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Goodbye Sister Disco by James Patrick Hunt

Publisher: St. Martin’s Minotaur  ISBN: 978-0-312-36156-3

Reviewed by Kathryn Lawson, New Mystery Reader

Goodbye Sister Disco is a deftly paced story of sex, drugs, murder, prison breaks, ransom demands, revolutionary politics, and social-climbing ambition.  The engaging plot is complemented by a strong group of characters.  There’s shameless gold digger Lexie Penmark, married to Eugene Penmark after he made his considerable fortune.  There’s unfortunate first wife Adele Beckwith, discarded by Penmark once Lexie set her sights on him.  And there are the members of a counterculture group with poorly defined goals and sharply delineated factions.  Lieutenant George Hastings, the main character, is an intriguing man whose personal life (continuing ties with ex-wife Eileen, a new relationship with defense attorney Carol McGuire, parenting duties for 12 year-old Amy) is explored as the novel progresses through the investigation.  Hunt gives even minor characters unique attributes to make them memorable (such as an ex-high school football player brought to life in just a few incisive paragraphs).  The descriptions of the interactions between the different law enforcement agencies capture those ubiquitous tensions without descending into cheap stereotype.  A gritty and realistic read, Goodbye Sister Disco (the title comes from a song by The Who) is a compelling story of greed and ambition. 

The Fourth Man by K. O. Dahl

Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur  ISBN-10: 0312375697

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

In this stunning U.S. debut, readers are treated to one in a series that has already won acclaim from others world-wide, and after reading it, there’s no doubt as to why. 

When Oslo DI Frank Frolich saves a young and beautiful woman who gets caught up in the violence during a routine raid, he is unprepared for the erotic relationship that results.  But when finding out that his new lover is the sister of a criminal who is suspected in the murder of a security guard after she herself provides the suspect’s alibi, he’s about to learn what it’s like to be on the other side of crime and justice.  But when his lover disappears, and those involved in the crime begin to die suspicious deaths, and with his own innocence in question, he must find out the truth regardless of how much he might lose in the process.

This dark and atmospheric read is one that will easily be more than welcomed by those of us who are new readers of this outstanding author.  And while some U.S. readers might find the local and names a bit awkward to get through at times, through excellent plotting and characterization, Dahl puts forth a challenging and evocative mystery that’s full of hidden depths and compelling insights that prove to be more than enough to make it worth it.  Here’s to hoping we get to see more of this outstanding author’s work in the future.

A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

Publisher: St. Martin's Press  ISBN: 978-0-312-37929-2

Reviewed by Kathryn Lawson, New Mystery Reader

Danny Cartwright’s engagement celebration ended in the murder of his best friend in a senseless altercation outside a pub.  Framed for the murder and sentenced to 22 years in prison, Danny commits himself to clearing his name and to getting revenge on the powerful men who set him up to take the fall for their actions.  What follows is a fascinating tale filled with courtroom drama, family intrigues, jailhouse alliances, fraud, forgery, and a host of other illicit activities.  The story grabs the reader from the first page and doesn’t let go until the shocking conclusion.  Along the way, the plot whips through twist after twist, never predictable but always credible.  Characters are multidimensional and compelling, and the dialogue emphasizes their individual motivations and voices.  Archer also creates vivid descriptions of settings ranging from prison cells to Sotheby’s auctions to theater parties.  Overall, a juicy story of revenge and loyalty.  Highly recommended.

Twisted by Andrea Kane

Publisher: William Morrow  ISBN-10: 0061236780

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

When Sloane Burbank, former FBI agent turned private consultant, is asked by the parents of an old friend to look into their daughter’s year-long disappearance, she is more than willing to oblige.  But when the case, one that has long grown cold with only the smallest of leads, and one in which the authorities remain skeptical of having involved foul play, begins to show signs of a much more deadlier truth, it becomes apparent that this was anything but a willful disappearance.  And when yet more young women begin to disappear, all with ties to Sloane herself, solving the case becomes more urgent than ever.  Complicating matters even further is her forced partnership with an old lover who has his own string of unsolved crimes to unravel, crimes which might just be connected to hers.  And as the danger creeps ever close to Sloane herself, it’ll become a race against time to find the madman responsible.          

