Watching The Tree Limbs
Mary E. DeMuth
NavPress
Glass Road Public Relations (publicity)
PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, CO 80935
1576839265 $12.99 www.navpress.com
Watching The Tree Limbs by Mary E. DeMuth is a superbly crafted novel depicting the heart wrenching story of Mara Weatherall, a nine-year-old girl who suffers repeated rapes by a neighborhood boy, the lack of father and mother, and the poor living situation amidst an entirely African American community of her peers. Young Mara discovers that help from her best friend might help to create a better life. Watching The Tree Limbs is a novel about what a Christian pathway for a flailing child can accomplish. Watching The Tree Limbs is very highly recommended especially for Christian-fiction readers, as an outstandingly written and vividly detailed of a young girl finding a way out of the darkness when her only light is the hope of one day knowing anything of her parents.
Spiritual Birthline
Stephen E. Smallman
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
1581347626 $12.99 www.crossway.com
Spiritual Birthline: Understanding How We Experience The New Birth by Stephen E. Smallman (Executive Director of World Harvest Missions) is a liturgical study of the theories offering an interpretive and productive worship of the Spirit, and an acknowledgment of Christ and Christianity. Introducing readers to the "spiritual birthline" concept of God and religion, Spiritual Birthline carries readers through a spiritual journey and exploratory comprehension of genuine belief and faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Spiritual Birthline is very strongly recommended to all subversive or progressive Christians searching for a helpful and intriguing comprehensive perspective of a most faithful and fulfilling religious pursuit.
Jump Start Your Future
Danielle Lee
Olive Press
PO Box 2056, Stillwater, MN 55082
0976929899 $12.99 www.jumpstartfuture.com
Jump Start Your Future: A Guide For The College-Bound Christian by Danielle Lee (an English/Language Arts Teacher who currently teaches private classes through homeschool co-ops) is an informative guide specifically designed for the use of young Christians preparing to enter college life. Introducing readers to a wealth of helpful guidance tactics, practical strategies, and innovative ideas for the college and career search, financial aide opportunities, study skills and techniques, tips on research and the internet, secrets of successful students, worldviews at college, and discussion in the classroom. Jump Start Your Future is very highly recommended for all students, regardless of their denominational affiliation, who are searching for a well authored college guide written from the perspective of a Christian, and inclusive of all the facts and matters necessary for an aspiring college or university student.
Understanding The Bible From A To Z
Ron Rhodes
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, OR 97402-9173
0736917659 $12.99 1-800-547-8979 wwww.harvesthousepublishers.com
A thoroughly "user friendly" reference tool, Understanding The Bible From A To Z: People, Places, And Facts To Make The Bible Come Alive by Ron Rhodes (President of Reasoning from The Scriptures Ministries) is a welcome instructional reference to an often difficult-to-understand biblical passage. Deftly exploring the timeless truths and understandings of the biblical narrative, Understanding The Bible From A To Z comprehensively presents readers with a thorough and concise collection of clear and helpful definitions. Understanding The Bible From A To Z is very strongly recommended to all students of the Bible, particularly those new to its study, for its invaluable grasp and complete listing of all unfamiliar words and their contemporary or historical meanings as used in the Bible.
444 Surprising Quotes About Jesus
Isabella D. Bunn
Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55438
0764201611 $9.99 www.amazon.com
Deftly compiled by international lawyer and theologian Isabella D. Bunn, 444 Surprising Quotes About Jesus: A Treasury Of Inspiring Thoughts And Classic Quotations is an inspirational collection of sayings, quotes, words, phrases, and treasured wisdom regarding the life, teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Including sub-chapters such as: Jesus As God And Man; The Life And Teachings Of Jesus; The Love Of Jesus; Life In Christ; Jesus As Savior; The Power Of The Cross; Images Of Jesus; Jesus And History; and His Spiritual Legacy, 444 Surprising Quotes About Jesus substantively contributes to an enlightened and enlightening understanding of Jesus Christ's enduring influence and timeless wisdom. 444 Surprising Quotes About Jesus is very highly recommended reading for all Christian readers regardless of denominational affiliation. "Apart from Christ we know neither what our life nor death is; we do not know what God is nor what we ourselves are." Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).
The Wide-Eyed Wonder Years
Lorilee Craker
Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516
080073064X $12.99 www.revellbooks.com
The Wide-Eyed Wonder Years A Mommy Guide To Preschool Daze by author and parenting expert Lorilee Craker is a knowledgeable collection of specific tactics and productive strategies for creatively assisting young mothers with their child's upbringing. As children may be often difficult or high-maintenance in their daily life, The Wide-Eyed Wonder Years incorporates a religious perspective to provide readers with an expansive wisdom of psychological sound approaches for easing a child through such issues as the "boogeyman", their eating habits, handling embarrassing situations, releasing the "inner red-hot mama", giving confidence to dependant or clingy children, and so much more. The Wide-Eyed Wonder Years is strongly recommended for all young Christian mothers searching for an overall guide to helping their children throughout the many difficult aspects of childhood.
Choosing Thankfulness
First Place Bible Study Series
Gospel Light
4588 Interstate Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45246
0830738185 $19.99 www.firstplace.org
Choosing Thankfulness: A Comprehensive Biblical Study On Thankfulness by the biblical based organization First Place as an addition to the "Bible Study Series" as a productive, "reader friendly" guide for daily Bible study. Including ten weekly studies with a day by day preparation process, Choosing Thankfulness knowledgeably presents motivational spiritual practices for with Scripture memory verses, Wellness Worksheets, personal Commitment Records, two weeks of Menu Plans, a Leader's Discussion Guide, as well as an accompanying "Moving To The Word" aerobic exercise DVD for personal fitness. Choosing Thankfulness is very highly recommended reading, especially for those Christian readers with out-of-control eating habits who are searching for God's promise and unfailing love an in need of a definitive collection of healthy and effective strategies for weight-loss and fit body workouts.
Sizzle!
Denise Vezey
Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
0781442028 $12.99 1-800-323-7543 www.cookministries.com
Author, wife, mother, and lay counselor of twenty years' experience Denise Vezey presents Sizzle! Seven Secrets to Ignite Your Marriage, a Christian self-help guide to aid married couples in rekindling passion and deepening their connection for one another according to God's plan. Chapters explore such topics as the importance of avoiding unrealistic expectations of perfection, learning to accept how intimacy changes over decades, and God's view of romance and fun - including the importance of making time and being reliable for one's spouse. A relationship self- help guide that draws equally upon psychology, common sense, personal experience, and Scripture, Sizzle! is written especially for Christian wives, but holds a wealth of important secrets for any Christian husbands bold enough to peek between the covers also.
Preparing Sunday Dinner
June Alliman Yoder et al
Herald Press
616 Walnut Avenue, Scottdale, PA 15683-1999
0836193210 $18.99 1-800-759-4447 www.heraldpress.com
Collectively authored by the team of June Alliman Yoder, Marlene Kropf, and Rebecca Slough, Preparing Sunday: A Collaborative Approach To Worship And Preaching is an extensive, in-depth study of theological designs presented throughout the year in Christian ritual and celebration. Gathering comprehensive analysis of the Christological Seasons of Advent, Christmas-Epiphany, Lent-Holy Week, Easter-to-Pentecost, and the ordinary times between. A welcome addition to personal, seminary, and church reference libraries, Preparing Sunday Dinner provides readers with an invaluable compendium style resource for understanding of the significant variants, lore and reasoning with respect to Christian worship.
Betsy L. Hogan
Reviewer
Greenspan's Bookshelf
The Prairie School
H. Allen Brooks
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
039373191X $25.00 1-800-233-4830 www.wwnorton.com
Award-winning architecture scholar and former president of the Society of Architectural Historians H. Allen Brooks presents The Prairie School: Frank Lloyd Wright and His Midwest Contemporaries, an in-depth discussion of the American architectural development and the "Prairie School", a regional manifestation of a forward-thinking reform movement in the visual arts. Inspired by Louis Sullivan and brought to fruition by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Prairie School sought to reinvent methods of architectural expression while retaining practicality, and often featured angular forms (much better than flat-topped forms in lands with heavy snowfall upon local roofs) and intricate interior designs. Illustrated with a copious amount of black-and-white photographs and diagrams, The Prairie School: Frank Lloyd Wright and His Midwest Contemporaries draws heavily upon previously unpublished material, original documentation, and interviews to recount the course of the movement, including how and why it came into existence, its achievements, its foibles, and its unfortunate end. Highly recommended for architectural scholars and enthusiasts.
History May Be Searched in Vain
Sherman L. Fleek
The Arthur H. Clark Company
PO Box 14707, Spokane, WA 99214
0870623435 $37.50 1-800-842-9286 www.ahclark.com
History May Be Searched in Vain: A Military History of the Mormon Battalion is an in-depth historical study of the only religious unit in American military history - the Mormon battalion, which was recruited entirely from one religious body and had a religious title as the unit designation. Though the battalion served in the Mexican War and marched across the Southwest to California, it never engaged in battle, and has consequently been ignored by military historians. History May Be Searched in Vain seeks to rectify this oversight by delving into more than eighty diaries, journals, memoirs, and typed manuscript copies prepared by battalion members, including the journal of Dr. George B. Sanderson, widely feared and hated in Mormon legend as "Dr. Death". Illustrated with a handful of maps and black-and-white photographs, History May Be Searched in Vain spares no effort in its minute and accurate depiction of the battalion's unique formation and composition, daily life, strategic role, and legacy.
Arthur Hugh Clough: A Poet's Life
Anthony Kenny
The Continuum Publishing Group
15 East 26th Street, #17, New York, NY 10010-1505
0826473822 $39.95 1-800-561-7704 www.continuumbooks.com
Written by a former President of the British Academy and Chair of the Board of the British Library, Arthur Hugh Clough: A Poet's Life is the full-scale biography of one of the Victorian era's most modern and forward-thinking British poets. Though his work fell into relative obscurity immediately after his death, it was revitalized in the Second World War when Winston Churchill quoted lines from "Say not the struggle naught availeth" during his efforts to attain American cooperation, including "Westward, look, the land is bright." Tracing Clough's life from his childhood to his schooling to his years in London, his marriage, and his final days, Arthur Hugh Clough: A Poet's Life examines the influence of Clough's life experiences upon his poetry at each stage, the important role that women played in his life and particularly in influencing his love poetry, the transitions of his character and personality, and much more. Black-and-white photographs and an index round out this exceptionally detailed portrayal and literary study.
Cassell's Battlefields of Britain & Ireland
Richard Brooks
Weidenfeld & Nicolson
c/o Casemate
2114 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
0304363332 $49.95 1-610-853-9131 www.casematepublishing.com
Cassell's Battlefields of Britain & Ireland is an exhaustive survey of military actions fought upon British and Irish soil throughout history, from 55 B.C. to 1940. Organized by chronology, Cassell's Battlefields of Britain & Ireland chronicles major events site by site with battle statistics and descriptions ideal for casual readers and professional historians alike. Over 100 detailed battle maps round out this hefty compendium, which tackles its immense subject matter in as orderly a fashion as possible. Enthusiastically recommended for library and military history collections.
Campaign for Corinth Blood in Mississippi
Steven Nathaniel Dossman
McWhiney Foundation Press
McMurry University, Box 637, Abilene, TX 79697
1893114511 $14.95 1-325-793-4682
Written by a descendant of men who battled at Corinth, Campaign for Corinth: Blood in Mississippi examines the events through which the quiet little town of Corinth, Mississippi because one of the South's key strongholds during the American Civil War. Captured after a siege by Federal General Henry Halleck, Corinth became a target of Southern efforts to drive back the Union, and when the bloody campaign for Corinth reached its height, it paved the way for Grant's Vicksburg campaign and the ultimate fate of the Confederacy in the Mississippi Valley. A straightforward and harshly honest accounting of military history, accessible to lay readers and historians alike, and illustrated with occasional black-and-white photographs and maps.
Able Greenspan
Reviewer
Harold's Bookshelf
Crystal Reports XI for Developers
David McAmis
Charles River Media, Inc.
10 Downer Avenue, Hingham, MA 02043
ISBN: 1584504110, $49.95, 417 pp.
Crystal Reports is one of the most ubiquitous software packages for turning raw data into useful information. Whether it is a stand alone package or the reporting portion of another program it seems everyone is either using canned reports or writing custom ones with Crystal Reports at some point. In this book the author takes the reader through the process of creating the various types of reports available with Crystal Reports. Starting with the most basic reports that simply list the results he quickly moves the reader through sorting, totaling, grouping, and multiple other ways of organizing your data. From there he moves the reader through the creation of much more complex reports including consolidated ones with multiple sub-reports. In this book you will find everything you need to learn how to use Crystal Reports to its fullest potential including how to integrate it into your own programs. I wish I had had this book available to me when I was first learning Crystal Reports. Crystal Reports XI for Developers is highly recommended.
