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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November 2006
BEASTIARY
Bestiary
Robert Masello
Berkley, Nov 2006, $7.99
ISBN: 0425212807
In Iraq, Saddam Hussein and the affluent mysterious al Kalli family share
an uneasy truce. However, at a state dinner, Hussein poisons all the members
except for Mohammed and his son. They escape while all the others are
dead. The duo takes their most prized possessions, the animals pictured
in the illuminated manuscript the Bestiary known by some as the Beasts
of Eden. They move to Los Angeles, but the creatures of myth and legend
are not thriving in California and al Kalli fears they may be dying.
A desperate al-Kalli contacts art curator Beth Cox at the Getty Museum
to restore the Beasts of Eden Bestary. He hopes the book will enable them
to heal the ailing beasts by giving them some ideas how to achieve this
lofty goal. He also talks with Beth's husband Carter, a paleontologist
who recently found an identical male skeleton at the La Brea Tar Pits.
He persuades Carter to work with him to restore the animals to health;
faced with such an amazing discovery, he agrees. However, there remains
a human serpent who places the Bestiary, Carter, and his family in danger.
Using historical facts from the times of the First Crusades, Robert Masello
weaves a tapestry of events into a magnificent story line complete with
creatures that were said to have resided in the Garden of Eden. Part psychological
suspense and part horror the novel is filled with many unexpected spins
that will appeal to readers from different genres. Whereas Beth and Carter
are dedicated to their respective jobs, they also love one another; while
the other characters are fascinating as even the antagonists have redeeming
qualities adding to the complexity of the thriller.
Harriet Klausner
BORN
IN DEATH
Born In Death
J.D. Robb
Putnam, Nov 2006, $24.98, 342 pp.
ISBN: 0399153470
In the year 2059, NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called to the scene of
a particularly brutal homicide in which the dead woman was bound, tortured
and killed. The victim, Natalie Copperfield, worked as an accountant at
the firm of Sloan, Myers and Kraus as does her fiancée Byson. When
Eve goes to his abode to question him she finds him murdered in an almost
an identical manner to that of Natalie.
Eve believes the same person killed bottle of them and when she listens
to recordings on their links she learns that Natalie and Byson discovered
something irregular at their firm and were investigating it. As Eve investigates
the accounting firm; her best friend Mavis, who is about to give birth,
wants her to find her friend Tandy who is also about to go into labor.
With the help of her sexy husband Roarke, a billionaire many times over,
Eve finds the two cases are linked; if she finds the missing woman, she
will also find the killer.
J.D. Robb is a fantastic writer of futuristic police procedurals. Her
characters have changed and grown over the course of this series and in
this latest installment, Eve and Roarke have to overcome their own fears
to help a good friend. The mystery is so well crafted that readers will
not know who the killer is until the extraordinary climax occurs. BORN
IN DEATH is filled with loads of action and an insightful glimpse of the
protagonists' private lives. Ms. Robb has written another bestseller.
Harriet Klausner
MASTER
OF SOULS
Master of Souls
Peter Tremayne
St. Martin's, Nov 2006, $24.95, 320 pp.
ISBN 0312348320
The Ui Fidgente and the Eoghanacht of Cashel have been at war for centuries
until the battle at Cnoc Aine when the Ui Fidgente leader was killed.
He was replaced by Donennach who pledged fealty to the King of Muman because
he wanted peace for his people. In the territory of the Ui Fidgente, a
member of the abbey Ard Fhearta was bludgeoned; at almost the same time,
six religious from the abbey along with Abbess Faife are making a pilgrimage
when they meet a battered sick man.He tells them that he was the victim
of wreckers who deliberately destroyed his ship on the rocks during a
storm and killed his men and stole his cargo. They give him the clothes
of a religious to wear and while he is changing, brigands kill the abbess
and takes the religious hostage. Ui Fidgente warlord Conri asks Sister
Fidelma to help figure out the mystery while her brother orders her to
do so in order to cement relations with their former enemies. Fidelma
is accompanied by Brother Eodulf, who wanted to stay at Cashel with their
son and get ready for their binding wedding but knows that he must help
her in her inquiries. When they come close to getting some answers, Sister
Fidelma's life is in jeopardy.
Peter Tremayne writes some of the best historical mysteries due in part
to his heroine, a woman living in an enlightened country when the rest
of Europe is going through the dark ages. Her abilities as a dalaigh,
an officer of the law courts, and her role as the sister of a king makes
her a very powerful woman. The mystery is impossible to figure out as
is the link between the death of the Venerable Cinaed and the disappearance
of the six religious. Even the heroine claims this is the hardest case
she ever worked on. MASTER OF SOULS is another brilliant Sister Fidelma
who done it.
Harriet Klausner
DEATH
IN THE ORCHID GARDEN
Death in the Orchid Garden
Ann Ripley
Kensington, Nov 2006, $22.00
ISBN 0758208197
Louise Eldridge is euphoric as she takes her DC based PBS show, Gardening
with Nature, to the Hawaiian island of Kauai for a special shoot at the
National Tropical Botanical Garden. Louise has scheduled a panel of expert
guests to discuss horticulture. However, she finds the egomaniacal quartet
(nursery owner Dr. Bruce Bouting, ethnobiologist Dr. Matthew Flynn, environmentalist
Dr. Charles Reuter and Pacific Island expert Dr. Tom Schoonover) so obnoxious
she looks forward to leaving paradise for home.
While strolling on the nearby beach, Louise finds the battered body of
Dr. Flynn that she quickly concludes was a homicide. Police Chief Randy
Hau leads the official investigation, but a second homicide occurs. Unable
to heed her spouse's warning to stay out of the dangerous water, the plant
lady begins an inquiry as she seeks the root cause of this homicide.
The Gardening Mystery (see SUMMER GARDEN MURDER) crowd will enjoy the
change of milieu because Louise feels a need to uncover the botany version
of Ten Little Indians. The whodunit is fun to follow as Chief Hau and
amateur sleuth Louise separately work the case. Fans of the series will
root for the plant lady as Ann Ripley provides a fun tropical cozy.
Harriet Klausner
CHILL
OF NIGHT
Chill of Night
John Lutz
Pinnacle, Nov 2006, $6.99
ISBN 0786016353
He retired from NYPD after taking a bullet while chasing down a serial
killer, but former homicide detective Artemis Beam knows he really left
because he no longer had the patience to deal with unctuous superiors
who interfered, not helped, on investigations. However, retirement is
tedious and with the recent suicide of his wife ennui has set in on top
of the despondency and survivor He, in a dark mood, negatively muses on
what he could have done different.
