THE LAST ORPHAN

5 stars out of 5

Well, wow. Just when you think a series can't get any better - well, let me amend that; every single one I've read has been impossible to top, and 5 stars is the highest rating I can give. So let's just say that this, the eighth book featuring "Nowhere Man" Evan Smoak (a.k.a. Orphan X), is every bit as good as its predecessors.

After taking his once government-sanctioned assassin talents private, Evan and the government powers-that-be have honored a truce of sorts - although it's no secret that those powers would capture him in a heartbeat if they could. And one fine day, they do. As a condition of his release and possibly an official pardon (or at least looking the other way), none other than the U.S. President offers him a "job": kill a man she claims is so dangerous that his continuing to live and do his dirty work threatens the very fabric of the country. Evan, though, isn't convinced; after all, based on past experiences he doesn't trust the government either. Besides that, his rationalization for going private is to eliminate only those people who have done irreparable (but demonstrable) harm to others and truly, in his opinion, deserve to be removed from this earth.

In this case, the target for rubbing out is a filthy rich guy named Luke Divine who lives on Long Island in a palatial home called Tartarus. He's fond of throwing no-holds-barred parties that have, at least in one known instance, resulted in the deaths of young people. The President's concern, though, lies more in upcoming environmental legislation she favors and he does not. Not knowing who to believe - and in some respects, not caring - Evan sets out, with help from some uber-talented friends who will be familiar to loyal readers, to investigate. And it is there that my description must end if other readers are to get full enjoyment out of the book (and trust me, there's plenty to be had, plus a bit of a cliffhanger that no doubt will factor into the next installment). In short, another winner from a very talented author for which I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me the pleasure of reading and reviewing.

The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz (Minotaur Books, February 2023); 352 pp.

THE SANCTUARY

4 stars out of 5

This book, the fifth in the series, begins with Danish police investigator Jeppe Korner on leave from the Copenhagen department and his partner, Anette Werner - and passing the time working in a sawmill on the nearby island of Bornholm while he tries to recover from losing the love of his life. Meanwhile, Anette is investigating the gruesome murder of a man who apparently died while being sawed in half lengthwise; one half has turned up in a discarded suitcase. The first obstacle, though, is identifying the body - which probably would be easier if they could locate his missing half. Also on the island, writer Esther de Laurenti is staying in the home of Ida Dybris, who has invited Esther to pen the biography of her late mother Margrethe, a noted anthropologist.

As might be expected, links begin to emerge between Anette's investigation and what's happening on the island, which means Anette must turn to Jeppe for help - which, at least at first, he's reluctant to provide. But even his surface digging forces him to realize that the island - and the people he works for and with - hold many secrets that some will go any lengths to keep that way. Following the story was a little hard for me just because there are a few too many characters for my mind to keep straight (even though I take notes along the way), but by the end I was "with it" enough to have enjoyed the whole thing just as I did the others in the series I've read (everything pretty much got sorted except for the meaning of the title). The ending wraps things up with a couple of surprises - one of which makes me look forward to the next book. Till then, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one. Well done once again!

The Sanctuary by Katrine Engberg (Gallery/Scout Press, February 2023); 336 pp.

THREE WIDOWS

5 stars out of 5

The day-to-day life of Detective Lottie Parker in Ragmullin, Ireland, is such an unholy mess that it almost makes my head hurt, but over several books (this one makes an even dozen) I've come to love reading all about it. And this one fits the pattern perfectly. Not only must she oversee an investigation of several sadistic murders, she and her police partner and significant other, Detective Mark Boyd, must deal with the sudden and suspicious return of his ex-wife, infighting and over-the-top infatuation within the department ranks and her mother's ever-worsening dementia.

All three situations get substantial page time, but it is, of course, the murder investigation that takes center stage. It begins with the discovery of a woman's body - one that's been severely beaten (ante-mortem) and had the eyes surgically removed (thankfully after the fact).

The victim had lost her husband recently, and she'd hooked up with a relatively new widows' support group dubbed Life After Loss. Lottie's team is still working on that investigation - and Boyd is still agonizing over his ex-wife's motives for return to Ireland and Detective Kirby is still trying to make sense of his new relationship - when another woman from the widows' group goes missing. And so the cycle goes until the end, when the case is (mostly) resolved. All told, it's another engrossing and thoroughly entertaining read - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Three Widows by Patricia Gibney (Bookouture, February 2022); 507 pp.

THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

4 stars out of 5

This is the third in the series featuring LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan; having read and enjoyed the first two, I was happy to be approved for a pre-release copy of this one. My initial reaction after finishing it is that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other two, but the difference is negligible and I'm pretty sure came simply because there's a bit of an overload of characters in this one.

Tapping into technology trends, highly successful actor Evan Hobbes, who has been "outed" as a pedophile in a deep fake video, is found at the bottom of a rockslide in Malibu. Conventional wisdom says an accident or even suicide, given the fake video's damage to his career, but closer investigation reveals that murder goeth before the fall. His agent, Seth Lehman, is shattered by Hobbes's death, but he's too busy fighting with his over-the-top witchy agency boss, Rebecca Wodehouse. All of them, plus a glamorous movie star, were at the posh home of a Disney exec when Hobbes went over the hill, and while everyone, including the exec's wife, seem distraught, Nolan and her competent and very likable partner Al Crawford are pretty sure the killer came from their ranks. Complicating matters is that just about every character is connected to another one (or two, or three) - Lehman, for instance, is the brother of the Disney executive's wife; as for who's sleeping with whom, well, I pretty much lost track after awhile.

Meantime, a side story follows happenings in the life of Nolan's friend Sam Easton (familiar to those who have read previous books), who still suffers from PTSD but is getting his life together and even considering a job with the LAPD. Nolan's case heats up when a second character turns up dead (with an M.O. similar to the Hobbes case). The case sends Nolan and Crawford all over their not-so-little section of California to find pieces that hopefully will come together to make the puzzle whole and makes her yearn for Remy, her own person of interest, who's away to take care of personal business. All in all, a never-a-dull-moment story that ends with a twist. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

The Devil Your Know by P.J. Tracy (St. Martin's Press, January 2023); 304 pp.

HER HUSBAND'S LIES

3.5 stars out of 5

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed two other books by this talented author, so I was looking forward to this one - but alas, it was a little disappointing. While the plot itself is well-written and drew me in, I just couldn't get excited about the characters - especially Callie Sanderson, whose husband Abel is in a coma as a result of an auto accident she's convinced wasn't an accident as the police investigation concluded. The main reason she's convinced is that she was told by a "psychic" named Althea that he drove into a tree while trying to get away from someone.

