MURDER-GO-ROUND: REVIEWS BY HARRIET KLAUSNER
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Harriet Klausner, was chosen the number
one reader in the entire USA by BOOK Magazine. What does that mean
to you? She reads constantly and knows what's out there and wants
to let you know, too. Read on for tips to great books from the wonder
reader Harriet Klausner. |
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May 2007
The Screaming Room
Thomas O’Callaghan
Pinnacle, May 2007, $6.99, 352 pp.
ISBN: 0786018127
Six years ago NYPD homicide commander Lieutenant John Driscoll lost his daughter to a drunk driver. His beloved wife stayed in a coma in their home all that time before she passed away. Now Driscoll, a grieving widower, is ready to plunge into work to forget his private demons.
His case begins when a series of tourists are killed by blunt forced trauma to the head, their heads scalped, their bodies placed in famous tourist attractions like the Ferris wheel in Coney Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Bronx Zoo and many other places. DNA evidence at the scene of the crimes shows that they are dealing with two killers, a male and a female both identical twins. The killers Angus and Cassie are the victims of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and their victims are no innocents. Complicating the case is one of the victim’s fathers Malcolm Shewster has put a multi-million dollar bounty on the twins. He doesn’t want them arrested; he wants them killed so the secrets they know or could come out by other means would be taken to their graves. Both Driscoll and Shewter are racing each other to find the twins which is not easy to do since they are very clever and in a city of nine million they have a lot of places to hide.
Thomas O’ Callaghan follows up his debut novel the BONE THIEF with a chilling thriller. THE SCREAMING ROOM shows the depravity the human race is capable of especially where it concerns innocent children. Although readers will be horrified by what they endured as children, the twins elicit no sympathy because of what they do in the present. This is horror of human of the human kind and it is more terrifying then any Stephen King tale because it is based on reality.
Harriet Klausner
The Arrangement
Suzanne Forster
Mira, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0778324265
Law enforcement assumes Andrew Villard killed his wife Alison while they were at sea on their yacht. To prove his innocence, he feels he must find Alison; miraculously he does alive on a reef. She suffers from amnesia and bad facial battering. He has her visage reconstructed back to a picture of her.
However, Andrew knows someone from her family wanted him dead although he is unsure who. So six months later he persuades Alison that it is time to reconcile with her mom and brother, who cut her off when she married. Alison agrees but fears what her family will see as her memory is coming back to her. At the same time FBI agent Tony Bogart investigates the disappearance of Marnie Hazelton, who he believes killed his brother; the clues take him to and Alison and her extended family.
This exhilarating Hitchcockian noir stars no truly likable character as everyone has a nasty grudge that overwhelms every other emotion even that of Alison and Andrew falling in love. The story line is filled with twists as nothing is quite what it seems though in plain sight. Readers who appreciate a gripping well written dark thriller will enjoy learning the truth, nothing but the truth.
Harriet Klausner
The Jericho Pact
Rachel Lee
Mira, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0778324168
The world is shook when the assassin killed the German chancellor. Other threats to world leaders, especially in Europe, and to the people have surfaced as riots break out throughout the continent including what turns out to be the final straw at the Grande Mosquée de Paris. Fearing for Muslims, the European Union leadership moves all Muslims into "protection zones".
Office 119 supervisors realize they do have the manpower to prevent some of these events from happening, but which ones to stop before Europe and the world explodes into a war with ethnic cleansing as a catalyst remains the question. While Office 119 Agent Renate Bachle struggles to uncover the mastermind behind the cleverly devised orchestrated assaults, Father Steve Lorenzo and his bodyguard protect a sacred ancient codex. However, the prime puppet-master sees he can use this biblical codex to further the hostilities, plunge a naive suspicious world into open warfare and ultimately chaos so that this master manipulator will arise out of the ashes of civilization as the global ruler.
This Office 119 thriller is an exciting suspense laden tale in spite of the audience knowing relatively early who the villainous WILDCARD is and the use of coincidence to solve much of the investigation by Renate and cohorts. Still this is a fine entry as an unknown Machiavelli manipulates religion to foster a modern day Crusades in which he will be the only victor. Renate’s fans will appreciate her efforts to prevent a religious world war III.
Harriet Klausner
The Three Motives for Murder
Michelle Perry
Medallion, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 1932815805
For years ago the car accident destroyed several families living in Coalmont, Tennessee. Three of the teens were killed, one crippled, another needs pain killers, and driver Natasha “Nat” Hawthorne is carrying around a load of guilt. The tragedy that never left anyone’s thoughts is back as a wrongful death civil suit is in court.
Only twenty-three years old, Brady Simms is selected as the town police chief in a controversial decision because of his age. Ten minutes on the job and he gets a call that his beloved Nat who dumped him following the accident has reported the murdered corpse of her boyfriend Bobby McBee and barely escaped the masked killer. As he investigates the past and present, his supporters fear that he is letting his heart rule over his 147 IQ brain, but a wave of revelations make him wonder if what everyone thought happened four years ago actually occurred that way and whether the current killer is not a revenge seeker as everyone else thinks, but an avaricious amoral person seeing a chance to make a fortune with the upcoming wrongful death suit.
Though at least one prime finding seems too convenient, THE THREE MOTIVES FOR MURDER is a wonderful police procedural romantic suspense. The story line focuses on the homicide investigation while interwoven into the murder inquiry is a second chance at love if Brady goes for it. Michelle Perry provides readers with a fine tale as Brady’s biggest supporters fear his love for Nat supersedes his reasoning.