Because of his well earned reputation for catching serial killers, Deputy
Chief Andy da Vinci asks Beam to help the department capture the "Justice
Killer"; this serial killer murders people who served as foremen
on juries that freed the "guilty"; the culprit leaves behind
a trademark red J drawn on the victim's body. Beam agrees to investigate,
but quickly realizes the Justice Killer seems one step ahead of the police
making him wonder if an insider is the murderer. The former cop concludes
that the Justice killer has plans to leave a J on the task force hunting
him or perhaps even her.
CHILL OF NIGHT is a typical serial killer cat and mouse thriller except
that talented John Lutz refreshes the sub-genre with a sense of the terror
gripping the city and how much the J-killer debilitates the justice system.
The suspense remains in the stratosphere from the moment da Vinci brings
out of retirement Beam and never slows down until the final confrontation
between the killer and the retired cop ends with a masterful twist that
readers will realize afterward was in our face, but brilliantly disguised.
Mr. Lutz's fans or anyone who appreciate a tense police procedural will
appreciate this high octane thriller.
Harriet Klausner
THE
SHAPE SHIFTER
The Shape Shifter
Tony Hillerman
HarperCollins, Nov 2006, $25.95
ISBN 0060563451
Though retired from the Navajo Tribal Police force, former Lieutenant
Joe Leaphorn occasionally helps out his former peers when they ask him
to investigate unusually difficult cases. This time it is Joe initiating
the inquiry.
He visits his friends newlyweds Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito just back
from their honeymoon to get their opinion on a cold case that he and his
former FBI partner Mel Bork investigated. Mel sent Joe a page from a magazine
Luxury Living that contained a picture with an ancient hand weaved rug
that looks like the one that was reported destroyed in an arson fire at
Totter's Trading Post. That blaze allegedly took the life of an FBI most
wanted killer; Totter recently was reported dead and buried in a VA cemetery,
but that proved false. His efforts to contact Bork fail and soon Joe learns
his friend has been murdered; he assumes he is also on a diabolical killer's
list to eliminate potential witnesses who could identify him. Jim and
Bernie insist on joining Joe in going after the predator.
Grandmaster Tony Hillerman is at his best with this excellent thriller
that ties several seemingly unrelated subplots (beyond just what is above)
into a cohesive cat and mouse tale that never slows down from the moment
Joe meets with the honeymooners. The action-packed story line is filled
with twists that will surprise readers yet are plausible as Joe struggles
with Granny's stolen buckets, FBI, Vietnam War, arson, murder and being
the rodent in a game orchestrated by a clever leopard who can change spots.
The climax will add to Mr. Hillerman's reputation as one of the all time
mystery writing greats.
Harriet Klausner
G'DAY
TO DIE
G'Day to Die
Maddy Hunter
Pocket, Nov 2006, $6.99, 304 pp.
ISBN 1416523790
Travel escort Emily Andrews is once again on tour, this time in Australia
with her Senior center group that she knows from her Iowa hometown. Her
grandmother is on the tour as are the two men who want to marry her, Swiss
police inspector Etienne Miceli and tour director Duncan Lazarus. They
travel together so that Emily can figure out her true feelings about both
and decide whom she loves.
Of course a tour with Emily wouldn't be complete without a death. The
body of botanist Claire Bellows is found by photographer Guy Madelyn as
he and Emily are walking on a trail in Port Campbell National Park. A
picture her grandmother took of a native plant thought to be extinct is
found near the body. Emily wonders if Claire was looking at the plant
and one of the other botanists on the Australian Adventures tour killed
her to claim it for their company. She has plenty of suspects and when
another tourist is killed by a drug Emily is sure that she was poisoned.
Her natural inquisitiveness puts her in danger from a very determined
killer who wants certain secrets to stay buried.
In G'DAY TO DIE the support cast is eccentric, argumentative, and colorful
while adding much humor into a tension filled storyline. There is enough
romance to appeal to fans of that genre as well as mystery readers who
enjoy a good old fashioned mystery that has plenty of action but no violent
scenes. Maddy Hunter provides an amusing yet tense amateur sleuth tale
filled with daring exploits.
Harriet Klausner
BUBBLES
ALL THE WAY
Bubbles All the Way
Sarah Strohmeyer
Onyx, Nov 2006, $7.99
ISBN: 0451412273
Bubbles Yablonsky is not having an easy time of it because she told her
one time lover photojournalist Steve Stiletto that she will not marry
him. Instead she plans to remarry her former husband Dan who she loathes;
he is blackmailing her by threatening a custody suit over their daughter
with their psychiatrist as a witness that Bubbles is an unfit mother.
Bubbles cannot understand why Dan insists on marrying someone he knows
hates him, but he does.
While visiting at the local House of Beauty, Debbie Shatsky suddenly keels
over and drops dead. The police believe that owner Sandy used the wrong
glue (Debbie had an allergy to latex and needed latex free glue) to do
the victim's hair instead of the one that Debbie brought with her. Bubbles
believes this was not e negligent accident, but instead a murder by a
cold blooded killer to make Sandy look guilty. She runs her theory by
her editor who believes the official verdict while Santa stalks her. Death
attempt incidents occur as someone wants Bubbles dead, but she has no
idea why just like she cannot comprehend Dan's motive to marry her.
A Bubbles Yablonsky mystery is always a treat to read and this installment
is probably the best yet in one of the more superior series on the market
today because the heroine is so clueless about the murder, the attempts
on her life, and most unsettling Dan's motivation to marry her. Readers
like this reviewer assume there is a connection between the three scenarios,
but the pleasure of this mystery is to find out what it is and the only
way to know that is to read this delightful novel. That is no hardship
as BUBBLES ALL THE WAY is an amusing and exhilarating, mystery.
Harriet Klausner
THE
BODY IN THE IVY
The Body in the Ivy
Katherine Hall Page
Morrow, Nov 2006, $23.95
ISBN 0060763655
On a privately owned New England island, bestselling author Barbara Bailey
Bishop hires Faith Fairchild to cater a college reunion celebration. Barbara
and her classmates including her twin Helene known as Prin attended Ivy
school Pelham College in the late 1960s; her name back then was Elaine
Prince. In 1970, Prin fell from a campus tower to her death in what the
police ruled was a suicide the night before graduation.
Faith has always felt otherwise that one of these eight killed her sibling
who was universally desired and loathed. Now she has everyone who could
have committed the act stranded on the island where she plans to learn
the truth. The first death is considered an accident, but those that follow
leave the dwindling survivors panicked as there is no escape until there
is none.
