THE HEIGHTS

4 stars out of 5

Imagine for a moment that you look up at a rooftop terrace and see a man you've hated with a passion for years - a man responsible for a horrific crime that devastated your family. Then imagine you can't believe your eyes; he's been dead for something like two years. And you know that because you killed him.

How's that for a zingy opener? Of course, if that were all there is to the story, there wouldn't be much need for a book. In fact, there's much more; chapters weave in and out of different time frames in the lives of Ellen Saint, whose almost college-age son Lucas lost his life in an auto accident that involved the aforesaid man (Kieran Watts) on the rooftop. Since then, she and Lucas's father, Vic, have separated, although they're still in contact (in large part through shared grief). Now, she's married to Justin, who has a teenage daughter Freya who lives with them. 

For the most part, Justin has adopted the role of sympathetic spouse and Vic has tried to get on with his life; Ellen - always a protective mother, to say the least - wants no part of moving on. She wallows in sorrow and blame, gaining some solace when Kieran went to jail for his part in Lucas's death. But that was before he was released; after that, Ellen's angst and vitriol toward Kieran approaches an entirely new level (which, for the record, was a big turn-off for me).

Readers know from the start how her bitterness translated into action, so needless to say, seeing the man she's sure is Kieran comes as a shock. The rest of the book follows her resolve to take matters into her own hands and looks back at where she is now and how she got there. I must say I wasn't thrilled with the ending, although I think that's in part because I was less than thrilled with Ellen's character. That said, it's an engaging story that made for good reading on a couple of snowed-in days. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a prerelease copy.

The Heights by Louise Candlish (Atria Books, March 2022); 413 pp.

RUN, ROSE, RUN

4 stars out of 5

Considering that I've read more than my fair share of books by prolific author James Patterson, it's fair to say I'm a fan. Same for Dolly Parton; I love her music (the Trio album with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt is near the top of my 10 all-time favorites list and I've seen her in concert). But a book co-written by the two? Seriously? Curiosity got the better of me, though, so I requested - and received - a review copy (thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley). And while I won't call it an edge-of-seat, bite-your nails thriller - it's more a coming-of-age-in-the-music-business kind of story - by golly, it was quite entertaining. 

AnnieLee Keyes, a young thing purty as a speckled pup under a big red wagon and determined to write and sing songs that climb to the top of the Country-Western chart hitchhikes from Texas to Nashville and - with no money and no guitar - convinces a bartender to let her borrow an instrument and take to the stage. She makes quite an impression; next thing you know, she's under the wing of megastar Ruthanna Ryder, who is officially retired from the business and lives a life of luxury, complete with a recording studio in her basement. Add to the mix hunky and single Ethan Blake, who [surprise!] is attracted to AnnieLee but is hesitant to 'fess up because he knows the only stars in her eyes are a reflection of her desire to become one.

The rest of the story centers on AnnieLee's journey to the top and the obstacles the industry throws at star wannabes - plus the secrets that both AnnieLee and Ethan have in their past lives that threaten their current plans (perhaps even permanently). If I had to guess, I'd say the story concept was a joint venture, after which Patterson did most of the writing and Dolly contributed her vast knowledge of the music business from a performer's perspective as well as lyrics to several songs "composed" by AnnieLee, Ruthanna and Ethan. At the end of the book are the full lyrics to these songs, though without accompanying music, I found it a little hard to hum along.

In the end, the unlikely duo won me over, and I think most other readers will enjoy the book as well. Good job!

Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson (Little, Brown and Co., March 2022); 425 pp.

ABANDONED IN DEATH

4 stars out of 5

As a longtime fan of this series, it seems to me that the stories are becoming a bit less edgy and the characters a bit more mellow than in years past. That's not to say either is any less appealing, though - they're still set in the future (this one in 2061) amid all the fun gizmos like meals programmed into a machine and vehicles that can land and take off vertically, calls for homicide detective Eve Dallas to draw on childhood experiences to help solve a couple of murders and prevent another - not pleasant recollections given what she was forced to endure.

Eve's salvation came in large part by way of her now husband, the Irish hunky and filthy rich Roarke (who, happily, gets to put his considerable expertise to good use in helping to solve the case). It begins with a woman's body that's laid out on a bench at a New York City playground. Clearly, she was murdered - but just as clearly, the killer arranged her body with great care. She sported a new tattoo and body piercings, but the clothing didn't quite fit and looked to be vintage. The real puzzlement, though, was the note left on the body: Bad Mommy.

The working premise is that they're dealing with an older killer - most likely male - who, like Eve, endured a traumatic childhood that involved a mother who was less than mother-like - but with no other clues, how will they find him? Readers get some glimpses by way of flashbacks into the lives of the "bad mommy" and her child, but it isn't till a second woman's body is found in a similar fashion - and Roarke puts some of his high-tech research tools to good use - that Eve begins to think positive. From there, it's a race to the finish, with a big twist (which, of course, I won't reveal). All told, another one well done, and I'm already chomping at the bit for the next.

Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb (St. Martin's Press, February 2022); 361 pp.

