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.
5 stars out of 5
My first encounter with this author came via Jack of Hearts, a recent entry in his series featuring detective Jack Stratton. That one made a favorable impression - I look forward to the next one, hint, hint - and when I ran across this new standalone, I considered giving it a try. When I read the description, I was convinced that reading it would be a good idea - so even though it was just days before the release date, I requested, and was approved for, an advance copy (thank you).
In fact, it turned out to be a great idea; my concern that I might not get it finished on time vanished after a handful of chapters. NFL and college football games came and went unwatched, Lawrence Welk got recorded, and I even skipped at least one lunch because I couldn't bring myself to put it down. A 5-star rating? A no-brainer.
The book's title reflects the title of another book - one written by the mother of Faith Winters. Ten years earlier, Faith's beloved sister Kim and two others died violent deaths, reportedly at the hand of her father, who then committed suicide. Faith, who was present at the time, managed to hide out in the dark woods. She escaped certain death, yes, but she was left with deep psychological wounds. Faith's mother, a therapist, worked through her own grief by way of writing a tell-all book about the daughter - Faith - who survived.
Faith continued to bury her anguish by way of alcohol, temper tantrums and other behavioral no-nos, which in turn landed her in a psychiatric hospital. But now, close to the anniversary of the murders, she gets the okay for release - on the condition that she return to the hometown in which all the blood was shed and participate in group therapy programs. No matter what she tries, though, she's not able to shake off the trauma of her past - nor her belief that the father she loved did not commit the awful crimes. That's because she'd seen another person at the scene back then - an unknown man she calls "Rat Face."
But alas, no one - not even the police - believed her then, nor do they believe her now. Even when she spots him once again, everyone thinks it's all in her twisted mind. Everyone, that is, except Rat Face, who learns that Faith has spotted him again. Now, he - and possibly his partners in crime - must do whatever it takes to keep from being identified, including making sure that this time, they leave no witnesses. Several twists and turns lead to an exciting conclusion (I won't say it's totally satisfying, but the loose ends get pretty well tied up). In short? Very well done and highly recommended.
The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson (Greyson Media, November 2017); 329 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Four things I gravitate toward when I have a spare 15 or 20 minutes: Playing word puzzles on my smartphone, seeing what my family and friends are up to on Facebook, looking for a snack in the kitchen cupboard and polishing off another chapter or two of whatever book I'm reading. Accordingly, one of the ways I know I'm loving the book I'm reading is when the other three options go by the boards.
That certainly was the case here - so besides being a little hungry, I'm now faced with major catching up to do on my phone and Facebook.
This is the second book featuring South Wales detective partners Alex King and Chloe Lane, and I admit I didn't read the first, The Girls in the Water. No matter; at no time did I notice any "holes" that made me wonder what had gone on before. As this one begins, Chloe is bunking with Alex and contemplating a more permanent hookup with another department detective. Alex's mostly estranged mother has taken a turn for the worse health-wise, and a young woman named Keira North took a fatal fall from an open window during a party. The latter looks like an accident, but to Alex and Chloe, it doesn't pass the smell test.
As they begin to investigate, they quickly learn that four of Keira's housemate friends may not be as innocent as they appear. And then - just when they start to think they're on the right track - another one bites the dust. Yet another cog hits the wheel when a young woman ends up in the hospital following an overdose; that case, too, lands squarely in the laps of Alex and Chloe.
Could it be that someone is trying to wipe out all of Keira's housemates one by one? If so, why - and perhaps more important, who? And while no one thinks the murders and overdose cases are connected, the way things are going, anything is possible. The result is that Alex and Chloe are led in many directions, providing twists, turns and surprises for readers as well.
All in all, this is a very well-written book with interesting characters - and a series I've put on my must-read list going forward. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
The First One to Die by Victoria Jenkins (Bookouture, November 2017); 346 pp.
4.5 stars out of 5
No matter what the generation in which it happens, parenting ain't for sissies. My indoctrination - the first of two - happened way back in 1963. Unlike the author, we got one with outdoor plumbing and one with indoor; and they were nearly five years apart instead of just two. Still, with the exception of not having ultrasound readily available during pregnancy, many of her experiences with childbirth and rearing mirror mine - and, I suspect, those of most parents, at least if they're honest about it.
