One of my very favorite things, reading-wise, is hitting on a new series as it starts. Does it sort of suck waiting for a year for a new book? Absolutely. But the anticipation? The feeling of finally holding that new installment in your hands and settling in with it? Those feelings are the drug of the bibliophile.
You may remember me going on about the first novel in Ellison Cooper's series, Caged, featuring FBI Senior Special Agent Sayer Altair. In fact, I couldn't keep that one to myself, either. The sequel, Buried, picks up six months later as SSA Altair heads back into the field after riding the desk following an on-the-job injury. As fate would have it, her first day starts with a bang, taking her immediately to a mass grave deep in a national park that soon proves likely to be the dump-site of another killer. Though the remains date back over the last two decades (around the time a local teen went missing) cold cases meet active case when another body is found, this one quite recent. The ties that bind will bring Altair full circle, back to a subject she's been studying and who might just be able to help her stop the predator before he can bring down more prey.
For readers who love engrossing page-turning thrillers with plenty of plot-twists, I cannot recommend Ellison Cooper highly enough. Fans of Tess Gerritsen, Lisa Gardner, Thomas Harris and Karin Slaughter should absolutely add Cooper to their lists, ASAP.
Showing posts with label series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label series. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Reading Ahead: August 2019, part 1
Various flavors of suspense are on the menu for next month. Which will be your favorite?
The Last Widow, by Karin Slaughter. Readers haven't seen GBI special agent Will Trent since 2016's The Kept Woman, but the wait is finally over. Here he and Sara Linton, GBI medical examiner and Will's fiancee, must do battle with a group of radical homegrown terrorists bent on wreaking catastrophe on the state's capitol...just for starters. Slaughter is one of my favorites--this new title cannot get here quickly enough!
Outfox, by Sandra Brown. FBI special agent Drex Easton, hero of 2018 bestseller Tailspin, returns on the trail of a serial killer who has been preying on wealthy single women for decades. The quarry is cunning, leaving no clues, just a string of missing women and emptied bank accounts. He follows a lead and goes undercover, only to find himself falling for the suspected killer's next victim. If you like your suspense with a healthy dose of heat, Brown has you covered.
A Dangerous Man, by Robert Crais. Crais's latest picks up with investigators Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, following 2017's The Wanted. Pike rescues a young bank teller from two abductors, and then things get complicated. The abductors wind up dead, the teller vanishes, and Elvis does some digging to try and find out why the woman was targeted in the first place. Then things start to get really interesting...
The Turn of the Key, by Ruth Ware. Ware has a beautiful touch when it comes to modern gothic, and this updated retelling of Henry James's The Turn of the Screw is the perfect combination of classic elements and modern creepiness. Rowan Caine describes, in a series of letters to a lawyer from where she sits in prison, how she took a nanny position with the Elincourts because it solved both her job and living situation woes in one easy step. But the well-behaved girls were less so once their parents left, and the house's smart control system was no longer working as intended. High on the creeping dread factor, this is guaranteed to keep you up past your bedtime.
The Last Widow, by Karin Slaughter. Readers haven't seen GBI special agent Will Trent since 2016's The Kept Woman, but the wait is finally over. Here he and Sara Linton, GBI medical examiner and Will's fiancee, must do battle with a group of radical homegrown terrorists bent on wreaking catastrophe on the state's capitol...just for starters. Slaughter is one of my favorites--this new title cannot get here quickly enough!
Outfox, by Sandra Brown. FBI special agent Drex Easton, hero of 2018 bestseller Tailspin, returns on the trail of a serial killer who has been preying on wealthy single women for decades. The quarry is cunning, leaving no clues, just a string of missing women and emptied bank accounts. He follows a lead and goes undercover, only to find himself falling for the suspected killer's next victim. If you like your suspense with a healthy dose of heat, Brown has you covered.
A Dangerous Man, by Robert Crais. Crais's latest picks up with investigators Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, following 2017's The Wanted. Pike rescues a young bank teller from two abductors, and then things get complicated. The abductors wind up dead, the teller vanishes, and Elvis does some digging to try and find out why the woman was targeted in the first place. Then things start to get really interesting...
The Turn of the Key, by Ruth Ware. Ware has a beautiful touch when it comes to modern gothic, and this updated retelling of Henry James's The Turn of the Screw is the perfect combination of classic elements and modern creepiness. Rowan Caine describes, in a series of letters to a lawyer from where she sits in prison, how she took a nanny position with the Elincourts because it solved both her job and living situation woes in one easy step. But the well-behaved girls were less so once their parents left, and the house's smart control system was no longer working as intended. High on the creeping dread factor, this is guaranteed to keep you up past your bedtime.
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Meg's Picks: July 2019, part 2
Summer reads come in all shapes and sizes. If your preferences run serious or suspenseful, these might just be what you were looking for!
The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead. Whitehead's 2016 novel The Underground Railroad won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction. So if we're eager to see what comes next, I think that's only natural. Here, the strand of history he's dramatized follows two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim-Crow era Florida, based on an actual reformatory which operated for 111 years. If you prefer your summer reads serious and intense, you cannot miss this.
Lock Every Door, by Riley Sager. Riley Sager is totally a staff darling here at the library. We loved his debut, Final Girls, and his sophomore novel, The Last Time I Lied. We absolutely anticipate a hat-trick with Lock Every Door, in which Jules's new job as an apartment sitter in one of New York's oldest and most glamorous buildings may just cost more than it pays...
Stone Cold Heart, by Caz Frear. Frear is another new favorite, following her stellar suspense debut last summer, Sweet Little Lies, with a second novel featuring Detective Constable Cat Kinsella. She's back at London Metropolitan Police with her wisecracking partner Parnell, both of them trying to avoid the ire of boss DI Kate Steele. It's all business when they catch a case, though, involving a young Australian woman who's turned up dead following a party thrown by her new boss. The lead suspect's alibi is his wife, and she contradicts him, but which one is lying, and why? Murder is only the beginning of the mystery here.
Someone We Know, by Shari Lapena. Following 2018's An Unwanted Guest. Someone has been sneaking into houses, and their inhabitants computers, in a quiet suburb in upstate New York. They've been learning their neighbors' secrets, and perhaps sharing them. Who is he? What might he have learned? After two anonymous letters show up, rumors circulate, suspicions grow, and then a woman is found murdered. How far will these nice, unassuming neighbors go in order to keep their secrets?
The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead. Whitehead's 2016 novel The Underground Railroad won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction. So if we're eager to see what comes next, I think that's only natural. Here, the strand of history he's dramatized follows two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim-Crow era Florida, based on an actual reformatory which operated for 111 years. If you prefer your summer reads serious and intense, you cannot miss this.
Lock Every Door, by Riley Sager. Riley Sager is totally a staff darling here at the library. We loved his debut, Final Girls, and his sophomore novel, The Last Time I Lied. We absolutely anticipate a hat-trick with Lock Every Door, in which Jules's new job as an apartment sitter in one of New York's oldest and most glamorous buildings may just cost more than it pays...
Stone Cold Heart, by Caz Frear. Frear is another new favorite, following her stellar suspense debut last summer, Sweet Little Lies, with a second novel featuring Detective Constable Cat Kinsella. She's back at London Metropolitan Police with her wisecracking partner Parnell, both of them trying to avoid the ire of boss DI Kate Steele. It's all business when they catch a case, though, involving a young Australian woman who's turned up dead following a party thrown by her new boss. The lead suspect's alibi is his wife, and she contradicts him, but which one is lying, and why? Murder is only the beginning of the mystery here.
Someone We Know, by Shari Lapena. Following 2018's An Unwanted Guest. Someone has been sneaking into houses, and their inhabitants computers, in a quiet suburb in upstate New York. They've been learning their neighbors' secrets, and perhaps sharing them. Who is he? What might he have learned? After two anonymous letters show up, rumors circulate, suspicions grow, and then a woman is found murdered. How far will these nice, unassuming neighbors go in order to keep their secrets?
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Reading Ahead: July 2019, part 2
A selection of new suspense for your perusal!
Game of Snipers, by Stephen Hunter. Hunter's latest Bob Lee Swagger novel, following 2017's G-Man, finds storied marksman Swagger, now 72 and retired, enjoying the solitude of his Idaho ranch. That peace is interrupted by a stranger, Janet McDowell, who comes to Swagger for help: track down the man who killed her son, a task that will require him to assemble his old team and work with both the FBI and Mossad in a race to the epic showdown implied by the title.
Good Girl, Bad Girl, by Michael Robotham. Robotham's new haunting thriller features a forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven, who is preoccupied by two major cases. One is the case of a murdered young figure skater, cut down just as her star was on the rise. The other is to assess the fitness for release of a highly vulnerable teen from a children's home--she was found six years ago, hiding in a North London home when a murder had recently occurred. At that time, she was malnourished and so traumatized she couldn't remember her name. Though the two girls' cases are vastly different, Cyrus soon discovers the very adult problems of each were absolutely enough to incite violence. If one girl already died for such secrets, might the other still be in danger?