Harriet Klausner
The Overlook
Michael Connelly
Little Brown, May 2007, $21.91, 225 pp.
ISBN: 0316018953
Retirement didn’t work out for LAPD Harry Bosch so he went back to work for the cold case unit. Now he is working for homicide special and he is called out at midnight to the overlook above the Mulholland Dr. Somebody has been murdered execution style with two bullets to the head. When Harry and his new partner Iggy (who he is breaking in to the job) arrive on the scene he finds out that the victim is Dr. Stanley Kent. When he calls the information in, the FBI quickly arrives on the scene. Dr. Kent had access to Cesium, the fusion of uranium and plutonium.
The FBI warned the victim last year to be careful and to take protection to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. When they arrive at Dr. Kent’s home, they find his wife tied up. She tells them two men dressed in black and wearing ski masks did this and took a picture of her. Both Harry and the police learn that they sent the picture to Dr. Kent saying that if he doesn’t give them a quantity of cesium they will kill his wife. The radioactive material has been stolen from one of the hospitals that the doctor uses and the race is on to find it. The FBI tries to shoot Harry out of the case but he isn’t listening because there is more to the case than meets the eye.
Harry Bosch is one of the most irascible, stubborn and bullish police detectives to ever grace the pages of a police procedural. He is also determined to see justice done which gets him in trouble with other agencies and his superiors yet he is resolute to do things his way which is usually the right way. THE OVERLOOK has plenty of action and chase scenes so that readers never stop reading the book until the final astonishing climax.
Harriet Klausner
Saturnalia
Lindsey Davis
St. Martin's, May 2007, $23.95
ISBN 0312361297
In 76 C.E. Roman Emperor Vespasian orders informer Marcus Didius Falco to investigate the murder of nobleman Sextus Gratianus Scaeva. The Emperor is concerned that the homicide is an act of terrorism related to Scaeva's brother-in-law, who has incarcerated Veleda, a Germanic rebel chieftain who was leading an insurgency against the Roman Empire. This she-wolf escaped her captivity while the killing occurred.
Though everyone else including the Emperor assumes Veleda killed Scaeva, Falco and his astute wife Helena Justina have some doubts as the timing of her escape is too convenient and had to be helped by an insider. He and Helena investigate how the woman obtained her freedom because they feel that is the path to the culprit; at the same time they want to recapture Veleda before someone else who wants her silenced.
As always in this long running Ancient Rome mystery series, Falco and Helena are astute, witty, and fun to observe as they work the homicide in which the “media” frenzy, the politicians, and the public have already convicted Veleda. Everyone seems to demand that the married sleuths do likewise with one person willing to kill them to emphasize that point. Fans will enjoy the latest whodunit that takes a modern day concept of hanging the most likely suspect before the evidence is fully found and effortlessly brings it into the first century Common Era due mostly to the strong cast especially the lead couple.
Harriet Klausner
Virtually His
Gennita Low
Mira, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0778324486
To be the chosen one meant successfully competing against your peers, the elite of the elite. The winner will become a super-soldier, but unlike the late Captain America of comic book fame, this person will be real and working operations so top secret and dangerous that only a handful of government management agents and the chosen one’s handler will know of mission impossible. The training is two years just to prepare to be selected for the final most risky phase before becoming fully operative as the most dangerous person in the world.
COS Command candidate Helen Roston is the final survivor; she has reached the last segment of her metamorphosis in which she received a special serum to enhance her mind and to ease the link between her and now her virtual reality trainer. His virtual caresses and kisses have her coveting more, but even before she began the training, she preferred to be on top so Helen plans to control her responses as she trusts no one. Her mission is impossible, selected by those whose candidates lost to her so want her to fail so their chosen one can be the second guinea pig. Schools out for real.
VIRTUALLY HIS, the first Helen Roston super-soldier story, is an interesting complex science fiction thriller. The story line, especially at the beginning, takes its time purposely to set the environment by focusing on the technology and training of the chosen one learning to use virtual reality and performance enhancing serums (sounds like steroids) to enable out of body “remote viewing” and other widening of the senses way beyond normal capabilities. This makes the novel a difficult book to read but worth the time. Those fans who appreciate an entertaining well written deep espionage science fiction thriller will enjoy Gennita Low’s opening saga if nothing else but to learn who Helen’s monitor is (kept this reviewer up late).
Harriet Klausner
Kept
D.J. Taylor
HarperCollins, May 2007, $24.95
ISBN 0061146080
In 1863, Sergeant Morgan of the Suffolk Constabulary inform the Woodbridge Chronicle and Intelligencer newspaper that thirty-two year old respected gentleman Henry Ireland died when he fell from his horse. Henry’s widow Isabel struggles with her loss because her spouse made all the decision involving the estate and their marriage.
Her neighbor naturalist James Dixey of isolated Easton Hall offers Isabel some solace and brings her into his home. However, though Isabel initially welcomed having a strong man tell her what to do, she becomes distraught when she begins to believe she is being kept as a trophy just like his stuffed bear and caged raging wolf. Only Isabel’s cousin John Carstairs seems to worry about her as he seeks to offer his protection, but cannot find the vanished widow. As Dixey’s maid Esther Spalding keeps Isabel somewhat safe, Scotland Yard Police Captain McTurk begins to tie seemingly unconnected dotswhich include Henry’s so called accidental death, the vanished widow, a questionable debt collection service that apparently collects by robbing, and the great train robbery, but who is the mastermind remains murky.