Honestly, I'm not opposed to the notion that there are folks who "see" things others don't, but Callie's determination to go off on her own despite good advice from people to whom she should listen - i.e., the police - was a turnoff (the main objection I have to the female leads in cozy mysteries, BTW). But not only did she - a grown-up with a college-age son - not listen to reason, her on-my-own sleuthing never once, as far as I could tell, turned up any facts the police didn't already know. Finally, there's that title thing; all the way through, I kept waiting to find out what "lies" her husband told. And for the life of me, while he didn't always spell out in detail what he did and where he was every minute of every day - who does? - I couldn't find a single time in which he told an actual untruth.

All that said, the story itself held my interest throughout (I just sort of ignored Callie's relentless questioning of her own thoughts and actions and those of everybody else) and focused on what was actually happening. It seems that two young girls recently went missing and haven't been found - and little by little, connections between the girls and Abel come to light. Is it possible her beloved husband had something to do with their disappearances? After all, he did go out a few times without telling her specifically where he'd been. Still, Callie can't believe he's involved, but the plot thickens as she digs deeper, egged on by Althea's newfound but incomplete remembrances. Neighbors in the rather remote area of the Adirondacks become suspects just because of something they said (or didn't say); even Abel's estranged brother Garr, who suddenly turns up, isn't immune from her suspicions. Meantime, the police, led by detective Footman, continue to work the case despite Callie's constant harping about issues they've already investigated.

Overall, this is an enjoyable book I think most readers of this genre will enjoy. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for offering me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Her Husband's Lies by T.J. Brearton (Joffee Books, December 2022); 316 pp.

THE THINGS WE DO TO OUR FRIENDS

4 stars out of 5

Definitely one of the strangest books I've read in a while, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I suppose the only turn-off - and it's a slight one - is that it took longer than it probably should have to confirm what I suspected almost from the beginning.

But the learning process was an intriguing one despite almost totally unlikable, unrelatable characters - starting with story narrator Clare, a beautiful woman who appears to be in some kind of exile in Scotland to escape serious transgressions in France. In school at Edinburgh, Clare meets Tabitha, a beautiful, rich and totally annoying young woman (or was it that Tabitha meets Clare - whatever) and her small cadre of snobby friends. Clare is both repulsed and drawn to the fiercely loyal group, especially Tabitha, but for the most part her distaste turns sweet when she's admitted to their inner circle.

The bond becomes even stronger when Tabitha decides that they'll start a business - a big-money "project" that turns the group into, well, you'll have to read it to find that out. Despite misgivings all around - except for Tabitha - they all go along with the plan, because, well, what Tabitha wants, Tabitha gets. Readers, though, get only limited glimpses into their activities - I'd love to have been privvy to more - but most of Clare's recollections focus on her and her interaction with the others. Interspersed are hints as to how horrific her youthful transgressions really were and what the ending holds; those who pay attention will have a pretty good idea what that is by the time they get there. Overall, it's a well done debut novel and a treat, I think, for those who enjoy head games. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Things We Do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent (Bantam, January 2023); 336 pp.

HUNTING TIME

5 stars out of 5

Every once in a while you just gotta hold out for a hero - and self-described reward-seeker Colter Shaw certainly qualifies in my book. He's ruggedly good-looking, self-assured (in part by way of childhood training by his super-intelligent survivalist father, Ashton) but with a hint of vulnerability - just a hint - that adds to his appeal. This is the fourth book in the series, and I'm still wishing we could meet in person, if only for a steak, scotch on the rocks and some interesting conversation - after all, I'm old enough to be his grandmother (sigh).

Here, his considerable problem-solving skills are requested by the head honcho of a nuclear energy company in the Midwest that makes some kind of portable device that could be dangerous in the wrong hands - which it appears to be the case. Meantime, former cop Jon Merritt, who's been serving jail time for beating his now ex-wife Allison almost senseless has been sprung much earlier than expected - and apparently, he's on a mission to track her and their teenage daughter Hannah down and probably kill either or both. As fate (and the seeds of a good story) would have it, Allison is a nuclear engineer who works for said nuclear energy company - or did till she and Hannah took off for parts unknown in an attempt to stay safe. Needless to say, Colter ends up trying to protect them from harm. But first, of course, he has to find them, while hoping her ex-husband and a couple of professional hit men don't get there first. Who emerges triumphant in that race you'll have to find out by reading it for yourself, and plan on a twist or two in the process. All told, another good entry in this engaging series.

Hunting Time by Jeffery Deaver (G.P. Putnam's Sons, November 2022); 431 pp.

THE HUNTER

4 stars out of 5

This book actually caught my eye because it's set at least in part in territory familiar to me - Ohio - but the concept resonated a bit as well. Hotshot New York Detective Leigh O'Donnell returns to a sort of hole-in-the-wall police department in the Copper Falls after pulling some kind of stunt involving a gun that landed her on the indefinite suspension list in New York. Besides her job, her interracial marriage to her NYPD captain is going down the tubes (partly because what she did - and I'm still not totally sure exactly what that was - was something he was unable to excuse either personally or professionally. When she made the journey to her hometown, where she hadn't been in 14 years, she took their young daughter Simone with her; they'll stay in the huge family home with three of Leigh's uncles and her brother and police officer Ronan. It was Ronan, in fact, who enticed the former homicide detective to come "home" by pointing to the recent suspicious deaths of three young men.

Leigh, needless to say, brings all kind of mental baggage to her former hometown - a place that has nasty secrets of its own that, if discovered, threatens its very being. There's also a sort of supernatural thread winding through the story, mostly in and out of caves that lurk behind the town's waterfall. And that, I must say, was my first sort of disillusionment; given that Ohio's tallest waterfall - which is in the general vicinity where this story takes place - is only 65 feet tall, it was a little hard to believe there'd be room for all those caves. Then again, the town is fictional so why not the topography - and in this case, both are central to the story so I went with the flow (so to speak).

Investigating the three recent deaths, and those of three other young men not that long ago, takes Leigh to the caves as well as into "seedier" parts of town where she and Ronan really aren't welcome (raising the question of why). All the while, Leigh is pining the loss of the love of her life - her husband back in New York - who appears to have moved on. Maybe, I thought, that's why she didn't always think things through clearly - I'm quite sure I would never have left my daughter in the all-day care of unmarried male relatives I hadn't seen for decades until I was certain she'd be safe with them. And if I were still madly in love with someone, I wouldn't be likely to get the hots for a long-ago boyfriend who conveniently shows up, in part in the hopes of rekindling a lost love.