Bark of Night, by David Rosenfelt. When lawyer Andy Carpenter finds out that his veterinarian has been instructed to euthanize a perfectly healthy French bulldog, Truman, he's understandably angry and agrees to take on Truman as part of his canine rescue program. When they check the dog's microchip, however, they discover that the man who dropped him off was not his owner, and then his real owner is found murdered. And then the man who ordered Truman's demise is also found murdered...
The Shameless, by Ace Atkins. Years ago, teenager Brandon Taylor walked into the woodlands of Mississippi and was found a week later, dead of what was ruled a self-inflicted gunshot wound. But a cold-case podcaster and her producer are in town now, questioning the ruling and asking after files and evidence that seem to have gone missing. Sheriff Quinn Colson (last seen in 2018's The Sinners) wants to help, but an old case that was supposedly closed will have to take a back burner to his current concerns: a crime syndicate running guns, drugs and a human trafficking ring through the county, and a racist gubernatorial candidate whose campaign seems to be funded by the syndicate. If Quinn can't shut the whole thing down, fast, trouble is going to make itself right at home in the county, for good.
Game of Snipers, by Stephen Hunter. Hunter's latest Bob Lee Swagger novel, following 2017's G-Man, finds storied marksman Swagger, now 72 and retired, enjoying the solitude of his Idaho ranch. That peace is interrupted by a stranger, Janet McDowell, who comes to Swagger for help: track down the man who killed her son, a task that will require him to assemble his old team and work with both the FBI and Mossad in a race to the epic showdown implied by the title.
Good Girl, Bad Girl, by Michael Robotham. Robotham's new haunting thriller features a forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven, who is preoccupied by two major cases. One is the case of a murdered young figure skater, cut down just as her star was on the rise. The other is to assess the fitness for release of a highly vulnerable teen from a children's home--she was found six years ago, hiding in a North London home when a murder had recently occurred. At that time, she was malnourished and so traumatized she couldn't remember her name. Though the two girls' cases are vastly different, Cyrus soon discovers the very adult problems of each were absolutely enough to incite violence. If one girl already died for such secrets, might the other still be in danger?
Bark of Night, by David Rosenfelt. When lawyer Andy Carpenter finds out that his veterinarian has been instructed to euthanize a perfectly healthy French bulldog, Truman, he's understandably angry and agrees to take on Truman as part of his canine rescue program. When they check the dog's microchip, however, they discover that the man who dropped him off was not his owner, and then his real owner is found murdered. And then the man who ordered Truman's demise is also found murdered...
The Shameless, by Ace Atkins. Years ago, teenager Brandon Taylor walked into the woodlands of Mississippi and was found a week later, dead of what was ruled a self-inflicted gunshot wound. But a cold-case podcaster and her producer are in town now, questioning the ruling and asking after files and evidence that seem to have gone missing. Sheriff Quinn Colson (last seen in 2018's The Sinners) wants to help, but an old case that was supposedly closed will have to take a back burner to his current concerns: a crime syndicate running guns, drugs and a human trafficking ring through the county, and a racist gubernatorial candidate whose campaign seems to be funded by the syndicate. If Quinn can't shut the whole thing down, fast, trouble is going to make itself right at home in the county, for good.
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Reading Ahead: July 2019
I know, we're already talking July! But this summer's books just cannot wait any longer! And some of your favorite best-selling authors are leading the charge!
The New Girl, by Daniel Silva. Legendary chief of Israeli intelligence Gabriel Allon (last seen in 2018's The Other Woman) has spent much of his life fighting terrorists. Now, he's the one man who can be trusted to track down the men who have brutally kidnapped the daughter of the much-maligned crown prince of Saudi Arabia and rescue the young woman in question. In the process, Gabriel and the prince become uneasy allies in a secret game that may change relations in the Middle East forever. If you like your espionage plotted at breakneck speed, this is for you.
Under Currents, by Nora Roberts. At a distance, the Bigelow family looks like perfection: successful surgeon father, stylish wife, two children who excel. But those children, Zane and Britt, know the truth: appearances can be very deceiving. As Zane's father's abuse becomes more severe, and his mother ever complicit, Zane tries to protect his little sister, even as he counts down the time until he can be free of this oppressive household. It's only after one final act shatters the facade that Zane realizes that there is both pain and freedom in facing the truth, and he vows to do better as he forges a new life and starts a family of his own. How long will it be, though, before darkness looms again in his life?
Labyrinth, by Catherine Coulter. The new FBI thriller from Coulter (Paradox, 2018, etc.) finds Agent Sherlock navigating the winding roads of West Virginia only to lose control of her vehicle. She's knocked unconscious, but upon waking, she's sure she remembers someone else involved in the accident. Perhaps he is involved in the string of local murders she's investigating?
Smokescreen, by Iris Johansen. When forensic sculptor Eve Duncan learns that a guerilla attack on an African village has left a number of children burned beyond recognition, she races to the site to lend a hand in identifying the bodies for their desperate families. Upon her arrival at the site, however, she soon realizes that something even more dire is afoot. Series fans won't want to miss out.
Shamed, by Linda Castillo. Castillo returns to Painter's Mill and Police Chief Kate Burkholder as an Amish woman has been murdered and her young grandchild kidnapped. Kate now needs answers from the tight-lipped Amish community, and quickly, as she learns that long-kept secrets may be responsible for a current crime-spree. If you're looking for an Amish cozy, this isn't it--Castillo's Amish suspense series is gritty and deeply engrossing.
The New Girl, by Daniel Silva. Legendary chief of Israeli intelligence Gabriel Allon (last seen in 2018's The Other Woman) has spent much of his life fighting terrorists. Now, he's the one man who can be trusted to track down the men who have brutally kidnapped the daughter of the much-maligned crown prince of Saudi Arabia and rescue the young woman in question. In the process, Gabriel and the prince become uneasy allies in a secret game that may change relations in the Middle East forever. If you like your espionage plotted at breakneck speed, this is for you.
Under Currents, by Nora Roberts. At a distance, the Bigelow family looks like perfection: successful surgeon father, stylish wife, two children who excel. But those children, Zane and Britt, know the truth: appearances can be very deceiving. As Zane's father's abuse becomes more severe, and his mother ever complicit, Zane tries to protect his little sister, even as he counts down the time until he can be free of this oppressive household. It's only after one final act shatters the facade that Zane realizes that there is both pain and freedom in facing the truth, and he vows to do better as he forges a new life and starts a family of his own. How long will it be, though, before darkness looms again in his life?
Labyrinth, by Catherine Coulter. The new FBI thriller from Coulter (Paradox, 2018, etc.) finds Agent Sherlock navigating the winding roads of West Virginia only to lose control of her vehicle. She's knocked unconscious, but upon waking, she's sure she remembers someone else involved in the accident. Perhaps he is involved in the string of local murders she's investigating?
Smokescreen, by Iris Johansen. When forensic sculptor Eve Duncan learns that a guerilla attack on an African village has left a number of children burned beyond recognition, she races to the site to lend a hand in identifying the bodies for their desperate families. Upon her arrival at the site, however, she soon realizes that something even more dire is afoot. Series fans won't want to miss out.
Shamed, by Linda Castillo. Castillo returns to Painter's Mill and Police Chief Kate Burkholder as an Amish woman has been murdered and her young grandchild kidnapped. Kate now needs answers from the tight-lipped Amish community, and quickly, as she learns that long-kept secrets may be responsible for a current crime-spree. If you're looking for an Amish cozy, this isn't it--Castillo's Amish suspense series is gritty and deeply engrossing.
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Reading Ahead: June 2019, part 1
Summer always means truckloads of new fiction titles, and if you're the kind of reader that thrives on an embarrassment of choices, this is only the beginning!
Big Sky, by Kate Atkinson. Atkinson brings back former policeman-turned-PI Jackson Brodie (last seen in 2010's Started Early, Took My Dog), who is now living in Yorkshire and grappling with the mysteries of parenting. Brodie himself had a difficult childhood, making his journey through co-parenting a teenager a particular challenge. Add that to a case surveilling an adulterer and a chance encounter interrupting a suicide, and Brodie has himself quite a full plate. Series fans will not want to miss this. New to the series? Start with 2004's Case Histories.
Backlash, by Brad Thor. Scott Harvath, ex- Navy SEAL and current Secret Service agent, was last seen in 2018's Spymaster. Now, he finds himself far from home, surrounded by his enemies, and badly double-crossed. Worse still--no one is coming to help him. No one even knows where he is. His immediate goal? Survive. His ultimate goal? Revenge.
The Oracle, by Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell. Sam and Remi Fargo. Married couple. Professional treasure hunters. (Last seen in The Gray Ghost, 2018.) Now, they're chasing an ancient scroll which may or may not be cursed: When a long-lost kingdom fell centuries ago, the sacred scroll's location was lost, as well. The Fargo's most recent archaeological dig has produced some clues, though, send them on an adventure to find the scroll and lift the curse, though not without running afoul of bandits and kidnappers in the process. Some real Indiana-Jones-type stuff here for adventure fans.
Big Sky, by Kate Atkinson. Atkinson brings back former policeman-turned-PI Jackson Brodie (last seen in 2010's Started Early, Took My Dog), who is now living in Yorkshire and grappling with the mysteries of parenting. Brodie himself had a difficult childhood, making his journey through co-parenting a teenager a particular challenge. Add that to a case surveilling an adulterer and a chance encounter interrupting a suicide, and Brodie has himself quite a full plate. Series fans will not want to miss this. New to the series? Start with 2004's Case Histories.
