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Capitol Betrayal by William Bernhardt

Publisher: Ballantine Books  ISBN-10: 0345503015

Reviewed by Danny Donegan, New Mystery Reader 

The United States military is on the border of Kuraq, a Middle Eastern country who is close to invading the Benzai Strip. A Red Cross helicopter has gone down over Kuraq, and U.S is trying to rescue the survivors.  Kuraq’s leader, Colonel Zuko refuses to allow the U.S to perform a rescue mission.  He believes the United States is preparing to invade Kuraq should it threaten the Benzai Strip.  Zuko threatens to destroy targets all over the America until the U.S withdraws its troops from his nation’s borders.  Somehow he has gotten control of some of America’s ballistic missiles guidance systems, the nature and control of which are known only to a select few top Government Officials. America’s own ballistic missiles have their cross hairs are right on U.S territory.  President Kyler is adamant about not giving into to terrorist, while Vice President Swinburne wants our troops out to protect U.S soil.

Lawyer and former Senator Ben Kincaid is in the oval office with the President Kyler, Admiral Cartwright and other White House Senior Staff discussing the threat of Kuraq.    During the meeting, the President seems to be acting a bit odd…singing show-tunes and playing the air.  When in an immediate threat to the White House is received, Kincaid, the President and senior staff are whisked away to an underground bunker impervious of a nuclear blast.

On the outside, Veteran CIA agent Seamus McKay is racing around Washington D.C to find a hidden command center that has control over our ballistic missiles.  He’s getting a bit old for the job, but he’s one of the agencies best and will stop at nothing to stop these fanatics before it is too late.

Amidst the crisis at hand, President Kyler begins to act even stranger.  So strange that Vice President Swinburne tries to enact the 25^th amendment, declaring that the President is not mentally stable and therefore not able to fulfill his duties as President of the United States.  An unheard of trial is set up in the bunker, with Admiral Cartwright fulfilling the job of the judge, Kincaid the Presidents defense, and Swinburne as the prosecutor.  It’s now up to Kincaid to ensure the President remains in office.  The problem Kincaid begins to have is, is his defendant, the President of the United States, actually going insane? 

Most will find Bernhardt’s Capitol Betrayal to be an overall worthwhile read.  It’s not necessary to go through all of Bernhard’s previous Ben Kincaid stories to understand it, making it easy to jump right in.  It’s a bit slow at first, but it eventually begins to take off into a fun guessing game.  And while at times a bit inconceivable, leaving readers wondering just how the president got to this point and how the enemy accessed ballistic missiles, the reader can still capture the seriousness and intrigue of the plot.  The side story of Agent McKay also adds a bit of fun.  If you’re looking for serious firefights and neck snapping, this political thriller might not do the trick, but if you’re interested in a political and legal thriller with two different and interesting stories going on, then this one might just work.   

The Last Illusion by Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Minotaur  ISBN-10: 0312385404

Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader

Once again, Irish immigrant Molly Murphy manages to be in the right place at the right time.  Molly, owner of the P. Riley Detective Agency, has decided to forget her current lack of cases by taking in a magic show.  Magicians, or illusionists, have become quite popular in the United States and Europe, especially with the increasingly daring escapes by Harry Houdini. 

While this performance features a scarcely known illusionist, his anonymity disappears when he performs a new trick that involves sawing a girl in half.  Unfortunately, the trick fails and the girl has been truly and severely cut, much to the horror of the crowd, which strains to get a better look.  Possibly fearing for his freedom, the illusionist flees and the girl is hastily wheeled out to the ambulance.  Strangely, neither can be found by the police during the follow-up investigation.

Molly returns to the theatre to uncover more information and there she meets Bess Houdini, Harry’s wife.  After Bess almost suffocates onstage, Molly becomes Harry’s new assistant and personal bodyguard.

Molly’s romance with fiancé Police Captain Daniel Sullivan vacillates between harmonious (when she obeys) and acrimonious.  Although the delicate dance of gender equality is historically accurate, this depiction quickly becomes tiresome because Molly does nothing to dissuade Sullivan from being enchanted by the idea of what spirited Molly should be, not whom she actually is.  While this appeared in earlier cases, Molly’s lack of introspection on such an important decision is as curious as the inner workings of Houdini’s dangerous water escape trick.

