THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK

4 stars out of 5

The subject matter of this book - the capture and torture of young girls - isn't for the squeamish. I'm okay with that, actually, but on the other hand, no way will I call it fun to read, so forewarned is forearmed. It begins with what should be a joyous event: Ellie Black, who went missing and was declared dead several years earlier as a teenager, wanders out of a local Washington state woods. Her parents, of course, are ecstatic; but quickly, it becomes evident that she's not the same daughter they knew when she disappeared.

The local police are ecstatic as well - including Detective Chelsey Calhoun, for whom Ellie's sudden reappearance triggers unwelcome but always-there memories of her sister Lydia, who disappeared 20 years ago and later was declared dead. Eager to find the person or persons responsible for Ellie's abduction partly to assuage her guilt surrounding her sister's situation, Chelsey jumps into the investigation with both feet. She's so eager to solve the case, in fact, that she quickly alienates her teacher husband of less than two years, Noah, who wants her to ease up a little so they can behave like a "normal" couple.

Ellie herself, though, isn't much help; she refuses to cooperate or speak of where she's been and what she experienced during her absence - not even to a professional therapist. But while that leaves Chelsey grasping at straws much of the time, readers get the scoop: interspersed throughout are chapters from Ellie's viewpoint, telling us what really went on behind closed doors. Slowly and methodically, Chelsey begins to make headway into the investigation, leading up to a couple of in-your-face revelations at the end (one of which I'd correctly surmised but the other something of a gobsmacker).

All told, then, it's a winner in my book and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean (Simon & Schuster, May 2024); 316 pp.

MIND GAMES

4 stars out of 5

A titch scary. A little hard to believe. A lot sappy. But dang it all, I didn't want to put it down.

The scary part comes early on with the gruesome murder of 12-year-old Thea Cox's parents - a horrible incident that Thea and her grandmother, Lucy, both "see" as it happens. Thea and her younger brother, Rem, then go to live in Redbud Hollow in rural Kentucky, Thanks to Thea's visions, the killer was caught, convicted and sentenced to life in prison - and since then the children have for the most part thrived. But it seems the killer himself has the vision - and from his prison cell, he uses it to torment Thea by entering her mind. Over the years, she's learned to shut him out for the most part, but he finds new ways to burrow in again.

While in college, Thea learns how to develop computer games, which she turns into a highly profitable business. Grandma Lucy is a businesswoman as well, making handmade soaps and similar items from her home workshop in Kentucky. Over the years, Thea keeps her gift alive by helping police solve otherwise unsolvable cases - much as she did to bring her parents' murderer to justice. 

Things take a new turn when an elderly neighbor passes away, leaving her property to an on-hiatus rock star and his adorable young son. As chance would have it (yeah, right!), Thea once had a huge crush on the guy, which of course is rekindled when they meet. The romance heats up - until her gift collides with his way-over-the-top reaction (at which point I'd have kicked the idiot to the curb, but then that's just me). 

Finally, Thea reaches the limit of her tolerance and vows to bring the head games to a halt - hopefully without losing herself in the process. It all makes for an exciting ending. Definitely worth reading, and for the record, I wouldn't be opposed to reading more on the adventures of Thea and her grandmother. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. 

Mind Games by Nora Roberts (St. Martin's Press, May 2024); 352 pp.

THINK TWICE

4 stars out of 5

Three words I'll use to describe this book: complex, confusing (a little bit) and sad. The complex and confusing, I think, come because there's a ton of characters to keep straight - making it a bit confusing when I couldn't remember who someone I'd read about six chapters earlier was. The sad part I'll get to in a bit, so bear with me.

Attorney and former basketball great Myron Bolitar has returned to his agency that represents celebrity clients, mostly those in sports, which he shares with partner Win Lockwood in New York City. One fine day, a couple of Feds march in demanding to know where to find Myron's former friend and client, basketball star Greg Downing. And they won't take Myron's word when he tells them Greg has an excellent reason for being missing: he's been dead and buried for three years.