Here and there are hints at racial tension, but that theme really goes nowhere and seemed to me to be totally irrelevant to the story. As readers might expect, there's a last-minute do-or-almost-die race to the finish (done with a totally irrational rationalization about not calling for back-up). In the end, all the lurid details are unearthed even though it appears only one of the guilty parties will pay for his or her sins - what, if anything, happens with the rest remains a mystery. Overall, the story held my attention throughout, though, and I'll call it a good debut effort that showcases the writing skill of this clearly talented author. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one.

The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera (G.P. Putnam's Sons, January 2023); 351 pp.

UNNATURAL HISTORY

4 stars out of 5

It's hard to believe this is the 38th book in this series, which has been a favorite of mine from the beginning (as far as I know, I've read - and loved - every single one). In this one, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and his longtime friend and colleague Los Angeles Police Detective Milo Sturgis are older, wiser and perhaps a titch more cynical, but otherwise it's pretty much same old, same old - just the way I like it.

This begins with the encountering of the hysterical assistant to a wealthy photographer she's just found in bed, quite dead as a result of three bullets. His latest project involved homeless subjects - people he invited into his studio to dress up as their "dream" person. After he photographed them, he fed them, paid them rather handsomely and sent them back to the streets.

As part of the investigation, Alex and Milo must speak to the victim's family, which turns out to be a challenge. Mostly a loner, the dead guy has several half brothers and sisters with whom he has little contact (and even less in common); the father, it seems, is a serial bridegroom who abdicates both the marriages and the offspring, although he freely shares his wealth. Most of the investigation, though, focuses on the seedy side of town. Could it be that one of the subjects in the victim's photo project liked his or her brush with luxury and returned to grab a bigger share?

As always, the expansive description of characters and settings far surpasses the action, but then that's part of the appeal of the books, at least to me. Loyal readers will be happy with it, I think - certainly I am - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2023); 320 pp.

THE CABINET OF DR. LENG

5 stars out of 5

Spoiler that's not a spoiler: Prepare yourself for a doozy of a cliffhanger. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy a ride that will take you - together with mysterious FBI agent A.X.L. Pendergast, his beautiful ward, Constance Green and his occasional investigative partner Lt. Vincent D'Agosta - back to a time, and a deadly nemesis, they'd all prefer to forget.

Actually, there are two other stories here, broadening the appeal and giving extra page time to D'Agosta and Special Agent Armstrong Coldmoon, both of whom will be familiar to followers of this series (of which this is the 21st). D'Agosta finds himself cooling his heels in a New York museum, where a body was found frozen in one of the preservation rooms - clearly not an accident. Coldmoon, who transfers to the Denver office, gets called in to investigate the murder of a prominant Lakota artist on the Rosebud Reservation. Pendergast, understandably, is distraught that Constance has left him - faithful readers will recall her exit in the previous book, Bloodless - and he's painfully aware of where she's gone and why. She hasn't asked for his help - in fact, she would be irrevocably upset if he gave it - so he must proceed with caution if he proceeds at all.

The whole thing is, obviously, very other-worldly, but I'm sure those who have been following the stories will "get" it. Providing more details on what happens and how wouldn't be prudent on my part, so I'll just say it's well-thought-out and a delight to read. And oh, did I mention a doozy of a cliffhanger? Extra thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this pre-release copy. Next, please? And soon?

The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, January 2023); 416 pp.

THE SWEDISH ART OF AGING EXUBERANTLY

4 stars out of 5

Delightful! It helps, no doubt, that I'm close in age with the author (although there's good advice here for readers of just about any age). But She tells it like it is - or should be - in a humorous, entertaining but matter-of-fact manner.

Truth is, I decided to request this one simply because her other best-selling book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, sounded so right-on-the-money (I don't know about you, but my potential heirs are way less than thrilled at the thought of having to get rid of all the things my husband and I have collected over the years). To me, they're all precious memories; but to them, almost all of it is George Carlin "stuff." Anyway, I identified with the author's take on that subject, so I wanted to see what she has to say in this one.

And I certainly wasn't disappointed; she offers more practical advice for us oldies but still goodies. But this time, happily, I've already put much of it into play in my own life (well, except for the getting a walker or cane part; that one, I think, I'll resist to the very end - or at least till one of my doctors tells me that unless I get one, it's my end is likely to come sooner than I want). Like her, I'm up for "making aging itself into an art." Her creative approaches, even those I'm already doing, are a huge boost in that direction.

Of course, I can't get too specific without spilling too many beans, but I'll mention a couple of personal favorites: First, if you bring something new into the house, take something else out. Nobody wants to clean up your stash after you're gone. Second, surround yourself with younger people. You'll stay in touch with what's going on around you and learn a lot; but as the author points out, they also provide a way to "stay in tune" with the young person you used to be.

The book concludes with a few more tips on "death cleaning" - which I heartily recommend as well (even if at this point it's more of a do-as-she-says than do-as-I-really do issue). Bottom line? Love the book; it's great for older folks like me, but there's plenty of good advice here for younger generations as well. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly by Margareta Magnusson (Scribner, December 2022); 160 pp.

THE HOUSE IN THE PINES

3.5 stars out of 5

Overall, this is far from a bad book; problem is, I never quite got "into" it nor felt much of a connection with any of the characters. More often than not, I was a little confused as to the current time period - chapters flip back and forth between main character Maya's past and present lives - and being a bit annoyed with her unending paranoia and rationalizing why she can't share her experiences with her boyfriend or mother. The ending was pretty much what I'd expected, although the details were rather intriguing.

When Maya was a senior in high school, she was expecting to head for college when she met Frank, with whom she instantly formed a relationship that made her want to stay put. Her bonds with her best friend, Aubrey, are loosening somewhat when Aubrey dies abruptly and in front of Frank. It's a trauma from which Maya has trouble escaping, although she manages to go on to college, with help from an addictive drug prescribed by her therapist. Now, she's living in Boston, has a boyfriend (with whom she hasn't been totally honest) and is trying to kick the drug habit.

In between, she keeps consulting an unfinished book written in Guatemala by a father she never knew; can it somehow help her deal with what she experienced with Frank, even though she has no idea what that really was? In the end, it's a tale of manipulation and head games that many readers will find very appealing. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes (Dutton, January 2023); 330 pp.