Backlash, by Brad Thor. Scott Harvath, ex- Navy SEAL and current Secret Service agent, was last seen in 2018's Spymaster. Now, he finds himself far from home, surrounded by his enemies, and badly double-crossed. Worse still--no one is coming to help him. No one even knows where he is. His immediate goal? Survive. His ultimate goal? Revenge.
The Oracle, by Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell. Sam and Remi Fargo. Married couple. Professional treasure hunters. (Last seen in The Gray Ghost, 2018.) Now, they're chasing an ancient scroll which may or may not be cursed: When a long-lost kingdom fell centuries ago, the sacred scroll's location was lost, as well. The Fargo's most recent archaeological dig has produced some clues, though, send them on an adventure to find the scroll and lift the curse, though not without running afoul of bandits and kidnappers in the process. Some real Indiana-Jones-type stuff here for adventure fans.
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Reading Ahead: May 2019, part 1
I know, I've been MIA. A dreadful combination of reader's block (even librarians get the blues) and writer's block (it's been 5 years and over 700 posts. Sometimes a woman needs a break!). In any case, I'm working on shaking off both of these hindrances and appreciate your patience in the meantime.
The titles for next month just won't wait any longer, though, so here are the brief versions of a few you might want to reserve now:
The Last Time I Saw You, by Liv Constantine. Constantine's debut, The Last Mrs. Parrish, was on bestsellers' lists and was a huge favorite of library staff and patrons alike. The author, actually two sisters who write together, returns here with a new page-turner: when her high-society mother is murdered, Dr. Kate English's perfect world begins to crumble. She leans heavily on the shoulder of an old friend to get her through the mourning, but then finds that the murderer may not be done...not by a long shot.
Keep You Close, by Karen Cleveland. Cleveland is another author whose debut, Need to Know, absolutely wowed us with plot twists galore. We're delighted she's back with a new novel of deception and betrayal--when single parent and FBI analyst Stephanie finds a gun in her teenage son's room, she is beyond unprepared. Then a colleague on the domestic terrorism squad turns her shock into a spiral of terror and conspiracy with three little words: "It's about Zachary."
The Never Game, by Jeffery Deaver. Author of the best-selling Lincoln Rhyme series kicks off a new series here featuring professional "reward seeker" Colter Shaw. Shaw, son of a survivalist and an extraordinary tracker, works with law enforcement to help find missing persons. But in this seemingly simple case of a young woman's disappearance in Silicon Valley turns into something much bigger than anyone could have guessed.
Cari Mora, by Thomas Harris. Best known for his novels featuring the diabolical Hannibal Lecter, Harris treats readers to a new thriller with another unforgettable heroine. For years, ruthless men have sought the legendary twenty-five million in cartel gold. In fact, it lies hidden beneath a mansion in Miami Beach. Cari Mora, the house's caretaker, is a woman who has escaped the war in her native country, though not unscathed. When the frontrunner in the race to find the gold comes up against Cari, he will find himself up against a skilled survivor the likes of which he hadn't ever expected...
The Night Before, by Wendy Walker. Connecticut author Wendy Walker is a library favorite! Laura has led a troubled life, from a tragedy when she was young through a number of terribly failed romances, the last of which sent her running from her Wall Street job to lick her wounds in the home of her sister Rosie, located in the Connecticut suburb where they grew up. Laura isn't content to brood for long, though, and soon goes out with a man she met on a dating site. Except she never comes home, and Rosie's starting to worry...not just about what he may have done to Laura, but what she may have done to him.
The titles for next month just won't wait any longer, though, so here are the brief versions of a few you might want to reserve now:
The Last Time I Saw You, by Liv Constantine. Constantine's debut, The Last Mrs. Parrish, was on bestsellers' lists and was a huge favorite of library staff and patrons alike. The author, actually two sisters who write together, returns here with a new page-turner: when her high-society mother is murdered, Dr. Kate English's perfect world begins to crumble. She leans heavily on the shoulder of an old friend to get her through the mourning, but then finds that the murderer may not be done...not by a long shot.
Keep You Close, by Karen Cleveland. Cleveland is another author whose debut, Need to Know, absolutely wowed us with plot twists galore. We're delighted she's back with a new novel of deception and betrayal--when single parent and FBI analyst Stephanie finds a gun in her teenage son's room, she is beyond unprepared. Then a colleague on the domestic terrorism squad turns her shock into a spiral of terror and conspiracy with three little words: "It's about Zachary."
The Never Game, by Jeffery Deaver. Author of the best-selling Lincoln Rhyme series kicks off a new series here featuring professional "reward seeker" Colter Shaw. Shaw, son of a survivalist and an extraordinary tracker, works with law enforcement to help find missing persons. But in this seemingly simple case of a young woman's disappearance in Silicon Valley turns into something much bigger than anyone could have guessed.
Cari Mora, by Thomas Harris. Best known for his novels featuring the diabolical Hannibal Lecter, Harris treats readers to a new thriller with another unforgettable heroine. For years, ruthless men have sought the legendary twenty-five million in cartel gold. In fact, it lies hidden beneath a mansion in Miami Beach. Cari Mora, the house's caretaker, is a woman who has escaped the war in her native country, though not unscathed. When the frontrunner in the race to find the gold comes up against Cari, he will find himself up against a skilled survivor the likes of which he hadn't ever expected...
The Night Before, by Wendy Walker. Connecticut author Wendy Walker is a library favorite! Laura has led a troubled life, from a tragedy when she was young through a number of terribly failed romances, the last of which sent her running from her Wall Street job to lick her wounds in the home of her sister Rosie, located in the Connecticut suburb where they grew up. Laura isn't content to brood for long, though, and soon goes out with a man she met on a dating site. Except she never comes home, and Rosie's starting to worry...not just about what he may have done to Laura, but what she may have done to him.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Reading Ahead: April 2019, part 2
Machines, marriage and mysteries, oh my!
Machines Like Me, by Ian McEwan. McEwan (Atonement, etc.) pushes boundaries in his latest novel, set in an alternate version of 1980s London. Here, the British are losing the Falklands War and Alan Turing is not only alive, but his work has given rise to a line of androids almost indistinguishable from humans. When aimless 32-year-old Charlie Friend comes into money, he buys an "Adam", and he and his upstairs neighbor Miranda each input half of the personality parameters required to push Adam past his factory presets. It's not long, however, before a love triangle develops and the three confront a profound moral dilemma. I'm recommending this for fans of subversive fiction, like that of Margaret Atwood.
The View from Alameda Island, by Robyn Carr. Carr, one of my favorite authors for easy reading, delivers a stand alone novel about the unhappiness that can lurk behind even the most "perfect" of facades. Lauren Delaney has an enviable life: a successful career, a husband who is a prominent surgeon, two lovely daughters who are attending good colleges. Lauren, though, is deeply unhappy and refuses to pretend any longer, filing for divorce and starting over on her own, where she meets a kindred spirit also struggling to extricate himself from an unhappy marriage. Lauren's husband, infuriated by the upheaval in his deliberate, ordered life, will take extreme action, and Lauren's entire future may be at risk. This should make for some excellent vacation reading this spring.
Triple Jeopardy, by Anne Perry. First seen in Twenty One Days (2018), young lawyer Daniel Pitt, son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, is delighted that his sister is back for a visit from the States. But the family reunion is cut short when Daniel is called upon to represent a British diplomat who has fled from Washington, D.C. to London, claiming diplomatic immunity. The diplomat, Philip Sidney, is accused of theft and embezzlement. It's not long before the case against his client proves to be a smoke screen for something far more dangerous, and Daniel is determined to figure out just what that is. Perry fans will be delighted with their new young sleuth.
Machines Like Me, by Ian McEwan. McEwan (Atonement, etc.) pushes boundaries in his latest novel, set in an alternate version of 1980s London. Here, the British are losing the Falklands War and Alan Turing is not only alive, but his work has given rise to a line of androids almost indistinguishable from humans. When aimless 32-year-old Charlie Friend comes into money, he buys an "Adam", and he and his upstairs neighbor Miranda each input half of the personality parameters required to push Adam past his factory presets. It's not long, however, before a love triangle develops and the three confront a profound moral dilemma. I'm recommending this for fans of subversive fiction, like that of Margaret Atwood.
The View from Alameda Island, by Robyn Carr. Carr, one of my favorite authors for easy reading, delivers a stand alone novel about the unhappiness that can lurk behind even the most "perfect" of facades. Lauren Delaney has an enviable life: a successful career, a husband who is a prominent surgeon, two lovely daughters who are attending good colleges. Lauren, though, is deeply unhappy and refuses to pretend any longer, filing for divorce and starting over on her own, where she meets a kindred spirit also struggling to extricate himself from an unhappy marriage. Lauren's husband, infuriated by the upheaval in his deliberate, ordered life, will take extreme action, and Lauren's entire future may be at risk. This should make for some excellent vacation reading this spring.
