), married (to plastic surgeon Weather, who gets in a few good lines here) and hasn't lost his sense of humor. And while the thrill of the chase may have dropped a notch or two, it hasn't lessened my love of the books, including this one. It begins with a chase to find a hired killer named Deese; the marshals don't find him, but they do find graves filled with dead bodies. That's bad enough, but evidence shows this killer has a particularly nasty habit (let's just say if you put him in a room with Hannibal Lecter, one of the two wouldn't go home hungry and the other wouldn't go home at all).
Lucas has an office in Minneapolis, but he works out of Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Marshals Service. Finding Deese is important to the feds not only because of his eating habits, but because it's believed that he's been hired by a bad guy named Roger Smith (no relation, I presume, to the late husband of Ann-Margret), who's the real target they're after. The chase brings together a few familiar (and likable) characters from previous books as well as a slew of law enforcement agencies from New Orleans to Los Angeles to Las Vegas. One raid in particular turns out not all that well for Lucas (triggering, so to speak, that self-doubt mentioned earlier).
All in all, it's another great adventure that doesn't disappoint (telling more might spoil the fun for other readers, so I won't). I must, however, note one of the highlights for me: The ever-dapper Lucas dressed in cargo shorts. Now that would be a sight to see!
Once again, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Neon Prey by John Sandford (G.P. Putnam's Sons, April 2019); 400 pp.
5 stars out of 5
One thing I've learned about books by this author: It's not likely I'll be disappointed. No surprise, then, that this one earned yet another five-star rating from me. Here's the scoop:
Charles Jenkins is in his 60s now, married to a younger woman who's close to delivering their new baby. A former CIA case officer, he left the agency with a bad taste in his mouth after a case that didn't go as planned some 40 years ago. Now, he runs a security consulting business that appears to have a single client - a high-profile firm in Seattle that tends to be in arrears when it comes to payment for services rendered. Then one day, Charlie gets a surprise visitor: his long-ago CIA station chief, Carl Emerson, who begs him to take on an undercover job in Moscow (where, conveniently, Charlie's client has an office). The task is to determine the identity of the "eighth sister," a Russian agent who is behind the recent murders of a couple of members of a U.S. spy cell known as the seven sisters. They've operated successfully and secretly for many years until now; the hope is that Charlie will nail the eighth sister before she finishes off all the others.
Desperate to stop the red ink in his business, Charlie reluctantly takes the assignment without letting his wife in on his secret. But early on, he learns something is dead wrong; for openers, the woman he believes is behind the killings isn't the assassin. Even more frightening, what she tells him - if in fact she can be believed - forces him to doubt everything he's been told about the case so far.
Everything goes totally haywire when Charlie and the woman find themselves in the crosshairs of a Russian agent who wants them in jail (or better still, six feet under). But why? Nothing Charlie has said or done should have triggered that kind of response. Could it be that something or someone's gone afoul in the CIA? And if so, who? Everything ends up in a trial, during which a possible insight on that question (as an aside, especially relevant these days) is offered. When Charlie asks, "How do we get the government to lie?" the response speaks volumes: "We just get them to move their lips."
Fast-paced, exciting and another winner, this is a not-to-be-missed thriller. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, April 2019); 437 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Over the past few years, I've read four books by this author, and every single one earned a 5-star rating from me. As such, I wasn't too worried about this one. And guess what? It carries on the tradition of high marks; quite literally, I didn't want to put it down once I got started.
The "stars" of the show are D.D. Warren, a sergeant detective in the Boston Police Homicide Division, and her feisty street-wise informant, Flora Dane. Once a tortured kidnap victim, Flora mostly works as an advocate for survivors of similar crimes; she's far from healed emotionally, but her horrific experience turned her into a force to be reckoned with.
The story begins with a pregnant Evie Carter, who returns home to find that her husband of 10 years, Conrad, has been shot and killed. She admits she believes he'd been cheating - and also to picking up the murder weapon and "killing" his computer with several well-placed shots. But she insists she isn't his killer. D.D. gets called in on the case, and immediately there's a problem: Several years earlier, Evie's father was shot and killed in a similar fashion. Evie admitted to the shooting, but swore it was an accident (a claim backed up by her mother). Ultimately, her father's death was deemed an accident. D.D. investigated that years-ago case - and she's always had doubts about Evie's innocence. The second time around, something really stinks; D.D. just doesn't buy the coincidence thing.
And that's not the only coincidence; as D.D. leaves the latest crime scene, she spots Flora across the street. D.D. learns that Evie's husband may have had a connection to Jacob Ness, the awful man who kidnapped and tortured Flora. As the chapters shift from the points of view of D.D., Evie and Flora, the connections between the latter two women and the men they knew get stronger and stronger - as did my eagerness to know how the whole thing would turn out. If Evie really didn't kill her father, who did? Was her husband of 10 years and the father of their unborn child keeping dark secrets from her?
I know the answers, of course, but I'll [insert book title here]. What I will do, though, is recommend this one - another one well done!
Never Tell by Lisa Gardner (Dutton, February 2019); 414 pp.
What could possibly be better than finding an exciting new series? When it's written by a favorite author, that's what! Such is the case here for sure - and for sure I'm already chomping at the bit for the next installment.