In the sixteenth Fairchild amateur sleuth (can Faith still be considered
an amateur, pay aside?) Katherine Hall Page pays obvious homage to Agatha
Christie by modernizing And Then there Were None. The story line is fast-paced
and filled with rising tension as one by one the attendees are dying with
no way off the island (a storm adds to their isolation). As Faith, the
only outsider, investigates while trying to remain alive, readers will
appreciate this superior tale that ends with a Christie style twist.
Harriet Klausner
HIGH
HEELS ARE MURDER
High Heels are Murder
Elaine Viets
Signet, Nov. 2006, $6.99, 288pp.
ISBN 0451219880
Josie Marcus is a single mom who lives with her own mother for a reduced
rent and has a job she loves even if it doesn't pay well. She is a mystery
shopper, one of those anonymous customers who visit a store to learn why
an employer gets too many complaints. An employer calls the firm Josie
works for and her boss assigns her to investigate Mel, a salesman at Soft
Shoe. When she follows him to the back room and sees what he is about
to do sexually to her shoe she files a bad report and he is fired.
A couple of days later Mel is found murdered at his palatial estate. Mrs.
Mueller, Josie's nosy neighbor tells her that her daughter Cheryl has
been questioned by the police because evidence shows she was there. Her
neighbor hires Josie to prove her daughter is innocent. Josie finds Cheryl
is a gambling addict, and is part of a slave fetish ring by Mel to make
money for women who need extra money. When Mel's housekeeper is killed
and Cheryl is connected to Mel's murder Josie finds her life in danger
from a killer who is protecting someone else and doesn't want Josie finding
out and revealing that secret.
Elaine Viets has written one of the funniest amateur sleuth mysteries
to come along in ages. Her protagonist is a thoroughly likeable person,
a great mother, daughter and friend who does the right things for the
right reasons, even when they make her uncomfortable. There is a lot of
action in HIGH HEELS ARE MURDER but the strength and the freshness of
the tale lies in the characters who are realistic and believable.
Harriet Klausner
YOU
HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN PUZZLED
You Have the Right to Remain Puzzled
Parnell Hall
Bantam, Nov 2006, $24.00
ISBN: 0553804189
One day at the coffee shop, puzzle lady Cora Feldon is asked to construct
a puzzle for Mimi Dillinger so that's she can give it to her husband Chuck
when she tells him she crashed the car. She hopes he will forgive her,
which he does. Mimi publicly thanks Cora for the role her puzzle played
and the note and puzzle appearin the newspaper. However there is one minor
problem. Cora did not create the puzzle; her niece Sherry Carter did and
she purloined it from a book of puzzles though she changed the clues.
The actual puzzle creator Benny Southstreet is livid that Cora plagiarized
his work and when he challenged her she blew him off because she refuses
to believe that Sherry would do such a deed. Benny plans to sue Cora so
he breaks into her home and that of the Dillingers seeking proof. Earlier
that day Mimi notices fifteen hundred dollars lying loose at her husband's
desk so she puts the cash away. Chick calls the police to report a break-in,
which leads to a series of events resulting in someone murdering Benny
and Cora arrested for the homicide as all evidence leads to her.
The latest puzzle lady mystery is a delightful whodunit complete with
crossword puzzles that entertain and stimulate the readers with clues
to the mystery. Cora is the star as she seeks to clear her name even while
every clue she finds proves her guilt. There are many red herrings that
the audience will not know across from down as Cora looks guilty. Parnell
Hall provides his fans with a solid murder mystery that only by finishing
the book can a reader uncover the identity of the culprit.
Harriet Klausner
WHEN
GODS DIE
When Gods Die
C. S. Harris
NAL, Nov 2006, $23.95
ISBN: 0451219686
In Brighton in June 1811, the Prince Regent hosts a fete at the Royal
Pantheon when he finds the woman he planned to make his mistress dead
with a dagger in her back. The Prince falls apart so it is up to LordJarvis
to learn what happened. He asks Viscount Sebastian St. Cyr to find out
who killed Marchioness Guinevere Anglessey. St. Cry declines until he
sees the necklace the victim is wearing.
The last time St. Cyr saw the necklace his mother wore it on the day she
died at sea. The dagger belongs to Prinny, but Guinevere actually died
from arsenic poisoning. Many English believe the Hanover dynasty is tainted
with madness and assume the crazy Regent killed his latest whore; some
go so far as to believe the country would better off with a Stuart restoration.
Civil war seems imminent as St. Cyr considers how Guinevere fit in a highly
charged political picture as she didn't dabble in affairs of state only
in affairs with heads of state and had no connection to the Stuarts except
the necklace.
C. S. Harris cleverly uses words to paint vivid colorful pictures of a
decadent era symbolized by its hedonist prince and a country divided like
a checkerboard in many chaotic ways. The hero is intent on solving the
mystery of the necklace perhaps more than the homicide though he knows
uncovering the killer might give him clues as to how Guinevere got his
mother's death jewelry. The cast brings out the ambience of the era inside
a realistic entertaining whodunit.
Harriet Klausner
THE
HIDDEN ASSASSINS
The Hidden Assassins
Robert Wilson
Harcourt, Nov 2006, $25.00
ISBN: 0151012393
In Seville, Inspector Jefe Javier Falcon investigates the brutal murder
of a naked male, whose mutilated corpse was uncovered at the city's dump.
The victim's face was removed by acid and his wrists surgically carved
off. Falcon in spite of his mantra to stay distant struggles with the
images. However, this makes him realize his not exclusive relationship
with Laura must end because he wants restaurateur Consuelo Jiminez back
in his life.
At the same time the cop deals poorly with the homicide and his personal
life, an explosion rocks the city. An apartment building and an adjacent
kindergarten lay in ruins. Many die as first responders try to rescue
those they can. The residents of Seville are in a state of panic when
it is learned that in the basement of the rubble is a mosque. While the
local and national law enforcement and media assume Islamic terrorism,
Falcon begins to see a different venue that connects the bombing with
the defaced corpse. Though alone, he soon begins peeling one layer at
a time a monstrous conspiracy that if executed could devastate the west
leaving many dead, but the clock is running out on him.
In his third appearance (see THE SILENT AND THE DAMNED and THE BLIND MAN
OF SEVILLE), Falcon is at his best as he struggles with the gruesome murder,
the explosion, and has no time to repair his personal life. The investigation
is top rate as the Inspector begins to slowly connect the dots that soon
make him doubt the prevalent theory on the bombing and leads him towards
a more horrific conclusion that something bigger is coming. Readers will
appreciate his efforts to prevent a monstrous disaster in this tense conspiratorial
thriller.
Harriet Klausner
KEEPER
OF THE KEYS
Keeper of the Keys
Perri O'Shaughnessy
Delacorte, Nov 2006, $24.95, 336 pp.
