FIRETRAP

5 stars out of 5

For my reading pleasure, nothing makes me happier than a good old shoot- 'em-up police story with no annoying flashbacks in time or character perspective - just a straightforward investigation with plenty of action. And when the main character is as, well, unorthodox as Washington, D.C.-based Marko Zorn, it's a special treat. I've read the first two in the series, and my reaction to both was exactly the same (this one, the third, can be read as a standalone, though).

This one begins as Marko, who's almost always at odds with his department superiors, visits a grisly scene at which a human has been incinerated along with the car in which he (or she) was sitting. As what's left of the body is extricated from the ashes, Marko is called elsewhere: Sister Grace, elderly leader of a sort of Washington crime underworld, wants to see him immediately. It's not a request, but a command; and when he's escorted in to see her, she issues another one: Marko is to rid the city of a rival criminal element that is bringing in a deadly drug known as Speedball - thereby encroaching on Sister Grace's territory and giving her neighborhood a bad name.

When it turns out that the body in the car belongs to a biochemist who owned a prominent drug company, some of the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place; this leads to discovery of an off-label and extremely dangerous drug produced by a company owned by two elderly - and elusive - twin brothers. Marko's drive to find the twins for a "come to Jesus" meeting is fraught with danger, especially after he discovers their possible connection to the theft of a priceless work of art.

Yes, it's a rather complicated story, but one that's quite easy to follow and hard to put down. Will Marko once again emerge triumphant, or will he finally push the patience of the powers-that-be over the line with his unorthodox methods? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out as I did. Now I'm looking forward to the next installment, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done once again!

Firetrap by Otho Eskin (Oceanview Publishing, January 2024); 276 pp.

INCENTIVE FOR DEATH

4 stars out of 5

Two things struck me after I finished this book: First, I really enjoyed Washington, D.C., homicide investigators McDermott "Mac" Burke and Oliver Shaw (just don't call him Ollie) and hope to read more books with them as the stars of the show. And second, if the repetitive parts of this one were weed-whacked, the book probably would be half as long. By the end, it got very tiring to have the detectives regurgitate every detail of the case they're working on to every new character they meet.

That out of the way, though, I found the plot unique and timely. While I'm aware of the practice of selling large life insurance policies at a discount to get cash now (somewhat akin to reverse mortgages), the possibility of hastening the deaths of the sellers to boost profits never occurred to me.

But apparently it did to the company in question here, although it took a while for Mac and Oliver to suspect what was going on. When a local hot-shot lawyer is found dead in his office, it appeared to have happened by natural causes. A closer look, though, reveals a tiny prick on the man's neck - and the medical examiner (an astute one, to be sure) suspects he'd been injected with horse tranquilizer succinylcholine, once famously though erroneously touted as a "cure" for COVID-19, which dissipates in the body too fast to be identified after death.

That prompts Mac and Oliver to look a bit deeper, and that's when they learn the victim recently sold a substantial life insurance policy to one of the so-called viatical companies. That, in turn, leads to the discovery that this dead guy is neither the first nor only victim who met an untimely death shortly after selling a policy. But who's behind it all? Ah, therein is the substance of the rest of the book. Mac and Oliver get a ton of expert assistance from co-workers and long-time friends; even Mac's ex-wife Maggie Hampton, who actually still lives with him from time to time and may or may not be working for a clandestine U.S. government agency, gets into the act.

But time is of the essence; once they learn about the other victims, they realize that unless the killer(s) are stopped, more are sure to follow. Whether they prevent that from happening - and how - is up to other readers to find out; I'm not gonna tell. Now, I'm looking forward to reading another installment - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review this one.

Incentive for Death by James Spoonhour (Oceanview Publishing, October 2023); 417 pp.

HEAD SHOT

5 stars out of 5

Last year, I had the privilege of reading the first book in this series - The Reflecting Pool - and not only did I enjoy it thoroughly, I was delighted to find a new series "hero" to love. Well, here we go again - and if it's possible, I love him more.

Marko, it seems, isn't totally content to work as a detective with the Washington, D.C., Metro Police; on the side, he takes on top-dollar "assignments" that, well, just may cross the line between legal and criminal (oh heck - sometimes obliterate it). Shortly after someone takes a potshot at him, Marko gets a request - make that demand - from one of his underworld contacts that he protect Nina Voychek, the beautiful visiting prime minister of politically in turmoil Montenegro. His police partner Lucy Tanakar calls him to the Capitol Theater, where a murder has occurred. Turns out the victim is well-known actress Victoria West, and there's a bit of a complication: she and Marko once had a brief, but serious (at least to Marko) fling.