The VMWare Workstation 5 Handbook
Steven S. Warren
Charles River Media, Inc.
10 Downer Avenue, Hingham, MA 02043
ISBN: 1584503939, $44.95, 324 pp.
When it comes to virtual computers installed on one physical computer nobody does it quite as well as VMWare. Version 5 of their workstation product is a significant improvement over earlier versions with easier installation, better discovery of available hardware, and many other features. While it is easy enough to install a basic system and the software pretty much installs itself the documentation of VMWare has always been lacking. This book fills that void by supplying a superb manual to match the superb software product. The author takes a kind of quick start approach as he goes through installation and upgrading, and then moves straight to creating a virtual machine so you can get working with it right away. From there he moves to some of the more advanced features such as working with snapshots, cloning a virtual machine, and working with teams. This is followed by a section on networking virtual machines, performance tuning, and optimization. He even includes an excellent section on tips and tricks. If you have the need for more than one operating system installed on your computer or just want to work with more than one then virtual machines is the easiest way to go about it. No rebooting and working in just one system at a time like a dual-boot configuration, you just run them both at once and switch back and forth as needed. And it will support more than just two virtual machines running at the same time. The VMWare Workstation 5 Handbook is highly recommended to anyone interested in the VMWare product.
Sarbanes-Oxley IT Compliance Using COBIT and Open Source Tools
Christian B. Lahti, Roderick Peterson
Syngress Publishing, Inc.
800 Hingham Street, Rockland, MA 02370
ISBN: 1597490369, $49.95, 280 pp.
Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is a legal requirement for publicly traded companies. The problem with the Act is that it requires things like adequate internal control structure and a report on the effectiveness of the internal control structure and procedures while not providing any guidance or any specific mention of information technology implications. Luckily there are several other more specific standards to follow, with the most common among auditors being COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology).
This book concentrates on using various open source tools (included on a CD with the book) to audit and document your system for compliance with COBIT. The authors take the reader through a detailed walk through the COBIT components and explain each one as well as how to implement it successfully. If it is followed the result is a sustainable system that is well documented, has set policies to prevent problems, has solid controls, and establishes responsibilities for change and improvements. Sarbanes-Oxley IT Compliance Using COBIT and Open Source Tools is highly recommended for anyone preparing to undergo and Sarbanes-Oxley audit but is also highly recommended to others because it is so useful for documenting your system and setting responsibility for changes to it.
Vmware ESX Server
Al Muller, Seburn Wilson, Don Happe, & Gary J. Humphrey
Syngress Publishing, Inc.
800 Hingham Street, Rockland, MA 02370
ISBN: 1597490199, $49.95, 448 pp.
VMware is arguably the best virtualization program available today and I would agree with that opinion. VMware ESX Server is their server virtualization product and just like all of their other products it is a stellar performer. However documentation has never been their strong point and this book tries to resolve that problem. Server virtualization allows multiple server operating systems to reside on the same physical machine and be accessed as though they were separate physical servers. This resolves a multitude of problems including situations where different software servers don't work well on the same physical server. For example, many IT departments will not put Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SQL on the same production server or generally don't like to run the Web Server, database server, and mail server on the same physical computer.
This book is written so the average computer administrator can easily install Vmware ESX Server on one physical computer and install as many virtual servers as needed or supported by the hardware without any problems. It even includes coverage of how to installs different server operating systems including how to install Linux on one virtual server and Windows 2003 on another on the same physical computer. However, for anything out of the ordinary the information is often not sufficiently detailed to allow the reader to completely setup the component. For example, the section on network card bonding does not contain sufficient information to actually configure it but does point the reader to a white paper on the subject. On the other hand, ESX server installation and basic administration are both well done and these subjects are the main focus of the book. If you are looking for more advanced information then this is not the book you are looking for, but if you are looking for your first book on the subject and just getting your feet wet with the product then Vmware ESX Server is highly recommended.
Skype Me!
Michael Gough
Syngress Publishing, Inc.
800 Hingham Street, Rockland, MA 02370
ISBN: 1597490326, $34.95, 401 pp.
Skype is a simple to implement Voice Over IP (VOIP) solution for the average computer user. If you are tired of long-distance charges, want to be able to tell when someone is online and you can call them, chat in a secure, encrypted environment, engage in video chatting with others, or call someone who has a regular phone system at substantially reduced rates then Skype may be the product you need. This book covers installation, configuration, and basic usage as well as configuring advanced features and personalizing your Skype. While this is useful, I found the software to be so user friendly that it was easy to figure out most of this by just exploring the basic options of the system. That being said Chapters seven and eight were well worth the price of the book by themselves. These chapters cover software and hardware add-ons that can greatly enhance your Skype system and make it work the way you would like it to. The final two sections of the book cover setting up Skype in a business environment and writing custom interfaces to it by accessing the Skype API. This section includes important information on how to set up Skype behind a firewall. Skype Me is a highly recommended purchase and a great way to access the VOIP world for anyone with a computer and good Internet access speed.
Creating Web Sites
Matthew MacDonald
O'Reilly Media, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastapol, CA 95472
ISBN: 0596008422, $29.95, 501 pp.
Finally someone has written a book about creating a web site that pulls together the scattered points of focus of the programming, design, and marketing components. Generally each of these has their own viewpoint of how a website should be designed or used and they often conflict. In this book Matthew MacDonald teaches the basics of html programming but then follows that up by moving the reader forward into the world of website design. In this section he points out that while programmers may think one way another design might be better from a user interface standpoint and explains why this is the case. He does an excellent job of explaining why one method is preferred over another and when it would not be the preferred choice. Beyond programming the author also includes information on connecting with your audience, using keywords to get search engine rankings and similar marketing information. The book includes some basic information on JavaScript, Dynamic HTML, creating Fancy Buttons, and even creating a blog. This book does not cover any of those areas in detail and if you are an average programmer in any of those disciplines you will find no programming information that you don't already know. On the other hand, the programming books delve deeper into programming without ever giving the reader the entire picture of how it all must work together to provide a complete experience for everyone involved. In short Creating Web Sites contains all the basics you need in order to create a basic site that is attractive and creates a pleasant experience for a visitor and is a recommended read.
Internet Forensics
Robert Jones
O'Reilly Media, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastapol, CA 95472
ISBN: 059610006X, $39.95, 216 pp.
Although there are much larger books on the market that profess to teach the reader about how the Internet works and how spammers, virus creators, and other denizens of the Internet ply their trade and what you can do about it, none do as thorough a job as this one. The author covers problems with email, obfuscation of a URL, viewing web site code, downloading complete web sites, cookies, redirection, web browsers and what they tell the sites about you, document forgery, and patterns of activity. Concisely written, with the author getting straight to the point without the fluff of many other books, this is easily one of the best books on Internet Forensics available today. The author writes well and has a real knack for explaining things in a way everyone can understand. As a result it is easy to follow his thinking and logic at all times. Internet Forensics is highly recommended to anyone interested in this subject.
Skype Hacks
Andrew Sheppard
O'Reilly Media, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastapol, CA 95472
ISBN: 0596101899, $24.95, 312 pp.
Skype is one of the most popular VOIP applications for the individual user and small office on the market today. If you have already installed it or are considering installing it then you will want this book so you can configure it to work the way you want it to work and head off any problems before they occur. The first thing I have to say about Skype is that it is so user friendly that many of the hacks in this book are unnecessary. It is easy enough to figure out how to make conference calls, transfer calls, forward calls and do various other common tasks. On the other hand, there are a lot of useful tips including how to claim your money back if something goes wrong, avoiding additional mobile phone charges, building a Skype server, working with routers, using Skype at work, working with privacy issues, and add-on products. Because Skype is a peer-to-peer network service it is very important to understand the privacy and security issues and the author does a great job of both explaining them as well as how to work with them. Skype Hacks is highly recommended for advanced computer users or anyone responsible for administering Skype in a business environment.
Q & A with Point of Grace
Nancy Alcorn
Howard Publishing Company, Inc.
3117 North Seventh Street, West Monroe, LA 71291-2227
ISBN: 1582294631, $9.99, 136 pp.
Point of Grace is a popular Christian singing group with a particular attraction to teenage girls. As part of their ministry they regularly have conferences called Girls of Grace that are directed at teenage girls. This book is a collection of common questions and answers from those conferences. The questions cover a vast area of concerns from dating, friends, family, boyfriends, love, sex, faith, emotions, and other issues. The end result is a book of Christian based answers and guidance for girls going through common teenage issues. Q & A with Point of Grace is a highly recommended book both for teenage girls and for parents seeking to understand, or remember, the problems of being a teenage girl and how that has changed today.
The Definitive Guide to ImageMagick
Michael Still
Apress
2560 Ninth Street, Suite 219, Berkeley, CA 94710
ISBN: 1590595904, $49.95, 320 pp.
Like many other open source software products ImageMagick has always suffered from poor documentation. That problem is helped considerably with the publication of The Definitive Guide to ImageMagick. For those who are used to working with fancy graphical interfaces ImageMagick will be quite a shock. It uses a command line interface which makes it easy to use put into your own programs and simply call or build the appropriate command line to produce the desired results. This book is designed for those readers who want to get right to work with the command-line tools or writing code to take advantage of the programming interface. Because of the ability of the software to make complex adjustments to images through the command line this book clearly demonstrates how to make quick changes without opening large complex programs. Some of the areas covered include resizing, changing compressions, blurring, charcoal effects, adding noise, and dithering. The last few chapters concentrate on programming with ImageMagick and Perl, C, Ruby, and PHP. A command line graphics program is not for everyone and especially so with all the powerful graphics programs available on the market today. However, if you want to write your own graphic transformation program or include that ability in your own interface then this is one of the easiest ways to implement it and The Definitive Guide to ImageMagick is the best documentation available for this product. That does not mean it could not be better. It could be much better and there are a lot of abilities that are not covered in much detail, but it is still the best documentation I have seen.
Blueprints for Success: Networking
Bette Daoust, Ph.D.
Blueprint Books
PO Box 10757, Pleasanton, CA 94588
ISBN: 1883955483, $16.95, 201 pp.
If there is one common thread that runs through business networking groups then that thread seems to be people attending the meetings without really understanding how to use them to their advantage. This is true whether it is a professional networking group, chamber of commerce group, or just ad hoc networking opportunity. Filling this information gap between just attending a meeting and using it to successfully network is what this book is about. Inside are 150 specific tips and pieces of advice to help move you from just another person seeking to get your business card into as many hands as possible to one of the few that actually establish a network of referral sources. Some of the advice is very general in nature but others are very specific. For example, some of the topics include questions to ask, how to collect business cards, evaluating a group to find quality groups, reasons to join a group, the best alliances to make, drawing the line in an alliance, speaking engagements, getting to the right people, business card marketing, and press releases. "Blueprints for Success: Networking" is a highly recommended book and an excellent source of advice on how to network successfully.
Harold McFarland
Senior Reviewer
Klausner's Bookshelf
The Cuba Project
Peter Pavia
Palgrave
ISBN: 1403966036, $24.95
This is an interesting though biased account of American-Cuban relations during the Eisenhower and Kennedy Administration. This nonfiction work digs deep into Havana when American mobsters ran casinos in the 1950s as Hollywood stars loved pre-Castro Cuba as a playground in which they could buy anything including items illegal in the States. The odd events take a twist with the formation of the FBI Tamale Squad (don't ask why) as an anti communist move loaded with plenty of money and easy for Castro to place moles inside it. Looking back, Castro was the moralist kicking out a hedonistic dictator, gangsters and depraved wealthy Americans. Though lacking the points of view of Castro and his loyalists, Peter Pavia has written an intriguing look from the perspective of the Cuban exile and American participants (including the CIA) in their efforts to remove Castro from power circa 1959-1963 especially with the Bay of Pugs fiasco. THE CUBA PROJECT is also much more as Mr. Pavia also presents a cautionary undertone that leads readers to ponder perhaps America is repeating many of the same errors today.
Sorcerer
James Byron Huggins
Whitaker House
1030 Hunt Valley Circle, New Kensington, Pa. 15068
ISBN: 0883688182, $12.99
After almost a quarter of a century as a Special Forces Officer and a police detective, Michael Thorn takes an early retirement to spend his time with his family. He buys a mansion in Cedar Ridge, Massachusetts thirty miles from Salem but on his very first night in their new home, Thorn hears a funny noise in the basement. When he knocks down the wall where the noise is coming from Thorn finds a skeleton with silver manacles around his hands and writing on them. When the police arrive the skeleton is missing. The local priest feels that something evil was here and soon they figure out that the skeleton was that of Jannes, the magician of Egypt defeated by Moses. The sorcerer made a pact eons ago with a demon of immense power and now that he is free, he intends to rule just like he did in Ancient Egypt. Priests, nuns, the Assassini warriors of the church and Thorn work together to defeat this evil but are the faith of God's warriors strong enough to defeat this undead sorcerer? This novel is a fantastic supernatural good vs. evil thriller in which the antagonist uses dark magic while the heroes counter with the power of prayer. Thorn is an amazing protagonist who calmly accepts the fact that he will have to fight a supernatural evil that has seen many civilizations rise and fall. There are plenty of battle scenes but the best part of SORCERER is the characters. The humans are very realistic and portrayed as ordinary people called to do something that could get them killed yet all are willing to do so in order that evil doesn't gain a stronger foothold on earth than it already has. James Byron Huggins' message to his readers, cleverly imbued in the storyline, is that with faith all things are possible.
