A Game For All The
Family by Sophie Hannah
Publisher: William Morrow / 4.5 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
Sophie Hannah received one of the highest honors in
mystery fiction when the Agatha Christie Foundation selected her to continue
Dame Agatha's world renown Hercule Poirot series (no small feat)! THE MONOGRAM
MURDERS brought Hercule Poirot literally back to life for fans and Hannah more
than proficiently guided Christie's famous detective through a classic mystery.
For those who were aware of Sophie Hannah prior to her
stand-in for Dame Agatha Christie they will know she is recognized as one of the
top authors working in the psychological thriller genre. British readers will
appreciate my comparison when I refer to Hannah as the 'female Robert Goddard'.
Hannah and Goddard are masters of the suspenseful twist and it's about time U.S.
readers made a regular spot on their to be read pile for everything she puts
out.
A GAME FOR ALL THE FAMILY is a stand-alone novel that
bears all the signature stamps of a Sophie Hannah story. To put it bluntly, no
one and nothing are as they seem and readers will find themselves questioning
everything they digest in this novel. Better to just go along for the ride in
the expert hands of a master story-teller.
The narrator is Justine Merrison who lives with her
husband Alex (an Opera singer who travels most of the time) and her teen-aged
daughter, Ellen. Ellen is at that tough age where she is always moody and
sullen and seemingly friendless at school. When Justine pries a bit she learns
that Ellen is distraught because her 'friend' George was expelled from school.
The meaning she gives does not make sense or seemingly warrant expulsion so
Justine decides to visit her school and meet with the Principal.
Justine was not prepared when the Principal hears her
story and then proceeds to tell her that no one named George exists or was ever
expelled from school. Simultaneous to this, other odd things are occurring in
Justine's world. She reads a story Ellen is writing about the history of a
family named Ingrey who used to live in their old house. When confronted, Ellen
admits it is not a work of fiction but a retelling of her friend George's family
history. The trouble is that Justine cannot verify any of the names in this
family tree when she Googles them.
Additionally, Justine has been subjected to harsh
anonymous prank calls from a woman who claims to share a secret with her. The
calls get more and more disturbing and ultimately lead to threats on the life of
Justine and her family. As readers are trying to wrap their minds around this,
Justine finds that George does actually exist when she returns home to find him
in Justine's room. They are playing a classic board game that George brought
with him - Monopoly. Or, as he refers to it: 'A game for all the family!'
To continue describing the plot would give away too
much. Leave it said that no one will be able to predict what happens next and
may still question certain events in this book even after the last page is
turned. Sophie Hannah is simply that good and I look forward to all of her
novels. Her recurring detective series has seen a handful of novel adaptations
for BBC TV starring actress Olivia Williams and they do a nice job depicting her
work. I'm proud to say that Hannah will be releasing her second Hercule Poirot
novel this Fall and sure it will be well worth the wait!
City of the Lost by
Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Minotaur Books / 4 bolts
Reviewed by Jim Sells, New
Mystery Reader
Casey Duncan is a detective in Canada. In some ways her
chosen profession is a continuation of her role as the black sheep of her
family. Her parents were both physicians and want her to follow this family
tradition. This did not suit her temperament or talents. While in college, Casey
dated the son of a criminal family. This resulted in a beating by a rival drug
gang that put her in the hospital for weeks. The boyfriend avoided the beating
by running and leaving Casey on her own.
After being released from the hospital, Casey confronted
the boyfriend. Casey came armed with a gun. When the boy refused to admit his
actions and grabbed for the gun, Casey shot him.
She was never arrested for the crime. Instead she went
through a series of therapists and confessed her actions. Somehow word got back
to boy’s criminal family. Casey once again had to face her past.
Diana had been Casey’s friend for most of their lives.
Diana knew Casey’s terrible secret. In turn, Casey supported Diana through an
abusive marriage. The two moved several times to different cities, but somehow
Diana’s ex found them.
Diana heard rumors of a mysterious town that would take
in refugees fleeing different pursuers. Largely due to Casey’s talent as a
detective, the two were admitted to the frontier-like town of Rockton.
Dalton is the sheriff and runs the town with an iron
fist. He answers only to a city council that is as mysterious as the town
itself. Soon Casey learns that there have been a series of murders. She also
learns that the council has allowed some serious criminals to come there if they
could pay a hefty bribe.