Triple Jeopardy, by Anne Perry. First seen in Twenty One Days (2018), young lawyer Daniel Pitt, son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, is delighted that his sister is back for a visit from the States. But the family reunion is cut short when Daniel is called upon to represent a British diplomat who has fled from Washington, D.C. to London, claiming diplomatic immunity. The diplomat, Philip Sidney, is accused of theft and embezzlement. It's not long before the case against his client proves to be a smoke screen for something far more dangerous, and Daniel is determined to figure out just what that is. Perry fans will be delighted with their new young sleuth.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Reading Ahead: April 2019, part 1
Thrillers are thick on the ground, so if you're looking for fast reads with twisted plots, read on!
Redemption, by David Baldacci. Baldacci's latest in his Memory Man series featuring Amos Decker (The Fallen, 2018, etc.) hearkens back to Decker's early days as a detective. After a dozen years, the man who approaches Decker during a visit to his hometown of Burlington, Ohio is totally unrecognizable. His name, however, is one that Decker cannot every forget: Meryl Hawkins was the first man Decker ever arrested for murder. Hawkins continues to maintain he never committed the murders, and doubt begins to nag at Decker enough to review the old case, only to find a connection to a new crime in progress, one that he may be able to prevent if he can move quickly enough...
Saving Meghan, by D.J. Palmer. D.J. (Daniel) Palmer's newest novel finds devoted mother Becky Gerard working diligently to help her fifteen-year-old daughter Meghan, who has been in and out of hospitals and doctors' offices with a series of unexplained illnesses. Meghan's father, Carl, begins to worry that Becky is obsessed. The medical team begins to question whether Becky is demonstrating signs of Munchausen by proxy, with Meghan as her victim. Is Meghan really sick? Is something more sinister at work here? As suspicions grow and pit one character against another, one will have to risk everything to expose the truth.
Willing to Die, by Lisa Jackson. Eighth in Jackson's To Die series, following 2017's Expecting to Die, follows detectives Alvarez and Pescoli as they investigate the murders of Dr. Paul Letham and his wife, Brindel, who are found dead in separate beds in their beautiful San Francisco home.
Someone Knows, by Lisa Scottoline. Not guilty doesn't always mean innocent in Scottoline's latest. When Allie Garvey heads home after twenty years away, it's for the funeral of a childhood friend. And in addition to the expected sadness, Allie's also overwhelmed with dread--going home means seeing two people she'd hoped never to see again. The three of them have kept a terrible secret ever since a night of partying in the woods one night resulted in a prank gone tragically wrong. Teenage Allie thought getting caught would have been the worst thing, but adult Allie knows better--living decades with her guilt has been devastating. Back at the proverbial scene of the crime, Allie must dig back into her past to uncover the truth once and for all, if only to unburden herself. But the truth may just be more shocking than she could have ever imagined... Early reviews are saying that Scottoline has outdone herself this time, so this may just be the one to pick up this spring.
Redemption, by David Baldacci. Baldacci's latest in his Memory Man series featuring Amos Decker (The Fallen, 2018, etc.) hearkens back to Decker's early days as a detective. After a dozen years, the man who approaches Decker during a visit to his hometown of Burlington, Ohio is totally unrecognizable. His name, however, is one that Decker cannot every forget: Meryl Hawkins was the first man Decker ever arrested for murder. Hawkins continues to maintain he never committed the murders, and doubt begins to nag at Decker enough to review the old case, only to find a connection to a new crime in progress, one that he may be able to prevent if he can move quickly enough...
Saving Meghan, by D.J. Palmer. D.J. (Daniel) Palmer's newest novel finds devoted mother Becky Gerard working diligently to help her fifteen-year-old daughter Meghan, who has been in and out of hospitals and doctors' offices with a series of unexplained illnesses. Meghan's father, Carl, begins to worry that Becky is obsessed. The medical team begins to question whether Becky is demonstrating signs of Munchausen by proxy, with Meghan as her victim. Is Meghan really sick? Is something more sinister at work here? As suspicions grow and pit one character against another, one will have to risk everything to expose the truth.
Willing to Die, by Lisa Jackson. Eighth in Jackson's To Die series, following 2017's Expecting to Die, follows detectives Alvarez and Pescoli as they investigate the murders of Dr. Paul Letham and his wife, Brindel, who are found dead in separate beds in their beautiful San Francisco home.
Someone Knows, by Lisa Scottoline. Not guilty doesn't always mean innocent in Scottoline's latest. When Allie Garvey heads home after twenty years away, it's for the funeral of a childhood friend. And in addition to the expected sadness, Allie's also overwhelmed with dread--going home means seeing two people she'd hoped never to see again. The three of them have kept a terrible secret ever since a night of partying in the woods one night resulted in a prank gone tragically wrong. Teenage Allie thought getting caught would have been the worst thing, but adult Allie knows better--living decades with her guilt has been devastating. Back at the proverbial scene of the crime, Allie must dig back into her past to uncover the truth once and for all, if only to unburden herself. But the truth may just be more shocking than she could have ever imagined... Early reviews are saying that Scottoline has outdone herself this time, so this may just be the one to pick up this spring.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Reading Ahead: March 2019, part 3
Gothics, suspense, historical fiction are all on the menu next month. Ready for a new favorite?
The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See. Mi-ja and Young-sook are best friends living on the Korean island of Jeju, though they come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working with their village's all-female diving collective. As time goes on, however, (the story begins in the 1930s during a period of Japanese colonialism and runs to present day) their country is caught between warring empires, pitting family against family, the force of dark secrets tearing at their friendship. Fans of See's earlier work (The Teagirl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, etc.) won't want to miss this.
The Night Visitors, by Carol Goodman. When Alice flees a relationship gone dangerous with her ten-year-old son Oren in tow, she meets up with social worker Mattie. Mattie doesn't take the pair to a shelter, however, but home to her ramshackle house in the woods. While Mattie's heart is in the right place, and she has plenty of room, Oren also reminds her very much of her younger brother, who died thirty years ago. And Mattie isn't the only one harboring some unsettling secrets. Goodman is a personal favorite, and this latest gothic thriller is already on my to-read list this spring.
All the Wrong Places, by Joy Fielding. After being let go from her advertising job due to a merger, and breaking up with her cheating boyfriend, Paige Hamilton is in serious need of some personal validation. On impulse, she signs up for a dating app, the same one her friend Chloe uses, it turns out. When both women, as well as another person close to Paige, start dating Mr. Right Now, no one could predict that something so innocuous could have such dangerous consequences...
The Mark (The Big Kahuna) , by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich. FBI Agent Kate O'Hare and charming con-man Nicolas Fox team up again on another case that the FBI would ordinarily shrug off: finding a missing Silicon Valley billionaire, nicknamed The Big Kahuna. Beyond the man's greedy trophy wife and shady business partner, neither of whom seem terribly interested in the man's whereabouts, the investigation's only real lead seems to be the beach bum son, living the dream in Hawaii. What can Kate and Nick do but go undercover, posing as a married couple in the laid-back surfer community. Expect lots of Evanovich's signature humor here.
Silent Night, by Danielle Steel. The daughter of Hollywood royalty, Paige Watts has channeled her own acting aspirations into her daughter's career--by age nine, Emma has the lead role on a hit TV show. But after the unthinkable happens, Emma goes to live with her aunt Whitney, who chose a very different path from sister Paige. This isn't a bad thing, because Emma needs all the help she can get in the wake of tragedy, and her road to healing will change her, and everyone around her.
The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See. Mi-ja and Young-sook are best friends living on the Korean island of Jeju, though they come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working with their village's all-female diving collective. As time goes on, however, (the story begins in the 1930s during a period of Japanese colonialism and runs to present day) their country is caught between warring empires, pitting family against family, the force of dark secrets tearing at their friendship. Fans of See's earlier work (The Teagirl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, etc.) won't want to miss this.
The Night Visitors, by Carol Goodman. When Alice flees a relationship gone dangerous with her ten-year-old son Oren in tow, she meets up with social worker Mattie. Mattie doesn't take the pair to a shelter, however, but home to her ramshackle house in the woods. While Mattie's heart is in the right place, and she has plenty of room, Oren also reminds her very much of her younger brother, who died thirty years ago. And Mattie isn't the only one harboring some unsettling secrets. Goodman is a personal favorite, and this latest gothic thriller is already on my to-read list this spring.
All the Wrong Places, by Joy Fielding. After being let go from her advertising job due to a merger, and breaking up with her cheating boyfriend, Paige Hamilton is in serious need of some personal validation. On impulse, she signs up for a dating app, the same one her friend Chloe uses, it turns out. When both women, as well as another person close to Paige, start dating Mr. Right Now, no one could predict that something so innocuous could have such dangerous consequences...
The Mark (The Big Kahuna) , by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich. FBI Agent Kate O'Hare and charming con-man Nicolas Fox team up again on another case that the FBI would ordinarily shrug off: finding a missing Silicon Valley billionaire, nicknamed The Big Kahuna. Beyond the man's greedy trophy wife and shady business partner, neither of whom seem terribly interested in the man's whereabouts, the investigation's only real lead seems to be the beach bum son, living the dream in Hawaii. What can Kate and Nick do but go undercover, posing as a married couple in the laid-back surfer community. Expect lots of Evanovich's signature humor here.