The political protection detail quickly turns complicated as well when Marko is ordered to meet with the Secretary of State, who in turn orders him to serve on the protection detail for the Montenegro PM. Now, he's got two "bosses" to juggle on that score, and his heart keeps urging him to find out who murdered the love of his life. That urge turns into a passion when two more people involved with the theater unexpectedly end up dead. Things get even more complicated when Marko learns that (gasp!) one of the baddest of bad guys will stop at nothing to add him to the kill list.

While I can't say I reached the edge of my seat throughout this one, I didn't miss it by much. There's plenty of action and concern over who would bite the dust next (although I always figure that the star of the show might get roughed up a bit but isn't likely to get bumped off unless the author is really, really tired of writing about him). The whole thing is exciting and fun to read, and I highly recommend both books - noting that they stand alone just fine). Until next time, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

Head Shot by Otho Eskin (Oceanview Publishing, December 2021); 352 pp.

DEADLY CROSS

4 stars out of 5

Psychotherapist and FBI/D.C. Metro Homicide consultant Alex Cross never left - this is the 28th book in the series; but somehow, it feels like he's back - to basics, that is. It's pretty much a straightforward police procedural interspersed with interactions among, and impact on, Alex's wife, kids and indefatigable Nana Mama. And from my perspective, that's a good thing; I like everyone in Alex's inner circle, but I prefer that the main be on detective work.

As this one begins, Alex's police commissioner wife, Bree Stone, calls to ask for his help on a brand-new murder case: the bodies of a man and woman found in a convertible near a charter school. Complicating matters is that both victims were high-profile community personalities - one very much still married to another woman and the other the ex-wife of a high-ranking government leader. In the midst of all this, there's a serial rapist and murderer on the loose; Bree's boss is not happy with the progress of the investigation, making her rethink her own priorities.

At one time, the car victim (Kay) was Alex's patient, and she has a storied history of mental issues. Alex's Metro partner, John Sampson, is dealing with serious personal issues, so Alex and FBI Special Agent Ned Mahoney set out to learn more about Kay's Alabama background. Back home, Sampson begins to follow a few leads on the serial murder investigation that just may signal light at the end of that tunnel. 

Everything comes together in the end, bringing a couple of surprises - one of which, no doubt, will take future plots in a new direction that could be the jolt that this series, while still enjoyable and by far my favorite of all the Patterson offerings, needs to get back to firing on all cylinders. Fingers "Cross"ed!

Deadly Cross by James Patterson (Little, Brown and Co., November 2020); 416 pp.

THE REFLECTING POOL

5 stars out of 5

An uber-competent, likable yet flawed character, the first of what I hope will be a series and a plot with complexity that's easy to understand: What's not to like? By the time I was halfway through this one, I was hoping for the next.

This one begins as Marko Zorn, a detective with the Washington, D.C., Metro Police, fights over the rights to a body found in the Reflecting Pool with the city's park police. No, it's not a suicide; it's a homicide and it's ours, Marko asserts after he ruined his expensive clothing hauling the body out of the water. The park police back off, unwillingly, and there are no real clues as to what really happened except for a bracelet Marko spots in the surrounding grass.

Marko's expensive tastes couldn't happen with just a police department paycheck, and he supplements his income in other ways - sometimes not just skirting the law, but pretty much stomping it into the ground. As the murder happens, gang activity is picking up, with two members of one gang seemingly at odds with each other. The gang leader, an old woman named Sister Grace, occasionally asks Marko for help. This time, she has another job for him - but it's not one he's eager to take on (there are limits as to what he will do for money, it seems). As if all that weren't enough, his station boss shackles him to a new, squeaky clean partner - just about the last thing he wants to deal with right now.

Even worse, as his murder investigation ramps up, it becomes clear that unknown powers-that-be don't want Marko (or anyone else) digging in - powers that lead straight to the White House itself. The power struggle between the gang rivals heats up as well, fueled by a huge shipment of illegal guns that, depending on who ends up with them, could change the D.C. landscape entirely. Marko doesn't mind sticking to his own guns when it comes to the murder investigation, but if he screws up on the arms deal, it could "out" his side job - or even put him out of commission permanently. Can he pull everything off without losing everything, including his own life?

Well, you'll just have to read it to find out - and trust me, it's worth it. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-publication copy. Good job!

The Reflecting Pool by Otho Eskin (Oceanview Publishing, June 2020); 352 pp.)

MASKED PREY

5 stars out of 5

If I've missed any of the books in this series, it

was very early on; but once hooked at whatever the first one was years ago, I've tackled every single one since. Some have tickled my fancy a little more than others, but never once have I been disappointed. And this one's no exception.