This is a superb multifaceted Victorian mystery that cleverly comes together as the various subplots converge on the missing widow. The cast is solid as they bring a Dickensian feel to the complex story line. Creepy Dixey is a fascinating series of contradictions; for instance he claims to be a naturalist but welcomes poachers and takes pleasure in destroying animal eggs so that his collecting the widow is natural for him. Readers will immensely enjoy this one sitting intelligently dark Victorian mystery.
Harriet Klausner
A Fatal Grace
Louise Penny
St. Martin's, May 2007, $23.95
ISBN 0312352565
In Three Pines, Quebec socialite CC de Poitiers runs a successful personal guidance business based on her book Be Calm until she participates in the local Yuletide curling competition only to be electrocuted. Montreal Chief Inspector Armand Gamache arrives at the tiny village to lead the official inquiry into what appears to be a tragic accident.
Armand interviews the victim’s submissive spouse and overweight daughter, a lover, a rival self-help guru, curling competitors and officials, and some townsfolk. All seem to have alibis, but share in common a universal loathing of CC. In fact each person questioned paints a picture of an abusive ugly person and that the culprit should be honored not arrested. Thus everyone he has talked to especially the family members has a motive for killing the apparently odious CC de Poitiers; most had an opportunity though they offer alibis.
When Gamache is front and center investigating the death, A FATAL GRACE is a superb police procedural; when the plot refers to the past especially that of the odious deceased it loses momentum. Still the story line contains a fine whodunit as it appears that much of Quebec wanted the nasty CC dead and several had the opportunity to fix her equipment and that make for a bunch of suspects for the police and readers to sift through and find out who, of all those who wanted her dead actually, acted on the desire.
Harriet Klausner
Bad Luck and Trouble
Lee Child
Delacorte, May 2007, $26.00, 384 pp.
ISBN 0385340559
Ex-Army, ex-M.P Jack Reacher has a debit card, a bank account and very little else. He is a drifter who takes off on a whim but doesn’t even own anything. When he checks the bank statement he finds a significant amount of money has been deposited in his account. This is a signal from Frances Neagley, one of nine in his army unit, so he calls her office and her assistant tells Jack she is in L.A. They meet at a Denny’s where she tells him one of their own, Calvin Franz, was tortured, his legs broken and thrown out of a helicopter. She called all of the eight in their special unit and only Jack has answered so far.
At Frances’ office they figure out he had a post office box so when they open it there is a thumb drive in it. When they place it into a computer and get the password they find a spread sheet with numbers on it. It also has five names on it and they believe the person’s real name is Azhari Mahmoud and the other four names are aliases. Two other team members arrive while three others are murdered but when they figure out what the numbers mean, they realize they are dealing with a danger international in scope and whoever is behind the murders must be stopped at all costs.
Jack Reacher is one of the most interesting anti-heroes in thrillerdom. He stays under the radar but is a believer in justice and that idealism makes him a warrior who fights when necessary. He is a survivor in a world that doesn’t understand him yet he has friends that are totally loyal to him. There is adrenaline pumping action in this enthralling thriller but it is the unity of the group that that makes BAD LUCK AND TROUBLE a special reading experience.
Harriet Klausner
The Edict
Bob Cupp
Knopf, May 2007, $24.95
ISBN 0307266451
In the fifteenth century, golf has become the national pastime of Scotland with only raiding matching it with intensity. So popular is the sport, raiding is halted during the annual tournament at St. Andrews while betting on the players is hot.
The favorite to win the St. Andrews tourney in 1457 is shepherd Caeril Patersone. However, a noble panics when he realizes he made a stupid bet. To insure that Caeril fails to win the event, he writes off a debt in exchange for beautiful Eta to distract the favorite. If that fails, he still has his ace in the hole of appealing to King James II to ban the sport and consequently the tournament because he has proof too many soldiers hit the links instead of the archery range.
THE EDICT is a delightful sports historical thriller based on a real event that occurred in Scotland when the King outlawed golf on March 4, 1457. Readers will root for Caeril, who in spite of being the best golfer in the tournament, is a decided underdog because the fix is in. Historical readers and golf aficionados will believe that Bob Cupp is a masterful author as he makes birdies and eagles with this ace of a fifteenth century sports saga.
Harriet Klausner
Cat in a Red Hot Rage
Carole Nelson Douglas
Forge, May 2007, $24.95
ISBN 0765314010
In Las Vegas, Electra Lark volunteers to work security at the Red Hat Sisterhood convention. However, someone proves to have too much zest when an under fifty Red Hat apprentice Pink Lady Oleta Lark is strangled with a purple scarf. The police suspect Electra killed her as witnesses claim she helped the victim set her scarf just right and the women were ex-wives of Elmore Lark.
Electra begs her tenant public relations specialist and renowned amateur sleuth extraordinaire Temple Barr to prove her innocence. With Temple’s feline owner Midnight Louie and his Midnight, Inc partner Midnight Louise leading the way, the trio investigates the Red Hat Sisterhood to determine who killed the Pink Lady.
The latest Midnight Louie whodunit is a terrific tale of the fur as, the two cat sleuths work the murder investigation and keep Temple safe. The story line is fast-paced and amusing as the heroes aided by an assortment of cats and people seek to prove Electra’s innocence by uncovering the identity of the killer among a horde of aggressive middle age red hatted females and felines. However, as always in Carole Nelson Douglas’ cat capers that feline Noir Midnight Louie owns the story.
Harriet Klausner
Always
Nicola Griffith
Riverhead, May 2007, $26.95
ISBN: 1594489351
Norwegian Aud Torvingen was born into a life of wealth and privilege. The former police officer gives back to the community by teaching women self-defense. The new women in her latest course cross all social and financial lines so that a southern society belle is on an even footing with a housewife. The women savor each other’s triumphs until one day one of them has to put into practice what she learned.
