UNNATURAL DEATH

5 stars out of 5

If I've missed any books in this series over the years - this is the 27th - I'd be surprised. No surprise, then, that I consider Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta to be an old friend whose visits I look forward to. And to be sure, I enjoyed her company this time out. And while I won't reveal any secrets, I'm sure other loyal readers like me will be almost more surprised than the good doctor at the reemergence of a particularly nasty enemy.

Now based in Alexandria, Virginia, Scarpetta has, with the help of the governor, rid herself of a couple of cantankerous (make that downright dangerous) colleagues and starting to whip her lab into shape. Then, she gets called to a remote area to the north, where two campers have been savagely murdered - both impaled by ski poles, among other damages. Closer inspection reveals that they were killed by someone (or something) that has beyond-human capabilities.

Scarpetta and her chief investigator, Pete Marino, are joined by her Secret Service tech wizard niece Lucy, who flies in and out in a helicopter that does everything except make breakfast. While they're inspecting the crime scene and extricating the victims, Marino makes a discovery that chills his sole (and sends shivers down Scarpetta's back because of the possible repercussions).

When the victims are identified, it's learned that they were not the placid outdoor equipment store owners most folks thought they were; rather, they were criminals under investigation by law enforcement that includes Scarpetta's husband, FBI profiler Benton Wesley. The rest of the story focuses on finding out who, or what, killed the couple and why - all the while trying to stay out of the crosshairs of someone who would like nothing better than to bring down Scarpetta and everyone she loves. It certainly held my attention throughout, and needless to say I'm already looking forward to the next installment. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Unnatural Death by Patricia Cornwell (Grand Central Publishing, November 2023); 428 pp.

BAD BLOOD

4.5 stars out of 5.

This is a series I've been following for quite some time now - this is the 19th book - and at this point, I know going in that I won't be wasting my time. And once again, I was right. This one has a couple of threads going for it, starting with a murder victim who isn't really dead (well, until he really is) and a stalker who's driving a wedge between Detective Inspector Kim Stone and Stacy, one of her police colleagues at Halesowen Station. The wedge has come mostly because Stacy, believing the stalker will give up and go away even though he scares the daylights out of her, has said not a word to her wife, Devon, or Kim - both of whom are noticing Stacy's out-of-the-norm behavior.

The dead guy, though, takes center stage; he's been "posed" in an odd position - a clue? - and certainly gave off the appearance of a corpse when the medical examiner got to the scene. But then he started to breathe, so the hope was he could identify his attacker; but he died for real before he could say a word. He turned out to be an abuser with a track record that included jail and one suspected of continuing that pattern after he got out. Aha - could this be a revenge killing?

Not long after Stacy finally comes clean to her wife, another body turns up under circumstances similar to the first. As the investigation intensifies, Kim and her colleagues learn that both victims lived for a time at an institution for incorrigible youth, where they were part of a group dubbed the "Psycho Six." Another aha - could the revenge angle be pointing at someone in particular?

Needless to say, the plot thickens, bringing into question the possibility of a killer that Kim is reluctant to acknowledge. Throughout, there's plenty of action that kept me thumbing the pages of my e-reader well beyond my usual bedtime. Well done, as always, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Now bring on the next one!

Bad Blood by Angela Marsons (Bookouture, November 2023); 415 pp.

ODYSSEY'S END

4 stars out of 5

Private investigator Rick Cahill isn't having a great time of it, what with fighting what probably is a terminal brain disorder and missing the heck out of his wife Leah, who chose to get out of the line of fire that's all too common in his line of work and take their young daughter Krista (whom he misses even more) with her. His disease seems to be worsening a bit, with the accompanying rages of violence cropping up when he least needs them as he fights his urges to save humanity.

From out of nowhere, he gets a visit from an adversary who once inexplicably saved his life. Now, it seems, an aging Peter Stone has kidney failure and wants Rick to find his daughter in hopes that she can be a donor and save - or at least prolong - his life. Problem is, Stone, who opted out of the Witness Protection program to contact Rick, has no idea where the daughter is - and the daughter has no idea he's her father. Rick finds the job downright repugnant, at least until he learns that he'll be paid $50,000 for the job - money he can set aside for Krista's future.

Compounding the issue is that another deadly adversary, Russian mobster Sergei Volkov, is about to get out of prison much earlier than expected. Volkov has axes to grind with both Rick and Stone, albeit different ones; Stone's testimony helped seal Volkov's prison sentence, while his beef with Rick is more of a family matter. Either is quite capable of ending Rick's life at any given moment - either personally or by ordering their minions to do the job.

