WHAT MY HUSBAND DID

5 stars out of 5

It's rare for me (as I suspect it is for most other readers) to have the luxury of reading a book at a single sitting. It's even more rare for me to actually want to do that. Such was the case here; I was hooked from the git-go and, had it not been for a husband who depends on me to feed him at least once a day, I'd have plowed straight through.

Early on, we see 12-year-old Alice getting into a car driven by Richard - the husband of Maddy, in turn the mother of a college-age daughter. Nothing to get excited about, really, except that soon thereafter, the girl is found near death in a remote area of Leavensfield, England, the small but rather snobbish community in which Richard and Maddy live. To make matters worse, Richard - a university lecturer - didn't come the night Alice was found. Nor did he show up the next night, and Maddy's text messages and calls go unanswered.

Almost everyone in the community turns against Maddy, presumably figuring she was somehow aware of what Richard did (and may have even helped him do it). Meanwhile, she wrestles with a childhood event that left emotional scars (a few interspersed chapters let readers in on what happened back then). And then, Maddy gets a sign that fills her with both hope and dread; which one wins out is the stuff of which edge-of-seat experiences are made.

I can't say I was totally thrilled with the ending - nor was I very fond of the catty, shallow residents of Leavensfield - but whole thing certainly made for an exciting adventure with plenty of twists. Highly recommended, and many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

What My Husband Did by Kerry Wilkinson (Bookouture, November 2020); 360 pp.

KILL CHAIN

4 stars out of 5

Gotta be honest: Before I got an invitation to read and review this book, I'd never even heard of main character Pascual Rose. In part, that may be because he hasn't been heard from in quite a few years. Apparently, the former terrorist turned on former colleagues and, for the past two decades, has been living under the name of Pascual March (also apparently, Pascual must be a very common name in the Barcelona area, where he now makes his home. Otherwise, surely he would have changed his first name as well).

But the premise was enticing, and now that I'm finished I'm glad I said yes to this one. In many ways, Pascual isn't a very savory character, but over the years he's acquired a very talented woman (whom he did not marry) named Sara and a now-grown son, Rafael. Rather solidly ensconced in his new identity, lifestyle and work as a freelance translator, he's quite upset to get a text that will change the course of his life, and most likely not for the better. Two rather shady characters ask him to help them pull off a scheme to "move" an enormous amount of money into various bank accounts in exchange for one million euros. Oh yes - in case that's not enough of an incentive for him to say yes, there's a threat that if he doesn't, Sara and/or Rafael may suffer the consequences.

Left with no choice, Pascual agrees; but soon, things get even more complicated as other unsavory characters make appearances - from German intelligence agents who'd love nothing more than to nail him for old activities to Russian agents to whoever's really behind what essentially is an extremely high-stakes money-laundering caper. Confounding the matter is that Pascual isn't exactly at the top of his game anymore, so he needs to depend on other people who may or may not have his interests at heart.

The very complex plot takes him to several countries and puts him up against several adversaries (both known and unknown), with the action picking up considerable steam as time to close the deal - and Pascual to remain alive - start to run out. For sure, it held my attention all the way.

Kill Chain by Dominic Martell (Dunn Books, October 2020); 280 pp.

BIG KIBBLE

 4 stars out of 5

Two major takeaways came from reading this book. First, the industry that bags, tags and cans the "stuff" people give their dogs for dinner needs some serious regulation to make it way healthier than it is. And second, I wish the people who are telling the world about this travesty didn't have a dog in the fight.

But do not misunderstand: Even though the authors' company is in the business of selling freshly cooked "real" dog food and in direct competition with the corporate giants whose practices they're exposing, this is an important, well-researched and documented book. In fact, nearly 15% is devoted to notes and research citings, and I don't hesitate to say it's one that every pooch owner - or "pet parent," as the authors prefer to call them - should fetch, sit and read. I'll also assume that cat-lovers like me who consider puppies akin to grandkids - they're cute for an hour or two but I'm happy to see them go home - can infer that the same applies to the the feline feed industry (and for that matter, pets of any kind like ferrets, horses and pot-bellied pigs). But since the authors - and something like 63 million U.S. households with pets in residence - are dog-lovers, it seems like an a good place to start.

