September 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.

The Other Child by Joanne Fluke
5★’s

From The Book:
Where Innocence Dies. . .

Expectant parents Karen and Mike Houston are excited about restoring their old rambling Victorian mansion to its former glory. With its endless maze of rooms, hallways, and hiding places, it's a wonderful place for their nine-year-old daughter Leslie to play and explore. Unfortunately, they didn't listen to the stories about the house's dark history. They didn't believe the rumors about the evil that lived there.

. . .The Nightmare Begins.

It begins with a whisper…. a child's voice beckoning from the rose garden…. crying out in the night. It lures little Leslie to a crumbling storm door and down a flight of broken stairs. It calls to their unborn child. It wants something from each of them….something in their very hearts and souls. Tonight, the house will reveal its secret. Tonight, the other child will come out to play.

My Thoughts:
A small boy huddled in the dark. His mother had promised she would never leave him… not in this awful house… not in this evil town. She was dead and gone and he was alone….accidentally trapped in the root cellar with no one to answer his call or hear his final cry. One hundred years later he has found he has company…a playmate… and best of all…a mother. You almost knew from the time the Houston’s bought the old house what was going to happen but you just had to continue reading. In the beginning the little ghost seemed to be friendly and just lonely but it didn’t take very long before you knew that the time he had spent alone dying in the root cellar and calling for is lost mother, had changed him. From that point on the entire family was doomed in their own way and for individual reasons.

I love a good ghost story. I had only been familiar with Joanne Fluke as a cozy mystery writer. The Other Child is a well done mystery/horror/ghost story that is guaranteed to produce mega goose bumps and is anything but cozy. The story reminds me of the works of John Saul who writes some of the best ghostly horror I have ever read. I see she has a few other books in this vein that I will have to check out very soon. I recommend it to all ghost story lovers.

Insidious by Catherine Coulter
FBI series Book #20
3★’s

From The Book:
FBI agents Savich and Sherlock must discover who is trying to murder Venus Rasmussen, a powerful, wealthy society icon. They soon find out that the danger may be closer than expected.

Venus Rasmussen, a powerful woman who runs the international conglomerate Rasmussen Industries, believes someone is poisoning her. After Savich and Sherlock visit with her, someone attempts to shoot her in broad daylight. Who’s trying to kill her and why? A member of her rapacious family, or her grandson who’s been missing for ten years and suddenly reappears? Savich and Sherlock must peel away the layers to uncover the incredible truth about who would target Venus.

Meanwhile, Special Agent Cam Wittier leaves Washington for Los Angeles to work with local Detective Daniel Montoya to lead the hunt for the Starlet Slasher, a serial killer who has cut the throats of five young actresses. When a sixth young actress is murdered, Cam comes to realize the truth might be closer than she’d ever want to believe.

My Thoughts:
I have read this series from the very beginning and always liked agents Sherlock and Savich. I liked their camaraderie and their often times humor in situations that weren’t particularly humorous. This book…? I’d have to say just so..so. I know it’s book 20 but I’ve read other series that had 40 or more books and they have thus far remained fresh and exciting. This one… not so much. To start with there wasn’t much plot and what plot there was really didn’t make a great deal of sense and the motive was left to the reader’s imagination. The dialog that had in the past been humorous was just silly. I’m not sure if I’ll read the next one or not. I know every author has an occasional let down so perhaps this was the case here. I gave it a 3…for old times sake and a sincere hope of better things to come.

The Keeper by John Lescroart
Dismas Hardy Series Book #15
4.5∝'s

From the Book:
On the evening before Thanksgiving, Hal Chase, a guard in the San Francisco County Jail, drives to the airport to pick up his step-brother for the weekend. When they return, Hal’s wife, Katie, has disappeared without a clue.

By the time Dismas Hardy hears about this, Katie has been missing for five days. The case strikes close to home because Katie had been seeing Hardy’s wife, a marriage counselor. By this time, the original Missing Persons case has become a suspected homicide, and Hal is the prime suspect. And the lawyer he wants for his defense is none other than Hardy himself. Hardy calls on his friend, former homicide detective Abe Glitsky, to look into the case. At first it seems like the police might have it right; the Chases’ marriage was fraught with problems; Hal’s alibi is suspect; the life insurance policy on Katie was huge. But Glitsky’s mission is to identify other possible suspects, and there proves to be no shortage of them: Patti Orosco—rich, beautiful, dangerous, and Hal’s former lover; the still unknown person who had a recent affair with Katie; even Hal’s own step-mother Ruth, resentful of Katie’s gatekeeping against her grandchildren. And as Glitsky probes further, he learns of an incident at the San Francisco jail, where Hal works—only one of many questionable inmate deaths that have taken place there. Then, when Katie’s body is found not three blocks from the Chase home, Homicide arrests Hal and he finds himself an inmate in the very jail where he used to work, a place full of secrets he knows all too well. Against this backdrop of conspiracy and corruption, ambiguous motives and suspicious alibis, an obsessed Glitsky closes in on the elusive truth. As other deaths begin to pile up he realizes, perhaps too late, that the next victim might be himself.

My Thoughts:
Most of the story is told from the point of view of former homicide detective Abe Glitsky. Hardy has hired him to find out who killed his client's wife. Glitsky is a retired detective, so he knows what to do and wastes no time in doing it...but runs into road blocks that are doing more harm than good at every turn. Just when he thinks he will never be a "real cop" again the DA needs a new investigator to take over when one of his people is killed. Hardy talks the D.A. into hiring Glitsky so that it will give him back his police authority but still with the imperative to find out the truth. The truth takes many different turns and even though everyone knows what the truth is....a major problem is the truth can't be proven.

About half way through the book I was enjoying the story and was sure that Glitsky and I had it all figured out...but think again. Well done Mr. Lescoart. The story didn't seem to move along very fast in places but it was a excellent read but somewhat lacked t the usual amount of suspense. No court action...which Dismas Hardy is famous for in these books...which was a little disappointing.

The anonymous source by A.C.Fuller.
4 stars.

Amazon description.
Find the source. Break the story. Stay alive.
One year after the 9/11 attacks, Alex Vane - a brilliant, fitness-obsessed reporter for The New York Standard - wants nothing more than to break into the flashy world of TV news. But when he uncovers the scoop of a lifetime, his tightly controlled world is rocked: his editor buries his story, a source turns up dead, and Alex finds himself at the centre of a violent media conspiracy.
As he receives tips from a mysterious source, Alex enlists the help of a captivating professor, Camila Gray. Aided by an Internet genius, a billionaire's sexy widow, and a washed-up sports reporter, Alex and Camila discover a $500-million secret that could derail the largest media merger in history.
It's a secret that unearths dark memories from Alex's past. It's a secret that leads back to the morning of 9/11. And it's a secret that could get them both killed.

Review.

Using one of the greatest attacks upon mainland USA to mask a murder is opportunist in the extreme, but it lies at the heart of this story, and we know who the perpetrator of that crime is from a very early point in the book. Alex Vane receives mysterious phone calls that point towards the innocence of a young man accused of murder, but has to put the pieces together against a backdrop of conspiracy reaching to very high corporate levels.

Alex comes across as very well intentioned, but in need of considerable help from others. This he gets from Camila Gray who is a most complex character, his workmate and computer genius, James Stacy, as well as Sonia, the wife of the elderly industrialist apparently the victim of the collapse of The Marriott in the aftermath of the Twin Towers, and Sadie, a freedom of the internet fighter who at one stage is really antagonistic towards Alex.

There is a somewhat unusual killer on the loose, and how he manages to have evaded people over the years is quite surprising, given his rather unique appearance.

The pace is quite fast, with scenarios in New York, Hawaii and Des Moines, the last of which is Camila’s home and is worth a mention as some of the writing dealing with people’s feelings and their relationships, is very thoughtful and adds greatly to the story. Most of the characters have backgrounds which the author uses well to show why they think and act as they do.

All in all a very good story, and, although we are not told who the anonymous source is, there are enough clues to indicate his identity, also bearing in mind how his character had been affected by his upbringing.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I didn't know what to expect from this book but have to admit I really enjoyed it, although it is quite different fayre to the books I usually read. I wouldn't have read this but for the Librarything Mystery and Suspense Extra Group Monthly Sub-genre Challenge, which is the beauty of these challenges. I think it was very cleverly written and can be enjoyed by both adults and children. It almost needs a sequel to find out what happened next! I do look forward to reading more books by Neil Gaiman in the future.

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman - 343 pages - 5 stars - 9/2/2016

Book Description
The years-long New York Times bestseller and Goodreads Best Historical Novel that is "irresistible...seductive...with a high concept plot that keeps you riveted from the first page" (O, The Oprah Magazine)--soon to be a major motion picture from Spielberg's Dreamworks starring Michael Fassbender, Rachel Weisz, and Alicia Vikander, and directed by Derek Cianfrance.