Lucas Davenport, now 52 and still recovering in his home state of Minneapolis from a serious gunshot wound from an earlier book, gets an unwanted call to come to Washington, D.C. The FBI discovered a website buried within a teenage girl's popular blogs called 1919, and it's plastered with photos of children of influential members of Congress. A couple of Senators want Lucas to investigate who prefer that the whole thing be kept under wraps. But the FBI gets wind of it and, thinking the site may be connected to mostly undercover Alt-right groups who don't play by established rules, the FBI is intent on protecting those kids, agree to work with Lucas, who's from the U.S. Marshall's Service. Lucas, in turn, calls in friends Bob Matees and Rae Givens, who tend to enjoy working a bit outside the lines if necessary.

Early on, they hope to find out who's behind the website before word gets out and someone (or several someones) from those anti-government groups decides to do as the site seems to suggest - kidnap or murder one or more of the children just to make a political statement and get the parents' attention. But as luck (and the media) would have it, secrets like this die rather easily. Suddenly, it becomes even more urgent for Lucas, his buddies and all the FBI and local law enforcement teams to solve the case. The need to hustle increases even more with the assistant to the leader of one of the groups is murdered.

Much of the investigation involves in-person discussions with members of the Alt-right groups scattered thither and yon; they are numerous, and most of the discussions lead to dead ends. That, and the sheer number of characters, makes this book a little more tedious to read, perhaps, but it's hard to complain because everything is interspersed with the humor is one of the reasons this series is so appealing to me, to-wit: As he's getting on an airplane, Lucas - who is terrified of flying - is forced to sit by a woman "...who'd already begun knitting something in a color of green so dreadful that Lucas didn't want to sit next to it..."

Gotta love it. You need to read it. I need to thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to savor a pre-publication review copy.

Masked Prey by John Sandford (Penguin Group LLC, April 2020); 416 pp.

FOLLOW ME

5 stars out of 5

Wow! What a timely, provocative and downright creepylicious story! Don't misunderstand: Generally speaking, I'm all in when it comes to new technology, even though I realize that just about any advancement comes with the potential for misuse. Knowing that, I'm active on social media, but I don't post anything I'd be upset about if my grandmother saw it; still, I recognize that who gets what I post - and what they do with it - isn't always under my control.

Case in point: As I was in the middle of this book, my husband and I were recovering from nasty colds. One morning, I mentioned that tidbit on my Facebook page (garnering expected sympathy, of course, from family and friends). What I didn't expect was this: the very next day, an email arrived from our drugstore of choice expressing the hope that we were feeling better and offering a discount on cold-related items. Immediately, the theme from Twlight Zone passed through my brain; to this day, I'm not clear on how that happened, but I'm totally sure it was no coincidence.

The story here follows the experiences of Audrey Miller, who has an enviable following on her blog and Instagram posts. She's just moved from her beloved New York City to Washington, D.C., to take a job managing social media for a major museum. She's also moved close to her ex-boyfriend, who's an on-again, off-again friend with benefits, and to her long-time friend Cat, an on-the-climb attorney at a high-powered D.C. firm.

Audrey lucks into a basement apartment not far from her friends, but it comes with her landlady's whacked-out grandson who loves get into her apartment whenever he feels like staring at her up close and personal. Chapters shift between perspectives of Audrey and Cat and "Him" - an anonymous male who's been in lust with Audrey ever since she began posting all her comings, goings, likes and dislikes online. In fact, her life is like a day-to-day autobiography, open to anyone who cares; clearly, "Him" cares beyond the point of obsession.

Her stalker isn't identified, but readers learn he's managed to install secret software on Audrey's laptop that allows him to track her every moment - even when she's asleep. All she knows is that strange things are happening - like the feeling that she's being watched and that someone besides that grandson has been in her apartment - but there's no way she can prove anything. Meantime, there's growing tension between Audrey and Cat that only grows stronger when Audrey meets Max, who knows one of Cat's darkest secrets - one she's determined to keep that way.

As the relationship between Audrey and Max heats up, the unknown "Him" gets bolder in his pursuit of her affections and the action ratchets up to a can't-put-it-down frenzy that doesn't stop till the bang-up ending. Super good - as well as a scary reminder that somebody's out there watching us all. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-publication copy for review.

Follow Me by Kathleen Barber (Gallery Books, February 2020); 349 pp.

THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING

5 stars out of 5


Truthfully, I figured this would be a so-so book - cobbled together simply because two very well-known names would be a sure thing sales-wise. Well, folks, I figured wrong; I absolutely loved it!

