THE POWER COUPLE

4 stars out of 5

For the first quarter or so of this book, I was thinking I might not make it to the end - the characters were barely likable, the writing borderline trite. But I'd just finished reading two of the best books I've read in a long time, so I told myself to hang in there. I did - and by golly, it soon started to get interesting - so much so that I even wondered if a different author was now doing the writing. By the midpoint, the pace really started to pick up, and the last few chapters were an edge-of-seat race to the finish.

Front and center are Rebecca and Brian Unsworth, married two decades and parents of teenagers Kira and Tony. Rebecca is a counterterrorism specialist for the FBI, and Brian is a coder for the National Security Administration. Living in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, their budget is strained to the breaking point even with two incomes and - like many couples - they've grown apart over the busy years. Perhaps, they reason, a European vacation is just what the doctor ordered - and off they all go.

Everything comes up roses in Barcelona, until Kira, a college student, meets a mysterious, attractive older French man. She agrees to meet up with him later for a couple of hours - unbeknownst to anyone except her younger brother - and doesn't come home as expected nor call to check in as is her custom. Her parents, understandably, are distraught, and they pull out all the stops to use their contacts and influence to find their missing child.

The story then shifts to earlier years - first on Rebecca, then on Brian - showing what each was thinking and doing over the years leading up to their marriage-saving vacation. Nothing I read made me warm up to either of them, though; mostly I was thinking that whatever they got was well-deserved. 

Of course, that part I can't share, because through these insights readers get a glimpse of what's really going on between the two of them and with Kira's disappearance. Interspersed are chapters focusing on Kira's plight and how she's dealing with the possibility that she might never see her parents (or for that matter, any other living human) again. The last few chapters are almost frenetic (and while exciting, not entirely believable). The ending ushers in two possibilities - neither of them good - but honestly, I didn't much care which resolution was reached.

All things considered, it's a solid book that except for the lackluster beginning held my attention throughout - one that espionage lovers should enjoy. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Power Couple by Alex Berenson (Simon & Schuster, February 2021); 432 pp.

BLUE MURDER

 4 stars out of 5

When, thanks to a recommendation from a thoughtful cousin, I read the first book in this series, I was hooked. Even before I finished that one (Ice Blue), I'd headed back to Amazon to get the next two (and the day after that, the final two). I must say this one didn't delight me quite as much as the first, but neither did it in any way disappoint.

Lord Anthony Hetheridge, Baron of Wellegrave and chief superintendent of the New Scotland Yard, didn't get the answer he wanted when, in the first book, he proposed marriage to the beautiful Detective Sergeant Kate Wakefield, a relatively new member of his team. But he's not about to give up; now, he's even got an engagement ring at the ready and is waiting for the right opportunity to make another request. But as fate would have it, murder intervenes. They, and other team member Paul Bhar, are called to a posh home in Chelsea, where two young men have turned up axed to death in the midst of an out-of-control fraternity-style party. One of the victims crashed the party, and the other just happens to be the boyfriend of Emmeline Wardle, whose conveniently absent parents own the home. Compounding the issue is that an old nemesis of Lord Hetheridge - a suspected serial killer - lives right next door.

Going on and on about how the investigation proceeds would do nothing except spoil the story for others, so I'll just say that most things up for grabs at the beginning are resolved by the end (and add that if things don't work out as planned between you and Kate, kind sir, message me and I'll happily send you my number). 

Blue Murder by Emma Jameson (Lyonnesse Books, December 2013); 254 pp.

ICE BLUE

5 stars out of 5

Who needs to search the Internet when other folks know the kind of thing you love to read? In this case, I'll give a big shout-out to my cousin Rhonda for recommending this six-book series. The description won me over immediately, and as luck would have it, this one - the first - was available at a price I couldn't resist: Free. The same day I downloaded it, somewhat bored with the free-for-review book I was reading at the time, I opened it on another Kindle. And guess what? For the first time in a while, I polished off an entire book in one day. It helps that's it's relatively short as books go - just 240 pages - but I have no doubt I'd have kept at it no matter what the length. What's more, within an hour of finishing, I downloaded the next two.