Molly’s empathy also misses the life-threatening danger her cheerfully bohemian lesbian friends encounter just by their open lifestyle, which Molly discounts as them simply having no worries since they have money.

In spite of it all, Molly remains resourceful and determined and her experiences in the heyday of illusion makes for fun reading and a good addition to the Molly Murphy Mystery series.

212 by Alafair Burke

Publisher: Harper  ISBN-10: 0061561223

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

When NYPD detectives Ellie Hatcher and J.J. Rogan are called to the site of a brutal murder at one of New York’s most prestigious addresses, they’ll soon find that the rich and powerful hold secrets that are far from what they’ve come to expect.

The body belongs to the bodyguard of a powerful developer in the city, and as the two try to investigate his death, they find nothing but roadblocks thrown in their way, including those by the judge assigned to the case, leaving this one hot case that is all too soon quick to grow cold. 

But when five months later, a young and beautiful college student is found just as brutally murdered, with her roommate left for dead and hanging on for life, the case will heat up again in the most unexpected of ways.  And when yet another brutal slaying, this one of an up and coming female real estate agent, adds another tie to these seemingly unrelated cases, the two will find themselves battling the powers that be who are capable of keeping even the worst secrets locked away forever.

Wow!  Burke’s new outing featuring this young female detective quickly proves to be better than anything Burke has put out before.  Actually, her realistic dialogue, her detailed descriptions of New York City’s vivacious vibe and pulse, and her ability to provide unending suspense makes this one of the year’s best across the board.  This is simply how a police procedural should be done, and with Burke’s background in prosecution, it’s easy to see how she manages to get it right at just about every step.  And with trails leading down roads that tempt the reader to think they have it figured out, there’s the additional thrilling allure to discover time and time again that nothing is as it seems.  Full of dirty secrets and the repercussions that result when trying to hide them, this comes highly recommended as a nonstop tale of suspense that races without pause to its satisfying ending.  

The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag by Alan Bradley

Publisher: Delacorte Press  ISBN-10: 0385342314

Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader

Returning for a second adventure, 11 year-old Flavia de Luce spends her time finding answers in her small post-World War II English village.  Flavia dedicates her considerable intellectual resources and equally vast reserves of impishness to pursue the truth, whether it involves solving a scientific query in her incredible Victorian-era chemistry lab or figuring out who committed murder in front of the villagers.

Flavia’s chance to solve another murder occurs accidentally, when a visiting puppeteer and his unhappy secretive assistant stay in town after their aging van breaks down.  The puppeteer famous for his BBC television program, Rupert, agrees to hold two performances while waiting, ensuring that most of the villagers will get a break from the monotony of their lives.  They get a little too much excitement, however, when Rupert’s rendition of Jack and the Beanstalk ends with a thud—and Rupert’s lifeless remains.  Curious about everything, Flavia’s familiarity with the backstage set-up gives her close contact with the late, lamented BBC star.

In spite of being aghast at her close-up of ill-fated Rupert, Flavia quickly notes pertinent clues and embarks on her own investigation, periodically punctuated by recitations of her own poems celebrating the chemical properties of poisons or by her attempts to retaliate against her older sisters in their daily bouts of household warfare.

Using her precociousness and keen wit, Flavia gently interrogates key witnesses who normally avoid the police as a matter of course.  The quirky characters include the estate’s awful cook, Mrs. Mullet, whose cooking skills are tolerated by the family in order to avoid hurting her feelings, and war-scarred Dogger, who spends some of his time disoriented but susses out secrets when he’s aware.  The village keeps plenty of its own secrets, from a mismatched vicar and his wife to the Anglophile German POW who made the village his home.  Flavia, well-known to all but in different ways, has found her niche even as she dreams of escaping it.

Especially entertaining when Flavia converses with the official investigator, Flavia de Luce will be worth the acquaintance of any reader interested in wry, English mysteries filled with interesting characters and explosive chemicals.

