August Reviews

We are interested in what you have read and why you did or did not like it. Just a few words is all that you need for those of you that don't like to write book reviews. Please feel that all opinions will be respected no matter how long or short.

Plague Ship by Clive Cussler
Oregon Files series
4 ★s

A young German survives the crash of his Nazi reconnaissance plane on a glacier in Norway, 1943. Forward to current day and crew of the Oregon discover a cruise ship derilect in the ocean, all aboard are dead, except one young woman in the infirmary. Juan Cabrillo and his crew set out to find out what happened, when Max, Juan's trusted friend and part of the elite Oregon crew, gets a desperate call that his son has run off with a cult-like group called the Responsivists. This group's goal is to stop the overpopulation of the earth. Max heads to his son's rescue, as Juan begins to uncover what killed all the people aboard the cruise ship. I found the beginning of the book a trifle slow, but in true Cussler form, once the action began, it didn't slow down. I am beginning to enjoy the character of Juan Cabrillo. I had mixed feelings about him in the first couple books of this series. Juan is a mercenary, but he's a man of strong convictions. He found he could do more for the good of mankind if he operated unhindered by the laws and rules of specific governments. I am becoming more fascinated by the technology found in his ship the Oregon. I often wonder how much of the technology actually exists and how much is from the fertile mind of Cussler. All in all, another good one from my favorite author.

>2 Raspberrymocha: Hope to get to this one before the year is out.

>3 Andrew-theQM: I want to finish this series this year, now that I'm finally starting to like the protagonist, Juan Cabrillo

>4 Raspberrymocha: We've read the first 3 as Group Reads and likely to get books 4 and 5 finished before the end of the year. I am keen to get to the ones co-written by Boyd Morrison as I like his books. The first one is book 10 Piranha.

>5 Andrew-theQM: Dumb Question: Where does LT list the series in order? I was so used to easily looking up the books on Shelfari. I can't seem to find where LT calatogs such lists.

>6 Raspberrymocha: Series info can usually be found via the book page. For example, in Andrew's post (#5), click the Piranha link. On the book page, you will see the title with the authors directly below it. And right below the author names you will find a link that says Series: Oregon Files (10), which takes you to an ordered list of the works in that series. This one is a little wonky since the link indicates 10 works but the list actually has 11.

Hope this helps!

>6 Raspberrymocha: >7 ScoLgo: Thanks for answering the question ScoLgo. I like the way you get a green tick showing you which books in the series you own or are in your collection.

Hour Game by David Baldacci
# 2 in the King and Maxwell Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall this was a very enjoyable book. I enjoyed the style and feel of the book, I just feel it was a touch long to keep up the suspense and tension throughout. There was a big list of characters and the interactions with them were very intriguing and interesting. In some sense I just feel there was too much going on. That said it was a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to others, but I can see why some others don't take to it. It certInly made for a good Group Read. Unusually I worked out the culprits on this one and quite early on. If you haven't given David Baldacci a try I would certainly recommend him.

Kingdom by Tom Martin
Standalone
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This was quite a mixed book for me. It took a while to get into it but then loved the middle section and galloped through it. However I felt a little disappointed and let down at the end. This certainly has all the themes going for it that I loved : a bit of a puzzle, a search for Shangri La, some occult nazism and an interesting couple of characters. Whilst overall it was quite an enjoyable read it is certainly far from my favourite read in the genre and I preferred the previous book I read by Tom Martin - Pyramid.

15th Affair by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
#15 in the Women's Murder Club Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This may be the 15th book in this series but I do think it was kept fresh with some new ideas injected and will shake things up going into the next book, I would have to say overall it is one of my favourites in the series. The themes revolved around 4 people being murdered in a hotel and terrorism in the US. I will happily keep reading on in this series but am now fully up to date until the next book is published. For anyone who has not ready any of these books they are good easy light reads, with short chapters, but with some surprising twists at times. These are my favourite James Patterson books.

Among The Wicked by Linda Castillo *****
Book Description
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called upon by the sheriff's department in rural, upstate New York to assist on a developing situation that involves a reclusive Amish settlement and the death of a young girl. Unable to penetrate the wall of silence between the Amish and "English" communities, the sheriff asks Kate to travel to New York, pose as an Amish woman, and infiltrate the community.

Kate's long time love interest, State Agent John Tomasetti, is dead set against her taking on such an unorthodox assignment, knowing she'll have limited communication - and even less in the way of backup. But Kate can't turn her back, especially when the rumor mill boils with disturbing accounts of children in danger. She travels to New York where she's briefed and assumes her new identity as a lone widow seeking a new life.

Kate infiltrates the community and goes deep under cover. In the coming days, she unearths a world built on secrets, a series of shocking crimes, and herself, alone... trapped in a fight for her life.

My Review
Linda Castillo is a very capable writer and does not disappoint. Kate Burkholder, the main character, is a very strong female Chief of Police and keeps the story interesting. The plot is very fast-paced and made the book very hard to put down. I have loved all of the books in this series and this one was a very good addition. I look forward to the next installment and recommend this book to those who like twists and turns with surprise endings.

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg - ***
Book Description
This extraordinarily complex novel from Scottish author James Hogg is notable for being a powerful criticism of the Calvinist doctrine of predetermination. Revolving around the story of Robert Colwan, a young man convinced that he is pre-determined to enjoy heavenly salvation. As Robert’s descent into evil, despair, and madness ultimately leads him to murder his own brother, Hogg’s novel questions the nature of religious fanaticism and its excesses.

My Review
I listened to this book on audio and I found it to be an ok read. The dialect of the reader was hard to understand at times but I found the Calvinist doctrine of predetermination and the different viewpoints of the story to be very interesting. Whether or not a person is pre-destined no matter what sins he commits is really left for you to decide in the end.

Just finished The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson. A very satisfying psychological thriller. Excellent plot. Very hard to put down so I read it in one day.

>14 pollux: This sounds really good. I've not read any Peter Swanson so I'm looking forward to meeting the man:)

>14 pollux: Not read any Peter Swanson either, will have to check it out.

The Interrogation by Thomas H. Cook
4.5★'s

From The Book:

Albert Jay Smalls sits in an interrogation room accused of an unspeakable crime. The police have no witnesses, no physical evidence, but they are certain he is hiding the truth. With less than twelve hours before he must be released, Smalls will be put through one final interrogation. It is a search that leads into the shadowed recesses of one man’s shattered mind–and to the devastating secrets buried in a desolate seaside town. It is a quest that takes three desperate cops down a dark, twisting road as they race against the clock to find out what really happened one rainy autumn afternoon in 1952. The answers will be more shocking than anyone can imagine, blurring the boundaries between pursuers and prey, between the innocent and the guilty, between the truth that sets us free and the tragedies that haunt us to the grave.

My Thoughts;

It was basically based in the police stations interrogation room with a small man that was suspected of killing 8 year old Cathy Lake in the park next to the playground. The two veteran police detectives in charge of getting the truth from the suspect had been at it for days and still the man declares his innocence...but they know that he's guilty of something if not the murder of Cathy. From there the story spreads out to include a junk dealer...a small time con man...two trash collectors...and several other police officers that are several degrees of unprofessional...from slightly dishonest and hiding secrets that would put them off the police force if not in jail....to deceitful and highly untrustworthy. How will these people all come together? With an explosion that will rock your mind. This has been an incredible journey through the darkest depths of human nature.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
3.5 ★'s

From the Book:
“Are you happy with your life?” Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable…..something impossible. Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe. Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bending strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

My Thoughts:
It’s a book about “What if’s”. What if you could live the life that you always thought you should have had? What if you could change anything about the life you have that you don’t like? What if??? Dark Matter asks the reader to remember a time in their life where they made a decision that made them who they are now…the moment that defined them. If given that chance, would they make that same decision? If you knew the second chance offered you the wealth and prestige you let slip from your grasp, would you take it? But with those questions comes the biggest one, at least for me….what if the family you created and loved was not a part of that second chance? Would you regret your final decision?

It was a fast paced, exciting, sci-fi adventure with a lot of possible outcomes.

The Martyr's Curse by Scott Mariani.
#11 in the Ben Hope Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +❤️

It was great to see this book get back to the high quality of many of the earlier ones in the series (I just felt one or two of the recent books, although very good, were not at the standard of the earlier ones). If you haven't got the message - I loved reading this book and read it almost non-stop! This book had a quite modern theme that I don't want to give away as a spoiler. There was great contrast in the book from the early parts where we had Ben in great crisis, to Ben at peace and then Ben at his best as avenging angel! However, I do worry about what is next for Ben! This became fast pace, high octane stuff that rivals the likes of Jack Reacher, Mitch Rapp, John Puller and Gabriel Allon. If you enjoy any of these books and characters I am sure you would enjoy this series, especially if you like a historical connection to your books that these always provide. What have you got to lose!