Silent Night, by Danielle Steel. The daughter of Hollywood royalty, Paige Watts has channeled her own acting aspirations into her daughter's career--by age nine, Emma has the lead role on a hit TV show. But after the unthinkable happens, Emma goes to live with her aunt Whitney, who chose a very different path from sister Paige. This isn't a bad thing, because Emma needs all the help she can get in the wake of tragedy, and her road to healing will change her, and everyone around her.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Reading Ahead: March 2019, part 2
Lots of suspense series and sequels to be had next month. Are your favorites on the list? Or will you discover a new favorite? Read on!
Black and Blue, by David Rosenfelt. This is the third entry in Rosenfelt's thriller series featuring New Jersey state police office Doug Brock, following Blackout and Fade to Black. Brock has been working hard to recover after being shot in the line of duty, but between lingering amnesia and solving two murder cases, his recovery hasn't been particularly restful. Now a new murder fits the MO of one of Brock's old, cold cases and he must retrace steps he doesn't remember taking to solve the case before the killer can strike again. Rosenfelt is steadily building on to his fan base, so if you're a thriller reader in search of a newer series to jump in on, here's your chance!
Wolf Pack, by C.J. Box. Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett returns in this nineteenth series outing. The good news is that Pickett has his job back after the adventures of The Disappeared (2018). The bad news is that he's discovered that someone is using a drone to kill wildlife, and that someone turns out to be the wealthy, mysterious man dating Joe's own daughter, Lucy. When Joe tries to get the drone's owner to abide by some rules, he's met with resistance, not just from the owner, but also from the FBI and the Department of Justice. On full alert now, Joe also has a vicious group of cartel assassins, known as the Wolf Pack, in the area who are bent on taking down Lucy's new beau, and anyone he's associated with...
The Malta Exchange, by Steve Berry. Former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone returns in Berry's latest novel, on the trail of some potentially history-shaking letters between Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini that vanished in 1945. This leads him to the Knights of Malta, now controlled by the Secreti as the election of a new pope looms. Fans of Dan Brown, if you're not reading Steve Berry, you should be!
The Last Act, by Brad Parks. Based on the real life case of Wachovia Bank, this latest by Parks finds an out-of-work stage actor Tommy Jump about to pose as a felon to go into a low-security prison and cozy up to Mitchell Dupree, a banker arrested for laundering money for a particularly vicious Mexican cartel. This may just be the hardest role of Tommy's life, if he survives. For thriller readers who like a twisty plot and lots of surprises, this should absolutely be on your reading list this spring.
Crown Jewel, by Christopher Reich. Bestseller Reich brings readers a new new Simon Riske novel (following his debut in 2018's The Take). Here, the restorer of high-end automobiles who moonlights as a problem solver to the wealthy is working for Toby Stonewood, managing partner of the Casino de Monte-Carlo. The casino is losing millions and Toby is sure he's being cheated, but cannot figure out the culprit, turning to Simon to unravel the mystery. What follows is a 007-worthy tale of fast cars, rich women, Bosnian bad guys, and the beauty of Monaco. Perfect.
Dark Tribute, by Iris Johansen. Number 25 in Johansen's long-running Eve Duncan series. Despite a tragic childhood, violin prodigy Cara Delaney has finally found her stride in her career as a professional musician and in her relationship with her guardians, forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and ex-Navy SEAL Joe Quinn. Cara's sense of peace is upended when she's kidnapped by a man who has a score to settle with her family. With everyone she loves in immediate danger, Cara will have to use every skill she has to stay alive and protect those closest to her at all costs.
Black and Blue, by David Rosenfelt. This is the third entry in Rosenfelt's thriller series featuring New Jersey state police office Doug Brock, following Blackout and Fade to Black. Brock has been working hard to recover after being shot in the line of duty, but between lingering amnesia and solving two murder cases, his recovery hasn't been particularly restful. Now a new murder fits the MO of one of Brock's old, cold cases and he must retrace steps he doesn't remember taking to solve the case before the killer can strike again. Rosenfelt is steadily building on to his fan base, so if you're a thriller reader in search of a newer series to jump in on, here's your chance!
Wolf Pack, by C.J. Box. Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett returns in this nineteenth series outing. The good news is that Pickett has his job back after the adventures of The Disappeared (2018). The bad news is that he's discovered that someone is using a drone to kill wildlife, and that someone turns out to be the wealthy, mysterious man dating Joe's own daughter, Lucy. When Joe tries to get the drone's owner to abide by some rules, he's met with resistance, not just from the owner, but also from the FBI and the Department of Justice. On full alert now, Joe also has a vicious group of cartel assassins, known as the Wolf Pack, in the area who are bent on taking down Lucy's new beau, and anyone he's associated with...
The Malta Exchange, by Steve Berry. Former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone returns in Berry's latest novel, on the trail of some potentially history-shaking letters between Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini that vanished in 1945. This leads him to the Knights of Malta, now controlled by the Secreti as the election of a new pope looms. Fans of Dan Brown, if you're not reading Steve Berry, you should be!
The Last Act, by Brad Parks. Based on the real life case of Wachovia Bank, this latest by Parks finds an out-of-work stage actor Tommy Jump about to pose as a felon to go into a low-security prison and cozy up to Mitchell Dupree, a banker arrested for laundering money for a particularly vicious Mexican cartel. This may just be the hardest role of Tommy's life, if he survives. For thriller readers who like a twisty plot and lots of surprises, this should absolutely be on your reading list this spring.
Crown Jewel, by Christopher Reich. Bestseller Reich brings readers a new new Simon Riske novel (following his debut in 2018's The Take). Here, the restorer of high-end automobiles who moonlights as a problem solver to the wealthy is working for Toby Stonewood, managing partner of the Casino de Monte-Carlo. The casino is losing millions and Toby is sure he's being cheated, but cannot figure out the culprit, turning to Simon to unravel the mystery. What follows is a 007-worthy tale of fast cars, rich women, Bosnian bad guys, and the beauty of Monaco. Perfect.
Dark Tribute, by Iris Johansen. Number 25 in Johansen's long-running Eve Duncan series. Despite a tragic childhood, violin prodigy Cara Delaney has finally found her stride in her career as a professional musician and in her relationship with her guardians, forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and ex-Navy SEAL Joe Quinn. Cara's sense of peace is upended when she's kidnapped by a man who has a score to settle with her family. With everyone she loves in immediate danger, Cara will have to use every skill she has to stay alive and protect those closest to her at all costs.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
What I've Been Reading: January 2019
January's short days and bitter cold made for excellent weather to cozy up with a good book, so I've made the most of it!
Tiny Beautiful Things: advice on love and life from Dear Sugar, by Cheryl Strayed. Recommended by a friend, this collection of essays by Wild author Strayed was a good start to the new year. This "best of" compilation from The Rumpus's Dear Sugar advice column is a heartfelt, gentle and gorgeous read. Strayed pulls no punches as she answers queries about what to do when life is hard, and how sometimes even the good things in life are difficult to trust. I highly recommend it.
Verses for the Dead, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Eighteenth in the duo's long-running and best-selling Special Agent Pendergast series finds Pendergast in his strangest set of circumstances yet: working with an assigned partner, junior agent Coldmoon. Their case takes them to Miami, where a killer is cutting out his victims' hearts and placing them, along with cryptic notes, on gravestones in local cemeteries. To make things stranger still, the gravestones all belong to women who committed suicide. Can this odd new pairing of agents get to the killer before he can strike again? It's a race against the clock, and one of the best in the series to date.
The Last Mrs. Parrish, by Liv Constantine. This was a reread for my January book club meeting. Knowing what was going to happen made it even more entertaining--it's still a gleeful story of greed and revenge. If you haven't read it yet, I'd really recommend it. You can read my original review here.
Dark Sacred Night, by Michael Connelly. The second of Connelly's novels to follow young Hollywood Detective Renee Ballard, this one also includes Harry Bosch, now retired. The two meet when Ballard stumbles over a stranger, Bosch, going through old file cabinets, working a case fifteen years cold that's gotten under his skin. Ballard can't just give this guy access to the station's files but, intrigued, she decides to join him on the hunt. I really enjoyed this pairing more than I thought I would--it made for a fast, compelling read.
Knitting, by Ann Bartlett. I stumbled over this sweet gem of a read while out working in the stacks last month. That's one of my favorite things about this job, the serendipitous book that simply makes its way home with me from time to time, completely unsolicited. Sandra is unmoored after losing her husband to cancer. But the unlikeliest person to help with this would be Martha, an eccentric professional knitter. When the two are brought together by chance, what follows is a strange, symbiotic friendship, each of them turning out to be just what the other needs. These are characters that will stay with me for a very long time.
Eliza's Home, How to Knit a Heart Back Home, Wishes & Stitches, Cora's Heart, Fiona's Flame, all by Rachael Herron. I'd read Herron's memoir, A Life in Stitches, eons ago and I really enjoyed her style. Now I'm completely hooked, reading most of her Cypress Hollow series in just a few weeks. They're lovely, fast reads, funny and heartwarming and wise. I'd recommend her to fans of Robyn Carr. Fair warning, while a few titles are available here at the library or on Overdrive, I did go out and buy copies of these for myself.