ISBN 0786290897
Ray Jackson has withdrawn into himself, spending his nights in the basement
reconstructing the places he lived in as a child. There were many of them
and his mother never gave him an exploration why they moved so much or
when his father left them. His obsession began when his beautiful beloved
wife Leigh asked him about having a child. On the night she disappeared,
they had a terrible fight and he doesn't know if she is ever coming back.
He has the keys to all the places he lived as a child and he gets into
some of them finding cassette recordings of a man threatening his mother
who won't discuss the matter with him. As the days go by and Leigh doesn't
contact anyone, her parents begin to wonder if he did something to her
and they report it to the police. When they question him, he lies to them,
not telling them about the affair she had with his partner. Kat; a former
friend of Leigh's wants to make peace with her and helps Jackson look
for Leigh even if Kat isn't sure her husband is telling her the truth.
When Ray finally leans the truth, he has a terrible decision to make one
that could either destroy him or be the making of him.
This is the first stand alone book apart from the Nina Reilly legal thrillers
that this author team wrote and it is a superb work of suspense. Readers
don't know if Leigh is alive or dead, whether Ray killed her or caused
her disappearance. Ray is an average man, content to coast along until
Kat gives him the impetus to find out what happened to Leigh. KEEPER OF
THE KEYS is a tour de force with a shocking climax that will take readers
by surprise.
Harriet Klausner
DEATH
WAITS FOR YOU
Death Waits For You
Donna Anders
Pocket, Nov 2006, $7.99, 376 pp
ISBN 1416514864
Savannah Blum left Kansas City to move into her grandmother's apartment
in Jersey City so she will be closer to the New York publishing industry.
She wants to write a book; to do that full time she needs to have a job
that will allow her the time to get her book finished. Her grandmother,
who believes in her, introduces her to the wealthy Hawthorne family who
lived the American dream, going from rags to riches when they immigrated
to America.
They are willing to pay her thirty thousand dollars to write their history.
She will have access to all the documents they have and will be able to
interview the entire family. They are an eccentric lot with one person
being a recluse, one a religious fanatic who doesn't want to have anything
to do with her, a so called psychic who tells her she is in danger, and
a sexy host who makes her forget about her boyfriend Tom. Someone fears
she is getting too close to a family secret and they try to scare off
by stalking her wearing a black cape, sending threatening letters and
making malicious phone calls. A series of women are being tortured, mutilated
and killed in the same manner as the slayings that occurred in 1979 with
a Hawthorne victim being the last person the perp killed. Now many believe
he is back and his target is Savannah who is getting too close to uncovering
a dark truth.
Anyone who loves fantastic psychological suspense in the vein of Joy Fielding,
Mary Higgins Clarke and P.J. Tracy will thoroughly enjoy DEATH WAITS FOR
YOU. Even the most brilliant amateur sleuth won't know who the killer
is or how the latest series of homicides relate to the ones over three
decades ago. Donna Anders is one author who deserves an award nomination
and should be on all the best seller lists.
Harriet Klausner
THE
LIZARD'S BITE
The Lizard's Bite
David Hewson
Delacorte, Nov 2006, $22.00
ISBN 0385339550
The fire in the Archangeli family glassmaking factory on the Island of
Morano off Venice led to two deaths that of Uriel Archangeli and his wife
Bella. The local police want to write it off as an accident, but some
insist a murder suicide occurred.
Rome Police Detectives Nic Costa and Gianni Peroni are sent to Venice
to rubber stamp either "truth". Instead the pair finds evidence
to the contrary especially when seeking a motive as to to why Uriel would
kill Bella or for that matter visa versa especially torching their beloved
glassworks factory; an accident has been relegated to the realm of fantasy.
The sleuths soon learn that Isolo di Archangeli glassworks was in the
middle of a somewhat hostile takeover bid with Uriel as the toad in the
road. Could someone wanted to remove the obstacle to the sale and is that
the motive for a double homicide?
In their latest Italian police procedural, Costa and Peroni get in trouble
with the brass for doing their job of running a valid inquiry. Fans of
the series will enjoy the top rate investigation into whether an accident,
a suicide, or a homicide covered up by arson occurred. Newcomers will
become engrossed with this superior thriller and seek out their previous
caseload (see THE SACRED CUT).
Harriet Klausner
NINE
LIVES
Nine Lives
Sharon Sala
Mira, Nov 2006, $7.99
ISBN 0778323528
When Cat Dupree was thirteen, a tattooed assailant slashed her throat
and murdered her father. She recovered, but the culprit escaped and the
case became cold. As a result of the assault, Cat lets no one get close
to her and she became a bounty hunter to bring some miscreants to justice.
The lone exception for the Dallas based Cat is her only real friend private
secretary Marsha Benton.
When a pregnant Marsha suddenly vanishes without a word, Cat believes
her friend's influential boss, a CEO, wanted to end their affair without
any baggage and had her killed. Cat plans to uncover the truth as she
feels she owes it to Marsha. Bounty Hunter Wilson McKay is attracted to
Cat and decides he will help her on her quest though she objects. She
hates the feelings of desire she has for him so hides behind a work only
attitude that he seems to be able to penetrate. As they work together
on the Marsha disappearance with clues leading to Mexico, they fall in
love, but Cat fears caring because people die.
NINE LIVES is an exciting romantic suspense thriller that focuses more
on the investigation and related escapades than the romance, but the feelings
of love between the lead couple is always a heartbeat away. Readers of
both genres will appreciate this fine tale. Cat is terrific as the center
of the tense story line while Wilson shows patience and impatience with
her efforts to shut him off. Though the final spin seems off for this
superb bounty hunter saga, fans will enjoy Sharon Sala's solid suspenseful
story.
Harriet Klausner
COLD
AS ICE
Cold as Ice
Anne Stuart
Mira, Nov 2006, $6.99
ISBN 0778323560
Walter Fredericks of the Manhattan based law firm Roper, Hyde, Camus and
Fredericks sends junior partner Genevieve Spenser to deliver legal paper
to philanthropist Harry Van Dorn on his yacht, the SS Seven Sins before
the young woman begins her vacation in Costa Rica. However, Harry insists
she stay on board, which Genevieve prefers not to do, but has no choice
as he takes them out to sea.
Harry's unctuous personal assistant Peter "Iceman" Jenson also
wants her off the vessel as he knows how evil and perverted his employer
can be. In fact Peter and the crew work for a secretive organization that
prevents deadly things from happening. Their assignment is to kill Harry,
head of the Rule of Seven terrorists group planning to cause massive attacks
on civilian populations. He detests that he probably will have to kill
Genevieve as collateral damage; not jus because he is very attracted to
her, but he is proud that he has never killed an innocent in all his assignments
including assassinations.
Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Anne Stuart provides
a fascinating intrigue starring a nice woman whose chances of survival
are nil as Iceman never fails and Van Dorn cannot afford any witness to
his perversity if he survives the assassination attempt. The story line
is driven by Genevieve's plight as Peter does not want to kill the brave
female yet his associates say he must; the Peter Principle is do the job
completely. Fans will enjoy this fin romantic suspense as the COLD AS
ICE hero is thawed by the warm blooded love of the innocent caught in
the middle.
Harriet Klausner
GERM
Germ
Robert Liparulo
WestBow, Nov 2006, $22.99
ISBN 0785261788
The creator customizes his creation so that this strand of the Ebola virus
will give a cold to some, but those individuals, whose DNA contain specific
readings, will die a painful bloody death; for those the virus seeks will
find their insides turn to liquid in a few days. The terrorists who plan
to use this new weapon of mass destruction anticipate ten thousand deaths
that represent all types of the population as religion, age, gender, or
social status mean nothing; DNA decides a minor inconvenience or a painful
death.
Near CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, FBI Agents Goodwin "Goody"
Donnelly and Julia Matheson are meeting Despesorio Vero who has seen first
hand what the disease can do. The two men in one car on the interstate
are attacked and separated from Julie. She obtains the help of physician
Dr. Allen Parker, as they try to track back the virus to ground zero so
as to prevent a terrorist attack that will surpass 9/11 in its body count
and geography.
The technical background data makes the exhilarating story line seem plausible
in this action-packed thriller that starts off with a gory death, goes
through several surprising twists, and never slows down until the final
confrontation. Julia's desperation as she knows the clock is ticking adds
to the feel that this could easily happen. Readers who appreciate plenty
of confrontation with blood, guts and death everywhere on top of a tense
premise will want to read GERM though the tale can prove difficult to
follow as there are numerous subplots to follow.
Harriet Klausner
SEEKING
WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR
Seeking Whom He May Devour
Fred Vargas
Simon & Schuster, Nov 2006, $14.00
ISBN: 074328402X
In the Southern Alps-Maritimes section of France, four sheep are killed
at Ventebrune; nine at Pierrefort. The locals insist it is the brutal
work of a feral pack of wolves led by a gigantic beast like none ever
seen before. They believe this beast will turn to devouring humans soon.
At Les Ecart five sheep belonging to Suzanne Rosselin are killed and three
others badly wounded. Canadian Lawrence Johnstone works with wolves at
the Mercantour National Park; he investigates the sheep killings and knows
Suzanne through his live-in lover Camille. Suzanne accuses hermit-like
Monsieur Massart of being a werewolf, but she dies when the giant beast
attacks her. Johnstone thinks Suzanne was close to the truth, but Massart
is not a supernatural creature, but has trained a wolf to do his killings.
The local police still believe a large wolf is the culprit while everyone
else concurs with the late Suzanne's theory of a werewolf on the prowl.
As other people die, Commisaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg begins his inquiry
though he is unhappy that his former lover Camille is here with the Canadian.
He scans the police reports until he finds a clue that makes him believe
he knows exactly what is happening.
SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR is a fantastic French police procedural starring
an intelligent eccentric commissaries and a delightful support cast though
support is a loose term in this superior thriller as Jean-Baptiste enters
the fray later than usual for a hero. That will not matter as readers
will join the locals debating who or what is the killer, wolves, werewolf,
or human predator. Fred Vargas provides a tense gripping tale that readers
will fully appreciate from start to finish.
Harriet Klausner
UNTIL
DEATH DO US PART
Until Death Do Us Part
Karen Wiesner
Whiskey Creek, Nov 2006
ISBN: 1593746954
Head of Operations at the crime fighting top secret Network Angelo Pluzetti
has proof that his immediate superior, Giles Jameson, the liaison between
field operations and the oversight commander Shannon McKee, is a dangerous
traitor. Insuring McKee is safe; Pluzetti plans to bring down his boss,
who has apparently vanished. If Jameson implements his scheme, the Network
will be exposed and subsequently no longer exist.
Meanwhile the Network Alpine field team leader Kirsten Ulrick and first
position operative Ash Barnett are assigned to go undercover as a married
couple to keep witness reporter Raven Harris, who found the evidence that
exposed Jameson, and her husband Casey safe from the former Network manager.
The two field operatives observe Raven and Casey struggle with their relationship,
which was shattered by the death of their child in an accident that is
now suspect. Neither Harris trusts in love, but need each other to survive
their ordeals. Kirsten and Ash understand how this pair feels because
they too love one another, but also fear their hidden affection could
prove costly on a mission as duty must come first.
The second Incognito book (see NO ORDINARY LOVE) is a fabulous romantic
suspense that keeps the intrigue at stratospheric levels throughout without
diluting the key players' personalities. The fast-paced story line is
character driven as Kirsten and Ash are attracted to one another, but
know their mission comes before their desires while the subplot involving
the Harris's couple estrangement and grief augments the tale as neither
has been able to turn to the other for solace since their child died yet
need one another badly even while Raven's exposing of Jameson put them
at risk. Karen Wiesner is a sure shot to entertain her audience, which
UNTIL DEATH DO US PART ill enhance her deserved reputation as one of the
sub-genre's consistent best.
Harriet Klausner
A
CHRISTMAS SECRET
A Christmas Secret
Anne Perry
Ballantine, Nov 2006, $15.95, 208 pp.
ISBN 0345485815
Clarice and Dominic Corde are looking forward to reaching the tiny hamlet
of Cottisham to take over as the temporary vicar because Reverend Wynster
is taking a much needed vacation over the Christmas holiday. They are
instantly charmed by the village and the vicarage which reflect a good,
kind and godly man. The Cordes feel as if they have come home and returning
to the church in London as a curate under the supervision of the meddlesome
Reverend Spindlewood is going to be a big letdown.
The feeling of serenity ends when Clarice finds the vacationing vicar's
family bible, and supplies and winter clothes, things he would want to
take on a trip. When she goes to the cellar to get coal, she finds the
body of Reverend Wynster. The doctor believes it was an accident but Clarice
and Dominic find evidence that points to murder. Both believe the dead
clergyman knew someone would kill to keep a secret but since they don't
know the parishioners, they have to rely on instinct, hunches and listen
to the meaning behind what certain people say.