After dealing with officials following the woman’s act, Aud flies to Seattle where she owns property that she must clean up as her property manager violated OSHA and EPA rules. The woman was stealing from Aud’s account pretending to fix things while pocketing the money and forcing tenants to move out quickly. Aud tries to buy land on either side of her warehouse. Her warehouse is currently rented by a movie company that is plagued by incidents threatening to bankrupt the company. As Aud cleans up the mess caused by fraud, she finds the perfect person for her, but obstacles stand in their way.
As ALWAYS Nicola Griffith provides a classic noir heroine who sees herself as strong and capable. ALWAYS is as much a crime thriller as it is a woman coming to terms with her vulnerabilities making for a deep character study of the self-assured lead female and to a degree the support cast. Aud is terrific as she recognizes her shortcoming of gullibility, but plans to correct her error personally while still trusting those deserving of it. The two separate subplots rotate chapters with Aud the furious female fury as the link to a fine character-driven thriller.
Harriet Klausner
Revenge of Innocents
Nancy Taylor Rosenberg
Kensington, May 2007, $24.00
ISBN 0758213034
Ventura County, California Probation Department Investigative Unit division manager Carolyn Sullivan should be euphoric as she gets married in two weeks and her two kids support the upcoming nuptials. Instead she is depressed as the ugly cases keep on coming. Now her best friend Veronica Campbell rips her skin for recommending a jail sentence for Brent Dover for sodomizing and beating up Patricia Baxter, who actually is Patrick Baxter. Veronica makes a strong counter argument, but the brain damage suffered from the battering makes a stronger case.
Not long after they agree to disagree Ventura Police Lieutenant Hank Sawyer informs Carolyn that a maid at the East Thompson Motor Inn found the murdered body of Veronica; she was shot in the head. Ready to put her wedding on hold, Carolyn wants the culprit caught, tried, and executed even as the cops believe a suicide occurred. However, she soon finds her pal since grade school fronted a dysfunctional family with darks secrets that tear further at Carolyn’s soul as she wonders how she failed to see the now obvious signs of a troubled person who probably killed herself.
The fourth Sullivan legal thriller (and first without the heroine’s name in the title) is a terrific tale. The prime case is personalized further by Carolyn as she wants more than just justice. However, as the truth about Veronica and her family surfaces, Carolyn tears into herself wondering how she, an investigator, failed her friend so badly by missing what now seems so obvious. Readers will devour this excellent one sitting entry as Carolyn begins to believe her friend may have committed suicide.
Harriet Klausner
Stone Rain
Linwood Barclay
Bantam, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0553804561
In the last three years science fiction writer and reporter for the Metropolitan Newspaper Zack Walker has written some deadly stories that have fallen into his lap. He has crossed paths with criminals and his first person accounts are widely read although his editor would like to fire him and his wife Sarah would like to kill him for scaring her. He promises her to walk away from danger in the future, but he knows how difficult adhering to this pledge will be because he never looks for trouble but it always seems to find him.
His good friend Trixie, a dominatrix who works out of her house, asks Zach to talk to suburban newspaper reporter Martin Benson, who heard a rumor about her and wants to interview her. Trixie wants Zack to persuade Martin to drop the story, and especially not to take any pictures of her. When Zack refuses claiming journalistic ethics, Trixie tries to manipulate both men, but her picture appears in the Suburban anyway. This leads to Trixie running away with dangerous men sent by her former boss to get his money back from her on her trail. They use Zack and his wife to try and find Trixie otherwise Zack won’t have to worry about his wife killing him. The crime boss will.
Linwood Barclay has written an exciting crime caper whose protagonist likes and needs action, but dives head first into disorganized dangerous dilemmas. Readers will empathize with Zack’s wife who has to put up with his shenanigans There is plenty of action in STONE RAIN, but the heart of this tense thriller is the hero, who is in trouble with the law, his boss, his wife, and Trixie’s enemies; just a normal day at the office for the Zackster.
Harriet Klausner
In the Woods
Tana French
Viking, May 2007, $24.95
ISBN 0670038601
In 1984 in the Dublin suburb of Knocknaree, three preadolescent children play in the nearby woods. However, none return home so their moms call the police. They find a hysterical twelve years old Rob Ryan wearing bloody sneakers and unable to recall one iota of what or who terrorized him, whose blood it on him, and where are his companions. The case was never solved.
Two decades later at an archeological dig site near Knocknaree, the murdered body of twelve year old Katy Devlin is uncovered. Detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox lead the investigation that seems so similar to what happened over twenty years ago at least to the only surviving victim Rob. As he begins to remember fractured oddities, Rob and Cassie try to solve a hot homicide and a cold case that is personal.
IN THE WOODS is a superb Irish police procedural especially when it focuses on the Ryan-Maddox investigation and the ties between the two cases beyond that of the lead detective. When the story line looks at the modernization of Ireland issue re a highway project debate it brings a sense of place and time, but loses some momentum. Still this is a terrific whodunit as the audience will root for the likable flawed lead cops especially Ryan who needs to recover his repressed memory so they can solve the children cases of 1984 and now and for him.