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day's journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby's cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a "gift from God," and against Tom's judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

"Elegantly rendered...heart-wrenching...beautifully drawn" (USA TODAY), The Light Between Oceans is a gorgeous debut novel, not soon to be forgotten.

My Review
This was a very good read right from the start and was a page-turner all the way through. I enjoyed the author's writing and will definitely read another book written by her. The characters were well-developed and the plot was excellent and kept me riveted to the story. The book had a great moral lesson of right and wrong and was beautifully delivered. I cried at the ending which had very tender moments and I didn't want the book to end. I highly recommend this book to those who love well-written historical stories with a lot of heart.

97. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - 544 pages - 5 stars - 9/4/16

Book Description
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE
From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

Doerr’s “stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors” (San Francisco Chronicle) are dazzling. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, he illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, a National Book Award finalist, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer “whose sentences never fail to thrill” (Los Angeles Times).

My Review:
This was a very beautifully written book and one in which you love to savor every word. I found the beginning to be a tad slow but suddenly the book gets very interesting and you quickly find yourself much engrossed. The story switches back and forth between two different perspectives and comes together towards the end. It's a type of book that stays with you long after you finish reading it. The World War II history has been very well researched and this novel proves that there are many stories from that period that still need to be told. If you haven't read this masterpiece, you need to, as the story will leave you awe-inspired.

>7 EadieB: >8 EadieB: Two great reads for you.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
3.5★'s

From The Book:
Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all—a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

My Thoughts:
The dinner party was only next door and the hostess had specifically expressed that there be no children. When their babysitter cancelled at the last minute due to her grandmother's death, they were stuck and seeing as how they were the only guests at the small birthday celebration dinner for one of the hosts...Anne saw no reason why six-month old Cora wouldn't be an exception. Marco, her husband disagreed...Cora was a child. Anne said she's just stay home but Marco said that would also be unacceptable. After arguing the pros and cons they said they would leave Cora asleep in her crib and take turns checking on her every 30 minutes....it was only next door after all. All went well until...it didn't. Anne took her turn at 11:00 and stayed to feed and change the baby. Marco missed his turn at 12:00 since he was up to no good with the sexy, slightly intoxicated, hostess. When Anne talked Marco into leaving the party shortly after 12:30 they were faced with a parents worse nightmare...no baby. Cora was GONE.

This was Shari Lapena's first attempt at a suspense novel and I have to say she wrote a dozy. There are so many scenarios that make perfect sense. So many times that you think you know exactly what happened and who is responsible...only to have it take a different turn. You love the parents, the police detective, and the grandparents one minute and hate them the next. The story shows how one small bad decision can turn your world upside down in a heartbeat. Believe me when I tell you you won't figure it out...but you will have a blast trying.

Ghost of a Chance by Simon R. Green
#1 A Ghost Finder novel
2 1/2 ★s

I mostly really enjoyed this book. JC Chance leads a team of Ghost Finders for the secret Carnackie Institute, an organization which protects England from paranormal disasters. Happy is the team's telepath and pill popper. Melody is the tech support. Something has gone horribly wrong in London's Underground Tube system. Passengers have disappeared by the hundreds and a ghost train tears through the tunnels. While investigating, the team meats up with Kim, a young woman who was murdered at the Tube station just that morning. JC figures that she might be involved with this haunting. To make things worse The Project ( evil nemesis of the Institute) has also sent 2 vile agents to assassinate JC and company. This is where my liking of the book diminishes. One of the Project agents is a mad scientist/doctor who does disgusting experiments on animals an humans. He has a computer topped with a cat's head. The animal is sentient and in constant agony. I cannot abide animal abuse, and even though this is fiction, it makes my stomach churn. It ruined a perfectly good story for me. I may read more of this series as I like the quirky "good guy" characters. But, if I come across more unnecessary animal abuse, that will be the end of this series for me. Time will tell.

Liar, Liar by M.J. Arlidge
Helen Grace series Book #4
5★’s

From the Book:
Detective Helen Grace has never seen such destruction. Six fires in twenty-four hours. Two people dead. Several more injured. It’s as if someone wants to burn the city to the ground. With the whole town on high alert, Helen and her team must sift through the rubble to find the arsonist, someone whose thirst for fire—and control—is reducing entire lives to ashes. One misstep could mean Helen’s career—and more lives lost. And as the pressure mounts and more buildings burn, Helen’s own dark impulses threaten to consume her

My Thoughts:
DI Helen Grace is faced with a new kind of challenge: a serial arsonist is terrorizing the city, seemingly intent on burning it to the ground. This arsonist shows no pity, targeting suburban homes in the dead of night while their residents are fast asleep inside. With ever-present bureaucratic roadblocks standing in her way, Helen finds herself in a race against time to identify the arsonist and stop him from condemning more innocent lives to his fiery infernos. Helen also has a new supervisor that she can’t decide if he is just overly friendly and genuinely concerned about her or if he has another agenda in mind. The story does have plot twists of its own. I certainly never saw the ending coming…never guessed who the arsonist was…and the story had more than enough momentum to keep me reading. M,J. Arlidge’s writing has the same fast-paced quality as that of Peter James…one of my favorite authors. I was not disappointed in the ending but it opens up a creepy possibility that I hope the author doesn’t forget to explore in future books.

>11 Raspberrymocha: I haven't read any more of the series since this one either, Rasp. I really liked the first book but you are right about the animal abuse being unnecessary in this one.

The One Man by Andrew Gross - 5 stars
Book Description
“As moving as it is gripping. A winner on all fronts.”―Booklist (starred review)

“Heart-pounding…This is Gross’s best work yet, with his heart and soul imprinted on every page.”―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Poland. 1944. Alfred Mendl and his family are brought on a crowded train to a Nazi concentration camp after being caught trying to flee Paris with forged papers. His family is torn away from him on arrival, his life’s work burned before his eyes. To the guards, he is just another prisoner, but in fact Mendl―a renowned physicist―holds knowledge that only two people in the world possess. And the other is already at work for the Nazi war machine.

Four thousand miles away, in Washington, DC, Intelligence lieutenant Nathan Blum routinely decodes messages from occupied Poland. Having escaped the Krakow ghetto as a teenager after the Nazis executed his family, Nathan longs to do more for his new country in the war. But never did he expect the proposal he receives from “Wild” Bill Donovan, head of the OSS: to sneak into the most guarded place on earth, a living hell, on a mission to find and escape with one man, the one man the Allies believe can ensure them victory in the war.

Bursting with compelling characters and tense story lines, this historical thriller from New York Times bestseller Andrew Gross is a deeply affecting, unputdownable series of twists and turns through a landscape at times horrifyingly familiar but still completely new and compelling.

My Review
I have always loved Andrew Gross' novels but this one will end up on my favorites list. It was hard to put this book down as the tension builds and builds all the way to the last page. The characters were very believable and the plot was very suspenseful. It's the type of story that will stay with you for a long time. There are a lot of WWII novels and sometimes we can get inundated with too many but this is one that should not be missed if you enjoy a gripping historical read.

Blackstone and the Heart of Darkness by Sally Spencer (#6 in the Sam Blackstone Series)
4 stars.

Amazon description.
A sadistic killer is targeting teenage girls. A horrific pattern is emerging, with each new corpse horrendously mutilated – in precisely the same way.

But the victims aren’t just any girls. They are the children of England’s aristocracy.

Inspector Blackstone, of the Metropolitan Police, seems to be the only man in the country who stands a chance of catching ‘the Northern Slasher’. Can Blackstone find the killer before he chooses his next victim?

When Blackstone receives a letter from an old army comrade, he is plunged into the middle of an even darker horror...

Review.
When I acquired my Kindle copy of this book in October 2015, there were two things that for some reason I did not know. Firstly that it is the sixth in a series, and I had not read any of the previous five, and that the author is not a lady called Sally Spencer!

Having said that I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book which in some ways reminded me of the writings of Edward Marston, set in a slightly earlier era, but with similar language.

Sam Blackstone is one of Scotland Yard’s mist successful detectives, but is here embroiled in the Cheshire countryside in both its beauty and its ugliness. The harshness of work in its salt mines is vividly portrayed as is the cruelty with which some people behave towards others, with no regard for their safety or personal feelings. Canals also feature quite heavily in a cleverly constructed plot regarding murder and kidnap, enhanced by Blackstone’s connection with a former subordinate of his in Afghanistan, Tom Yardley, now working in those salt mines. The characters are, for the main part, highly believable, and their interaction is both accurate of its time and interesting, if somewhat different from what we would expect today. I am mindful of certain recent cases in this country that are not totally dissimilar to that involved here.

