ROBERT B. PARKER'S BURIED SECRETS

4 stars out of 5

This is, I believe, the author's first go-round at continuing the legacy of the late Robert B. Parker's popular series featuring Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief Jesse Stone - a complex character if there ever was one. And although Jesse's darker moment return to the forefront more often in this one, it definitely has the Parker "vibe." For those who keep count, this is the 22nd installment in the series.

It begins as Deputy Chief Molly Crane, Jesse's friend and protector and no-nonsense advice-giver, asks Jesse to make a welfare check on an elderly resident. The department is short on staff for several reasons, so Jesse draws the short straw. What he finds is a dead body - but only by following the smell; the man was a serious horder, and wading through his collection is a daunting task. On the way in, he met a "concerned friend," Matthew Peebles - who mysteriously disappeared by the time Jesse came back out.

Jesse and his deputy, Luther "Suitcase" Simpson, find a ton of revealing photos (by accident), suggesting that the dead man may not have been an upstanding citizen. On top of that (more accurately, closer to the bottom), they find a cool $2 million in cash. It's a puzzlement, at least till the department's discoveries become known - attracting unwanted attention from hitmen for hire who really don't want the world to learn their secrets. They'll do whatever it takes to put the kabosh on those photos and get their hands on the money - and since Jesse and his department are standing in their way, well...

On top of all that, Jesse must deal with a new hire named Derek Tate, a total jerk who thinks his police officer status gives him the right to bully anyone who crosses his path. This storyline was to me a bit of a stretch, in fact; even though Jesse may feel sorry for him and believe in second chances, the guy is way off the rails and there's no way he'd have lasted more than a day and a half under the Jesse I've come to know and love.

The hitmen, though, do pose a serious risk, and even Jesse is concerned - as he should be. Unbeknownst to Jesse, a couple of them have decided to hold hands long enough to take Jesse out, destroy the evidence and grab the money. Will they be successful, or do Jesse and his team have some counter-measures up their sleeves? Well, you'll just have to read it to find out. I sure did - taking the last handful of chapters to bed with me to finish because I couldn't wait till morning. Good one - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Robert B. Parker's Buried Secrets by Christopher Farnsworth (G.P. Putnam's Sons, February 2025); 352 pp.

A KILLER'S CODE

4.5 stars out of 5

Although I'm somewhat familiar with a different FBI agent from another of this author's series, Nina Guerrera, this is my first encounter with Daniela Vega. Dani seems to be a little harder around the edges, and she has unique talent as a codebreaker that, of course, comes in handy in this story (the third book in this series).

Hit man Gustavo Toro died as hard as he lived, biting the dust while working under cover with Dani. She didn't trust him, but she trusted him, if that makes much sense. Turns out he wanted to bare his soul after he died, so he prearranged some kind of message that promised to take down some high-powered people and reveal secrets he'd been keeping during his years of being a killer-for hire. Problem is, even after the video he left is found, it's not straightforward; it's done in code that leaves Dani and her team with a real challenge - especially after it becomes clear that some of the bad guys involved with Toro are desperate to find a woman who knows too much. Now, it becomes a race for Dani to interpret the "clues" and find her before they do.

The details of that race, of course, is the engine that drives this fast-paced story, and the whole thing sure grabbed my attention and held it from start to finish. For the record, not having read previous books in the series wasn't a problem for me, although as always, I advise starting any series at the beginning. In the end, also as always, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Good one!

A Killer's Code by Isabella Maldonado (Thomas & Mercer, January 2025); 344 pp.

FINAL VICTIM

4 stars out of 5

Is a serial killer on the loose? That's a question detective Megan Carpenter, with help from her partner detective Ronnie Marsh, must answer - and time, of course, is of the essence. And as the investigation continues, it looks more and more like Megan herself is in the killer's sights.

Being a target is certainly not new to Megan; in fact, she's been running from one awful situation to another most of her life. So far, she's made it out alive, although most of the time because she's taken matters into her own hands. Now, though, she's on the side of the law - a person who's trying her best to take down people like the one she used to be. 

Her very troubled and background formed the beginning of this series - this is the sixth - and she continues to "find herself" amid memories of a horrific and violent past (to that end, she is not a particularly lovable character, but she's making progress). She's got a solid place to live, a main squeeze she thinks she'll marry, a great job and - gasp! - a handful of real friends.

As she deals with the fallout from the particularly gruesome murder of a police detective followed closely by the murder of another in similar fashion, she's also dealing with memories of her own past. It doesn't help that she's getting messages from someone who seems to know all about her and everyone close to her - someone who readers get a glimpse of by way of chapters from his perspective. As her investigation progresses and the body count grows, more ties to Megan's past turn up - as does the heat on the messages from that unknown person known only as "Wallace."

Needless to say, it's not long before Megan begins to suspect that her murder investigation and may be connected somehow to her past life, and finding the killer has the potential to change the course of her life once again. The details, of course, I'll leave to other readers to discover. As for me, I'll just thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read another exciting installment by way of a pre-release copy. 