Now Casey and Dalton have two reasons to solve the
murders. Diana has been accused of one of the murders. Dalton’s days as sheriff
could be numbered if the crimes don’t stop.
Kelly Armstrong has created not only a top-notch mystery
but an interesting study of a town off the radar and living by its own rules.
All-in-all, the book is a fascinating read.
Arrowood by Laura
McHugh
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau / 4 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
Laura McHugh impressed with her debut thriller THE
WEIGHT OF BLOOD in 2014. That novel was set in the stark wintry plains of the
Ozark Mountains and dealt with a disappearance in the past and the questions and
secrets that were to follow. The setting for her newest novel, ARROWOOD, could
not be more different. The humid and sticky southern home set on the
Mississippi River is the Arrowood estate where the mystery lies in this story.
The book opens with the haunting poem by Mary Elizabeth
Frye entitled "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep". This is very telling as the
protagonist of the novel, a young woman named Arden is still grieving over the
young twin sisters she lost twenty years earlier. Violet and Tabitha
disappeared one day never to be seen again. They were thought to be dead but no
one knows for sure who was responsible. Was it Arden's violent father or could
it be the strange gold car she remembers driving away from their home the day
the twins disappeared that should take the blame?
Arden has now returned to the home of her youth,
Arrowood, for the first time since the tragic loss of her sisters. She's not
sure what she is doing there, she only knows she has questions that need to be
answered. Arden also needs to rediscover who she is she has been a lost soul
ever since the twins disappeared.
The novel is told in a haunting, dreamlike manner where
every character Arden meets up with from her past all appear to be hiding
something --- to know something she doesn't. While she is staying there she
meets up with a writer named Josh who has made a career writing true crime
stories. He is obviously intrigued by the unsolved Arrowood mystery but Arden
is unsure as to his true motives.
As Arden digs deeper she begins to piece together the
mystery from the past and is horrified when she finds things are far worse than
she ever expected. She is visited on Halloween night by a pair of young girls
claiming to be her twin sisters. Are they really there as some sort of
'visitation' or was it merely some locals having fun portraying the dead on the
most haunted night of the year?
ARROWOOD mixes in mystery, thriller and supernatural
elements to piece together a story that will creep under your skin right up to
the startling revelations revealed at the end of the story. Laura McHugh has
another success on her hands with a psychological thriller that will surprise
and unnerve.
The Last Mile by David
Baldacci
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing / 4
bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
The prolific author David Baldacci has created a handful
of recurring series each of which present well-plotted thrillers with complex
characters. He probably never penned a more complex character than that of
ex-NFL player Amos Decker.
Amos Decker first appeared in the best-seller MEMORY
MAN. The title referred to the unique condition Amos suffers from. His NFL
career lasted just one play. On the opening kick-off of his only NFL game, Amos
received a blow to the head that ended his career. Rather than bringing on
typical post-concussive syndrome symptoms his brain was somehow rewired. He now
possesses total memory coupled with a lack of social skills giving him the
appearance of being a high-functioning autistic adult.
His condition is a curse as Amos is unable to forget the
image of finding his wife and daughter brutally murdered in their home. It is
that story and the revenge he takes on the guilty party that provided the story
for MEMORY MAN. Now with THE LAST MILE the focus shifts to another character.
Melvin Mars is also a former football star but his story is the opposite of Amos
Decker's. Melvin had his career derailed before he ever made the NFL when he
was imprisoned for the murder of his parents. Melvin's issue is that he has no
memory of this event only knows he didn't do it.
Melvin Mars sits on 'the last mile', the stretch of
prison cells that house the soon to be executed. Just hours before his
execution Melvin receives a stay when a prisoner at another penitentiary
confesses to the murder of Melvin's parents. Amos Decker, now working as a
liaison with the FBI takes on Melvin's case and his team takes the now freed
Melvin Mars into their custody. Melvin wants the twenty years back that he lost
in prison. More than that, he wants to know the truth behind his parents
murder.