All in all a very good read, although I am not sure that I have time to visit Sam’s previous adventures – only time and other reading material will tell!

>15 Alan1946: Nice review, Alan. You read such interesting books. I think I read one of these books a long time ago. She's another author that finding one of their books here is like pulling hen's teeth. I think I saw one on Overdrive. Have to check it out. Join us in one of our book discussions. We'll be doing The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths next.

>15 Alan1946: >16 Carol420: I read Blackstone and the Great War last month and enjoyed it. I also own Blackstone and the Heart of Darkness (which was a freebie some time ago) so hope to get to this soon.

I can see the comparison to Edward Marston.

The Watcher in the Wall by Owen Laukkanen
Stevens & Windermere series Book #5
5★'s

From The Book:
Kirk Stevens and Carla Windermere of the joint BCA-FBI violent crime task force have handled shocking cases before, but this one is different. Stevens’s daughter, Andrea, is distraught over a classmate’s suicide, but what the two investigators find is even more disturbing—an online suicide club of unhappy teenagers, presided over by an anonymous presence who seems to be spurring them on. Soon, it becomes apparent that the classmate wasn’t the first victim—and won’t be the last, either, unless they can hunt down this psychopath once and for all.

My Thoughts:
It appears that there is someone encouraging teenagers on a suicide website to enter into a pack with the administrator of the site to not only kill themselves but are encouraged to film their death. This person leads them to believe that they are also suicidal and will die with them. Stevens and Windermere realize that there is a very sick and evil internet predator that is preying on susceptible youngsters and selling these recordings on the black websites.

A back story is taking place at the same time. A 15 year old boy is brutally abused by his alcoholic step-father. For some reason he feels that he has the right to prey on his step-sister and encourage her to kill herself. He has been watching her for several months and seeing her die is the high point of his life and he tries again and again to reach this high point again by watching others die.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, the reader needs to be aware that it is a very, very dark topic. You will want so badly to tell the 16 year old girl that is on a bus from Tampa to Louisville to meet, what she believes is a 16 year old desperate boy named Brandon…to just turn around and run…DON”T get off the bus. Unfortunately the story has so much truth to it that it should scare every parent to watch what and who your child is meeting on line. Don’t be too busy or too trusting…they are children and don’t always have good judgment.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
5 stars and my favorite

from my library's catalog: The world's bestselling mystery!"Ten . . ." Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U.N. Owen.""Nine . . ." At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead."Eight . . ." Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one . . .one by one they begin to die."Seven . . ...

my thoughts: This was a reread for me. And it's my absolute favorite Agatha Christie novel. Love the locked room element!

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny - 5 stars
Book Description
When an intricate old map is found stuffed into the walls of the bistro in Three Pines, it at first seems no more than a curiosity. But the closer the villagers look, the stranger it becomes.
Given to Armand Gamache as a gift the first day of his new job, the map eventually leads him to shattering secrets. To an old friend and older adversary. It leads the former Chief of Homicide for the Surete du Quebec to places even he is afraid to go. But must.

And there he finds four young cadets in the Surete academy, and a dead professor. And, with the body, a copy of the old, odd map.

Everywhere Gamache turns, he sees Amelia Choquet, one of the cadets. Tattooed and pierced. Guarded and angry. Amelia is more likely to be found on the other side of a police line-up. And yet she is in the academy. A protegee of the murdered professor.

The focus of the investigation soon turns to Gamache himself and his mysterious relationship with Amelia, and his possible involvement in the crime. The frantic search for answers takes the investigators back to Three Pines and a stained glass window with its own horrific secrets.

For both Amelia Choquet and Armand Gamache, the time has come for a great reckoning.

#1 "New York Times" bestselling author Louise Penny pulls back the layers to reveal a brilliant and emotionally powerful truth in her latest spellbinding novel."

My Review
This is the 12th book in one of my favorite series. You will enjoy this book better if you read the series in order so you can get the background of the characters. In the last book Gamache has retired and is trying to decide what he will do next. In this book we find out that he has decided to rid the Surete academy of the corruption that has been breeding there for years. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot which keeps the pages turning until the very end which has many surprises. We get another glimpse into the background of Gamache and learn more about his upbringing. If you haven't started this series yet, you need to, as Louise Penny can tell a good story and you don't want to miss this series with it's many quirky characters from Three Pines near Montreal Canada.

Skeleton Coast by Clive Cussler & Jack DuBrul
Oregon Files series Boo# 4 (group read)
4 ★'s

From The Book:
juan Cabrillo and the crew of the covert combat ship Oregon have barely escaped a mission on the Congo River when they intercept a mayday from a defenseless boat under fire off the African coast. Cabrillo takes action, saving the beautiful Sloane Macintyre - who's looking for a long-submerged ship that may hold a fortune in diamonds. But what surprises Cabrillo is her story about a crazy fisherman who claims to have been attacked on the open sea by giant metal snakes in the same area.What begins as a snake hunt leads Cabrillo onto the trail of a far more lethal quarry - a deranged militant and his followers who plan to unleash the devastating power of nature itself against all who oppose them.

My Thoughts:
The story reads from start to finish like a James Bond movie. The crew of the Oregon barely has time to catch their breath before they find them selves in another battle.

Even though I didn't completely understand it all, I found Cussler's brief information on the evolution of hurricanes and the importance of ocean currents and water temperature in their development interesting. This book also offers yet more brief glimpses into the lives of the Oregon's crew. While this wasn't exactly my favorite book in the series it certainly rated very high. I recommend this series to anyone that wants a well formed and executed adventure with likable and believable characters even if they are a cross between James Band and Superman.

The Dead Place by Stephen Booth
#6 in the Ben Cooper / Diane Fry Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This was quite a puzzling book for me to rate. I did enjoy the book, but at points it didn't fully hold my interest, partially I think because there didn't seem enough about an investigation of a murder, or enough about the private lives of the characters. However, if you want to know more about the process of the bodies when someone dies it is very interesting, and by that I mean the involvement of undertakers and exactly what they do. Overall this is a good series and it is set in an area not a million miles from where I live and which I know well, but always feel the books miss something that would make them even better - it may also be that they are a tad longer than they need to be. I will, however, be continuing the series as I enjoy them and the interactions between the characters. Also this book left off at quite an interesting point.

Death of a Prankster by M C Beaton
#7 in the Hamish Macbeth Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I really enjoyed this book in the Hamish Macbeth series, which are always funny and quirky. In this one you saw the murder coming, but there were so many potential suspects it was difficult to decide who the murderer was and why. A very intriguing storyline despite being quite a short book (204 pages). It was also interesting to see the relationship (?), if that is the right word, between Hamish and Priscilla, and particularly to see jealousy rear it's head! I look forward to the next book in the series with relish!

Skeleton Coast by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul
#4 in the Oregon Files Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall this was an enjoyable book. I particularly enjoyed the first chapter, which gave the backstory from the 19th Century, and was a good read on it's own. There was plenty of action, and if I was to be very picky possibly too much action which detracted to a certain extent from the flow of the story (at least for me!). I did enjoy the book, the characters, the plot line, the dialogue, however I feel it could have benefited from shorter chapters in places. The best part of the book was the ending, which was exciting and tension laden. It is an enjoyable series but with a few tweaks could easily be lifted to an excellent series. I do intend to continue reading the series.

Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death series Book #43
5★'s

From The Book:
The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice-skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be. Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD but never one like this. A review of the security videos reveals that the victims were killed with a tactical laser rifle fired by a sniper, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the list of locations where the shooter could have set up seems endless, the number of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer. Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal. And when his computer program leads Eve to the location of the sniper, she learns a shocking fact: There were two—one older, one younger. Someone is being trained by an expert in the science of killing, and they have an agenda. Central Park was just a warm-up. And as another sniper attack shakes the city to its core, Eve realizes that though we’re all shaped by the people around us, there are those who are just born evil.

My Thoughts:
How can J.D. Robb, (Nora Roberts) have possibly produced 43 books in this series and still kept the series fresh and exciting and the host of characters growing and developing? I don't know the answer but she has succeeded beautifully. Even the relationship between Eve and Sommerset took a turn in this one. I have to say Ms. Robb succeeded in giving us a scary moment there. There were also moments of joy and celebration as little Bella turns 2 years old and Eve gets her first view of her new, state of the art, work station. Although many of the later books can be read out of order unless you are one of those people whose head will implode...if you are just starting the series you will benefit in learning how the characters develop and mesh together by starting at book 1, Naked in Death. And you'll have the adventure and the joy of 42 others...a marathon reading fest! I keep forgetting just how good this series is until I have the newest one in hand. Looking forward to two new ones in 2017.