Needless to say, all this is news to Myron and Win, both of whom were at Greg's funeral. The Feds, however, offer compelling evidence to the contrary; Greg's DNA was found at the scene of the recent murder of Cecelia Callister and her son Clay. So back to the original question - where is Greg, really? 

The case is further complicated by the fact that Greg "stole" Myron's girlfriend away years ago, leaving her as his widow when he "died." He also left a grown son, Jeremy, who actually is Myron's son but who believes Greg to be his biological father (all this has been revealed in previous books in the series, of which this book is the 12th). So while Myron and Win have mixed feelings about Greg including whether or not he's found, they feel a responsibility to locate him - if in fact he's really alive - and represent him if he's arrested for the murders.

From this point on, almost anything I'd say would be too much; but trust me, there's plenty of action as well as some surprises. And that brings me to the end (well, almost), which is where the aforementioned sad part comes in. Here, too, I can't get specific, but suffice it to say I was plenty worried (and remain so days after I finished the book). To be sure, I'm already hoping the next installment will be forthcoming sooner rather than later. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. 

Think Twice by Harlan Coben (Grand Central Publishing, May 2024); 362 pp.

THE INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS

5 stars out of 5

One thing is certain when you're dealing with private investigator Charlie Parker - there'll be some other-worldly "stuff" in it. This is the 21st book in the series - I've read several others - and this one certainly doesn't spoil the pattern.

When Colleen Clark's son Henry goes missing, as is customary, the parents are early-on suspects. When evidence appears to not only confirm that the young boy is dead, Colleen - who by her own admission suffered from post-partum depression - is arrested for his murder. That her husband, and just about every former friend and neighbor, are convinced of her guilt as well doesn't help her case.

But Charlie's long-time friend and attorney, Moxie Castin, will; he'll serve as her attorney. And of course, he enlists Charlie's help. At the outset, both are suspicious of the husband, who even without the evidence seemed convinced that his wife did the dirty deed. 

Even with the evidence, though, a body certainly would bolster the case on one side or the other. Enter into the picture a remote cabin deep in the woods of Maine that seems to harbor those aforementioned other-worldly secrets and that isn't far from a cult-like settlement of Fascists. In the midst of the investigation comes Sabine Drew, a psychic who claims to have heard Henry's plaintive cries from somewhere nearby. No one believes her, of course, except possibly Charlie - who knows firsthand what it's like to be in touch with those who've gone on (somewhere) before. 

As he investigation progresses, another of Charlie's old enemies, Bobby Ocean, pops up, opening up the necessity of bringing in Charlie's bodacious friends and bodyguards, Angel and Louis (love these guys). That, in turn, brought up what perhaps is the best-ever description of a thug-style bodyguard, who "probably barely emerged from the womb before the obstretrician offered him twenty bucks to watch the surgery door."

There's plenty more murder and mayhem from this point to the end, and I loved every minute of it. Many thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to binge on a pre-release copy of this latest installment of a favorite series.

The Instruments of Darkness by John Connolly (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, May 2024); 508 pp.

IT HAD TO BE YOU

4 stars out of 5

All the books in this series have been entertaining, and this one - the eighth - is no exception. Laurie Moran, producer of the "Under Suspicion" true crime TV show, is trying to work her magic despite ongoing squabbles with boss Brett Young and the show host, attorney Ryan Nichols. 

Laurie gets an opportunity to revisit the unsolved case of a wealthy couple who, while celebrating the college graduation of twin sons Ethan and Simon, were brutally murdered in their home a decade ago. Thanks in part to an eyewitness, the police - and just about everyone else - are convinced that one of the twins did the dirty deed, but there's insufficient evidence to bring charges (and besides, the twins are identical, so who's to say which one it was)? The twins themselves, once very close, have become estranged - mostly because each thinks the other one is guilty.

An intriguing case for sure; but convincing everyone involved back then to revisit unhappy memories isn't an easy task. But it's one Laurie has taken on many times in the past, and she manages to corral most of the still-living people to be interviewed for the show in the hopes that new evidence will turn up to make the cold case (and her TV show) hot.

