KILL ROMEO

4 stars out of 5

There's an old saying that goes, "Man makes plans and God laughs." Nobody knows that better than Freddy Ferguson, a former boxer turned private eye who finds a dead woman in a Virginia woods. But just as he gets hold of her, an incoming storm overwhelms the area, and the swollen river quickly knocks out the dam and sweeps the body downstream and leaves him holding a leather strap holding a tiny numbered key.

Intrigued - and upset that he wasn't able to hold onto her body - he informs the local police and they make an initial investigation that turns up a couple of mysterious and partial handwritten notes in her hotel room. Back home in Washington, D.C., he tries to get back to working on the firm's cases with his partner, Earl Kessler, and employees Bethany, Leon and Claire (each of whom has both endearing and annoying character facets, BTW). In fact, Freddy has a "thing" for Claire, but he realizes that an interoffice romance isn't a good idea - even if he thought Claire would be interested in him (which he doesn't).

Not long thereafter, the dead woman's body washes up in the James River and his intrigue undergoes a revival. Now, he's determined to identify her; so far, the police have no leads. With some help from the other sleuths in the firm, the tiny key gives up its secret, and he traces it to Delray Beach, Florida, and off he goes. There, he gets a couple of surprises, not the least of which is that she has ties to organized crime. Another comes in the form of the woman's father, who is convinced his daughter's most recent boyfriend did her in and hires Freddy to find her unknown "Romeo."

From that point on, the book focuses on Freddy chasing both Romeo and Claire (I'm not sure which "catch" he thinks is more uncertain, but based on the number of pages devoted to the subject, I'm betting on Claire). All in all, it's an enjoyable journey from a reading standpoint. For the record, this is the second in a series, but there's plenty of background "stuff" thrown in and I never felt at a disadvantage for not having read the first one (I did, however, read and highly recommend To Hell with Johnny Manic, another of his books).

The next one in this series, however, I'm looking forward to - and for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley.

Kill Romeo by Andrew Diamond (Stolen Time Press, July 2022); 299 pp.

COLD COLD BONES

4 stars out of 5

It's always a treat to learn there's a new Bones back in town - not only do I love the books (this is the 21st), but it's one of few book series that, IMHO, translated well to the small screen. I don't think I've missed a single book, and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss an episode of the TV series either, which, according to sources I checked, aired 246 episodes over 12 seasons.

Anyhow, this book brings forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan back between the pages, and she's wintering at home in North Carolina, helping her daughter Katy get settled in after a stint in the military. Suffice it to say, then, that they're both a bit unsettled when a box turns up on her porch that contains a human eyeball. Say what? Then, she gets a call from her sweetie Andrew Ryan's private eye partner, "Skinny" Slidell, and off they go to find a body that appears to be missing an eyeball - except that the remains are on the well-seasoned side while the eyeball is, well, fresh.

As still other strange things happen - like a running feud with a neighbor who's convinced Tempe is trying to scare his son to death and at least one more body - suspicions arise that what's happening now may be mirroring some of her old cases. But she can't seem to connect the dots, nor convince Skinny of that possibility. Meantime, Katy - who's having some trouble readjusting to civilian life - is struggling but doesn't want mom's help. And then she goes missing.

If I have a complaint, it's that Tempe goes off on her own a little too often despite advice from her police and P.I. friends, and she's usually too intelligent and sensible to do that (although I'll give her a bit of a pass because she's frantically trying to find her daughter). All the goings-on are unsettling, after all, but things start to come together especially well after Andrew returns from the case he's been working on and tries to help. But can they figure out what's really going on before it's too late to save Tempe? Or Katy? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out. As for me, I'll just thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review another good one.

Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs (Scribner, July 2022); 348 pp.

LITTLE SISTER

4 stars out of 5

This is the fourth book in what is a new-to-me series, but at no time did I get the feeling that I'd missed out on much except a fleeting wish that I'd been privy to previous interaction among the police coworkers and their significant others. Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens, for instance, is trying to make a go of things with the mother of his infant daughter (mostly out of a sense of responsibility, it appears), but he's also in an emotional turmoil over leaving the more recent love of his life - ah, now there's got to be more to that story!

The current plot, however, took my mind off such concerns just because it's a doozy: As Jonah is in a pub garden with his daughter, a teenage girl pops out of nowhere (well, actually, out of the woods) covered with blood. But it's not hers; the girl, who says her name is Keely, insists that she's fine, but claims her younger sister Nina is missing after they both ran away from a children's home not long ago. 