Tough Customer by Sandra Brown
3.5★’s

From The Book:
When a deranged stalker attempts to murder her daughter Berry, Caroline King has no doubts who to contact for help: Berry’s father, the cagey private investigator Dodge Hanley. It’s been thirty years since Dodge last saw Caroline, but the savvy real estate mogul still haunts his dreams. He has a whole bagful of grudging excuses for ignoring Caroline’s call—and one compelling reason to drop everything and fly down to Texas to protect the daughter he’s never met: guilt. As always, Dodge’s perseverance knows no bounds as he teams with a small-town sheriff, but the alarming situation worsens when the stalker claims other victims, leaving a trail of clues lethally pointing toward Berry. And Dodge—a street-smart fighter who has always put his life on the line—realizes that this time, he’s risking his heart as well.

My Thoughts:
This was my “Blind Date With A Book” on the Treasure Trove group for September. I’ll probably date his friends but I’m not sure I want to date him again. He was a nice enough guy but we just didn’t mesh. However, I will have to say there were times throughout when he was lots of fun.

I’ve read Sandra Brown books before this one and have always found them to be sometimes heavy on the romance angle and fairly predictable in the outcome. This one was just slow. I can’t really think of another word to describe it. The characters were for the most part just uninteresting…but not entirely unlikable. The deputy and Berry were good but you had to get to page 360 before it picked up and the fabric of the story began to weave together. This is one case where the back story to the 1970’s actually saved the entire book.

No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill
5★’s

From The Book:
Darkness lives within ...Cash-strapped, working for agencies and living in shared accommodation, Stephanie Booth feels she can fall no further. So when she takes a new room at the right price, she believes her luck has finally turned. But 82 Edgware Road is not what it appears to be. It's not only the eerie atmosphere of the vast, neglected house, or the disturbing attitude of her new landlord, Knacker McGuire, that makes her uneasy - it's the whispers behind the fireplace, the scratching beneath floors, the footsteps in the dark, and the young women weeping in neighboring rooms. And when Knacker's cousin Fergal arrives, the danger goes vertical. But this is merely a beginning, a gateway to horrors beyond Stephanie's worst nightmares. And in a house where no one listens to the screams, will she ever get out alive?

My Thoughts:
Creepy… scary… super creepy… super scary...who could ask for more? She should have listened to the saying ‘If it looks to good to be true it probably is’ Her landlord Knacker McGuire and his dilapidated house give her the creeps. During the day she thinks she sees girls who turn out not to be there, and at night she is kept awake by weeping, whispers and footsteps. Just when Steph thinks that things can’t get any worse Knacker’s cousin Fergal arrives and soon Steph realizes that she will have to get out of the house at any cost, before she becomes trapped there too.

The bad thing about this book is it is a hefty tomb at over 600 pages but I never felt that it was a challenge; except to hold it I found that I was hooked from the time I red the fly-leaf until the brilliantly done ending. What characters we met! Knacker and Fergal are totally sinister giving the whole story a very overwhelming sense of foreboding from the start…Steph’s first night she hears scratching under the bed. Who has not in the dark of night put off looking under the bed until good daylight? You know something bad is going to happen, but the plot unfolds in such a way to make your dread build and build, and even when you think it’s all over at last…it’s not. This is definitely one of the best books of his I have read. To quote another reviewer “A menacing novel that gets under your skin and stays there.”

The Last Mile by David Baldacci - 420 pages - 5 stars - 9/15/2016
Book Description
In his #1 New York Times bestseller Memory Man, David Baldacci introduced the extraordinary detective Amos Decker-the man who can forget nothing. Now, Decker returns in a spectacular new thriller . . .
THE LAST MILE
Convicted murderer Melvin Mars is counting down the last hours before his execution--for the violent killing of his parents twenty years earlier--when he's granted an unexpected reprieve. Another man has confessed to the crime.
Amos Decker, newly hired on an FBI special task force, takes an interest in Mars's case after discovering the striking similarities to his own life: Both men were talented football players with promising careers cut short by tragedy. Both men's families were brutally murdered. And in both cases, another suspect came forward, years after the killing, to confess to the crime. A suspect who may or may not have been telling the truth.
The confession has the potential to make Melvin Mars--guilty or not--a free man. Who wants Mars out of prison? And why now?
But when a member of Decker's team disappears, it becomes clear that something much larger--and more sinister--than just one convicted criminal's life hangs in the balance. Decker will need all of his extraordinary brainpower to stop an innocent man from being executed.

My Review
Amos Decker is a very unique detective with his memory which cannot forget anything. Baldacci's writing is excellent and the plot does not disappoint. There are a lot of twists and turns which make for a page-turner that doesn't stop until the very last page. The novel is very entertaining and the characters are believable. I listened to the audio and never got bored as I found the story interesting. I look forward to the next installment in this series and recommend this book to those who like suspenseful mystery thrillers.

The Intercept by Dick Wolf
Jeremy Fisk series Book #1
5★’s

From The Book:
Days before the July Fourth holiday and the dedication of One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, an incident aboard a commercial jet reminds everyone involved that vigilance saves lives. But New York Police Detective Jeremy Fisk—from the department's Intelligence Division, a well-funded anti-terror unit modeled upon the CIA—suspects that the event is a warning sign that another, potentially more extraordinary scheme has been set in motion. So when a passenger from the same plane disappears into the crowds of Manhattan, it's up to Fisk and his partner, Krina Gersten, to find him before the celebrations begin . . . and time is running out.

My Thoughts:
My Blind Date With A Book for September. He’s a busy guy. I was surprised he even had time to go out on the town. He was a great guy and a lot fun. I know we’ll be going out again in the near future.
Over all I found this to be an exciting thriller, filled with suspense from the creator of the Television show “Law and Order”…. and it reads a lot like a screenplay. The plot it’s self was a bit more complex than it needed to be, but it was in keeping with just how devious the planned attack was. He characters were all very real and Jeremy is going to be one of my new favorite heroes.

It's a real shame but since we lost a site with the nesting feature generally people seem to have stopped posted comments about each other's reviews of books. Not many of the September book reviews have led to comments being made. Will give it some thought about how we may be able to get some more of this back.

>30 Andrew-theQM: My guess would be that we've lost a lot of people to that other site! ;)

>31 Sergeirocks: That's part of it, but don't think it fully accounts for it. I think it's the comments not appearing under each individual book.

>30 Andrew-theQM: Yes, what Sergei said. Or people are hesitant to post for fear they will mess up the persons order of reviews. I like people to make comments good or bad. The little > with number gets me back to the the one they are commenting on. Maybe people should say "comments welcome" or something on that order.

>33 Carol420: If it was on the Read It Track It Group I think this could apply, but not certain it applies on the Monthly reviews page of the Mystery and Suspense Group, but I may be wrong. Whichever we should encourage people to respond to reviews as and when they feel they want to comment.

>34 Andrew-theQM: I agree. On the Around the World x3 group one person started a "private" place for her challenges...reads for the year...and anything else that she wants to not have comments posted. She just said at the top "Please feel free to browse put please don't comment here." Everyone has respected her wishes. We can comment to her on any of the other threads where she also posts her stuff.

>28 EadieB: It looks like you enjoyed this more than the first one.

>36 Andrew-theQM:
Yes I did. It was better than the first one.

>37 EadieB: I will look fir ward to this one then.

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Playing With Fire by Tess Gerritsen - 5 stars
Book Description
A gripping standalone thriller by the New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series

INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARD FINALIST NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LOS ANGELES TIMES AND SUSPENSE MAGAZINE

In a shadowy antiques shop in Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music--the Incendio waltz--and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz, its mournful minor key, its feverish arpeggios, appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia is determined to master the complex work and make its melody heard.

Back home in Boston, from the moment Julia's bow moves across the strings, drawing the waltz's fiery notes into the air, something strange is stirred--and Julia's world comes under threat. The music has a terrifying and inexplicable effect on her young daughter, who seems violently transformed. Convinced that the hypnotic strains of Incendio are weaving a malevolent spell, Julia sets out to discover the man and the meaning behind the score.

Her quest beckons Julia to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.

My Review
I found this book to be very engaging. A single piece of music and it's connection from the past to the present and it's affect on the characters was a very interesting storyline. Traveling back in time to the city of Venice and what happened to the Jews in Italy at the end of WWII was a history lesson in itself. Learning about Lorenzo who wrote the music and what happens personally to him made the story even more tragic. I enjoyed Tess Gerritsen's writing very much and found her characters to be well-developed. There were lots of twists and turns which kept the pages turning fast. I would highly recommend this book to those who like a good mystery mixed with history from the past. I look forward to reading more of Gerritsen's books in the future.

