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MBR Bookwatch

Volume 7, Number 9 September 2008 Home | MBW Index

Table of Contents

Cowper's Bookshelf Dunford's Bookshelf Greenspan's Bookshelf
Klausner's Bookshelf Laurel's Bookshelf Shelley's Bookshelf
Shirley's Bookshelf Taylor's Bookshelf Vogel's Bookshelf


Cowper's Bookshelf

Vegetarian Restaurants & Natural Food Stores
John Howley
Torchlight Publishing
PO Box 52, Badger, CA 93603
1887089446, $19.95, www.torchlight.com

Vegetarian cuisine can be very diverse and delicious, if one knows where to shop. "Vegetarian Restaurants & Natural Food Stores" is a complete and comprehensive guide on shopping vegetarian. With well over two and a half thousand eateries listed, it is the ideal compendium to know where the shop wherever one is in America. With tabs also on popular chain restaurants such as Subway, "Vegetarian Restaurant & Natural Food Stores" is a must for any dedicated vegetarian or vegan.

Passion For Tea
Beverly Rorem
Author House
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
9781434362940, $18.99, www.authorhouse.com, 1-800-280-7715

Ever since the first tea leaves were brought from Asia into Europe, tea drinking has been an iconic mark of civilized society. In "Passion For Tea", Beverly Rorem brings to bear her enthusiasm for tea in a compendium of information on the history of tea from its history in China, to its cultural impact on Japan, India, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. These historical overviews are capped off with a concluding chapter on what scientific research has revealed about the therapeutic benefits of tea for everything from alcohol damage to liver and brain, to arthritis, cholesterol, bacterial infections, cancer, skin care, and more. Deftly written and knowledgeably presented, "Passion For Tea" is very highly recommended reading for anyone who has every enjoyed a cup of tea in good company.

A Book About Something
Katrius
Vantage Press
419 Park Ave., South, New York, NY 10016
9780533159215, $7.95, www.vantagepress.com

Values that everyone can agree on, that's what Katrius offers in "A Book About Something". A collection of easy reading that offers values such as caring, responsibility, and fairness, among other values, includes an example of that value in action. Each value is alongside some charming artwork, making "A Book About Something" highly recommended as a simple gift to children everywhere.

Parenting for Tomorrow
John Samuel
Vantage Press
419 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016
9780533158393, $10.95, www.vantagepress.com

The world changes and treating your children like it's not won't help them prepare for success in life. "Parenting for Tomorrow: A Results-Oriented Approach to Preparing Your Child for Tomorrow's World" is a guide to evolve one's parenting skills with an evolving world. Telling parents they need to be with their children and take an interest in what they take an interest in to better understand their children, "Parenting for Tomorrow" is solid and highly recommended reading for any parent who wants to stay with the times.

You Turn
Nancy Irwin
Booksurge
7290-B Investment Drive, Charleston, SC 29418
9781419695018, $18.99, www.drnancyirwin.com

Life is never a one way street. "You Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife" is a guide for those who have hit the dreaded mid life crisis and want a change in their life. With countless anecdotes from people over forty who have turned their lives around into an entirely new direction, it serves as an inspiration for anyone who looks at where their life is heading and hates it. "You Turn" is encouraging and highly recommended for those who want to change when there is still time.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Prepare To Be Shocked!
Ripley Publishing
7576 Kingspointe Parkway, Suite 188, Orlando, Florida 32819
9781893951310, $28.95

Lavishly illustrated with full-color photography on every page, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Prepare To Be Shocked! is a compendium of things amazing and extraordinary, sure to impress readers of all ages and backgrounds. Every two-page spread, half-page focus or thumbnail note covers a different topic so incredulous as to be worthy of the "Believe It or Not!" tagline, from the true story of a crocodile attack survivor who had to have his arm reattached, to a skilled Chinese folk artist who can push a living snake into his mouth and pull it out through one of his nostrils, to unicycle marathons, staggering collections of everything from hot wheels to diseased human brains (exhibited in a museum in Lima, Peru) to a frog trained to ride a miniature motorcycle. Almost impossible to put down once picked up, Ripley's Believe It or Not! is an the perfect gift for the any reader who claims to have seen it all.