The Bone Thief by Jefferson Bass

HarperCollins Publishers  ISBN: 978-06-128476

Review by Jim Sells,  New Mystery Reader

Dr. Bill Brockton directs the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Brockton – with the help of his graduate assistant Miranda Lovelady - has duties ranging from studying the decay of human bodies to fighting for every penny of budget money.

When a Dr. Glen Faust, VP of research for OrthoMedica – a multi-billion dollar supplier of medical devices, including artificial joints – approaches with a massive funding proposal for the Body Farm, Brockton is tempted.

In Bones of Betrayal, Brockton helped the authorities solve multiple murders involving death by radiation. In the process, Dr. Eddie Garcia, a pathologist and friend of Brockton’s, received a massive dose of radiation and barely survived. Miranda was injured from a lesser dose of radiation poisoning and made a full recovery. Survival for Garcia came with hefty price tag – loss of almost all of both hands. Now Garcia is seeking options that could let him return to his chosen profession. One is a revolutionary bionic hand and another involves a new procedure for a hand transplant.

The murderer from that case – Isabella Arakawa Morgan – escaped and may be ready to resurface again. Isabella may also have a very personal connection to Brockton.

Now Brockton has been asked by the FBI to participate in a sting operation involving stolen bodies to supply parts. When OrthoMedica -that has just bought the company that manufactures the hand - withdraws the bionic hand from the market, Brockton is faced with another temptation. How far will he go to restore Garcia’s hand?

The novel is a first rate work of mystery and forensic technology. Fans of CSI – as the authors note – may find the solving cases more difficult than portrayed on television, but the procedures are fascinating. As with Bones of Betrayal, this novel goes into grisly detail about forensics. If the reader can stomach some of the more graphic details, they will be rewarded with superior story.

Caught by Harlen Coben

Publisher: Dutton Adult  ISBN-10: 052595158X

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

New York reporter Wendy Tynes has a reputation for exposing pedophiles on air; her method of posing as a young girl in a teenaged chat room and luring the perpetrator to the site of exposure being a big hit with fans around the area.  But while she has always thought of this as this as a noble endeavor, things get a bit more complicated when her latest exposure leads to a shockingly violent scene when Dan Mercer, the man she’s recently targeted, asks for a meeting that ends with a masked gunman shooting Dan down in cold blood and absconding with the body.          

Naturally, the local police force isn’t too motivated to solve this particular crime, especially as they’re dealing with the disappearance of a local popular high school teen.   But as time goes by, Wendy can’t help but feel something just isn’t right about this case that seems all too easily wrapped up, and so she begins to dig in Dan Mercer’s past with the hope of putting her questions to rest.  And what she discovers is shocking to say the least, leaving her to ask if she ultimately sentenced an innocent man to death, or did she merely have a hand in seeing justice done? 

Reading a new novel by Coben can be compared to partaking in a favorite treat that deserves to be savored in its entirety.  One wants to put up a “Do not disturb” sign on the study/bathroom/bedroom door and be left alone for the duration of the read.  And in this latest novel that focuses on forgiveness and moving forward, Corben delivers what he always has – a novel of suspense that’s just about impossible to put down.  But while, yes, this is suspense at its best, in some ways it still feels as if there’s something missing. 

Suburbia is laid out in all its not so glorious tree-lined streets of conformity and perfection, but while it seems the point here is to question how realistic these comfortable facades of contentment are, along with those who hide behind in them fragile bliss, Coben somehow doesn’t quite reach far enough to make these questions more significant than the careless thoughts and actions that can result from such hapless following of the yellow brick road.  On the surface, this book, as like all that’s come before, is excellent; yet, one can’t help but wish for a bit more insight into what drives these so called “normal” people to act as they do without question.  Not only concerning their own lives, but also in their unquestioning belief in gossip and a media that sacrifices the truth for ratings.

That being said, I have to wonder if because Coben’s titles have always left so little to bitch about that he’s created his own impossible standard to live up to.  When compared to many other books out there, this one excels, and so it does come highly recommended.

The Devil’s Star by Jo Nesbo

Publisher: Harper  ISBN-10: 0061133973

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

Oslo detective Harry Hole has had more than one bad year since his partner was killed. The slow death of his career, the loss of the love of his life due to his obsession with solving her murder, and his obsessive drinking have left him with almost nothing.  But even worse is the fact that the man he knows is responsible, Tom Waaler, a detective on the force whose star is only rising, is still out there free and innocent. 