Rick really doesn't know who to trust - including the daughter - except for his loyal partner Moira, who agrees to help and plays a big role in the investigation that tries to get somewhere fast but for the most part gets bogged down in motel rooms and endless speculation. Alas, I can't be more specific without giving away too much, except to say that getting to the end isn't without serious complications for all the characters in this, the 10th installment of the series. As for me, I'll be waiting for the next one as usual - with these books, there's rarely a dull moment. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review this one.

Odyssey's End by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing, November 2023); 321 pp.

THE ALTAR GIRLS

5 stars out of 5

Although it's hard for me to imagine anyone who's life is so, well, discombobulated, I always look forward to reading more about Detective Lottie Parker from Ragmullin, Ireland. This is the 13th book in the series, and if nothing else, the edge-of-my-seat ending made this one a favorite so far. To be sure, the topic - the murder of children - isn't exactly fun, but coupled with Lottie's love and coworker Mark Boyd's exhaustive search for the son his ex-wife stole from him, the whole thing is a barn-burner.

It begins with the discovery of a young girl's body on the grounds of the local cathedral; Lottie is crossing her fingers that it isn't little Willow Devine, whose mother reported her missing earlier in the midst of a terrible snowstorm. Turns out it's Willow's friend, Naomi Kiernan; but while that brings some relief, it still means a child has been murdered - and the question of whether Willow has met the same fate.

After questioning numerous potential suspects, including a priest who isn't terribly forthcoming (and several parents with similar attitudes), the worst happens; Willow's body is found. In the midst of all this, Lottie must deal with her mother's ever-worsening dementia and Boyd's abandonment of the case as he runs off to follow a trail he hopes will lead to his son.

There's plenty of action throughout as the investigation and Boyd's search continue, as well as plenty of murder suspects, and it was a struggle putting it down as activities of daily life - like cooking dinner - intervened. By the time I reached the three-quarter mark, though, you couldn't have pried it out of my hands. Fortunately, it's easy to read, so my long-suffering hubby didn't have to go hungry for long. Now, I'm ready for the next one - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

The Altar Girls by Patricia Gibney (Bookouture, November 2023); 504 pp.

THE EDGE

4 stars out of 5

On the surface, ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine isn't all that much different from several others from several other series who are looking to outrun/compensate for/redeem themselves because of their pasts. But the author's considerable writing talent moves Travis way up on my list of favorites, where I'm sure he'll remain. My only concern now is how I missed the first installment (this is the second).

This time, Travis is called in by his boss to investigate the death of CIA operative Jenny Silkwell, the daughter of the boss's longtime friend and a former well-known politician. Not only is Travis charged with identifying Jenny's killer, he's to learn what happened to her laptop and phone, which could have contained critical and sensitive government secrets. The task sends Travis to the smallish town of Potter, Maine, not far from the Canadian border and Bay of Fundy.

There, the plot quickly thickens; he's to work with local law enforcement, who fall somewhere in between appreciating his assistance and perseverence and wanting to ride him out of town on a rail. Jenny's family, too, is a strange bunch; mom and dad are divorced and mom has remarried, while her sister Alex and brother Dak live in two different ends of the huge family mansion and rarely meet in the middle (perhaps for good reasons).

From the git-go, some things don't add up - including how Jenny's body ended up where it ended up. But Travis is getting push-back from the local cops, who would prefer that old pots not be stirred. Needless to say, that doesn't cut it for him, especially after even more discrepancies turn up and he gets to better know some of the local players. The cuts get deeper still when he finds connections to the past and - even more telling - others who have ties to Jenny turn up dead. Uh-oh, could Travis be next on the killer's list?

I'll never tell. And if you want to find out, read the book - I'm sure you won't be disappointed. In the end, events lead to the next installment - and I, for one, am on the "edge" of my seat hoping that happens soon. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. 

The Edge by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, November 2023); 461 pp.

BETRAYAL

4 stars out of 5

After reading one other in this series featuring former MMA fighter Robin Lockwood, I looked forward to another. And I'm happy to say this one (the 7th) doesn't disappoint - if anything, I enjoyed it more. This time around, Robin is a highly regarded defense attorney in Portland, Oregon. When a local family of four is murdered, the primary suspect is Mandy Kerrigan, a washed-up MMA fighter who once roundly defeated Robin, causing her to get out of the professional fight arena. Mandy, it seems, had beaten up the grown son of the murdered family and was even seen at their door not long before the bodies were discovered.

But Robin suspects the truth is more elusive, agreeing to defend her and, hopefully, identify the real killer or killers. Among the discoveries is the fact that the mother, Margaret Finch, was an attorney with a lucrative history of defending powerful mobsters, the father owed a ton of gambling debt and the aforementioned son was a drug dealer (plenty of reasons for payback, then).