Amos and Melvin make a good team and the scenes with
each of them are a pleasure to read. Unfortunately, their search for the truth
puts them in the crosshairs of a dangerous and powerful trio of men who refer to
themselves as the Three Musketeers. They are behind many criminal acts and very
likely the responsible party for the murder of Melvin's family. This makes
Melvin Mars and anyone associated with him marked for death. The question is
--- will Amos and Melvin outsmart the Three Musketeers before they are silenced
forever?
THE LAST MILE is a dynamite read with twists, turns and
surprises around every corner. Amos Decker is a great character to spend time
with and hopefully Mr. Baldacci has more up his sleeve by way of further stories
in this engaging new series.
Death at Breakfast by
Beth Gutcheon
Publisher: William Morrow / 4 bolts
Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice
Good, New Mystery Reader
Tragedy. That seems to be the defining word for the
people that Maggie Detweiler and Hope Babbin meet in this bucolic New England
setting. Even though everything looks perfect on the surface, it soon becomes
clear that almost everyone the two meet has a wistful air or a closely guarded
secret.
The two long-time friends—friends in spite of the fact
that Maggie once had to firmly explain that Hope’s son, Buster, was not a good
fit at Maggie’s school—want to take extended trips together now that both are
widowed.
Hope reserved spots in a week-long cooking class in an
historic inn in Maine, allowing them to enjoy good food and each other’s company
on their first vacation together. Both women good-naturedly enjoy the town’s
offerings and the inn’s restful setting, although there’s one person in town who
finds their appearance most unsettling. Deputy Sheriff Buster Babbin has made
good; he’s got a reliable job, a comfortable routine, and a smart girlfriend.
What he doesn’t want is an interfering mother or the woman who’s populated his
nightmares for years to suddenly be part of his daily life.
Initially, Hope and Maggie are too involved in Chef
Sarah’s fantastic course to worry too much about Buster’s doings, but the inn
becomes a little less relaxing upon the revival of the very large, very loud
Alexander Antippas. The Antippas family, including wife, Lisa, her sister,
Glory, and Lisa’s yappy dog, Colette, clearly expects their wealth and celebrity
status to grant them special privileges even though it’s at the expense of
everyone else.
Meanwhile, front desk clerk Cherry Weaver desperately
needs to keep her job, a fact that her mother, helping Chef Sarah in the
kitchen, keeps hammering home. Cherry’s pretty, but her attitude and lack of
common sense often overwhelms her, this time leaving her at the mercy of the
steamrolling Antippas.
The family garners a little sympathy when their errant
daughter—far away from Maine—dies unexpectedly. But, as Hope and Maggie find
out, death will soon visit the family much closer, ensnaring everyone at the
inn, and leading the two ladies into a little detecting of their own.
Death at Breakfast excels in portraying the difficulties
of family relationships, even under extraordinary circumstances. While Buster is
small town cop and a former school problem, he’s never cast as a caricature and
instead has a chance to show his strengths. Likewise, the two older women at the
center of the book don’t feel as though they’re trying to be anything than what
they are and Gutcheon allows them to be well-rounded and realistic.
Gutcheon’s secondary characters never feel second-rate;
instead, they have quirks and pasts and feel interesting, especially regarding a
couple of twists centering on the pets (particularly Grommet) who live in or
visit the inn. Characters who should feel guilty—even if not about murder—still
receive background details that allows readers to understand their points of
view, even if they remain unsympathetic. There may be cigar chomping by
Alexander Antippas, but never any hamhanded scene chewing.
Death at Breakfast is the promising start of what will
hopefully be a long, fruitful crime-solving partnership between Maggie and Hope.
Tragedy may be the impetus behind murder, but, as these two amateur sleuths
show, it doesn't have to get in the way of a good time!
The
Body in the Wardrobe by Katherine Hall Page
Publisher: William Morrow / 4 bolts
Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice
Good, New Mystery Reader
Baker and amateur sleuth Faith Fairchild really bonded with
Sophie Maxwell, the level-headed lawyer last seen in The Body in the Birches. In
fact, that adventure in the world of Northeastern “cottages” led to Sophie’s
marriage to Will Tarkington Maxwell, leading to the book’s joke that she’s
Sophie Maxwell Maxwell.