In the beginning, the stars of the show, Lord and Lady Hetheridge, aren't quite there yet. Well, Lord Anthony is - he's the Baron of Wellegrave and chief superintendent of the New Scotland Yard. Detective Sergeant Kate Wakefield - who, given what happens in this book and the series description, at some point will become Lady Hetheridge - works for him. Clearly, she's fiesty; just as clearly, he's smitten. But aside from some cheeky comments that belie the classification of this series as "cozy," they both focus on treating each other professionally and solving a murder.

The dead man, gruesomely killed with a fireplace poker, is the husband of a woman once known rather well by the good Lord; from all accounts, he was a nasty sort and no one - not even his wife and daughter - are sorry he's no longer around. Still, it's a murder; so Hetheridge (known less formally as Tony), Kate and her wonderfully entertaining partner Paul Bhar set out to follow the meager clues and interview all who were at the disastrous dinner party earlier on the evening of the murder.

Throughout, Tony grapples with his newfound attraction to Kate, who's half his age (as the book begins, he's about to turn 60). He's far from prudish, but a bit on the reserved side; Kate, not so much. As cozy mystery heroines go, she's a breath of fresh air. She's brash, but sensible - she doesn't second-guess her every move or make truly stupid moves like trying to escape a captor by running toward a dark alley rather than a crowded, well-lit store. Her candor - and insistence on speaking her mind no matter what - are her stock in trade, although those qualities are less appreciated by the Scotland Yard muckety-mucks to whom Tony answers.

You won't learn further details from me, except to say that the case gets solved amid a few wrong turns on the team's part and edge-of-seat experiences for readers (well, me, at least). There's plenty of fodder left for the next book, (which, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I'll start within the next day or two). Like this one, I expect it will be absolutely delightful! 

Ice Blue by Emma Jameson (Lyonnesse Books, March 2011); 240 pp.

A CALLER'S GAME

 5 stars out of 5

It's hard to believe that much of what happens in this totally engrossing book could ever be possible, although given the recent pre-Inauguration Day events that rocked our nation, the concept may not be all that far-fetched. In the end, it matters not; my only question is, can I give this one 6 stars?

While I admit I do not like to be interrupted once I reach about the 75% mark, starting dinner and heading off to bed almost always take precedence over finishing whatever book I'm reading. This one, though, is the first for which I threw tradition to the wind and told my husband that if he couldn't wait to eat till I'd finished, he'd just have to head for the kitchen and fend for himself. For the record, that's because the action starts to build right from the first page and picks up steam all the way to the end, when I literally said, "Whew!"

Jordan Briggs is the host of a popular radio talk show, broadcast from the SiriusXM Building in the heart of New York City. She's brash, runs a tight ship together with her in-the-booth sidekick Billy and cherishes her 11-year old (equally brash) daughter Charlotte. On this day, a caller named Bernie insists that she play a game; she must choose which way she'd prefer to get around the city - by taxi or Uber.

Down on the street near Jordan's building, homicide detective Cole Hundley has been temporarily demoted to traffic duty because of a transgression involving the daughter of one of his superiors. Suddenly, all hell breaks loose as explosions start to happen all around. As Cole stands near a taxi, the driver takes a call asking to speak to Cole; it's a man named Bernie, who says he's sent a bomb to Jordan's floor and gives Cole a choice: Stay and try to help the cab driver, who's been wired to a bomb, or leave and try to intercept the bomb in the building before it detonates.

Cole ends up taking off toward the building, managing to get inside amid smoke from the blasts and police attempting to cordon off the surrounding streets. From her broadcast booth, caller Bernie continues his "game," demanding that Jordan make impossible choices that suggest Bernie may be trying to even the score from a disastrous event that Jordan engineered years ago. Whatever his reason, it's clear he's a technological wizard who's way ahead of anyone who tries to stop him - including Cole, who quickly is forced into channeling Bruce Willis in "Die Hard" as he races against time to get to a finish line that keeps moving (with my own heart pounding every step of the way).

In short, this is one book that truly lives up to the "thriller" description - if you are comfortable on the edge of your seat, this one's for you. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. And oh, yeah, if a movie based on this book isn't already in the works, it should be. Whew!