DEVIL'S WAY

5 stars out of 5

After finishing this, the fourth in the series featuring private investigator Kate Marshall and her partner, Tristan Harper, I remain the fan who has enjoyed all the other books (as well as all the other books by this talented author, also a favorite). This time, the plot centers around a young boy who went missing 11 years ago.

Kate learned about the boy while she was hospitalized following an early-morning swimming accident; her roommate is an elderly woman named Jean, and the missing boy was her grandson Charlie. The pair, plus Jean's daughter and partner, were tent camping in a remote area known as Devil's Way; her daughter Becky, Jean says, blamed her for leaving the boy alone in their tent, if only for a short time.

Visits to the boggy area from which the boy disappeared don't reveal much, but more digging reveals that a social worker who apparently didn't think much of Becky's parenting or Jean's grandparenting was murdered not long after Charlie disappeared. That brings a major shift in the investigation, which in turn takes readers on twists and turns that lead to a not-too-surprising, but exciting end. At least that's the way it was for me, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

Devil's Way by Robert Bryndza (Raven Street Publishing, January 2023); 334 pp.

THE BOYS FROM BILOXI

4 stars out of 5

Despite the fact that this prolific author is one of my favorites, after reading the first couple of chapters of any of his books - including this one - I always suspect I'm not going to enjoy it very much. And every single time - including this one - once I get back in the no-dialogue groove and start paying attention to the expertly crafted narrative that centers on intriguing characters and places, I'm hooked.

So it was with this one, which takes place in the coastal town of (as the title suggests), Biloxi, Mississippi, a popular destination for those looking for great beaches and scrumptious seafood. But to those who lived there, it was also a haven for corruption, with much of the vice under the tightly held reins of the so-called Dixie Mafia. Here is was, in the 1960s, that Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco first became friends as teenagers; but once the glow of their school baseball team faded, they went their separate ways: Rudy to law school, following the path forged by his successful lawyer father, Jesse; Hugh, to follow in the path forged by his equally successful mob boss father, Lance. As Keith's father makes it his mission to rid the city of ne'er-do-wells, Hugh's father vows to bring down those in government and law enforcement who are not in his pocket. That puts the two fathers and their two sons squarely at odds - in and out of the courtroom - that makes readers constantly question who, if anyone, will emerge triumphant and suspect that the story won't end well (some will argue, no doubt, that it didn't).

And that's all I can say without spoiling it for other readers, except to say it's a captivating story that I really didn't want to put down. Kudos (once again)!

The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 2022); 453 pp.

DESERT STAR

5 stars out of 5

I've long been a fan of now-retired Los Angeles Police Department Detective Harry Bosch, with or without his half-brother, "Lincoln Lawyer" Mickey Haller. Another of the characters frequenting the books is LAPD Detective Renee Ballard; quite honestly, I liked her not so much, but since she became a partner of sorts with Bosch in recent books, I've warmed up a bit. 

Here, she pretty much shares the show with Bosch as she recruits him for the newly formed cold case unit she's heading up - and my interest in her is far more toasty. Despite the animosity between the two former LAPD cops, Bosch took her up on the offer, in large part because an old unsolved case of his - the gruesome murder of a family of four - has bothered him ever since he retired. This new volunteer job offers the possibility of bringing closure. But Ballard has other ideas; she's in charge of the unit, and in part to keep her new unit funded, she's hot to trot on the years-ago rape and murder of a city councilman's sister.

Old and not-so-old tensions between the two raise their ugly heads every once in a while, as do a few misgivings about a couple of other members of the new cold case unit (one of whom is an "insist" from the aforementioned councilman's right-hand man). All of those interactions, plus the exhaustive and sometimes dangerous investigative work that's being on on both murder cases, makes for an intriguing, hard-to-put-down book that held my attention throughout. So did an unforgettable, emotion-inducing ending that left me itching to have the next installment on my Kindle - would you hurry that up, Mr. Connelly, please?

Desert Star by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., November 2022); 401 pp.

NUMBER ONE IS WALKING: MY LIFE IN THE MOVIES AND OTHER DIVERSIONS

5 stars out of 5

If you want a truly unique coffee table book, here you go. If you want a unique walk through the life of a comic (and musical) superstar, well, you get that here as well. The cartoon-style graphics alone are incredible, and when coupled with insights by one of America's best-known (and arguably best-loved) entertainers, it just doesn't get much better.

My description will be brief, simply because this is a book that's better seen than talked about. Basically, it outlines the experiences of the incomparable Steve Martin in motion pictures - he made 40 of them before, about 15 years ago, leaving that industry for, among other things, a successful other career in music (he's a banjo player extraordinaire). His recollections of the movie years include clever and witty depictions of "The Jerk," "Three Amigos," Roxanne" and more; I just named three of my favorites. All are depicted in cartoon format with amusing, sometimes downright funny, narratives. Also included are references to many of his well-known partners in the funny business, like Carl Reiner, Robin Williams and Diane Keaton. The whole thing ends with "And Other Diversions," an extensive series of cartoons.

In short (which reminds me, his buddy and fellow comedian Martin Short is another who gets some page time here), this is a very well-written and perhaps even better-illustrated book I think any student of comedy - and certainly any Martin fan - will enjoy. It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but why settle? This delightful book delivers the best of both. Many thanks to the publisher, who sent me a hardcover pre-release copy to read and review. 

Number One Is Walking: My Life in the Movies by Steve Martin and Harry Bliss (Celadon Books, November 2022); 256 pp.

NIGHT SHIFT

4 stars out of 5

Medical (and legal) are my favorite sub-thriller genres, and I'm always delighted to see a medically-focused book from this author. For the most part, this one did not disappoint. Smack dab in the middle of the action are husband-and-wife medical examiners Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery (well, she's now the chief ME for the city of New York, technically Jack's boss and a bone of contention between the two, as is the fact that he refuses to give up riding his bicycle to and from the ME's office). The two share a couple of young kids, both with medical issues; they're cared for by Laurie's mother, who's exceptionally competent despite being an anti-vaxxer (her odd-woman-out status and the mask or not to mask issue is interspersed throughout the story).

Early on, another physician, Sue Passero, is found dead in Laurie's hospital parking garage; an autopsy is a must, and because Sue was a good friend, Laurie asks Jack to handle it. Sue's diabetes ups the odds that her death was a heart attack, but the autopsy shows that clearly wasn't the case. Suicide? A not-likely possibility. The other option? Murder - but with an autopsy that turns up no means or motive (and, of course, no whodunit).