The Guards by Ken Bruen
Jack Taylor series Book #1
3 ★’s

From the Book:
Still stinging from his unceremonious ouster from the Garda Siochana--The Guards, Ireland's police force--and staring at the world through the smoky bottom of his beer mug, Jack Taylor is stuck in Galway with nothing to look forward to. In his sober moments Jack aspires to become Ireland's best private investigator, not to mention its first--Irish history, full of betrayal and espionage, discourages any profession so closely related to informing. But in truth Jack is teetering on the brink of his life's sharpest edges, his memories of the past cutting deep into his soul and his prospects for the future nonexistent. Nonexistent, that is, until a dazzling woman walks into the bar with a strange request and a rumor about Jack's talent for finding things. Odds are he won't be able to climb off his barstool long enough to get involved with his radiant new client, but when he surprises himself by getting hired, Jack has little idea of what he's getting into.

My Thoughts:
Jack Taylor is the tough cop who loves books; the beating victim who insists on checking himself out of a hospital too soon…everyone’s and no one ones friend. The Irish seaside city of Galway is the setting for all of these books. Sometimes you can’t figure out if Bruen loves the town or hates it…but he has certainly put it on the literary map. His character of Jack Taylor is Galway born and bred and is such an unusual character. Taylor is a former member of the Garda Síochána, the Guards, Ireland's shadowy police force. Drink…not an unusual thing in Ireland… and general attitude has gotten Jack removed from their ranks and this has not made him exactly a bosom pal to the rest of the Guards. To support himself and also if the truth is told…his habit…Jack takes on the role of a private detective.

I have read several of the other books in this series and found them to be much better than this first attempt which is often the case. If I had not ROO (read out of order) and this had been the first one that I had read…I fear it would have also been the last one. It’s full of very predictable, standard crime novel cop cliques and several very nasty characters. Jack Taylor goes from a drunken cop to a drunken P.I. that meets his clients in a bar and laces his morning breakfast…also in the bar… with coffee. The one thing this book served to do was build the character of Jack Taylor…a man tormented by his demons and searching for something that seems to have evaded him his entire life. Believe me when I say that the series does get better and even Jack shows some promise.

The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths
Ruth Galloway series Book #8
4.5★'s

From The Book:
Known as England’s Nazareth, the medieval town of Little Walsingham is famous for religious apparitions. So when Ruth Galloway’s druid friend Cathbad sees a woman in a white dress and a dark blue cloak standing alone in the local cemetery one night, he takes her as a vision of the Virgin Mary. But then a woman wrapped in blue cloth is found dead the next day, and Ruth’s old friend Hilary, an Anglican priest, receives a series of hateful, threatening letters. Could these crimes be connected? When one of Hilary’s fellow female priests is murdered just before Little Walsingham’s annual Good Friday Passion Play, Ruth, Cathbad, and DCI Harry Nelson must team up to find the killer before he strikes again.

My Thoughts:
It doesn't seem possible that it's been 8 books ago that we first met this eclectic group of characters. The past is never far away from any Elly Griffiths novel and The Woman in Blue is no exception. We are introduced to a group of believers that are a bit over enthusiastic in some of their worship practices and of course we have a murder to solve. Elly Griffiths has again written an excellent murder mystery complete with creditable characters and enhanced by the wild and beautiful landscapes and history native to the region. The conflicted relationship between Ruth Galloway and Harry Nelson as well as several others provides an interesting counterpoint to the entire story.

>41 Carol420: Those 8 books have gone by very quickly, I still remember the first one (and every one in between) very clearly.

>42 Andrew-theQM: It seems to be a series that is an easy read and she doesn't wait a year or more to produce another one.

That's good of her since we can get impatient if we have to wait too long.

>44 EadieB: So true. Until Lynda mentioned it I had forgotten how long I had waited for Julia Spence Fleming to write something. Now I want it yesterday:)

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes - 5 stars
Book Description
They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . .

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

My Review
This is a very moving story and one that examines the love between two people and how they enrich one another's life in an impossible situation. I found JoJo Moyes to be a very powerful writer as she allows us to feel what the characters are going through and how they cope with their personal attraction to one another and their personal realities. Although the story is a heartbreaker and tear maker, it does have some laugh-out-loud moments that make this incredible tough read one not to be missed. I recommend this book to those who love thought-provoking, powerful but heartbreaking romantic reads.

The Woman In Blue by Elly Griffiths - 5 stars
Book Description
Known as England’s Nazareth, the medieval town of Little Walsingham is famous for religious apparitions. So when Ruth Galloway’s druid friend Cathbad sees a woman in a white dress and a dark blue cloak standing alone in the local cemetery one night, he takes her as a vision of the Virgin Mary. But then a woman wrapped in blue cloth is found dead the next day, and Ruth’s old friend Hilary, an Anglican priest, receives a series of hateful, threatening letters. Could these crimes be connected? When one of Hilary’s fellow female priests is murdered just before Little Walsingham’s annual Good Friday Passion Play, Ruth, Cathbad, and DCI Harry Nelson must team up to find the killer before he strikes again.

My Review
This is the 8th book in the Ruth Galloway series and it does not disappoint. I very much enjoyed learning the of history of Walsingham and the yearly Passion Play that is performed. Elly Griffiths gave many clues to the murderer but they were hidden pretty well. The plot kept the pages turning and the ending was full of surprises. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in order to check up on the many relationships that are continually changing. I would highly recommend reading this series in order as the stories are built one upon another.

>46 EadieB: Sounds a very interesting read. To

>48 Andrew-theQM:
It was! You would like it. They made a movie from the book!

>49 EadieB: I think the library has it as an audiobook.

>50 Andrew-theQM:
That would be good too because the story is very interesting and will definitely hold you attention.

>40 Carol420: - Oh no - this does not bode well for me. It sounded promising.

Dark Entries by Ian Rankin - 3 stars
Book Description
HELLBLAZER's John Constantine must become part of HAUNTED PALACE -- a closed-set reality game-show (think BIG BROTHER or SCI-FI's new reality show, ESTATE OF PANIC) in order to deal with a supernatural murder of one of the contestants. He enters as a 'surprise' contestant and meets the other participants, learning that they all have secrets and that one of them must be 'channeling' poltergeists and/or be the murderer.

However, John soon learns that he is in fact in a game-show which is being broadcast only to the denizens of Hell, who have chosen him to be the next contestant. Now he has to figure out who's the killer but also how to escape with his own soul in one piece.

Book Review
This is a black and white graphic crime/mystery novel and not one of my favorite genres. It was akin to reading a long comic strip. The main character, John Constantine, apparently is a DC Comic character with his own series. This is the first graphic novel by Ian Rankin and was a very quick read but I think I enjoy his Rebus books better. I didn't realize this was a graphic novel when I ordered it but read it anyway in order to check out the genre and the artwork. The plot was unique as Constantine becomes a contestant on a reality TV show called "Haunted Mansion". I did enjoy some of the humor and would recommend this book to those who enjoy graphic novels.

The Ophelia Cut by John Lescroart
Dismas Hardy series Book #14
3★'s

What the Book Promised:
When a brutal rapist is murdered, a loving father stands accused of the crime and defense attorney Dismas Hardy must defend his brother-in-law and old friend Moses McGuire in a thrilling case that hits far too close to home.

What I Found:
Moses McGuire's flighty twenty-three year old daughter, Brittany... has horrible taste in men and frequently flits from one boyfriend to another. Brittany has begun dating Rick Jessup, who is not only politically connected, but also arrogant, narcissistic and if you look up "jerk" in the dictionary....there will be a big picture of Rick. She realizes much too late that her dream lover is a cruel and immoral misogynist. Major trouble ensues, and Dismas Hardy finds himself representing his brother-in-law, Moses, who finds that the whole huge mess could cost him his freedom.

That being said and when I am about 80% through the book...the bombs begin to drop and what started out as another great Dismas Hardy story...falls totally flat. It leaves most of the real questions unanswered and the final segment regarding the flaky Brittany...made absolutely no sense whatsoever. The plot had been interesting although it took way too long to conclude and I don't think the author knew just how to end the book. Up to this book this has been a well done, "can't wait to read the next book" series.

Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler
4★'s

"The White Rabbit beckons you to follow him, down the rabbit hole, into his world. He's a deceiver, a trickster. You won't know what is truth and what is a lie. He aims to best you. Beat you. And when he does, you die."

"A friend's brutal murder turns former homicide detective Stacy Killian's life upside down. Unwilling to trust Spencer Malone, the overconfident New Orleans detective assigned to the case, Stacy is compelled to return to the investigative role she had fled."
From the Book:
The investigation leads Stacy and Spencer to White Rabbit, a cultish fantasy role-playing game. White Rabbit is dark, violent -- and addictive. As the body count mounts, they find themselves trapped in a terrifying game that's more real than life and death. Because anyone can die before the final moment when White Rabbit is over . . . and the killer takes all."