The Body in the Wardrobe sees Faith ensconced back in her
life as a successful baker and caterer and also as the busy mom. Faith continues
to straddle the line between decorum as a pastor’s wife and an independent
personality, giving her skills when an unexpected situation threatens her
daughter’s future at her school. Her teenagers aren’t the only ones facing
changes; her husband, Tom, is also contemplating a change that would upend
Faith’s sense of control over her life.
Meanwhile, Sophie has moved to Savannah, Georgia, home of
Will’s large family. Will’s job as a PI takes him away from home quite a bit,
leaving Sophie to discover the enchantingly described Southern jewel on her own.
The couple resides in a house that his step-mother plans to flip, meaning that
Sophie has to deal with a less than ideal realtor in one of the story’s more
contrived details.
There’s little interaction between the newlyweds here, and
like Faith, Sophie often seems adrift while waiting for others to make
decisions. Fortunately, Sophie’s sense of being lost in a strange new world—with
amazing food and architecture—inspires her to reach out to Faith, continuing
their close relationship as they navigate months of uncertainty. This is
especially fortuitous when strange things start happening in Savannah, a town
already known for hauntings and plenty of local color.
In Sophie’s new temporary home, she opens the door of the
armoire in her bedroom and is surprised by the body of a man tumbling out at her
feet. Screaming, she runs out of the house, waking the neighborhood and
summoning the police—only to be told that there’s nothing there. No body, no
mysterious disturbance, no sleep—just a shaken and lonely young woman who has
now garnered a reputation as being odd among the city’s upper crust. Sophie
can’t rely on her husband, but she does have Faith.
Katherine Hall Page’s Faith Fairchild series remains very
readable, peopled with fleshed out characters and location descriptions that
serve as a tempting travel guide for readers. This book is a little different
from others because the women here seem much more unsure of themselves and
there’s an undercurrent regarding a lack of communication that causes much of
the book’s conflict.
In fact, there was an odd comment between Faith and Sophie
about communication which will probably cause marriage counselors to cringe, but
perhaps Hall intends it to show that Faith has firmly attached herself to the
local cultural habit of few words about other people’s business—unless a mystery
is involved.
As noted, Page does a spectacular job of describing each
locale in the book, setting the stage with food and friendly people, but repeats
the mistake from an earlier book of using “y’all” for a singular “you.” (To a
Southerner, this is incredibly jarring and may cause the reader to look around,
wondering when the other characters suddenly appeared.)
Still, it’s always nice to visit Faith Fairchild and
Sophie’s return in the series is welcome and hopefully bodes well for future
Faith-Sophie adventures.
Wilde Lake by Laura
Lippman
Publisher: William Morrow / 5 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
What makes reading a Laura Lippman novel so compelling is
her extreme knowledge of her source material. From her time spent as a
journalist and now as a highly successful best-selling author of literary crime
novels she excels when speaking about her favorite character --- Baltimore,
Maryland and its surrounding landscape.
Her Tess Monaghan series is one of the best in the business
and not just a little bit auto-biographical. Lippman now ventures out with
another excellent stand-alone novel in WILDE LAKE. Our protagonist is Luisa
'Lu' Brant, the first female state's attorney for Howard County, Maryland. What
is most ironic about this is the fact that Lu is following in the footsteps of
her father, former state attorney Andrew Jackson Brant.
Rather than resting on her laurels after beating her former
mentor for the state's attorney role, Lu jumps right into a criminal case ---
the first of her career. A local vagrant by the name of Rudy Drysdale allegedly
broke into the home of Mary McNally and shortly thereafter beat her to death.
Sounds like an open and shut case as Drysdale had a reputation that preceded him
as an unpredictable vagrant. What Lu Brant is not expecting is how this
seemingly simple case has ties into her own family history. Secrets, lies and
tests of loyalty will all be dredged up before this interesting case is finally
closed.
WILDE LAKE jumps back and forth between the present and the
Brant family past. Particular attention is given to Lu's brother AJ and his
involvement in the death of a young man who attacked a high school friend of his
at a graduation party. Layer by layer, Laura Lippman unravels bits of family
history that also cast Lu's unshakeable father Andrew in a less than flattering
light.
Lippman deftly draws the reader into both past and present
narratives and forces you to take each piece of new evidence to heart before
settling upon an opinion of where the guilt lies in this now complicated case.