Make no mistake, though - there's plenty of political "stuff" in here. I've read that when Patterson writes with a co-author, they send chapters back and forth for additions, corrections, etc. In this case, it's fairly easy to spot the Clinton influence. In fact, for those who don't share his political bent, I'd strongly suggest skipping the final chapter entirely (President Jonathan Lincoln Duncan's address to a joint session of Congress). I happen to agree 1000% with what he says, but even so, it's a bit heavy on the rhetoric. In contrast, though, are insights as to the inner workings of government at the highest levels and even a few bits of humor, such as when the aforementioned President muses, "God, I sound like an ass. Worse yet, I sound like a lawyer."

Political leanings notwithstanding, it's the story that kept me on the edge of my seat - first and foremost because it tackles an issue that concerns a ton of other folks: Our country's nearly total dependence on the Internet. Remember the y2k scare back in 2000? Well, multiply that by a hundredfold. President Duncan is right in the middle of the situation, having been sent a dire warning about what's to come via his daughter in Paris (his wife died of cancer a year or so earlier and he's personally dealing with a serious blood disorder, adding a bit more tension as the story progresses). 

The warning comes as the President is facing a House Committee hearing that his enemies hope will end in impeachment (hmmm, that, too, has a familiar ring to it). The hearing comes because he's accused of preventing the almost certain capture or killing of an international terrorist named Suliman Cindoruk (think Osama bin Laden).  Duncan is acutely aware of what really happened, but for national security reasons, he cannot reveal the truth. And as he learns more about the imminent cyberattack that would effectively shut down the entire country for years to come, he discovers that there's a traitor in the worst possible place - his own cabinet.

Can the President and his carefully selected team find the solution and save the world for democracy? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out. Highly recommended!

The President is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton (Little, Brown and Co., June 2018); 528 pp.

TWISTED PREY

5 stars out of 5


Can this possibly be the 28th book in the Prey series? I know I haven't missed many, so guess that makes me an oldie (but goodie). And so is the series; even if "star" character Lucas Davenport, now a federal marshal, seems to be a bit more laid back these days, there's plenty of action here that kept me reading until my Kindle battery insisted it needed a recharge.

Happily - and in one case, unhappily - a few other characters make return appearances in this one. There's Weather, Lucas's surgeon wife, Letty, his daughter, some former professional colleagues and the even more lovable (to me, at least) Virgil Flowers, upon whom Mr. Sandford has bestowed a series all his own.

Still another blast from the past is Taryn Grant, a psychopath who's now a U.S. Senator. Lucas is certain she's up to her old tricks (and being a billionaire, she's able to grease wheels till the Minnesota cows come home). One of her other enemies, Sen. Porter Smalls, knows firsthand how dangerous the woman is. In fact, he's convinced that a recent auto accident that nearly killed him - and did kill the driver - was all her doing. Proving that, though, just isn't in his skill set.

So, he calls in Lucas - who turns to local law enforcement, the FBI and others to help with the investigation. All heck breaks loose in the process, with suspicions turning into twists and turns that threaten the well-being of everyone involved, including Lucas's own family. And in the end, getting to the truth doesn't necessarily mean justice will be done. Or does it?

Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. 

Twisted Prey by John Sandford (G.P. Putnam's Sons, April 2018); 395 pp.

THE ROOSTER BAR

5 stars out of 5

"O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!"
-- Sir Walter Scott

I lost count of the times that quote popped into my head as I followed the adventures (and misadventures) of law school students Todd, Mark and Zola. Just one semester away from graduation at the Foggy Bottom Law School in Washington, D.C., the friends realize their school is mostly a sham and they're hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt with no hope of getting meaningful employment even if they pass the bar exam (which, not insignificantly, most graduates fail to do).

On top of that, Zola's parents, who have been in the United States as productive, but illegal, residents for nearly a quarter of a century, are in danger of being summarily rounded up and kicked back to their native Senegal. It's a bleak outlook all around, to say the least. But then comes the discovery that their for-profit diploma is one of several owned by a filthy rich guy who also owns a bank that hustles student loans. So as they gather 'round a table at the neighborhood Rooster Bar, a plan starts to hatch - one that begins with dropping out of school.

In a very real sense, though, their plan is nothing to crow about. From the start - with the tactics they'll take to earn money to live on - virtually everything they do is illegal and could land them in jail if they're caught. It's also a seat-of-the-pants operation; as one door closes, they're forced to find another one that opens - and so it continues until the end, when everything that goes around, comes around. How they pull everything off  admittedly tests the limits of credibiity here and there, but it also provides a wild but enjoyable romp for readers as well as a chance for the author to put the spotlight on injustices (as he sees them) in the student loan industry and immigration policies. Kudos for another one well done!

