COLD BLOODED LIAR

4 stars out of 5

When it comes to books, if I see the word "romance" in the description my eyes start to cross, my nose twitches and my lips start puckering up to say "Noooooo." But since I've read and enjoyed a couple of other books by this talented author - and since the other descriptive word is "suspense" - I crossed my fingers and went for it.

And it worked out just fine. Oh, there are hints at romance - mostly, I think, as a lead-in to the second book in the "San Diego Case Files" series - and much of them are to me downright silly. But it's hardly the overarching theme - identifying a longtime serial killer is the real deal here - so it's easy to overlook if your sappy stuff perspective is as jaded as mine. The focus is on Katherine (Kit) McKittrick, an ace detective with the San Diego Police Department. An otherwise competent woman who struggles with trust issues as a result of her past - which includes a long stint in the foster system - Kit is hard-pressed to trust psychologist Dr. Sam Reeves when he risks his professional career by calling the police about one of his patients - a pathological liar. The romance part rears its head when Kit, who is infatuated with Sam (reluctantly of course) can't quite bring herself to consider him a suspect when the body of a young woman is unearthed following his phone tip. 

The discovery is gruesome just because of the crime, but it quickly gets even worse when the killer's M.O. matches that of a never-caught serial killer of young women. More ties to Sam turn up, making it even harder for Kit to believe he's innocent - compounded by the fact that her longtime partner and mentor, Basil "Baz" Constantine, thinks she should take off her rose-colored glasses and at least entertain the possibility that he's not the all-around sweetheart he seems to be. Honestly, there's a little too much waffling on Kit's part to suit me, and I think the author was a little too heavy-handed with trying to polish his halo, but happily he - and she - are such likeable characters (Baz even more so) that it matters not.

The story follows the intense investigation as well as insights from Kit's troubled past to her close relationship with her "last" foster parents who are almost too good to be believable, but their relationship with their charges tugged at my heartstrings anyway. The ending brings a surprise - unwelcome to several of the characters for various reasons I can't reveal - and a sigh of disappointment from me just because the whole thing was over and I'll have to wait for the next installment. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done! 

Cold Blooded Liar by Karen Rose (Berkley, February 2023); 464 pp.

MURDER AT HAVEN'S ROCK

5 stars out of 5

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but with just 10% or so left to go in this book, I quite literally stood at the stove stirring pasta sauce with one hand and the other holding my Kindle (never mind what that did to my eyes). Yeah, if that's not a good indication that I really didn't want to put this one down, I don't know what is.

I'm always excited about the prospect of getting in at the beginning of a new series, although to be fair, this is an offshoot of the author's "Rockton" series (seven books, I believe, but correct me if I'm wrong). Those books centered on a town in the wilds of Canada that was created as a harbor for people who, well, need to get off the grid for one reason or another and Casey Duncan, a homicide detective with a secret of her own. Apparently, something happened there that meant starting over - and Casey and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are helping to finance and oversee the building of a new town deep in the Alaskan forest called Haven's Rock that will serve the same function as Rockton. 

In case you're wondering, I've not read any of the Rockton novels, and at no time did I feel disadvantaged as a result; this one stands very well on its own (with an ending, not surprisingly, that provides fodder for the next book, which I certainly plan to read). As the story begins here, Casey, Eric and their smart-as-a-whip dog are on their way to visit Haven's Rock at the invitation of Yolanda, the project general contractor. Somehow, Yolanda explains, the project architect and engineer, Penny and Bruno, respectively, have gone missing. Everyone working on the project has been warned many times over to not wander off into the surrounding wilds (if for no other reason, because the area is known to be populated with critters who aren't exactly people-friendly. Early on, their worst fears are confirmed as the body of a young woman turns up - and it's clear she's a murder victim.

As the investigation progresses, readers get to know (and, at least in my case) love Casey and Eric. Clearly, they're not your run-of-the-mill folks - after all, they're the ones who will be overseeing what most would consider to be a group of societal misfits, and they'd probably put themselves in that category as well. That's underscored by the fact that except for each other (plus Casey's sister April, a neurosurgeon who's on the autism spectrum, and their former deputy, Will Anders), they don't trust a single soul at the construction site. The action heats up as secrets are unearthed - along with another body or two - and it doesn't stop till the whole thing is resolved (coincidentally, that's about the same time I stopped holding my breath).

All told, it's a well-written, entertaining adventure and I'm looking forward to the next one. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Wonderful!

Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong (Minotaur Books, February 2023); 352 pp.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE

4 stars out of 5

Actually, readers get the answer to the title question at the very start of the book. From that point on, the story mostly focuses on the lives of the "we" and how what happened a quarter of a century ago impacts what's happening in their lives now.