>19 Andrew-theQM:
Can't wait to start this series!

>20 EadieB: I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Everything She Forgot by Lisa Ballantyne
2.5★'s

From The Book:
Some things aren't meant to be remembered . . .

They're calling it the worst pileup in London history. Margaret Holloway is driving home, but her mind is elsewhere—on a troubled student, her daughter's acting class, the next day's meeting—when she's rear-ended and trapped in the wreckage. Just as she begins to panic, a disfigured stranger pulls her from the car seconds before it's engulfed in flames. Then he simply disappears. Though she escapes with minor injuries, Margaret feels that something's wrong. She's having trouble concentrating. Her emotions are running wild. More than that, flashbacks to the crash are also dredging up lost associations from her childhood, fragments of events that had been wiped from her memory. Whatever happened, she didn't merely forget—she chose to forget. And somehow, Margaret knows deep down that it has something to do with the man who saved her life.

As Margaret uncovers a mystery with chilling implications for her family and her very identity, Everything She Forgot winds through a riveting dual narrative and asks the question: How far would you go to hide the truth—from yourself?

My Thoughts:
A first book for this author so I didn't expect it to be outstanding...but I did have a reasonable expectation for it to be more closely related to the what the description described. It started out with the accident and the stranger saving Margaret's life. It was a good exciting start...then it switched to a mob type man...George McLaughlin's story of his lost love and the seven year old daughter that he hasn't seen since her birth. When it returns to Margaret she seems to just be drifting through life and spending every moment she can with the man who saved her life and is now in a coma. Back and forth it goes between 1985 and 2013. Both stories by themselves would have made an excellent book but together...they are just two stories with no merging.

The Twelve Stones by R.J.Johnson.
4 stars.

Amazon

Twenty two years ago, Alex McCray found the first of the Twelve Stones, a set of powerful artifacts left for Humanity to find and use to save Earth from certain destruction.

Returning to his hometown of Onyx, California, Alex reunites with his father who returns the stone Alex found so many years ago. Their reunion is cut short however after Alex's father is murdered by billionaire industrialist Rupert Kline, a madman who will stop at nothing to collect all twelve stones for himself.

Driven by revenge, Alex McCray vows to bring his father's killer to justice and keep the remaining Twelve Stones out of Kline's hands.

Review

I had this book on my “to read” list for quite some time before I got round to reading it. It was something of a surprise that it only took me four days to read it, and it took me into a genre that I was not really used to, that of fantasy mixed with technological developments.

The stones referred to in the title confer special powers upon their holders. Rupert Kline has had one for centuries, giving him incredible strength, and also a burning desire to acquire all the other eleven. Siobhan, of Irish descent, has also had a stone that allows her to shape shift from insects to dragons. Alex McCray, on the other hand, has only had his since his father gave it back to him, having kept it locked in the safe at home whilst Alex was away. Alex, with a somewhat strange background in terms of the last few years, sees his father murdered by Kline, but survives a death fall himself through the healing power of the stone that his father gave him.

The rest of the book deals with Kline’s attempts to acquire another stone from deep below a Mesa in the American wilderness, and Alex and his friends’ attempts to stop him. There are some great action scenes, some wonderful technology used, and some very creative ideas involved in the plot development. Kline is thoroughly nasty, Alex somewhat mysterious, his friend Scotty quite amusing at times, his former fiancée Emily very intelligent, and Siobhan is just Siobhan! The interplay is good, the scenarios stretch the imagination just a bit, and there is sufficient of a cliff hanger finale for me to want to read the next in this four book series.

Hawkwook by James McGee - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Description
The first historical thriller in the investigator Matthew Hawkwood series, hunter of thieves, spies, and murderers in the streets of Regency London.

The year is 1811, and Bow Street Runner Matthew Hawkwood is ordered by Chief Magistrate James Read to investigate the double murder of a coachman and a naval courier on the Kent Road.

Hawkwood is initially puzzled as to why Read is so concerned by this relatively mundane case, but as his investigation unfolds, another body is discovered and a higher agenda begins to emerge―an attempt by the Emperor Napoleon to bring about a crushing military and psychological blow to Britain, the means of which would bring terror to the seas for years to come . . .

My Review
I found Hawkwood to be an excellent debut. The novel is an adventure tale that has a lot of romance, Intrigue, well-researched history and action. The plot is well-paced, tension filled with a lot of true historical happenings from London highlife and lowlife in the early 1800's. Hawkwood is a very interesting character who is ruthless, mysterious, sexy and one I would like to learn more about. He is a member of the Bowstreet Runners which makes for a very entertaining read. It has a lot of descriptions about the brutal, dark and violent lifestyle during the Napoleonic Wars with spies and lots of military strategy. This book would make a thrilling movie with lots of dynamic characters. I look forward to the next book in the series and recommend this novel to those who love historical adventure books.

Until Thy Wrath be Past by Asa Larsson
3★'s
Rebecka Martinsson series Book #4

From The Book:
the body of a young woman surfaces in the River Torne, in the far north of Sweden. Meanwhile, Rebecka Martinsson is working as a prosecutor in nearby Kiruna. Her sleep has been disturbed by haunting visions of a shadowy, accusing figure. Could the body be connected to the ghostly young woman in her dreams? Joining forces once again with Police Inspector Anna-Maria Mella, Rebecka is drawn into a murder and missing-person investigation that becomes entangled with old rumors of a German supply plane that mysteriously disappeared in 1943. Shame and secrecy shroud the locals' memories of the war, with Sweden's early collaboration with the Nazis still a raw wound. And on the windswept shore of a frozen lake lurks a faceless killer determined to keep the past buried forever beneath half a century's silent ice and snow.

My Thoughts:
This is a mystery novel with a not too complex story line, time shifting from the WWII, to the present day, to the spirit world. Parts of the story are told by the spirit of the young diver left to drown under the ice along with her boyfriend. A word of Warning The story was very interesting...hence the 3 stars...but the author seems to have a penchant to include horrific animal abuse in her stories. some people won't mind. I do. I don't think I'll be reading another one.

Evening Bags and Executions by Dorothy Howell
3 1/2 Stars

Haley Randolph, working for a party-planning firm, finds the owner of the cake company dead. Detective Madison thinks she did it, and Detective Shulman is AWOL, wrapped up in his girlfriend's death. Haley has been set up for failure by a nasty boss, who wants her to fail with planning the Beatles themed party, and she's still mourning her break-up with Ty.

There were a lot of loose ends left loose in this, but I found Haley to be much more likeable than I found her in the previous books. She really didn't lie like she has in the other books - lying mostly to herself and not so much to others. As Shulman's girlfriend's death was left semi-unresolved, I'm guessing it will appear in the next book (which is at my public library . . . and I can't there until Wednesday.)

Just want to thank you all for making my TBR mountain grow into a full-fledged mountain range . . .

Term Limits by Vince Flynn
Series
3 ★s

A rather fun thriller for me, as I haven't read one in a while. It was especially interesting due to our current crop of self-serving crooked politicians, which many folks would prefer to lose. The basics of the story is that a group of terrorists/assassins are setting term limits upon some of the most corrupt of Washington's career politicians/crooks in a very final manner. The president and his extremely pushy chief of staff were trying to pass another unbalanced budget, and they needed every vote they could find. On the eve of the vote, three crucial members of Congress were murdered. A younger freshman representative thought he knew the perpetrator/s. FBI, CIA, and Special Forces join forces to bring resolution to this crisis, as even more assassinations occur. It took me a bit to get involved in the story. The lines get crossed between good and bad. Interesting story, even if I had to stretch my bounds of believability.

>27 Hope_H: Ah, Hope...you might want to move to the left a little bit. That stacks starting to make rumbling noises.

>28 Raspberrymocha: One way to win crucial votes!

The Fall by John Lescroart
Dismas Hardy series Book #16
4.5★'s

From The Book:
Late one night, a seventeen-year-old African American foster child Tanya Morgan falls from the overpass above San Francisco’s Stockton tunnel, landing on the windshield of a car driving on the street below. She is killed instantly. But did she fall...or was she pushed?