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 2017); 368 pp.

NOW YOU SEE ME

4 stars out of 5

Looking for a new murder/detective series and love characters who have "issues?" This just may be a good place to start. It's the first installment featuring 34-year-old FBI Special Agent Jess Bishop, who brings sins of the past to a whole new level. To that end, she reminds me a bit of J.D. Robb's Lt. Eve Dallas, although Jess tends to be more melodramatic, devoid of emotion and on the whole rather unlikable. Still, she's a hard-working, get-the-job-done detective and an intriguing character I'd like to read more about.

She and her former partner, Jamison Briggs, parted on shaky terms; her current partner, Alex Chan, is a good detective but about as companionable as our next-door neighbor's pooch who growls every time he sees me. Jess isn't fond of him either, but she's adjusting; as the story begins, the two have gone from their Washington, D.C., base to Louisiana. In a bayou there, the torso of a woman has turned up. The head is missing - and since it appears to match the MO of other murders, the agents are concerned that they're on the trail of a serial killer who may be keeping victims' heads as trophies.

Then what to her wondering eyes should appear but Jamison - back from an undercover job and ready for reassignment as Jess's partner. There's a lot of mutual hand-wringing and head games as the two try to come to terms with their earlier break-up and Jamison's new love interest, but professionalism (and an obvious like for each other) eventually win out. As for Alex, he doesn't seem fazed by losing his shotgun-riding status - to him, it's just another crappy day in paradise, I guess - and anyway, enough headless bodies keep turning up to keep his and everyone else's minds on finding the killer.

In the middle of all this, Jess meets Matt Ramsey, a smooth-talking, exceptionally hunky FBI agent who's determined to make an honest woman out of her. True to her emotion-shunning personality, though, he pretty much has to stalk her to get her attention - and even when he succeeds, he isn't able to hold it for long. That's partly because as evidence piles up, a worst-case scenario rears its ugly head: could it be that the murders are somehow related to the sordid past Jess has spent all of her grown-up years trying to hide?

The whole thing was a wild ride all the way to the end, when a few strands are left dangling to whet appetites for the next book. Overall, this definitely was an enjoyable experience for me, though my enthusiasm was dampened a bit by repetition and typos (the latter, I trust, will be corrected before the book is released; I read an advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review) as well as a few glitches in the story. As hard-nosed as Jess is, for instance, it's really tough to fathom how she (or anyone else) possibly could go out for a run hours after cutting her bare feet by stepping on glass shards. Ouch!

Now You See Me by Kierney Scott (Bookouture, November 2017); 318 pp.

TESTIMONY

5 stars out of 5

Warning: If you're bothered by settings in war-torn countries, or refuse to believe (even when it's mostly fiction) that the U.S. Government is capable of wrongdoing, or don't like endings that may not bring total closure, this probably isn't the book for you. On top of that, I dare anybody to speed read through this one; it took me the better part of five days to finish, although in fairness, we were enjoying the company of a house guest for two of those days and I barely was able to finish half a dozen chapters then. And that brings up another point: Don't even think about zipping through this one. It's as close to tedious reading as I've seen in a while although, as evidenced by my 5-star rating, well worth the effort.

Although he's written a number of best-sellers, this is my first Scott Turow novel. And based on other reviews, it sounds as if it deviates from the courtroom-focused work (almost none of the action takes place there) - so I suppose some who are more familiar with his past work than I might disagree with my very positive opinion. To be sure, there's a court involved - the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where lead character, former prosecutor Bill Ten Boom, has been chosen to take on prosecution of whoever is responsible for the massacre of some 400 men, women and children in a Roma Refugee camp in Bosnia in 2004. That prosecution, however, depends on first determining not only who did the dirty deed, but whether or not the deed actually happened.

"Boom," as he's called, arrives with some baggage of his own; Now 2015, at age 50, he's without a wife, has two grown sons with whom he has a somewhat shaky relationship, and in many ways, he's looking for some direction in his life and hoping to find it here. A survivor of the massacre, himself a bit on the shady side, claims that heavily armed men showed up in the middle of the night and forced the Gypsy residents - refugees from Bosnia - into trucks that dropped them off in a nearby cave with instructions to stay put. After the trucks took off for parts unknown, the cave suddenly exploded - burying all the refugees. The survivor, a man named Ferko Rincic, reluctantly agrees to provide testimony before the court as to what happened.