The Scam
James Byron Huggins
Whitaker House
1030 Hunt Valley Circle, New Kensington, Pa. 15068
ISBN: 0883688174, $12.99
The FBI cell is formed to perform a specialized top secret mission: to destroy the brilliant Iceman whose fingers are seemingly in everything including the FBI and CIA leadership and probably the White House. The unknown criminal mastermind has pulled off scandals and capers worth billions and has been successful at it for decades murdering people along the way. The Feds want to finally melt the Iceman because rumors of his latest escapade send shivers of fear up and down their spines. Team leader Logan was selected because he has a history of success as a renegade. He can understand why super hacker Blackfoot was placed on the team, but does not comprehend why rookie Agent Jonathan Malone was chosen. In fact the brass believes Malone is the key joker as he has a personnel vendetta since the Iceman assassinated his parents. However the Iceman is cometh as his tentacles are everywhere and he manipulates the cat and mouse encounter with the rodents that the FBI has sent after him. THE SCAM is a terrific conspiracy thriller filled with twists and complexities that will stun the audience yet seem right. With all the action and spins, the key cast members seem authentic especially the FBI team and the mystical Iceman, whose shadowy world is slowly provided over the course of the exciting story line. James Byron Huggins is at his best with this battle between the overmatched FBI heroes and the sinister somewhat ethereal villainous legend who owns everyone except his current opponents.
Doppelganger
David Stahler Jr.
Eos
ISBN: 0060872322, $16.99, 272 pp.
In their natural form they are hideous monsters who are shapeshifters taking the form of the person they kill. They have no conscience and they live among us without us being aware of it. They can't hold their assumed shape indefinitely so when they revert to their natural form they leave behind people who never know what happened to those who disappeared. One doppelganger (they have no names) has just been kicked out of his home by his mother and the first person he kills is a wino who wants to die. In that form he reaches Bakersville where a high school football star Chris Parker beats on him until he kills him and takes the teen's form. He takes over Chris' life and notices that "his" father verbally abuses and physically hits "his" younger sister Echo. He wonders who the real monster is as he tries to protect Echo and maintain a relationship with Amber who he has come to love. He makes a place for himself but he knows that it can't be permanent because he will shift back into his natural form soon. DOPPELGANGER is a fantastic young adult urban fantasy in which the one who calls himself a monster regrets what he has to do while his human "father" is the real fiend who abuses those he should cherish. The doppelganger is an interesting creature who is unlike the rest of his race because he doesn't like to kill, wants to know love and other good human emotions, and genuinely cares about the Parker females. Amber is his biggest regret because he knows that in the near future he will lose her but he also realizes "you've got to accept the best of a bad situation", which in his case is his entire life.
Street Legal
Bill Kent
Dunne
ISBN: 0312328850, $24.95
Near the Hot Lead Club, Philadelphia Press' Mr. Action columnist twenty-two years old Amazonian reporter Andrea "Andy" Cosicki saw the murder of attorney Charles "Sandman" Muckler first hand. Known for "pouring sand into the legal machinery", the Sandman sat in his vehicle as it filled with sand. After a police interview, Andy asks her mentor sexagenarian obit writer Shep Ladderback if he knew the victim; he responds that he heard of the late attorney and then the agoraphobic offers her an assignment to investigate the Delaware Valley Law Watch. Founded by Schuyler Nordvahl, the Watch maintains a list of attorneys they feel cross the ethical line. Shep believes that the watch is not just suing lawyers for malpractice; he thinks they are maintaining a killing list that bars attorneys permanently. Andy knows better than to accept a Shep assignment that always leads to places she does not want to go, but the reporter still makes inquiries starting with asking who Sir Edward Coke was. STREET LEGAL is a fine entry in the eccentric Cosicki-Ladderback investigative journalism series. The relationship between Andy and Shep remains fresh as he encourages her to be the best reporter on the beat and she promotes his going outside to see the sites of the city even on a "bleak afternoon". Andy's inquiries are fun to follow though the victims never seem more like cartoon versions of stereotypical shyster lawyers manipulating the system. Still fans will enjoy the latest Cosicki-Ladderback thriller.
Cold Kill
David Lawrence
Dunne
ISBN: 0312347413, $23.95
London Detective Stella Mooney emotionally struggles with having to kill someone in the line of duty though as the brass determined she had no choice and (see NOTHING LIKE THE NIGHT) acted in self defense. However, Stella has no time for self pity and stops seeing therapist Dr. Anne Beaumont when she is assigned the case of a brutal serial killer targeting young females such as Valerie Blake who was raped and ritually sliced. The case appears solved when Robert Kimber confesses to the latest homicide. However, when questioned by Valerie he seems vague about specific details and there is a lack of any forensic evidence linking him to any crime. This forces a reluctant Mooney to release him though she is certain the unhinged Kimber is not the killer. More ferocious murders with a modified signature follow leading to Mooney and others to wonder if she freed a guilty person who modified the M.O. COLD KILL is a refreshing police procedural with fully developed characters, lot of action and the plot takes some shocking twists that will totally surprise the reader who will have a hard time waiting to see what happens next. The serial killer story line is fast-paced as Stella struggles with a difficult case after still not being fully recovered from having to take a life. Fans who appreciate a complex murder mystery will want to read David Lawrence's tense thriller.
Murder at the Monks' Table
Sister Carol Anne O'Marie
Dunne
ISBN: 0312357672, $23.95
The relatives of Sister Eileen buy her and her friend Sister Mary Helen tickets to attend the Oyster Festival in Ballyclarin, Ireland. The two nuns appreciate the kind gesture and quickly enjoy all types of activities at the gala. They especially gain pleasure meeting some of the local eccentric residents. The good time comes to an abrupt halt when Sister Mary Helen discovers the murdered body of detested reporter Willie Ward in the ladies' bathroom at the Monk's Table. Detective Inspectors White and Reedy investigate; they quickly learn the victim made many enemies who would want him dead and from the San Francisco Police department that the two nuns tend to get involved in homicide investigations (see REQUIEM AT THE REFUGE). Though they caution the Sisters to stay out of their investigation and both try to adhere to the official warning, Sister Mary Helen and Sister Eileen keep stumbling into the middle of the case. The killer is obvious and the clues found by the Sisters are more caused by chance than real investigating, yet readers will love this delightful Irish police procedural-amateur sleuth tale. The story line is amusing as the two detectives begin to wonder if the visiting Sisters have heavenly intervention as they seem to lurch from one clue to another that the cops missed. Fans of the series will enjoy the latest traveling escapades of the Nuns sleuthing on the run.
If You Could See Me Now: A Chronicle of Identity and Adoption
Michael Mewshaw
Unbridled
ISBN: 1932961208, $23.95, 240 pp.
The saga began for Michael Mewshaw with a call from his half-sister Karen in Maryland while he was dining with his wife and their son. Karen informs him that Amy from California asked her if she is her biological mother. Michael calls Amy who asks him if he might be her biological father as she insists she does not need a parent having been raised by loving one, but she wants her medical history because she will soon marry and have children one day. Michael knows the saga truly began in 1964 with his college girlfriend Adrienne Daly, but before providing any response to Amy, he investigates the veracity of what she claims. It has been three decades since he last spoke with the now top Republican official Adrienne, Michael decides to help Amy though he is not related to her in any way. This terrific memoir will grip from the onset when Karen calls her sibling and never lets readers go even after we finish, as Michael tries to help Amy, but in doing so looks deep inside himself. Michael Mewshaw bears open the core of his essence in this powerful look at who a person is, as he ponders whether someone is a product of the environment, the DNA, or some hybrid. Nonfiction readers will want to peruse this powerful soul searcher.
A Season of Fire and Ice
Lloyd Zimpel
Unbridled
ISBN: 1932961194, $23.95, 256 pp.
Gerhardt Praeger, an educated farmer, appreciates his pragmatic wife Ma as they raise seven sons on the often hostile Dakota plains. He begins to write his thoughts of events in a journal (diaries are for females) starting in 1882 with the new settler Leo Beidierman and the Swede's widow. Over the years as he often scribes in his journal Gerhardt finds Beiderman's success and luck unbelievable and envies the man especially after Beiderman befriends his two youngest sons. Still when natural disasters occur, all the people residing nearby help one another even when they are jealous of one of them. A SEASON OF FIRE AND ICE is a superb historical that provides insight into the harsh life of living in the Dakota during the 1880s. Nature plays such a strong role in shaping the residents that it is more than just background, it serves as a powerful antagonist at times with floods, blizzards, and droughts often. Loyalty within families and with neighbors is the norm when calamity happens whether that be man-made or natural. Americana readers will enjoy this first hand fictionalized account (and its "interleafs") of five years in the lives of people in the late nineteenth century.
The Passion of Mary Magdalen
Elizabeth Cunningham
Monkfish (FSG)
ISBN: 0976684306, $29.95
In Rome the slave trader auctions off big "Red", who insists her name is Maeve Rhuard and that she is daughter to warrior witches. Though beaten and raped and kept in chains the Celtic female has quite a mouth in five languages. The Domina buys Red to serve in her stable as a whore. As she learns her trade, her red hair in two places and larger than life size attract customers, Maeve reflects on her lost love Esus, a man whose life she saved his life at the cost of her own. Shockingly she also meets in her visions a despondent Isis, who wonders if her time is coming to an end. Once freed, Maeve heads to Palestine seeking her Esus while also becoming a priestess-whore at the Temple of Isis Magdala, which thanks to her skills soon becomes known to its customers as Temple Magdalen, the hottest workhouse in the Galilee. One day soon she will serve a special client in more ways than one. Mary Magdalena's reputation as a whore is used as the basis for a deep biographical fiction novel that brings to life the first century Mediterranean area especially in Rome and in Palestine. Maeve is a terrific protagonist from the moment she calls potential buyers names and never slows down until the final fig tree jamboree with the Gospels. Ironically though many will condemn Elizabeth Cunningham's work as blasphemy and irreverent, the well written and entertaining THE PASSION OF MARY MAGDALEN is actually virtuous, spiritual and relevant as God's tent is inclusive with room for everyone.
Unspoken Fear
Hunter Morgan
Zebra
ISBN: 082177946X, $6.99, 448 pp.
Rachel accompanied by her four year old daughter Mallory arrives at the Sussex County Correctional Facility to take home her former spouse Noah, who spent five years there for vehicular homicide while driving under the influence. Noah, an ex-priest, blames himself for his still beloved Rachel no longer smiling while also pondering who the father of the little girl is. His two children with Rachel are both dead. Not long after Noah returns to the vineyard home of his parents where Rachel, Mallory, and idiot savant Mattie McConnell live, someone stones their neighbor Johnny Leger to death. Detective Chief Snowden Calloway and Detective Sergeant Delilah Swift believe Noah knows something about the homicide, but is not forthcoming with information. As they make inquiries, Noah wonders if he might be dangerous as he blacked-out at the time the murder occurred. This is a terrific thriller that from the start has the audience wondering if a fallen angel is doing the killing yet with potential paranormal intervention, the tale holds together as a police procedural mostly from the perspectives of Noah and Rachel. The story line is fast-paced as Noah holds himself at fault for what happened especially as he sees the sadness of Rachel and how much Mattie displays he let him down too. The strong support cast keeps the thriller from collapsing into a maudlin serial killer second chance at love if he is not the culprit. Though at times over the top, especially with Azrael and the voice, fans will enjoy Hunter Morgan's solid tale.
A Student of Living Things
Susan Richards Shreve
Viking
ISBN: 0670037583, $24.95
Claire Frayn is a post graduate student majoring in biology at George Washington University; her brother Steven is studying law at the school and enjoys writing articles criticizing the government. Claire and Steven head to the university together while their parents debate his latest condemnation, this time of the Department of Justice's use of the Freedom for Democracy Act to trample on individual rights under the guise of keeping people safe. At the school's library, an assassin shoots and kills Steven right near Claire. Claire goes through the five steps of grief, but wants revenge against the killer who conveniently escapes law enforcement; however she feels helpless as she has no idea who he or she is or how to uncover the culprit's identity. From Michigan, music composer Victor Duarte contacts Claire informing her he can help her with her need to avenge her sibling. She is enticed by his offer as her family remains devastated by the tragedy and is not there for her. However, as Claire heals she begins to ponder who charismatic Victor is, as he seems to know too much yet the second civil war in her mind began with that bullet on the library steps. Though the introduction to the extended Frayn family takes its time, once Steven is murdered, the story line turns into a terrific thriller that never slows down until the climax. Claire is a wonderful heroine struggling with the death of her brother as much as with her feelings of hopelessness until Victor offers her an opportunity. Like Claire when she begins to regain her equilibrium and leave behind much of the fog of grief, readers will wonder if she has agreed to a Faustian deal. Readers will be a student of Susan Richards Shreve following this tense tale.