Perplexed - an emotion he does not enjoy experiencing - Jack sets off to determine Sue's cause of death; after all, he needs to sign a death certificate, the sooner the better, or so Laurie insists. So, he circumvents a few of the rules instituted by the hospital (now owned, it is noted several times, by a big bad conglomerate known for putting profits above professionalism) and meets with a few of Sue's admirers and a few who are not. What he learns from one on the friends side - and what happens next - is even more perplexing and worrisome, making Jack even more intent on getting to what may be a deadly truth in ways guaranteed not to please him or his wife.

There's plenty of action, and of course, I love all the descriptions of medical procedures (also plentiful), but of course I can't get into more detail without giving away too much. The only thing confusing me a bit is that the book, which I received pre-release courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley - thanks very much - is why the description shows 432 pages when I downloaded it and only 240 on Amazon, where it's for sale. That's a big chunk to lose - gotta wonder what didn't make the cut! 

Night Shift by Robin Cook (G.P. Putnam's Sons, December 2022); 240 pp.

SUCH A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY

3 stars out of 5

I had high hopes for this story, if for no other reason than I'm a fan of other works I've read by this author. But while I read it eagerly from start to finish, most of my attention centered on the hope that the three main adult characters would stop behaving like children and there would be a bang-up surprise ending. Alas, neither happened. The only character who had both common sense and intelligence, in fact, was a boy who had way too much of both to be believable at his newbie-teen age. And the ending? A ho-hum resolution, leaving me with the feeling that nothing much really changed from the beginning to the end.

Here's the gist: Nora Harmon has a wonderful husband, two growing-up-fast children and a successful career. Out of the blue, she's contacted by Jane Bell, the owner of a whiz-bang software company, who makes Nora an offer of employment she can't refuse (never mind that any sensible person would have done exactly that, at least until the "too good to be true" sound of it was debunked by facts). Very soon, it becomes clear that Jane is at the very least emotionally needy; there's nothing she won't do, it seems, to solidify her relationship with Nora and make Nora's family hers - and that includes lying through her teeth.

It also becomes clear that Nora and her aging parents have been hiding a dark secret - and her attempts to justify never telling her supportive husband David nor their children Hailey and Trevor left me shaking my head. Still another turn-off is that despite some serious misgivings, Nora also manages to justify Jane's attempts to ingratiate herself into the family, even when it's clear they're doing more harm than good.

Of course, it doesn't take readers long to figure out that Jane may have an ulterior motive, and not much longer to figure out what it is. From that point on, it's just a matter of when (or if) Nora - or anyone else in the family besides Trevor, who as I mentioned earlier somehow managed to end up with the brains of the family - figures out what Jane's really up to. The result for me is that while the book is well written and definitely held my attention throughout, overall it was a bit disappointing. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Such a Beautiful Family by T.R. Ragan (Thomas & Mercer, November 2022); 266 pp.

NYPD RED 7

5 stars out of 5

This, the seventh book in the series co-written by James Patterson and Marshall Karp, marks Karp's first solo effort. And I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly and hope to read many more. For those not familiar with the series, the books focus on the elite New York group of detectives known as NYPD Red and specifically on detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald.

Two in-your-face assassinations happen in fairly rapid succession - one man killed by a long-range sniper and the other done in by a killer obviously well versed on where a knife should slice to do the damage quickly and efficiently. As the investigation picks up steam, Zach and Kylie learn about an old guy who brags about a "sorority" called Kappa Omega Delta (Killers On Demand) that's actually a group of elderly military-trained male assassins who apparently have been plying their trade for years. Finding them, however, doesn't come easy; they may be good at killing, but they're even better at eluding identification and capture.

Tracking them down is only part of the story, though; both Kylie, has a serious boyfriend who develops a serious issue, and Zach has a current main squeeze and at least one in his past who comes back to haunt him - though not necessarily in a bad way. All in all, there's plenty of action that kept me turning pages, and I'm already looking forward to the next installment. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

NYPD Red 7 by Marshall Karp (Blackstone Publishing, November 2022); 350 pp.

PERIL IN PARIS

5 stars out of 5

Golly - another stellar installment of this wonderful "Royal Spyness" series set in 1930s England (more accurately, Paris, where Lady Georgiana Rannoch and her husband, Darcy O'Mara, are visiting - he on spy business, she, at least at the outset, on holiday). Of note in this one is that Georgie, as her friends call her, is pregnant - finally moving past the morning sickness that made her early months miserable.

When they arrive in Paris, Georgie is content to visit friends and see the sights, providing readers with one of the most interesting elements of the series (well, at least to me): descriptions of the period in which the stories are set and her "connections" to the rich and famous (would you believe her cousin is the King of England and she's well acquainted with Wallis Simpson, who has a somewhat prominent role in the plot)? Georgie's friend works for noted designer Coco Chanel, who is preparing for the latest fashion show, and Georgie gets tapped to model a Chanel-created maternity dress (albeit rather outlandish). Georgie also goes to a party in one famous writer of the day's apartment, where another famous writer drops by, and her mother currently lives in Germany and runs in the same social circles as Adolf Hitler.

But of course, best-laid plans aren't meant to go smoothly, and Darcy asks for Georgie's help with his secret mission. Then comes Chanel's fashion show, where an unlucky guest turns up rather dead - and Georgie is a suspect (French policemen, it seems, have very little respect for British aristocracy). Readers, of course, know she's not guilty, but it's great fun to find out the lengths to which she'll go to prove her innocence and, in the process, find the real killer. Overall, it's another truly enjoyable adventure - many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to ride along on a pre-release journey. Well done!

Peril in Paris by Rhys Bowen (Berkley, November 2022); 300 pp.

DOOMED LEGACY

5 stars out of 5

In this series installment, the ninth, P.I. Rick Cahill is struggling with the worsening effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE for short) and not so happily earning his keep mostly behind a desk. His wife Leah and young daughter Krista live with him in San Diego, but Leah's successful business remains in Santa Barbara - a bit too far away for commuting very often. They're trying to make things work, but clearly, the only one truly happy with the situation is Krista, who's too young to care. Rick is especially worried, since he has yet to tell Leah about the frightening direction his disease seems to be taking.

While Leah and Krista are back in Santa Barbara, where they live with Leah's parents, Rick gets a call from Sara Bhanderis, his contact at Fulcrum Security, a client for which he conducts background checks on potential employees. She tries to convey her concern over some altered background reports done by a newly hired but suspiciously shady company, but for the most part Rick blows her off because he's worried about the future of his marriage. Shortly thereafter, Sara is murdered - with all clues pointing to her being the victim of an on-the-loose serial rapist.