And trust me, it's an eye-opener; I learned a lot, most of it unpleasant to say the least. The rules and regulations of the industry - from start to finished products - haven't changed much since the early days. It's important to note that for regulatory purposes it's still considered "feed," not "food" - and still made from tons of ingredients you'd never for one second consider putting in your own mouth. And to that end, the authors make a good point: If we wouldn't eat it, why would we want to feed it to the doggies we love and treat as family members? 

Another important point they make is that quality does not increase with price (or at least not appreciably). Some of the blame, they say, has come by way of industry consolidation; to that end, there's a list of which companies own which brands - and that basically boils down to six conglomerates. As for oversight, infractions of what regulations exist rarely are enforced by meaningful punishment.

Industry history and practices are outlined in great detail and comprise most of the pages, but that's not all; there's a helpful section on nutritional needs for dogs, some of the FAQs from the company's website (the most common of which is, "Can my dog eat popcorn?") and even a section of recipes for the do-it-yourselfers out there. All in all, well done - and thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez (St. Martin's Press, December 2020); 320 pp.

SERPENTINE

 5 stars out of 5

Psychologist and police consultant Alex Delaware and LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis have been friends for so long they can finish each other's sentences. I've been trailing them around for just as long, enjoying their interaction as they solve sometimes complicated murder cases, that I probably could finish them as well. And this - the 36th book in the Delaware series - doesn't disappoint.

This time, though, it's a cold case that falls - make that is shoved - into the lieutenant's lap. Why now? Apparently, a very wealthy woman is demanding that the case be reopened; she's convinced that a woman who was shot, pushed over a cliff in her car and burned beyond recognition 36 years earlier is the mother she never knew. A couple of subsequent investigations revealed nothing, and the hope is that Milo will work his usual brand of magic and find out what really happened.

Any investigation of this sort means delving into family matters, and it soon becomes clear that one of her dearly loved relatives may have some connection to other suspicious deaths. Also quite clear, though, is that someone living in the present really doesn't want an investigation to proceed. The trail leads over, under, around and through the streets of Los Angeles (with plenty of territorial description and stops to eat along the way) until it comes to a surprising end. 

All told, it's another very enjoyable foray into the world of Alex and Milo - made even more enjoyable by occasional appearances of Alex's main squeeze, expert guitar-builder/repairer Robin. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy!

Serpentine by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2021); 368 pp.

THE WELL OF ICE

4 stars out of 5

This is Book 3 of the author's Inishowen mystery series, and the first for me. And I must say that overall, I enjoyed it thoroughly. If I have to get nitpicky, I'll say the number of characters was a bit overwhelming, but once I got into the swing of things I managed to keep the important ones straight.

The star of the show is Benedicta "Ben" O'Keeffe, a solicitor in Glendara, Inishowen, who's desperately trying to clear her calendar for the upcoming Christmas holidays. But instead of seeing bows, boxes and warm hugs from her family and friends, she runs smack dab into the man who murdered her sister Faye. He's just been released from jail, and instead of heading for other parts as she expected, he's right on her doorstep. Long ago, she and he were an item - until he dumped her for her sister and then, well, you know. 

Ben has a relatively new main squeeze, a sergeant with the local police - although their relationship seemed to me to be tenuous at best (anyone who wants to keep a relationship "in the closet" says to me no relationship exists). But they're working at it, sort of, when things in the small community start to go horribly wrong. It starts when a popular pub burns to the ground - a possible arson - and the suspicious disappearance of the pub's barmaid. Then, when Ben and her lover, Tom Molloy, hike to Sliabh Sneacht to see the Well of Eyes, her foot slips in and she dubs it the "Well of Ice." Alas, that's not their only find; the other is the body of a dead female.

Needless to say, Ben has her suspicions that her sister's killer may be involved somehow. But is that simply what she wants to believe because she [understandably] hates him so much? What roles, if any, do the dead woman's husband or the pub owner play? As the plot progresses, it becomes clear that maybe Ben herself is in danger. If that's true, can her boyfriend protect her while he's trying to solve the murder? 

Well, you'll just have to read it to find out - and it's worth the effort. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me a pre-release copy to read and review.

The Well of Ice by Andrea Carter (Oceanview Publishing, November 2020); 352 pp. 

