QUARTER TO MIDNIGHT

4 stars out of 5

Romantic anything is about half a dozen genres away from what I enjoy reading, but "suspense" brings it more into line with my liking. More daunting, at least for me, is that this one is just over 600 pages in length. That said, once I finally made it to the end, it's really not bad at all. It features ex-Marine Molly Sutton, a former law enforcement officer in North Carolina who join her former commanding officer Burke Broussard in his private investigation firm.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Gabe Hebert has emerged as a top chef in the French Quarter. But then his father dies and it's deemed a suicide - not, Gabe insists. So, he turns to Burke, his late father's best friend. That puts Gabe in tune with Molly, and from the start, it's music for their hearts (and those of readers who are into such things).

Apparently, Gabe's father, a former police officer, had spent years digging around the edges of a cold case murder that happened during Hurricane Katrina. When he got too close to the truth, he was warned off; when he didn't pay attention, he paid with his life. The rest of the story follows the details of Molly's investigation and the sometimes steamy relationship between Molly and Gabe. All in all, it's a solid, action-packed story that would be perfect for a summer beach read or in front of a roaring fireplace when the snow flies. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

Quarter to Midnight by Karen Rose (Berkley, August 2022); 604 pp.

HANDS DOWN

4 stars out of 5

Jockey-turned-private eye Sid Halley was last seen in Refusal after losing his left hand in a nasty fight with even nastier opponents; for his troubles, he ended up with a prosthetic hand and a wife who who insisted that he quit his detecting work. Now he's back - decked out with a new but real hand courtesy of a donor that, with the help of anti-rejection drugs, is working better every day. His marriage, on the other hand (pun intended), isn't working quite so well; in fact, his wife Marina has taken their nine-year-old daughter, Saskia, with her to stay with her elderly parents - in part because her father is dying and in part because she needs to get away for a while.

As he's stewing over how to handle the situation, an ex-jockey friend calls to ask for help with a serious issue involving racing. With his mind elsewhere, Sid poo-poos the situation and puts the guy on hold at least for a couple of days. As it turns out, he should have been more fired up; the next day, the guy's stable and a few horses go up in flames - and then, not long after he meets with Sid to explain what's going on, the man himself is found hanged. The police deem it death by suicide, but given what Sid knows, he's not so sure.

At that point - with no resolution of the situation between he and his wife - Sid sets off to investigate what appears to be corruption at the track that involves "dirty" agents, blackmail and race fixing. Needless to say, that takes Sid to a couple of racetracks he once frequented as a jockey and pits him against several heavyweight nasties who would love nothing more than to get rid of him for good. The details, of course, I can't reveal - nor whether he wins back the two loves of his life. Suffice it to say the story held me captive for a few good hours - well written with plenty of action. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy - and keep me in mind when the next one drops. Try it - I think you'll like it too!

Hands Down by Felix Francis (Crooked Lane Books, November 2022); 304 pp.

LIVID

5 stars out of 5

Maybe it's because it's a timely topic with more questions than answers that's intrigued me for at least a couple of years now. Maybe it's because forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta doesn't seem quite as paranoid as usual (even though in this case, her suspicions may be rooted in fact). Whatever the reason, this, the 26th book in the popular series, is another one I really didn't want to put down. 

It begins with Scarpetta's testimony at a contentious murder trial - and her scientific evidence and methods not-so-politely challenged by a defense attorney determined to win and sully Scarpetta's reputation in the process. The judge, Annie Chilton, is Scarpetta's long-time friend; but this time out, her rulings are falling outside the norm. Later, Scarpetta - who not that long ago returned to Virginia to serve in her old job as chief medical examiner - is called out to a murder; the victim is none other than the judge's sister, Rachael, who's been living with her sister at the run-down family estate. When she and her longtime friend and investigator Pete Marino arrive, they're struck by the stricken; everywhere are dead bugs, birds and what appears to be finely tuned destruction. That, in turn, leads to suspicion of the method of the murder - a really scary one that Scarpetta and her FBI husband Benton and niece Lucy are well acquainted with by way of their seats on the federal Doomsday Commission (and for readers, it's an issue, albeit controversial in some circles, that's made national news in recent years).

In between trying to solve the motive and means for the murder - plus, of course, identify and capture the culprit - all the major players must dodge the slings and arrows of protestors (think: Jan. 6, 2021, but with different targets). One clue leads to another to revelations about the death of a former colleague - one who has ties to the trial at the beginning of the book. All told, it's a fast-paced, well-researched story and a great addition to the series. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Livid by Patricia Cornwell (Grand Central Publishing, October 2022); 369 pp.

A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES

4 stars out of 5

Having read another in this series featuring Inspector John Rebus, I was looking forward to this one. And alas, I felt lost almost from the beginning and struggled to get through it. There were just too many characters and scenes that shifted far too often for me to keep it all straight. That said, my bet is that long-time readers of this popular series will enjoy it thoroughly.

Retired and not in the best of health, Rebus finds himself on the wrong side of the law - on trial for committing an undisclosed crime. From that beginning, the rest of the book goes back in time - to his old stomping grounds at Tynecastle, where "dirty" cops were the order of the day - to piece together what happened. Although he doesn't deny that he may have participated in more than a few shady operations himself, he can't quite make himself believe his actions were all that serious - mostly, they consisted of simply looking the other way. When one of the cops from back then ends up murdered, readers get to see Rebus's former protoge, now Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke, do her thing amid colleagues, some of whom still think women really don't belong in the police department.