Ferko is assisted by a drop-dead gorgeous attorney named Esme Czarni, who claims to have come from Gypsy stock. As Boom and his team of experts begin to gather evidence, they begin to suspect there's much more going on than anyone - including top muckity-mucks in the U.S. government - is willing to admit. The investigation takes Boom far from the courtroom, including to Bosnia and Washington, D.C., and puts him directly in the sights of the very dangerous and elusive Laza Kajevic, a Bin Laden-type character who once led the Bosnian Serbs and remains in hiding as a most-wanted war criminal.

I'd say the whole thing is a merry chase, except that there's not much merry about it (well, I'm overlooking a couple of Boom's fairly graphic but seemingly mutually enjoyable liaisons with a couple of lovely ladies). In the end, all the details are pretty well sorted out - none of which I can reveal, of course, leaving me no option besides referring you to my first-paragraph caveats and saying that I'm really glad I read it. 

Testimony by Scott Turow (Grand Central Publishing, May 2017); 497 pp.

THE FIX

5 stars out of 5


I'm not sure how well I'd like Amos Decker - the emotionally flawed "hero" in this, the third installment of a wonderful series - but he fascinates the heck out of me. So much do I hang on his every word and action, in fact, that I stayed up an hour past my bedtime just to finish this book. Yes, folks, it's that good.

Decker appeals to me on many levels, not the least of which is that when he took a huge hit in his debut NFL game, he became an "acquired savant" with hyperthymesia. Besides that, he has synesthia abilities - meaning he is able to associate colors with people and objects. That's enough to hold my attention; but wait, there's more. He's also a native Ohioan (as am I), played football at The Ohio State University (go Bucks!) and his injury came after a hit during his debut game with the Cleveland Browns (from whom, based on this season's NFL draft, I'm expecting good things this fall). Besides that, there's yet another personal association: His FBI partner's last name is Jamison - my late mother's maiden name. How cool is all that?

But back to the nitty gritty. Here, Decker hits the ground running with a hit of another kind: As he's walking toward FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., he spots a man and woman walking toward each other. Nothing wrong with that, he thinks - until the unthinkable happens; the man pulls a gun and shoots the woman, then points it toward himself and pulls the trigger.

And then comes another surprise. Decker and his team had been working solely on cold cases, but suddenly, their world changes as they're relocated from Quantico to the D.C. Field Office and assigned to investigate and solve the shooting (in part as a result of his injuries, Decker intensely dislikes change). Big problem is, even after substantial digging, they can find no connection whatsoever between the killer and his victim, a substitute school teacher and Hospice volunteer. And the man who killed her still seems to be a loving husband, father and successful business owner - with nothing in his past that would provoke him to commit murder, much less suicide. At the same time, Decker's personal life, or what little he has of it, gets complicated as Alex finds the two of them an apartment in a fixer-upper old building in which a former tenant was killed in a drug deal gone bad.

The murdered woman becomes more interesting, though, when they discover that her past extends for only about 10 years; prior to that, there's no record of her at all.  But then, Defense Intelligence Agency agent Harper Brown shows up - and she's not wanting to share the investigation with Decker and his team. Apparently, the DIA has been digging for dirt on the same people, trying to prevent what they suspect could be an upcoming, and very deadly, terrorist attack.

Needless to say, Decker isn't much into sharing either (and he certainly doesn't trust the DIA agent), so attitudes get rather testy until both sides reluctantly realize they'll get a better outcome by playing nice. Even then, it's a race to the finish with one faction trying to one-up the other; the big question is, can they all get to the bottom of things before something terrible happens? 

Also needless to say, that's a question I'm not going to answer - you'll just have to read it for yourself to find out. I'll also emphasize that while this one can be read on its own, I think readers will get more out of it by reading the other two first (The Last Mile, No. 1, and Memory Man, No. 2. They're both excellent as well, so enjoy!

The Fix by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, April 2017); 560 pp.

BEYOND JUSTICE

4 stars out of 5

Looking for a good legal mystery? Consider giving this one a try - seriously. Top-notch young attorney Hayden McCarthy has just earned her chops by pulling off an almost unbelievable win - a feat that doesn't go unnoticed by her hoity-toity law firm. But instead of a few days on a sunny beach or a hefty bonus, her reward is being assigned to a seemingly unwinnable wrongful death case. A young Mexican boy who attempted to enter the United States illegally was caught and stashed in a government-run juvenile detention facility in Texas - where he was murdered. Now, Hayden's firm has been asked to build - and more important, at least to Hayden's future career, win - a case against the government.