The story, which employs flashbacks, follows Robin's investigation and courtroom proceedings as well as her budding romance with a colleague. There's plenty of action, all building up to a surprising end (well, sort of; fairly early on I made a deduction on my own that proved right on the money). All told, it's a very entertaining book, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Betrayal by Phillip Margolin (Minotaur Books, November 2023); 303 pp.

THE MANOR HOUSE

5 stars out of 5

My advice when reading this intriguing book? Don't take anything for granted. It's got more twists than a 10-pound bag of licorice sticks.
 

Nicole and Tom love their new home - an eye-popping custom-built model with lots of glass, a secluded location and a plethora of accoutrements including Tom's Maserati. But it wasn't always this way; not long ago, in fact, they were barely making ends meet. That changed when they won a bundle - several bundles, actually - in the lottery. Now they're living like the king and queen that Nicole always dreamed they would.

Then tragedy strikes; Nicole comes home from an outing and finds Tom dead in their swimming pool. She runs screaming to their neighbors' Manor House for help - the folks who sold Nicole and Tom the land for their dream house. Sasha and Olly are sympathetic, as is Kitty, their housekeeper who lives in their coach house. And so is Tom's longtime friend Patrick, with whom he recently had a major falling out; now, Patrick has returned with a giant apology and a promise to help Nicole get on with her life.

Tough situation, and one that gets worse by the day after the police begin to question whether Tom's death really was an accident. But at least Nicole is surrounded by friends and neighbors who can help her navigate the rough spots, right? Well, maybe, maybe not. Through flashback chapters, readers get glimpses into all the characters and events that led up to Tom's death. Mind you, I'm not a fan of this kind of writing; normally, it causes more confusion than it's worth. Here, however, I actually looked forward to them - and found my jaw dropping at more than one revelation. Put another way, just when I thought I had things figured out, I didn't.

By the end, I was so engrossed that I was actually happy to have an extra hour to finish the book (that was the night we set back the clocks to wipe out Daylight Savings Time - usually the biggest bummer night of my entire year). All in all, a treat to read - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan (William Morrow, November 2023); 331 pp.

THE TWELVE BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS

3.5 stars out of 5

Make no mistake: This is a favorite series of mine, and after reading this latest entry (the 17th), it still is. But I'll also say that if I listed them in rank order, this one wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the "best" list. 

And why might that be? Mostly, I think, because it's more pomp than circumstance. The plot lacks pizzazz (or much of anything of substance), and there's way too much exposition and lengthy description of what people are doing, where they're going and what they're eating. Even the ending, while it did wrap everything up nicely, was a bit underwhelming.

Venting aside, though, it's still an entertaining read; I seriously doubt this talented author could ever write a dud. The story here begins as Brooklyn Wainwright, a book restoration expert, has moved to Sonoma wine country with her handsome husband, security consultant Derek Stone. In the midst of pre-Christmas celebrations, she gets a call from good friend Claire, who is in Scotland preparing to marry Cameron, a castle laird - and she wants Brooklyn and Derek to serve as their witnesses. Amid all the excitement, it's also decided that Brooklyn's parents (her mother is active in a local druidic Wiccan group) will tag along as well. Claire also hopes that Brooklyn will help solve a mystery: a dozen Christmas-related books, some quite valuable, have gone missing from the castle library - which is open to the public.

As might be expected, not everything goes exactly as planned; the young woman hired to maintain the previously neglected library doesn't seem up to the task; strange things go bump in the night, and the women of the town, located on the banks of Loch Ness, haven't exactly warmed up to the notion that Claire will be the lady of the castle - now or ever. On the plus side, thanks to the loyal keeper of the castle and her competent staff, no one will ever go hungry; at every opportunity, delicacies (and of course, tea) appear almost from nowhere.

But alas; also from nowhere appears a dead body - followed not long after by a second one. Those discoveries, needless to say, force a wedding postponement and an investigation that, of course, is joined by Brooklyn and Derek (though the former is still focusing on the missing library books). Also of course, that's where I must stop; revealing anything more could spoil things for other readers. That said, this is a cozy mystery; I've yet to read one in which things don't work out well for the main characters, and this one's no exception. And Brooklyn remains a bit of an anomaly among cozy heroines; she doesn't go off on tangents, plays nice with the police and doesn't have a "sidekick" to whom she listens instead of the voice of reason (and for that, I'm eternally grateful and a loyal reader). I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one. 

The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle (Berkley, October 2023); 319 pp.