Final Victim by Gregg Olsen (Bookouture, January 2025); 288 pp.

OPEN SEASON

4 stars out of 5

As always, I loved the characters in this series - this is the 40th, which is hard to believe since I don't think I've missed a single one. On the other hand, the story was more than a little hard to follow and connect the dots.

The whole thing starts when a woman's body is dumped - a wannabe actress who's a caregiver at an elder facility. As is customary, Los Angeles PD lieutenant Milo Sturgis calls his friend, psychologist Alex Delaware, to take a look and share his usual insights. But just when they think they've identified the killer, they get another surprise: the dead body of that suspect. Complicating matters even more is the fact that he was killed sniper-style by a rifle that was used in a previous unsolved murder.

Not satisfied that they're not looking at a serial killer, Milo, Alex and their team start digging into cold cases to find similarities; it takes a while, but slowly, bits and pieces come together that yes, scream that it's a single killer - but anything that connects the murders remains elusive.

Also as is customary, Alex puts his mind on the psychological clues while Milo and the others dig into the facts and figures - and slowly but surely, a whole picture emerges that leads the team in the direction they need to go. All told, it's a familiar (and always welcome) pattern, and as always, I look forward to the 41st adventure. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2025); 288 pp.

THE BUSINESS TRIP

4 stars out of 5

Tell you what - this is one of the most "Aw, c'mon, you've got to be kidding me" tales I've read in a long time. But I didn't mind at all - the twists and turns made it a romp and really hard to put it down. Trying to review it, I quickly realized, is a challenge, though - way too much chance of spoiling it for others.

The two main characters are Stephanie, a TV news director, and Jasmine, a have-nothing 44-year-old who's in an abusive marriage. Both are looking for a break; Stephanie from the daily grind and hoping to reconnect with her grown son, and Jasmine for the obvious reason. Over time, Jasmine has surreptitiously squirreled away tips from the bar where she works so she can make a getaway when the time is right - and she's finally reached it. Stephanie's breaking point comes with what she hopes will be the last demand that she drop everything - this time to head for San Diego for a news director convention she really doesn't want, or need, to attend.

On the plane, Jasmine and Stephanie coincidentally sit next to each other (yeah, right). And that's when things start to get interesting, as it isn't long after that when the two women are reported missing. Say what?

The calls of foul play come from various sources, although one of them is not Jasmine's ne'er-to-well husband Glenn, whose track record makes him reluctant to notify the authorities. Not so her friend Anna, who's been helping Jasmine make plans. On Stephanie's end, her ever-so-gay next-door neighbor Robert, who's been watching her cat, becomes suspicious early on, as do a couple of co-workers at the station who begin to notice irrational behavior.

Readers, however, are clued in to what's happening by way of chapters that shift in perspective among several of these characters including, of course, Stephanie and Jasmine. Now I do have to admit it's unlikely I'd ever want to hoist a beer with either of them, nor did I much care what fate (or make that ultra-careful planning) had in store for them personally. The process of finding out, though, was rather fun, and the author did a great job with the plot development and "reveals" along the way.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable read, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the nod to download a pre-release copy. This is a debut novel, and I'll certainly be on the lookout for more from this talented author.

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia (St. Martin's Press, January 2024); 352 pp.

THE BIG EMPTY

5 stars out of 5

Over the years, I've come to love the investigative team of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike; Elvis is charismatic, while all Joe needs to do is stand there and everybody knows what he's thinking. This latest adventure - the 20th - had me glued to my Kindle from start to finish.

It begins as Traci Beller, she of The Baker Next Door fame and fortune, asks (through her humorless promoter Kevin) Elvis to find her long-lost father, Tommy. A decade ago, he apparently abandoned his family and hasn't been seen since, and both police and private investigators turned up nothing. The owner of an HVAC company, his last known location was Rancha, a small town near Los Angeles.

Always a sucker for a pretty woman in distress - and knowing he's pretty darned good at finding people - Elvis decides to give it a try and sets off for Rancha, mostly to look for anyone who might remember Tommy or anything that might provide a clue as to what happened to him. Early on, though, his questioning of local folks - especially former convict Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya - puts him in the crosshairs of some nasty guys who clearly want him to cease and desist - or else.

That experience, in turn, leads to his calling his partner Joe for help, and it's a good thing he did; Joe is particularly skilled at dealing with nasty guys (and no doubt gals as well), and as the investigation progresses, those skills definitely will be put to the test. Clues - and fists and shots - are coming strong and fast, and only one thing is for certain: Traci's father isn't even close to the man she remembers.

Other than that, all I can say is it's a fight to the finish that I'm glad I got to read - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for making that possible by way of a pre-release copy.

The Big Empty by Robert Crais (G.P. Putnam's Sons, January 2025); 384 pp.

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.