Soon thereafter, Sara's sister, who (like Rick) isn't convinced the serial rapist is the culprit, hires him to investigate. Once he starts to dig in at Fulcrum, though, the company fires him as a P.I. firm on what Rick knows is a trumped-up reason. That, in turn, gets him fired by Sara's sister - but Rick being Rick (and needing something to occupy his time while he worries about the status of his marriage), he calls in old friend and partner Moira to help.

I can't exactly say all's well that ends well, but the case gets both involved and resolved as a result of some highly effective sleuthing by Rick and Moira. All told, it's another easy-to-read, attention-holding story. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Another one well done!

Doomed Legacy by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing, November 2022); 359 pp.

HIDDEN SCARS

4 stars out of 5

It's safe to say that Detective Inspector Kim Stone has been around the block a few times - this is the 17th book in the series, for goodness sake - but this time she's struggling to get back in the swing of things after being savagely beaten and way too close to death. 

There are several concurrent plot lines going on here, and more than a few characters (and all their relatives and coworkers) to keep straight. Among the first casualties is Jamie Mills, who is found hanging from a tree in what initially is ruled a suicide by an officer in Kim's department who is intent on finding high-profile cases to work on that will better serve his career mobility. That and the fact that he's racist, sexist and homophobic mean he really rankles his co-workers, who are not only enlightened but very loyal to Kim (who despises him also).

Meantime, a distraught wife asks Kim's team buddy Stacey to find her missing husband; that, too, doesn't rise to the promotion-oriented officer's level of interest and, were it not for Stacey's instincts, would have been swept under the rug. 

With help from her trusty partner and good friend Alan Bryant, Kim digs in her heels (no matter how much they, along with the rest of her body, still hurt) and broadens the investigation into Jamie's death. That in turn leads to a clinic that purports to use conversion therapy methods to  "change" gay people back to what they insist nature intended. The methods they use are no less than horrific, but the owners continue to tout the clinic's exemplary success rate. The pro-LBGTQ perspective is a strong focus throughout, by the way - almost overkill, in my mind, given that in this day and age most readers (at least those who want to be) already are aware and accepting of the facts with regard to the basic issues thereof.

When another victim is murdered and has connections to the clinic, though, Kim and her team redouble efforts to dig into what's really going on - forcing Kim to push the limits of her post-injury physical and mental condition to get to the truth. All in all, another one well done - many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. I'm ready for No. 18 - bring it on!

Hidden Scars by Angela Marsons (Bookouture, November 2022); 356 pp.

THE CLOISTERS

5 stars out of 5

This one hooked me from the first chapter and didn't let go till I'd finished. It's not that it was edge-of-seat action, it's just that the subject matter is super-entertaining - the history of divination with emphasis on tarot cards - and the story is well-written. The conclusion is far less a big surprise than a, well, it couldn't/shouldn't have ended any other way finale.

Ann Stilwell traded a troubled past in Walla Walla, Washington, for a chance to spend the summer working as a sort of curator intern at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Circumstances beyond her control changed where she would spend her time - instead at The Cloisters, a vast gothic museum with extensive gardens and expansive medieval art collection. There, she works with chief curator Patrick Roland and another summer intern, Rachel Mondray - both of whom are into researching the origins of tarot and the cards and their earliest relationship, if any exists, to divination, or predicting the future (raising the age-old question of whether whatever happens to us humans is because we have free will or because every move we make is predestined).

Early on comes the triangle of Ann, Rachel and Patrick, the latter of whom is obsessed with tarot; into the midst add hippie-like museum gardener named Leo, a charismatic man whose motives are always suspect. What is the "glue" that binds these four characters together? What secrets do their past lives hold and how do they affect their futures, individually and collectively - and what role, if any, do the tarot cards play in their yesterdays, todays and tomorrows?

The answers are slowly, enticingly revealed along with a ton of intrigue and a few twists, keeping me turning pages as fast as I could and wishing I could finish the book without life's necessary interruptions. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this wonderful book. Highly recommended!

The Cloisters by Katy Hays (Atria Books, November 2022); 320 pp.

RACING THE LIGHT

4 stars out of 5

It's been a while since I last connected with private investigators Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, and the reunion via this book - the 19th in the series - was a very enjoyable one. They're both in fine form, although Elvis is still trying to recover from his amicable split from girlfriend Lucy Chenier and her son Ben. Then an obviously wealthy elderly woman, Adele Schumacher, visits their Hollywood office (preceded by a couple of burly bodyguards) to ask his help in finding her son, Joshua, who's gone missing. Josh, it seems, is also known as Josh Shoe - a popular but controversial podcaster who, with his partner, is a bit hung up on the UFO scene.

Adele's reasons for her son's disappearance  lean toward mostly unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, which Elvis mostly disregards, but when Josh's father Corbin calls to approve of Elvis's hiring, he decides to take the case. A bit of detecting leads Elvis to Josh's podcast partner and a woman who's made a name for herself in the adult film business - who, surprise, has gone missing as well. In the midst of all this come Lucy and Ben, putting Elvis on edge wondering if her visit is positive or negative. 

Of course, when the going turns tough, Elvis turns to Joe and a couple of other characters from previous books (for the record, though, this book stands on its own just fine). There's a bunch of technology "stuff," some mild but welcome yuck-yucks and plenty of action that, if not handled properly by the two heroes, could spell the end of this series. All told, it's another fun adventure I wish I'd had the free time to read without putting it down. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

Racing the Light by Robert Crais (G.P. Putnam's Sons, November 2022); 368 pp.

SIGN HERE

4 stars out of 5

With much of this story taking place in Hell, there's clearly a dark side - but it also offers a touch of humor and intrigue as well as the not-so-secret revelation that life on earth can be just as bad on occasion if not worse. Much of the focus is on a guy called Peyote Trip, who has progressed through the truly awful "floors" to the Deals Department on the fifth floor. Torture at this level is far less Hell-like than the lower floors; there are bars, for instance, but the only thing served in them is Jagermeister. 

Peyote's working hard to reel in one last member of the Harrison family back on Earth; if he gets that one to sign here - i.e., sell his soul - he'll get a "redo" on Earth by virtue of collecting a full set of deals from his own heirs. He'll do his best, but he could use some help, so even though he doesn't trust her for a second, he turns to coworker Calamity - who has an agenda all her own cultivated by a life on Earth that fits her name like a glove.