Tiny Beautiful Things: advice on love and life from Dear Sugar, by Cheryl Strayed. Recommended by a friend, this collection of essays by Wild author Strayed was a good start to the new year. This "best of" compilation from The Rumpus's Dear Sugar advice column is a heartfelt, gentle and gorgeous read. Strayed pulls no punches as she answers queries about what to do when life is hard, and how sometimes even the good things in life are difficult to trust. I highly recommend it.
Verses for the Dead, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Eighteenth in the duo's long-running and best-selling Special Agent Pendergast series finds Pendergast in his strangest set of circumstances yet: working with an assigned partner, junior agent Coldmoon. Their case takes them to Miami, where a killer is cutting out his victims' hearts and placing them, along with cryptic notes, on gravestones in local cemeteries. To make things stranger still, the gravestones all belong to women who committed suicide. Can this odd new pairing of agents get to the killer before he can strike again? It's a race against the clock, and one of the best in the series to date.
The Last Mrs. Parrish, by Liv Constantine. This was a reread for my January book club meeting. Knowing what was going to happen made it even more entertaining--it's still a gleeful story of greed and revenge. If you haven't read it yet, I'd really recommend it. You can read my original review here.
Dark Sacred Night, by Michael Connelly. The second of Connelly's novels to follow young Hollywood Detective Renee Ballard, this one also includes Harry Bosch, now retired. The two meet when Ballard stumbles over a stranger, Bosch, going through old file cabinets, working a case fifteen years cold that's gotten under his skin. Ballard can't just give this guy access to the station's files but, intrigued, she decides to join him on the hunt. I really enjoyed this pairing more than I thought I would--it made for a fast, compelling read.
Knitting, by Ann Bartlett. I stumbled over this sweet gem of a read while out working in the stacks last month. That's one of my favorite things about this job, the serendipitous book that simply makes its way home with me from time to time, completely unsolicited. Sandra is unmoored after losing her husband to cancer. But the unlikeliest person to help with this would be Martha, an eccentric professional knitter. When the two are brought together by chance, what follows is a strange, symbiotic friendship, each of them turning out to be just what the other needs. These are characters that will stay with me for a very long time.
Eliza's Home, How to Knit a Heart Back Home, Wishes & Stitches, Cora's Heart, Fiona's Flame, all by Rachael Herron. I'd read Herron's memoir, A Life in Stitches, eons ago and I really enjoyed her style. Now I'm completely hooked, reading most of her Cypress Hollow series in just a few weeks. They're lovely, fast reads, funny and heartwarming and wise. I'd recommend her to fans of Robyn Carr. Fair warning, while a few titles are available here at the library or on Overdrive, I did go out and buy copies of these for myself.
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Reading Ahead: February 2019, part 3
There's more than one way to warm up in the midst of winter. Humor, family, warmer climes and comfort food are all on the menu!
I Owe You One, by Sophie Kinsella. Youngest sibling Fixie Farr has always believed in her father's motto: "Family first." So after her father passes and leaves his family with his home goods store legacy, Fixie spends most of her time working and picking up the slack for her mother, brother, and sister. But when her mother takes a much-deserved vacation, everything goes hilariously awry for Fixie and her siblings. Add some romantic interests diverting her attentions further and Fixie is in a fix and a half. Those looking for a light, funny read for a chilly evening should definitely reach for this.
California Girls, by Susan Mallery. Three California sisters lean on one another as life hands each of them lemons. Talkshow host Finola is blindsided by her husband's confession of infidelity just before she's to go on air for a live interview with a country-music superstar...who happens to be her husband's lover. Ali finds herself flabbergasted when her fiance sends his brother to Ali with news he's breaking off their engagement. And surfer-girl Zennie agrees to act as her best friend's surrogate, which turns out to be more complicated than she'd anticipated. Mallery fans will swoon!
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder, by Joanne Fluke. When The Cookie Jar becomes the setting for a televised special, owner Hannah Swensen hopes the focus will be on her bakery, with her personal life pushed safely out of the spotlight. But a visit from an ex and a murdered body found in her bedroom cause more drama than she could have imagined. Suspects emerge and secrets are uncovered, but how long can Hannah stay safe?
I Owe You One, by Sophie Kinsella. Youngest sibling Fixie Farr has always believed in her father's motto: "Family first." So after her father passes and leaves his family with his home goods store legacy, Fixie spends most of her time working and picking up the slack for her mother, brother, and sister. But when her mother takes a much-deserved vacation, everything goes hilariously awry for Fixie and her siblings. Add some romantic interests diverting her attentions further and Fixie is in a fix and a half. Those looking for a light, funny read for a chilly evening should definitely reach for this.
California Girls, by Susan Mallery. Three California sisters lean on one another as life hands each of them lemons. Talkshow host Finola is blindsided by her husband's confession of infidelity just before she's to go on air for a live interview with a country-music superstar...who happens to be her husband's lover. Ali finds herself flabbergasted when her fiance sends his brother to Ali with news he's breaking off their engagement. And surfer-girl Zennie agrees to act as her best friend's surrogate, which turns out to be more complicated than she'd anticipated. Mallery fans will swoon!
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder, by Joanne Fluke. When The Cookie Jar becomes the setting for a televised special, owner Hannah Swensen hopes the focus will be on her bakery, with her personal life pushed safely out of the spotlight. But a visit from an ex and a murdered body found in her bedroom cause more drama than she could have imagined. Suspects emerge and secrets are uncovered, but how long can Hannah stay safe?
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Reading Ahead: February 2019, part 2
Thrillers, mysteries, big cities, small towns--we have a bit of something for everyone today.
The Next to Die, by Sophie Hannah. Bill Dead Mates is the new serial killer making headlines: he picks of pairs of best friends, one at a time, presenting them with a little white handmade book before each murder. People are scared, especially comedian Kim Trebbick, who was handed one such book at a recent gig. Only Kim hasn't got any friends to be murdered with, so was that stranger really the killer? Or is there something even more nefarious at stake?
Connections in Death, by J.D. Robb. This latest entry in Robb's (aka Nora Roberts) long-running Eve Dallas series finds the lieutenant's old friend, night-club owner Crack, dating Roarke's latest hire, Dr. Rochelle Pickering. When Rochelle's brother is found dead of an apparent overdose in her apartment, Eve and her team of detectives delve into the dirty underground of NYC sex clubs, drug dealers, and gang wars, a world where double-crosses and dirty deals reign supreme. A fast-paced plot and a familiar cast of characters make this series a fan favorite.
A Justified Murder, by Jude Deveraux. In this sequel to Deveraux's 2018 A Willing Murder, amateur sleuths Sara Medlar, her niece Kate, and friend Jack Wyatt find themselves reluctantly drawn into a new murder investigation, this one of a sweet older woman, Janet Beeson. Janet, it appears, has been shot, stabbed, and poisoned. In a small town where gossip moves quickly, the trio are quickly embroiled, searching for a killer among their friends and neighbors. Who knows more than they're saying? Almost everyone, it seems. Deveraux's delve into the mystery genre seems to be paying off!
The Next to Die, by Sophie Hannah. Bill Dead Mates is the new serial killer making headlines: he picks of pairs of best friends, one at a time, presenting them with a little white handmade book before each murder. People are scared, especially comedian Kim Trebbick, who was handed one such book at a recent gig. Only Kim hasn't got any friends to be murdered with, so was that stranger really the killer? Or is there something even more nefarious at stake?
Connections in Death, by J.D. Robb. This latest entry in Robb's (aka Nora Roberts) long-running Eve Dallas series finds the lieutenant's old friend, night-club owner Crack, dating Roarke's latest hire, Dr. Rochelle Pickering. When Rochelle's brother is found dead of an apparent overdose in her apartment, Eve and her team of detectives delve into the dirty underground of NYC sex clubs, drug dealers, and gang wars, a world where double-crosses and dirty deals reign supreme. A fast-paced plot and a familiar cast of characters make this series a fan favorite.
A Justified Murder, by Jude Deveraux. In this sequel to Deveraux's 2018 A Willing Murder, amateur sleuths Sara Medlar, her niece Kate, and friend Jack Wyatt find themselves reluctantly drawn into a new murder investigation, this one of a sweet older woman, Janet Beeson. Janet, it appears, has been shot, stabbed, and poisoned. In a small town where gossip moves quickly, the trio are quickly embroiled, searching for a killer among their friends and neighbors. Who knows more than they're saying? Almost everyone, it seems. Deveraux's delve into the mystery genre seems to be paying off!
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Reading Ahead: February 2019, part 1
There's so much great fiction being published next month, I'm going to have to work hard to fit all the reviews into January! Ready to see what's on the horizon?
Never Tell, by Lisa Gardner. Sgt. Detective D.D. Warren and victim advocate Flora Dane are back working together on a third case(following 2018's Look For Me), and they have a sense of deja vu when Conrad Carter is shot dead...and his wife Evie is found holding the gun. D.D. is familiar with Evie from an investigation 16 years earlier, when Evie's father was found dead in a shooting death that was ruled an accident. But two accidental shootings is too much of a coincidence for D.D. And Flora is familiar with Conrad from her time as a hostage--her captor knew Conrad. Each determined to find the truth, D.D. and Flora begin to strip away lies and half-truths, making them wonder: just how many secrets can one family have? Also available in Large Print.