A TIME FOR MERCY

 5 stars out of 5

The law works in mysterious ways - at least in small-town Mississippi courtrooms in 1990. And they're laid out here for all to read and enjoy as local attorney Jake Brigance takes on two very different high-stakes cases. One could earn a ton of money for his struggling practice; the other could get him killed.

The golden goose case pits Jake against a giant railroad company

he alleges was negligent in keeping crossing lights in good repair. The result was a horrible accident that happened - or so Jake needs to prove - because the lights weren't working. Needless to say, the railroad attorneys insist they were working just fine. As the book begins, it looks as if the railroad may be willing to offer a substantial cash settlement with Jake's client - thus allowing Jake to pay his bills as well as those he's racking up defending the client in his other case - one he got [ahem!] railroaded into taking on by the local judge.

It is that case that gets the lion's share of attention. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the cold-blooded murder of his mother's boyfriend. The case is complicated by the fact that the dead guy was a local deputy sheriff - albeit one with a nasty temper and a penchant for getting drunk. Under state law, the boy can and will be tried as an adult; many, if not most, of the town's residents (and most certainly the victim's family and his fellow officers) are fervent in their belief that he deserves the death penalty. 

The more Jake learns, though, the more he believes the charges against his young client aren't warranted. Readers, of course, learn the details of what really happened as well as how Jake and his legal cronies are working out their courtroom strategy. Suffice it to say it's a real treat to follow along - or at least it was for me. I have to say I wasn't totally thrilled with the way things turned out even though it probably was for the best, but I'm encouraged that there is plenty of fodder for the next book in this terrific series (this is the third). Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review it.

A Time for Mercy by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 2020); 465 pp.

THE CIPHER

 5 stars out of 5

This book, the first in a series, was an Amazon First Reads choice that looked intriguing. And you know what? It is. Not only did I enjoy it thoroughly, but I'm now looking forward to the next one.

To be sure, it's on the grisly side; FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera was the victim of almost unspeakable acts done by a serial killer/rapist back when she was 16. She turned out to be the one who got away - but not without a ton of physical and emotional scars. As this book begins, she's jogging on a Virginia trail during off hours and is attacked. She overpowers her attacker, but as tends to happen in these days of instant "news," the whole thing was captured on video and uploaded to the Internet.

And therein lies a problem: Her attacker of many years ago was watching - and now he knows where she is. Worse, he's decided to play some games before he finally recaptures Nina; he'll kidnap others who resemble her, torture and kill them and leave mysterious clues for her to follow in hopes of preventing an attack on yet another victim. Because the clues often contain numbers and symbols, he's dubbed the "Cipher."

But now, Nina has the full power of the FBI behind her - including Dr. Jeffrey Wade, the Behavioral Analysis Unit guy who nearly got her booted out because he thought her judgment couldn't be trusted. He, too, has emotional scars from the nasty ending of another case for which he blames himself, but they've got no choice but to work together. A couple of other capable members join their team - one a cybersecurity expert - so the race is on to identify the guy before he strikes again (or worse, manages to recapture Nina herself). 

I can't reveal more without spoiling things for other readers, but I can say The rest is packed with action as well as psychological analyses for which the BAU is well known. What happens isn't always pleasant, but it sure is exciting. Well done!

The Ciphor by Isabella Maldonado (Thomas & Mercer, November 2020); 332 pp.

BLIND VIGIL

5 stars out of 5

No doubt I sound like a broken record, but I really, really like

this series. The central character, Rick Cahill, is the perfect combination of tough background and no-nonsense approach to his life and his job as a private detective (empathy, perhaps not so much). As this one begins, though, he's having a hard time; he's still recovering from being shot in the face nine months earlier, which, among other things, left him totally blind.

He's not sure where his path will lead next, but given his condition, being a private eye is pretty much out of the question when neither of yours is working. But then he gets a call from old partner Moira MacFarlane, who tells him another old (but now estranged) friend Turk Moldoon wants to hire her to find out if his girlfriend Shay is cheating on him. Moira says she needs Rick's insights when she goes to interview Turk - if the man doesn't seem on the up and up, she doesn't want to take the case.