This first in a new series featuring Sloane Burbank, is sure to draw a decent following from Kane’s fans of her previous thrillers.  Admittedly, while Kane’s portrayal of this near-perfect protagonist in her early 30s who can jog 7miles, kill a man with her bare hands, speak several languages, and profile the most heinous criminals before 10 am can be a bit off-putting at times, she does eventually show Sloane’s vulnerability and human flaws when it comes to her inability to partake in the more emotional side of life.  Ultimately, when looking past the sometimes one-dimensional characters, there is some growth going on here, as well as a suspenseful and satisfying read that holds much promise for the next.          

The Killer’s Wife by Bill Floyd

Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur  ISBN-10: 0312373392

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

In his debut novel, Floyd takes the typical novel of a psychotic serial killer and gives it a new twist by telling his tale from the point of view rarely seen – the person once closest to the killer. In this case that would be the killer’s wife, Leigh Wren, a woman who once thought she had the perfect family, including a new baby, a beautiful home, and a handsome husband; a perfect dream that ended six years previously when she slowly awakened to the fact that her perfect husband might instead be the monster behind several horrific murders.  But it doesn’t end there, because even though now it’s been six years since she brought his crimes to light and helped put him on death row, and moved to a new town and changed her name, it’s all about to come back when she’s exposed for who she once was and finds herself threatened by a killer who wants to do it all again.

With scenes alternating between past and present, Floyd easily convinces the reader how it was that Leigh was able to maintain her denial of the horror that resided inside the man she loved for several years; convincingly portraying her and her family as the neighbors next door, or perhaps those living even closer.  Provocative questions of how well we can really know someone, and how far we might go to avoid answering those questions, make this a suspenseful and daring read.  An enthralling first effort that promises great things ahead; this one’s a winner.

Dead Time by Stephen White

Publisher: Dutton Adult  ISBN-10: 0525950060

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

After the death of his good friend and neighbor from a bombing in Israel, Boulder psychologist Alan Gregory suddenly finds himself not only dealing with the ongoing issues that seem to be threatening his marriage, but also with the added pressure of his newly appointed role as guardian of his murdered friend’s young son.  But things are only about to get even more complicated when his ex-wife calls him a few weeks later asking his help in finding the surrogate mother of her unborn child. And so as his wife and daughter head unexpectedly choose this time to head off in one direction in search of the adoptive daughter his wife gave up years before, Alan heads off in another in his attempt to track down the missing pregnant woman.

With his search taking him from New York to LA, and with a little help from his friend Sam, it doesn’t take long for the pair to begin to see a connection between this disappearance and those of a few other young adults that had all been part of a camping group in the Grand Canyon just a few short years earlier.  And as the truth slowly reveals itself, not only will Gregory be forced to confront the possibility that his ex-wife’s fiancé might be somehow involved, but that he too is not safe from a killer who will do anything to keep his secrets from being revealed.      

As always, White not only provides a creative and suspenseful read that is difficult to put down, but again shares some interesting insights into the psychology behind marriage, friendship, trust, and the ties that bind.  And so being fortified with these worthy aspects, it’s not too difficult to forgive White’s fantastical forays into the magical land where he and Sam get hit on by just about every woman they cross paths with; a plot ploy most likely meant to test and prove their commitments, but one that instead comes off as sounding like a wishful fantasy that only grows more and more unconvincing with each occurrence.  But that aside, he keeps the story flowing with his narrative’s altering perspectives from some pretty interesting characters, some very stimulating action sequences both past and present, and a plethora of secondary lively characters that all seamlessly combine for another worthwhile read from this very talented author.     

New Mystery Reader Magazine  editor@newmysteryreader.com