Mindfulness and The Art of Choice
Karen H. Sherman
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
9781932690514, $15.95, www.choicerelationships.com

Unhappiness doesn't have to be something someone is sentenced to. "Mindfulness and The Art of Choice: Transform Your Life" is a useful and 'user friendly' guide for anyone wanting to turn their life around and become content with things they are otherwise compelled to deal with every day of their ordinary existence. With advice on making good choices, portraying a positive attitude to those around you, healing and dealing with loss, and more, author Karen H. Sherman offers a unique set of suggestions for everyday life. A welcome addition to personal self-help, self-improvement reading lists, "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice" is especially recommended for its underlying and foundational message that everyone does have a choice.

The Navigator of Life
Nathaniel J. Williams, Ed.D, MHS, MPA
Privately Published
1655 Valley Center Parkway, Suite 150, Bethlehem, PA 18017
9780981474205, $29.95 www.navigatoroflife.com

Written by doctor of education and CEO Nathaniel J. Williams, The Navigator of Life is a self-help book for readers of all backgrounds, offering a three-step process for dealing with the complicated obstacles of life, using navigation at sea as a metaphor. The three helpful phases are Dock, in which readers re-examine their core beliefs in such things as continuous improvement, unconditional manners, respect, adopting language and behavior of an uplifting behavior, and more; Chart Course, in which readers divine their best path by asking themselves questions about eight key areas of their lives (ranging from spirituality to finances, education, health, family and friends); and Home Coming, in which the answers to the previous questions offer forth the best, individually tailored approach to dealing with current problems. A straightforward, plain-terms guide to dealing with difficult issues that have different solutions depending upon what type of person is confronted with the problem, The Navigator of Life is highly recommended for personal and public library self-help collections.

Mary Cowper
Reviewer

Dunford's Bookshelf

The Filibustero
J.J. Knopf
Vantage Press
419 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016
9780533157648, $24.95, www.vantagepress.com

The Civil War tore many things apart alongside the country. "The Filibustero" is the first part of J.J. Knopf's work of epic historical fiction, being too much for the book's already five hundred page plus size to really handle. A story following Perry, a man torn between two loves. One is a free black woman and voodoo priestess, and one is the rich plantation woman – who happens to already be married. Perry would hope that there wasn't more to it than that for his problems, but he is called off to participate in the bloodiest conflict in American history. "The Filibustero" is a moving piece of historical fiction that will keep readers yearning in anticipation for the next volume.

Hair on Fire
Wayne J. Pate
Vantage Press Inc.
419 Park Ave., South, New York, NY 10016
9780533157157, $13.95, www.vantagepress.com

Snatched from your family at the age of nine is a life changing experience indeed. "Hair on Fire" is the story of Samuel Harcone, what he calls himself until he becomes Sun Hawk. Samuel is pulled from his European American Family at the age of nine and is adopted by the Quahada Comanche tribe of native Americans. The story tells of growing up in this environment where he grows as far from his original culture as his adoptive family in this unique coming of age tale. "Hair on Fire" is something to consider for all fiction readers.

All You Know on Earth
Marilyn McGrath
Xlibris
International Plaza 2, Suite 410, Philadelphia, PA 19113-1513
9781436323215, $19.99, www.xlibris.com

Memories, like the humans who posses them, are fallible. "All You Know on Earth" follows Dr. Cal Wyatt as he deals with a female mental hospital inmate who seems to be an amnesiac. In the confines of the asylum, Wyatt must figure out Rachel's problems, and in the process discovers much about memory and why his previously heavily Freudian believes may not be as correct as they were. "All You Know on Earth" is a novel of psychology, and will make the reader question their own thoughts.