Right up front, though, I'll warn that this book isn't for everyone; the language is both colorful and frank. I know women, for instance, who would jump in a vat of hot oil before allowing their kids to watch them pee (or, for that matter, use the word "pee" in front of them). So if that describes you, well, perhaps you should skip this one. As for me, I was rocked by several belly-laughs throughout; like the author, I've got a mouth like a truck driver (with apologies to those drivers who are far more well-spoken than I). Also like the author, while I tried really hard to keep my lips zipped around our kids, sometimes (okay, make that fairly often), the heat of the moments got the better of me.
The book begins with a somewhat bawdy description of her pregnancy and then moves to some of the more, shall we say, enlightening mileposts that happened once her first kid made an appearance (somewhat rapidly followed by a second, bringing even more complications and yuck-yucks from me). And even when I couldn't identify with a specific behavior - honest to God, neither of my kids ever licked anything more potentially mess-making than a three-scoop ice cream cone - the concepts hit bullseyes for me just about every time. And always, the focus is on loving, nurturing and protecting her boys - how could any mother argue with that?
There's a bit of more serious "stuff" sprinkled around, including dealing with her parents' split for a rather unconventional reason. She also emphasizes that the book really is about her, and how difficult, yet important, parenting is for her. The only time I took any issue at all is when she spanked one of her sons. Not a Martha Stewart good thing? Agreed. But it happened only once and she immediately concluded that spanking is a no-no. Now, though, it's way past time to stop dwelling on it; a one-and-done certainly won't scar the kid for life.
There's a helpful appendix with parenting tips here as well - making the whole thing both entertaining and educational. Thanks, Ms. Mitchell, for sending me a copy to read and review - good job!
Stop Licking That by Karin Mitchell (Amazon Digital Services LLC, February 2017); 277 pp.
5 stars out of 5
Okay, I'm Jazzed.
Finally - a heroine who's independent, feisty and could give MacGyver a run for his money. That much of the time Jasmine ("Jazz") Bashara skirts the edge of the law makes her all the more interesting. Throw in a kinky sense of humor that doesn't let up from start to finish, and I'm in it all the way.
Jazz, now in her mid-20s, has lived in Artemis - the first and so far only city on the moon - since early childhood. Residents live and work in five self-contained spheres called bubbles that have numerous fail-safes to protect residents from an unfriendly moon atmosphere. People come from all parts of Earth to live and visit (tourism is big business, and trips from Artemis to Earth take half a dozen days or so). Jazz herself is from Saudi Arabia, brought by her father, who practices the welding trade in his adopted city. They aren't particularly close - for openers, he's a practicing Muslim and she has no interest in any kind of religion.
Because it's forging new territory, life on Artemis isn't as fully regimented as is Earth; some rules, for instance, like no firearms (or fire of any kind, for that matter), are more stringent, mostly for safety reasons. In addition to her regular but peon-type job, Jazz has been smuggling goodies up from Earth for quite some time. But because she's almost desperate to earn lots of money (called "slugs" on Artemis) so she can move out of her coffin-like living quarters and eat food that isn't reminiscent of Soylent Green, she's hoping for something closer to a windfall.
Then along comes her big chance, in the form of filthy rich businessman Trond Landvik. He's consumed with the notion of putting Artemis's huge aluminum smelting operation out of commission so he can buy it at a fire-sale price and take over. Knowing her proclivity with a blowtorch (some skills she bothered to learn from her father) and willingness to color outside the lines, he offers Jazz a monumental amount of slugs if she can disable the company's four "harvesters" that gather rocks from the moon for use in the smelting process.
Needless to say, things don't exactly go according to plan, and Jazz and her cohorts more than once find themselves between a rock and a hard place (literally). Telling more would ruin the story for others, though, so you'll just have to read it to find out who wins and who loses.
What I will venture to say is that I liked this book even better than the author's previous book, The Martian, which also earned 5 stars from me (and FYI, each of the two books stands totally alone). Admittedly, Jazz can grate on the nerves a bit, although overall I enjoyed the heck out of her sense of humor. And as was the case in The Martian, the technical stuff is both educational and fun but can be a bit overwhelming at times.
But in the end, I loved it. Many thanks to the publisher (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Artemis by Andy Weir (Crown, November 2017); 320 pp.
5 stars out of 5
When I finished The Silent Corner, the first book in this series featuring FBI agent Jane Hawk, I loved it so much that in my review I urged the author to hurry up and finish the next one sooner than scheduled. He must have heard me, since he beat that original date by a couple of months. And oh boy, am I glad he did!