My Thoughts:
Rebecca is the star of the show, as she struggles to put together a defense, and then learns the ropes of presenting that defense in Court. The court room scenes are well done and you find that you are becoming frustrated with the justice system and the way it works. The narrative is dynamic and interesting alternating among the different characters and their particular perspective about the case. I thought how it was going to resolve and I was wrong about my early assessment but not disappointment by the outcome. I highly recommend this series for all court room drama buffs.

Spells and Scones by Bailey Cates
#6 Magical Bakery Mystery
3 ★s

Katie Lightfoote owns the Honeybee Bakery in Savannah, Georgia, along with her Aunt Lucy and Uncle Ben. Katie and her aunt are also witches, having a Spellbook Club (informal coven) which meets at the bakery. The Honeybee catered a book signing at the bookstore next to the bakery. A well-known self-help and relationship expert was on the start of her book signing tour. However, the author was heckled and called a fraud by several people in the audience, including a non-practicing witch whose marriage broke up after she followed the author's advice. After the book signing, the author is found dead in the bookshop. Katie has to find out who the killer is for several good reasons.

I always enjoy this series. However, this is not the best entry, as the plot seemed awfully thin. There were a few interesting twists and turns which kept me reading. I did have a problem with the actions of several of the secondary characters, which seemed very out of character in their behavior. That bothered me a lot. This book seems more like a bridge between the last book of the series and whatever new book may be in the works. It was a a cute read, but nothing terribly earth shattering.

The Passenger by Lisa Lutz
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Tanya's husband Frank lies dead at the bottom of the steps. She makes a phone call - demanding money and a new identity. She swears she didn't kill him. Driving to Austin, our protagonist is now Amelia, and meets up with Blue, another woman on the run, who drags Amelia into her drama, but also gives her advice. We know there is more to Amelia's story, as we read her emails from someone who knew her before she was Tanya. As her crimes become more public and others begin to connect the dots that make up her past, Tanya/Amelia must decide which lines she can cross and which ones she cannot.

Suspenseful, with a satisfying ending. A few spots were slow-moving, but over all, an excellent read!

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
4 stars

from my library's catalog: In the quiet village of King's Abbot a widow's suicide has stirred suspicion and gossip. There are rumors that she murdered her first husband, that she was being blackmailed, and that her secret lover was Roger Ackroyd, who was stabbed to death in his study. And there are rumors that his neighbor, Hercule Poirot, doesn't have a clue.

my thoughts: I really enjoyed this Christie novel. I liked the shift in point of view. The entire story was told through the point of an outsider to Hercule Poirot's world. This meant that you were privy to all of the facts of the case but only got tidbits here and there of Poirot's determinations of those facts. I also really liked the reason revealed about why this point of view was chosen.

#33 I too enjoyed The Passenger by Lisa Lutz very much.

Mariana by Susanna Kearlsey
5★'s

From The Book
The first time Julia Beckett saw Greywethers she was only five, but she knew at once that it was her house. Now, twenty-five years later, by some strange chance, she has just become the new owner of the sixteenth-century Wilshire farmhouse. But Julia soon begins to suspect that more than coincidence has brought her there. As if Greywethers were a portal between worlds, she finds herself abruptly transported back in time. Stepping into seventeenth-century England, Julia becomes Mariana, a beautiful young woman struggling against danger and treachery, and battling a forbidden love for Richard de Mornay, handsome forebear of the present squire of Crofton Hall. Each time Julia travels back, she becomes more enthralled with the past, falling ever deeper in love with Richard...until one day she realizes Mariana's life threatens to eclipse her own--and that she must find a way to lay the past to rest, or risk losing a chance for love in her own time.

My Thoughts:
This was such an intrigue book from start to finish. The small town life that Julia acquired when she bought Greywethers and the townspeople were among my favorite parts but my absolutely and undoubtedly favorite part was the time travel. 300 years before it had been the home of a young woman named Mariana. Julia, unwillingly at first begins to experience a series of time regression events at which time she realizes that she is Mariana. Julia begins to eagerly welcome these time trips as she is anxious to know more about Mariana and the events in her life . As the past unfolds it Julia sees Mariana's romance with a neighboring aristocrat, Richard. When Julia learns what happened to Mariana and Richard, she realizes that in order to close the circle, find happiness for herself and closure for Mariana, she must find the present-day man who embodies Richard just as she embodies Mariana. It's not a gooey romance but it is a delightful tale of an old house retaining the passions of past events with just a smidgen of the supernatural.

>35 pollux: Lutz is a "new-to-me" author. I am already itching to buy everything else she's written! Trying to convince myself to check the local library first.

The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer
4★'s

From the Book:
"Six minutes from now, one of us would be dead. None of us knew it was coming."

So says Wes Holloway, a young presidential aide, about the day he put Ron Boyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the president's limousine. By the trip's end, a crazed assassin would permanently disfigure Wes and kill Boyle. Now, eight years later, Boyle has been spotted alive. Trying to figure out what really happened takes Wes back into disturbing secrets buried in Freemason history, a decade-old presidential crossword puzzle, and a two-hundred-year-old code invented by Thomas Jefferson that conceals secrets worth dying for.

My Thoughts:

I loved the story line and will say that I had given the book a 4.5 star rating with the expectation of a perfect 5...until... It had exciting action at every turn. A story with characters that you could love and trust in one chapter and hate and distrust before the next page. Everyone could have been the good guy and everyone could have been the bad guy. So what happened? An ending that went on and on and on and then an epilogue that was about ten minutes longer than it needed to be. Just didn't have the punch that the first 114 chapters had, not to mention that we never really found out what the tie in was with the Masons. That being said...it was an enjoyable book. I loved Brad Meltzer's television series, "History Decoded" so I will certainly read another of his future books.

>38 Carol420: Couldn't agree more. I was on track for a 5 but for all the reasons you stated it slipped off this track right at the very end.

The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer - 4 stars
Book Description
Brad Meltzer's #1 New York Times bestseller featuring a two-hundred-year-old code devised by Thomas Jefferson and a present-day conspiracy at the highest level of power .

"Six minutes from now, one of us would be dead. None of us knew it was coming."

So says Wes Holloway, a young presidential aide, about the day he put Ron Boyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the president's limousine. By the trip's end, a crazed assassin would permanently disfigure Wes and kill Boyle. Now, eight years later, Boyle has been spotted alive. Trying to figure out what really happened takes Wes back into disturbing secrets buried in Freemason history, a decade-old presidential crossword puzzle, and a two-hundred-year-old code invented by Thomas Jefferson that conceals secrets worth dying for.

My Review
This was my first Brad Meltzer book. All in all, it was a very good read but I was disappointed as I expected a lot more information about Thomas Jefferson and the Masons. There was some tie-in to the story but not as much as I expected. I did enjoy the characters and the plot was very interesting. I had to read slowly at times because things seemed a little confusing and more concentration was needed. There were quite a few twists and turns and a surprise towards the end but the ending was a little drawn out. These complaints will not deter me, however, from reading another of Meltzer's books because I did enjoy his writing. I would recommend this book if you enjoy reading about presidents, FBI, CIA and the secret service.

Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder by Shamini Flint
4.5★'s

From the Book:
The portly, methodical Inspector Singh is a thorn in the side of his bosses on the Singapore police department, so they send him off to Malaysia to monitor the trial of Chelsea Liew, a Singaporean beauty queen accused of killing her abusive millionaire ex-husband. The plot, revolving around the difference between secular and Islamic custody laws, is unexpectedly intricate and surprising. But the keenest pleasures of this book center on Inspector Singh, and his attempts to see justice served while somehow maneuvering around his excessively zealous sergeant, keeping his white sneakers clean, and scoring the occasional tasty snack.

My Thoughts:
I really liked this book and will plan to read the remainder of the series. The story had everything a good murder mystery novel should have....very well written...many interesting characters... many suspects with good motives to have committed murder, and it brought focus on the destruction of the Borneo rainforest...and don't even get me started on that topic. I couldn't figure out who the killer was and that is always a good thing for me as it encourages me to use the old gray cells. Overall an excellent book and the beginning of a promising series.

Direct Hit The Blitz Detective #1 by Mike Hollow - ★★★★★
Book Description
The jagged blast of high explosives rips through the evening air. In the sky over East London the searchlights criss-cross in search of the enemy.

On the first night of the Blitz, a corpse is discovered in a van in the back streets of West Ham. Detective Inspector John Jago recognizes the dead man as local Justice of the Peace Charles Villiers. But then a German bomb obliterates all evidence.