When Rudy Drysdale dies while in police custody things begin to quickly spiral
out of control and Lu Brant must decide where her loyalty lies --- with
upholding justice or keeping certain family secrets forever buried.
WILDE LAKE is a terrific drama/soap opera disguised as a
crime thriller and dares the reader to put it down for even a moment's rest.
Lippman is a skilled writer who uses her plotting and insightful knowledge of
Maryland history to create a pot-boiler of a read.
The Second Life Of
Nick Mason by Steve Hamilton
Publisher: Putnam / 5 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
There are three kinds of people in prison. People who want
to get out, people who never want to get out and people who know they are never
going to get out.
THE SECOND LIFE OF NICK MASON is about someone who believes
in that first sentiment. The only issue is that Nick Mason is doing
twenty-five-to-life in a maximum security prison for being an accomplice in a
robbery that ended in murder.
No one is more surprised than Nick when he gets word that
after five tough years he is being released. The reason in the record books is
a technicality discovered with the arrest records that frees him by default.
The actual reason is something far more sinister and will have Nick quickly
wondering which side of the prison wall he was better off on.
The dangerous man behind Nick's newfound freedom is Darius
Cole --- the meanest man in Chicago since Leroy Brown. Darius is still behind
bars and needs someone on the outside to do his bidding. He already has an army
working for him in Chicago --- on both sides of the law. Still, Nick has some
trepidation doing the bidding of a prisoner with the power to get him released
from a federal prison.
Nick is set up with a phony job, great townhouse and a
'handler' by the name of Quintero who hands Nick a cell phone and tells him to
answer it whenever it rings, without question. Meanwhile, on the outside Nick
becomes nostalgic for the past. He misses his friends Finn and Eddie (both with
him during the robbery that got him incarcerated and where Finn was killed). He
also has to deal with the fact that his wife is remarried and another man is
raising his young daughter.
The first phone call Nick receives tasks him with killing a
man. After committing his first actual murder he later learns the victim was a
cop. Nick begins to question the cost of his freedom and whether it was worth
the price. The calls keep coming and Nick keeps answering --- at least until he
thinks he can find a way out.
The entire time, Nick is being tailed by a Homicide
Detective named Frank Sandoval. It was Sandoval's partner that was killed
during the robbery that put Nick behind bars. How will Nick Mason keep himself
sane while being hounded by both Darius Cole's minions and Detective Sandoval?
The answer, in the hands of the great Steve Hamilton, is completely
unpredictable making for one helluva great read!
Steve Hamilton has already won two Edgar Awards and is the
author of one of the best all-time crime series featuring Alex McKnight. This
stand-alone novel, THE SECOND LIFE OF NICK MASON, has already been optioned for
a film version. It is one terrific novel that calls to mind the grit and dirty
modern crime noir of George Pelecanos --- less the pop culture and music
references.
When Falcons Fall by C. S. Harris
Publisher: Obsidian / 4
bolts
Reviewed
by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader
Readers of Harris' Regency Sebastian St.
Cyr mysteries know that the yellow-eyed noble is haunted by the question of his
biological father--and the source of those penetrating, disconcerting eyes.
Sebastian has finally found some happiness with his very independent wife, Hero,
and new son, Simon, even as the fathers that he knows-- the rigid one who raised
him and his archenemy-turned-father-in-law-- continue to plague him.
In the previous installment, Sebastian
receives a clue to his origins from a dying man who also sports those unusual
eyes, and so the little St. Cyr family makes its way to the small village from
where the dying man came. Instead of finding answers to a decades-old mystery,
Sebastian finds himself helping a novice village leader solve the very fresh
murder of another mysterious visitor to the usually quiet, nearly forgotten
community.
The visitor, a friendly young woman
named Emma Chance, had been in the area only a week, but had already met many of
the villagers, sketching them and various buildings in her ever-ready notebook.
As a young widow, she traveled only with another young woman as her "abigail,"
or assistant, which was unusual enough in the period, but Emma's behavior became
more striking when she committed suicide with only a printed page marked with a
few words as indication of her unhappiness.
When St. Cyr realizes that Emma hired
the abigail only the week before and that there's no record of an "Emma Chance,"
suddenly Sebastian realizes that there's much, much more to the lovely woman now
lying lifelessly on a table.
