ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE SHADOW

5 stars out of 5

Wow! I've always enjoyed books in this series, but this one is a real barn-burner! Besides that, the story clears up a good bit of previously murky background on main character Jason Bourne, who has been treading water, so to speak, after running from the spy-laden Treadstone organization and trying to revive deeply buried memories of who, and what, he once was.

For none of which, alas, I can reveal specifics; you'll just have to read the book for yourself. I can, however, provide something of an outline of events that officially begin as Jason is in Paris for the summer amid riots surrounding a major government election and a dangerous neo-Nazi organizers. Months earlier, he'd reluctantly left his latest love, Abbey Laurent, in Quebec City under a cloud; in Paris, he's hoping she'll contact him so they can reconnect once again. Instead, he gets a message from a Treadstone colleague that someone is hunting the man known as Cain - the person the original David Webb, a.k.a. Cain, a.k.a. Jason Bourne. 

Eventually, he's found by a woman who claims to be related to Monika Roth, the woman at one time he was going to marry (insert backstory here). Monika, it seems, had disappeared supposedly for good with Jason's help; now, her sister insists that finding her is urgent. Jason, who desperately wants to remember details from his complicated past, agrees to help.

From there, it's the thrill of the chase; as clues turn up as to Monika's whereabouts, Jason and Joanna find themselves chased by baddies intent on taking them out - or find said baddies are ready and waiting for them at their next destination. Along the way, Jason has to rely on people who may or may not be on his side - and hope some of his long-lost memories will return to help him figure out if there's anyone he can trust. It all leads to a bang-up (and surprising) ending and hints of a new direction with a too-familiar ring.

All told, this is one I had trouble putting down and one of the best I've read of the post-Ludlum installments. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Shadow by Brian Freeman (G.P. Putnam's Sons, July 2024); 400 pp.

LADYKILLER

3.5 stars out of 5

Despite an abundant supply of truly unlikable, mostly unrelatable characters, this story grabbed me from the beginning and enticed me to hang in there right to the end - if only to see which of them finally got their comeuppance. Then I got to the end, and well, that didn't exactly happen - quickly deflating my bubble of anticipation.

But let's back up: Central to the story are Abby and Gia, who became best friends as children at Gia's family home in Greece. When they were mostly grown, some kind of tragedy occurred during the summer before college that resulted in a bit of a rift between them. Abby ended up in Atlanta after finishing law school, but the two haven't been close in recent years. Abby is surprised, then, to be invited to a fancy resort in Sweden to help Gia celebrate her 30th birthday and see her younger brother Benny and, most important, her new husband, Garrett. Given Gia's custom of going off the rails whenever and wherever she is, Abby is taken aback - but not surprised - to learn they married within a scandalously short time after meeting each other.

Besides the party, Gia is preparing to sell the family home - mostly out of financial necessity; she's still rolling in dough, but the inheritance left by her late father is meager is comparison to the amount he gave away so it won't last forever. Amid all this, Gia says she's decided to write another memoir (her first book was a modest success). The manuscript, which reflects major events in Gia's life, then becomes chapters in this book that are interspersed with snippets from Abby's perspective. Soon, it becomes clear that much of the plot hinges on what awful thing happened that summer more than a decade ago mingled with the awful goings on in Gia's newly married life. And for sure, there's a lot - including a mysterious couple and an abundance of fairly graphic sex scenes (I offer this as a warning to those who don't like to read about such things).

Gia's birthday party, meantime, takes a surprising turn; when Abby and Benny arrive, in fact, Gia isn't there. They get no response at first to text messages and calls to Gia in Greece, followed by messages from Gia that don't quite ring true. Something's gone wrong for sure, so Abby and Benny head for Greece in hopes of setting matters straight - with Abby continuing to hope her friends never find out what really happened in that summer long ago. As an aside, I'll note that readers learn the truth - which in my opinion turned out to be much ado about nothing.

Of course, the story is more complicated than that - but you'll have to read it for yourself to find out the details. There are several interesting and, dare I say, dangerous twists, though most didn't come as a big surprise to me. What WAS surprising is how gullible an otherwise worldly grown woman can be. Then came that ending, which I eagerly approached thinking all the loose ends would be tied up. But that was not to be, leaving me disappointed (but with a vague thought that perhaps there's a sequel in the works).