Anne Perry has written an excellent mystery and a love story that focuses
on a married couple who delight in each other's company. These are people
who one would be proud to call friend because they are honest, dedicated
and hardworking folks. A CHRISTMAS SECRET would make an excellent gift
for Victorian cozy fans and readers who like the works of this author.
Harriet Klausner
SUGARPLUMS
AND SCANDAL
Sugarplums and Scandal
Assorted Authors
Avon, Nov 2006, $6.99, 336 pp.
ISBN 0061136956
"All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" by Lori Avocato.
Medical insurance fraud investigator Pauline Sokol is determined to get
the dentures an elderly man paid for to his dentures for the holidays.
She believes the dentist is practicing fraud but there is more to the
story than meets the eye
"The Lords of Misrule" by Dana Cameron. Christmas Eve in London
1722 is chaotic to say the least. A missing gift, a murdered footman and
an attack on a maid put the daughter of the house in the position of finding
what links these events and to whom.
"The Ghost of Christmas Passed" by Mary Daheim .B&B owner
Judith McMonigle Flynn is having her whole eccentric extended family over
for Christmas dinner. Her only worry is that her mother insists she saw
a ghost, her who disappeared decades ago. The truth is the best gift of
all.
"Partners in Crime" by Cait London. Someone is breaking into
Cecilia's home messing it up and preventing her car from working. She's
afraid to go to the sheriff because she thinks he's behind these crimes
but a stranger in town attaches himself to her as her protector even though
he might be the one she needs protecting from.
"Holly Go Lightly" by Suzanne MacPherson. Holly is a ghost who
won't pass on until she undoes a great wrong. Somehow she must find a
want to get Nick to travel to the house of her best friend Carol where
a great surprise is waiting for him.
"A Very Vampy Christmas" by Kerrelyn Sparks. Vampires have their
own television network, Digital Vampire Network and one of the shows produced
on it is As A Vampire Turns starring Maggie O Brien and Dan Orlando. When
Maggie realizes her leading man is not a Don Juan but a man suffering
from amnesia her heart opens up to him and she vows to find out whom he
was before he turned.
Avon authors from the mystery, romantic suspense, romance and paranormal
genres give readers a special holiday treat with tasty tales that demonstrates
each author's considerable talent.
Harriet Klausner
VALLEY
OF SILENCE
Valley of Silence
Nora Roberts
Jove, Nov 2006, $7.99, 352 pp.
ISBN 0515141674
The Goddess Morrigan tasked the sorcerer with traveling through space
and time to gather together the people who would fight for the life of
humanity. Hoyt gathered Cian the vampire, the shifter Larkin, Blair the
demon hunter, Glena the witch, and Moira the Scholar princess. Through
the dance of the gods they travel to Moira's homeworld of Geall, a medieval
like pastoral place that has never known war to make humanity's last stand
against Lilith, the vampire queen. If the circle of six and the people
of Geall lose, all humanity in all the worlds will be destroyed.
The final battle will take place in the Valley of Silence and Moira, who
pulled the sword out of the stone that rests upon a fairy mound, is now
the queen whom will lead her people. Cian, who was turned against his
will by Lilith, sides with the humans even though most fear him. Moira
sees him for what he is and loves what she sees; so when she goes to Cian
he is helpless to fight his feelings as well as hers. Both know that there
is no future in their relationship but for a little while, both will know
a love so powerful that it is beautiful to behold. As the battle looms,
the circle of six uses innovative battle methods since the vampire horde
out numbers them four to one.
This concludes The Circle Trilogy and it is by far the best series Nora
Roberts has ever written as the author addresses the themes of free will,
good vs. evil and the power of love to sustain and strengthen people so
they make ethical choices. The tale concentrates on the characters of
Cian and Moira, two star-crossed lovers who find solace in each others
arms for the present. She is a magnificent warrior queen in the tradition
of Boudica and he is the dark gothic hero who puts his lover's needs before
his own. VALLEY OF SILENCE is a fantastic work of romantic dark fantasy.
Harriet Klausner
REASON
TO BELIEVE
Reason to Believe
Jessica Inclan
Zebra, Oct 2006, $13.00
ISBN: 0821780824
There are two types of humans. The Moyenne are ordinary with no magical
ability while Les Croyants possess magic and know how to use it. In the
Les Croyant camp are two subgroups with differing visions. One wants to
integrate their species with the Mayenne to the benefit of both races;
their opponents insist they are superior and either want to rule or kill
the mundane Mayenne, who during the dark ages murdered them. Once Caderyn
Macara tried to create ties between the two worlds, but he vanished and
later joined s with Quain who wants the Moyenne destroyed.
Croyant Fabia Fair is assigned to track down Macara, which is an obsession
for the powerful magician as she believes that the two races can live
in harmony. One day she helps an amnesiac; she later learns he is a Croyant,
who lost his memory due to a spell. Fabia is attracted to the man and
says at his side as he slowly recalls who he is and what one of the minions
of yhr sorcerer Macara did to him. When Fabia's twin brother is kidnapped,
she, Rufus, and their allies mount a dangerous rescue.
This urban fantasy romance is a beautiful charmer that describes a secret
group of magicians who have their own laws and customs while living within
a wider mundane world. Rufus and Fabia are believable lovers who know
what they want, but are unsure how to make it happen. Readers will enjoy
this strong bold couple who challenge more powerful enemies in their quest
to be together. Jessica Inclan has written a wonderful adult fairy tale.
Harriet Klausner
FROM
BLACK ROOMS
From Black Rooms
Stephen Woodworth
Bantam, Nov 2006, $6.99, 366 pp.
ISBN 0440242533
In return for owning paintings from the masters, Dr. Bartholomew Wax agrees
to use gene manipulation and DNA sequencing to create Violets for the
North American Afterlife Communications Corps. Violets are mediums who
use a touchstone belonging to a dead person so they can have that soul
inhabit the Violet's body. When the consequences of his actions become
too much for him, the Oslo scientist kills his subjects and commits suicide.
His handler Carl Pancrit frees the Violet Killer Evan Markham who wants
Violet Natalie Lindstrom; Carl promises to get her for him if he channels
Bartholomew to complete his work.
The NAACC wants Natalie back in their organization and they want to place
her daughter Callie under their protection and at their school where she
will get training in how to be a medium. Natalie left because she didn't
want her or her daughter under their control and she is now working a
living channeling dead artists who possesses her and paints masterpieces.
Ex-Con Colin Criswell has undergone some of the treatments to become a
Violet but he can't keep the dead from knocking at his mind. He goes to
Natalie for help and the two artists are attracted to each other but the
Violet Killer and Pancrit kidnaps them both to use as hostages to force
Bartholomew to complete his work; only the dead can free them if they
are strong enough.