Turk doesn't seem all that happy to see Rick again, but he's desperate to learn the truth about his girlfriend. Meantime, Rick must deal with his own issues that come with adjusting to blindness and a somewhat long-distance romance with his partner Leah. Soon, though, he's drawn into the case in a way he never expected as Turk finds himself the primary suspect in a murder case. Just about everyone involved, including Moira, think Turk is guilty. But Rick is certain his old friend isn't capable of such an act and sets out to prove it - even if he can't see his own hand in front of his mangled-up face.

Much of the book focuses on how Rick deals with his injuries - and I must say to that end he's got amazing intestinal fortitude (I'm pretty sure I'd just hole up in my house and let the rest of the world pass me by unseen). Rick isn't one to feel sorry for himself, though - at least not when his friend is looking at a lifetime in prison. There's plenty of action, some of which puts Rick's life in danger, all making for a terrific adventure that made me sorry when I got to the end. Thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Blind Vigil by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing, December 2020); 336 pp.

THE PERFECT LIAR

 4 stars out of 5

Right up front, I'll say two things about this book: First, I

enjoyed it thoroughly (even stayed up an extra half-hour to finish it). Second, based on the description I was expecting it to be a chiller-thriller-killer edge-of-seat experience - but that's not even close to accurate.

More than half the book, in fact, is not much more than background information and interaction among the three main characters - Susanne, Dale and Evie - all 40-something women. In truth, I found that interesting in large part because their friendship is somewhat unlikely; Susanne is a rich and beautiful divorcee with a son, Evie is a bit stodgy and plump, and Dale is a lesbian who loves to party down (she's the only one I could see myself spending a couple of hours in a bar with, actually). But get along they do - and when they get a chance to spend a few weeks for free at a fancy-schmancy villa in Tuscany, they understandably don't take long to start packing their bags.

The villa far exceeds their expectations, and sufficient space for everyone is no problem at all. But complications quickly arise in the form of a much-younger Adonis-like Harry, the villa owner's godson who is staying there for the summer on hiatus between graduating from college and taking a job in finance.

Both Susanne and Evie are besotted, but ever-vigilant Dale - who clearly has no interest in a male hottie - is suspicious. Evie knows she's too plain to be a contender (and just in case she doesn't, Harry makes it fairly clear), but Susanne is fair game. Just a couple of Harry's surreptitious hip bumps and a dozen words whispered in her ear later, she's fallen under his spell (and he in her bed, so suffice it to say he exceeded her expectations there as well).

As readers might suspect, though, there's trouble with Harry. His secrets are slowly revealed as the second half of the book gets under way. While Dale learns plenty she doesn't like, her problem at this point is convincing Susanne that she's making a huge mistake. The ending wraps things up as well as brings a couple of surprises (I don't know if a sequel is planned, but the makings for one are here). All in all, well-written and an intriguing plot - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Perfect Liar by Beverley Harvey (Bookouture, November 2020); 315 pp.

YOU BETRAYED ME

 4 stars out of 5

This is a book with no really likable characters, which means

two things to me: First, it's a rare opportunity to root for a bad guy (or gal), and second, I really didn't care who got bumped off.

This is the third in the author's "Cahills" series, but it's my first; that said, I never felt as if I should have known something that wasn't here, meaning it stands alone just fine as far as I'm concerned. The Cahills, for the record, are obscenely rich; most of the remaining family, whose lives are riddled with scandals of various kinds, reside in the San Francisco area. One son, James, is a relatively successful businessman in Washington state; he expects to inherit a bundle of dough at some not-too-distant point. And he is the central player in this book.

Speaking of players, James is an active participant when it comes to romance. As the book begins, he's trying to divest himself of current girlfriend Megan - sister of Rebecca, with whom he (gasp!) had a prior fling. Megan has learned that she's being cast off for Sophia, another young beauty, and she's none too happy. But suddenly, Megan goes missing - and James wakes up in the hospital with fairly serious injuries but no recollection of how he got them. Even when he gets a visit from Sophia, he doesn't remember who she is (or so he claims).

Detective Brett Rivers and his partner, Wynona Mendoza, are charged with solving the case and finding the still-missing Megan. The only sure thing at this point is that they aren't convinced that James isn't faking his memory loss. Megan's sister Rebecca breezes in from her Seattle home - Megan was on her way there when she and her car disappeared - and she's determined to find her sister with or without help from the detectives.

The chase goes on - and on - and it takes several tantalizing directions before the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, is revealed. All told, it's an action-packed adventure that kept my mind off political rhetoric for a wonderful half-dozen hours or so. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy to read and review.