Augusta Locke
William Haywood Henderson
Viking
ISBN: 0670034916, $24.95
Augusta "Gussie" Locke is born in 1903 in a remote section of the northern Minnesota woods. Her mother Leota always wanted a daughter to share dainty things with while her father is trapper Brud Tornig, who enjoys the outdoors. To Leota's regret and shame, Gussie is not pretty and precious, but more like her dad with a love for the woods. She runs away from home whenever the need to breath reaches her soul. When Gussie catches her dad sleeping with a woman other her mother, she and Leota leave. They move to Colorado where Leota meets Mr. Locke and marries him. On the day they wed, Gussie leaves for Wyoming to hide amidst the mountains. She obtains work in the Great Divide Basin and meets a man on his way to fight overseas during WWI. They make love, and nine moths later with her lover gone off to war, Gussie gives birth to Anne. Soon Gussie will find things have gone full circle as Anne begins running away from home. The historical tidbits and the background settings make for a superb early twentieth century saga. Gussie is an intriguing protagonist as she enables readers to see a remote part of 1920s an early 1930s Wyoming rarely if ever used in novels. The irony that the woes she gave to her mom her daughter provide to her will seem real to parents. Though insight into her needs for space is deep, readers never truly see what else motivates her for instance her selection in males. Still this is a deep look into a bygone era.
The Night Journal
Elizabeth Crook
Viking
ISBN: 0670034770, $24.95
In Austin, thirty-seven years old hospital engineer Meg Mabry detests her grandma renowned historian Claudia "Bassie" Bass, who raised her with an iron fist and expectations of excellence. Bassie made her reputation when she published her mother's journal of her life as a Harvey Girl in New Mexico. Before she dies the elderly family matriarch demands her granddaughter reads the six volumes and accompanies her when she makes a pilgrimage to her birth town in Pecos, New Mexico where the visitor's center plans to dig up Dog Hill where Bassie's mother buried her pets. Bassie, assisted by archaeologist Jim Layton, and Meg dig up the canine bones with plans to inter them elsewhere. However, among the remains is a human skeleton. Stunned by the mystery, Meg turns to the journals she avoided all her life. There she learns her great-grandmother enjoyed her work and apparently loved a nearby sheepherder while her spouse never recovered from the massacre of his family in Utah. THE NIGHT JOURNAL is an interesting romantic mystery supported by fictional historical journal entries. The accounts from 1902 provide an intriguing look at New Mexico struggling with three cultures (American, Native American and Mexican) colliding in contrast to today's society of partial assimilation and some clashing. The story line includes the "required" romance between Meg and Jim; though that is done in a refreshing manner for this type of novel chick lit style although it remains unnecessary to the delightful historical comparative analysis investigative tale.
A Moonlit Knight
Jocelyn Kelley
Signet
ISBN: 0451218272, $6.99
As she has done twice before (see A KNIGHT LIKE NO OTHER and ONE KNIGHT STAND) Queen Eleanor d'Aquitaine visits St. Jude's Abbey seeking specialized assistance, a female bodyguard. Lady Mallory de Saint-Sebastian is the chosen one to join the Queen's guard as her archery is by far the best of those residing in the special abbey. Mallory is taken aback with the backstabbing and betrayal of those claiming allegiance to Queen Eleanor at her misnamed "Court of Love". One of them takes it a step further trying to assassinate Her Highness. Mallory risks her life to keep Eleanor safe. The Queen also asks Mallory to teach her ladies in waiting how to use a bow, but the frivolous females think that is a man's job and only go through the motions so as to avoid Eleanor's wrath. Mallory also notices lute playing Saxon Fitz-Juste, who seems a lot more than just a traveling jongleur; she plans to find out if he is a threat to her responsibility though deep down she hopes not because she finds him so very attractive. The third Ladies of St. Jude's Abbey novel is a delightful historical romance with the emphasis on the court intrigue of the era. The story line is action-packed from the moment that Queen Eleanor selects Lady Mallory and never slows down until the final confrontation between the heroine and Saxon. Readers will enjoy the reaction of the male bodyguards to the hiring of a female to join their ranks as Jocelyn Kelly provides another fabulous twelfth century tale.
A Million Nightingales
Susan Straight
Pantheon
ISBN: 0375423648, $24.95
In the early nineteenth century following the United States purchase of the Louisiana Territory from the French, Moinette a "mulatresse" is a personal slave to Cephaline while her beloved mother works in the master's home near New Orleans. Moinette's life seems good to her as her mistress treats her kindly and even shares books with her. However, when Cephaline suddenly dies, Moinette becomes expendable. She is sold to another plantation owner. Ripped from her mother and a somewhat sheltered life, Moinette becomes a sexual plaything to her new owner. Abused and sexual assaulted and raped, Moinette eventually gives birth, but is once again ripped asunder from a loved one when she is sold and her child remains behind. Her dreams keep her going that one day she, her mom, and her child will be reunited. This is a fascinating yet horrifying look at the de jure plight of a black female slave who must suffer sexual assault and humiliation. Adding to the overall feel of debasement is the comparisons to the lifestyles of her mistress. Though Moinette seems too enlightened about her place in society, readers will feel for her (impossible to fully empathize unless you lived the scene as being beneath the lowest rung of society) as historical readers get the rest of the story not included in the hasty books.
Memoirs of a Muse
Lara Vapnyar
Pantheon
ISBN: 037542296X, $22.95
Growing up in Russia before the collapse, Tanya discovered Dostoyevsky and more significant the great writer's muse. Moving with her mom the professor to Brighton beach Brooklyn, Tanya concluded that Dostoyevsky's muse was his mistress Polina, who became part of The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiot; the second wife Anna was a secretary stenographer, but obviously no inspiration. Tanya decides her goal in life is to be the motivation to a great novelist. She meets writer Mark Schneider at a book gala and decides he is the one. They have an affair, but as she notes in her "Memoirs of a Muse" he seems more preoccupied with physically working out, sex, and partying than in writing. Tanya's begins to reconsider whether she selected the wrong author or perhaps her role as she studies further the influence of Dostoyevsky's muse. This is a terrific character study told mostly by Tanya with an intermingling look at Dostoyevsky's life. Tanya is a delight from her deep understanding about cosmetics in tsarist Russia to her belief that she is somebody's muse. Part amusing satire and part a serious look at roles in interrelationships, fans who enjoy a well written refreshingly unique tale, will want to read MEMOIRS OF A MUSE.
Hitched
Carol Higgins Clark
Scribner
ISBN: 0743289420, $24.00, 288 pp.
It has been a long time coming but finally California private detective Regan Reilly is getting married to NYPD captain Jack Reilly, head of the Major Case Cquad. The happy couple is going to live in Jack's Tribecca loft but with just a week to go before the wedding, Regan has a lot of details to settle. The most important item is to pick up her wedding dress but when she goes to Alfred and Cherisse's Couture, she finds the owners tied up and the wedding gown stolen along with twenty thousand dollars in cash. Regan is determined to find the thief who stole her gown and the robbery gains media attention as a human interest story. The thieves are driving to Las Vegas to sell the dresses there while Regan is dealing with the dress and the other brides who also had their dresses stolen along with hers. Jack is trying to catch a bank robber who only is active on rainy days. As he keeps apprised of Regan in her investigation, he discovers a link to his case that just might catch the perpetrator. Regan takes all the problems surrounding the wedding in stride concentrating on catching a jewel thief and a missing woman who was attending one of the bride's bachelorette party. Looking for an exciting light-hearted mystery with an eccentric cast of characters, some of whom surprisingly turn out to be crooks? Look no further than HITCHED, the latest and most romantic Regan Reilly mystery. Readers finally see Jack as a three dimensional character who is not afraid to show his love for his fiancee. The two protagonists share equal billing in this delightfully charming crime caper.
The Bookwoman's Last Fling
John Dunning
Scribner
ISBN:0743289455, $25.00, 352 pp.
Former homicide police detective Cliff Janeway, now a bookstore owner is always on the lookout for a rare and precious book. Junior Willis asks Cliff to authenticate and appraise the book collection of the late Harold Ray Geiger; Cliff leaps at the chance because he wants to see first hand the collection. When he does he notices that later editions were substituted for rare books and that his client has only half the collection as Geiger's daughter Sharon owns the rest. Cliff is in heaven when he gets to see what she possesses. Sharon hires Cliff to find the missing books and to learn if her mother's death, though years ago, caused by an allergic reaction to eating peanuts, was suicide, accident or murder. He follows clues that return him to Geiger's house and ultimately the horse racing world. Someone observes Cliff's efforts and decides the bookworm is getting too close to the truth so tries to close the book on him by killing him. Wary but not deterred, Cliff keeps investigating as he now knows a homicide perhaps two occurred and he has a suspect but lacks evidence. Bibliophiles and racing fans will be euphoric with Cliff Janeway's latest caper. Dick Francis fans will thoroughly enjoy THE BOOKWOMAN'S LAST FLING especially for the behind the scenes look at what goes on at a horse racing track. Cliff is at his best evaluating books, but by the tale's end the audience will know he misses police work as he gleefully follows the clues in the case even when his life is at risk and upsets his significant other who already is disturbed that he is a "murder magnet".
Shotgun Opera
Victor Gischler
Dell
ISBN: 0440241715, $6.99, 336 pp.
Andrew Foley and two of his mob connected friends got paid one thousand dollars each for moving a container that didn't go through customs to a special warehouse. Instead of leaving, the three men played cards until they hear an explosion and then see a man walk out of the container. They instinctively knew that the man is a terrorist and run away from the docks. Someone is systemically killing everyone connected to the terrorist until Andrew is the only one left standing. Nikki, the free lance deadly assassin doesn't go after Andrew who left the city to hide with an uncle he never saw before in Oklahoma. Nikki's arm is injured so she sends her middle sister while Andrew connects with his Uncle Mike who left the mob after he killed a child. He made a new life for himself and for forty years tending his vineyard, but is now back drawn into the life when he has to protect his dead brother's son. Nikki is marked for a hit by her handler who subcontracts the job out just as Andrew's hit is sub contracted out. By the time everyone shoots everyone else, only two people will be left. This serio-comic crime thriller proves the old axiom violence begets more violence. SHOTGUN OPERA is a Keystone Cops' thriller complete with eccentric hit men and women, dark humor and plenty of action. Andrew never got involved with the mob while his uncle stopped being a killer when he lost his nerve after shooting a child. They are two sides of the same coin and soon they will be stripped to their raw essence and finally learn what they are made of. This is a wild cozy with some very funny tongue in cheek scenes that will have readers laughing even though they know somebody will be killed in the next scene.
In Darkness It Dwells
Joseph Laudati
Medallion
ISBN: 1932815708, $6.99
In Chapinaw, New York sixteen years old filmmaker Tom DeFrank enjoys emulating his hero Ray Harryhausen in creating stop motion photography to create monsters. Tom accompanies his two friends Kevin and Danny to a cave where unbeknownst to the three teens a satanic ritual involving an infant sacrifice was stopped fifteen years ago. Something occurs inside with Tom muttering in a strange language. At the high school, Tom meets Julie Parrish, whose father Stephen is considered by locals an eccentric lunatic, but in fact is a psychic. When she sees his drawings and recognizes his words she knows they are an enchantment. As Tom and Julie begin to fall in love, his latest "star" gizmo puppet is possessed by something the teen brought with him from the cave. As people suddenly die and violence explodes, everyone blames Stephen, who is the only hope to free the teen from his monster. IN DARKNESS IT DWELLS is a fascinating paranormal thriller starring a delightful teen whose only enjoyment in life is the slow stop motion photography (see the movie Jason and the Argonauts as a terrific sample) until he meets Julie. The support cast augments the insight into the young hero and propels the fast-paced action forward. In some ways Stephen is the most enthralling character as his psychic gift is also a curse. Horror fans will appreciate this work and want Joseph Laudati to provide a prequel of what drove Stephen to Chapinaw.