Harriet Klausner
Free Fire
C.J. Box
Putnam, May 2007, $24.95
ISBN 0399154272
Attorney Clay McCann walked into the Bechler River Ranger Station in Yellowstone National Park holding a still warm weapon while informing the ranger that about a half hour ago he killed four campers. A few months later Wyoming Governor Spencer Rulon visits former State Game and Fish Department Game Warden Joe Pickett, who was fired by the agency’s Director Randy Pope (see IN PLAIN SIGHT), at the ranch of Joe’s father-n-law to ask a favor. Though McCann got away with murder on a technicality, Rulon shows him a note from one of the victims just before he was murdered that implies the illegal stealing of resources that could impact the revenues of the state. He wants to look into whatever this “Yellowstone Dick” was alluding to as a state has no jurisdiction in a national park.
Joe begins his quiet investigation with the help of his friend falconer Nate Romanowski. They soon obtain the assistance of park ranger Judy Demming, who like most of her peers remains reeling that the cold blooded killer freely roams Yellowstone while four caring environmentalists are dead. They begin to find a link between the homicides and questionable bio-mining rights that would destroy Yellowstone's famous hot springs, but McCann and his partners do not mind adding three more murders to their count.
In his seventh Joe Pickett mystery, C. J. Box is at his best as he describes the “Stone” with adulation for its exquisiteness while also using a loophole over jurisdiction between the Feds and the state. The story line is fast-paced as Joe and his teammates begin to uncover the contemptuous illegal waste of natural renounces to make a profit without regard by stripping the beauty from the “Stone”. Fans and environmentalists (except perhaps the EPA political appointees) will appreciate FREE FIRE as Joe investigates as a private citizen what some amoral avaricious antagonists are doing to make millions.
Harriet Klausner
A Killing In Comics
Max Allan Collins
Berkley, May 2007, $14.00, 272 pp.
ISBN 042521365X
Harry Spiegel was the writer with a dream and he shared that with Moe Shulman; together they created a hit comic series Wonder Guy and sold it to Donny of American Comics However they were two innocents who signed away all rights including fees for merchandise based on the comic.. Their contract is coming up and they might not sign up with American Comics. Stark Syndication, the outlet that distributes their work to newspapers across the country would be fairer to them.
They have an idea for a comic book and they want to sell that to Stark Syndication. At Donny’s birthday party, he keels over and dies. A toxicology report reveals he was poisoned and Jack Stark, V.P. and troubleshooter for Stark syndication starts an investigation rights. His interest is purely financial as he doesn’t want a long protracted investigation involving three players in their stable. By finding the killer, (he is a licensed P.I.) the company will know what business decisions to make but he soon realizes he has his work cut out for him. Donny was a man who many people had a motive to want him dead.
A KILLING IN COMICS takes place in 1948 Manhattan and has a nourish gothic feel to it as well using some comic book Golden Age history . It is a trip down memory lane when people believe that comics are destroying the minds of children who read them. The well executed plot and the Phillips Marlow type protagonist makes this an excellent historical mystery. The illustrations by Terry Beatty are fantastic and visualize key plot points.
Harriet Klausner
Here She Lies
Kate Pepper
Onyx, May 2007, $7.99, 320 pp.
ISBN: 0451412397
Annie has been married to Bobby for less than a year but they and their baby daughter were a very happy family until an e-mail leads Annie to believe Bobby is having an affair. He vehemently denies it insisting he doesn’t know anyone who signs their email lovylove addressed to bobbybobs. Yet the contents of the notes are very erotic and exact going so far to describe the marks on his body only a wife or mother would know.
Even when they get new credit cards and destroyed the old, unexplained charges occur with things one would give to a lover appearing on the bill. After two months Annie walks out on the marriage and takes their daughter to her identical sister’s house; She knows Julie will love and support them through this trying time. When Anne goes to keep an appointment for a job, she is arrested on embezzlement charges. Bobby put up the house for collateral and Annie makes bond but when they return to Julie’s home neither her sister or child are there. Besides identity theft, Anna now has to deal with a kidnapping with her frantic thoughts taking her down a horrific path that she is afraid to give any credence.
Besides being a great thriller, HERE SHE LIES gives readers an incredible look at the consequences of identity theft and how it impacts the victims. Annie’s love for her sterile twin is so strong and so deep that thinking bad thoughts about her sibling feels like a betrayal of the person she loves most next to her daughter. Bobby is a great character willing to be dominated by a stronger woman. Kate Pepper rolls up the tension in this cleverly written suspense laden urban crime thriller.
Harriet Klausner
The First Stone
Judith Kelman
Berkley, May 2007, $24.95, 368 pp.
ISBN 0425213676
New York General induced Dr. Malik into leaving his present position in Cleveland by giving him a tremendous salary increase, a state of the art lab, and a new pavilion called the Malik Center for Cardio-Thoracic Diseases. Dr. Sam Colten, a resident wants to get on Malik’s good side and study under him. His pregnant wife Emma is uneasy about the Maliks who live in the apartment above them. She hears him yelling at his daughter almost every night and she hears Adriana begging her father to stop.
Emma is so upset with what she hears each night that she tells her friend social worker Siena about it although Emma doesn’t believe what she overheard means the child is being abused. She is more worried about Sam’s interest in beautiful bombshell Dr. Suze Stitch, a colleague of Dr. Malik’s. One day Sam comes home saying he was fired as Suze complained he attacked her and Dr. Malik and his assistant back her up. Emma doesn’t believe the charges and vows to help Sam regain medical reinstatement not realizing that appearances are deceptive and things and people are not always what they seem.
Judith Kelman is one of the best author’s writing suspense in the market today. Readers empathize with Emma who believes Sam was tried because of what she said to Siena who did call child’s social services. Emma is the strong one in the marriage who holds the family together while being pregnant, working part time and taking care of an energetic three year old who doesn’t want his mom and dad to have a baby. THE FIRST STONE will appeal to readers who like authors like Patricia McDonald, Andrea Kane and Jodi Picoult.