Still, there's plenty to like here, so overall I'm happy for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy (for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley). 

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood (Bantam, July 2024); 368 pp.

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN

3.5 stars out of 5

It's sappy, predictable, too often plays into stereotypes and is reminiscent of the old "Moonlighting" TV show except with constantly bickering PIs who are black instead of white. Despite all that, it's a fun story that's a perfect beach read for those who can weather this year's awful heat. But for me, the back-and-forths got tiring after a short while, and if this is the first in a planned sequel - and the ending suggests that may be the case - I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to read another one.

The plot, though, is not bad - and if private investigators Jackson Jones and Mackenzie Cunningham could only figure out whether it's best to knock each other senseless or get hook up, I'd be fully on board. It begins with both characters - working from their own offices in different but nearby areas of California - are approached by a lawyer named Raymond Patterson. For a substantial retainer and a big reward for success, he wants both to drop whatever else they're doing and concentrate on finding a woman named Ashley, whose mother is dying and desperate to reunite with her daughter. Problem is, Patterson doesn't tell Jackson or Mac that he's hired the other - which means the turf war begins shortly after they begin their investigations and realize they're both vying for the same financial payout.

As the investigation (and the tension between Jackson and Mac) heats up, readers learn about their backgrounds and personal peccadilloes. Both come from different backgrounds - Jackson a former police officer - and both are clearly skilled at their current jobs. Working independently, they constantly intrude on each other's turf, where sparks are inevitable. Being highly competitive certainly isn't unexpected - and for the sake of the story, neither is their obvious attraction to each other (but for the love of heaven, either get it on or get on with it already). 

Their investigations take them to some seedy, dangerous places, and both Mac and Jackson put their considerable self-preservations skills to the test - a must after a dual murder that changes everything . They realize they've both been had - and if they both want to come out of the whole thing alive, they'd better start working together. From there it's just following the clues and trying to get the bad guys before the bad guys get them. All in all, it's a good romp - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Sounds Like a Plan by Pamela Samuels Young and Dwayne Alexander Smith (Atria Books, July 2024); 320 pp.

TWISTED TRUTH

4 stars out of 5

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank one of my cousins for alerting me to this book (and ultimately, the series) - she knows I'm a fan of two other nature and wildlife agents, Paul Doiron's Mike Bowditch and C.J. Box's Joe Pickett and that I'd be delighted that a woman is getting a chance to shine in that capacity. And yes, I liked it enough to order the next three in the series as well as the soon-to-be-released fifth (arguably, most are short enough to qualify as novellas, so they're easy to read from a length standpoint).

To the author's credit, it didn't take long
for me to become a fan of Amy Rush, a Nature and Wildlife Reserve District 03 special agent (somehow, I must have missed the location - assume she's in the United States somewhere). Largely tutored by her much-loved late father, also an agent, she's an ace shot and skilled in combat techniques. Her partner, Ryan Brooks, isn't as physically competent, but rather more tech-savvy. They're working for a sourpuss supervisor, a woman who rarely shows her human side.

As she was finishing up her usual wilderness hike early one morning, Amy almost literally runs into a man who seems out of his mind and screaming. After getting him to calm down a bit, she learns he's just found two girls in the woods - both bloodied and clearly dead. Back at the station after the mess has been cleaned up and the girls identified, Amy is introduced to Ernest Stone, an FBI special agent to whom she takes an instant dislike (oh gosh, there's a surprise). But while he seems happy enough to let Amy take the investigative lead and any credit, he clams up when it comes to admitting why he's really sticking his nose in where Amy thinks it doesn't belong.

Clues are hard to come by, but three heads are better than one so eventually they converge on a promising lead. Of course, more than that I can't reveal except that the investigation doesn't go without a serious hitch or two before the case comes to a fitting conclusion. It also brings insights to what may come in the next book (nope, can't talk about that, either).

One thing I do hope, though, is that the next books have the benefit of more copy-editing and fact-checking (simply too many glitches for me to overlook, prompting me to drop a star in the rating, although I do admit to being picky about such things).