But when Jonah asks for details - and hopefully Nina's location, since he suspects the blood is hers - Keely refuses to disclose anything except her story, which she will tell only from the beginning. It will, she claims, contain clues that will lead him and his team to Nina as well as three men who, she also claims, are responsible for reprehensible acts against her and her sister that have so far gone unpunished. Problem is, deciphering Keely's intricate, precise verbal presentations (way too much so to be believable coming from a 16-year-old, IMHO) proves challenging; and, if the blood is any indication, time to find Nina alive is running out fast.

Scenes shift from Keely's interrogations to her narrations to investigation reveals from other team members to Jonah's personal life and back again (and again), but each scenario adds more clues as to what's really going on - most of which isn't pretty. There are plenty of twists and turns in each perspective - more than enough to keep readers on their toes and guessing until the end, making for a suspenseful and engaging story. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy, and I'm now looking forward to the next installment.

Little Sister by Gytha Lodge (Random House, June 2022); 386 pp.

MOVIELAND

5 stars out of 5

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in this series, I was of course delighted to get my hands on a review copy of this one. I love Eve Ronin, the youngest-ever detective in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, who has a take-no prisoners attitude, and her more seasoned partner, Duncan Pavone, who does a great job tempering her forays into left field (while acknowledging that she's almost always right).

But there are issues, the first of which is that Duncan is on the cusp of retirement; even Eve is reluctant to think about what she'll do without him. That's especially because she's got little support from her co-workers and supervisors, most of whom resent her lightning boost to the top following a high-profile case that also resulted in the making of a TV series based on her professional life.

But for the moment, she's got more to worry about; in Malibu Creek State Park, the former setting for countless Hollywood movies, two women were shot. One ended up with extensive injuries, but the other one was killed. The murder was up close and personal, but it soon becomes clear that it could be connected to a string of shootings over more than a year - almost all of which have been swept under the park police department's rug in an effort to keep tourism alive and well. Duncan knew of some of the prior incidents, and he now blames himself for not speaking up.

Now, both he and Eve want to go public with the potential threat to park visitors and residents who live nearby, but once again, their pleas go nowhere. Eve, of course, has never worried about stepping on toes - she's mashed quite a few along the way - so while she doesn't blame Duncan for his reticence, she takes advantage of it by enlisting his help in finding what now appears to be a serial sniper. When another murder happens with a similar M.O. and they manage to convince a higher-up to let them continue their investigation, though, they put a target on their backs that even Eve's special Kevlar vest may not adequately protect.

All in all, it's another action-packed adventure that's sprinkled with humor and interesting descriptions of the composition and history of the area (clearly, the author is familiar with the setting, and he says the story itself is based on a real-life case). It's entertaining, engrossing and just plain fun, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it. 

Movieland by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, June 2022); 351 pp.

THE BOYFRIEND

3.5 stars out of 5

In all honesty, I enjoyed this book overall, just as I have several other of this prolific author's works. Also in all honesty, though, I can't say it's his best.

The story centers around Jodie Parker, whose father, a much-revered community leader, recently and unexpectedly passed away. He and Jodie's mother aren't together anymore, and in his will he left his house to Jodie, totally shutting out her older brother Mike (who, understandably, isn't pleased about it). But as she goes through the house to get rid of unwanted "stuff," she finds an article of clothing connected to a long-ago boyfriend who is assumed to have been murdered. That makes her question everything she believed about her father; why on earth would he have it at all, much less stored in an attic where she was always forbidden to go?

Answering that question forms the basis of the plot, but it also was a source of frustration for me; it seemed like half the book was taken up with her questioning, musing, wondering, suspicions and indecision about whether or not to involve the police (read: over-the-top repetition). The other details, though, kept things interesting - including her relationship with old friend Fiona, her teenage son Owen, her ex-husband Darren (whose current wife is very pregnant) and her brother, whose wife Samantha is intent on making sure he gets his fair share of the inheritance pie. Complicating the whole mess is Paul McIntosh, who was convicted of murdering Jodie's boyfriend Ben all those years ago but swears he's innocent, decides to return home upon his release from prison.