Harriet Klausner
Organize Your Corpses
Mary Jane Maffini
Berkley, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0425215806
After dumping her two-timing fiancé and throwing his ring into the river, Charlotte Adams leaves the city to return to her hometown Woodbridge, New York. She sets up shop as a free lance “Professional organizer”, who straightens out other people’s messes at home and in businesses. She is shocked when Miss Helen “Hellfire” Henley hires her to clean up Henley House in order to find some missing documents. Miss Henley made Charlotte’s student life a living hell when she was her teacher at St. Jude’s.
At Henley House, Charlotte learns that the last resident was Randolph Henley. She and Helen come to an agreement and a check is provided. That night Helen demands Charlotte go see her at Henley House, but the organizer says no. The next morning Charlotte finds Helen dead. The police determine a murder occurred and Pepper, once Charlotte’s best friend, thinks Charlotte is the prime suspect. Feeling guilty, Charlotte investigates starting with a visit to Miss Olivia, Helen’s wealthy brain damaged sister. Her good intentions go astray as the cops wonder if Charlotte is a deranged killer.
This is the first book in a new series that is fun to read. The story line focuses on the murder investigation predominantly that of the amateur sleuth but also interweaves into the plot organizing tips in the tone of observations by the heroine. Charlotte is a strong person who tries to help people and is bold enough to play cat and mouse with a killer if that also helps people. Mary Jane Maffini provides a first rate well organized whodunit.
Harriet Klausner
Poisoned Petals
Joyce and Jim Lavene
Berkley, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0425215814
Fiftyish Dr. Peggy Lee is coming back to life after the death of her beloved husband two years ago. Although she is still teaching at the college, her heart is with her garden shop, The Potting Shed and she has a new man in her life, Steve, a vet seven years younger than her. She wonders if she should give up teaching to work full time at the shop and as a forensic botanist consultant to the police.
While collecting endangered plants to replant in the Community Garden that is part of Feed America and led by her friend Darmus, she meets his brother Luther, who tells her he is dying of cancer. On impulse she goes to Darmus’ house and smells gas; the place explodes and Darmus is declared dead. However when she looks at the corpse, she knows this is not Darmus. Luther who now heads Feed America dies a few days later. An autopsy reveals he was poisoned with the evidence pointing towards his sibling; Peggy thinks otherwise and plans to prove it.
Joyce and Jim Lavene are a fabulous team who create poignant entertaining mysteries. The investigation is cleverly plotted and potted so that readers struggle with the identity of the killer as Darmus looks guilty, but the heroine thinks otherwise; fans will wonder if she could be wrong. The support cast from her parents to her friends to her new man adds depth to a delightful botany mystery.
Harriet Klausner
Swapping Paint
Joyce and Jim Lavene
Midnight Ink, May 2007, $12.95
ISBN: 0738710202
Glad and Ruby have a very good and happy marriage although he is a generation older than her. Glad retired as a detective from the Chicago PD and with his pension and sound investments has more than enough money to travel around the country following the NASCAR circuit.
They are in Concord, North Carolina to watch the Coke Cola 600 and attend the pre-event galas as her brother Bobby is one of the racers driving for the Massey team. A tragedy occurs when one of Massey’s other drivers Ricky Sanders is found dead in his racing car. Bobby is the prime suspect because he is the last known person to have sent he victim alive; his prints are on the murder weapon; and his racing outfit is stained with blood. On top of the already damning evidence is the family feud between the kin of Bobby and Ricky. The police charge Bobby with the homicide that his sister and brother-in-law firmly believe he did not do as he could not hurt a fly so they look to prove that he is innocent.
SWAPPING PAINT, told in the third person from the perspective of Glad, is a madcap comedic whodunit that engages the audience due to the antics of the lead duo as he gladly prefers to watch the goings-on while she takes the wheel at speeds that NASCAR drives envy. Thus Glad’s love for his take the hill spouse shines through, as he undertakes actions for her and only her. Fans of racing and mysteries will enjoy this speedy turn around the track as Joyce and Jim Lavene provide a superb racing thriller.
Harriet Klausner
A Killer's Stitch
Maggie Sefton
Berkley, May 2007, $21.95
ISBN 0425215202
In Fort Connor, Colorado, someone kills rakish alpaca rancher Derek Cooper with a blow to his head on his spread. The deceased was seeing House of Lampspuin instructor Lucy Adair, who is stunned by her loss. Also grieving is Diane, a friend of another instructor, who had a heated romance with the "love 'em and leave 'em" Cooper.
House of Lambspun knitter Kelly Flynn, curious that the local paper mentioned a homicide has no plans to investigate this DEADLY YARN although she has successfully done so three times before since leaving DC for Fort Connor nine months ago to attend her beloved aunt’s funeral. However, when she learns of the connection to the House of Lambspun, Kelly finds an excuse to get involved if only to prove the innocence of the instructor and of the friend of another instructor over the objection of her steady date Steve.
Interestingly the amateur sleuthing reads smoother than the kiss and tell locker room chatter amidst the knitters, as the former feels tightly stitched while the latter seems awkward sewed for this age group of obvious pals. The inquiries are fun to follow as Kelly uncovers clues one stitch at a time. Cozy fans will appreciate this fine knitting whodunit while newcomers will seek the previous Knitting Mystery patterns (see KNIT ONE, KILL TWO and NEEDLED TO DEATH).