Her backstory, though, which is sprinkled in between what's happening with Peyote and the Harrison family down on Earth, just didn't click with me. There's a truly awful man called The General who seems to get his jollies from torturing young boys, but I never quite got the connection to Calamity (as in, who was he really?) Clearly, what happened to Cal back then made her who she is today (and where she ended up), but even by the end of the book I didn't fully understand what that was.

The Harrison family's story, on the other hand, starts with a father, two mostly grown children and a mother who is basically living a lie that's rooted in the past (plus another big one in her present). Gradually, all the secrets and relationships are peeled back like onions, revealing some pretty ugly stuff that could threaten Peyote's chances of signing up the last soul. Details, of course, I can't reveal, so I'll just say this is a very clever, entertaining book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Sign Here by Claudia Lux (Berkley, October 2022); 416 pp.

THE LAST CHAIRLIFT

4 stars out of 5

It's been a long while since I've read a book by this author, but I remember enjoying those I did and looked forward to diving into this one. It took awhile, but it's well worth it - interesting and well-written.

I'm not even going to try to provide many details; basically, it's a life story told by Adam, the son of slalom skier Rachel Brewster. Back in 1941, in Aspen, Colorado, to participate in championship downhill and slalom races, Rachel ends up with no medals but instead a euphemistic bun in the oven - Adam, born in 1942. Years go by, and Adam returns to Aspen and the Hotel Jerome (where reportedly he was conceived by a still-unknown father). Despite a reasonably supportive rest of the family and friends, Adam understandably wants to know who his father was; the story follows Adam's experiences and observations (told as only this author can do) over a period of 80 years and many, many intriguing characters, not a few of whom are ghosts. As with many lengthy books, it gets repetitious in spots, but that really doesn't get in the way of enjoyment and awe of the author's considerable writing talent.

If you enjoy a really good story and have plenty of time, this book really is worth the effort. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Last Chairlift by John Irving (Simon & Schuster, October 2022); 908 pp.

QUARTER TO MIDNIGHT

4 stars out of 5

Romantic anything is about half a dozen genres away from what I enjoy reading, but "suspense" brings it more into line with my liking. More daunting, at least for me, is that this one is just over 600 pages in length. That said, once I finally made it to the end, it's really not bad at all. It features ex-Marine Molly Sutton, a former law enforcement officer in North Carolina who join her former commanding officer Burke Broussard in his private investigation firm.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Gabe Hebert has emerged as a top chef in the French Quarter. But then his father dies and it's deemed a suicide - not, Gabe insists. So, he turns to Burke, his late father's best friend. That puts Gabe in tune with Molly, and from the start, it's music for their hearts (and those of readers who are into such things).

Apparently, Gabe's father, a former police officer, had spent years digging around the edges of a cold case murder that happened during Hurricane Katrina. When he got too close to the truth, he was warned off; when he didn't pay attention, he paid with his life. The rest of the story follows the details of Molly's investigation and the sometimes steamy relationship between Molly and Gabe. All in all, it's a solid, action-packed story that would be perfect for a summer beach read or in front of a roaring fireplace when the snow flies. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

Quarter to Midnight by Karen Rose (Berkley, August 2022); 604 pp.

HANDS DOWN

4 stars out of 5

Jockey-turned-private eye Sid Halley was last seen in Refusal after losing his left hand in a nasty fight with even nastier opponents; for his troubles, he ended up with a prosthetic hand and a wife who who insisted that he quit his detecting work. Now he's back - decked out with a new but real hand courtesy of a donor that, with the help of anti-rejection drugs, is working better every day. His marriage, on the other hand (pun intended), isn't working quite so well; in fact, his wife Marina has taken their nine-year-old daughter, Saskia, with her to stay with her elderly parents - in part because her father is dying and in part because she needs to get away for a while.

As he's stewing over how to handle the situation, an ex-jockey friend calls to ask for help with a serious issue involving racing. With his mind elsewhere, Sid poo-poos the situation and puts the guy on hold at least for a couple of days. As it turns out, he should have been more fired up; the next day, the guy's stable and a few horses go up in flames - and then, not long after he meets with Sid to explain what's going on, the man himself is found hanged. The police deem it death by suicide, but given what Sid knows, he's not so sure.

At that point - with no resolution of the situation between he and his wife - Sid sets off to investigate what appears to be corruption at the track that involves "dirty" agents, blackmail and race fixing. Needless to say, that takes Sid to a couple of racetracks he once frequented as a jockey and pits him against several heavyweight nasties who would love nothing more than to get rid of him for good. The details, of course, I can't reveal - nor whether he wins back the two loves of his life. Suffice it to say the story held me captive for a few good hours - well written with plenty of action. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy - and keep me in mind when the next one drops. Try it - I think you'll like it too!

Hands Down by Felix Francis (Crooked Lane Books, November 2022); 304 pp.

LIVID

5 stars out of 5

Maybe it's because it's a timely topic with more questions than answers that's intrigued me for at least a couple of years now. Maybe it's because forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta doesn't seem quite as paranoid as usual (even though in this case, her suspicions may be rooted in fact). Whatever the reason, this, the 26th book in the popular series, is another one I really didn't want to put down. 

It begins with Scarpetta's testimony at a contentious murder trial - and her scientific evidence and methods not-so-politely challenged by a defense attorney determined to win and sully Scarpetta's reputation in the process. The judge, Annie Chilton, is Scarpetta's long-time friend; but this time out, her rulings are falling outside the norm. Later, Scarpetta - who not that long ago returned to Virginia to serve in her old job as chief medical examiner - is called out to a murder; the victim is none other than the judge's sister, Rachael, who's been living with her sister at the run-down family estate. When she and her longtime friend and investigator Pete Marino arrive, they're struck by the stricken; everywhere are dead bugs, birds and what appears to be finely tuned destruction. That, in turn, leads to suspicion of the method of the murder - a really scary one that Scarpetta and her FBI husband Benton and niece Lucy are well acquainted with by way of their seats on the federal Doomsday Commission (and for readers, it's an issue, albeit controversial in some circles, that's made national news in recent years).

In between trying to solve the motive and means for the murder - plus, of course, identify and capture the culprit - all the major players must dodge the slings and arrows of protestors (think: Jan. 6, 2021, but with different targets). One clue leads to another to revelations about the death of a former colleague - one who has ties to the trial at the beginning of the book. All told, it's a fast-paced, well-researched story and a great addition to the series. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Livid by Patricia Cornwell (Grand Central Publishing, October 2022); 369 pp.

