Reading Ahead: August 2016, part 1

Please don't think that I'm wishing the summer away by talking about August already (although the hot, humid days are not my favorite!). Think of it more as having your own personal watchdog for great reads to enjoy on your summer vacation--less work, maximum relaxation!

The One Man, by Andre Gross. Gross's thrillers have developed quite an audience over the last few years. I have a feeling this new novel will expand that audience even more, a historical suspense novel that promises to be his best yet.Poland. 1944. Alfred Mendl and his family are brought on a crowded train to a Nazi concentration camp after being caught trying to flee Paris with forged papers. To the guards, he is just another prisoner, but in fact Mendl―a renowned physicist―holds knowledge that only two people in the world possess. And the other is already at work for the Nazi war machine. Four thousand miles away, in Washington, DC, Intelligence lieutenant Nathan Blum routinely decodes messages from occupied Poland. But never did he expect the proposal he receives from “Wild” Bill Donovan, head of the OSS: to sneak into the most guarded place on earth, a living hell, on a mission to find and escape with one man, the one man the Allies believe can ensure them victory in the war. Guaranteed to intrigue thriller and historical fans alike!

Damaged, by Lisa Scottoline. A new installment in Scottoline's popular Rosato & DiNunzio, following 2015's Corrupted. Ten-year-old Patrick O'Brien is a natural target at school. Shy, dyslexic, and small for his age, he tries to hide his first-grade reading level from everyone: from his classmates, from the grandfather who cares for him, and from the teachers who are supposed to help him. But the real trouble begins when Patrick is accused of attacking a school aide. The aide promptly quits and sues the boy, his family, and the school district. Patrick's grandfather turns to the law firm of Rosato & DiNunzio for help and Mary DiNunzio is on the case. Soon Mary becomes Patrick's true champion and his only hope for security and justice. But there is more to the story than meets the eye and Patrick might be more troubled than he seems.

Insidious, by Catherine Coulter. Twentieth in Coulter's long-running FBI series (most recently 2015's Nemesis), Insidious follows FBI agents Savich and Sherlock, who must discover who is trying to murder Venus Rasmussen, a powerful, wealthy society icon. They soon find out that the danger may be closer than expected.

Sting, by Sandra Brown. When Jordie Bennet and Shaw Kinnard lock eyes across a disreputable backwater bar, something definitely sparks. Shaw gives off a dangerous vibe that makes men wary and inspires women to sit up and take notice. None feel that undercurrent more strongly than savvy businesswoman Jordie, who doesn't belong in a seedy dive on the banks of a bayou. But here she is . . . and Shaw Kinnard is here to kill her. This is not the end for Jordie, though, just the beginning of a heart-racing adventure of sheer adrenaline. Guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your beach chair.