Common Sense Officiating
Dave Gambridge
Privately Published
5835 Glen Hill Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102
No ISBN, $10.00

It's the rules that are critical to fair play and competition. It's the referees that enforce the roles and make the games they officiate fairly played with respect to who wins or loses. Dave Gambridge draws upon his many years officiating in highschool and college basketball to create "Common Sense Officiating: A Survival Guide For Sports Officials", a pocket-sized 'how-to' manual for referring any and all kinds of sports events fairly and professionally. Beginning with exploring why the reader would want to be a referee, Gambridge goes on to cover what can be expected from pre-game meetings, to every quarter of play, to dead-ball situations, to playoffs, to camps, networking, and more. Knowledgeable, comprehensive, and 'user friendly, "Common Sense Officiating" is especially recommended to non-specialist general readers who may be called upon to officiate a game, as well as anyone seeking to improve their officiating skills and expertise as a professional referee for highschool and college athletics of any category or kind.

Michael Dunford
Reviewer

Greenspan's Bookshelf

Cracking the Glass Darkly
Robert Egby
Authorhouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403
9781434349019, $18.95, www.authorhouse.com

Unhappiness is a state of mind. "Cracking the Glass Darkly: Discovering Power and the Ecstasy of Your True Cosmic Self" is a compelling and informative examination of the depression that humanity so often puts itself through for no apparent reason. Speaking on how to deal with it and how to break through one's own fog of depression, it encourages readers to stop living in the past and stop living in the future, but to focus in on the here and now. Highly recommended for Self-Help, Self-Improvement reading lists and reference collections, "Cracking the Glass Darkly" is a fresh and original approach to helping one's self out of life's funk.

Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man
Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.
Lulu Press
860 Aviation Parkway, Suite 300, Morrisville, NC 27560
9781435712423, $12.98, www.lulu.com

Not all poets are hipsters sitting on stools in clubs wearing berets. "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man" is the third anthology of Harry Gilleland's work, and fans of the first two will undoubtedly find much to enjoy within. Focusing on the simpler things in life, "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man" is highly recommended. "Louisiana Alligator" : In the bayou lived a big old gator./Everything else feared being lunch later./Cajun and gator tussled./Gator was soon out-muscled./It was stewed with peppers and a tater.

A Burden of Light
Joan M. Green
Vantage Press
419 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016
9780533158003, $11.95, www.vantagepress.com

God is always with us, even when we're doing the most unreligious of things. "A Burden of Light" is an anthology of poetry from Joan M. Green. Her poetry focuses on her faith, preaching the gospel with vivid and beautiful verse, and how everyday life is filled with opportunities to revere the Lord as the creator he is. "A Burden of Light" is a must for poetry fans who happen to be Christians as well. "True Tears": A mother's tears – they nurture not/They rob her soul – they're burning hot//They eat away-and wear her down/A mom should never—wear a frown//A mother's tears—cut to the core/Her spirit screams—please God no more!

Mounting the Clouds
Victor Akinrinmade
Vantage Press Inc.
419 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016
9780533149636, $14.00, www.vantagepress.com

The writer's block phenomena that can afflict any author or poet is said to stem from the lack inspiration and a failure of imagination on the part of the writer. "Mounting the Clouds" is Victor Akinrinmade's call that inspiration for writing is all around us. He demonstrates this fact with a diverse catalogue of poetry displaying inspiration from the little things in life. The sun, rainbows, and life itself. A warm and inspiring collection of verse, "Mounting the Clouds" is a must for poetry fans -- and anyone who has ever suffered from a temporary lack of ideas for their own writing. "You Must Meet Her": She writes with a/golden ink,/a pen like a/crystal sea.//Have you met her?//Have you seen her?//The rock my soul/but loves?//She shines like a/glowing sun;/a heart like a/blending love;/oh, yes, you must/but meet her/soon.//But think, my joy,/but think;/you must meet her,/my dear.

A Huge Happy Pageant
Francis Xavier Cunningham
Vantage Press
419 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016
9780533158485, $12.95, www.vantagepress.com

Irish Catholics have a long stay of history in America, and "A Huge Happy Pageant" is a collection of short stories and essays that draw upon author Francis Xavier Cunningham's own time and experiences growing up. Recalling experiences not necessarily exclusive to his own people and looking back on the history of his family, his look back is unique and well worth reading. "A Huge Happy Pageant" is unique and recommended reading.