Villiers, not a popular man, was both powerful and feared. As the sirens wail, the detective must start matching motive to opportunity and it doesn't help when his boss foists an intrusive American journalist on him.

Jago soon discovers the dead man held many secrets, some reaching back to World War I. A lot of people wished Villiers dead and an air raid is a good time to conceal a murder.

My Review
Direct Hit was a very interesting read about the World War II Blitz over East London. The book reminded me of Foyle's War in many ways. The reader can feel the impact on the characters' lives as the raids continue night after night. To solve a murder mystery when the body is destroyed in a bombing is an impossible task for Detective Inspector Jago but in the end he manages to do so. This book is sure to satisfy anyone who likes police procedurals with a captivating plot, realistic characters and setting. There was a surprise at the end of the book which may develop into a romance for Jago and I look forward to reading book 2 in order to see how this develops.

Smooth Operator by Stuart Woods
Teddy Fay series Book # 1
4.5★'s

From The Book:
When President Kate Lee calls Stone Barrington to Washington on an urgent matter, it’s soon clear that a potentially disastrous situation requires the kind of help more delicate than even he can provide... and he knows just the right man for the job. Teddy Fay: ex-CIA, master of disguise, and a gentleman not known for abiding by legal niceties in the pursuit of his own brand of justice.

My Thoughts:
Teddy Fay is one of the most fascinating characters that Stuart Woods has ever imagined. He has appeared at some point in all of the Stone Barrington, Holly Barker, Will Lee and Ed Eagle books and brought a touch of adventure, excitement and intrigue to what was already a good story. Teddy rides the fence between being a good guy and a bad guy...dispensing, when called upon...his own brand of justice. I thought from the very first time I met him in a Stone Barrington book that this character should have his very own series. If Teddy's book #1 is any indication Mr. Woods has an automatic hit on his hands. I just hope that he will continue along the lines that he has written in Smooth Operator and doesn't feel that it is necessary to turn this amazingly wonderful character into a sex crazed manic as he has some of his others. I will have to say that he has toned down the hormones in his other characters in the last couple of books. Great beginning Mr. Woods and thank you.

Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong
Cainsville series Book #4
3.5★'s

From The Book:
When Olivia's life exploded--after she found out she was not the adopted child of a privileged Chicago family but of a notorious pair of convicted serial killers--she found a refuge in the secluded but oddly welcoming town of Cainsville, Illinois. Working with Gabriel Walsh, a fiendishly successful criminal lawyer with links to the town, she discovered the truth about her parents' crimes in an investigation that also revealed the darker forces at work in the place that had offered her a haven. As if that wasn't enough, she also found out that she, Gabriel and her biker boyfriend Ricky were not caught in an ordinary sort of love triangle, but were hereditary actors in an ancient drama in which the elders of Cainsville and the mysterious Huntsmen who opposed them had a huge stake. Now someone is killing street kids in the city, and the police have tied Ricky to the crimes. Setting out with Gabriel's help to clear Ricky's name, Olivia once again finds her own life at risk. Soon the three are tangled in a web of betrayals that threatens their uneasy equilibrium and is pushing them toward a hard choice: either they fulfill their destinies by trusting each other and staying true to their real bonds, or they succumb to the extraordinary forces trying to win an eternal war by tearing them apart.

My Thoughts:
I couldn't really get into this one as it was a great deal like reading book 2 with some slight character and plot changes. Rick needs to go wherever unnecessary people in Cainsville go. He's a slick, snarky character and the story would read better without him. In all fairness to Rick... he did do the "right thing" in the end and he might have come off in a better light if the plot hadn't been so weak. It's not a bad series it's just becoming repetitive. It got the 3.5 rating because the new myth was very good even if the plot in this one was a bit on the silly side.

Deep Dark by Laura Griffin
Tracer series Book #10
3.5★'s

From The Book:
The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it. As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

My Thoughts:
It was an excellent murder/crime novel with some outstanding characters. It seemed that the "romance" element was inserted as an afterthought and really did nothing for the story other than that it was there. Fortunately for me...it didn't distract from the story either. People that like or need a little romance in their reading will like it...those that don't can tolerate it. As for the plot...it's doesn't make a lot of sense to start with but it does come together in the end. It will give you second thoughts about using dating sites or any social media for that matter. There is also a lot of geeky computer language but you don't need a Phd to understand it or just skip over it. I wouldn't make this a part of my "must read" list but once in awhile is okay.

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Fifth Column The Blitz Detective #2 by Mike Hollow - ★★★★★
Book Description
Detective Inspector Jago investigates, uncovering deception and betrayal
At first glance, the young woman found in the early hours of the morning where bombs have landed is just another casualty of the previous night's air raid. But when the post-mortem shows signs of strangulation, Detective Inspector Jago is called on to investigate.

The dead woman is smartly dressed but carries no identification. However, a local engineering company reports a staff member has failed to appear at work that morning and the body is quickly identified as that of Miss Mary Watkins.

DI Jago's initial interviews yield little fruit; no one can think of a reason why Mary would be murdered. But as the investigation continues DI Jago begins to uncover a trail of deception and betrayal.

My Review
This is the 2nd book in Mike Hollow's Blitz Detective series. I read the first book, Direct Hit, right before reading this one. The main characters were expanded upon and a few new characters added to the enjoyment of the book. I love the time period of the 1940's World War II and the author does a great job allowing the reader to feel and experience the blitz and what it's like for Detective Inspector Jago to try to solve a murder mystery in the midst of dead bodies from the bombing. I thought I had solved the mystery but there was an unexpected twist at the end that was a total surprise. I look forward to reading the 3rd book and highly recommend this series to those who love historical mystery page-turners.

Blind Alley by Iris Johansen
2.5 stars

from my library's catalog: A forensic sculptor is locked in a deadly duel with a serial killer determined to destroy her--one life at a time. Eve Duncan's job is to put a face on the faceless victims of violent crimes. Her work not only comforts their survivors--but helps catch their killers. But there is another, more personal reason that Eve Duncan is driven to do the kind of work she does--a dark nightmare from a past she can never bury. And as she works on the skull of a newly discovered victim, that past is about to return all over again. The victim is a Jane Doe found murdered, her face erased beyond recognition. But whoever killed her wasn't just trying to hide her identity. The plan was far more horrifying. For as the face forms under Eve's skilled hands, she is about to get the shock of her life. The victim is someone she knows all too well. Someone who isn't dead. Yet. Instantly Eve's peaceful life is shattered. The sanctuary of the lakeside cottage she shares with Atlanta detective Joe Quinn and their adopted daughter Jane has been invaded by a killer who's sent the grimmest of threats: the face of his next victim. To stop him, Eve must put her own life in the balance and question everything and everyone she trusts. Not even Quinn can go where Eve must go this time. As the trail of faceless bodies leads to a chilling revelation, Eve finds herself trying to catch a master murderer whose grisly work is a testament to a mind warped by perversion and revenge. Now she must pit her skills against his in a showdown where the stakes are life itself--and where the unbearable cost of failure will make Eve's own murder seem like a mercy killing.

my thoughts: I was not too impressed with my first episode in the Eve Duncan series. I wasn't interested in the characters at all. The main character in this story was Eve's ward, Jane. She was a whiny teenager who kept putting herself in idiotic situations because she couldn't bear to be "left out". I spent most of the story wanting to smack her. Trevor wasn't much better as he couldn't seem to decide if he was going to be a pedophile or not. The plot at times got ridiculous. Might try another in the series, but it will be a while.

>46 EadieB: - I have a zillion books on my TBR but I'm going to add these anyway.

Want You Dead by Peter James - 4.5 Stars

Want You Dead is the tenth book in author Peter James’ Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series. Very attractive, but unlucky in love, Red Westwood is getting over her last breakup but she's met a wonderful guy. They are planning to meet for dinner when he stands her up. No notice, no phone call, nothing. Before long the police arrive to tell her he's been found dead, apparently a suicide where he's burned himself to death. Of course, the reader soon realizes that he didn't kill himself. He was killed by a handsome psychopath named Bruce Laurent who adores Red and won't allow anyone else to have her.

Meanwhile, Roy and Cleo are planning their wedding while dealing with their newborn son, four month old Noah. There have been drastic changes for Glenn Branson, Roy's second in command. I like a book where the reader knows from the very beginning who is committing the crimes and why. We see it all play out knowing what's coming and wondering if the good guys will get there in time. This book was a bit dark but if you love a good drama, and a villain you just love to hate, and can’t wait for him to be brought to justice, this is a book for you. I listed to this in audio and was completely mesmerized.