This one can stand alone, although I'm sure I enjoyed it more for having read the first. That one had plenty of action, but here it's almost nonstop, meaning I was "forced" to put other chores on the back burner so I could keep reading (honestly, I think it's even better than the first, and I gave that one a 5-star rating). The prose is pure Koontz, with each turn of the phrase artfully crafted. The focus of the plot - really, really bad guys and gals who are using nanotechnology to turn human beings they don't like into well-controlled automatons - may be a bit "out there," but on the other hand, as one of my favorite comedians, Judy Tenuta, used to say, "It could happen."
In the first book, Jane's husband Nick reportedly committed suicide - but Jane knew better and vowed to get to the truth. That in turn put her at odds with the FBI and even higher-up powers, forcing her to go on the run and put her young son Travis in hiding. Early on, she seeks help from a respected journalist - hoping he's someone she can trust (it's nearly impossible to discern who's had the technology implants, making Jane's quest to take down the instigators all that much harder). At the same time, a much-loved Minnesota school teacher inexplicably commits mass murder by driving her homemade bomb-laden car into a crowd (killing herself as well). When Jane learns of the incident, she immediately suspects that the woman was "guided" by an outside force.
At the same time, local Sheriff Luther Tillman has suspicions all his own; wanting to find out why the normally sweet teacher would commit such a horrible act, he visits her home and retrieves a few items. Shortly thereafter, her home goes up in flames, adding fuel to Luther's belief that something is rotten in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Jane and Luther lead separate investigations for a while, but as might be expected, their trails eventually come together. From that point on, there's no going back - and they must cling to the hope that the way forward won't end with either or both of their deaths.
Mysterious and spooky and all together ooky, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves thrillers spiked with a tablespoon of science fiction. Love it - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz (Bantam, November 2017); 528 pp.
4 stars out of 5
When I opened this book on my Kindle, I was eager to start my first by this author even though it's not in the Sneaky Pie Brown cat series I've been wanting to sample for quite some time now. But when this one began with a lengthy list of character descriptions - not just of people, but hounds and foxes - my heart sank a little. I'm not young any more, and my short-term memory isn't even close to what it used to be. How on earth, I said to myself, will I ever keep all of them straight?
And at first, that really was an issue; flipping back and forth to the lists to jog my failing memory would have taken too much time and distracted me from the story (it probably would be easier on a "real" book, though I wouldn't have wanted to do it there, either) - so for the first several chapters I felt more than a bit lost. That the switch from people talking to animals talking isn't clearly delineated made it even more difficult; I'd be halfway down a page before realizing that the conversation I'd just read was between a couple of pooches or owls, not people.
The story, though, not only is well crafted but interesting to me because I know (make that knew) next to nothing about fox hunting. An extensive glossary of terms at the beginning was helpful, but then again, I forgot most of the definitions once the story got going. But I decided to forge ahead and not worry that I couldn't always remember who's who and what's what. And by golly, I'm glad I did. Not only did I learn that the state of Virginia is a hotbed of fox-hunting activity (I thought it to be a sport in which only the English partake), but the intricate plot caught me up in intrigue and the thrill of the chases as well as perspectives on topical issues such as race relations, politics and drugs. There was humor as well; consider, for instance, this description of a particularly talented cat:
"Her marvelous ears could hear a rat piss in cotton."
Now about that story: Around 1954 - the year I was 13, in case anyone thinks I was lying about being old - an accomplished fox huntsman and noted ladies man named Wesley Carruthers (better known as Weevil) disappeared, never to be found. Rumored to have stolen valuable jewelry from one of his also-rumored lovers, it was assumed that he'd been murdered even though his body never turned up. Fast forward 60 years to a museum near the Jefferson Hunt Club in rural Virginia, when an etched cow horn goes missing from a display case and someone "sees" Weevil at the scene. When his distinctive horn echoes at a hunt, all kinds of questions emerge - not the least of which is whether or not ghosts really exist.
Along the way, readers meet a cast of colorful characters like "Sister" Jane Arnold, master of the hunt club; Tootie, a young heiress who gave up on a prestigious college education (and was disowned by her richer-than-God father) to find her true calling working with hounds and horses at the club; and Yvonne, Tootie's former supermodel mother, who's in the midst of dumping her cheating husband and hoping to make a new life near her daughter.
But the overriding issue, so to speak, is Weevil: Who is he, really, and why has he come back? While I correctly guessed the who part fairly early on, the why eluded me until all the details were wrapped up cleverly at the conclusion. My own conclusion? Well done! And many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Crazy Like a Fox by Rita Mae Brown (Ballantine Books, October 2017); 305 pp.
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.