But when a killer hits the streets of Oslo leaving behind a blood red diamond in the bodies of his victims, Harry is asked to play nice and work with Waaler to solve what appears to be the beginning of a serial killer’s reign of madness.  And so while Harry is trying to solve who is behind the brutal deaths, he must also continue to search for proof that Waaler is yet another monster who should be stopped - a search that might just end his life.

In Nesbo’s latest there’s a lot going on; way more than initially meets the eye.  The story often shifts in ways that at first may seem nonsensical, but it’s in how Nesbo adeptly shifts it back that makes this latest a bit better than average.  He easily leads the reader down trails that seem solidly placed only to suddenly fill the next step with quicksand or a simple dead end, resulting in a read that is both challenging and surprising.  But most striking of all is Nesbo’s ability to create characters worthy of both deep empathy and total repulsion, often evoking both in the same character.  Either way, most readers will find themselves invested early on and determined to see how it all plays out.  While this is a longer book than most in the genre, it manages not to waste a single page on its thrilling ride to the end.

The California Roll by John Vorhaus

Publisher: Shaye Areheart Books ISBN: 978-0-307-46317-3

Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader

Radar Hoverlander is a con artist extradonaire. He has been conning people since he was a child and he has been looking for the one big score – The California Roll.

Some of the keys to being a successful grifter are to maintain control of the situation and people around you and keep complications to the minimum. The closest thing Radar has to a friend is inept con man Vic Mirplo. So when Allie Quinn suddenly intrudes on Radar’s secretive life, knowing more about him than she should be able to, he is more curious than cautious – a bad mistake.

Radar goes along with her request to teach her straight-arrow grandfather how to run one con to spice up his otherwise dull life. Radar tries to figure if she is what she appears or if he is being played. Then events take a sudden turn. Just as Radar thinks he has a handle on the new situation, he’s thrown still another curve ball.

Vorhaus has crafted an intriguing and quirky blend of a read. Sometime compared to Elmore Leonard, the author mixes in twists and other literary devices, while exhibiting an unusual understanding of the mechanics and psychology necessary to make reasonably intelligent citizens part with their money. The musings of Radar about life gives yet another dimension to the story, and when all is combined with the well-written dialogue and a generous helping of humor, the reader is provided with a more than worthwhile read.
(For the interview with John Vorhaus!)

Double Jeopardy by Martin Stratford

Publisher: Robert Hale Ltd  ISBN978 0 7090 8965 0

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

This is one of the rare instances of a female protagonist written by a male author; usually it’s the other way around.  There are a number of female characters in this book, quite different from each other, but surprisingly real and recognizable as types, if I may be forgiven a sexist observation.  Some of the characters border on stereotypes, but as someone once observed, “That’s why we have stereotypes, because they’re things we see all the time.” 

The story starts as Det. Sgt Julie Cooper comes out of a long period of undercover work and is enjoying a relaxing day off with her beloved aunt Joyce.  The enjoyment is blown to bits in a drive-by shooting in which Joyce dies and Julie is wounded.  Julie blames herself, assuming the shooting is pay-back for her trial testimony which locked up a major crime boss.  (I’m sorry Stratford had to kill off Aunt Joyce, she seemed like someone you’d like to know better.  Perhaps he’ll write a prequel one day.)

Returning to Havenchester after she gets out of hospital, ostensibly to wind up her aunt’s affairs, Julie finds she’s now a fairly rich woman—Joyce had investments, a flat, and a half-interest in three antique shops.  Her partners, Archie and Laura Tilling, seem devastated by Joyce’s death and try to make Julie feel welcome.

Being on compassionate leave and having time on her hands, Julie, in the best tradition of tough heroines, decides to see what she can find out about the murder.  She soon discovers she will need an ally, and hires PI Alex Tanner to lend a hand.  Alec is not only a very good detective, he’s an attractive man and before long he and Julie are experiencing a very strong connection that has nothing to do with crime.