Twisted Truth by  (Ava Strong, March 2024); 147 pp.

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

4 stars out of 5

When I started to write the review for this book, it occurred to me how few I read that are not part of a series. I can't refer to changes in the life of a recurring character or two or compare this one with another or point out inconsistencies. Well, then; it seems I'll have to be straightforward in my approach, which is that I enjoyed the book even though the constant jumps in perspective and time made it a little hard for me to follow without backtracking now and again. 

The story begins when a college student named Cleo comes to visit her mother Katrina for dinner, despite the fact that they're close to estranged. When she arrives, she finds the Brooklyn brownstone trashed, blood all around and her mother nowhere to be found. Immediately, she calls the police, setting off an investigation. Readers then learn that Katrina is an attorney at a prominent law firm - one that has taken on a high-profile client in an even higher-profile class action lawsuit - and that she and her husband Aiden are about to split.

Little by little, clues as to what really happened - and what Katrina really does to earn her substantial paycheck - are revealed by way of chapter those aforementioned shifts in perspectives and time frames. There are some notable twists and surprises, though nothing that reached the "blew me away" level. All in all, though, it was an interesting story that held my attention quite well, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight (Knopf, July 2024); 320 pp.

THE LOST VICTIM

5 stars out of 5

Police detective turned private investigator Kate Marshall makes her fifth appearance here, and I'm happy to say I've followed her from the start. That said, this book stands alone well (although as always, I'll advise starting any series from the beginning, which in this case is Nine Elms). I'm even happier to say I've enjoyed every single one.

Just as Kate and her agency partner, Tristan Harper, are wondering where the money will come from to pay the bills, Kate is contacted by an agency wanting help with a true crime podcast focusing on Janey Macklin, a young school girl who went missing three decades ago from a not-so-nice part of London. The would-be producer chose Kate because of her investigative skills, of course, but also because of the suspicion that the so-called Nine Elms Cannibal serial killer (one who made Hannibal Lecter look like a saint) might have had an appetite for Janey as well. More to the point, Peter Conway is in jail for other similar crimes and in failing health, but he and Kate have a history that produced their now-grown son, Jake. She, in fact, is the one who discovered his deadly secret and is responsible for his arrest and conviction.

Kate wants nothing to do with Peter, understandably, and while Jake is a bit more accepting of his father, he feels much the same. But the podcast producer can put her and Tristan up in a place she owns near the place at which Janey disappeared, and then there are those bills to consider. So, Kate reluctantly agrees to take a look - and what she sees isn't pretty. Fairly early on, several suspects are identified, but proof remains elusive.

By all accounts, though, Peter may well have known Janey - and even if he didn't do the deed, it's quite likely he knows who did. And that means Kate will have to do something she's refused to even think about since Peter went to prison. After that, it's following leads and patching together clues that lead to a really grand finale and open a path to the next adventure. I'll definitely be ready when it arrives - and meantime I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one. Good job!

The Lost Victim by Robert Bryndza (Raven Street Publishing, July 2024); 322 pp.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

5 stars out of 5

Retired attorney Andy Carpenter insists he wants to stay that way, but somehow he keeps getting pulled back into court. This time, his trusted but somewhat reclusive investigator, Marcus Clark, asks for a favor - the only time in their long association that's happened. It seems that one of the young men Marcus has helped get on the straight and narrow - Nick Williams - has been identified as a mass murderer after six employees were brutally shot at the law firm where he's been working.

When Marcus gets a call from Nick, who's been missing, to say he was kidnapped on the day of the murders and spent several days tied up in some kind of warehouse before his kidnappers inexplicably set him free. Marcus then calls Andy, who really doesn't want any part of the case, but he can't say no to Marcus. Reluctantly, Andy gathers his super-competent team around him, including Marcus and Andy's ex-cop wife, Laurie Collins - and they begin to plot their strategy despite misgivings that include a couple of witnesses who are for the most part convinced that the man with the gun they saw was, in fact, Nick.