The Lost Man, by Jane Harper. Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature, brings readers a new standalone novel set in the furthest reaches of the Australian outback. Two brothers, Nathan and Bub, meet at the fence-line that divides their two ranches--their third brother, Cameron, lies dead at their feet. In this lonely part of the outback, the brothers were one another's nearest neighbors, a three-hour's drive apart, with Cameron running the family homestead. But as the family grieves, they also begin to suspect one another--the isolation makes for a short suspect list. What might have driven one of their own to such an end?
The Girl in the Glass Box, by James Grippando. Julia Rodriguez and her teenage daughter have fled El Salvador for Miami, escaping violence both gang-related and domestic. They're hoping for a fresh start, but an anonymous tip leaves Julia awaiting deportation. Attorney Jack Swyteck battles her case for asylum, to reunite her with her daughter, and to help her escape her abusive husband one and for all. Also available in Large Print.
Mission Critical, by Mark Greaney. Eighth in Greaney's popular Gray Man series following 2018's Agent in Place, Mission Critical finds Court Gentry's place on a CIA transport plane compromised when a hooded prisoner is escorted on board. CIA headquarters intervenes on Gentry's behalf and the transport heads for the UK, where the prisoner will be interrogated jointly by a team comprised of CIA and MI6 members. Upon landing, however, they are attacked by hostile forces who kidnap the prisoner and only Gentry escapes. His handlers send him after the attackers. One man against an elite force? If that man is the Gray Man, anything is possible.
Never Tell, by Lisa Gardner. Sgt. Detective D.D. Warren and victim advocate Flora Dane are back working together on a third case(following 2018's Look For Me), and they have a sense of deja vu when Conrad Carter is shot dead...and his wife Evie is found holding the gun. D.D. is familiar with Evie from an investigation 16 years earlier, when Evie's father was found dead in a shooting death that was ruled an accident. But two accidental shootings is too much of a coincidence for D.D. And Flora is familiar with Conrad from her time as a hostage--her captor knew Conrad. Each determined to find the truth, D.D. and Flora begin to strip away lies and half-truths, making them wonder: just how many secrets can one family have? Also available in Large Print.
The Lost Man, by Jane Harper. Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature, brings readers a new standalone novel set in the furthest reaches of the Australian outback. Two brothers, Nathan and Bub, meet at the fence-line that divides their two ranches--their third brother, Cameron, lies dead at their feet. In this lonely part of the outback, the brothers were one another's nearest neighbors, a three-hour's drive apart, with Cameron running the family homestead. But as the family grieves, they also begin to suspect one another--the isolation makes for a short suspect list. What might have driven one of their own to such an end?
The Girl in the Glass Box, by James Grippando. Julia Rodriguez and her teenage daughter have fled El Salvador for Miami, escaping violence both gang-related and domestic. They're hoping for a fresh start, but an anonymous tip leaves Julia awaiting deportation. Attorney Jack Swyteck battles her case for asylum, to reunite her with her daughter, and to help her escape her abusive husband one and for all. Also available in Large Print.
Mission Critical, by Mark Greaney. Eighth in Greaney's popular Gray Man series following 2018's Agent in Place, Mission Critical finds Court Gentry's place on a CIA transport plane compromised when a hooded prisoner is escorted on board. CIA headquarters intervenes on Gentry's behalf and the transport heads for the UK, where the prisoner will be interrogated jointly by a team comprised of CIA and MI6 members. Upon landing, however, they are attacked by hostile forces who kidnap the prisoner and only Gentry escapes. His handlers send him after the attackers. One man against an elite force? If that man is the Gray Man, anything is possible.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Reading Ahead: January 2019, part 3
Winter is often the season when many readers turn to easy reading to while away a bitterly cold night. If that sounds like you, read on!
Turning Point, by Danielle Steel. Four busy and dedicated California doctors are chosen for an honor and a unique project: to work with their counterparts in Paris in a mass-casualty training program. As professionals, they will gain invaluable experience. As men and women, they will find that their time in the City of Lights offers them a variety of personal opportunities. But when an unspeakable act of mass violence calls them all into action, this will be their turning point, when each must make choices that will change each of them forever. Also available in Large Print.
Untouchable, by Jayne Ann Krentz. This is the wrap-up of Krentz's Cutler, Sutter & Salinas trilogy, following 2016's When All The Girls Have Gone and 2017's Promise Not To Tell. FBI consultant Jack Lancaster has always been drawn to the coldest of cold cases. A survivor of a fire himself, he finds himself with a unique perspective on arson cases in particular. But the more cases he solves, the closer he slips toward darkness. His salvation is meditation therapist Winter Meadows, who can manage to lead him back toward the light when his thoughts are at their darkest. As long as Quinton Zane is alive, though, Jack will never have peace, and so the battle begins. Also available in Large Print.
The Best of Us, by Robyn Carr. Latest in Carr's Sullivan's Crossing series, after 2018's The Family Gathering, finds Dr. Leigh Culver enjoying the slower pace of practicing medicine in Timberlake, Colorado after her years in Chicago. The only drawback is that she misses her aunt Helen, who raised Leigh, but perhaps the gorgeous mountain views will entice Helen to visit often? Neither of them expected to miss one another so much, though, and Helen never thought she'd fall for a place like Sullivan's Crossing, but that's just the beginning of what happens upon her first fateful visit. Also available in Large Print.
Turning Point, by Danielle Steel. Four busy and dedicated California doctors are chosen for an honor and a unique project: to work with their counterparts in Paris in a mass-casualty training program. As professionals, they will gain invaluable experience. As men and women, they will find that their time in the City of Lights offers them a variety of personal opportunities. But when an unspeakable act of mass violence calls them all into action, this will be their turning point, when each must make choices that will change each of them forever. Also available in Large Print.
Untouchable, by Jayne Ann Krentz. This is the wrap-up of Krentz's Cutler, Sutter & Salinas trilogy, following 2016's When All The Girls Have Gone and 2017's Promise Not To Tell. FBI consultant Jack Lancaster has always been drawn to the coldest of cold cases. A survivor of a fire himself, he finds himself with a unique perspective on arson cases in particular. But the more cases he solves, the closer he slips toward darkness. His salvation is meditation therapist Winter Meadows, who can manage to lead him back toward the light when his thoughts are at their darkest. As long as Quinton Zane is alive, though, Jack will never have peace, and so the battle begins. Also available in Large Print.
The Best of Us, by Robyn Carr. Latest in Carr's Sullivan's Crossing series, after 2018's The Family Gathering, finds Dr. Leigh Culver enjoying the slower pace of practicing medicine in Timberlake, Colorado after her years in Chicago. The only drawback is that she misses her aunt Helen, who raised Leigh, but perhaps the gorgeous mountain views will entice Helen to visit often? Neither of them expected to miss one another so much, though, and Helen never thought she'd fall for a place like Sullivan's Crossing, but that's just the beginning of what happens upon her first fateful visit. Also available in Large Print.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Reading Ahead: January 2019, part 2
Need a new thriller to get your blood running on a cold winter's night? Consider one of these up and coming titles!
The Suspect, by Fiona Barton. The bestselling author of The Widow (2016) returns with a twisted psychological thriller about every parent's worst nightmare. When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing on a trip to Thailand, their frantic, worried families are thrust into the spotlight overnight. What were the girls doing before they disappeared? Journalist Kate Waters wants the exclusive, to be the first to the find the truth, but in the process she's forced to deal with her own issues, including her son who left for his own international travels two years ago...and hasn't been heard from since.
What Doesn't Kill Her, by Christina Dodd. Following 2018's Dead Girl Running, we again meet up with Kellen Adams, who has a year-long gap in her memory. A gunshot to the head will do that, it seems. But she's slowly piecing things back together and what she learns changes everything. Like that she bends, but doesn't break. And that even on the run in the wilderness, carrying a priceless burden, she has her sights set on her pursuers, vowing to end this chase as the hunter, not the hunted...
Judgement, by Joseph Finder. Massachusetts Superior Court judge Juliana Brody is rumored to be in consideration for the federal circuit, and she doesn't want anything to jeopardize that. But while at a conference in Chicago, she indulges in a one-night-stand with a man who seems gentle and vulnerable. Their mutual understanding is that this will never happen again. Upon returning home, however, Juliana soon realizes that this was no chance encounter, and that the man in Chicago has an integral role in the sexual discrimination case she's presiding over. Her indiscretion has been recorded, but it soon becomes clear that personal humiliation or even the end of her career may be the least of her concerns. It could spell mortal peril for her and for those she holds most dear.
The Suspect, by Fiona Barton. The bestselling author of The Widow (2016) returns with a twisted psychological thriller about every parent's worst nightmare. When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing on a trip to Thailand, their frantic, worried families are thrust into the spotlight overnight. What were the girls doing before they disappeared? Journalist Kate Waters wants the exclusive, to be the first to the find the truth, but in the process she's forced to deal with her own issues, including her son who left for his own international travels two years ago...and hasn't been heard from since.