Able Greenspan
Reviewer

Klausner's Bookshelf

Exit Music
Ian Rankin
Little Brown
9780316057585 $24.99

For the first time he can remember Edinburgh Police Inspector John Rebus is worried about the future. In ten days, the long time cop is turning sixty, which means mandatory retirement although he does not feel ready to leave the force.

Still, Rebus plans to finish his last cases although he only has ten working days left. His prime investigation is the murder of Russian poet Alexander Todorov; in which he and his associate Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke find no motive, but a horde of odd conspiracies bantered about that include Russian businessmen, Scottish bankers and local politicians rallying behind an independent Scotland. The case turns even more bizarre when a second homicide occurs; the victim taped a recital of Todorov reading his work. Increasingly the inquiry points towards Edinburgh crime boss "Big Ger" Cafferty, but finding proof to pin two murders on the mobster in under ten days seem impossible.

The investigation takes a back seat to Rebus' final police case before going into forced retirement. Thus, as good as the previous entries are, this may be the most personal as the emotions are high as fans wonder what will their hero do. EXIT MUSIC is an excellent complicated police procedural as the great John Rebus works what is his apparent last police case.

The Turnaround
George P. Pelecanos
Little Brown
0316156477 $24.99

In 1972, three suburban teenage white friends (Alex Pappas, Billy Cachoris and Pete Whitten) are stoned having smoked marihuana and drank alcohol. As high as they ever been, the trio cruises D.C in a Torino stopping in a poor black neighborhood where they challenge three local males (brothers James and Raymond Monroe and Charles Baker). The ensuing brawl leaves Billy dead and Alex severely battered.

In 2007, Alex grieves the loss of his son, a combat casualty in Iraq. He owns and runs the Pappas and Sons Coffee Shop that his father established in 1964. At Walter Reed Raymond Monroe, one of the three blacks involved in the deadly fight, recognizes Alex's name. Raymond thinks maybe he can put somewhat behind him the mess that has haunted him for thirty-five years by talking with Alex so he contacts the coffee shop owner; Alex too needs closure. At about the same time, Baker who destroyed Alex's face has just left prison with a plan to blackmail the participants in the '72 race war.

This stand alone urban thriller hooks the audience from the opening joyride and never let's goes as the audience wonders whether Alex and Raymond will find liberation from their overwhelming guilt for their respective roles in the fight or a second war. The key cast members are fully developed so that the reader understands what they need and what they could lose if they risk THE TURNAROUND of redemption and ignore the extortion. George P. Pelecanos writes a great tale that will be on everyone's short list for thriller of the year as the DC area has rarely seen as imposing as it does in 1972 and 2007.

Book Of Scandal
Julia London
Pocket
1416547118 $6.99

Because of their beloved son's death, the once loving marriage between Nathan Grey the Earl of Lindsey and his wife died too although they are not divorced. Over the next five years Nathan ignored his spouse Evangeline while womanizing in rustic splendor. Evangeline remained prim and proper while residing in London.

However, Nathan becomes irate and though he will not admit it to himself is jealous to hear rumors that Princess Caroline's infamous book contains scandalous behavior by Evangeline. He comes to London to save the Lindsey reputation; demanding she leave for the countryside with him. Evangeline no longer needs the man she loves who deserted her when she most did; besides she plans to divorce him and marry someone else. He realizes how much he misses his wife, but to persuade her he will not leave her again proves futile. However, they become caught up in a dangerous treachery in which an unknown adversary will gladly kill husband and wife.

Using the historical reference book of aristocratic scandal written by Princess Caroline as a backdrop to a second chance at love Regency romance, Julia London cleverly freshens up a common theme. The story line is driven by the broken relationship between Nathan and Evangeline as each coped with their loss in different ways, but neither was there for the other. With the looming scandal of the Princess' BOOK O SCANDAL serving as a sort of matchmaker, fans will relish this astute entertaining historical.