Add to the mix Hayden's roommate, who just happens to have a very hunky and eligible cousin named Andrew Wesley. And he just happens to be the son of an ambitious congressman. It goes without saying that Hayden and Andrew are wary of but attracted to each other. But even though Andrew claims to eschew his father's chosen profession of service to America, the fact that Hayden is going head-to-head with the government isn't exactly a relationship booster. 

Tracking down the facts she'll need to build her case takes Hayden from her job in Washington, D.C., to Texas and back - with plenty of dangerous turns in between. Although almost none of it takes place in a courtroom, there's plenty of action and legal details as Hayden tries to ferret out the truth.

So we have likable, well-developed characters, a story that's intriguing, timely (immigration) and believable. So what was missing? Although I certainly should have known, I failed to pick up ahead of time on the fact that this book falls into the Christian category - and there few things in this life I do not want to read about more than someone's religious "journey."

But wait, there's more.

Other than one horrific moment when I was convinced the book would end with Andrew's asking Hayden to marry him only if she agreed to quit the high-profile job she loves and stay home to be a proper mother to their kids, matters of faith were for the most part unobtrusive. In fact, what few references there were seemed to be inserted haphazardly, almost as an afterthought, sometimes where they really didn't seem to fit. It was almost as if someone said, "Oops, God hasn't had a mention in 50 pages - better throw one in!" 

And somehow, it strikes me that a "Christian" book should have more on that subject (or at least what was there should have been more fully developed). Ironic, isn't it, that the biggest downside (a mild one, I hasten to add) is that there wasn't enough of what I didn't want to read in the first place? But there it is.

That said, this is a very enjoyable book that's well worth reading no matter what side of the religion coin you're on. Many thanks to the publisher (via NetGalley) for providing me with an advance review copy.

Beyond Justice by Cara C. Putman (Thomas Nelson, April 2017); 384 pp.

THE CUTAWAY

5 stars out of 5

Since Jan. 1, I've read 17 books - five ahead of schedule to reach my goal of 100 by the end of 2017. Of those, six have been good enough to earn a five-star rating, the highest possible on the major book ratings sites. Now comes this, the 18th, and if I could give it six stars - seven, even - I'd do it in a heartbeat. The story is so intriguing, and the characters (and interaction among them) so captivating that I went so far as recording two favorite TV shows instead of watching them live because I couldn't wait to finish it. And that's a first for me.

Admittedly, some of my enthusiasm stems from the subject matter; I spent 16 years of my full-time working life in the news business - albeit the print side - and I'm fairly familiar with broadcast journalism as well. The combination of the TV news station setting and murder sounded right up my alley - and to that end, it couldn't have been more perfect. I will not, however, deem it a "thriller" by my definition; the story moves along at a fast pace and every single page kept and held my complete attention, but only a small section actually pushed me to the edge of my seat. 

The story begins as seasoned and highly capable TV news producer Virginia Knightly is notified that a young attorney from Georgetown has gone missing. That alone wouldn't be enough to cause her nose for news to twitch, but then clues begin to indicate that a closer sniff may be in order. The woman was last seen leaving an upscale restaurant - certainly not in a high-crime area - after reportedly having a row with her husband.  Besides that, the police seem to be treating the case as a high profile despite the lack of evidence that it qualifies (at least not yet). 

She's thwarted from the start, though, by change-ups in her newsroom; without warning, she's demoted from her top spot, and she's told her evening news anchor will be replaced, ostensibly in an attempt to boost ratings. Worse, the jobs of other colleagues she's used to working with and for whom she has the utmost respect are being threatened. If she ignores her boss's instruction and goes off on her own to dig up the story behind the missing woman, then, it's possible she'll put not only her job, but those of her good friends on the chopping block.

But investigate she does, and that puts her back in touch with old flame Michael Ledger, a detective with whom she had a fling not all that long ago. He dumped her, in fact, then got married, had a couple of kids and divorced, in that order. Back then, Virginia trusted him totally; but based on where the trail is leading now - through the sometimes shadowy halls of Washington, D.C., politics, business and law enforcement  - she isn't so sure that's a good plan. 

Brick walls spring up at just about every turn as Virginia and her team search for cooperative witnesses and second sources and honor  "off-the-record" agreements - all hallmarks of responsible journalism - to bring the truth to the viewing public (alternative facts? Let's not even go there). Getting an inside look at that process in and of itself makes this book a winner in my book (and it didn't hurt that for some inexplicable reason I envisioned Holly Hunter every time Virginia appeared). 

Bottom line? My thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended!

The Cutaway by Christina Kovac (Atria/37 Ink, March 2017); 320 pp.