My Thoughts:
For those of us that feed on mysteries the villain will come as no real surprise. What was surprising was how many red herrings Erica Spindler threw us and how many of those red herrings we believed.

Role playing games are the main focus of the plot line and you really need to know or at least have a general idea of exactly how these "games" work. One thing the reader does learn about them from this work is that sometimes they are not a "game" and many times they are even deadly. Anyone can be a victim and anyone can be a murderer.

As for the characters...they were okay. The author would have made Stacey Killian more believable if she had left her as still a member of the Dallas Police Department instead of an ex-member. Maybe the New Orleans Police would have been more grateful for her help and she would have come across more as helping not impeding a murder investigation. I'm amazed she wasn't arrested in spite of her good intentions. Overall...it was an enjoyable read with just enough intrigue to make it interesting.

Tenth of December by George Saunders - 1 star
Book Description
One of the most important and blazingly original writers of his generation, George Saunders is an undisputed master of the short story, and Tenth of December is his most honest, accessible, and moving collection yet. In the taut opener, "Victory Lap," a boy witnesses the attempted abduction of the girl next door and is faced with a harrowing choice: Does he ignore what he sees, or override years of smothering advice from his parents and act? In "Home," a combat-damaged soldier moves back in with his mother and struggles to reconcile the world he left with the one to which he has returned. And in the title story, a stunning meditation on imagination, memory, and loss, a middle-aged cancer patient walks into the woods to commit suicide, only to encounter a troubled young boy who, over the course of a fateful morning, gives the dying man a final chance to recall who he really is. A hapless, deluded owner of an antiques store; two mothers struggling to do the right thing; a teenage girl whose idealism is challenged by a brutal brush with reality; a man tormented by a series of pharmaceutical experiments that force him to lust, to love, to kill-the unforgettable characters that populate the pages of Tenth of December are vividly and lovingly infused with Saunders's signature blend of exuberant prose, deep humanity, and stylistic innovation. Writing brilliantly and profoundly about class, sex, love, loss, work, despair, and war, Saunders cuts to the core of the contemporary experience. These stories take on the big questions and explore the fault lines of our own morality, delving into the questions of what makes us good and what makes us human. Unsettling, insightful, and hilarious, the stories in Tenth of December-through their manic energy, their focus on what is redeemable in human beings, and their generosity of spirit-not only entertain and delight; they fulfill Chekhov's dictum that art should "prepare us for tenderness."

My Review
After reading this book, I must say that satirical fiction is not for me. I found this book very difficult to read. The words did not flow and I really was not interested in what the author was trying to relate. There are a lot of good reviews for this book so some people did benefit from reading it. Not sure if I could honestly recommend it as I wouldn't want to put anyone else through the pain it was for me to read.

>56 EadieB: Oh dear!

>56 EadieB: Bummer! I didn't do much better:(

Started Early Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
Jackson Brody series Book #4
2★'s

From The Book:
Tracy Waterhouse leads a quiet, ordered life as a retired police detective-a life that takes a surprising turn when she encounters Kelly Cross, a habitual offender, dragging a young child through town. Both appear miserable and better off without each other-or so decides Tracy, in a snap decision that surprises herself as much as Kelly. Suddenly burdened with a small child, Tracy soon learns her parental inexperience is actually the least of her problems, as much larger ones loom for her and her young charge.

Meanwhile, Jackson Brodie, the beloved detective of novels such as Case Histories, is embarking on a different sort of rescue-that of an abused dog. Dog in tow, Jackson is about to learn, along with Tracy, that no good deed goes unpunished.

My Thoughts:
Call me dense...call me stupid even...but I just didn't get it. I find it almost impossible to describe this book. I've read the other three in this series and really, really enjoyed them. I love the Jackson Brody character and I will have to admit that his parts in the story with the dog were beautifully done but the woman selling her child to Tracy or Tracy actually buying a child...I just couldn't wrap my head around the why of that at all. The skipping back and forth didn't help either. I probably would have given the book another half a star except for the unresolved issues at the end and the really depressing outcome for some of the characters.

>57 Andrew-theQM: >58 Carol420:
Bad reading day! I tried a different genre for my September Mini Challenge and it was a disaster! Now I know why I read the genres I do!

>59 EadieB: I've learned that life is way too short to go around reading or doing things that you know you'll hate. I didn't expect to dislike this book as I've loved the other 3.

>60 Carol420:
The problem was that I thought I would like it. What a disappointment!

>60 Carol420: I am surprised at that rating Carol, I've read the first one in the series (Case Histories) and enjoyed it but not read this one.

Any advance on two stars anyone?

I feel badly that I haven't posted any reviews or commented on others. I'm reading a lot but writing the reviews seems so overwhelming for some reason. I do read everyone's reviews and have been adding books like crazy after reading them.

I'll try to do better.

Just leave a sentence or two Lynda, I rarely write a full review. It should be about enjoyment of reading so don't worry. :)

Among the Wicked by Linda Castillo - 5 Stars

In the eighth book of the series, Police Chief Kate Burkholder is facing a challenging assignment. She's contacted by a sheriff from a rural, mostly Amish town of Roaring Springs, New York, after they discover the body of a fifteen year old girl, frozen and full of Oxycontin. Since Kate is the only law enforcement officer who speaks Pennsylvania Dutch, she decides to go undercover as a recent widow in search of a new home. She's been away from her Amish childhood for many years but it doesn't take her too long to return to a past that holds a lot of memories for her.

Before long Kate has been welcomed by several of the local Amish women and meets the charismatic bishop, Eli Schrock, who runs a very strict church filled with harsh rules. She soon discovers that some of the bishop's flock are not what they seem to be. There's plenty of secrets and before long she finds herself in terrible trouble.

I really enjoyed this book and it's probably my favorite of the series. Kate is a tough woman and in this particular book, she makes friends with an Amish ladies quilting group. She's not much of a quilter and this added a lot of humor and charm to a tension filled mystery. She is alone a lot of the time and it was so fascinating to hear the story from her perspective. I think this was a great advance in the development of the main character.

Love You Dead by Peter James - 5 Stars

I am a huge fan of the DS Roy Grace series by Peter James and couldn't wait to get my hands on his new book, the twelfth of the series. We first meet newlywed Jodie Bentley at a ski resort in Courcheval, France, when she and her wealthy, much older husband are in search of “fresh powder”. Before long we realize the she's calmly tricked him into skiing over a cliff. She heads back to the ski lodge to enjoy a glass of champagne and pretend she lost him out on the slopes, while searching for a new husband on a dating website for millionaires. Did I mention Jodie also has a fascination with the venomous snake called the saw-scaled viper?

As usual, the author weaves together a blend of past stories, as well as current plots. I would recommend reading the book right before this, You Are Dead, because one of the diabolical killers from that book makes a significant appearance in this one. I loved getting back together with some of my favorite characters, including Roy's pet goldfish, Marlon. Regular readers of the series will be interested in the surprising subplot about Roy's first wife, Sandy, who had mysteriously disappeared ten years ago subsequently been declared dead. Every book in the series gets closer and closer to the truth of what really happened, and this book is no different.

This was my favorite book of the series so far, despite my question of why these elderly men have apparently never heard of a prenuptial agreement. This book was everything I could hope for. It has humor, pathos, incredulity and sadness. This will undoubtedly be in my Top Five suspense novels of the year and I'm so sad to be completely caught up on the series. I can't wait for the next one.

The Sixth Idea by P. J. Tracy - 4 Stars

I've been waiting a long time to get a new book in the Monkeewrench series by mother/daughter writing duo P. J. Tracy. The Monkeewrench team is an eccentric group of computer geniuses who devote their time and resources to helping the Minneapolis police solve crimes. Their are two main detectives in this series, Leo Magozzi and Leo Rolseth. The Sixth Idea revolves primarily around their efforts to find out why a group of elderly men, seemingly unrelated, have been killed. The reader already assumes it has something to do with events in the prologue, where a group of men are working on a top-secret science project in 1957.

One of the best things about a Monkeewrench mystery is the interaction between the four members. In The Sixth Idea, two of the members are missing and only peripherally appear, more of an afterthought. I love the humorous banter between Leo and Gino and there's plenty of it here. The Minneapolis weather is always a character itself.

While not my favorite book in the series, I thought it was an intriguing story line and an interesting glimpse into a little known piece of U.S. history. It combines well developed characters with a plot filled with action. I hope it's not four years until we get another book in this great series.

Entry Island by Peter May - 4.5 Stars

Montreal detective Sime Mackenzie is a lonely and depressed man. He is asked to accompany a French speaking investigation team to Entry Island where Kirsty Cowell, the widow of the victim, is the prime suspect. When Sime meets her for the first time he has the feeling that he somehow knows her, but can't remember where they've met.