A Caller's Game by J.D. Barker (Hampton Creek Press, February 2021); 445 pp.

AN EXTRAVAGANT DEATH

5 stars out of 5

Oh my - what a delightful book! I requested it from NetGalley just because I suspected it would be a nice change of pace for me - a detective story, yes, but set in London in the late 1870s. What I got was history blended with superb (for the times) detective work interspersed with decidedly British witticisms that made me smile throughout. Alas, I didn't read any of the 13 preceding novels featuring detective Charles Lenox, but for sure I don't intend to miss another one. And for those who, like me, aren't familiar with the character, I assure you I had no trouble following this one.

Lenox is living in London with his wife, Lady Jane, and young daughters Sophia and Clara (to put the setting in perspective, the Prime Minister, with whom Lenox is well acquainted, is Benjamin Disraeli). It is Disraeli, in fact, who challenges Lenox's comfort level: He asks him to leave his successful detective agency and travel to America to make nice and share his considerable detective expertise with police in several major U.S. cities. Reluctant at first despite his longing to travel, Lenox caves in and sets off by boat - arriving first in New York, where his insights on New York society are a real treat. 

But on his way to Boston, the train is stopped so Lenox can be handed a personal letter asking him to stop in Newport, Rhode Island, to look into the death of a beautiful young debutante. At first blush, it's thought that she committed suicide; but some insiders, including the young woman's best friend, are convinced she was murdered. In hoity-toity Newport, Lenox gets an up-close-and-personal look at how society of the era operates as he tries to figure out what happened and, more importantly, who did it.

Needless to say, Lenox gets there - but there's many a slip between cup and lip, and one of them threatens his very existence (as well as provides fodder for the next book). My overall assessment? Thoroughly entertaining, and I thank the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review.

An Extravagant Death by Charles Finch (Minotaur Books, February 2021); 288 pp.

THE SCORPION'S TAIL

5 stars out of 5

For a plain old whodunit-when-how story, this series offers a refreshing new direction. If you're a history buff, you'll like it even better. If it matters, I read the first one, Old Bones, and I loved it as well. The stars of the show are archeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, both stationed in the Santa Fe area of New Mexico. Here, Carrie is fresh off a case in which one of her skills was put to the test - with an outcome that's left her (and possibly her superior officer) uncertain of her future at the FBI.

When a new case comes along - the discovery of a mummified corpse in High Lonesome, a ghost town near White Sands, where the atomic bomb was tested in 1945 - Corrie gets the assignment (mostly, she suspects, to keep her mind off recent events). She's not thrilled, but given her degree in forensic anthropology, she quickly realizes she needs professional help. She and Nora are the kind of friends who hold hands to keep from fighting, but Nora's expertise - and proximity to the mummy's burial site - mean Corrie must put aside any personal misgivings and ask Nora to make an examination. Nora isn't pleased either - she's working another important case and hoping for a big promotion - but Corrie's persistence wears her down and off she goes.

Two things are striking right from the start: the manner in which the victim was poisoned and how the dead man came to be holding tight to an extremely valuable, centuries-old artifact. That brings up questions about the nearby Army base and unearths interesting history of the people who once inhabited the lands.

All told, it's another great adventure from a pair of writers who never disappoint. It's not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one, but it's always a good idea to start at the beginning - especially when that one is equally delicious.

The Scorpion's Tail by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, January 2021); 309 pp.

THE LOST BOYS

 4 stars out of 5

Not one but three plots take place simultaneously in this, the 26th book featuring former LAPD detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus. I've followed them from the beginning, right through their not-so-long-ago move from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles to the far more laid-back community of Greenbury in upstate New York. There, missing the challenges of detective work but the day-to-day danger not so much, Decker has joined the local police.

The first plot centers on Bertram Lanz, a thirty-something man with social disabilities, who disappears from his local residential group home. The second involves a body that turns up, literally, in a remote woods and appears to be connected to the decade-old disappearance of three college students. The third hits closer to home as Gabriel, Peter and Rina's foster son and a successful classical pianist, returns home to say his on-again, off-again birth mother is in trouble and needs help.