The latest Violet book is action packed yet characters driven. The heroine
is trying her best to make a life for her and her daughter but their freedom
costs them the enmity of the NAACC (they want her and the daughter under
their control as they are both powerful Violets). Surprisingly, it is
Carrie who makes a startling decision concerning her own life that impact
on her mother and their future. This supernatural thriller is a stunning
read with a knock-out punch of an ending.
Harriet Klausner
TOLTECA
Tolteca
K. Michael Wright
Medallion, Oct 2006, $26.95
ISBN: 1932815465
Known as the Blue Prince of Tollan, Topiltzin is asked by his subjects
to take up the mantle of kingship since it is believed that his father
Sky Dragon is dead. He has no desire to rule and instead goes south to
learn how to play rubberball; over time he becomes a champion. He never
thought he would become a warrior or participate in a war, but that is
what happens when the Sorcerer King Smoking Mirror and his horde invade
the Tolteca Empire.
Smoking Mirror and his minion are cannibals who eat their victims in order
to gain more dark magical power. The Sorcerer believes that the Tolteca
people have turned away from the one God and according to the prophecy
his horde will defeat his opponents. Topiltzin is fighting Smoking Mirror
when he is mortally injured, but he is rescued by a shipload of women.
For years they live together in Paradise raising a family until he knows
it is time to return home to defeat evil and restore the empire.
This is a complex historical fantasy epic filled with action and intrigue.
The story occurs between 421 and 576 AD in South America where atrocities
rival that of Pol Pot, Amin, and Hitler. The antagonists are imbued with
supernatural abilities that make them very formidable while Tollen is
a dilettante and idealist turned into pragmatic warrior by their horrible
actions. K. Michael Wright gets the reader to believe they are in danger
because they are there.
Harriet Klausner
THE
COLLECTORS
The Collectors
David Baldacci
Warner, Oct 2006, $26.99
ISBN: 044653109X
CIA agent Roger Seagraves has opened up a gun for hire business. He calmly
assassinates the Speaker of the House the Honorable Robert Bradley. For
obvious reasons he has shaken the country and put fear into the hearts
of the DC leadership especially chicken hawks used to others dying on
their behalf, but to Roger it is one less "bloody politician".
The four wacky Camel Club members (the leader with no past named Oliver
Stone, a rare books expert at the Library of Congress, a former Jeopardy
champion, and a former Defense Intelligence operative) begin investigating
the homicide. Due to their connection to the Library of Congress, they
quickly link the Congressman's death to that of the Library's Rare Book
Collection Director.
As the sleuths struggle with uncovering and stooping the killer, con artist
Annabelle Conroy sets in motion a scheme to scam thirty-three million
from Atlantic City casino owner Jerry Bagger. As Annabelle and her crew
succeed in their con, she has to follow-up in DC where she meets the Camel
Club who unofficially makes her a member as the quintet search for a killer
who knows his or her way inside the corridors of government.
The sequel to the madcap CAMEL CLUB centers more on the killer and the
con artist than the dysfunctional behavior of the quartet. The two subplots
are filled with action that never slows down, but the tying of them into
one story line seems overly extended lacking probability. Still fans of
David Baldacci will enjoy THE COLLECTORS as the cat and mouse battle with
Seagraves augmented by the addition of a female into the miscreant male
group makes for a fine suspense thriller.
Harriet Klausner
THE
WRONG MAN
The Wrong Man
John Katzenbach
Ballantine, Oct 2006, $25.95
ISBN: 0345464834
Boston art history grad student Ashley Freeman has sex with Michael O'Connell.
Where she saw it as a one night stand, he saw it as forever. Michael obsesses
over Ashley and plans to make her his though she insists she does not
want to see him. He does not leave her alone being everywhere she is and
running off anyone who spends time with her. He uses his computer skills
to cause havoc for her divorced parents and her mother's lesbian lover
as well as taking control of Ashley's life at school, her finances and
in other ways.
Her loving parents try to buy him off, but Michael ignores their efforts;
they try to frighten him into leaving their daughter alone, but instead
he scares them with his obstinate intensity. Nothing legally works so
the desperate Ashley and her family decide to go after Michael with the
same fixation he applied when he devastated their lives with illegal and
amoral tactics.
On the surface this may seem like an extended Fatal Attraction, but talented
John Katzenbach brings his own spin to predatory obsession as Michael
and Ashley's family go at it like champions meeting in a fifteen round
bout. Each of the five prime players seem genuine and the reactions and
feelings of Ashley's parents and the lover towards their beleaguered offspring
feels real so that when the legal approaches fail, the audience will have
no problem with their efforts to reverse the stalking. This is a one sitting
tense thriller as readers will want to know who survived trench warfare.
Harriet Klausner
THE
GLASS TIGER
Glass Tiger
Joe Gores
Harcourt, Oct 2006, $24.00
ISBN: 01501011214
The CIA and the FBI deem the threat real. Apparently legendary American
assassin Hal Corwin, though dead for years, has resurfaced with the election
of Gustave Wallberg to the Presidency. Hal sent a congratulatory note
to his former best friend, the president elect, by simply mailing a note:
"Congratulations to a dead president. Corwin."
The FBI decides the best man for the job of stopping Corwin is retired
Ranger and former CIA assassin Brendan Thorne, who swore he would do no
more violence though he was selected from a special top secret data base
because of his feral skills that match that of Corwin. Reluctantly, Thorne
leaves his Kenyan home to hunt his elder but equal predator in order to
prevent the murder of the next president, but as he seeks his prey nothing
is quite like the way the Feds insist it is.
Fans of action-packed thrillers that grip the audience from the onset
and never let go until the final confrontation though throughout the readers
knows that there are questionable plausibility gaps will appreciate Joe
Gores' fast-paced tale. The story line never slows down as Corwin surfaces
with his threat from Truckee, California. Mr. Gores' readers will enjoy
the battle between two highly skilled killers (sort of like the first
Ali-Frazier fight) not knowing what will happen next and who will remain
standing.
Harriet Klausner
ACT
OF TREASON
Act of Treason
Vince Flynn
Atria, Oct 2006, $25.95
ISBN: 0743270371
In Georgetown the motorcade carrying Democratic presidential candidate,
Georgia Governor Josh Alexander and his running mate Senator Mark Ross
is attacked by a daring plan that smells of al-Qaeda with bombs exploding
and death seemingly everywhere starting with the potential First Lady.
The country is outraged and filled with sympathy so two weeks later, Alexander
and Ross win the election in a landslide; exit polling showed a strong
feeling that a message was sent to the terrorists as much as grieving
the loss of the First Lady.