And what's happening isn't good. In fact, one of them, a judge, is dead - a murder victim. Another, a TV show producer and in-debt gambler, narrowly misses a similar fate. So does a third, a former rock star who can't give up the drugs and alcohol that kept him going during the glory years. The fourth, now a happy wife and mother, is learning that her previous life has come back to haunt her. Besides their shared actions all those years ago, the group shared one other thing: residence in a group home known as Savior House. The home was shut down after several of the resident children went missing; little by little (or chapter by chapter), layers of the past are peeled back to become clues as to what's going on now from the perspective of the remaining friends.

Gradually, they (and readers) realize they're not just paranoid; someone really IS out to get them - most likely someone who somehow found out what they did all those years ago. But who? Aye, there's the rub; can they get the answer to that question before they all get rubbed out? The ending does bring a twist or two, and there's plenty of action in between. Very enjoyable - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of another book by this very talented author.

What Have We Done by Alex Finlay (Minotaur Books, March 2023); 368 pp.

DEVICE FREE WEEKEND

3.5 stars out of 5

If I've learned anything after reading several books in which a villain "captures" a character or group of characters and challenges them in some way to get out alive (think: escape rooms and elevators), it's that they grab you by the teeth from the git-go. But there's a catch: that kind of a start requires an in-your-face ending as well; when that doesn't happen - and for me it didn't here - a good bit of that early magic disappears.

Anyway, here's the deal: Ryan Cloverhill, a sort of blend between Elon Musk and Bill Gates with a touch of Larry Ellison, has invited six close friends from college to stay on his private island in the Puget Sound area. It's to be a great reunion with all expenses paid - but the guests must leave all their electronic devices at the door. With so much to see, do and talk about, no one seems to care about staying connected; until, that is, the second day of their somewhat mysterious adventure when Ryan has gone missing and they realize they're isolated from all other humankind.

Finally, Ryan touches base (by way of extremely high-tech equipment he's installed in the mansion in which they're all imprisoned) and hints at what's to come. At first, it all sounds like some kind of game (Clue, perhaps?); but it soon becomes clear something far more macabre is in the works. Collectively, Ryan informs them, they must make a decision that has no "good" outcome.

There's no shortage of action, some of it devastating, but as the story progressed it began to challenge believability. With the possible exception of one character, I never really warmed up to any of the college buddies - especially after details of their private lives began to be revealed. And besides wondering how in the world Ryan could possibly have pulled all this off, I kept hoping he'd somehow get bumped off and the story would end happily ever after.

Stuck in between is a ton of technology explanations, most above my intellectual pay grade. The actual ending, which did wrap things up somewhat neat and tidy, seemed more of a rationalization for the chaos Ryan's actions unleashed than any retribution he (IMHO) deserved. Despite all my misgivings, though, I'll say this is a well-written, well-thought-out book worth reading; if nothing else, it highlights the seedier side that technological advances can bring - and looking at those from both sides now really isn't a bad idea. Thanks go to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review. Oh, and to the author: This former copy editor says you need that hyphen.

Device Free Weekend by Sean Doolittle (Grand Central Publishing, February 2023); 288 pp.

HER DEADLY GAME

4 stars out of 5

When it comes to mysteries and thrillers - my favorite category of books - I gravitate first to those with a legal and/or medical theme. Such is the case with this one, which introduces lawyer and grown-up chess prodigy Keera Duggan in her first big case for the family firm. I don't know if she's destined for a series or not, but if so, count me in as one who will be reading.

Actually, Keera is a reluctant addition to the family firm, led by her well-documented alcoholic father and three sisters. But she had little choice; fresh off a soured relationship with a heavy-hitting Seattle prosecuting attorney who's out to destroy her professionally every chance he gets, the only haven for her for now is in the arms of her more-than-a-little dysfunctional family. But then, the firm lands what could be the opportunity of a lifetime: uber-rich financial guru Vince LaRussa, who is accused of murdering his disabled wife Anne. He's got a reasonable alibi, but it's far from airtight; and turns out he's got a honker of a motive. To make matters worse, who do you suppose is the prosecuting attorney?

Constantly bickering with her sisters and concerned that her former top-tier attorney father, Patrick "Patsy" Duggan, will once again fall off the wagon, Keera gets help from likable cop-turned private investigator J.P. Harrison and hones her strategizing with a challenging online game of chess with a mysterious opponent. As she navigates the trial facing a prosecutor whose ethics are suspect and a judge who, let's say, isn't a Patsy fan, Keera digs in her heels deep enough to reach what just may be a very uncomfortable truth.