A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES

4 stars out of 5

Having read another in this series featuring Inspector John Rebus, I was looking forward to this one. And alas, I felt lost almost from the beginning and struggled to get through it. There were just too many characters and scenes that shifted far too often for me to keep it all straight. That said, my bet is that long-time readers of this popular series will enjoy it thoroughly.

Retired and not in the best of health, Rebus finds himself on the wrong side of the law - on trial for committing an undisclosed crime. From that beginning, the rest of the book goes back in time - to his old stomping grounds at Tynecastle, where "dirty" cops were the order of the day - to piece together what happened. Although he doesn't deny that he may have participated in more than a few shady operations himself, he can't quite make himself believe his actions were all that serious - mostly, they consisted of simply looking the other way. When one of the cops from back then ends up murdered, readers get to see Rebus's former protoge, now Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke, do her thing amid colleagues, some of whom still think women really don't belong in the police department.

The ending is a cliffhanger that suggests there will be a follow-up - and I'll be waiting for that one. For those new to this series, I must say this isn't the place to start - back up a bit and get more of a feel for some of the characters from an earlier time. Rebus is an interesting character who's time may be up, and I'm curious as to how it all will end for him. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin (Little, Brown and Co., October 2022); 353 pp.

NO PLAN B

4.5 stars out of 5

Every loyal reader of this series knows nobody messes with Jack Reacher - he can take down half a dozen very big, very angry men in the blink of an eye. In this one, he proves he can give MacGyver a run for his skills as well.
 

The plot has four "legs," if you will - and that made it a little tough for me to follow, at least for the first half or so of the book, just because of the number of characters and switchbacks from one to the other. There's a guy who wants revenge, another looking for a long-lost someone, some very bad guys who don't want to get caught doing what they're doing and, of course, raison d'etre that puts Reacher, at first inadvertently and then intentionally, in the middle of the whole mess.

The whole thing begins as Reacher sees a man throw a woman under the bus - quite literally - after which he steals her purse and runs. Something Reacher saw seems to have triggered feelings of ill will, so to speak, from some folks who would rather it not be seen - what was there threatens the good thing they want to keep going. Reacher, doing his Reacher thing, smells a rat (and we all know he doesn't react well to threats), so he vows to get to the bottom of it even if it takes him halfway across the country. While this is going on, those other folks begin to converge at the same place - the Minerva Correctional Facility in Winson, Mississippi.

The details, of course, I can't reveal, except to say there's never a dull moment; all points converge at the end, and readers learn what happens to all the people who started off as strangers but end up as, well, you'll have to read it for yourself to find that out. It's fast-paced, fun and another adventure I'm sure Reacher fans will enjoy. I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

No Plan B by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Delacorte Press, October 2022); 368 pp.

IT'S NEWS TO ME

4 stars out of 5

My own experience as a journalist prompted me to read the first book in this series, but I've kept on reading them just because they're so darned entertaining. This is the fourth, and after finishing it, I remain a devoted fan.

It's not so much that I identify with New York TV editor and hotshot journalist Clare Carlson; she says and does things far beyond my pay grade (too much of the former, in fact, made me lose a bit of respect for her in this story). And, this one has a little too much repetition. But overall, the plot and all the twists (some expected, others not) had me hanging on every page and not wanting to put it down.

As Clare is dealing with a cantankerous, ratings-hungry new boss, a beautiful and popular college student named Riley Hunt is murdered not far from the school. At first blush, it's thought to be a random attack. Led by her well-honed instincts, Clare isn't so sure - so she starts digging around and finds that Riley's perfect image may have a few flaws. Among them are a reported stalker, an unreported missing laptop and connections to a couple of well-connected young men and an escort service. Riley's mother's behavior, too, arouses Clare's Spidey senses; what, if anything, is she trying to hide?

When a local homeless veteran is charged with the murder and is too psychologically messed up to resist, Clare is even more sure there's more to Riley's story. Ferreting out the truth brings her in contact with some seedy, dangerous characters as well as her ex-husband, Homicide Detective Sam Markham. In between, a blind date with a Princeton professor leads to another, and another, and thoughts of a more permanent relationship (sometimes, when there's a will, there's a way). 

But as Clare ignores warnings to back off, the situation heats up; one murder puts an untimely end to what might have been an enlightening interview, and other murders follow. There's plenty of action right up to the end both on the case and in the studio, keeping me glued to the story. Thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Another one well done!

It's News to Me by R.G. Belsky (Oceanview Publishing, October 2022); 349 pp.

DISTANT THUNDER

4 stars out of 5

As uber-rich New York attorney Stone Barrington enjoys an, um, relaxing time at his Dark Harbor, Maine, home accompanied by none other than U.S. President Holly Barker, he gets some disturbing news: there's a dead guy on his property. When it turns out to be CIA agent John Collins and he was murdered, the whole thing turns into a chase to the finish line that Stone just might not live long enough to win.

Well, don't be silly; of course he'll live to see another day - he's the star of this now 63-book series, after all - but there's no shortage of action that brings his life into question. Playing a Central role here, so to speak, is old friend and CIA chief Lance Cabot, who enters the subsequent investigation but is surprisingly tight-lipped about the details. Soon thereafter, the victim's ex-wife, Vanessa, pays a visit, wanting details of his death and how she can claim her rightful share of what may be a small fortune. One discussion leads to another and, as luck would have it, Holly has already left to run the country from Washington, D.C., so naturally Stone is happy to have a relaxation buddy once again. 

Back in New York, Stone meets up with good friend and NYPD chief Dino Bacchetti and his wife Viv for dinner - a regular happening - and to share the case's perplexing details. Surprise - here comes Vanessa again, in the mood to relax once again. A new detail is added to the investigation, though, that takes it to a whole 'nother level and prompts Stone to head back to Maine with Vanessa in tow. That changes quickly when it becomes apparent that Stone himself is slated for victimhood, prompting him to head for his property in London, Vanessa once again in tow. There, too, Stone's presence is detected by the bad guys, prompting yet another move to his Palm Springs yacht (yes, with Vanessa in tow). This time, though, the conflict gets very real, with an exciting chase that blows out all the stops. 

Of course, plenty happens in between all these relocations, including a ton more food and relaxation and progress in the investigation. All in all, it's another fun romp and a quick read (I finished it in roughly four hours). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release copy to be read and reviewed.

Distant Thunder by Stuart Woods (G.P. Putnam's Sons, October 2022); 272 pp.