Author C. S. Harris does a beautiful job
of writing interesting, unpredictable primary and secondary characters and in
creating memorable settings filled with period details. Sometimes the modern
world slips in a bit, with choice of language or attitudes, but it's a minor
detail. Harris remembers to allow Sebastian to follow his own search, but the
focus of the novel stays on the identity of Emma Chance and the motive for her
murder.
Readers who love historical mysteries in
the same vein as work by Anne Perry-- whether previous fans of the series or
not-- should definitely try When Falcons Fall.
The Girl From Home by
Adam Mitzner
Publisher: Gallery Books / 5 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
If you're not already reading Adam Mitzner then you should
make a point of adding him to your reading list. His latest novel THE GIRL FROM
HOME is a terrific thriller that blends elements of legal, financial securities
and love-triangle-murder into a tightly wound pot-boiler of a read.
The first page of the novel, serving as a mysterious
prologue, features lead character Jonathan Caine sitting in a prison cell in
East Carlisle, New Jersey, contemplating a murder charge. No other information
is given and this enticement will naturally have readers eager to move forward.
Our introduction to Jonathan Caine is that he is a
quintessential 'Master of the Universe' working as a currency wizard for a top
Wall Street firm and living in a penthouse condo with his beautiful trophy wife
named Natasha. His firm is so impressed with the money Jonathan makes for them
that they freely throw $15M bonuses at him like candy to a child. The most
difficult decision he has to make is which part of the Hamptons they want to
purchase their summer retreat in.
Things change quickly when a multi-million dollar client of
Jonathan's seeks to back out of a deal by acting on a two-hundred-fifty million
dollar redemption that could sink him. Jonathan gambles and uses all his skills
to try to save the deal on his own without his firm noticing. Unfortunately,
things go sour and he ends up not only getting fired but under possible
prosecution for securities fraud.
This story alone would have made for an intriguing novel
but Adam Mitzner has other ideas. He mixes in a secondary narrative that begins
as flash-forward chapters. This story shows Jonathan caring for his near-death
father in a New Jersey nursing home while he resides in the home he grew up in.
Natasha has left him and filed for divorce and all his assets have been frozen.
The only interesting thing going on in his life is attending his High School
reunion. It is here where he meets Jackie.
Jackie Williams is married to Rick Williams, the star QB of
the High School football team. Now, Rick is an abusive, alcoholic and
philandering husband who regularly beats Jackie and terrorizes their two
teen-aged children. The inevitable happens when Jonathan and Jackie hit it off
and start up an illicit affair that allows each of them to briefly escape from
their lousy lives. No matter how hard they try to conceal their affair it is
just a matter of time before Rick finds them out.
When Rick is suddenly killed by a hit-and-run driver it
seems all their worries are over. This opens up a dual-criminal investigation
whereby Jonathan and Jackie are both suspected of colluding in Rick's murder.
The only way out for either of them is to lawyer up and turn on each other. The
question is, will they give up each other to save their own lives or is
something else at play?
I'll leave things off there because to tell more would
spoil things. Leave it said that the plot is brilliantly conceived and not all
is as it may appear to be. I find it no coincidence that Mitzner chose the name
Caine for his protagonist as a shout-out to author James M. Cain who penned
DOUBLE INDEMNITY. This novel takes inspiration from that as well as the film
"Body Heat" and mixes in a little John Grisham for good measure. THE GIRL FROM
HOME is Mitzner's finest work to date and I won't be surprised to see it up for
award consideration this year.
The 14h Colony by
Steve Berry
Publisher: Minotaur Books / 4 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
Quite frankly no one is better at historical
fiction/thrillers --- especially those involving the United States --- than
author Steve Berry. His latest in the long-running Cotton Malone series is THE
14TH COLONY. I'm going to hold off on explaining the meaning of this title for
just a bit.
The novel opens up with a depiction of the historic meeting
between President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II. The essential message
that came from this congress of great men was their goal to eliminate the Soviet
Union.
We all know that the Cold War ended some time during the
start of President George Bush's presidency. The 14TH COLONY introduces us to a
character named Alexsandr Zorin, a man who is still fighting the Cold War. In
his efforts to bring down the United States he reaches into what the U.S.
believed to be a myth --- the existence of RA-115 nuclear weapons. Allegedly,
250 of them were snuck in through Canada and planted at strategic locations in
the U.S. and North America.