Sime is the only native English speaker within the French speaking team, and has joined them for this case due to the language of Entry Island being English rather than French. Sime and his ex-wife, Marie-Ange, the team’s forensic expert, have a volatile relationship and it doesn't help that he hasn't been able to sleep in weeks. Eventually Sime finds himself dozing off, until dreams from the past start to haunt him. He seems to have become a part of the stories his Grandmother told him of his Scottish ancestors, crofters who had lived on the Isle of Lewis. Greedy landlords who wanted to replace them with sheep, brutally removed from their homes during the “clearances”and forced them onto boats to America.

Like he did in the Lewis Trilogy, Peter May is an expert at bringing to life the atmosphere of both Entry Island and the Isle of Lewis. He seamlessly weaves the two tales together. While the modern day mystery was interesting it was almost secondary to the mesmerizing historical story of a country that was almost destroyed by its landowners. I thought this was both a compelling mystery and a highly atmospheric read.

No wonder you haven't had time for reviews Lynda when you have been reading such cracking books!

>68 Olivermagnus: Great books! I've tink I've read them and reviewed them so to save you time you can just write "What Carol said." I won't even change you a royalty fee:)))

>62 Andrew-theQM: As I said...I was so surprised since I've read the other 3 books and loved them. This one was just so "off the wall."

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie
4 stars

from my library's catalog: The tiny Caribbean island of St. Honore is a tropical paradise. But for Miss Marple, enjoying a well-earned rest, it is a place where nothing ever seems to happen. Until old Major Palgrave tells her the strange story of a suspected double murderer.

my thoughts: I'm not normally a Miss Marple fan, but I really liked this one. Normally Miss Marple is too passive a detective for my liking, but she really showed spunk in this one. They mystery was decent and interesting and I really liked the background characters. Emilia Fox did a great job narrating this audiobook. I'm going to have to pay attention to the narrators for Miss Marple books. I'd listen to another one narrated by her because I think she gives life to Miss Marple.

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd A Flavia de Luce Novel by Alan Bradley - 5 stars
Book Description
Hailed as “a combination of Eloise and Sherlock Holmes” by The Boston Globe, Flavia de Luce returns in a much anticipated new Christmas mystery from award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Alan Bradley.

In spite of being ejected from Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Canada, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is excited to be sailing home to England. But instead of a joyous homecoming, she is greeted on the docks with unfortunate news: Her father has fallen ill, and a hospital visit will have to wait while he rests. But with Flavia’s blasted sisters and insufferable cousin underfoot, Buckshaw now seems both too empty—and not empty enough. Only too eager to run an errand for the vicar’s wife, Flavia hops on her trusty bicycle, Gladys, to deliver a message to a reclusive wood-carver. Finding the front door ajar, Flavia enters and stumbles upon the poor man’s body hanging upside down on the back of his bedroom door. The only living creature in the house is a feline that shows little interest in the disturbing scene. Curiosity may not kill this cat, but Flavia is energized at the prospect of a new investigation. It’s amazing what the discovery of a corpse can do for one’s spirits. But what awaits Flavia will shake her to the very core.

Acclaim for Alan Bradley’s beloved Flavia de Luce novels, winners of the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award, Barry Award, Agatha Award, Macavity Award, Dilys Award, and Arthur Ellis Award

“If ever there were a sleuth who’s bold, brilliant, and, yes, adorable, it’s Flavia de Luce.”—USA Today

“Flavia is as addictive as dark chocolate.”—Daily Mail

“Flavia de Luce is still the world’s greatest adolescent British chemist/busybody/sleuth.”—The Seattle Times

My Review
I always love when a new Flavia book gets released. She is my favorite adolescent sleuth. Alan Bradley writes the most clever plots and keeps us chuckling all the way through the book. The characters are all unique and very believable. I love the way Flavia stumbles over the dead bodies and solves the mysteries before the chief inspector does. If you haven't started reading this series, what are you waiting for? I would highly recommend them to young adults and adults who like entertaining mysteries.

The House of Secrets by Brad Meltzer and Tod Goldberg - 3.5 stars
Book Description
A secret worth killing for.
A woman with no past.
An act of treason that changed America.
#1 bestselling author Brad Meltzer returns with
THE HOUSE OF SECRETS
When Hazel Nash was six years old, her father taught her: mysteries need to be solved. He should know. Hazel's father is Jack Nash, the host of America's favorite conspiracy TV show, The House of Secrets.
Even as a child, she loved hearing her dad's tall tales, especially the one about a leather book belonging to Benedict Arnold that was hidden in a corpse.
Now, years later, Hazel wakes up in the hospital and remembers nothing, not even her own name. She's told she's been in a car accident that killed her father and injured her brother. But she can't remember any of it, because of her own traumatic brain injury. Then a man from the FBI shows up, asking questions about her dad-and about his connection to the corpse of a man found with an object stuffed into his chest: a priceless book that belonged to Benedict Arnold.
Back at her house, Hazel finds guns that she doesn't remember owning. On her forehead, she sees scars from fights she can't recall. Most important, the more Hazel digs, the less she likes the person she seems to have been.
Trying to put together the puzzle pieces of her past and present, Hazel Nash needs to figure out who killed this man-and how the book wound up in his chest. The answer will tell her the truth about her father, what he was really doing for the government-and who Hazel really is. Mysteries need to be solved. Especially the ones about yourself.

My Review
This is a conspiracy mystery with lots of suspense and history. It was a little slow in the beginning and seemed to jump around too much. It had lots of twists and turns that keep you turning the pages once the story picked up. I like Meltzer's writing but felt like the co-writing was not working in this story. The characters were too convoluted at times and not fully developed. I do look forward to reading more of Meltzer's books but found this book somewhat lacking.

>72 EadieB: - I'm really looking forward to the new Flavia. I am planning to get the audio in October because I just love the way Jayne Entwhistle narrates this particular series. Glad to see it got such high marks from you.

>70 Carol420: - I read some others this month and "what Carol says".

Even though I've read them all in the past, I'm listening to the Grant County and Will Trent series again in audio and they are all really good even the second time around. I was so into Criminal yesterday that I walked over 5 miles!

>72 EadieB: >74 Olivermagnus: This is a series I am yet to try.

>75 Olivermagnus: It is amazing what you pick up on if you re-read a book.

Cairo Arrangement by Bruce Colbert
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

This book would not be my usual fayre of reading, being set in the quite recent past in Egypt during Hosni Mubarak's leadership and before he was deposed from power. I tend to prefer my historical fiction to be older than this and any intrigue to be more of a fictional nature. However having said this overall I found this an enjoyable book once I got into the book and knew where it was heading. I did find the initial part of the book to be quite disjointed and I would have liked events to be put into more of a context. Once this was established, however, events moved on at a pace and you got the story told from a few different viewpoints which added to the understanding of it. The book gave a good feeling of place in Egypt, and the mood of the times, as well as of the intrigue between Egypt and Israel. There was certainly some inherent tension as the book built up to the culmination of events. I do feel the book came to quite a quick ending.

If you are interested in modern day events in the Middle East I think this would a good read for you, and I would be happy to read any other books by Bruce Colbert, but I must be honest and say he will not figure at the top of my favourite authors list as he is writing about themes I generally want to read books to get away from. Possibly a tad too realistic for my liking, but that doesn't mean there will be a key audience out there who will enjoy this book even more than I did.

I was given an advance copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

Rewinder by Brett Battles.
4*
Usually I find that books written in the first person have a tendency to put me off, but this one really surprised me. I was intrigued by the concept of there being an America that was still very much part of the British Empire and all because of the death/murder of George Washington before he was able to achieve so much in his life.
The plot centres around a young man growing up at Level Eight in a caste system widespread throughout the British Commonwealth in the near future. He does so well that he comes to the notice of a group who are able to travel back in time to verify the genealogy of their clients, usually of quite a high order in the caste system.
No alteration to the timeline is justified, simply observe and record to verify (or otherwise) how people's past had developed. As you will no doubt guess, there is a glitch, and a very interesting glitch at that.
The young man's story is quite fascinating and well worth the effort of tackling the book, not that it is a hard read, but it does have an unusual beginning.
There is a follow up which I look forward to reading.