In 1859, thirty-five years old Victoria Alcott is dying, but her biggest fear is for the safety of her daughter, ten years old Olivia. Since her spouse James died, she has felt like an intruder with his family and does not trust her brother-in-law Julian or her mother-in-law to do right by Olivia. Though estranged from her father for fourteen years and recognizing she was at fault, she sends her child to live with her grandfather Holliwell "Holly" Drummond knowing he will keep her beloved Olivia safe. Twelve years later, former Union Officer Lieutenant Gabriel Hampton, badly beaten, escapes from a prison ship managing to reach St. Brigid's Island. Livvy and Holly nurture him back to help as both can see he is an honorable person. As Gabe and Livvy fall in love, their pasts will arrive threatening their lives. Cynthia Thomason provides an intriguing Reconstruction Era romance with a touch of early and late suspense. Livvy is a marvelous protagonist (her naive innocence will remind readers of Demi Moore's character in The Butcher's Wife without the paranormal skills). Gabe is a solid counterpart as he believes she deserves someone with a future, which rules him out. Americana romance fans will enjoy this love at the lighthouse tale.
Second Sight
Philip R. Craig and William G. Tapply
Justin Charles
ISBN: 1932112413, $12.95
Mike Doyle is dying so when he asks his old college classmate Boston lawyer Brady Coyne to find and bring home his teenage daughter Christa, the attorney agrees so parent and child can reconcile and say their goodbyes. After a trek to the West Coast where she was last seen, he traces Christa ironically to Martha's Vineyard where his fishing friend former cop J.W. Jackson resides. Jackson welcomes Coyne to stay in his home while over the objection of his loving wife he provides additional personal security and driving for famous reclusive singer Evangeline during the week of the Celebration for Humanity rock concert. When Evangeline's bodyguard is killed, clues lead to a spiritual retreat, the same place that Coyne believes Christa is at. In between fishing, they team up to find a killer, keep a superstar safe, and search for a missing teen before it is too late. The second collaboration between Coyne and Jackson (see FIRST LIGHT) is a fabulous tale in which the action accelerates late, but fans of both series will not care. The lead investigators and their support cast seem genuine while the vivid picturesque Martha's Vineyard enhances the plot. SECOND SIGHT is a fun thriller as everyone converges on Evangeline.
Family Matters
Ira Berkowitz
Justin Charles
236 Huntington Ave. Suite 311, Boston, Ma. 02115
ISBN: 1932112448, $24.95, 264 pp.
Jackson Steeg is trying to pull himself out of the abyss by staying sober, but struggles with the suspension he received for punching out a fellow police officer. He has no friends to turn to but he cares enough to watch over a homeless person who is an expert on poetry and takes in a young girl because her father just went to jail.. One night Jackson wakes up to the sound of police in the apartment below his; he goes downstairs to see what is going on. A dead woman has been found in the apartment of Graham Moore, who is later also found murdered with a bullet in his head. The female victim Diana Strickland comes from a prominent family and in what is a startling coincidence Steeg's father investigated the death of her mother twenty years ago. Deciding to investigate to pass time, Steeg stirs up skeletons that powerful people want left interred. In his debut crime thriller Ira Berkowitz gives the reader a tour of the underbelly of New York's Hell's Kitchen using racketeers, pimps, drug users and sellers, and crime lords to juxtapose with the antihero Steeg. He is a flawed person who loses it at times, but in the end tries to do what he believes is the right thing. This dark urban police procedural borders into Noir territory with its lone cowboy cop. This is a superb work by an author who has oodles of talent.
Emperor: The Gods of War
Conn Iggulden
Delacorte
ISBN: 0385337671, $25.00
In 53 B.C. Commander of Gaul Julius Caesar leads four veteran legions, hardened by the victorious campaign, across the Rubicon. Caesar's threat to Rome leads a stunned Pompey to declare him "the enemy of Rome" in the Senate chambers. However, Pompey also knows that there is nothing in the city to stop Caesar's advance. Caesar expects the war with Pompey will prove his toughest but greatest achievement. Victory belongs to Caesar but he will one day find the fruits bitter. However, for now he controls Rome and no rival has surfaced since Pompey's defeat. He has the exotic Queen Cleopatra of Egypt as a mistress and ponders what next. His long time friend Marcus Brutus brooding over Caesar's ambition fears for the future of the Republic. He wonders when Caesar will claim he is the king and begins to plan how to stop the ascent that Brutus feels will ultimately lead to the destruction of Rome. The fourth "Emperor" tale (see THE FIELD OF SWORDS, THE DEATH OF KINGS, and THE GATES OF ROME) is a terrific ancient historical tale that feels in some ways as more of a biographical fictional account of Julius Caesar. The story line brings alive the civil war with Pompey who never expected a Roman legion to attack Rome, Caesar's tryst with Cleopatra, his friendship with Brutus throughout his rise to power and his apparent thirst for more. Though Brutus' concerns come across seemingly trivial and lacking conviction and compassion (unlike Shakespeare's version), readers will appreciate this fine entry that entertains and grips the audience from start to the Ides of March.
Hard Way
Lee Child
Delacorte
ISBN: 0385336691, $25.00, 336 pp.
Edward Lane made his millions brokering deals for mercenaries, but now needs to hire one for personal reasons before dejà vu occurs. Someone has kidnapped Edward's second wife Kate and demands he hand over a million dollars for her safe return.This is just like what happened to his first spouse, Anne, who was abducted but killed. Knowing the mercenary traffic, Edward hires the man he considers the best, loner Jack Reacher to go after the kidnappers once his wife is safely returned to him. In a cafe in Manhattan Reacher watches a parked Mercedes with the million dollars that Edward placed inside of it until someone drives off with the vehicle. Reacher, with the help of former FBI Agent turned private investigator Lauren Pauling, who worked the first Lane tragedy, follows a particular nasty kidnapper. However, this time his uncanny instincts fail him as he makes errors based on assumptions that prove false. Now the former military police officer turned vigilante for hire realizes he has to expedite himself out of a dangerous trap and that he has ONE SHOT to do so. This reviewer has always been a fan of the Reacher series, but in the HARD WAY, he seems less the invincible superman and more the error prone human. The premise that he starts off with a wrong assumption that leads to mistakes embellishes the typical high level of suspense as the audience wonders if the hero will survive as he does not seem to know Jack about what is going on. Lee Child more than just refreshes his series; he widens the scope without changing the essence of his champion mercenary.
Sun Storm
Asa Larsson
Delacorte
ISBN: 038533981X, $22.00, 320 pp.
Meijer and Ditzinger tax attorney Rebecka Martinsson hears on the news that Viktor "the paradise Boy" Strandgard died in The Source of All Our Strength Church in her hometown of Kiruna, Sweden. Though pale as a ghost when hearing the news, Rebecka thinks of the irony of the locale before his sister Sanna calls to plead with her to come home. She is the prime suspect in the murder of her brother having found his corpse. Though she should say no as she has written on her legal pad, Rebecka reluctantly comes home for the first time in years as Sanna pleads with her once best friend to help her. Assistant Chief Prosecutor Carl von Post demands a fast investigation as he will gladly hang Sanna on shaky evidence. Inspector Anna-Maria Mella and Detective Sven-Erik Stalnacke head the inquiry into the "slaughterhouse" killing of Viktor that makes the motive seem personal. As Rebecka comes home to "defend" Sanna though that is not her expertise by a long shot, the investigation takes several twists into religious zealousness but all roads lead back to the victim's sister. SUN STORM is a terrific translation of a delightful Swedish police procedural legal thriller. The story line moves forward on both sub-genres' paths in a sort of DNA helix twisting plot. Rebecka is a fabulous protagonist and the two cops remain professional in spite of pressure. Though the afterward of giving birth seems unnecessary; Fargo style would have been better; that minor cute ending aside, Asa Larsson provides a super tale set in the stark frozen yet beautiful land of the Aurora Borealis.
Eye of Vengeance
Jonathon King
Dutton
ISBN: 0525949534, $24.95, 304 pp.
Daily News reporter Nick Mullins works the police and crime beat, but has only recently returned to the job. He took time off after a drunken driver killed his wife and one of their twin daughters. The culprit was convicted of manslaughter, but did only eighteen months. Nick's latest assignment is covering the execution style murder of convicted child molester and killer Steven Ferris. Judging by police actions, Nick assumes the assassin was on top of a building where he made the kill from; the journalist concludes that the twisted sniper is a professional. When a second former con is murdered, Nick looks over his recent records; he realizes that there are other sniper kills in the South Florida area in which he covered the stories in-depth. The assassin contacts Nick to inform him he has one more kill to go. The police and the reporter work Nick's files trying to find the next victim from the clue the sniper gave Nick. Jonathon King, the author of the Max Freeman mysteries, has written a fantastic stand alone thriller told from two perspectives, the reporter and the sniper. Readers will sympathize with the killer even though he does wrong as his motives illicit sympathy. Surprisingly the hero learns a lesson from the assassin that should make him a better father to the other surviving family member.
Promise Me
Harlan Coben
Dutton
ISBN: 0525949496, $26.95
Former Boston Celtics superstar turned entertainment especially sports agent Myron Bolitar has not had an incident in six years; no fights; no murders; no injuries. He is seeing 9/11 widow Ali Wilder and likes her high school aged daughter Erin. When he overhears Erin and her best friend Aimee Biel, discuss being driven by stoned friends, he offers them no questions asked middle of the night taxi service if either needs a lift. Soon after the offer Aimee tests him by asking for a Manhattan to New Jersey ride to a friend's house that is to remain secret. The next day Aimee is reported missing and credit card records tip police that Myron was with her making him a person of interest. When further evidence paints a scenario eerily similar to the disappearance of another girl Katie Rochester involving Myron a few months ago, the agent becomes the prime suspect but not just of the police. Myron knows he must enter dangerous maze to rescue the teen and to extract himself from potential criminal charges all because he tried to keep THE INNOCENT Aimee out of trouble. As always Myron is the Good Samaritan who learns once again no good deed goes unpunished. The exciting story line is typical Harlan Coben with plenty of action and numerous twists; this time the final spin will shock the audience. Fans of the series will welcome Bolitar who has not been in literary trouble in six years back on the scene with a terrifically tense thriller.
In Naperville, an affluent suburb of Chicago, while jogging, rookie police officer Emily Thompson thinks nothing of seeing the headless bodies of a goose and two ducks. Later that same day she is at the scene of a dead woman in a rented car possessing a card with Emily's name on it. Emily and her superiors believe the woman committed suicide. When she returns home, the heads of the goose and two ducks are in her mailbox, her business cards in their mouths. Her bosses take it as a threat and warn Emily to be careful. That night she visits the library where a naked teen has an envelope for her, a birthday card telling her that her real presents are in the library. A dead man is found in one of the chairs making it obvious a serial killer is on the prowl with the ultimate objective being killing Emily on her birthday which is just a few days away. The culprit is someone who knows Emily but she has no idea who hates her so; unless she can figure out who it is, she will die because this is a brilliant murderer who never gives up. Nobody reading BLOWN AWAY would believe this is Shane Gericke's debut novel because it is better than most police procedurals written today. There are plenty of action and chase scenes but it the amazing character development that makes this book worthy of an award nomination. Readers get to know the men and women in blue and what they face every day on the job. This is the ultimate chilling cat and mouse game in which the more the audience learns about the UNSUB, the more they want to see him locked away (preferably in a coffin).
The Leopard's Daughter
Lee Killough
Yard Dog Press,
710 W. Redbud Lane, Alma, AR 72921-7247
ISBN: 1893687775, $16.00
On the Sahara Plains, in spite of being the niece of their King Mseluku Karamoke, her Dasa of the Imbu tribe always held Jeneba Karamoke in contempt because her sire is a shapeshifting leopard man. Still Jeneba is a loyal strong warrior woman and would die for the Dasa, especially her family. However her prayers to become accepted through brave deeds fail even when she rescues her warrior peers including her uncle from monstrous half-human cannibals because everyone blames her for their original plight instead of the man who failed the tribe Tomo Silla. Ironically Tomo's action including his disappearance has turned him into a martyred hero instead of a betraying deserter. Outraged and disappointed, Jeneba decides she must find Tomo and force him to speak the truth to the Dasa. She begins her personal mission, but instead she finds she must lead losers on a quest to save the people of the missing city of Yagana that abruptly vanished; failure means the end of life as she knows it on the Sahara plains. THE LEOPARD'S DAUGHTER is a terrific refreshing fantasy based on the African mythos. The location and the various fantastic species make for a vastly different quest that readers will appreciate. Jeneba is a wonderful protagonist who must save the world she knows when all she wants is to prove herself worthy to her people. Her companions are delightful as there are not heroic Tolkien heroes, but instead include Tomo and a half-man who should be her enemy. A solid short science fiction murder mystery "Afterburn" is included though it is seemingly out of place with the prime tale as a bonus that showcases the vast talent of Lee Killough.
Who Moved My Blackberry?