CROSS THE LINE

5 stars out of 5


Woo hoo - another winner in the series featuring police psychologist Dr. Alex Cross! It's the 24th, for the record, and it carries on the series tradition in fine style with almost nonstop action and a plot that touches on issues in today's news.

At the outset, readers learn that a psycho on a fast motorcycle is getting his (or her) kicks out of gunning down drivers on secluded highways near Washington, D.C. Then comes the unthinkable: The department's chief of detectives - Alex's friend and mentor of his wife, Bree - is shot and killed on the streets of town. Both Alex and Bree are called in to investigate, and almost in a flash comes another puzzling case; this time, it's the mass murder of workers in a clandestine meth lab located in an abandoned factory building. Nothing's been taken, and zero clues are left at the scene; clearly, this is the work of professionals.

But professional what? Could they be from the ranks of organized crime who are trying to get rid of the competition? Are they mercenaries hired to do the job for some other unknown purpose? Could the killings here be in any way related to the motorcycle drive-by and murder of one of the department's own? As the investigation gets going, it's clear that someone needs to take charge, replacing the murdered chief of detectives. Alex gets tapped but isn't interested - and the job goes to his capable wife, Bree. Now, she's technically Alex's boss, and it's going to be tough to keep public and private lives separate, especially when they don't see eye to eye on what direction to take next.

Meantime, all the other usual suspects - meaning lovable family members like the indefatigable, live-in Nana Mama (Alex's grandmother) and three uber-talented, almost-grown kids - are woven into chapters here and there with the effect of lightening the mood. There's a surprise ending that comes against all odds, but it should make for an interesting next go-round. Bring it on!

Cross the Line by James Patterson (Little, Brown and Co., November 2016); 401 pp.

THIRST

5 stars out of 5

On occasion, an author will offer me a free copy of his or her book on the condition that I share my opinion of it (for better or worse). Quite often, I respectfully decline - mostly because the topic just doesn't interest me much and partly because, as the saying goes, too many books, too little time. But when Mr. Sagnier offered this one, he made a strong case for saying yes; the book description and his writing creds gave the push I needed to say bring it on. 

At the outset, I worried a bit as new characters were introduced one after the other. There's nothing much wrong with that from a writing standpoint, but the fact that I'm old and have trouble remembering why I'm suddenly standing in the middle of the kitchen (coupled with having to put any book down for sometimes a whole day because life interfered) means it's really, really hard for me to pick up where I left off. That said, by the time I'd finished the first eight chapters or so, things (and people) started to come together - and I was hooked.

The plot begins with a drug theft and the search for Josie, a recovering crack addict who's gone missing. The main character, Colin - himself a recovering alcoholic - is asked to help by the young woman's mother (who also happens to be Colin's girlfriend). Colin brings in his friend Joe, a policeman, and meets Mamadou, a former police officer in Senegal who now drives a limousine in Washington, D.C., and has an agenda for revenge against whoever caused the death of his daughter. 

Fairly early on, it's learned that Josie's boyfriend, Herbie, stole a rather large amount of drugs and paid for it with his life. Now Josie's life may be in danger because the baddies - led by a guy known as the Zulu - think she knows where Herbie stashed the drugs. There's more action on the high seas involving a couple of enterprising young women traveling on a cruise ship, on which passengers suddenly become almost deathly ill for no apparent reason.

There's plenty of action, of course, as Colin, Joe and Mamadou follow the trail mostly through the streets of the nation's capital city, that will lead to finding Josie alive and returning her to her frantic mother. Along the way, readers get to know most of the characters inside and out. Honestly, I can't say I found anyone to be all that likable (even Colin) simply because, I suppose, they're all flawed - some more than others. When one or two bite the dust (no, I won't reveal who, but this is a thriller, after all), let's just say I wasn't crushed. 

The writing, BTW, is outstanding; I might quibble over a couple of run-on sentences, perhaps, but overall, the author has more than proved his talent for turning a phrase (or thousands). I did notice an issue I assume to be a result of the Kindle format - in more than one spot, chapter headings were missing (meaning the text from Chapter 7 continued nonstop to Chapter 10 with no 8 or 9 in between). That was a bit bothersome to me simply because except in an emergency, I refuse to put any book down until I've reached a new chapter; I kept wondering why some chapters were like the Energizer Bunny - going and going and going - while my long-suffering husband kept waiting for me to reach a stopping point and start dinner.

Now that I've finished the book (and we've finally finished dinner), I'm happy to give it a thumbs up. In the acknowledgements, the author says that writing is "the only endeavor where I refuse to indulge in false modesty. I think I'm pretty good."

That you are, Mr. Sagnier - that you are. 

Thirst by Thierry Sagnier (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, March 2015); 252 pp.