While the media and the FBI seek Middle Eastern terrorists, CIA Director
Irene Kennedy and Agent in Charge Skip McMahon find evidence that leads
to an alternative inside the Beltway scenario. Agent Mitch Rapp is assigned
to uncover the truth though the CIA leadership fears where they think
it will end up as they know that if their hunch is right it will take
profiles in courage to insure justice occurs.
Though some important secondary subplots seem implausible, fans will appreciate
this action-packed political thriller reminiscent of the best of Clancy.
The story line starts off with an explosive lethal onset and never slows
down until the final drink of water. Vince Flynn is at his best with this
exhilarating whodunit as everyone assumes t is foreign terrorists who
did the deed except the CIA brass whose theory seem as far fetched as
planes crashing the Twin Towers yet they still wonder if someone committed
an ACT OF TREASON.
Harriet Klausner
THREE
STRIKES AND YOU'RE DEAD
Three Strikes and Your Dead
Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain
NAL, Oct 2006, $19.95
ISBN: 0451219678
Hudson County, New Jersey Family Division Superior Court Judge Jack Duffy
and his wife Meg are in Mesa, Arizona to watch their foster son Ty Ramos
play shortstop for the Rattlers, the local AA minor league team. Their
friend Jessica Fletcher is also in town visiting the Duffys and rooting
for Ty. Jessica learns that Ty and the owner's son Junior Bennett have
competed for the shortstop position all season. With the championship
on the line Ty pinch-hits for Junior. Though he hits the winning homerun,
owner Harrison Bennet is irate with manager Buddy Washington.
That night as the team celebrated their triumph, Ty and Junior get into
a public fight at the dinner. The next day Junior is found dead as someone
swung for the fences using his head as a ball. Sheriff Hualga arrests
Ty based on circumstantial evidence including his juvenile past on the
streets of Jersey City. While the Judge and his wife are in shock, Jessica
cannot believe this capable in control young man lost his temper and in
a fit of rage killed his rival. She plans to not only prove otherwise,
but to uncover the culprit.
The latest Murder She Wrote mystery takes the heroine out of New England
to Arizona where she becomes embroiled in a local baseball murder case.
The story line is fun to follow as a lighthearted cozy that fans of the
series will value. Jessica is her usual logical self as she unpeels secrets
beyond homicide in her attempt to exonerate Ty. The plot is the usual
stuff in this long running series yet remains enjoyable light reading.
Harriet Klausner
ETERNALLY
Eternally
Maureen Child
Silhouette Nocturne, Nov 2006, 350 pp.
ISBN 0373617518
At the moment of his death in May of 1573 Kieran McIntyre was given a
choice either to pass on to whatever comes next or become an immortal
guardian pledged to fight evil. He chose the latter and the half a millennium
Guardian is on the hunt for the demon who escaped after he captured him
1888 when he switched bodies so nobody knows what Jack the Ripper really
looked like.
Kieran is now on the demon's trail which leads him to the home of reporter
Julia Carpenter who he refused to give an interview to when she asked
for one. He warns her she is in danger but she ignores his warning and
the next morning she finds one roommate dead and another one near death.
Kieran who knows Julie is his Destined Mate takes her to his home because
she will give him more power and strength and if they make love; he will
be able to track the demon telepathically. Although he loves Julie and
she loves him, he tells her she will be free once the demon is thrown
back into the portal that leads to its hell. Julie, who has much to absorb
knows she must make a decision whether to live an ordinary life or be
the Mate of a guardian.
Maureen Child has written a fantastic romantic fantasy starring interesting
characters. At first Kieran doesn't want to be bound to any woman even
though what he has with Julie is a wondrous gift. Julie has to decide
if she is dealing with a crazy man or a man who stayed on this plane to
fight evil, a true hero. ETERNALLY is a powerful love story and the magical
elements make the tale totally original.
Harriet Klausner
FROM
THE DARK
From the Dark
Michele Hauf
Silhouette Nocturne, Nov 2006, $4.50
ISBN: 037361750X
Michael is a famous rock star, the lead singer of The Fallen, but he uses
his career as a cover to hide his vampiric nature. He drinks human blood,
but has never killed a mortal though he has come close too many times.
His friend from the band Jesse Olson lends him his house as a place to
regain his control of his thirst.
Jane Renan goes to a client's home to create stained glass windows and
to wait until the proper time to participate in the ritual that will allow
her remain immortal as she is the offspring of a paternal vampire and
a maternal witch. When Michael and Jan meet as they share the same abode,
he is perturbed by his attraction to her. They begin a relationship, but
it remains incomplete as a witch's blood is poison for a vampire, yet
he needs to taste hers if they are to stay together.
This is definitely a thrilling vampire love story led by believable characters
that enable readers to accept the existence of vampires and witches at
least in the Hauf universe. Although there is little action in FROM THE
DARK, sub-genre fans will feel compelled to read this enthralling romance
in one delightful bite, make that sitting.
Harriet Klausner
THE
LAST SECRET
The Last Secret
Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore
Midnight Ink, Oct 2006, $14.95, 369 pp.
ISBN 073870931X
The Fallen Ones, the angels who sided with Lucifer are called Nephilim
and they were ordered to walk the earth with men and never again know
Paradise. One of the fallen repented of his sins and was made human. God
gave him two daughters, one who take his place in heaven and one to do
God's work on Earth. Her name is Cotten Stone and until three years ago
the reporter knew nothing about her heritage. The Nephilim have done much
to discredit her so it is hard for her to get a job.
In Peru, an out of the way ancient city is found by a team of archeologists.
A crystal tablet is found there warning of the cleansing of the earth
by water and how to make the Ark. The second half of the tablet describes
the second cleansing, the end of days and how it will be led by the daughter
of an angel. A horde of demons take the tablet away because the Nephilim
want the end of days to come and mankind destroyed. An earthquake in New
Mexico leads the Nephilim to another tablet, beating out Cotten and her
ally who want to decipher what her role is to be in the end times. The
Nephilim know about Cotten and that she is the one person who can threaten
their plans. They do all in their power to stop her from finding the last
tablet, short of killing her because the Nephilin are forbidden to do
that.
Lynn Sholes and Joe Moore write some of the best apocalyptical thrillers
on the market today. Cotten Stone is a heroine who though she would rather
be ordinary accepts her role in the world. The forces of malevolence that
surround her are evil with a capital E, Satan's followers who look and
pass for human. There is a lot of action in this superb thriller but it
is the protagonist and the antagonist who make this a work to remember.
This is a work that definitely is going on this reviewer's keeper shelf.
Harriet Klausner
Harriets's Archived Reviews
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