Jodie waffles back and forth for the rest of the book, and I won't say I'm happy with the ending, which brings a tragedy that complicates that decision even more (if that's possible). But even though there was never any question about what I would do if all this happened to me, the ending does provide food for thought and, for those who might think otherwise, underscores the fact that nothing is written in black and white. In short, it's a more-than-decent choice for reading at the beach or next to a cozy fireplace in winter, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Boyfriend by Kerry Wilkinson (Bookouture, June 2022); 334 pp.

LOCAL GONE MISSING

4 stars out of 5

Call me crazy, but I'm sniffing the start of a new series "starring" detective Elise King. If I'm right, I'm certainly interested in reading the next one - even though this one is a bit too close to a cozy mystery to suit me (more on that later).

Set in the small by-the-sea town of Ebbing, England, Elise lives is on medical leave from the police Major Crime Team following cancer surgery, but she stays in touch with her capable partner, Caro Brennan. One evening, in the middle of a town festival that a town bigwig forced on the locals against their will, two teenagers overdose on drugs and a local man - Charlie Perry - goes missing. Elise isn't supposed to be on the job, but she gets roped in by way of friends (in particular, her neighbor Ronnie). She soon learns that although Charlie is quite popular in the community and has an almost middle-aged daughter, Birdie, in a full-time care facility, he has more than a few secrets that he's trying hard for years to hide.

Readers meet other characters along the way, including community house cleaner Dee Eastwood, who because of her work is privy to all kinds of secrets (and, not surprisingly, has a few of her own). Chapters move from the present to the past and back again - constantly - a technique of which I'm not fond but which the author does very well in this instance (well, I'm not any fonder of it than I used to be, but in this case it was far less confusing than it too-often is). 

For her part, Elise tries hard to investigate and avoid ruffling feathers of those who insist she shouldn't be back on the job - most of the time successfully. Near the end, she feels well enough to convince her supervisor that she can handle a return, by which time she and Ronnie have a pretty good handle on what's really going on - and the ending brings a bit of a surprise as well as "outs" a bunch of secrets and wraps things up nicely.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it, but I must say it tromps on the edges between being a police procedural and a cozy. Mostly, that's because Elise's neighbor Ronnie is obnoxious, pushy and won't take no for an answer (nor can Elise bring herself to utter that word to her friend) - a hallmark of just about every cozy I've ever read. I can't, for instance, imagine any professional police officer, even one off duty, allowing a civilian to be so fully involved in a department investigation except in a cozy. On the other hand, I will give the author kudos for her handling of the cancer issue; readers and the story's characters certainly feel empathy  toward Elise and what she's going through, but at no time is she treated like a victim (nor does she behave like one except for the occasional - and totally understandable - lapse into a temporary blue funk). Bottom line? An entertaining read - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton (Berkley, June 2022); 383 pp.

DREAM TOWN

4 stars out of 5

It's always refreshing when the old is new again - as in a return to the "private eyes" of the '50s. This is the third in the series featuring Aloysius Archer, a P.I. and World War II vet who plies his trade in Los Angeles. This one is a little darker than the first two, I think, but no less entertaining.

Archer works for friend Willie Dash at the latter's detective agency; as this story begins, he's planning a nice evening with old friend and love interest of sorts, Liberty Callahan to ring in the new year. Their dinner is interrupted by the appearance of Eleanor Lamb, a screenwriter and friend of Liberty. When she learns what Archer does for a living, she tells him she thinks someone is trying to kill her and hires a somewhat reluctant Archer to investigate.

Later, when he calls Ellie for more information, a man answers but hangs up. Curious, Archer heads for Ellie's house, only to find a dead body inside but no Ellie. Now more curious than ever - and worried that something bad may have happened to Ellie - he sets off on a journey that takes him through the bowels of 1950s Hollywood and the mob-infested casinos of Las Vegas and nearly gets himself killed.

And therein lies the best parts of the book; especially since I grew up in the 1950s with my nose in "movie star" magazines like "Photoplay" and "Modern Screen" to get the latest scoops on Marilyn Monroe, Pat Boone, Doris Day, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean (just to mention a few), the behind-the-scenes studio goings-on, not all of which were pleasant, were a treat to read about.

As for the plot, I can't reveal much more without running into spoiler territory. So, I'll just say I enjoyed this one (and the previous two) very much and think you will, too.

Dream Town by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, April 2022); 433 pp.