THE SILENT SISTERS

5 stars out of 5

This book brings closure to the trilogy of the "seven sisters" - Russian women who for years have been engaged in spying activities in their country for the benefit of America. The first two, both of which I read, were outstanding - as is this one. Here, American Charles Jenkins, who led the exfiltration of others in the uber-secret group, has been called back into action to retrieve the final two.

Problem is, Jenkins almost bit the dust during his last foray into Russia, and now he's on a kill list. A much-loved wife, a couple of [ditto] kids and a relatively satisfying life render him reluctant to take on the assignment - but the lure of action (and his sense of responsibility) reels him in and off he goes. He's been outfitted with multiple disguises to help him get past those pesky Russian face-recognition cameras, but that doesn't cut down much on the potential for discovery; Jenkins is, after all, a very tall Black man - not easy attributes to cover up, especially in Russia. 

Another attribute he finds hard to conceal is his sense of fair play and concern for the underdog; his first night in Moscow, he can't resist intervening to save a helpless person and ends up on the wrong side of a particularly ruthless Russian Mafia boss. So now, he's got two factions to steer clear of - and much as they despise each other, both are determined to capture and have their way with him. Under these circumstances, going it alone would be tough enough; a couple of on-the-run females added to his baggage put Jenkins's skills to the ultimate test and considerably reduce his chances of returning to his family.

Needless to say, it's the thrill of the chase - and the complexity of the well-developed characters - that make this book (all three of them, actually) very hard to put down. And in the end, I was a little sad that there are no more sisters left to save. But I look on the bright side; although that series seems to have ended, I saw no evidence that it's the last readers will see of Charles Jenkins - and that's a very good thing in my book. I'll keep my fingers crossed that we'll see him again soon; meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to once again read and review a pre-release copy. Another one well done!

The Silent Sisters by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, February 2022); 399 pp.

QUICKSILVER

4 stars out of 5

I have to say this one is a smidge too "science-fictiony" for my usual taste in books, but I've also have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. Want proof? I kept my nose in the book much of the time that my never-miss Olympics were on TV, so for sure it's got something good going for it.

Standing front and center is a young man named Quinn Quicksilver, who as an infant was abandoned on a roadway and found by three men who took him to safety. Growing up amid Catholic nuns, Quinn wanted to be - and became - a writer. After experiencing an episode of "strange magnetism," he inexplicably drives off into the desert, finds an unusual coin for which a local dealer pays a bundle and runs into a couple of really bad guys - a run-in that results in his meeting a girl about his age named Bridget Rainking and her grandfather Sparky. They are on the run from the Internal Security Agency (ISA), the current version of the FBI; when Quinn describes his magnetic episode, neither is surprised. And when they learn he's trying to find the men who found him all those years ago, they agree to tag along for the ride.

And what a ride it is! Adventures that follow, for instance, include Quinn's introduction to otherworldly creatures called Nihilim, or "screamers" from another universe. Eventually, they decide to head toward Peptoe, the place near Phoenix where Quinn was born. That, in turn, takes them to the cult-like complex of an uber-rich dude - a scenario that provides even more nail-biting action.

Of course, the devil is in the details, none of which I will reveal except to say there are plenty of them for me to love, from one-liners that elicited chuckles to scenes that echo current goings-on like human trafficking. To that end, if I have anything close to criticism, it is that I couldn't shake the feeling that at least parts of the story were written to fit around those things rather than the other way around. 

A few loose ends suggest the possibility of a series, which from my perspective isn't a bad idea. All in all, good job!

Quicksilver by Dean Koontz (Thomas & Mercer, January 2022); 365 pp.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS

5 stars out of 5

Oh my, what a page-turner this is! Well okay, the ending is a titch on the sappy side, but hey - getting there was a total delight. My Kindle swipe finger sure got a workout amid all the twists and turns.

It begins with a near-perfect family: Jason Bennett, a much-in-demand court reporter who can read lips, a professional photographer wife Lucinda and two talented kids, Allison and Ethan. One evening, a pickup truck nearly runs their car down on a rural road; when they stop, two men get out of the truck, and the encounter ends in horror as one of the kids is shot. Before they can begin to deal with that, though, the FBI enters the scene to explain that the men were part of a dangerous crime family - and insist that Jason and his family enter the witness protection program immediately.

That's a hard sell because it means absolutely zero contact with anyone they ever knew and loved, including Lucinda's elderly mother in a nursing facility. Still, the alternative - that their family is in imminent danger of being killed - is less palatable, so they reluctantly agree. Soon thereafter, they learn it was a smart move, but they can't fathom how they'll be able to assume new identities - which, while they're temporarily in a safe house, they don't even have yet - and continue for the rest of their lives. The only comfort, if it can be called that, is that the two FBI agents assigned to "babysit" them are sympathetic and go the extra mile to keep them in the loop when it comes to finding and arresting the bad guys.

But as public sentiment sours toward the Bennetts simply because they suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth, Jason decides to get to the bottom of things as much as he can while being denied contact with any other humans, even on social media. What he learns isn't pretty, including one family secret that threatens his marriage and that not everyone is who he or she claims to be. What Jason must determine, though, is what the real connection is between someone in his family and whoever's out to get them - and thus, who in his own family is the real target.