Decker and his partner, Tyler McAdams, land the assignment to find the missing man. Soon, it becomes apparent that he had help disappearing - perhaps from a former nurse at the residential facility. That angle takes a strange turn, though, when the nurse seems to have vanished as well, possibly not of her own accord.

The case of the dead college student, of course, has long gone cold; but it's a good bet his death was a homicide, so Decker and McAdams begin to unearth clues that might lead investigators to find the other two young men. Readers follow along as the detectives locate and interview parents and others who may have information that will reveal what happened all those years ago.

Gabe's situation, for the most part, ends up in Rina's hands. As his foster mother, he trusts her - and she's well acquainted with his wacky birth mother and dangerous (somewhat estranged) father, a mobster who oversees a prostitution empire and is well known for killing people who get in his way. 

If there's an issue, it's that only one of the three plots comes full circle to a conclusion; the other two are pretty much left swinging in the wind (one more than the other, and no, my lips are sealed). Besides that, a new twist on the future of Rina and Peter's life is introduced - no doubt signaling a new direction for future books. Overall, though, it's another enjoyable entry in a favorite series. 

The Lost Boys by Faye Kellerman (William Morrow, January 2021); 366 pp.

FORGET ME NOT

4 stars out of 5

Whew - my mind was going in circles by the time I finished this one! I'd read and enjoyed another of this author's books - The Last One - so I was happy to be approved for a pre-release copy of this one. And I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

That said, don't expect a typical mystery or thriller; this one is more than a little offbeat (in a good way). The story takes place in the not-too-far distant future. Characters wear arm-wrapping "sheaths" that, I suppose, replace the cell phones, GPS trackers and such that we know and love; SocialHub has replaced Facebook, Instagram and all the other popular online gathering places we know and love (or love to hate); and the COVID-19 pandemic is a thing of the past. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality are well developed, and I admit that the extent to which they're involved here left me a little mind-boggled at times. 

The main subject here is a mid-twenties woman named Linda, although it's not her real name. She's better known as Clone Girl - a child created by a mother who lost her beloved daughter years earlier and ever since has been trying to create an exact replacement. For a dozen years, Linda lived in secret, held behind walls at a remote Washington location and for the most part left to forage for herself. One day, something bad happens and she runs away - managing to scale the wall and escape. Suddenly, she's in a whole new world - one filled with people who may or may not have her best interests at heart. She tries to live in seclusion, but keeping her location secret is difficult in this time of enhanced social media (just venturing outside her small apartment present a risk that she'll be recognized and need to run - again).

Then, Linda gets an unwanted knock on her door by a rather kooky-looking young woman named Anvi and her dog Nibbler. Even though Anvi doesn't seem to know who Linda is or have some kind of ulterior motive, Linda is reluctant to strike up any semblance of a friendship (besides, she has no idea what real friendship is like). But Anvi persists, introducing Linda to her VR game - opening up new possibilities. When Linda learns that a fire has destroyed the only home she ever knew, she knows she has to go back despite the horrible memories (or perhaps because of them). What happens after that kept me on the edge of my seat right to the end.

Oddly, though, I never felt too much empathy or sympathy toward Linda, nor did I really connect with any of the other characters. Maybe it's because I was trying so hard to comprehend all the new-to-me technology stuff, but none of them evoked much emotion. The plot, though, gets extra points for originality and creativity - making the whole thing well worth reading. 

Forget Me Not by Alexandra Oliva (Ballantine Books, March 2021); 352 pp.

MISSING AND ENDANGERED

4 stars out of 5

Other than a short story co-written with Eric Van Lustbader in a collection compiled by members of International Thriller writers, I've had no real acquaintance with this author. After reading this one - the (wow!) 19th in his Sheriff Joanna Brady series - I'll be watching for more. And no worries about it standing alone; plenty of time (almost too much) is spent rehashing past situations and relationships so I never felt lost.

As this one begins, Joanna gets a call from her daughter, Jenny, who is attending Northern Arizona University Flagstaff on a rodeo team scholarship. Her ultra-sheltered roommate, Beth, is estranged from her ultra-straight-laced parents and has nowhere to go for Christmas vacation. Could she bring Beth home with her to be with Joanna, her writer-husband Butch Dixon and her two much-younger siblings?