Lucy Kellaway
Hyperion
ISBN: 1401302513, $21.95
Arrogant and hedonistic London based Martin Lukes is Marketing Director at A&B (UK), a Fortune 500 company. Because of his Everest ego and lady Macbeth ambition, Martin provides us masses with insight into a year plus in his life; almost thirteen months filled with scandal, blunders, and survivability of faddism in the corporate jungle and the more dangerous personal cutthroat world by amassing and printing his emails. He leaves nothing out at least that is what he insists. WHO MOVED MY BLACKBERRY TM? is a fascinating look inside the corporate world by an "insider" yet though book length maintains the amusing satirical sting that Lucy Kellaway provides with her column in Financial Times. However, this reviewer found the book was easier to read and appreciate over several weeks. My spouse, who has followed Lukes' escapades said, the column reminded him of Professor Putts' series of articles on business in the R&D world (1970s), but especially found it ironically more jocular in small doses rather than one large gulp. For us newcomers, this fiction is a fine English look at the stereotypical behavior of corporate leaders and workers.
Philosophy Made Simple
Robert Hellenga
Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316058262, $23.95
Seven years have passed since Rudy Harrington's beloved spouse Helen died leaving him alone to raise their teenage daughters. However, now that each of his children has left, the sexagenarian decides to sell his Chicago empty nest home that he owned for three decades and buy an avocado grove in Texas. At the same time he makes his life move, Rudy is reading Philosophy Made Simple by Siva Singh, the uncle of his daughter Molly's fiance. The book makes Rudy ponder about life and death and beauty and truth even as he plans Molly's wedding to TJ. His grove manager and new friend Mecardo takes Rudy on pleasure trips to Mexico where he meets Maria, who gives him a different view on life at the same time his family and that of TJ begin the invasion of Texas for the bi-cultural wedding. PHILOSOPHY MADE SIMPLE is actually a complex character driven tale as perspectives switch constantly so that the audience can keenly see how different cultures and people define truth, beauty, life and death. What is interesting is the multifaceted comparisons for instance Rudy vs. late-night radio evangelists that make the tale poignant. Readers who appreciate a deep look at concepts from varying points of view will want to join Rudy's search for meaning sort of mindful of Supertramps' The Logical Song.
Flaubert
Frederick Brown
Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316118788, $35.00
This biography of the author of Madame Bovary is an incredibly insightful look at what motivated the brilliant Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880), who is a product of his times. A romanticist, Flaubert struggled with the loss of loved ones, which was accentuated during the revolution of 1848 with the return of the Empire and Napoleon III. Readers obtain a close look at Paris during a period of radical change, but even more his roots in Rouen. Interestingly and what makes this account fascinating and well written, Frederick Brown keeps his distance leaving the audience to decide what to make of the apparent contradictions in Flaubert's life. He was a romanticist yet his most famous work required a degree of discipline to keep his emotions out of it. He loathed the bourgeois, but perhaps was one of the greatest symbols of the social class in the middle nineteenth century when he hugged fame. Finally there is Flaubert's combatant loving relationship with his mistress Louise Colet that sums up the complexity of the subject of this fine work Mr. Brown provides a biographical masterpiece of one of the grandmasters of literature.
Beach Road
James Patterson and Peter de Jonge
Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316159786, $27.95
East Hampton lawyer Tom Dunleavy runs a one person shop with few clients and those are always the working class serving the rich and famous that makes this Long Island playground renowned. Still the former St. John's basketball star ekes out an existence mostly working petty crime and real estate closings. He is the last person future NBA star Dante Halleyville should hire as his lawyer since Tom has no experience in murder trials. However, Dante knows Tom and trusts him to do right by him as he insists he never killed the three victims. Tom is in over his head so in spite of the fact that this case could make his career as the latest trial lawyer of the century, he needs help. Tom enlists his former lover, Manhattan based attorney Kate Costello to join the team. She does, but neither anticipated the reactions of the rich and famous as they violently react to the defense team's investigation into whom could have framed the teen basketball star so perfectly and why. As always when James Patterson is involved (this time with Peter de Jonge), the action is no-stop and the suspense gripping from start to finish. The story line is fast-paced with a light shined on the activity of the Hamptons' billionaire club. Tom terrific is a delightful protagonist while the woman he still loves Kate is sort of like a sabra, tough on the outside, but sweet and caring inside. Though their antics seem over the edge for attorneys as they play cat and mouse with an unknown assailant, fans will not care as the trek on BEACH ROAD is fun, entertaining and more of an investigative tale than a legal thriller.
Crime Beat: A Decade of Covering Cops and Killers
Michael Connelly
Little, Brown
ISBN: 031615377X, $25.95
Bestselling mystery author Michael provides a true crime look at his days as crime reporter in Florida and California. CRIME BEAT is divided into three overall segments, "The Cops," "The Killers" and "The Cases". Within each Mr. Connelly provides a wide range of stories that he covered as a journalist. The true stories are fascinating in that macabre way that make the genre such a success. Not shockingly, the most poignant moments involve combat fatigue syndrome detectives dealing with bereaving family members of victims with what went down. Fans of the author's mysteries and those who appreciate true crime will want to read this powerful look at the real life underlying basis to much of Mr. Connelly's fiction.
Maximum Ride: School's Out - Forever
James Patterson
Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316155594, $16.99
The Angel Experiment led to genetically enhanced children who can fly and possess other non-human skills. They barely survived the lethal Erasers and learned somewhat about their origins. Max barely a teen, but as the oldest leads her "family", Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and little Angel as they fly south seeking their biological parents. They know predators, including two legged suits, will want to either kill them or recapture them and send them to the dreaded school, but flying in tandem like a flock of birds, they begin their quest anyway. However, the Angels soon confront a type of Eraser like none before as this one flies like them. Worse the FBI chases after the sextet. Finally with the evil Erasers and the bird-brained Feds pursuing them, a new more dangerous enemy surfaces, Max II, whose goal in life is to be Max I. The second Angels thriller (see MAXIMUM RIDE) is an exhilarating thriller starring three teens and three preadolescents sticking together while eluding Erasers, FBI suits, school, and a clone. The story line is driven by the magnificent six though in truth even six years old Angel acts and talks adult-like during a crisis, which is much of the plot. No one will care (except inane reviewers needing a life) as once again James Patterson soars with his latest suspense filled science fiction thriller.
Resurrection: R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen Book VI
Paul S. Kemp
Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786939818, $6.99
The Goddess Lolth awakens from her slumber seeking her Yor'thae chosen one vessel and preparing to cause havoc. Qunethel and Danifae hear the siren's call from the malevolent Spider Queen of the Demonweb Pits; they journey towards her with both vying to be her sacred vessel. At the same time, Halisstra the swordswoman enters the Demonweb Pits, not because of the call of the evil Goddess, but because she plans to assassinate Lolth. As the trio treks closer to their destiny, the dark elven drow wants them dead. Other subservient worshipers come home to Lolth's spidery realm. Confrontation is coming with much of the Forgotten Realms in peril regardless of the outcome. The sixth and final fantasy in the delightful War of the Spider Queen series is a strong conclusion that will please fans of dark tales with the Queen and the drow taking center stage. Especially enjoying the tale will be the myriad of readers who devour the works of R. A. Salvatore, as this and the predecessors (see Byers' DISSOLUTION, Reid's INSURRECTION, Baker's CONDEMNATION, Smedman's EXTINCTION, and Athans' ANNIHILATION) pay homage to the great fantasist. Though better to read the previous novels first but in spite of connectivity gaps, Paul S. Kemp provides a strong finishing touch.
The Last Cato
Matilde Asensi
Rayo (Harper Collins)
ISBN: 0060828579, $24.95
Vatican's Classified Archives director Father Ramondino introduces Sister Ottavia Salina, chief of the Restoration and Paleography Laboratory, to the Catholic Church hierarchy who believe they desperately need her services. The leadership including the Pope is upset, but not because an Ethiopian with sacred crosses and a sigma tattooed on his body was killed, but because he was murdered before they could learn more about his international colleagues and clients stealing sacred segments of the Ligna Crucis, the original crucifixion cross. Her assignment is to retrieve the stolen relics. Though she considers herself a poor choice as she solves literary mysteries not criminal cases, she agrees to find the artifacts. The church leadership assigns the Pope's Swiss Guard Captain Kaspar Glauser-Roist to her team; when they follow a lead to Alexandria they enlist Egyptian archeologist Professor Farag Boswell to assist Dr. Salina on the quest. As they follow leads using clues she uncovers buried in Dante's Divine Comedy, the trio concludes that a clandestine order, The Staurofilakes headed by a Cato, is behind the thefts, but to stop them and retrieve what they stole will require a miracle. THE CATO is simply Dante meets Da Vinci. The story line is at its exciting best when either the early history of the church or Dante's divine tale is front and center. When the plot diverts to padded sidebars such as a tryst between the four decade celibate nun and one of her teammates, it loses plausibility and hence steam. Much of the cast is underdeveloped except perhaps the superheroine (a Sister Lara Croft), fans of religious thrillers will enjoy Matilde Asensi's tale.
The Nymphos of Rocky Flat
Mario Acevedo
Rayo
ISBN: 0060833262, $13.95
When he served in the military in Iraq Felix Gomez and his unit slaughtered what turned out to be an innocent family. Feeling remorse and guilt, a depressed Felix meets a person who fulfills his wish of a fate worse then death by converting the GI into a vampire. Now a civilian back in the states, Felix concluded that his new supernatural powers will enhance his chances at success as a private investigator. College roommate Gilbert Odin, Assistant Manager for Environmental Restoration at the Department of Energy site in Rocky Flat, Colorado asks Felix to investigate an apparent outbreak of nymphomania among female guards at a plutonium processing plant. However, the case is not as simple or isolated as it first appears. Professional vampire slayers want to kill all the undead dead in America and are focused on Gilbert and any other bloodsucker nearby; a dryadic siren demands partnering him on his sleuthing and in his bunk. Finally there is the Feds who want Felix to end his inquiries and will do what ever it takes to insure he does. Though the sex scenes seem intrusive instead of part of the fun supernatural thriller and the ending rushed, fans will enjoy this exciting investigative tale starring a fascinating ethical protagonist. The exhilarating story line includes dangerous powerful paranormal creatures yet the most treacherous animal of all are species Fed. Felix is a fine lead sleuth who keeps the tale centered and moving so that the audience roots for him as one clue after another takes him into a perilous situation. Mario Acevedo provides an entertaining supernatural mystery.
Ya-Yas in Bloom
Rebecca Wells
Harper
ISBN: 0060953659, $13.95
The four Ya-Yas sisters Vivi, Teensy, Caro and Necie met in 1930 Louisiana as little girls. They were a hand full as individuals so filled with zest and prankishness, but as a quartet though very young they ruled their world. Over the years they married, had children, but remained the Ya-Yas whether they fought with nuns or rained the next generation of "Petites Ya-Yas". Others their age kept out of their exclusive club like nasty jealous Myrtis detested the fearsome foursome. Her loathing leads to her even more resentful emotionally deranged daughter Edythe kidnapping Necie's three-year-old granddaughter, Rosalyn. No one messes with the septuagenarian granny Ya-Yas who are coming to rescue one of their own. The first part of the book consists of interesting vignettes from the salad days of the Ya-Yas though not linear in nature, but just as fun to follow. The tale does a 180 spin with Edythe narrating how much she hates and envies the Ya-Yas, who she desperately wanted to join but did not fit in. Edythe never seems real as she has one emotion: animosity. The story leaps again to 1994 and the kidnapping. Though lacking continuity as if three novellas were combined into one book, fans will enjoy YA-YAS IN BLOOM especially the escapades of the early years.
Rabbit Heart
Colleen Hitchcock
Pocket
ISBN: 1416509518, $14.00, 320 pp.
In 1891 London, Nicollette Caron warns her latest lover to forget about her instead of making love with her because she fears for his life. However, handsome Denton insists and she soon pleads with him to give her all he has; he does and dies. This is her thirteenth lover to pass away while making love with her. With the help of her servants Nicollette cleans away the mess, but flees London for Glastonbury where number fourteen awaits her. Renowned Crime Inspector Jackson Lang finds the corpse of Denton and begins to follow clues that lead him towards Glastonbury and there to Nicollette. She, in the meantime, meets Lord Baston, Blake Williams who has a healthy sexual appetite that he satiates twice a week at the rundown Mare's Head. When Jackson meets the black widow, he is attracted to her, but will he break the law for her even as he competes with Blake for her affections. Nicollette who travels accompanied by the ghosts of her late lovers warns both men, but neither can resist her lure; however the question for Nicollette to answer to herself which one does she want to be with and can the Chosen One live past his first climax? RABBIT HEART is a strange, but fascinating Victorian paranormal police procedural romance that is not for the faint of heart. Readers will wonder about Nicollette's mental health as her seemingly innocent but tough love encounters lead to her mates dropping dead while climaxing with her; could she be a serial killer, a cursed haunted soul, or is what is happening just bad luck? Colleen Hitchcock provides a bizarre beguiling tale of literally the French Death.
Kindred Spirit
John Passarella
Pocket
ISBN: 0743484800, $7.99, 400 pp.