The ending is a cliffhanger that suggests there will be a follow-up - and I'll be waiting for that one. For those new to this series, I must say this isn't the place to start - back up a bit and get more of a feel for some of the characters from an earlier time. Rebus is an interesting character who's time may be up, and I'm curious as to how it all will end for him. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin (Little, Brown and Co., October 2022); 353 pp.

NO PLAN B

4.5 stars out of 5

Every loyal reader of this series knows nobody messes with Jack Reacher - he can take down half a dozen very big, very angry men in the blink of an eye. In this one, he proves he can give MacGyver a run for his skills as well.
 

The plot has four "legs," if you will - and that made it a little tough for me to follow, at least for the first half or so of the book, just because of the number of characters and switchbacks from one to the other. There's a guy who wants revenge, another looking for a long-lost someone, some very bad guys who don't want to get caught doing what they're doing and, of course, raison d'etre that puts Reacher, at first inadvertently and then intentionally, in the middle of the whole mess.

The whole thing begins as Reacher sees a man throw a woman under the bus - quite literally - after which he steals her purse and runs. Something Reacher saw seems to have triggered feelings of ill will, so to speak, from some folks who would rather it not be seen - what was there threatens the good thing they want to keep going. Reacher, doing his Reacher thing, smells a rat (and we all know he doesn't react well to threats), so he vows to get to the bottom of it even if it takes him halfway across the country. While this is going on, those other folks begin to converge at the same place - the Minerva Correctional Facility in Winson, Mississippi.

The details, of course, I can't reveal, except to say there's never a dull moment; all points converge at the end, and readers learn what happens to all the people who started off as strangers but end up as, well, you'll have to read it for yourself to find that out. It's fast-paced, fun and another adventure I'm sure Reacher fans will enjoy. I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

No Plan B by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Delacorte Press, October 2022); 368 pp.

IT'S NEWS TO ME

4 stars out of 5

My own experience as a journalist prompted me to read the first book in this series, but I've kept on reading them just because they're so darned entertaining. This is the fourth, and after finishing it, I remain a devoted fan.

It's not so much that I identify with New York TV editor and hotshot journalist Clare Carlson; she says and does things far beyond my pay grade (too much of the former, in fact, made me lose a bit of respect for her in this story). And, this one has a little too much repetition. But overall, the plot and all the twists (some expected, others not) had me hanging on every page and not wanting to put it down.

As Clare is dealing with a cantankerous, ratings-hungry new boss, a beautiful and popular college student named Riley Hunt is murdered not far from the school. At first blush, it's thought to be a random attack. Led by her well-honed instincts, Clare isn't so sure - so she starts digging around and finds that Riley's perfect image may have a few flaws. Among them are a reported stalker, an unreported missing laptop and connections to a couple of well-connected young men and an escort service. Riley's mother's behavior, too, arouses Clare's Spidey senses; what, if anything, is she trying to hide?

When a local homeless veteran is charged with the murder and is too psychologically messed up to resist, Clare is even more sure there's more to Riley's story. Ferreting out the truth brings her in contact with some seedy, dangerous characters as well as her ex-husband, Homicide Detective Sam Markham. In between, a blind date with a Princeton professor leads to another, and another, and thoughts of a more permanent relationship (sometimes, when there's a will, there's a way). 

But as Clare ignores warnings to back off, the situation heats up; one murder puts an untimely end to what might have been an enlightening interview, and other murders follow. There's plenty of action right up to the end both on the case and in the studio, keeping me glued to the story. Thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Another one well done!

It's News to Me by R.G. Belsky (Oceanview Publishing, October 2022); 349 pp.

DISTANT THUNDER

4 stars out of 5

As uber-rich New York attorney Stone Barrington enjoys an, um, relaxing time at his Dark Harbor, Maine, home accompanied by none other than U.S. President Holly Barker, he gets some disturbing news: there's a dead guy on his property. When it turns out to be CIA agent John Collins and he was murdered, the whole thing turns into a chase to the finish line that Stone just might not live long enough to win.

Well, don't be silly; of course he'll live to see another day - he's the star of this now 63-book series, after all - but there's no shortage of action that brings his life into question. Playing a Central role here, so to speak, is old friend and CIA chief Lance Cabot, who enters the subsequent investigation but is surprisingly tight-lipped about the details. Soon thereafter, the victim's ex-wife, Vanessa, pays a visit, wanting details of his death and how she can claim her rightful share of what may be a small fortune. One discussion leads to another and, as luck would have it, Holly has already left to run the country from Washington, D.C., so naturally Stone is happy to have a relaxation buddy once again. 

Back in New York, Stone meets up with good friend and NYPD chief Dino Bacchetti and his wife Viv for dinner - a regular happening - and to share the case's perplexing details. Surprise - here comes Vanessa again, in the mood to relax once again. A new detail is added to the investigation, though, that takes it to a whole 'nother level and prompts Stone to head back to Maine with Vanessa in tow. That changes quickly when it becomes apparent that Stone himself is slated for victimhood, prompting him to head for his property in London, Vanessa once again in tow. There, too, Stone's presence is detected by the bad guys, prompting yet another move to his Palm Springs yacht (yes, with Vanessa in tow). This time, though, the conflict gets very real, with an exciting chase that blows out all the stops. 

Of course, plenty happens in between all these relocations, including a ton more food and relaxation and progress in the investigation. All in all, it's another fun romp and a quick read (I finished it in roughly four hours). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release copy to be read and reviewed.

Distant Thunder by Stuart Woods (G.P. Putnam's Sons, October 2022); 272 pp.