As the investigation continues, with help from Laurie's former-cop father Leo Farley, secrets from the past are revealed - some dead ends, others not. The end is a bit of a mess, actually - and a little hard for me to swallow. The characters, though, seemed to have little problem with the outcome, so I guess that's what counts most. Laurie's family gets a boost or two as well, but that's a secret other readers will have to learn for themselves. So until next time, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. 

It Had to Be You by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, April 2024); 268 pp.

THE SECRET LIVES OF BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS

4 stars out of 5

It's safe to say that I'm a voracious reader; every year for the past half-dozen or so, I've read more than 100 (mostly mysteries and thrillers, if anyone cares to know). During the years our children were, well, children, and I had little free time to read for my own pleasure, I read to them - until they learned to read and took matters into their own hands. The point is, I've more than paid my dues at libraries and bookstores, and I have nothing but respect and admiration (and a little bit of envy) for those who own, manage or work in them. This book, then, was fun to read - listening in, as it were, to insights and inspiration from those who are being there, doing that and telling us why they think what they do is important - which, in fact, it is. 

Several spoke of the special satisfaction that comes from interacting with children (an issue near and dear to my own heart). As Mary Terry of a Barnes & Noble in Beaumont, Texas, noted, "A kid who reads is a kid who thinks."

At the Cleveland Public Library, Erica Marks says she's always on the lookout for books written by and speakers who are people of color - to better serve her community. Meg Wasmer, owner of Copper Dog Books in Beverly, Massachusetts, sees herself as a "detective" as much as a bookseller; she once located a book primarily based on the customer's report that the book she wanted had a blue cover. I can relate; I've lost count of the times over the years that I've advised people who need questions answered to check with the reference librarian at their local library (hint: they're s-m-a-r-t, and they know things).

More than one respondent spoke of another issue that has reared its ugly head again of late - attempts to ban books. The book professionals maintain, and I couldn't agree more, that parents can choose what their own children read; but they absolutely, positively do not have the right to choose the books anyone else's kids do.

The bottom line? If nothing else, this relatively short book is a nice tribute to some hard-working, dedicated and often under-appreciated professionals - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann (Little, Brown and Co., April 2024); 333 pp.

EXTINCTION

5 stars out of 5

Well, it's hard to get more timely than genetic manipulation - and when it's rooted in fact and jazzed up with murder and mayhem, it makes for a hard-to-put-down story (even if parts are a little implausible). Chalk up another one I stayed up past my bedtime to finish.

The story begins at the Erebus Resort, an exclusive and uber-expensive safari-like place at which guests can see animals that became extinct eons ago (think: woolly mammoths). That came about as a result of the aforementioned genetic manipulation, done at an onsite laboratory, coupled with backing from the billionaire owner. But all things that must pass aren't good; the son of another billionaire and his bride who are honeymooning at the lodge suddenly disappear with no trace except an overabundance of blood left outside their tent.

Enter Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frankie Cash, who is called in amid what experts called a kidnapping until hard evidence - meaning bones - proves the honeymooners were murdered. Cash pretty much runs the investigative show from that point on, together with personable and very capable Colorado Sheriff James Colcord. Their job is far from easy, though; not only are there other lodge guests to consider, but there's a motion picture being shot on other parts of the Erebus-owned land (if I'm honest, that part of the story seemed a little more like filler-upper than relevant, but it did make for some tense moments). 

Amid the investigation come sightings of unidentified beings that seem to appear from nowhere and disappear to the same place - but whoever or whatever they are, it's clear they're not there to make friends. Finally, it's determined that they may hang out in one of the abandoned gold mines located in the hills of the property. But who are they, and maybe more to the immediate point, who are they really out to destroy and why? Readers learn the grisly details, sometimes in grisly fashion, as the investigation plays out - and they may be more sinister with more far-reaching implications that anyone possibly could have imagined.

After you read the book - and if you enjoy a good thriller, I recommend that you do - be sure to read the author's notes at the end for some interesting and factual background. In some ways, it's even scarier than the book. And in the end, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

Extinction by Douglas Preston (Forge Books, April 2024); 384 pp.