In particular, I enjoyed the courtroom activity; the chess back-and-forths a little less so, but that's simply because the few games I've actually played mostly made me realize I don't really want to play any more. More often than not, the transition from setting to setting seemed a little disjointed, but overall the story was intriguing enough that it didn't matter much and I'm sure that other fans of the author will be happy as well. As I said early on, I'm hoping this is the start of a series, because I'm looking forward to another one. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to get in on the action with a pre-release copy to read and review.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, March 2023); 396 pp.

HARD TO BREAK

3.5 stars out of 5

I read and enjoyed the first book in this series but somehow missed the second; this, the third, was a bit disappointing compared with the first. Apparently, former Navy SEAL is on the outs with his former colleagues and is trying to remain under their radar. For too much of this book, he remains that way as he's captured early on and scenes jump around to other characters and scenarios that don't seem to make much sense till they eventually begin to come together.

Anyway, Gannon's grown son Declan is having a birthday before he sets out to do his thing, so Gannon decides a grizzly bear hunt in a remote part of Alaska is what he needs for a send-off. That trip goes south early on when he's waiting alone for snowmobile repairs and gets chased by a couple of big bruisers clearly intent on causing him bodily harm. As it turns out, they don't kill him; in fact, when he wakes up, he's a prisoner somewhere in Mexico (as far as I could tell).

Why he was captured and by whom takes up a lot of the middle of the book, and some of this part was confusing to me. It started to make a little more sense with the realization that his captor - a former military colleague - is now a filthy rich lunatic drug lord who's managed to twist the truth about his relationship with Gannon (or was brainwashed into believing a non-truth) into a vendetta.

And that's about all I can reveal, except to say that things turn exciting for the last quarter of the book, keeping me pretty much on the edge of my seat from that point on. I think fans of the series will like this one as well - as did I, but just not as much as the first one. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this one.

Hard to Break by Michael Ledwidge (Hanover Square Press, January 2023); 384 pp.

THE LAST GRUDGE

5 stars out of 5

I've read and enjoyed two other books in this series featuring Helsinki, Finland, police detective Jessica Niemi. This one begins as Jessica is on leave after being seriously injured in an attack; one hand still isn't functioning very well, and she's still plagued with mysterious and disturbing "sightings" of her late mother and haunted by a few other occult-type demons triggered by events in her past. In fact, for the first half or so of the book, she doesn't play a prominent role.

In her absence, the role of good cop pretty much falls to her friend and colleague Jusef Pepple, a competent and very likable character in his own right. He's called in when a very rich man is murdered in his very well secured home right under the ever-watchful eye of his longtime bodyguard Joonas Lamberg. Apparently a tyrant in the world of business, he'd just made a deal that would close a local factory and put some 3,000 employees out of work - so the lineup of possible suspects could stretch for miles. When Jusef and his team find a years-earlier photo of the victim and two other men, both of whose faces are scratched out, the motive becomes a little more clear.

But motive alone won't do it; given the security, means and opportunity to commit the murder appear to be nonexistent. So while Jessica continues to battle her demons on her own - occasionally conferring with Yusef when he begs her to help - the police scramble to figure out how anyone could have pulled off the murder in what was a scant window of time without being seen or heard.

Those details are the most I can provide without giving too much away, so I'll just say this is another entertaining entry into what I've come to know as a really good series. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy. Well done once again!

The Last Grudge by Max Seeck (Berkley, February 2023); 448 pp.

THE LAST KINGDOM

4 stars out of 5

This book, the author says, fulfills a dream; but while the plot is certainly intriguing (and timely), it was so complicated and filled with so many characters that I found myself snoring here and there. That said, though, it was engrossing enough that for the most part I didn't want to put it down (I even took it to bed to finish, which normally is a no-no for me).

The setting is Bavaria, many years after King Ludwig II reportedly drowned in 1886, three days after being deposed. But legend has it he took a few secrets with him, including the results of his search for a new "kingdom" (hence the title of the book). Another legend involves the possible existence of a 19th century deed to property that's now extremely valuable; the true owner stands to reap considerable financial benefits if that deed is found.

But therein lies the problem; no one seems to know where it might be. Luke Daniels, who was mentored by former Magellan Billet operative Cotton Malone, is in the German state, managing to infiltrate a somewhat secret group of people who are desperate to gain independence from Germany. Meanwhile, Malone - who retired a dozen years ago as a U.S. Justice Department intelligence officer - now lives in Denmark and operates a store that specializes in rare books. Occasionally, he reverts to his former profession, as he does here when he spots Luke in the middle of a tough situation. Then he meets up with old acquaintance Derrick Kogen, who asks for help on behalf of another former colleague in dealing with Bavarian Prince Stefan von Bayern, who supposedly is intent on bringing down the United States. It is then that Cotton learns about former King Ludwig's new kingdom and all the ramifications thereof.