Want You Dead was a great book by an author who knows how to deliver a great plot, interesting characters, and a tension filled story. If you are already a Roy Grace fan, you will definitely want to read this one. I usually prefer to read a series in order but this is one that can easily be read out of order. I still recommend reading the first book of the series, Dead Simple, because it's such a great introduction to the various characters and a recurring plot line that appears in all the books.

You Are Dead by Peter James - 5 Stars

This book begins when we meet Logan, a young woman talking on her cell phone while driving into her apartment’s parking garage. Before her cell phone goes dead she screams and tells her boyfriend there's someone hiding down there. By the time the police arrive, she has disappeared without a trace. Meanwhile construction workers are uncovering a 30 year old skeleton which turns out to b e a woman who disappeared in a similar way. Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his team begin an investigation trying to link the common elements in these missing persons cases, revealing evidence of the abduction and murder of several young women going back decades. One common thread that keeps appearing is a tattoo found on the bodies that reads “U R Dead.”

Taking up right after events that occurred in Want You Dead, the Brighton police team is still in mourning. Roy and his wife, Cleo, are about to move to a new home and he's stressed out that his current case is interfering with plans to assist with the packing and care of their baby son, Noah. Roy is dedicated to this marriage, a new chance at happiness after the disappearance of his first wife, Sandy, years before. That mystery has yet to be solved, and each book in the series provides another clue to what might have happened to Sandy.

This is one of the best mystery series I've ever read. The secondary characters are woven into each new investigation which really enhances the story. If you are already a fan of this series, you won't be disappointed. Unlike many long running series, this series is still going strong. You Are Dead is one of the best in the series. I can't wait to read the next one.

The Black Widow by Daniel Silva - 5 Stars and 💕

The Black Widow is the sixteenth novel by Daniel Silva featuring Gabriel Allon, an Israeli spy and art restorer. He has an incredible backstory which would be too cumbersome to explain at this point in the series. The Black Widow refers to the wives of radicalized Islamic extremists who have sacrificed themselves for the jihad. In his forward the author tells us he finished writing The Black Widow before the Paris attacks and considered pulling his completed book after the devastating terror attack that took place recently in Nice.

The story beings in Paris where ISIS has detonated a massive bomb that kills hundreds including an old friend of Gabriel's. Surprisingly the French government uses a subtle form of blackmail to convince the Israeli spy agency to help them find Saladin, the alleged mastermind. Gabriel believes the only way he can find this man is to infiltrate ISIS. He recruits Natalie Mizrahi, a French-born doctor of Algerian-Jewish descent, who takes on a high-risk deep cover operation pretending to be the widow of a dead jihadist. In a surprising twist, Natalie becomes the real star of the book and Gabriel more of a supporting player.

No other author can write the kind of sophisticated and literate spy thrillers that Daniel Silva is a master of. Once again he has delivered a stunningly brilliant and timely plot. If you are already a fan of his books you will be thrilled when you read this one. I look forward to the changes that are coming for Gabriel but I have no doubt the author is committed to keeping this franchise alive and fresh. This is my favorite book of 2016 at this point.

Unreasonable Doubt by Vicki Delany - 4.5 Stars

Walt Desmond has been in prison for twenty-five years, convicted of the sexual assault and brutal murder of Sophia D'Angelo. A recent appeal has resulted in his conviction being overturned when it's proven the Trafalgar City Police Department seemed to be setting him up. Walt decides to return to Trafalgar and look for answers on what happened and why the police targeted him. Some residents don't believe he is innocent and even the Police Department is divided into two sides of the fight. Many of the townspeople, including some cops and former cops, and the family of the victim, think he is guilty. When someone starts attacking woman in town, Walt is considered the main suspect.

Sergeant John Winters and Constable Molly Smith realize, if Walter isn't guilty, someone else has gotten away with murder, so they open up the investigation. One of the investigating officers is dead now, either from an accident or suicide. The other lives alone and isn’t talking. The investigation also starts to reveal some discrepancies in the perception of Sophia, who might not be the quiet, obedient young woman her family and friends described.

I've been reading this series over the past few months and it's gotten better and better. This is my favorite of the entire series. The author does a great job of making the characters realistic and relatable. The secondary characters really add dimension and personality to each book. I love the city of Trafalgar and all its citizens. Unreasonable Doubt is a thought-provoking, powerful mystery and I can't wait for another to be published.

>49 Olivermagnus: Great you had two more good Roy Grace books. Also Daniel Silva. I'm looking forward to Love You Dead in October. Seems you haven't been idol during the time you were gone:)

The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen
Windermere and Stevens series Book #1
5★'s

From The Book:
Four friends, caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it’s no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise works like a charm—until they kidnap the wrong man.
Now two groups are after them—the law, in the form of veteran state investigator Kirk Stevens and hotshot young FBI agent Carla Windermere, and an organized crime outfit looking for payback. As they crisscross the country in a series of increasingly explosive confrontations, each of them is ultimately forced to recognize the truth: The real professionals, cop or criminal, are those who are willing to sacrifice everything.

My Thoughts:
A really great new author for me that was recommended as my Blind Date With A Book. This whole endeavor started for these four young friends as a game that not one of them took seriously until they just tried it once and found that it worked better than they ever imagined. They were selective...they never asked for huge amounts of ransom...they always released their victim unharmed immediately after the ransom was dropped...they moved from state to state never staying in one place very long...and they didn't even have guns. All went smoothly... until it didn't. Luck was always on their side and then it went horribly wrong and from there continued to spin faster and faster out of control taking them on a ride with catastrophic consequences.

The strange thing is that the author makes you really like these kids. You find yourself wanting them to come out ahead even though you know everything is headed south. The FBI agent, Windermere and the Minnesota detective, Stevens are both dedicated cops that just won't give up. Owen Laukkanen has produced a 5 star first book in this series. I have already asked the library for the other 3 and I hope he is busy writing number 5.

>54 Carol420: - I just got this book but who knows when I'll get to it. Glad to see it looks good.

>53 Carol420: - I did a lot of reading on my trip. My sister and I like to sit by the pool and read. That's why my husband stays home with Oliver. Sitting in the hot sun by the pool and reading is his idea of Hell.

>55 Olivermagnus: If it weren't for Andrew and Sergei I would think it was part of their male genetics. My husband would feel the same way. He would much prefer to stay home with the dog...the cat...a pig...an elephant...anything but a book:) Well not a snake. He's take the book and the hot sun over the snake.

>56 Carol420: You'd have to lump my Daddy in with Andrew and Sergei. A day reading a book by the pool is his dream vacation. Actually we take that vacation every spring. It's just that we have a fishing pole in one hand and a book in the other. Mom is the one who stays home with the cats.

>57 jguidry: I went fishing with my Dad and Granddad one time. I don't like to fish but I wanted to go and take my book and sit in the boat. Everything was fine until a rain came up and no one was going to shore! What was the matter with these two pig-headed Scotsmen??? They said we were going to be just as wet going in as we were sitting there. Never again.

Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters - 4 stars
Book Description
It is the present-day, and the world is as we know it: smartphones, social networking and Happy Meals. Save for one thing: the Civil War never occurred.

A gifted young black man calling himself Victor has struck a bargain with federal law enforcement, working as a bounty hunter for the US Marshall Service. He's got plenty of work. In this version of America, slavery continues in four states called "the Hard Four." On the trail of a runaway known as Jackdaw, Victor arrives in Indianapolis knowing that something isn't right--with the case file, with his work, and with the country itself.

A mystery to himself, Victor suppresses his memories of his childhood on a plantation, and works to infiltrate the local cell of a abolitionist movement called the Underground Airlines. Tracking Jackdaw through the back rooms of churches, empty parking garages, hotels, and medical offices, Victor believes he's hot on the trail. But his strange, increasingly uncanny pursuit is complicated by a boss who won't reveal the extraordinary stakes of Jackdaw's case, as well as by a heartbreaking young woman and her child who may be Victor's salvation. Victor himself may be the biggest obstacle of all--though his true self remains buried, it threatens to surface.

Victor believes himself to be a good man doing bad work, unwilling to give up the freedom he has worked so hard to earn. But in pursuing Jackdaw, Victor discovers secrets at the core of the country's arrangement with the Hard Four, secrets the government will preserve at any cost.