Growing up identical twins Heather and Hallie Moore were best friends who could communicate telepathically. However everything changed between them when they were ten and Heather fell from a tree. Unconscious for a week, when she finally awakened from her coma, the siblings no longer could mentally communicate. Years later, Hallie is a TV news reporter while Heather, married to Tom Galloway and with a son Shane, runs a gift basket business from her home. On her way home, someone violently murders Heather stunning her spouse, son and especially her sibling. One year later, Hallie visits the murder site. There she touches a cross that marks the exact locale; Hallie visualizes Heather's final seconds and when she returns to the present she holds her late twin's locket that vanished when Heather was killed. Believing the killer is nearby and feeling her sister is with her, Hallie begins to investigate the murder of her twin even as the killer begins a plan to murder the surviving sister. Renowned for his frightening horror tales (see the bewitching Wither trilogy), John Passarella provides his scariest book yet with the exhilarating paranormal amateur sleuth tale KINDRED SPIRITS because readers will believe in the connection between the twins even from beyond. The action-packed story line moves rather quickly forward as Hallie investigates the now cold case homicide of her sibling who seems to send her warning messages to be careful. While the support cast especially the heroine's nephew and brother-in-law adds depth to the feel of another impending tragedy, it is the fascinating sisterly link that makes this superior mystical thriller worth reading.
Immediate Family
Eileen Goudge
Pocket
ISBN: 0743483197, $24.00
When the quartet attended Princeton as undergraduates, they became the best of friends. However, over the years since college they went their separate ways, but kept in close contact with one another and soon they plan to get together to celebrate their fifteen year reunion though each has some family issues. Los Angeles TV reporter Stevie has recently learned the identity of her mystical father, 1970s rock star Grant Tobin. In Manhattan, publicist Emerson knows first hand the troubles of the sandwich generation as she raises a child while caring for her ailing snooty mother. Literary agent Franny has always wanted a husband and kids, but feels her biological clock is winding down and no male seems like Mr. Right. Jay is engaged to pregnant Vivienne, but agrees to donate sperm to Franny. Franny becomes pregnant and meets the nice Keith, but instead finds she dreams of Jay, who reciprocates her desires. Emerson begins to fall in love with her mother's night nurse Nigerian Reggie, but Immigration has revoked his visa. Stevie meets Grant and begins to unravel why she fears commitment. The lead foursome are likable flawed character struggling with varying personal issues. Though the story line is straight forward with no twists, fans will enjoy following the quartet's relationships with one another (think the TV show Friends without the humor). Eileen Goudge provides a fine character study that in some ways reads like an IMMEDIATE FAMILY drama.
Living on Air
Anna Shapiro
Soho
ISBN: 1569474311, $22.00
Maude Pugh was raised in Levittown, Long Island. By the time she attended high school she concluded her parents were colossal failures who hid in a community in which all exterior houses were identical to one another. This she realizes enables them to act eccentric inside their home, but provide a veneer of respectability belonging outside. Her father, the artist Milt, has a fan club of one, himself. To better display his colorful work, every room in the house is painted black as night to provide the proper background. Her mother Nina feels inferior to everyone, the wealthier upscale neighbors, her spouse and even Maude. Her older brother Seth is a classic loser who fits right at home with the family of failures that reside in the Pugh residence; that explains why he ran way when he turned sixteen. Still Maude has dreams of truly making it in the art world; they seem to be occurring when she wins a scholarship to the prestigious Bay Farm prep school, but she only finds conformance and betrayal there even as her peers salivate over her being a bohemian artist's daughter; just like at home. This is an interesting look at social class and family politics through the eyes of an acute teen who knows her parents and sibling are losers in life yet they are the reason she is part of the in crowd. Maude is a fascinating protagonist who wants desperately to break the cycle, but hits glass ceilings from so-called friends especially a boyfriend. Fans of deep character studies inside the dynamics of a family drama will enjoy Maude's at times maudlin tale.
Dragon's Tongue
Laura J. Underwood
Meisha Merlin
P.O. Box 7, Decatur, Ga. 30031
ISBN: 1592220274, $16.95, 451 pp.
All he ever wanted was to be a bard, but when his magic manifested itself leading to dangerous incidents, he travels to Dun Gealach, a learning center for magecraft. There he makes friends with the powerful mage Fenelon Greenfyn who takes Alaric Braidwine as his apprentice. Alaric also attracts the attention of the demon Vagner, who is bound to the evil bloodmage Tane Dorain. Vagner hears Alaric talking to Fenelon about the chant of the DRAGON'S TONGUE which he learned from his mentor the powerful bard Ronan Tey. Tane wants to find the legendary Dragon's Tongue that will make its owner a god. The object is hidden in Shadow Vale, a place where the Old Ones and the malevolent Shadows lived before the Great Cataclysm. When Vagner fails to steal the whole map that leads to Shadow Tongue, he devises an ingenuous plan to kidnap Alaric and force him to sing the song that Ronan taught him. Unfortunately Alaric no longer remembers the lyrics even under Tane's torture. Vagner sees an opportunity to free both of them from Tane. Meanwhile the High Mage concludes that Alaric is demon marked and sends all the magicians to hunt him and Vagner down. Fenelon and his mage lover Etienne and her apprentice Shona risk their lives to keep Alaric safe and free while Tane also hunts them. Book one of the Demon Bound is a terrific fantasy in the tradition of Holly Lisle and Andre Norton that showcases how good Laura J. Underwood really is. The author creates characters that readers care about and not just the champions; fans will even sympathize with Vagner who initially seems evil, but displays human characteristics of desiring freedom and caring for others; in this case the well-being of Alaric. The audience will loathe Tane, a vile villain for what he has done to the demon and hope he will receive his just rewards. DRAGON'S TONGUE is a quest fantasy similar to that of the Lord of the Rings and the Shannara novels. The hero and his allies will sacrifice themselves if it means insuring the DRAGON'S TONGUE remains in a safe place where no one can obtain it and subsequently use it. Alaric goes through many more trials and tribulations than what is described above. Ultimately he learns the key lesson that Fenelon wants to imbue to him. Magic users have responsibilities to try to do the right thing, but never panic regardless of what fate throws at you. Fans will appreciate the teacher as Fenelon is sort of like Yoda with a significant other. He provides the social conscience as well as humor to the mix. As his different roles surfaced this reviewer started to think of Miller's song The Joker as Fenelon is a mentor, a friend, and a world savior who is also a prankster. Witty dialog, exciting action, high drama, and a strong cast that enables the audience to see deep into the heart of the key players (or whatever organ Tane has) makes this excellent book worthy of an award nomination.
Five centuries ago in Transylvania, Isabella flaunting societal rules as always, decides to visit the castle of notorious Vlad Dracula, who has gained notoriety with his war tactics against the Turkish invaders. However, she finds something more in Vlad that her own spouse Nicolae lacks. Isabella sees a need to rule the masses and offers herself to Vlad as his queen by his side. Vlad accepts the beautiful headstrong female as his, but she is stunned when he turns her into what he is, a Vrolok (vampire). Over the next few centuries Vlad and Isabella share a deep abiding love, but also have deep heated fights and jealous rages. Isabella refuses to turn into a non-caring monster and has a natural passion for the life of others. Over the years they meet many humans; some are friends; others are enemies; and a few are so diabolically devious they are both. Vlad and Isabella live the lives of immortals while those they encounter become footnotes in history. In some ways VROLOK is more a historical biographical fiction than a horror thriller as Isabella relates her escapades with several real persona like Kit Marlowe and Wyatt Earp. Her encounters with Van Helsing are some of the best vampire interludes in recent years and the Medici come across as wily, conniving charmers. Vampire fans will appreciate this different bite on the creatures of the night with a strong historical biographical perspective.
The Forsaken
Stephen Arterburn and Mike Moscoe
WaterBrook
ISBN: 1400070376, $13.99
At Cartier Cutlery, Personnel chief Ben Taylor like most long time managers at the firm struggles with new leadership who demand greater profit. The new boss Jay Franklin tells Ben that the parent company is considering the sale of the valuable Maryland property and consolidating the work with another subsidiary elsewhere. Ben's wife Annie enjoys her career and raising their two teenage children as well as loving her spouse. She has an opportunity for an incredible promotion across the country, but Ben is hurt as that means she will make more money than him and he would also have to give up his job to accompany her. However before Ben can come to grips with his smashed ego, someone abducts his wife. Feeling forsaken by God, Ben risks his life to save his Annie, but he soon realizes he will need divine help, a miracle, but he remains a doubting Thomas. Stephen Arterburn and Mike Moscoe provide an interesting thriller that starts off as a male ego issue, but Ben soon learns what is important in life when Annie is snatched. At first his prayers for divine intervention are more along the line of no atheists in the foxhole, but as he takes action to save his wife his plea becomes sincere. Though the switch from a family crisis to a woman in peril thriller seems over the edge, fans will appreciate Ben, a good person, unable to cope with the change in family fortune. He learns what counts in life, but may be too late to apply his hard earned lessons.
Tristan's Gap
Nancy Rue
WaterBrook
ISBN: 1400070341, $12.99
In Delaware Serena Soltanis lives for her family. She will do anything to make her husband Nick comfortable and to insure her daughter sixteen years old Serena and son ten years old Max are safe. Her community especially her church sees her as a role model in raising children. She is so highly regarded Serena heads a local church group that counsels, advices and mentors young mothers. Everything is perfect in Serena's world until Tristan suddenly vanishes without warning. Serena is stunned and begins to doubt her parenting skills. While her raging spouse holds Serena culpable over the embarrassment of their teen runaway, she worries until Tristan returns home. Serena begins to soul search as she ponders coming down harder on Tristan, but wonders if perhaps loosening the control to allow some freedoms might be the answer. She seeks a balance between safety and freedom for she fears tighter control will drive Tristan away again. This interesting family drama focuses in on the issue of teen safety vs. freedom. Serena and Tristan are wonderful characters as the mom wants her children safe in a dangerous world, but has stifled her daughter. Nick is an idiot though part of his reaction is fear that he hides from his spouse. As Serena struggles with when you let them go (mindful of Gibran's The prophet), fans obtain a deep powerful modern day character study.
Earth Abides
George R. Stewart
Del Rey
ISBN: 0345487133, $13.95
Unlike all contagious diseases before this one that traveled over time, this contagion sprung up globally at about the same time. For practical purposes the human race is extinct. Isherwood "Ish" Williams survives the pandemic, but wonders if he is the last man on earth. In what was once called California, Ish eventually meets up with a small rag tag band of shocked survivors. As his cohorts just try to live, they turn to Ish, more an introspective loner, as the leader. Reluctantly he takes charge not knowing what the future will bring or even if there is even going to be a future. This is a reprint of a highly regarded post apocalypse tale first released in 1949. The story is actually told over a period of years broken into five major parts of which the above only briefly touches on the first two sections. Ish is a terrific protagonist whose belief in survival changes over time as he observes his little colony mature. Thriller fans will enjoy this strong after the doomsday tale that in some ways shows its pre-information age initial publication, but remains a strong cautionary story.
Vellum
Hal Duncan
Del Rey
ISBN: 0345487311, $14.95
In 2017 Guy Carter had spent several fruitless years searching for the book in which God told Metatron the angel every instant place and time. However, now Guy has succeeded in finding The Book of All Hours in his college library. However, he is a bit surprised to see that the tome that is supposed to be God's atlas of everything everywhere and everyone is actually a collection of maps. He sort of recognizes places, but they also seem slightly off kilter as he sits and examines his discovery. As Guy continues his diligent read, reality shifts so that when he finally leaves the library no people exist seemingly anywhere. He has left his earth via the book and entered the Vellum that ties eternity together through the Word of God. Confused Guy struggles with a hyperbolic perhaps exponential universe; linear is nonexistent. Meanwhile Metatron wants to bring order out of the perceived chaos, but he has devilish enemies who prefer the designed pandemonium. The above two "linear" paragraphs barely scratch the surface of a very complex somewhat (rightfully so) convoluted thriller that paints an intelligent design created universe (try teaching this I.D. in school). The story line is not linear as a person can be in two places at the "same" time and past, present, and future share the same time. Guy is a terrific protagonist though much of the time he is off line as he learns that the eternal feud is coming to a burning climax.