Of course, I won't tell, except to say that Jason's route to the truth makes for an action-packed trip. This one's a don't-miss in my book - many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. 

What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline (G.P. Putnam's Sons, March 2022); 392 pp.

THE INVITE

3 stars out of 5

Since I received a prerelease copy of this book to read and review, I felt obligated to do both - and it really pains me to say neither was easy. That's truly a shame because there's an intriguing plot here, but it's buried under endlessly repetitive angst, hand-wringing, self-doubting musings coming from the minds and mouths of multiple characters. Around the 30% mark, in fact, I almost decided to call it a day.

But I'm not a quitter, especially when, as I said before, I accepted the offer of this book and thus don't want to abandon it. Besides that, I have no doubt there are readers who love emotionally overwrought heroines like Kaitlin Chalmers, who has found a soon-to-be husband and father for her young daughter Ruby after divorcing the abusive original. As this one begins, the new guy - Greg Walker - has arranged a fancy birthday party for Kaitlin. It's even more special because Kaitlin's best friend in the entire world, Zoe (who "rescued" her from the ne'er-do-well ex) will be coming in from Portugal. Zoe isn't just leaving a job; she's leaving what she believed was a serious relationship that suddenly turned seriously sour.

I don't know why Kaitlin had such bad luck with a man (well, actually I can think of at least one good reason), but her rationalization for Zoe's seems to be that Zoe grew up "in care" - a tidbit readers are reminded of at least half a dozen times in the first half dozen chapters. Problem for me is, I never found out what that means, exactly. The only thing I'm sure of is she didn't live with birth or foster parents - so what's left? A cardboard box under a bridge? Well yeah, I suppose that might leave a few emotional scars. 

In any event, Zoe's already sour life puckers up even more the second she arrives at Kaitlin's bash and immediately intuits that by marrying Greg, Kaitlin is making a huge mistake. But since her 5-minute screamfest with Kaitlin doesn't convince her friend to ditch him, Zoe ditches both the party and Kaitlin in a huff. After Kaitlin and Greg mull all the whys, why nots and what ifs, Greg agrees to go look for her and talk his idea of sense into her head.

He comes back empty-handed, though, and (surprise!) Zoe goes missing. Police are called in, and from that point on, the pace begins to kick up several notches. That in turn leads to learning that some people may not be who they claim to be, hinting at possible danger for Kaitlin and Ruby (and giving readers more names to keep straight). It ends in a flurry of action - some of it predictable but entertaining enough to keep me turning the pages. In the end, it's safe to say this one isn't going to appear on my 50 favorites book list, but if you've got a couple of hours to kill on a sunny beach or by a cozy fireplace, it's not a bad choice. 

The Invite by Sheryl Browne (Bookouture, February 2022); 331 pp.

A DEADLY BONE TO PICK

4 stars out of 5

Be still my happy heart: I read almost all the way to the end of a cozy mystery before realizing it's a cozy. Why? It's missing all the annoying hallmarks of other cozies: No hand-wringing heroine who won't listen to reason. No wacked-out loud-mouthed friend who gets her into even more trouble . No paranoia, questioning everything every other character says and does or waffling between two hunky guys. Better still, apparently it's the first of a series. My reaction? Thank you - and bring on the next one quickly, please!

That's not to say that Molly Madison isn't carrying around some serious baggage; after her husband's demise - for which some still blame her - the former Massachusetts police officer and private eye has moved to coastal California, taking very little except her beloved golden retriever, Harlow. Even before she gets settled in her new digs, she gets a visitor - in the form of a huge, exceptionally slobbery Saint Berdoodle (that's a blend of St. Bernard and, well, you know). Turns out he belongs to a down-the-street neighbor who is happy to share a dog he doesn't care much for anyway.

A practiced dog trainer (who shares her expertise with readers, a plus for dog-lovers), Molly tolerates the drools and takes a shine to Noodle  - as does Harlow. On a beach walk, though, Noodle starts digging around, triumphantly retrieving a human hand. Uh, oh, Molly thinks - time to call the cops. When she does, she bumps into perhaps the only similarity to most cozies: A cop with an ax to grind, and it's name is Molly - and his sympathetic, good-looking sidekick who steps in to dull his partner's blade.

After that, nothing much goes according to plan except Molly's training schedule for Noodle - approved by his emergency doctor owner - and training sessions for the dog belonging to super-smart eight-year-old Amy, whose parents are, shall we say, less than attentive. This is followed by a couple of neighborhood murders (which, of course, that unfriendly cop would love to pin on Molly if he could just figure out how). The closer Molly gets to the truth, though, the more she puts her own life in jeopardy.

The whole thing is an engaging romp with plenty of action from both people and canines, for which I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the privilege of reading and reviewing. For those who enjoy an entertaining, well-written book, I have this advice: Sit. Stay. Read!

A Deadly Bone to Pick by Peggy Rothschild (Berkley, February 2022); 304 pp.