THE PERFECT HOME

3.5 stars out of 5

Admittedly, this book had me on the edge of my seat psychologically most of the way through; the twists, turns and reveals just kept coming. That is, until they didn't. Despite my almost salivating in hopes of that final curve ball that would shoot the book over the fence, it never happened.

Early on, though, the story hit quite a few timely hot buttons, including a home improvement reality TV show with husband-and-wife stars who have the perfect combination of a solid marriage and skykrocketing ratings. But for both themselves and the homes they're renovating, the foundations are crumbling. Aha, I said - this plot will thicken.

As well it did. The renovators are Wyatt and Dawn Decker, a somewhat unlikely pair. He's handsome, charming, witty and outgoing; she's on the shy side and in no danger of being wooed away by Project Runway. But together, their onscreen chemistry works; the show is climbing in the ratings - in large part to their lively back-and-forths. On the home front, though, trouble is brewing. Both are intent on having a child, but since Wyatt is adamantly opposed to a donor or adoption, they head for a fertility clinic to be tested. There, the egocentric Wyatt learns he's the problem - and he's not a happy camper to say the least.

Then he learns about a controversial fertility drug - one that's illegal in the States; secretly, because Dawn isn't in favor of it, he takes the drug. Yep, you guessed it - shortly afterward, Dawn gets pregnant - with twins, no less. How she managed to get through the hammering and pounding of refurbishing for nine months while carrying such a heavy load was never explained - nor for that matter even mentioned - but apparently she somehow managed to carry on. Wyatt got through it as well, but his personality started on a downward slide. That did not escape his wife's attention to detail; in fact, she finds evidence that things are getting much darker right before the Dawn (sorry, couldn't resist).

The revelations prompt Dawn to do the unthinkable - take the twins and run. Wyatt, needless to say, is happy to play the wronged husband, and even happier to go to his adoring public with claims that his wife, who is suffering from serious post-partum depression, has fallen over the edge. From that point on, it's a race to see who wins, with the future of a TV deal and the very lives of a couple of innocent babies hanging in the balance. As I alluded to previously, the track is far from straight and narrow, and readers are in for a wild ride along with Wyatt and Dawn. 

The ending itself wraps up most of the loose ends, and no doubt many readers will be happy with it. For me, though, the story absolutely screamed for a gobsmacker - which in a perverse way is exactly what I got as the lyrics of the old Peggy Lee hit, "Is That All There Is?" ran through my brain. Alas, in this case I guess it is.

Oh well - overall, it was an enjoyable experience - really - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Perfect Home by Daniel Kenitz (Scribner, January 2025); 320 pp.

ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE VENDETTA

4 stars out of 5

Years ago when the original author was penning the novels in this series, I read a couple and quit even though overall I thought they were well written. Why? Reading became tedious, and getting through one became more slogfest than enjoyment to me. The movies I watched - as long as I've read a book that gets transformed to film, I'm game, but never the other way around.

Fast-forward more years than I want to own up to, and I've once again started to read the series (most recently penned by this author). That in itself is an oddity, since once I've seen the movie(s) I never, ever, return to print. And by golly, I'm enjoying the heck out of the books. This one is no exception, although I'll say at the outset that I'm so not happy with the ending.

Once again, current and former players from the secretive agency Treadstone are interacting with each other - including Jason Bourne, a.k.a. several other names, who's forgotten most of his past. The agency's head is a truly wicked city woman called Shadow; a former agent, Johanna, gets involved in the mix. Despite having had initimate relationships with both women, Jason's long-time love is Abbey Laurent, who left him (with his blessing) because she couldn't deal with his ultra-dangerous lifestyle.

Throw into the mix something called "The Files," some kind of clandestine computer program that has ferreted out top secrets from the lives of all sorts of people. Whoever has it has the potential to earn tons of money by blackmailing those who want to protect their secrets, so several factions are doing their best (or worst) to get it their hands, including Treadstone. To help with that, Shadow calls in Jason.

Amid people getting killed and Jason trying his best not to be among them, he learns that Abbey is collecting information for a book she's writing based on a major fire at a ranch resort in which several people died. No cause has been determined as yet, but she hopes her research will ferret out the truth. He also learns she's no longer a free woman; not long ago, she married a man named Garrett Parker. Jason has very mixed feelings about that - perhaps hoping that Abbey does as well - although both deny any chance of getting back together.

But as connections between what both are working on grow stronger, meeting again becomes inevitable - as does the danger that follows Jason like a shadow encroaches on Abbey's life once again. An even bigger problem, though, is that Garrett may be involved somehow - and it may be up to Jason to save him (or not).

All in all, it's typical Bourne in action from the beginning (and no, you didn't really expect me to say why I didn't like the ending, did you)? I'll just say thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Good one!

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Vendetta by Brian Freeman (G.P. Putnam's Sons, January 2025); 400 pp.

THE JFK CONSPIRACY

5 stars out of 5

As a slightly-under-21 adult back in 1959, I liked Ike - just like most of the people around me at the time. But while I wasn't quite old enough to vote in the 1960 Presidential election (and, for better or worse, definitely would have opted for Eisenhower's former Vice President Richard Nixon just because of my family's strong Republican leaning), I was fascinated with the young "upstart" who was running against Nixon for President of the United States. By the time he emerged victorious, I was totally on board with his enthusiasm, values and plans for our country (and had left my childhood behind for college and marriage).

But all that's well didn't end well. Tragically, I'll always remember when a relative called in November 1963 frantically tellling me John F. Kennedy had been shot - after whichi I quickly plopped our three-month-old son in his baby carriage and turned on our tabletop black-and-white TV with rabbit ears to watch Camelot crash and burn in real time right before my eyes.

When I had an opportunity to get my hands on a pre-release copy of this book, then, the memories came flooding back. I even had some recollection of someone once being arrested for trying to kill JFK before the man who was successful, but it was vague. So since I have a personal interest in the details - and I'd read and enjoyed another of the authors' "conspiracy" books - I was eager to read it. It took me all of two days, brought back many memories and enlightened me with many details I never knew about back then, or since. And for those who need proof, it's all backed up with an almost exhaustive list of sources.

The focus of the book is Richard Pavlick, who came frighteningly close to ensuring that Kennedy never took the oath of office. But there's much, much more about what it was really like for Kennedy, his much-heralded wife Jacqueline and others around him between the time he was elected and actually moved into the White House. And at this point, I'll say this is one of the shortest book reviews I'll ever write. That's not because I have nothing to say - trust me, I have plenty - but because much that is in here is new to me, so I'm not about to spoil it for others. Highly recommended!

The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy - and Why It Failed by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch (Flatiron Books, January 2025); 304 pp.