Underground Airlines is a ground-breaking novel, a wickedly imaginative thriller, and a story of an America that is more like our own than we'd like to believe.

My Review
I've read Ben Winters' Last Policeman series and enjoyed it very much. This book was very different and very thought provoking. The premise is that The Civil War never happened and slavery is still in existence. It is very dystopian but very believable as racism and bigotry has not changed much and is not really different than today. I found the characters mostly complex and the unique plot had many unexpected twists. I would recommend this book to those who like alternate historical thrillers.

>58 Carol420: LOL. I'd have hid my book to save it from the water and continued fishing myself.

>60 jguidry: I protected the book at all cost but I had no desire to do any fishing.

>41 Carol420: Not sure I've read a book set in Singapore or Malaysia. Will have to give the series a try given your good review.

>42 EadieB: Sounds very interesting and cannot be a bad thing if it is reminiscent of Foyle's War.

>51 Olivermagnus: A great review. I need to continue with this series but not always easy to locate the earlier books in the series.

>49 Olivermagnus: >53 Carol420: Been waiting ages on the hold list for Love You Dead, now finally next on the list!

>54 Carol420: Yet another author and series that needs exploring!

In the Clearing by Robert Dugoni
Tracy Crosswhite series Book #3
4 ★'s

From The Book:
Detective Tracy Crosswhite has a skill, and a soft spot, for tackling unsolved crimes. Having lost her own sister to murder at a young age, Tracy has dedicated her career to bringing justice and closure to the families and friends of victims of crime.

So when Jenny, a former police academy classmate and protégé, asks Tracy to help solve a cold case that involves the suspicious suicide of a Native American high school girl forty years earlier, Tracy agrees. Following up on evidence Jenny’s detective father collected when he was the investigating deputy, Tracy probes one small town’s memory and finds dark, well-concealed secrets hidden within the community’s fabric. Can Tracy uphold the promise she’s made to the dead girl’s family and deliver the truth of what happened to their daughter? Or will she become the next victim?

My Thoughts:
Most of the book deals with a forty year old cold case involving the apparent suicide of Kimi Kanasket, a Native American teenager in Klickitat County, Washington. The former sheriff who is now deceased...was just a young deputy when he answered the call that Kami hadn't come home from her waitress job. He began to keep a file on the case as he couldn't get the investigating detectives to listen to him that there was something very wrong. He had taken dozens of pictures of the crime scene that showed that there had been several people and a truck in the clearing the night that she was supposed to have jumped into the river and drowned... that said it had not happened this way. Forty years later we find his daughter is now sheriff and she has found her father's file. Since it's a small town and may be considered a conflict of interest she asks Tracy Crosswhite...A Seattle detective to work on the case in her spare time.

What actually happened and who the killer is is fairly obvious early on but the way that Tracy follows the evidence that is brought to light by technology that wasn't available forty years ago is amazing as well as fascinating. Knowing how Tracy Crosswhite works the crime scene and how she digs deep for all the unknowns is what I love about her character. Overall this is a great series and well worth the time to meet Tracy and her friends.

The Demeter Code by Russell Brooks.
4 stars.
My first book by Russell Brooks, given to me free in return for an honest review. It did take me a little while to get into the book as various characters and situations were introduced, some of them quite diverse and disconnected, but their purpose and involvement became clearer as the book progressed. The book has a very complex plot involving various American and worldwide agencies, power hungry businessmen, greedy politicians and members of the armed forces, and bio terrorists led by someone who turns out to have a very interesting background. The book revolves around Ridley Fox, a very special agent, Dr. Nita Parrish, elite soldier and scientist, and Katy Sparks, sacked for doing her job in Afghanistan as an examiner of food supplies for the army; all of them backed up by a computer specialist, Dewan, whose abilities are so important to the flow of the action. There is plenty of action, some of it quite violent and some very frightening if translated into real life - hijacked school children and blackmailed suicide bombers being but two.
Russell Brooks has done a great deal of research ( see his bibliography at the end ) and gives very clear explanations involving biochemical developments and items of weaponry, both of which are vital to the development of the plot. Ridley is quite anarchic, always following his hunches, many of which are correct, but in so doing raising the hackles of those supposedly giving him his orders. Parrish brings her scientific knowledge to bear as well as her physical abilities, and Katy just tries to keep her head down and survive!
It is a rollicking read, a real page turner with a realistic scenario that is frightening in its concept.

Corsair by Clive Cussler
Oregon Files series
3.5 ★s

The Corsairs (Pirates) prowled the Barbary Coast by what is now Libya. Among these was Al Jama, the most ruthless and powerful. Legend has it that he was buried with something that could change the course of humanity. Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon are called upon to search for the US Secretary of State. Her plane was shot down over the Libyan desert by a faction of terrorists associated with the new incarnation of Al Jama. She had been on her way to a peace conference hosted by the Libyans. If she is not found, the whole conference could be for nothing. Meanwhile 4 archeologists are kidnapped while searching for the grave of the original Al Jama.

This story has nonstop action in the manner of the earlier Dirk Pitt novels. I found it a bit dated, due to the referencing of Libyan President for Life Quadafi of Libya. However, even though current threats come from Syria, the terrorist camps and the jihadists are in keeping with today's difficulties. I found that Cussler's thoughts on terrorism to be what many feel and think. All in all a good action packed novel. I particularly enjoyed "The Pig" which was an amazing armored land vehicle straight out of James Bond!

Caught in the Light by Robert Goddard
4★'s

From the Book:
On assignment in Vienna, photographer Ian Jarrett falls desperately in love with a woman he meets by chance, Marian Esguard. Back in England, he breaks up with his wife and goes to meet Marian at an agreed rendezvous. Marian fails to show.

Searching desperately for her, he stumbles on a Dorset churchyard full of the gravestones of dead Esguards. He also meets a psychotherapist, Daphne Sanger. She too is looking for someone: a former patient who has come to believe she is the reincarnation of Marion Esguard, who lived in Regency times and, it emerges, may have invented photography ten years before Fox Talbot. But if so, why is she unknown to history? And where is the woman he met in Vienna? Ian sets out to solve a mystery that may be 170 years old. At the end of his search a trap awaits him.

My Thoughts:
Robert Goodard is an author that can, and will, take a topic and construe the most complex story lines around it. This is what he has done in Caught in the Light. Ian Jarrett is a man processed by "true love"...so much so that he constantly throws good common sense into the wind. I became so frustrated with him at times that I wanted to scream at him to just call the police...or use the invention called the telephone instead of driving all over England searching for a "ghost".

One thing that he has done brilliantly here is blend the past and the present to create a plot that has the reader guessing from page 1 if our "hero" is coming or going. He has also shown how seemingly simple it is for a totally outside force to take control of your life and turn your world on it's ear. This is a novel of love, loss, deception and amateur detection. Part ghost story, part historical mystery. I will say that I was a little disappointed in the ending but there was so much more of the rest of the book to make up for that.

Forever Gentleman by Roland Colton - 4 stars
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Book Description
Intrigue, Romantic Rivalries and Mistaken Identities Abound in This Engrossing Victorian Drama.

In a style reminiscent of nineteenth-century authors, "Forever Gentleman" is a sweeping saga of suspense, romance, mystery, and music. Travel back in time and experience Victorian London at its best and worst-a city of beauty and brilliance, and a city steeped in filth and despair. Meet Nathan Sinclair, a struggling young architect and gifted pianist who lives in the two vastly different worlds, mingling in high society while dwelling in suffocating debt and poverty. While performing at a gathering of London's elite, Nathan meets Jocelyn Charlesworth, a breathtakingly beautiful but temperamental celebrity heiress. Although smitten, she publicly humiliates him; their paths will intersect again in a most shocking manner. Meanwhile, Nathan makes the acquaintance of Regina Lancaster, a woman of remarkable inner beauty, despite her pedestrian appearance. He must decide whether to follow his heart and pursue Regina, or flee England altogether to avoid imprisonment from a miserly creditor. In his darkest hour, Nathan is offered a tantalizing proposition that might change everything, but that comes at considerable risk. Nathan must play his role perfectly, or he may lose his reputation, livelihood, and very life to the powerful echelons of Victorian society. Full of unexpected twists and turns, the book races towards a thrilling climax that will determine Nathan's ultimate destiny.