This brings us to our title. THE 14TH COLONY refers to
Canada. At two points in U.S. history there was discussion about making Canada
a part of the U.S. The first was during the Revolutionary War in an effort to
keep the territory from the British. The next was during WWII when fears of the
Axis Powers taking over Europe would have given Hitler and company a direct line
to the U.S. by possessing ownership of Canada.
Meanwhile, Cotton Malone and his allies are pursuing
answers to the alleged Soviet threat through an ancient Revolutionary War
clandestine group known as the Society of Cincinnati. This quest along with
what we know about Zorin's plans answers the question at the heart of this novel
--- what does a two-hundred-year-old Revolutionary War social club have to do
with the USSR?
Packed within all this great speculative fiction grounded
in solid historical fact is a terrific thriller. Cotton Malone, special agent
often called into action on behalf of the President is racing against the clock
in this electrically-charged thriller. It looks like the focus of Zorin's
weapons are being saved for an event that will do the most harm to the U.S.
Government --- the inauguration of the new President.
THE 14TH COLONY grabs you by the throat at the prologue an
never lets up. You learn something every time you read a Steve Berry and there
is no loss for history to be gobbled up with this novel. Thought-provoking and
exciting simultaneously, THE 14TH COLONY is another winner.
Double Switch by T.T.
Monday
Publisher: Doubleday / 5 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
Released just in time to coincide with the start of another
Major League Baseball Spring Training season is the second baseball mystery by
author T.T. Monday entitled DOUBLE SWITCH. Monday is the admitted pseudonym of
novelist Nick Taylor and he combines his obvious love of baseball with terrific
plotting and characters that spring to life on the page.
Veteran lefty --- or 'southpaw' --- reliever Johnny Adcock
is resigned to the fact that his waning years in the big leagues will be spent
as a set-up man. He is a situational relief pitcher typically called on in the
latter third of the game to get out tough right-handed batters. Adcock pitches
for the fictional San Jose Bay Dogs and they are in the middle of a pennant race
in the National League Eastern Division.
Outside of the fictional Bay Dogs and their players the
majority of the other teams and players are actual major leaguers. This
brilliant blending of fiction with reality makes for an especially entertaining
novel and readers will find themselves easily believing that the action
transpiring in DOUBLE SWITCH really happened.
To make extra income on the side, Johnny Adcock works as a
private investigator. Most of his work is assisting teammates and other figures
from the game of baseball. Typical work for him is standard P.I. fare ---
cheating spouses, dirty sports agents, gambling debts, etc. The case he gets
involved in this time is something far bigger and considerably more dangerous.
Fans of MLB have witnessed the influx of Cuban professional
ballplayers escaping their home country for greener pastures and success in the
Major Leagues. Current MLB stars like Jose Abreu, Aroldis Chapman and Yasiel
Puig instantly come to mind. The fictional ball-player at the center of DOUBLE
SWITCH --- Yonel Ruiz --- has more in common with the former Cleveland Indians
pitcher Fausto Carmona. After a few highly successful seasons the truth leaked
out that Carmona was actually Roberto Hernandez and much older than the birth
date on the back of his baseball card.
A professional MLB image consultant named Tiff Tate
approaches Adcock about looking into the Colorado Rockies young Cuban star, Mr.
Ruiz. Adcock reaches out to the current hitting coach of the Rockies --- a
disgraced fictionalized former player who was involved in the steroids scandal
by the name of Erik Magnusson. Mags shares some concerns about Ruiz but Adcock
feels he is not getting the whole story. When Magnusson turns up dead in the
Rockies clubhouse, Adcock realizes he was silenced by someone close to the Ruiz
case.
Adcock's challenge is to stay alive and under the radar ---
all the while playing a vital role in the Bay Dogs pennant chase. Who is behind
the murder of Mags? Is it the woman who passed herself off as Ruiz's sister but
was actually a mule for illegally transported Cuban players nicknamed La Loba?
Tiff Tate, the image consultant who is making way too much money assisting MLB
players? Or, could there be a double switch going on whereby Yonel Ruiz was not
in need of protection but was actually the person everyone should be afraid of?