Brass in Pocket by Stephen Puleston.
4*
This is the first book in the Detective Inspector Ian Drake series, set in North Wales. Drake is somewhat OCD with a penchant for sudoku, a pastime which seems to calm him and help him to reorganise his thoughts. He has a very useful assistant in Sián Waits, married to an alpaca farmer.
We observe the deaths of two police patrolmen through the eyes of their killer, although we have no idea who he is. Neither do the North Wales Police, and Drake and Waits have a real problem with a killer who has an agenda, but one that is not obvious to the reader until quite late on in the book, and to the police somewhat later!
There is a great deal of speeding around in North wales, with the A55 getting a particular and frequent pounding!
I found the book engrossing, mainly on the grounds that the author very successfully conceals the killer until very late in the book, with only occasional and very small clues thrown in to suggest to the reader that the killer's identity should have been questioned earlier. We do get drawn into the seedy world of drug dealing and violence as well as businessmen finding nefarious ways to achieve their objectives.
Good stuff - will have to look up the next one in the series.

>80 Alan1946: Love that corner of Wales so will have to give this book a try, especially as I already own a copy.

>80 Alan1946: - Great review. I'm adding it to the Leaning Tower of TBR.

I love Sudoku it is relaxing! I'll have to check this author too!

Nightwatching by John Zunski
4.5★'s

From The Book:
Do the dead forgive? The question haunts Sondra McAfee. After the death of their three year-old son, Sondra and husband Travis escape Seattle’s society for a fresh start in the mountains of Montana, only to learn what awaits is as horrific as their past. On the fringe of civilization, something sinister lurks within moonlit shadows, preying upon the anguish of tortured souls. Feel Sondra’s isolation in a mountain cabin, the torment of a schizophrenic shut-in, and the desperation of a broken hearted musician as they struggle to overcome personal demons. Together, can they defeat what feeds upon their souls? The answer lies within this tale of horror, betrayal, addiction, and lust.

My Thoughts:
This sounded perfect and it met a challenge category that I had almost given up on. The book for it's wonderful description...started out really slow. I know the author had to set the stage with the little boys' death and the relocation of Sondra and Travis to the wilds of Montana...but I nearly gave this story up. I am so glad I didn't. It is one of the best horror stories that I have read in a very long time. There's the little boy in the woods that only comes to visit in the full moon and the footprints on Sondra's ceiling. The author brings the horrifying events to a slam - bang climax that may not be good for the weak of heart.

Ice Hunt by James Rollins
5★'s

From The Book:
Carved into a moving island of ice twice the size of the United States, Ice Station Grendel has been abandoned for more than seventy years. The twisted brainchild of the finest minds of the former Soviet Union, it was designed to be inaccessible and virtually invisible.

But an American undersea research vessel has inadvertently pulled too close – and something has been sighted moving inside the allegedly deserted facility, something whose survival defies every natural law. And now, as scientists, soldiers, intelligence operatives, and unsuspecting civilians are drawn into Grendel’s lethal vortex, the most extreme measures possible will be undertaken to protect its dark mysteries – because the terrible truths locked behind submerged walls of ice and steel could end human life on Earth.

My Thoughts:
James Rollins has shown time and time again that he possesses one of the most creative imaginations of any writer I have ever read. Ice Hunt takes readers on a roller coaster ride of good guys, bad guys, could be good or bad guys, complications of Arctic weather and to make it interesting...a horde of monsters that have you on their dinner menu. In addition to all that Rollins has created a very interesting array of characters. If you like lots of action, suspense, narrow escapes, original plot lines, and likable characters, you really can't go wrong with or James Rollins in general.

The Stolen Ones by Owen Laukkanen
Stevens & Windemere series Book #4
4★'s

From The Book:
When you’ve got nothing left, you’ve got nothing left to lose. Cass County, Minnesota: A sheriff’s deputy steps out of a diner on a rainy summer evening, and a few minutes later, he’s lying dead in the mud. When BCA agent Kirk Stevens arrives on the scene, he discovers local authorities have taken into custody a single suspect: A hysterical young woman found sitting by the body, holding the deputy’s own gun. She has no ID, speaks no English. A mystery woman.

The mystery only deepens from there, as Stevens and Carla Windermere, his partner in the new joint BCA–FBI violent crime task force, find themselves on the trail of a massive international kidnapping and prostitution operation. Before the two agents are done, they will have traveled over half the country, from Montana to New York, and come face-to-face not only with the most vicious man either of them has ever encountered—but two of the most courageous women.

My Thoughts:
I read the first three books previously and they were all 5 star books. This one looses some of the rating...not because it isn't well written or as dynamic as the past three but because for one thing...it deals with a horrific subject...human sex trade trafficking...and two...because Windermere's horrible treatment of Mathers is becoming almost unbearable. If she doesn't want him to live with her just tell him and stop insulting him.

I really like Owen Laukkanen's writing style and will certainly read more of his works. I just hope he brings back the Windermere that we met in the first three books. She was flawed but she was at least reasonable in her thinking.

The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter - 5 stars
Book Description
It's the most dangerous case of Will Trent's career. He knows this from the moment he sets foot in the abandoned Atlanta warehouse where a body lies on the floor--the body of an ex-cop. Bloody footprints leading away from the scene reveal that another victim, evidently a woman, was carried away ... and has vanished into thin air. And, worst of all, the warehouse belongs to the city's biggest and most high-profile athlete--a local hero protected by the world's most expensive lawyers. A hero married to Will's ex-wife. A hero whom Will's superiors at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation have spent the last six months investigating for rape.But for Will--and also for Sara Linton, the GBI's newest medical examiner--the case is about to get even worse. Because an unexpected discovery at the scene reveals a personal link to Will's troubled past ... and the consequences will wreak havoc on his life and the lives of those he loves, those he works with, and those he pursues.Relentlessly suspenseful and furiously paced, peopled with characters who leap from the page, The Kept Woman marks Karin Slaughter's triumphant return to her most popular series.

My Review
There is no better female thriller writer than Karin Slaughter. Her Will Trent series is the best. You need to read this series in order so that this book will be more enjoyable if you have all of the back story. Angie, Will's wife, is the center figure of the novel. We get more about Angie's past life which is very tragic. The subjects of rape and domestic abuse is also foremost in this novel and Slaughter handles these subjects in a very realistic way. Even though Will is now in a relationship with Sara, Angie is still playing mind games with Will. There are many twists and turns which keep the pages turning until the very end. The only gripe I have with the book is it's length due to the fact that we get to know everything Angie, Will and Sara are thinking and I think some of those thoughts could have been edited better. I would, however, highly recommend this series to those who love thrilling stories with a bit of romance added in.

Ice Hunt by James Rollins - 4-1/2 stars
Book Description
Carved into a moving island of ice twice the size of the United States, Ice Station Grendel has been abandoned for more than seventy years. The twisted brainchild of the finest minds of the former Soviet Union, it was designed to be inaccessible and virtually invisible. But an American undersea research vessel has inadvertently pulled too close--and something has been sighted moving inside the allegedly deserted facility, something whose survival defies every natural law. And now, as scientists, soldiers, intelligence operatives, and unsuspecting civilians are drawn into Grendel's lethal vortex, the most extreme measures possible will be undertaken to protect its dark mysteries--because the terrible truths locked behind submerged walls of ice and steel could end human life on Earth.

My Review
This book was very action-packed with lots of intense moments. The plot was very interesting and I learned a lot about ice caps, ice stations, grendels, frogs, science and history. What more would you want from a book? The characters were very unique too. Some were good and some were bad but that makes for a great story. I look forward to reading more adventure books by Rollins and I would highly recommend this book to those who love adventure, history or science novels.

Song of the Skylark by Erica James
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️❤️

Not exactly a mystery book but enjoyed it so much I thought I post a quick review.
I loved this book! This book is set in the current time based on Lizzie who has just been sacked due to indiscretions at work, and goes to work voluntarily in an old people's home where one resident tells Lizzie her story of what happened to her before, during and just after the Second World War. I loved the back story and there were moments which brought me to tears on more than one occasion! This story had a dramatic effect on Lizzie and as a result changes were made in her life. A recommended read!

Little Boy Blue by M J Arlidge
#5 in the D I Helen Grace Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Never really engaged with this one, felt it was a very weak story with little to really engage the reader. For me D I Helen has too many hang-ups for me. Seemed to end too quickly too.

>88 EadieB: Ooohh... Ice Hunt sounds good. Added to my library 'wish list' for e-loan. Thanks!

>89 Andrew-theQM: - Song of the Skylark sounds like something I would enjoy. I'll keep an eye out for it.

>87 EadieB: - I've been rereading (in audio) all the Will Trent books in anticipation of Kept Woman. I didn't read the review and just looked at the rating of 5. It's a great series to walk to. The other day I walked 5 and a half miles just to keep listening to Criminal!

>91 ScoLgo: - It was a great read. I gave it a 4.5.

>91 ScoLgo:
Hope you enjoy Ice Hunt. We did it as a group read and everyone liked it very much.

>92 Olivermagnus:
I enjoyed the whole series and The Kept Woman was great too.

>91 ScoLgo: I also gave it 4.5 stars, but did debate for a while giving it 5.