As usual, the story is narrated by Andy, who enjoys talking to his own dogs while taking them for walks. He's an extremely personable guy with a sense of humor and a penchant for acting up in the courtroomwith both adding a bit of fun to each adventure (and eliciting an occasional giggle from me). Since the motive attributed to Nick seems thin - and both he and Marcus are so insistent that Nick wasn't involved in any way - the team begins to look for another reason for the murders. As clues turn up, Andy shares them with readers (and I'll leave those reveals up to him, thank you very much) right up to the somewhat surprising conclusion. 

Speaking of thank you very much, all that's left for me to say is that - to the publisher, via NetGalley - for giving me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of another installment in a favorite series. Well done, as always!

Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenfelt (Minotaur Books, July 2024); 298 pp.

STORM WARNING

3.5 stars out of 5

After reading and enjoying three other books by this author, I was of course looking forward to this one. But while it's an interesting plot, overall it left me a bit disappointed. Set in the midst of a hurricane on a small island off the Florida coast, it's got an abundance of wind, rain and (gasp!) murder. But it's long on second-guessing and short on substance - and an ending that's not only abrupt but that absolutely screams for a more in-depth explanation.

Jake Powell, it seems, has been living on the island for about six months, trying to find himself after leaving his wife and teenage daughter back home on the mainland. There are very few residents on the island, most living in apartment buildings that are almost falling down around them - and a developer wants to finish them off and build anew. But now, Jake wants to go home; in a hurry to get across the short causeway before a big storm rolls in, he tells his plan to his landlord and friend, Dallas, and sets off to make sure the top-floor tenant - an elderly lady - is safe. When he returns to say his final goodbye to Dallas, he gets quite a shock; in the short time he was gone, someone has killed Dallas. But who?

Jake jumps in the car and barely makes it to the mainland with the intention of telling the police and then heading on to his wife and daughter. But when the police, who are well trained in disaster protocols, say they're helpless until the storm - now a certified hurricane - passes, Jake inexplicably decides to put friendship with those he's known for half a year ahead of concern for his famiily and heads back to the almost-wiped-out causeway. He makes it, of course, but now he's stuck on an island with people he doesn't know all that well - one of them most likely a murderer.

Gathering his little group of apartment dwellers together thinking there's safety in numbers, from that point on, it's mostly a matter of speculation of how bad the hurricane might get mixed with more speculation as to who that killer may be rather than finding any real evidence or clues. There's a surprise that complicates the situation a bit, but for the most part, that only leads to more second-guessing. At the end, readers get a peek at what the future holds, but only a peek. All told, though, it's a very readable book - I could have polished it off in a single day, I'm sure, had life not intervened (think chaise lounge on a sunny beach). And I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Storm Warning by David Bell (Berkley, June 2024); 448 pp.

THE SEQUEL

5 stars out of 5

Two observations right up front: I will happily read any book this talented author writes (so far, I've read three others). And although this book technically is the (ahem!) sequel to her book, The Plot, it stands on its own quite well -  although I highly recommend reading that one just because it's so doggone good. 

As this one begins, Jacob Finch Bonner, the primary subject of the previous book, is dead and gone - leaving behind his wife Anna Williams-Bonner. His novel - the one he stole from one of his college students, is hugely successful. Accusations of plagairism that cropped up earlier are a thing of the past, and Anna is looking at a good life thanks to his royalty checks. When she was casually asked what she'll do next, though, she joked about plans to write a novel of her own titled The Afterword. 

Encouraged by her editor - and her own belief, after watching her husband's efforts, that she's more than up to the task - that joke turns into reality. After very little effort, she's got a best-seller of her own - and a whole lot of new problems. They come in the form of an excerpt from a not-so-different novel - one that doesn't exist, as far as she's concerned. But apparently, she's wrong; and with the pages come threats of exposure of not only her husband's past transgressions, but (gasp!) of her own.

What to do, what to do? Start following a trail that will lead to the someone who knows too much and seems intent on bringing her down - what else? The rest of the story follows Anna as she sets out on a path - one with plenty of twists, turns and surprises - to right what she considers to be an egregious wrong and get back to the life she believes she deserves. All told, it's a delicious tale and a book I found hard to put down (put another way, wowser!). I heartily thank the publisher for making a pre-release copy available to me to read and review.

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Celadon Books, October 2024); 304 pp.