Harriet Klausner
Invisible Prey
John Sandford
Putnam, May 2007, $26.95
ISBN 0399154213
Minneapolis Police Detective Lucas Davenport leads a very sensitive investigation into the activities of Minnesota State Senator Burt Kline allegedly having sex with a minor. The consummate professional cop, Lucas is extremely careful with his handling of the official inquiry because he knows what a mess a media feeding frenzy would be with a politician-Lolita tryst.
As he prepares to arrest Mr. Kline for sex with a fifteen year old, Lucas also is assigned the murders of wealthy widow Constance Bucher and her maid Sugar Rayette-Peeples in the former’s mansion. Both were battered to death and the house ransacked. The first thought is a robbery turned ugly, as the affluent home is filled with valuable antiques. However, Lucas realizes that he has no idea whether anything was stolen so perhaps the murders were personal especially with the skulls smashed. As he continues his inquires, he soon finds a strange connection to the sleazy senator scenario, but identifying the killers still remains difficult and convoluted.
Though number seventeen in this long running police procedural, INVISIBLE PREY is a fantastic tale in which the two cases are appealing because of the strong key players ranging from victims, suspects, witnesses, “vultures” and participants, etc. Readers will appreciate Lucas’ investigations as John Sandford provides his hero with not the usual suspects in what will prove to be a one sitting thriller.
Harriet Klausner
Tumbling Blocks
Earlene Fowler
Berkley, May 2007, $24.95
ISBN: 0425215199
Benni Harper is the curator of the Josiah Sinclair Folk Art Museum and Artist’s Co-Op. She is looking forward to the opening of the Outsider’s Art exhibit. The crown jewel of the show is a painting by Abe Adam Finch, which he donated through the auspices of his niece Nora, who is in town for the unveiling and to decide whether to settle in San Celina. Besides opening night jitters, Benni worries that her mother-in-law is coming for a visit and she is worried because the woman and her son, Benni’s husband Gabe Ortiz, have issues.
One of the major museum patrons Constance Sinclair orders i Benni to find out who killed her closest friend Pinky Edmondson. The medical examiner and her doctor conclude Pinky died from a heart attack so Gabe will not officially investigate though he admits to his wife that she should pretend to look for a killer to keep Constance pacified. Benni questions the exclusive members of the ’49 Club, whose only new admissions occur upon the death of a member like that of Pinky.
Benni Harper has reached a baker’s dozen mysteries yet the latest TUMBLING BLOCKS retains the freshness and entertainment of the previous amateur sleuth (with some police procedural support) tales. In some ways this is more a family drama than a whodunit as the mother-son relationship ignites into a megaton explosion while Benni tries to keep her marriage from becoming collateral damage. Still the investigation is enjoyable to follow with a distracted Benni fumbling her inquiries.
Harriet Klausner
Dreaming the Serpent Spear
Manda Scott
Delta, May 2007, $14.00
ISBN 038533835X
Two decades have passed since the Roman legion began their occupation of Britannia. Now in 60 AD, the local tribes finally have put aide their bickering to join as one in a revolt to send the conquerors off their island. However, though over five-thousand are ready for the war, the only leader who can rally the tribes is not.
Breaca of the Eceni, called Boudica the Warrior Queen by the Romans, recovers physically from a brutal whipping that the Romans gave her as a lesson to anyone fostering revolution. More difficult to Breaca is the gang rape of her daughter Graine by legionaries that has left her to doubt her abilities to protect her people since was unable to keep one person safe. She prefers to say no and heal her mental wounds, but also knows that no one else can rally the tribes so she agrees to lead the revolt. While the Romans make a rare tactical error by assaulting an Eceni stronghold Mona leaving them vulnerable for Breaca and the tribes attack on their island capital Camulodunum, which is burned to the ground. With much of the eastern side at war, the two armies will soon meet for a final confrontation that will decide who rules over Britannia.
The final Boudica Dreaming thriller (see DREAMING THE EAGLE, DREAMING THE BULL, and DREAMING THE HOUND) is a fabulous ancient historical fiction tale that keeps the suspense coming from start to finish although the winner of the war is known. The key is the heroine who suffers from what appears to be battle fatigue syndrome, but feels duty and responsibility calls her for her to lead her side. Manda Scott rules the sub-genre with her delightful intelligent Britannia saga.
Harriet Klausner
Fat Free and Fatal
G.A. McKevett
Kensington, May 2007, $22.00, 304 pp.
ISBN 0758215509
San Carmelita private detective Savannah Reid is going to work as a bodyguard for famous actress Dona Papalardo who is on the comeback trail. She disappeared after gaining weight, had gastric bypass surgery, and had all the details of her ordeal exposed to people who read tabloids. She feels alone except for her assistant and friend Kimberly Dylan. One night Kimberly was going out wearing Dona’s clothes and getting into her limousine when a shot rings out and kills her in Dona’s arms.
Detective Sargent Dirk Coulter talks Dona into hiring a bodyguard because he thinks the killer was trying to kill her. Savannah comes to live in Dona’s mansion and when she isn’t on duty as a bodyguard, she is helping Dirk look for the killer. What they find out is that Kim and Jack the gardener were using aliases that are in another state for fraud and larceny. Although they are not the killer but the murderer’s victims, she knows they had an ulterior motive for working for Dona. They must find the killer but it is a piece of clothing that breaks the case open.
FAT FREE AND FATAL is an exciting crime caper that shows off G.A. McKevett’s incredible storytelling ability. The heroine is a swell female who doesn’t care that she is not society’s ideal definition of a woman. Instead she is a strong independent woman who doesn’t let herself be pushed around and thinks enough of her abilities that she does an investigation her way. There is plenty of action but the heart of this tale lies with Savannah and the support cast, who make her look like an amazon warrior doing battle.