My Review
I love the Victorian period of London history and Forever Gentleman had plenty of details from that era. I especially enjoyed the character of Nathan Sinclair who seemed to be a down-to-earth talented classical pianist. The author allows us to feel everything Nathan is going through as he experiences the life of high society while living in debt and poverty. The book is also very rich in historical detail of architecture and classical musical. The story had many twists and turns and held my interest until the very end where we learn what will become of Nathan. I look forward to reading another book from this very talented author and I would highly recommend this book to those who like historical romance novels mixed with mystery.

93. Caught in the Light by Robert Goddard - 445 pages - ****1/2 - 8/23/16
Book Description
On assignment in Vienna, photographer Ian Jarrett falls desperately in love with a woman he meets by chance, Marian Esguard. Back in England, he breaks up with his wife and goes to meet Marian at an agreed rendezvous. Marian fails to show.

Searching desperately for her, he stumbles on a Dorset churchyard full of the gravestones of dead Esguards. He also meets a psychotherapist, Daphne Sanger. She too is looking for someone: a former patient who has come to believe she is the reincarnation of Marion Esguard, who lived in Regency times and, it emerges, may have invented photography ten years before Fox Talbot. But if so, why is she unknown to history? And where is the woman he met in Vienna?

Ian sets out to solve a mystery that may be 170 years old. At the end of his search a trap awaits him. There is a twist at the end of Caught in the Light that is Robert Goddard's most cunning to date.

My Review
I love Goddard's writing and found this book to be rather unique. I think this one was very different from his other books because it seemed like a supernatural/ghost-like plot and he doesn't usually tell that type of story. He also kept us guessing until the last page. I read this with a discussion group and I looked forward to reading each and every section as I was very curious what was really going on. I now look forward to my next Goddard book as I can't get enough of his storytelling. I highly recommend this book to those who love historical mystery thrillers.

The Stranger You Know by Jame Casey
Maeve Kerrigan series Book #4
2★'s

From The Book:
He meets women. He gains their trust. He kills them. That's all London police detective Maeve Kerrigan knows about the man she is hunting. Three women have been strangled in their homes, and it appears to be the work of the same sadistic killer. With no sign of break-ins, every indication shows that the women let their attacker in willingly. The victims' neighbors and friends don't seem to remember anything unusual or suspicious, and Maeve is almost at a loss about how to move forward with the investigation.

Then the evidence starts to point to a shocking suspect: DCI Josh Derwent, Maeve's partner on the police force. Maeve refuses to believe he could be involved, but how well does she really know him? Secrets Derwent has long kept locked away are coming back to haunt him, and the more Maeve learns about her partner's past, the more difficult it is to dismiss him as a suspect. After all, this is hardly the first time Derwent's been accused of murder.

My Thoughts:
This is supposed to be a mystery??? The only mystery I could see is where was the mystery? In the opening pages a woman is found dead in the trunk of a car. Maeve and her partner, Josh Derwent , are called to the scene. Derwent must think he is the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes and obviously likes himself a great deal and thinks every word out of his mouth is funny and absolutely the gospel. The entire police force including the commander is dirty. Not a single one that you could say you like even a little. We learned of Maeve's past cases...hope she did more investigating on those and we learned more than we needed to know about her sex life. I guess the woman is still in the trunk but I won't be reading any more to find out.

The Venice Conspiracy by Jon Trace
#1 in the Tom Shaman Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This book had all the components I Like - historical backdrop, future action based on the historical dimension and a likeable main character. However, despite this I felt let down by it for some reason, in essence it just did not hold my interest or excite me enough. I think this is possibly because through most of the book we had alternating chapters set in the here and now, along with one set in the past. As a result it never built up the pace and tension until the end where it focused on the real time threat solely. In my humble opinion it would have been better to have bigger sections in each timeframe. However I enjoyed my previous book written under the pseudonym of Sam Christer, so will continue to pick up books by him and see if they improve.

>74 Carol420: I hate books which waste my life like that. Unfortunately, there must be enough OCD in me that I generally feel compelled to finish a book, no matter how poorly written.

>76 Raspberrymocha: I finished the book but nearly quit in the middle. I mainly wanted to see if it improved.

>76 Raspberrymocha: I'm the same way RM. If I start a book, I have to finish it. I might finish it years later, but I finish it.

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
3.5 stars

from my library's catalog: First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond... then came the suicide that was murder... the mystery of the absurdly cheap flat... a suspicious death in a locked gun room... a milliondollar bond robbery... the curse of a pharaoh's tomb... a jewel robbery by the sea... the abduction of a prime minister... the disappearance of a banker... a phone call from a dying man... and, finally, the mystery of the missing will... What links these fascinating cases? Only the brilliant deductive powers of Hercule Poirot!

my thoughts: A short story collection starring Hercule Poirot. As with any anthology, some stories were good, some not so good. Overall, I enjoyed the collection. It was hard to read some of the racist remarks throughout the stories, though. It is difficult to separate the time period the stories were written from my modern belief systems.

The Sixth Idea by P.J. Tracy - 4 stars
Book Description
The Monkeewrench crew returns in a twisty, heart-stopping new thriller.

The peaceful Christmas season in Minneapolis is shattered when two friends, Chuck Spencer and Wally Luntz, scheduled to meet in person for the first time, are murdered on the same night, two hours and several miles apart, dramatically concluding winter vacation for homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth.
An hour north of Minneapolis, Lydia Ascher comes home to find two dead men in her basement. When Leo and Gino discover her connection to their current cases, they suspect that she is a target, too. The same day, an elderly, terminally ill man is kidnapped from his home, an Alzheimer’s patient goes missing from his care facility, and a baffling link among all the crimes emerges.
This series of inexplicable events sends the detectives sixty years into the past to search for answers—and straight to Grace MacBride’s Monkeewrench, a group of eccentric computer geniuses who devote their time and resources to helping the cops solve the unsolvable. What they find is an unimaginable horror—a dormant Armageddon that might be activated at any moment unless Grace and her partners Annie, Roadrunner, and Harley Davidson, along with Leo and Gino, can find a way to stop it.

My Review
This is the 7th book in the Monkeewrench series. It's a good idea to start at the beginning of the series as the best thing about these books is the interaction between the characters and you actually can watch their friendships grow. I found the plot which centered around the hydrogen bomb and EMP (electromagnetic pulse) an interesting but frightening subject. The book is suspenseful and kept the pages turning until the end. A surprise ending leaves one hoping for the next book to be published soon. I hope the P.J. Tracy mother/daughter team can pick up the pace of their writing. It was too long between this book and the last. I highly recommend this series to those who love mystery thrillers.

>80 EadieB: - I'm looking forward to this one.

The Templar Prophecy by Mario Reading.
4 stars.
My favourite genre includes artefacts from the past being brought into the modern world. In many cases this involves a search following the discovery of clues as to the whereabouts of the artefact, but in this book we actually know where the artefact is almost from the first page. The artefact in question is the lance supposedly thrust into the side of Jesus at his crucifixion, and which has been in the possession of the Van Hartelius family since the death of Frederick Barbarossa. John Hart, his name anglicised by an American GI who discovered Hart's father crawling from the wreckage of a Fiesler Storch in which his parents died whilst on a mission for Adolf Hitler, is now the rightful keeper of the lance, but does not have any idea that this is the case. The reason for this is that he did not know his father, even though he bore the same name, because his father had left his mother before the younger John had any chance to get to know him. The lance had then been kept by his father who is crucified so that other interested parties can gain control of it.
The younger Hart, a news photographer, sets out to try to find out why his father, and two others close to his father, were murdered. It is this story and his adventures in Germany that make up the bulk of this entertaining story. His long-time and long-suffering girlfriend, a well known journalist becomes involved as John meets up with a gorgeous sexy lady German industrialist who thinks that he is actually a Baron, a fact confirmed by the delightful old lady with whom John lodges.
The plot is quite simple, lust for power and revenge. It does involve some violent right wing thugs very much redolent of certain factions rearing their heads at the present time, and their desire to take control. The characters in the story are well developed and interesting, with their strengths and failings accounted for from their families and backgrounds. There is plenty of action, even though Hart is not your typical hero - he is capable and quite strong, but some of his decision making is questionable, and he really is quite gullible. Having said that, he is an appealing character whom you want to succeed despite his failings. The scenarios are all believable, and the part played by what you might describe as ordinary citizens is welcome and helps with the believability of the story. Good stuff - I look forward to seeing how the series develops.

>82 Alan1946: An excellent review Alan, this is a series I keep looking at. Earlier this year I read The Nostradamus Prophecies by Mario Reading and enjoyed that. I think this will be a series that I will look to get to very soon.