If all that sounds a bit confusing, it is; scenes shift from one group of characters to another, and while readers can be pretty sure which side Cotton is on, shoring up the others isn't always so clear. There are chases, near misses and hits as various characters, including Cotton and Luke, chase down the truth about the new kingdom and the deed. It all leads up to an action-packed ending with a couple of twists I didn't see coming. The chases and battles are exciting, and overall it's a rousing adventure. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry (Grand Central Publishing, February 2023); 400 pp.

THE SCORNED

4.5 stars out of 5

It's hard not to love hard-scrapping former LAPD cop Bruno Johnson - even though he's killed way more than his share of bad guys, he's got a heart behind his shoulder holster. For the most part, that heart belongs to his family - at this point, he's got a very pregnant wife, Marie, an aging father who's dying of cancer and at least 10 youngsters of varying ages stashed away in a Costa Rica compound. He'd also go to the mat for his even scrappier buddy, Karl Drago, whose best friend is his uber-loyal dog Waldo.

As his local doctor friend and his wife assist with Marie's difficult birth of their son, the wife pulls Bruno aside to ask his help with bringing their college-age daughter Layla, who's being stalked and claims to be in danger, back from Los Angeles. Problem is, of course, Bruno is a wanted man in the states; if he's caught, it's a pretty sure bet he'll spend the rest of his life behind bars. But he's got a debt to settle with the doctor and his wife, so he agrees - with the doctor's good wife and his mostly estranged, con artist mother Bea - who has turned up in Costa Rica but wants to return to the good old US of A.

At this point, I'm quite sure I'd have told both women to buzz off and let me alone, but Bruno, being Bruno, agrees to their demands and off they go (with a promise to a groggy Marie that he'd be back in a couple of days). Once they get on U.S. soil, however, the entire dynamic changes; both mom and the doctor's wife disappear, and Bruno finds out that, among other things, Layla's mother came along so she could bring money to pay kidnappers for her daughter's return. When that plan falls apart - big surprise, the kidnappers want more - Bruno knows he needs to find Layla himself and calls Drago for help. That plan is fraught with danger as well, but they do find Layla alive and telling quite a different story; it's not a stalker she has, but a baby - and the notorious criminal baby daddy doesn't want to give him up.

And it is at that point that I must respectfully bow out; giving out more details would spoil the story for other readers. Suffice it to say that, as is the case with the other books in this very enjoyable series, bodies and body parts dot the landscape like fireflies in the early summer night sky. Almost no one save Bruno and Drago seems to tell the truth, so twists and surprises keep readers turning pages not only to find out who survived the latest go-round, but which, if any, can be counted on in a pinch (or sting).

As I alluded to earlier, it's hard for me to understand how Bruno can so easily rationalize away and even forgive the bad behavior of other people - once burned, twice shy and thrice gone from my life tends to be my motto. Still, the whole thing makes for a great, edge-of-your-seat story - and I've gotta love a pooch who can turn the nastiest of the nasties into slobbering globs of jelly almost with a glance in their direction. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of another of these gems!

The Scorned by David Putnam (Oceanview, February 2023); 353 pp.

STORM WATCH

5 stars out of 5

Pick a hot-button topic: Cybercurrency mining. Survivalists hoping to overthrow the government. Conspiracy theories. Politicians with questionable campaign donors. Chinese interference. You'll find 'em all in here. And caught smack dab in the middle are Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett and his falcon-loving, former fugitive-from-justice friend Nate Romanowski.

The whole thing begins as Joe is looking for a wounded elk that needs to be put out of her misery and seems to be wandering around on a friend's remote property. Mission accomplished, but in the process Joe comes across something a bit more worrisome: a dead body half in, half out of a building from which strange sounds are emanating. The friend is evasive, and the subsequent identification of the body brings more questions than answers.

Meantime, as Nate is dealing with burgeoning demand for his bird abatement business, he's approached by a shady guy who wants him to join a group of men who, like Nate, don't trust the government - but who want to kick their distrust up more than a few notches. Given his background, Nate is willing to listen - but will he jump in knowing the guns may come out?

In the midst of this is the weather - snow deep enough to bring a several-ton plow to its knees - and a state governor who's power hungry, itching to get reelected and decidedly not a fan of Joe, who was aligned with the previous governor who just might decide to run again. All told, once the action gears up it's full speed ahead right up to an ending that probably has more potential to go wrong than right - and the whole thing held my attention throughout. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review another of the books in one of my favorite series. Well done!

Storm Watch by C.J. Box (G.P. Putnam's Sons, February 2023); 368 pp.