Harriet Klausner
The Savage Garden
Mark Mills
Putnam, May 2007, $24.95
ISBN: 0399153535
In 1958 at Cambridge University, Professor Leonard tears into wastrel student Adam Banting for spending more time with the ladies than on his thesis, which the student has no subject. Leonard assigns him a summer project to write a paper on a sixteenth century Tuscany garden dedicated to the then owner’s late wife Signora Docci. Adam agrees that art and nature merge into a different aesthetic third type of entity.
The Professor finishes the arrangement with his long time friend ailing septuagenarian Signora Francesca Docci. Adam leaves soon after final exams for Tuscany. He finds his hostess a combination of crusty charm, but it is the garden that hooks him with its myriad of neoclassical statues, odd grottoes and cul de sacs, and several ponds and brooks. The etchings fascinate him most as Adam begins to put together the writings into a cohesive message that implies Signor Docci killed his wife. Adam also starts to wonder if history repeated itself during WWII when his hostess’ son was allegedly killed by the Nazis on the villa’s third floor which remains just the way it was in the early 1940s. Finally he ponders over the strangest most complex mystery of all - why Signora Docci wanted a student to study her garden?
This “academic" mystery will hook the audience once Adam meets his hostess and never slows down as the hero becomes interested in more than just a beautiful garden when he begins to piece together the etchings throughout the garden that imply motive, means and opportunity of a spousal homicide. The story line is driven by the relationship between Adam and the elderly Francesca as he feels she is a master puppeteer and he is dangling off her ropes. Fans will appreciate this deep cerebral amateur sleuth that contains two historical mysteries inside a cleverly devised “plot”.
Harriet Klausner
Halfway to Half Way
Suzann Ledbetter
Mira, May 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0778324508
In Missouri, Valhalla Springs Retirement Community resident operations manager Hannah Garvey knows she should be looking forward to her marriage to her beloved Kinderhook County Sheriff David Hendrickson. However, although she loves the law enforcement official and sneaks off the premises to sleep with him, Hannah has some doubts about quitting her job to move in with David.
David is busy investigating the murder of Sanity well-regarded resident Beverly Beauford. Thus he fails to notice that his fiancée is suffering from cold feet. Meanwhile, as everyone is stunned by the murder, Delbert Bisbee and his geriatric sleuths search for a missing husband that even the wife ignores his vanishing. Life is normal at the retirement home.
As always with this wonderful lighthearted romantic mystery series, the cast is over the top so that the readers obtain an amusing tale filled with twists and turns. Fans will enjoy the latest caper of the senior sleuths that drives Hannah crazy as she tries to keep Delbert and the posse out of trouble. Readers of the series will enjoy Suzann Ledbetter’s peculiar bran of humor that is just on this side of sanity.
Harriet Klausner
At the Edge
Cait London
Avon, May 2007, $5.99
ISBN: 0061140503
Renowned psychic Greer Aisling has used her gift to help police departments find missing people and solve homicide cases. However, she also kept her beloved triplets (Claire, Tempest, and Leona) out of the limelight in spite of the paparazzi efforts to take pictures of them and scientists and behaviorists wanting to study the trio. However, while Greer worked a case with the Canadian police, agents of the Blair Institute for Parapsychology abducted the then ten years old triplets from their home. For two days they conducted all types of tests until Greer came back and recovered her children. Law suits followed, but only time will tell how much psychological damage the Institute caused in the name of science.
Twenty-two years later, in order to have some privacy, the four women keep their distance because they are mentally connected. Especially needing space is the empath Claire, who has moved to open Big Sky of Montana to find peace. However when her elderly neighbor dies, the lady’s nephew Neil Olafson moves in and drives Claire to distraction as she is attracted to him. She agrees to help Neil find his abducted son Sammy, snatched almost eight years ago when the child was six months old. When someone assaults Claire, Neil comes to rescue the strange recluse with a power he does not understand; the power of love.
This is the charming first of a trilogy of romantic fantasy tales starring the Aisling triplets. Claire is a terrific character as her need to help others hurts her since she can be mentally overloaded with everyone else’s problems (sort of an adult version of the X-Men’s Rogue). Neil is a skeptic who wonders if he fell in love with a nut case until he begins to see her capabilities. Fans will be charmed by Cait London’s entertaining story of love between the psychic and the skeptic with two more tales to come.
Harriet Klausner
Blood Ties
Judith E. French
Love Spell, Apr 2007,
ISBN: 0505527146
When Archeologist Abbie Chingwe Night Horse travels to Tawes Island in Chesapeake Bay County, she combines work and pleasure. The trip enables her to spend time with her mom while also investigating a Native American burial ground in which several artifacts have been recently found.
However, not long after the drowning death of a boy, someone murders Abbie’s mother. Police Chief Buck Davis investigates the homicide and the drowning. He struggles to find a motive, in the murder, but has begun to have doubts about the lad’s death being an accident. While the townsfolk insist it is the curse, Buck falls in love with Abbie, but knows he is an islander and she is a mainlander. However solving the case comes first.
This romantic suspense police procedural will grip the audience from the moment that Abbie’s mother is killed and never slows down until the final confrontation. The fast-paced story line keeps readers somewhat off balance as the curse of disturbing a Native American burial ground begins to look more like the cause behind the deaths instead of a mortal killer. Though the killer seems a stretch, readers will appreciate this terrific tense thriller.
Harriet Klausner
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