What Doesn't Kill Her, by Christina Dodd. Following 2018's Dead Girl Running, we again meet up with Kellen Adams, who has a year-long gap in her memory. A gunshot to the head will do that, it seems. But she's slowly piecing things back together and what she learns changes everything. Like that she bends, but doesn't break. And that even on the run in the wilderness, carrying a priceless burden, she has her sights set on her pursuers, vowing to end this chase as the hunter, not the hunted...
Judgement, by Joseph Finder. Massachusetts Superior Court judge Juliana Brody is rumored to be in consideration for the federal circuit, and she doesn't want anything to jeopardize that. But while at a conference in Chicago, she indulges in a one-night-stand with a man who seems gentle and vulnerable. Their mutual understanding is that this will never happen again. Upon returning home, however, Juliana soon realizes that this was no chance encounter, and that the man in Chicago has an integral role in the sexual discrimination case she's presiding over. Her indiscretion has been recorded, but it soon becomes clear that personal humiliation or even the end of her career may be the least of her concerns. It could spell mortal peril for her and for those she holds most dear.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Reading Ahead: January 2019, part 1
It's time to start thinking about keeping warm with red-hot thrillers this winter! Here are a few to consider adding to your list as the mercury starts to dip.
The Rule of Law, by John Lescroart. Last seen in 2018's Poison, Dismas Hardy is concerned: something is troubling his long-time and most-trusted assistant, Phyllis. And then? She disappears without a word. Then Hardy finds out that her brother, who has been in prison for armed robbery and attempted murder, has just been released. When Phyllis is found and arrested for the murder of a human trafficker, there's simply too much coincidence for Hardy to leave it alone. He has to put the pieces together, fast, if there's any hope of saving his trusted colleague.
Daughter of War, by Brad Taylor. Pike Logan and fellow Taskforce operator Jennifer Cahill are back after 2018's Operator Down and they're hot on the trail of a North Korean looking to sell sensitive information the Syrian regime. Then they stumble on something even more grave: the sale of a lethal substance known as Red Mercury, a weapon of mass destruction against American and Kurdish forces. Can the Taskforce unravel the plot and neutralize the threat before the conspiracy comes to a deadly end?
Liar, Liar, by James Patterson & Candice Fox. Harriet Blue is a great cop who has gone very, very bad. In the space of a week, she's committed theft and fraud, resisted arrest, assaulted an officer, and is now considered a dangerous fugitive. All of this because of one man who killed the person she held most dear...and intends to kill her next.
The New Iberia Blues, by James Lee Burke. This twenty-second entry in Burke's long-running Detective David Robicheaux series finds Robicheaux meeting up with a figure from his past, a once undersized twelve-year-old boy on the streets of New Orleans who, twenty-five years later, has fulfilled his dreams of Hollywood splendor. But when Robicheaux comes to Cormier's estate, it isn't to offer congratulations--he's looking for answers related to a nearby homicide. Cormier isn't saying much, but Robicheaux knows better. It's only as he wades deeper into the investigation, however, that he discovers just how dark and convoluted this case is.
The Rule of Law, by John Lescroart. Last seen in 2018's Poison, Dismas Hardy is concerned: something is troubling his long-time and most-trusted assistant, Phyllis. And then? She disappears without a word. Then Hardy finds out that her brother, who has been in prison for armed robbery and attempted murder, has just been released. When Phyllis is found and arrested for the murder of a human trafficker, there's simply too much coincidence for Hardy to leave it alone. He has to put the pieces together, fast, if there's any hope of saving his trusted colleague.
Daughter of War, by Brad Taylor. Pike Logan and fellow Taskforce operator Jennifer Cahill are back after 2018's Operator Down and they're hot on the trail of a North Korean looking to sell sensitive information the Syrian regime. Then they stumble on something even more grave: the sale of a lethal substance known as Red Mercury, a weapon of mass destruction against American and Kurdish forces. Can the Taskforce unravel the plot and neutralize the threat before the conspiracy comes to a deadly end?
Liar, Liar, by James Patterson & Candice Fox. Harriet Blue is a great cop who has gone very, very bad. In the space of a week, she's committed theft and fraud, resisted arrest, assaulted an officer, and is now considered a dangerous fugitive. All of this because of one man who killed the person she held most dear...and intends to kill her next.
The New Iberia Blues, by James Lee Burke. This twenty-second entry in Burke's long-running Detective David Robicheaux series finds Robicheaux meeting up with a figure from his past, a once undersized twelve-year-old boy on the streets of New Orleans who, twenty-five years later, has fulfilled his dreams of Hollywood splendor. But when Robicheaux comes to Cormier's estate, it isn't to offer congratulations--he's looking for answers related to a nearby homicide. Cormier isn't saying much, but Robicheaux knows better. It's only as he wades deeper into the investigation, however, that he discovers just how dark and convoluted this case is.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Reading Ahead: December 2019, part 4
Up for some spy games?
The Enemy of My Enemy, by WEB Griffin & William E. Butterworth IV. Latest in the Clandestine Operations series, following 2017's Death at Nuremberg, finds special agent James Cronley Jr. fighting both ex-Nazis and Soviet NKGB can lead to some strange alliances. A month ago, Cronley captured two Nazi war criminals, but not without some fallout. With the Austrian police on high alert, Cronley decides to lay low, but that only lasts until someone breaks the two criminals out of jail, putting Cronley back out on the hunt--and in the open--once more. Also available in Large Print.
A Delicate Touch, by Stuart Woods. When an old acquaintance reaches out to Stone Barrington, asking for help, he couldn't possibly say no. After all, the job seems easy enough--she just needs help solving a puzzle. Until the solution reveals a much bigger, darker scandal--one that goes back decades, and a number of New York's most elite citizens are implicated. Once again, Barrington is caught between a rock and a hard place.
The Enemy of My Enemy, by WEB Griffin & William E. Butterworth IV. Latest in the Clandestine Operations series, following 2017's Death at Nuremberg, finds special agent James Cronley Jr. fighting both ex-Nazis and Soviet NKGB can lead to some strange alliances. A month ago, Cronley captured two Nazi war criminals, but not without some fallout. With the Austrian police on high alert, Cronley decides to lay low, but that only lasts until someone breaks the two criminals out of jail, putting Cronley back out on the hunt--and in the open--once more. Also available in Large Print.
A Delicate Touch, by Stuart Woods. When an old acquaintance reaches out to Stone Barrington, asking for help, he couldn't possibly say no. After all, the job seems easy enough--she just needs help solving a puzzle. Until the solution reveals a much bigger, darker scandal--one that goes back decades, and a number of New York's most elite citizens are implicated. Once again, Barrington is caught between a rock and a hard place.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Reading Ahead: December 2018, part 1
As usual, there's not a very long list of new books due out in December (January will be a different story!), but the ones coming are big names for the most part, and ones you won't want to miss!
Of Blood and Bone, by Nora Roberts. Second in fan-favorite Roberts's new post-apocalyptic series, The Chronicles of the One, (following 2017's Year One), Of Blood and Bone begins a dozen years after the close of Year One. Fallon Swift, now thirteen, is gifted and therefore hunted. But her training under the guidance of Mallick, whose own skills have been honed over centuries, must begin. Fallon's identity, that of The One, cannot be hidden much longer, and she must be ready for the challenges ahead. Also available in Large Print.
Verses for the Dead, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Following City of Endless Night (2018), the New York City field office of the FBI undergoes a leadership overhaul, and one of the changes made is unthinkable: the notorious rogue agent Pendergast must work with a partner. Together with junior agent Coldmoon, Pendergast travels to Miami where a series of murders has a gruesome, puzzling M.O.: all of the victims have their hearts cut out and are left, along with notes from the killer, on gravestones of women who committed suicide. As the new duo work together, trying desperately to make a connection beyond that of the graves, they realize that this particular mystery may stretch back decades, making these new crimes almost pale by comparison. Pendergast is among my very favorite characters, and this new installment will be at the top of my reading list this winter.
Of Blood and Bone, by Nora Roberts. Second in fan-favorite Roberts's new post-apocalyptic series, The Chronicles of the One, (following 2017's Year One), Of Blood and Bone begins a dozen years after the close of Year One. Fallon Swift, now thirteen, is gifted and therefore hunted. But her training under the guidance of Mallick, whose own skills have been honed over centuries, must begin. Fallon's identity, that of The One, cannot be hidden much longer, and she must be ready for the challenges ahead. Also available in Large Print.
Verses for the Dead, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Following City of Endless Night (2018), the New York City field office of the FBI undergoes a leadership overhaul, and one of the changes made is unthinkable: the notorious rogue agent Pendergast must work with a partner. Together with junior agent Coldmoon, Pendergast travels to Miami where a series of murders has a gruesome, puzzling M.O.: all of the victims have their hearts cut out and are left, along with notes from the killer, on gravestones of women who committed suicide. As the new duo work together, trying desperately to make a connection beyond that of the graves, they realize that this particular mystery may stretch back decades, making these new crimes almost pale by comparison. Pendergast is among my very favorite characters, and this new installment will be at the top of my reading list this winter.
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