The pages will fly by like a nail-biter play-off game and
this novel demands to be read in one sitting. Monday shows intimate knowledge
of this great game and the credibility he lends to his characters and the
plot-line consistently blur the line between fact and fiction. The result is an
outstanding novel that is the perfect way to kick off another MLB season.
The Watcher In The
Wall by Owen Laukkanen
Publisher: Putnam / 5 bolts
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New
Mystery Reader
We are not even two full months into 2016 and there have
already been a handful of thrillers that are destined to make the 'best of' list
for this year. Add to this list the terrific new thriller from Owen Laukkanen
entitled THE WATCHER IN THE WALL. If you are not reading Owen Laukkanen then THE
WATCHER IN THE WALL is a great place to start.
What I enjoyed most --- and there is much to enjoy here ---
is that the story is loosely based on an actual case. Beyond that, this is a
deeply personal novel for the author who confesses in the acknowledgements that
he has dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts since he was a teen-ager.
This story pits FBI Agents Carla Windermere and Kirk
Stevens against a monster-like predator who is nearly impossible to find. When
Agent Stevens daughter calls about a classmate who committed suicide following a
day of public bullying at school she pleads with her father to get involved.
What he and Windermere find is the tip of the iceberg surrounding an on-line
predator who is trolling suicide websites and convincing teens to take their own
lives and film the act as well.
The novel jumps back in time to a back-story that has
incredible impact on the entire story. A young man by the name of Randall
Gruber is having a difficult time. He is regularly abused by his mean drunk of
a step-father, Earl and the only consolation he has is taking his frustrations
out on his step-sister, Sarah. Randall has watched Sarah for years through a
hole in the wall separating their two rooms. He wants to see if he can break
Sarah physically and emotionally in much the same way that her father has done
to him.
My only criticism of this terrific novel, and it' a minor
one, is that Laukkanen lets on too soon who the killer is. I then recognized
that this is not a mystery but a real-world modern day crime and the magic is in
watching how the FBI agents will be able to stop this clever killer before
another innocent teen is victimized.
THE WATCHER IN THE WALL is filled with complex characters and consistently
surprises. Most of all, Laukkanen has succeeded in giving a voice to those
lonely and disillusioned young people who are often forgotten. A great read
that hopefully will get Laukkanen the fan base he deserves!
Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline
Publisher: ST Martin’s Press / 4 bolts
Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader
Christine and Marcus Nilsson enjoyed a near ideal life.
Christine is a schoolteacher. Marcus is an architectural engineer. The only
thing lacking from their life was a child. After Christine was unable to become
pregnant, they seek medical help. Tests reveal that Marcus is infertile. He goes
through various procedures to remedy the problem but to no avail.
Eventually, the couple resorts to the use of a donor. They
secure the services of a respected fertility clinic. From the carefully screened
candidates, they select a medical student based upon his bio, an interviewer’s
impression and picture. The Nilssons never meet the donor or know his name.
There have been seemingly miraculous events thanks to
merging technology. Christine and Marcus Nilsson felt that they were the
recipients of such a medical miracle. Then something unthinkable happens.
Christine sees a news video about a serial killer arrested in Pennsylvania. She
believes that she recognizes the man as the donor. Despite Marcus’s efforts, she
remains convinced of this.
The couple approaches their doctor with their fears. He
reassures them. When they log on to the sperm bank’s website and their donor’s
sperm has been “temporarily” made unavailable. This once again ignites their
fears.
As more details unfold Marcus secures the services of an
attorney – unknown to Christine. The threat of lawsuit makes their visit to the
doctor strained as he counters by informing them that they should leave and that
he will contact his own attorney.
Christine takes her best friend to meet their lawyer – Gary
Leonardo. Leonardo is not what she expects. He is warm and supportive. The
lawyer paints a picture of the sperm banking industry as just that – an
industry. He portrays them as being focused on profit rather than the best
interest of their clients. Leonardo convinces her to go forward with the suit
against the sperm bank but agrees to give her doctor a pass.
The couple must undergo even greater personal and marital
strain as the process continues to an unexpected conclusion.
In previous works such as “Corrupted”, Scottoline has
provided insightful and revealing looks in into the justice system. With this
work the exploration peeks into a possible moral dilemma posed by ever evolving
technology.
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