Running parallel to Julie’s story is Beverley Wallace’s desperate attempt at freedom after two years as the live-in girlfriend of thug and drug dealer Harry Milton.  Julie and Alec’s investigation takes them down a path that intersects with Beverley’s and puts all of them in extreme danger.  More importantly, it uncovers an unexpected connection to Joyce’s murder and shows that even trained professionals can be mislead by unfounded assumptions.

An enjoyable read with a lot of plot twists to challenge the reader. 

Frame Up by John F Dobbyn

Publisher: Oceanview    ISBN 978 1 933515 63 2

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

Imagine you’re a young lawyer, and one day the mentor you have looked up to, the senior partner you’ve respected, suddenly requests you to do something that seems to counter everything he stands for.

Michael Knight finds himself in a large run-down church in a shabby suburb of Boston, in the company of his law partner Lex Devlin, an aged priest, and a man he recognises as Boston’s crime boss.  He learns that the three old men grew up together here in Charlestown: two of them became good men and the third followed a criminal career.  That man, Dominic Santangelo, now needs the help of his old friends. His son has been arrested for the murder of John McKedrick, one of Michael’s best friends.  Michael himself nearly died in the car bomb that killed John, and now he’s being asked to defend the man who may be the bomber?   

All this happens in the first few pages of the book; the rest of the story is a mad mix of murder, pursuit, foreign travel, Russian baddies, stolen art treasures, dead men walking, sinister Orientals, and just about every other element of a top-of-the-line film starring Matt Damon or Brad Pitt that you could think of.  Along the way Michael meets and becomes very attached to Terry, a friend of John’s, and this attraction increases the danger because it makes Michael more vulnerable to pressure from people who will stop at nothing to regain a treasure. 

John Dobbyn manages to pack a great deal into the 278 pages of this book.  Some very complicated things seem to happen almost in shorthand, as if saying something makes it so.  It may have been a better book with fewer plot twists and more in-depth examination of motives and characters, but all in all it’s a good bit of escapist fiction.  It’s certainly a better way to spend an evening than watching fat people be humiliated by fitness gurus wearing lycra and iron-on tattoos.

False Mermaid by Erin Hart

Publisher: Scribner  ISBN-10: 1416563768

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

It’s been five years since pathologist Nora Gavin’s sister was found brutally murdered on the shore of the Mississippi River in St. Paul, an event that kept Nora searching for answers without relent.  But when after years of unsuccessfully trying to prove that her sister’s husband was the killer drove Nora to escape to the wild bogs of Ireland, she had hoped she could put it all behind her and bury her recriminations into studying the century-old bodies and the folklore found in the windswept coasts of Ireland’s most enigmatic locals.

But, naturally, she has never forgotten, nor forgiven, the man she feels is responsible for the death of her sister, so when she hears that he is about to marry again, she is forced to think of not only the threat he poses to his new bride-to-be, but also the threat he still poses to her young niece who is still in his care. 

However, traveling back home to St. Paul, leaving behind the man she suddenly realizes she loves, the career that challenges her, and the country that speaks to her soul, will be the least of her worries when she discovers that the man she suspects to be a killer might just have killed more than once and won’t hesitate to kill again.  

While this is not the first in the series, new readers will have no trouble feeling like they’ve been part of the ride all along.  Hart does better than most at continuing a series in a way that satisfies readers of old while welcoming new readers just as easily with a manner that makes both feel right at home.  But that’s only the beginning of what’s great about this read.  Throw in the haunting Irish melody of another woman’s tragic tale from years gone past that’s wrapped up in folklore and legend that seamlessly blends with the current - both encompassing the timeless themes of love, betrayal, the search for self, and purposeful blindness - and you have another reason to read this story.  If that’s not enough, there’s the evocative ambience of Ireland’s beauty, and the satisfying mystery itself - with red herrings galore - that mesmerize right until the final page.  Highly, highly recommended, this one brings it all and is one that lingers long after it’s finished.          