>82 Alan1946:. This sounds like something I need to throw on my TBR mountain. Good review.

The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin
3 stars

From my library's catalog: The first book in a new series, is set in a most extraordinary world and features a most extraordinary sleuth. It is 1836. Europe is modernizing, and the Ottoman Empire must follow suit. But just before the sultan announces sweeping changes, a wave of murders threatens the fragile balance of power in his court. Who is behind them? Only one intelligence agent can be trusted to find out: Yashim Togalu, a man both brilliant and near-invisible in this world. You see, Yashim is a eunuch. He leads us into the palace's luxurious seraglios and Istanbul's teeming streets, and leans on the wisdom of a dyspeptic Polish ambassador, a transsexual dancer, and a Creole-born queen mother. He finds sweet salvation in the arms of another man's wife (this is not your everyday eunuch). And he introduces us to the Janissaries. For 400 years earlier the sultan had them crushed. Are the Janissaries staging a brutal comeback?

my thoughts: This was a decent historical mystery, but it was lacking in some areas for me. I loved the colorful backdrop that the setting held, but I wish Goodwin would have given more information about the Harem murder. He focused so much on the military murders and running around after Janissaries that he almost forgot to connect the end resolution to the original murder. But, I did like the characters and he gave me a good enough taste of the setting that I'll definitely check out another in the series.

>82 Alan1946: Thanks Alan. Nice review and sounds like something I should add to "The List" which now deserves capital letters:)

Ghost Song by Sarah Rayne
4.5★'s

From The Book:
The old Tarleton music hall is the subject of a mysterious building restriction that has kept it closed for more than 90 years. When Robert Fallon is asked to survey the structure, he finds clues indicating that its long twilight sleep may contain a sinister secret. Joining forces with researcher Hilary Bryant, Robert discovers the legend of the Tarleton's ghost, a mysterious figure that was first glimpsed during the era of Toby Chance, a charismatic performer who vanished suddenly and inexplicably in the early 1900s. After almost a century the Tarleton's dark silence is about to end, but there are those who find its reopening a threatening prospect. As Robert and Hilary delve into the macabre history, they both become menaced by the secrets of the past.

My Thoughts:
Loved the whole idea behind this book. The ghost was always there but you were never really allowed to see it...it just lurked in the shadows and waited. The old theater and the people that populated it in it's heyday in 1914 to the people that were curious about the legends and the stories that surrounded it in the present were more than intriguing. The story has several twists and turns as it takes the reader through the decades but it never allows the reader to guess the ending. Highly recommend this to all historical buffs...paranormal enthusiasts and anyone that just wants to brave a dark and stormy night with a shivery tale.

The Templar Inheritance by Mario Reading.
(John Hart Series Number 2)
4 stars
Full of surprises. Having read the first book of the series in which John Hart became something of a hero across the world, the first surprise was that he was back in the war torn Middle East working again as a photo-journalist, and again in great danger. The second surprise was that the majority of the book was taken up with the story of the first Johannes Von Hartelius, Knight Templar of the 12th century. The interplay of the two stories is very interesting, although John Hart is still easily led astray by his forbear's writings. Some of the writing is a little reminiscent of the historical stories from Wilbur Smith ( not a bad comparison!) I think one of the most appealing facets of the story is the level of honour shown by a number of characters - yes, there are a number of less pleasant characters, but they are overshadowed by the good that is displayed by others.
I think this second in the series is the better so far, and am looking forward to the third instalment.

>88 Alan1946: Nice Review. What is the first book in this series? I wish there were a simple way to check out series here on LT... I miss being able to do that...

>89 Raspberrymocha: There usually is but... The Templar Inheritance book page does not seem to have the series link. For an example, look at post >85 jguidry: and click the book link there. Under the title on the subsequent book page, you will find links for Other authors and Series.

I'm too new here to advise anyone on how to ask for book data to be updated but I'm sure there is a protocol for that somewhere...

HTH!

>89 Raspberrymocha: Raspberrymocha The first book is The Templar Prophecy . I use Fantastic Fiction to locate series and reading order where necessary.

>91 Alan1946: >89 Raspberrymocha: Great minds think alike, Alan:) I was just going to tell her to use Fantastic Fiction. I use it for everything...great site. Here's the link....and be sure to tell it that you are in the U.S. Books are released on different dates sometimes.

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/

The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves
Vera Stanhope series Book #5
4★'s

From The Book:
DI Vera Stanhope is not one to make friends easily, but her hippy neighbors keep her well-supplied in home-brew and conversation so she has more tolerance for them than most. When one of them goes missing she feels duty-bound to find out what happened. But her path leads her to more than just a missing friend.

My Thoughts:
I first met Vera Stanhope in the television series, 'Vera', played by Brenda Blethyn. I love this series and the Vera character that Ann Cleeves and the television producers created. It's difficult to put Brenda Blethyn's persona with the Vera character of the book. While Brenda isn't fashion model trim...she's not fat, overbearing, and sometimes bull headed as the book Vera is. Frankly if I hadn't seen the TV series I probably would have really disliked what the series began from. I just keep this Brenda "Vera" in mind when reading the books. The cases and the mysteries are the same high quality begging to be solved as only Vera Stanhope...TV or book...and her team can.

I don't believe that this book showed as much investigation as the others. A lot of time was spent interviewing suspects and seemed to be going over and over the same material. But it seems that no case is too much for our Vera. Vera does not waste time with petty issues. She looks for the clues, builds her case, and goes in for the capture. The ending seemed a little off to me after Ann Cleeves spent much of the book with character development. We didn't really learn the "HOW' that lead Vera and her team to the killer or even "HOW" they came to be where they were. It was Vera and I do love the character so I gave it a 4 instead of a 3.5.

Love You Dead by Peter James
#12 in the Roy Grace Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yet another excellent episode in this series with plenty going on. What I like about this series is seeing the police investigation (and the team meetings) as well as parts being written from the perspective of the person committing the crimes. If I was to be ultra picky I missed the r gulag briefings with Roy and his team (one of the best features) as there were not as many in this book, especially in the first half. However this was more than made up for by all t he events in the book around the case and events in Roy's personal life. Things may never be the same again for Roy!

I need Peter James to write quicker as I am now out of books to read in this series. If you have not read them I thoroughly recommend them and don't just base your thoughts on book 1 as they get better and better as the series goes on!

The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves
#5 in the Vera Stanhope Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I feel this is my least favourite of all the many Ann Cleeves books I have read and usually I love her books. However this one felt a bit flat for me and more like an attempt to write an Agatha Christie and it has a feeling of a TVs script. I feel since it became a tv series the characters have changed and the very feel of the books. Vera definitely needs to sort out her team and get rid of Holly as I don't feel she adds to the books and her running confrontation with Joe grates with me. Hopefully Ann will be back on top form with the next book. However don't let this review out you off reading the series as overall it is a very good series.

The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves - 352 pages - 4 stars - 8/31/16

Book Description
This is the new novel in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope crime series. DI Vera Stanhope is not one to make friends easily, but her hippy neighbors keep her well-supplied in home brew and conversation so she has more tolerance for them than most. When one of them goes missing she feels duty-bound to find out what happened. But her path leads her to more than a missing friend...It's an easy job to track the young woman down to the Writer's House, a country retreat where aspiring authors gather to workshop and work through their novels. It gets complicated when a body is discovered and Vera's neighbor is found with a knife in her hand. Calling in the team, Vera knows that she should hand the case over to someone else. She's too close to the main suspect. But the investigation is too tempting and she's never been one to follow the rules. There seems to be no motive. No meaning to the crime. Then another body is found, and Vera suspects that someone is playing games with her. Somewhere there is a killer who has taken murder off the page and is making it real...

My Review
This is the 5th book in the Vera Stanhope series. This book was a little off and not as good as the others. I like the fact that Vera delegated in this book, but, I think Ann did that because this book was written for television and the characters had to look like they were all part of solving the mystery. This book was not as suspenseful as some of her others. It almost seemed like Agatha Christie wrote it. One interview after another with a gathering of all the characters at the end for the grand finale of solving the mystery and naming the murderer. I did enjoy the book but her books usually get 5 stars from me but this one was slightly lacking, hence, the 4 stars from me. I do, however, look forward to reading the next in the series and highly recommend reading these books in order.

>90 ScoLgo: In general the answer is: help yourself:
To create a series or add a work to it, go to a "work" page. The "Common Knowledge" section now includes a "Series" field. Enter the name of the series to add the book to it.