A Girl in Mind
Mark P. Dunn
Five Star
ISBN: 1594144141, $25.95
In California, the slasher killed Miranda and Vince Gardener and their son Alex; their sixteen years old daughter Cora survived the razor attack, but fell into a coma. Her grandfather, psychologist Dr. Harold Davies brought his comatose granddaughter to his Davies Clinic in Stone Beach, Maine. His efforts to help her so far have failed though he emptied out the place of any other patients. Helping Dr. Davies is Dr. Cole Johnstone, but he has personal demons of his own to resolve since his son died. Cole believes that Cora is reaching out to them in a paranormal way though Davies rejects his theory as garbage. When Davies becomes ill, Cole asks his former lover Sarah Delacort to help him as she understands the para-world better than anyone else he knows. At the same time, the slasher suffers migraines caused by his connection to the survivor. He takes a leave of absence from his job and heads east leaving a trail of corpses as he comes to Maine to rid himself of the surviving headache. A GIRL IN MIND is an exhilarating paranormal thriller which grips the audience from the moment the clinic's overnight employee flees in fear as he receives messages from beyond and never slows down until the final confrontation below the clinic. The action-packed story line hooks readers who hope to see full justice especially when the comatose Cora sends help messages and Argento struggling with horrific headaches in which he recognizes the source is coming to complete the job. Mark P. Dunn keeps the suspense high with this entertaining thriller.
Chimera
Lois Carroll
Five Star
ISBN: 1594144575, $26.95, 328 pp.
Carolyn Whitney Matison unexpectedly inherits from her Great Aunt Louise Whitney her mansion and the money to convert it into an inn on the condition that she looks for an emerald necklace that went missing decades ago. Some family members blame the loss of jewelry on Robert Ashford who was courting the younger daughter Sarah. When her sibling Lora died in a fall Robert received the blame and subsequently his life and that of Sarah were destroyed. Attorney Rob Ashford, great nephew of Robert, believes the necklace remains inside Greystone; he wants to see that it is found so his relative's name can be cleared. The Whitney family hired Rob to help Carolyn with her inheritance. Neither he nor she expected to feel a strong regard for one another. Carolyn also has problems accepting that she sees the ghosts of Sarah, Lora, and Robert until Rob admits he has always seen them. Someone is causing accidents to occur and they have come close to killing Carolyn and Rob, but the major impediment to their love is that she is tricked into believing that he is the danger causing the perilous events. Unless she trusts in love, another couple may join the unhappy tragic afterlife that walk in Greystone. Readers who cherish ghost stories will thoroughly enjoy CHIMERA, a paranormal tale about past deeds haunting the present. Carolyn, hurt by the man she loves, struggles to trust anyone yet her inability to communicate with her beloved hero leads to her unhappiness and to fans shouting at her to talk to him. Rob comes across as a saint who forgives her for jumping to the wrong conclusion about him leading to the audience wanting a Rob of their own.
Where the Lies Begin
Robert S. Levinson
Five Star
ISBN: 159414432X, $25.95
Federal chief of the Department of Domestic Terrorism legendary Rupert Bachman asks former LAPD chief turned County Board of Supervisors Daniel "Duke" Marion to help them. Apparently, terrorist Bruno Guy is willing to turn himself in, but only if his friend Duke is there to insure his safety. Rupert further explains that in exchange for amnesty Bruno will provide the location of seven bombs at seven government buildings in seven cities planted by the Freedom Militia. Duke agrees. Duke and Bruno are to make contact with one another at the Lifetime Achievement Award gala honoring legendary actress turned Princess Nell Fontanne. However, Duke is forced to kill an assassin who was trying to shoot Nell. Thus he fails to meet Bruno. Current Police Chief Paul Crescent leads a media blitz condemning vigilante justice, which leads into a Grand Jury investigation that Rupert manipulates. A distracted Duke realizes he needs to meet with Bruno not just because they are pals, but more so because the clock ticks away with many lives in jeopardy. WHERE THE LIES BEGIN is a complex espionage thriller in which it is impossible to tell who the good guys are at least from the vantage point of Duke. For instance Rupert's men are zealots in which means does not matter only the ends; if innocents die so what as collateral damage s**t happens. This makes the tale even more complicated and that much more fun to read as the audience tries to determine who's on whose side. Robert S. Levinson writes an interesting tale of deceit in high and low places that his fans will appreciate.
Another Lost Angel
Steven B. Mandel
Five Star
ISBN: 1594144133, $25.95
Chicago Police Detective Linny Nomar works in the Property crimes Section where he has a decent record. Not because he is a good cop, but instead the Chicago Outfit employs him to close his eyes when they commit a theft. Linny goes through the motions having never recovered from the abduction of his then three year old son Connor compounded two years ago when his wife Emmy committed suicide. To his shock and without a request, Linny is transferred to the City-wide Homicide Unit (CHU), who is investigating a serial killer who mutilates teens before dumping them in water. To his surprise the new assignment awakens Linny from his stupor since the abduction. He admires his teammates and his boss, but especially is attracted to a peer Detective Julie McCallister. However, his mob handlers want him to back off the case until they can set up a fall guy; for the first time since they hooked him, Linny says no even though he knows he probably will lose his job and perhaps go to jail because his handlers have the evidence and the connections to do so. Linny makes ANOTHER LOST ANGEL an interesting police procedural as his two personal losses makes him not care about anything until the new assignment awakens his basic needs to belong, to care, and to love. The story line is action packed and the revelation of who snatched his child and why seems implausible yet works quite well in the context of the demise and rise of a cop. Readers will root for Linny to find his way back to life and to remain what he has once again become, a dedicated police officer.
Timeweb
Brian Herbert
Five Star
ISBN: 1594142165, $25.95, 541 pp.
Thousands of years into the future, mankind has colonized many worlds in several galaxies while also making contact with many other sentient races; some of which have become allies and others enemies. Humanity's most dangerous foe is the shapeshifting Mutati, whose objective is to eradicate mankind at least in their galaxy. The Merchant Prince Alliance led by Doge Lorenzo del Vello rules humanity. He and his brass have no compunctions over destroying whole worlds and extinguishing species since business trumps environment at all times. A smaller ecological counter movement the Guardians has formed led by founder Noah Watanbe trying to save the environment of abused orbs. As the TIMEWEB connective tissue keeps the universe together unravels, one of the oldest and wisest souls in the galaxy, reptilian Tulyam Eshaz wonders whether Noah is the savior prophesized by his ancestors. Given time Tulyam might prove his assertion correct, but the Mutati have weapons of mass destruction they plan to use and the Mutati is planning to devastate another sector leaving Noah with no wiggle room. In Brian Herbert's universe, many diverse intelligent races populate space with some still remaining hidden from humans for differing reasons. The protagonist is a charismatic caring leader who wins the admiration of his followers and even that of Tulyan who has seen so many over the ages return to dust. Humana's power structure is based on Italy's mercantile city-states of the renaissance where political intrigue and sexual debauchery is the norm and the lives of the less fortunate are considered expendable. The leader of the Mutati is a power mad despot making him a dictator with an anti-human cause (to hold power). TIMEWEB will remind the audience of Star Wars on even a bigger scale.
The Price of Pride
Donna MacQuigg
Five Star
ISBN: 1594144648, $25.95
In 1892 Santa fee, New Mexico Territory, someone kills Emily Brighton and her fiance rancher Bob Farrell. Emily's cousin St. Louis Herald reporter Sarah Brighton needs to learn the truth so she travels to Santa Fe to investigate what happened to her cousin, not believing that Emily and her intended died in a fire. At the same time Bob's older brother, U.S. Marshal Ira Farrell of Carefree, Arizona also believes foul play and has come home to prove it. Though Sarah and Ira share a common goal, neither wants the other intruding in their respective investigation. What make it worse is that both are fascinated by one another and that begins to turn in an attraction that each denies yet each wants. Still there are the inquiries into what really happened to Emily and Bob so love will have to wait especially since neither Sarah nor Ira want that intruding emotion. THE PRICE OF PRIDE is an interesting investigative western romance starring two fascinating protagonists who insist they are not in love, but cannot keep thoughts about one another out of their minds. The story line starts off by introducing the key good guys and what happened to Emily, swings into two fun competing investigations, but then feels a bit padded until the final exhilarating confrontations. Still fans will appreciate this entertaining historical.
Scoundrel in Disguise
Annette Blair
Five Star
ISBN: 1594144834, $26.95
In 1847, Marcus Fitzalan visits eccentric Jade Smithfield under the pretense of seeking employment as her business affairs manager. He really wants to learn why Jade is trying to prevent the construction of a railroad in the area that his disabled brother owns. Jade rejects Marcus as too handsome for the twelve brittle women and seventeen children that live under her roof. Besides she believes all men are created equally, nasty, abusive and bad. However she changes her mind when she sees how good he is reaching out to battered reticent little Emily who is taken with Marcus' dog Tweenie. As he continues to display kindness towards her charges, Marcus also begins to convince her some men can be nice. As they fall in love, he fears she will assume the worst in him once she learns why he applied for the job. This is an interesting complex Victorian romance with a social message starring an eccentric female obsessed with protecting women and children who hates men as being abusive. Marcus originally arrived to stop Jade from sabotaging his sibling's railroad, but soon finds he loves his employer and needs to help her with her charges. Fans will appreciate this Dickensian spin as "progress" vs. the need of the forgotten downtrodden competes with the hero knowing that he will probably lose his love once she learns of his deception.
Heart's Revenge
Julia C. Porter
Five Star
ISBN: 1594144478, $26.95
Grieving the recent death of her beloved father, Maritime Studies Professor Ella Simon is grateful to her boss Dr. Bramlett for sending her to research the alleged finding of Blackbeard's ship The Revenge off Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. Her guide is divemaster Mitch Thompson whose father is a close friend of Bramlett and found the sunken vessel. On their first dive, Ella suffers a tank accident that she blames on Mitch. He insists he checked her equipment just before the dive and that he saw something odd just above her. As Mitch and Ella work together they fall in love but she is hard fact realist who knows she must return to New England soon while he is a romantic who dreams they can find a way to stay together. However before either can consider compromise there are several problems starting with ghosts seeking their deaths and even more dangerous tourists visiting the islands. HEART'S REVENGE is an interesting horror romance starring two likable seemingly opposite humans chased by mean-spirited ghosts and the dreaded tourists. From the onset when Ella while driving sees strange sights until the final twisted confrontation with Blackbeard, readers will wonder whether the lead couple will survive and end up together. Though solutions to complex personal issues seem too simple, fans of an interesting ghost story enhanced by romance will want to read Julia C. Porter's tale of long dead pirates riding the high seas.
Some Like It Cold
Jerry Raine
Five Star
ISBN: 1594144281, $25.95
London club bouncer Brooklyn (named for Neil Diamond not the borough) Rhodes enjoys his work and likes his girlfriend. When she dies in a skiing accident, Brooklyn does not cope well with the death. Needing to escape his environs, Brooklyn flees to the eastern side of the Mediterranean, hiding in Cypress. For the next year he spent his time learning to count cards in blackjack and for the most part avoiding human contact. Feeling a bit healed, he heads home to England after a stop in Atlantic City to make some money at the tables. Back home he meets Russian expatriate waitress Katya over carrot passion cake and latte. He learns she is trapped in an unhappy marriage that she stays in for the sake of her infant Vika. He also meets hotshot gambler "Roulette" Rex Hollings who wants to hire Brooklyn to take care of some troubles. As he tries to avoid Roulette and consider a life with Katya and Vika, Brooklyn's recent past follows him from across the Atlantic where New Jersey police and thugs see him as a person of interest. This urban noir runs along two paths with Brooklyn being the link as he works the Roulette scenario and courts Katya before the two subplots blend together in an over the top climax. The action-packed story line contains several tough with Brooklyn in the middle struggling between making money and running off with Katya. The Russian emigre likes Brooklyn, but believes he can never make room for her child; who is part of her package. Jerry Raine provides a strong London Noir that readers will enjoy wondering just whose side the hero (antihero?) is on.
At the Casa Marina in Key West the man curses the woman before he slashes her viciously to death, not caring that she is pregnant. At about the same time the homicide occurred, thirty seven years old attorney and mother of two small children (Jordan and Daniella) Dominique Olivet leaves her grumbling spouse Bill in bed to head over to the St, Mary's Church where she informs her friend Linda about the homicide dream. Linda tells her to relax that she will soon know what it means because Dominique has the gift. The police arrests impoverished Ben Hargrave on the Casa Marina murder of Regina. When the Public Defender's Office claimed conflict Judge Juan Sanchez Sr. appoints Dominique to represent Ben who insists he did not kill his beloved Regina. The State of Florida assigns Rolf del Castillo to prosecute what appears to be an open and shut case. However, the obvious is not as lucid as some believe and soon more blood flows leaving Dominique to fear something evil has taken control of Key West. This terrific legal serial killer thriller provides varying perspectives with the most enlightening and fascinating in a macabre way is inside the mind of the killer. The story line is action-packed as the psychopath goes about his grim tasks, of which many are graphically sexually predatory. Readers will ponder the ultimate question of whether an obviously insane person can be evil as free will and knowing right from wrong are missing from their mental and emotional makeup.
Seeker
William Nicholson
Harcourt
ISBN: 0152057684, $17.00
On the island of Anacrea, Seeker turns sixteen, which means he is now a man. His father, the island's schoolteacher expects Seeker to follow in his footsteps replacing him one day, but the teen pr