Fantasy in Death by J D Robb

Publisher: Publisher: Putnam Adult  ISBN-10: 0399156240

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

If you fear your -iPhone might be smarter than you are, this new adventure with Eve Dallas and Roarke will give you some uneasy moments.  Called to the scene of what might be a bizarre game gone wrong, Eve finds the headless body of a young IT genius—and the head—in his own hologram room, where he’s been testing a new game.  Forget Super Mario: this game goes to a whole new level of danger.  The disk Bart Minnock was running self-destructs when the electronic crime division detectives try to retrieve it, but enough clues remain to suggest something really weird was going on.

Medical Examiner Morris is drawn to the unusual crime scene, and notices that the body bears traces of small burns around the wounds.  “So, he was killed with what? A light saber?” snorts New York’s most down-to-earth cop—but she knows she’s going to need some expert help from the geeks and nerds to get to the bottom of this murder.  Luckily one of the top gadget men in the world is Eve’s own husband, the fantastically rich, gorgeous and tough Roarke. 

Bart Minnock and his three partners are the rising stars on the gaming scene.  Their newest, most challenging and most secret project would have really put their company on the map.  Where there’s something new and different there’s potential money, which always attracts predators.  Could it be a business rival who killed Bart?  Roarke Industries is a possible rival, so how’s this going to play if Roarke acts as Eve’s consultant and later there’s an accusation of commercial theft?

Roarke, a man who knows how to deal with a Gordian knot, solves that problem with one of his swift and decisive strokes.  Shortly afterwards, Cill, one of the remaining partners, is found all but dead in her home holoroom, with wounds that again show traces of burning. 

While the E-cops try to solve the crimes, speaking what to Eve is incomprehensible gibberish, she gets a sudden flash of insight into how the crimes must have happened.  Taking a leaf from an earlier literary crime figure, she realises “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

This latest foray into the New York of the mid 21^st century differs from some of the others in the series.  In recent years author Robb has swung between two styles.  Some books are dark and deep, with a lot of detail about character and motive, and some are the lighter, easier, and less analytical: what you could call “In Death—Light” books.  It’s entertaining, moderately involving, and has some of our old friends from past books (Capt Feeney, the faithful Peabody, McNab in his flashy clothes, and a few others) but in a sort of short-hand version, with fewer words and wider margins. 

There’s little of the usual snappy patter between Eve and Summerset the butler; none of the political tension that usually bedevils Eve from City Hall and not much of the intimate side of Eve and Roarke’s lives.  (There’s also not as much ruminating about Eve’s early years as an abused child, for which I was grateful.)  There are some marvellous bits of byplay between Peabody and her boss, and a good penultimate scene wherein Peabody helps the accused killer virtually hang himself with his own tongue.

“Fantasy in Death” reads like a Reader’s Digest version of a J D Robb book.  That doesn’t make it a bad book, just a less substantial one than some of the others.

The Dogs of Rome by Conner Fitzgerald

Publisher: Bloomsbury ISBN: 978-1-60819-015-7

Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader

In contemporary Rome a gruesome murder has occurred. Arturo Clemente is slashed to death in his apartment by a stranger. To complicate matters further, both Clemente and his wife are to some extent celebrities. Clemente is a “green” party member and opponent of Rome’s illegal dog fighting rings. His wife is a senator and Clemente is being groomed for a political office as well.

Police commissioner Alex Blume arrives at the scene to find several officials of equal or greater rank already involved. It quickly becomes apparent that this is a highly political crime. Oblivious to the political minefield, Blume plugs along with the investigation.

Many questions arise as the investigation unfolds. Why did Clemente’s wife phone Blume’s boss when she found the body? How is the daughter of a crime boss and mistress of Clemente involved in the crime? Why are the powers-to-be set on pinning the crime on the head of the dog fighting ring even though it doesn’t fit?

While the book contains a good story, the pace is somewhat ponderous. The character development is good and the work will probably be appreciated by mystery buffs more than those seeking action.

Hush by Kate White

Publisher: Harper  ISBN-10: 0061576611

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

When marketing consultant Lake Warren takes a job offering advice to one of the many fertility clinics that seem to be booming lately in NYC, little does she know that the job will put everything she has into jeopardy.  After a one night stand with a handsome doctor ends in his murder with Lake leaving his apartment in total panic mode followed by her suspicion the killer is lurking close behind in the ensuing days and weeks to come, Lake finds herself not knowing who to trust and just who is stalking her or why. 