You Betrayed Me by Lisa Jackson (Kensington Books, October 2020); 470 pp.

TOTAL POWER

 5 stars out of 5

Tough-guy heroes - you know, the kind who get shot three

times and have one broken arm but still can take down a cadre of well-armed ne'er-do-wells with a length of rope and a pea shooter - always make great characters in my book. But I've never cared much when the action takes place in sandy, desolate and far-off countries like Afghanistan or Pakistan. So it is that for a while now, I've put two of my favorite authors - Brad Thor and Vince Flynn - on the back burner. Recently, I tried again, finishing Brad Thor's latest Near Dark and giving it a 5-star rating. Next up? The latest Vince Flynn - and it gets 5 stars as well.

Of course, Flynn didn't write it; the popular author passed away in 2013. Since then, the legacy has fallen under the pen of Kyle Mills, this being his sixth in the series featuring government-approved assassin Mitch Rapp. Honestly, I haven't read the other five, but if this is any example, he's doing an exemplary job. And this time, he picked a topic that's long been of considerable concern to me personally: the vulnerability of America's electric power grid. It's been speculated by those who know such things that if it were to be attacked in exactly the right (or maybe I should say wrong) way, the fallout (maybe I should say blackout) has the potential to bring the country to its knees.

And that's exactly the plan here. As the story begins, a man who has connections in high places is soliciting help from governments bent on causing harm to the United States; he has the means to put the power grid totally out of commission for the foreseeable future, but he needs the strong-arm help of a handful of willing individuals to pull it off. Meanwhile, Mitch is trying to capture another bad guy - and as it turns out, a bad guy who was on the way to meet up with the would-be grid destroyer. 

The situation ends up taking a turn for the worse, though, and the lights go out. That's bad enough; but with no electrical power, not much of anything works. Not computers, not gasoline pumps, not ATMs and not refrigerators or sewage processing plants. Worse, the powers-that-be in Washington have no plan for bringing the system back to life. Enter Mitch and his crew, who are now charged with (pun intended) doing what the government can't: get to the bottom of the situation before half of the country gets hungry enough to start chowing down on the other half.

Needless to say, it's an action-packed adventure every step of the way, making for a very entertaining and engrossing 380 pages - and prompting my promise to myself not to miss the next one.

Total Power by Kyle Mills (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, September 2020); 380 pp.

THE WITCH HUNTER

 4 stars out of 5

One of the joys of getting my hands on books prior to their release - besides

the fact that they're free, which is hardly insignificant - is finding gems that otherwise would have remained hidden to me. And if in the process my reviews can bring them to the attention of other readers who are of the same mindset, well, that's also a plus.

This one, which dabbles in the occult, falls a titch outside of my comfort zone. Add to it that it's set in Finland, where all the towns and character surnames might as well be Greek to me, and I honestly can't call it an easy book to plow through. But it sure does qualify as one of those above-mentioned gems that I'm happy to have had the privilege of reading. And because it's the first in a new series, I also have the privilege of looking forward to the next one.

Featured here is Jessica Niemi, a sergeant with the Helsinki police. She's called in after the discovery of a dead body - the wife of a prominent author. It's not your run-of-the-mill murder, though; no, this beautiful lady is dressed in a knockout black evening gown, placed at the head of a formal dining table and "decorated" with an exaggerated Joker-like smile.

Not long thereafter, another woman's body turns up - this one buried under the ice near the other dead woman's mansion. It doesn't take long for Jessica and her team to come up with a theory: Someone is copying the gruesome murders from the best-selling "Witch Hunter" series penned by the first dead woman's husband. Visions of the occult begin to appear following the discovery of a Latin phrase on the first victim's rooftop - a reference to a book on torturing and punishing women who are suspected of being witches.

Creepy starts to get creepier as we learn that Jessica, too, has a few secrets (as does her good friend and supervisor, Erne Mikson. And not long after that, speculation grows that somehow Jessica herself may have a target on her back as well.

Will she be next? Well, I'll never say a word, except that finding out kept me turning pages (well, okay, Kindle screen swiping) right to the very end. Kudos to the author, and thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the advance copy to read and review.

The Witch Hunter by Max Seeck (Berkley, October 2020); 400 pp.