Of course, was the response. Before that happens, though, Joanna, chief at the Cochise County Justice Center, must continue to deal with employee issues and pushing through her request for next year's budget. But then she gets a call that one of her deputies has been shot while investigating a domestic violence case. As for Beth, she's gone head-over-heels for the guy she met online - and it looks as if that may be a big mistake that could spell danger for both Beth and Jenny.

Ultimately, Joanna has no choice but to get involved in both situations; luckily, she has plenty of old contacts to all in for help and a husband who's more than willing to pitch in wherever and whenever he's needed (should she part company with him, in fact, I'd be more than happy to interview him for a similar job). By the end, everybody involved gets a good workout - including the reader - and now I'm looking forward to Joanna's next adventure. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Missing and Endangered by J.A. Jance (William Morrow, February 2021); 384 pp.

THE FUTURE IS YOURS

4 stars out of 5

My best suggestion after finishing this book? Don't read it right after you've smoked a joint. Heck, don't even try it after you've had a couple of beers. It's mind-boggling enough without any outside help.

That's not to say I didn't thoroughly enjoy it - truth is, the story is highly thought-provoking and tantalizing; if you could see a year into the future, would you look (especially knowing there's nothing you can do to alter what you now know happens)? On a much larger scale, if this kind of technology were possible today, what would it mean for the U.S. military (to know who won the war or who is secretly (until now) building up a nuclear arsenal? International relations (which of today's friends will be tomorrow's enemies)? Or how you treat your mother-in-law now that you know she won't be around for Christmas next year?

On a basic level, the story tracks the progress of The Future, a high-tech business started by college friends Ben Boyce and Adhi Chaudry. The actual technology, beyond having heard the term "quantum computing," was beyond me - but once I got the gist of what was happening, it simply didn't matter. Ben is the outspoken motivator and public relations guru; Adhi is the socially shy mastermind behind the technology. Their goal is to launch their company, which builds and sells desktop-type units that allow end users to link to their futures - and for all intents and purposes (including raising tons of start-up money), they'll be off and running right on schedule.

But there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip, and once the secret gets out, opposition rears its questioning head in the form of government investigations not unlike today's quibble over the pros and cons of social media. All that is woven throughout using emails, text messages, blog posts and even Congressional testimony that shifts in time to create one of the most unusual book formats I've ever read (not to mention sort of freaky, but by golly, it works). Needless to say, I couldn't wait to finish; I can't say much more about the plot without giving too much away, but the ending brings a surprise that, given the rest of the book, really shouldn't have been.

Extra kudos for originality and entertainment value - and thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Future is Yours by Dan Frey (Del Rey, February 2021); 352 pp.

THE SURVIVORS

4 stars out of 5

The build-up is on the slow side - until perhaps the mid-point it was interesting, but I really didn't mind setting this one down when other tasks beckoned. Thereafter, though, it turned into a real zinger. At the very least, it's a study in excellent character development; at best, it'll keep you turning pages right to the end.

Kieran, his partner Mia and their infant daughter, Audrey, have returned to Tasmania to help his parents move. His father has worsening dementia, and his mother - who really doesn't want to leave - is barely able to care for him. The return home, though, doesn't give Kieran or Mia much pleasure; their good memories are overshadowed by events that happened during a monster storm not far from three life-size iron female figures that have come to memorialize the nearby wreck of the "Mary Minerva" many years ago (known locally as The Survivors). The wreck is a popular diving site, and a couple of Kieran and Mia's old friends still run a diving business there as well as tours through the caves when the tide is out.

The bad memories include a couple of accidental deaths and a still-missing person that have haunted Kieran (and others) ever since, though perhaps for different reasons. Then, a new body turns up on the beach - this one a murder - putting a new spin on those old memories. No one gets a pass as they're forced to revisit what happened years ago until the truth finally emerges. Well done, and thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.

The Survivors by Jane Harper (Flatiron Books, February 2021); 384 pp.