Could it be her ex-husband who is seeking sole custody of their two young children, or maybe her alleged best friend who seems to ask way too many questions about her love life, or could it be one of the many employees at the clinic who all seem to be hiding a horrible truth and one of whom perhaps had something to do with the gruesome killing?  While these questions haunt her and leave her looking over her shoulder at every step, she has the additional problems that come from her leaving the scene of the crime, with the detectives on the case seeming to suspect her involvement and asking way too many questions.  But, in the end, having not admitted being in the dead man’s apartment will be the least of her worries as the killer closes in with only one objective – to keep her from finding out the truth at any cost.

While White does a reasonable job of explaining why Lake would run and why she would continue to keep her secret, it’s not always entirely convincing.  But that’s really a minor quibble when compared to the many more positive aspects of the mystery.  White does a great job at keeping readers guessing, not only as to who is really behind the death of the handsome doctor, but if that person is in fact even the one responsible for the growing threats to Laura’s life.  All in all, this is an exciting, fast-paced mystery that provides a good enough ride to hang on to the end.

Blood Vines by Erica Spindler

Publisher: St. Martin's Press  ISBN-10: 0312363923

Reviewed by Carol Reid, New Mystery Reader 

The prologue to Blood Vines is effectively creepy, seeming to promise a tale of good sex, bad dreams, madness and murder.

Alexandra Clarkson is a young woman with an uncertain past and a messy present, an unresolved broken marriage and a bipolar artist mother.

Dreams of hooded figures torment her and despite her standing as a doctoral candidate in comparative religion, she is mystified by her dreams.

Meanwhile, in an old vineyard in the Sonoma Valley, the saponified remains of a long-dead infant are unearthed. Speculation begins that the discovery is the body of Dylan Sommer, son of the owner of Sommer Winery. A newspaper article about the discovery is found at the scene of Alex’s mother’s suicide, sparking speculation of the link between the events.

After her mother’s death, Alex is compelled to delve into her own and her family’s past. Her search takes her into old California wine country and its twisted dynasty of winemaking families. As she continues her journey to find herself, her fears that she has inherited her mother’s mental illness and the growing conflict with her mother’s former in-laws threaten her sanity and ultimately her life.

Despite its many potentially interesting aspects, this stand-alone novel from the prolific Erica Spindler doesn’t deliver. Clarkson is an unconvincing and rather vapid heroine.  Its most intriguing characters are in the background or in the ground, literally. Its gorgeous setting is never more than a backdrop and its villains are unpleasant rather than terrifying.  The narrative moves swiftly but as a whole, this was a forgettable read.

Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay

Publisher: Delacorte Press  ISBN-10: 055380717X

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

Working as a reporter for a small-town newspaper in upstate New York, David Harwood knows his days as a reporter are limited with his newspaper seeming to be dying with its last breath as most newspaper publications are these days.  And while the story he’s working on, small-town government in collusion with private prisons, seems like his ticket out, that story will become the last thing on his mind when a weekend visit to a local theme park ends with the sudden disappearance of his wife. 

And as the husband is always the first suspect, David finds himself doing anything he can to prove his innocence.  But when his search for what really happened that day leads him to question the woman he married and the dark secrets she was keeping, he’ll find himself asking if her disappearance is related to her past, or maybe the story he’s working on, or something else entirely. 

Barclay has put out quite a few suspense novels that have been more than exciting, with a number of them even topping the bestseller list.  But while he keeps the domestic suspense theme that has served him so well going in this one, there seems to be something missing this time around. 

There are some decent twists to this latest, but what is lacking is a decent hero that readers can root for.  David Harwood, while a nice guy who is the perfect picture of the everyday man screwed over, is not such an easy guy to like.  One has to wonder at his lack of insight and purpose, not only in his career, but in his marriage.  He’s basically a sap, and one can’t help but feel the mess he’s in could have been avoided had he lived life with his eyes a bit more open.  And with the ending still not providing that “ah hah” moment for him, there’s really little redemption or reason to the tale that would make it all worthwhile.  Barclay’s done better than this several times over, so the hope remains that while he didn’t quite hit the mark this time, he might do it again next time.