The Ant King: And Other Stories
Benjamin Rosenbaum
Small Beer
1931520534 $16.00

This is an interesting surrealistic speculative fiction anthology that readers who enjoy something different will appreciate. There are several excellent entries, which by contrast make the remaining good short stories seem lacking yet none are of poor quality Readers will relish finding the "The Book of Jashar" in which a new Old Testament tome has been discovered; also superb is "Start the Clock" as preadolescents are stuck forever as the heirs to the current generation; a sensitive retelling of Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" also is quite provoking. Perhaps the two strongest tales are "The Ant King" in which a giant roach abducted a woman (where is She-Hulk when you need her) and "A Siege of Cranes" starring a lone survivor of a village seeking vengeance on what destroyed his family and neighbors. This is an engaging collection that takes readers into a realm where anything especially the absurd rule.

His Wicked Sin
Eve Silver
Zebra
0821781294 $5.99

In 1828 Yorkshire, impoverished Elizabeth "Beth" Canham arrives at a remote site awaiting the coach to take her to Burndale Academy where she is the new teacher. Griffin Fairfax offers her a ride although he admits he is not from the academy. She accepts. In front of Beth at the academy he asks a servant if she (not the servant) will come to him; the servant says she refused. Upset he leaves abruptly for his nearby home at Wickham Hall; while Beth ponders her attraction to him. Griffin is upset that Isobel would not come with him. His housekeeper tells him her niece Sarah is missing and assumed murdered by the serial killer who is stalking the area. Griffin thinks back to his late wife Amelia.

Beth senses that someone evil is watching her. It reminds her of her youth when she feared so much. She fears the dark and small closed spaces, but tries to hide it. She sees Griffin and tells him to go play with his daughter, but he refuses as he says she blames him for her mother's death. Griffin is attracted to Beth not just because she is pretty, but because he feels she knows his soul and still wants him though he believes he is unworthy of her and asks if she heard of the rumors that he killed his wife. Soon she will know all the answers, but may not live long to tell anyone else like the father and daughter she loves.

The serial killer subplot is cleverly designed so that the hero looks guilty and ties everything together while the romance between the lead couple is fun to follow. Historical romantic suspense readers who like a gothic feel to their tales will enjoy Eve Silver's fine late Regency.

Left to Die
Lisa Jackson
Zebra
9781420102765 $7.99

In Grizzly Falls, Montana, police detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli struggle with a particularly vicious serial killer who deep freezes his living female victims until they die. At the same time that the cops try to prevent another homicide, Jillian Rivers receives pictures that allege her late husband Aaron remains alive and well in Montana. Needing to know the truth she drives to Montana.

However, someone fires a shot hitting her tire causing Jillian to crash into a frozen ravine. When she regains consciousness she awakens inside the cabin of Zane MacGregor, who swears he found her nearby and hurt. She has no choice but to trust the hermit as a blizzard makes it impossible to leave even if he would let her and she was physically able to. Meanwhile Alvarez and Pescoli find her car in the ravine and fear she is the next victim of the killer.

Leaving bayou Country for the Big Sky, Lisa Jackson introduces her fans to two terrific police detectives working a difficult homicide case. The story line moves forward on two subplots; the two cops seeking to rescue Jillian, and the Rivers-MacGregor spin of is he the killer or her savior. Readers will relish this strong chilling police procedural while Lisa Jackson brilliantly sets up the sequel CHOSEN TO DIE.

Noah
Jacquelyn Frank
Zebra
9780821780695 $6.99

Demon King, Noah is beloved by his subjects because he cares about them and protects them from their enemies. Although adulated by his people, Noah is also lonely as his closets friends are Imprinted (mated) and the woman he believes is his Destiny only appears in his dreams. He has never met her in person. Kestra shares Noah's erotic dreams, but she assumes the hunk she desires is a subject of her imagination only. Just as he decides to search for his dream woman in the real world, the dreams end and instead he has a horrific vision of the woman who is to be his mate being killed. With the help of the Enforcer's child Leah he bends time to prevent his beloved's death.

Kestra is taken to Noah's castle where she begins changing into a Druid. She begins to absorb his energy without which she will die. Surprisingly Kestra takes what has happened to her in stride, but a trauma from her past leaves her fearful of love although she has deep feelings for Noah and she believes strongly he loves her. As they work on their muddled relationship, they come under attack from vampires who want their Nightwalker blood to gain their powers. To survive they must join their powers in love, but Kestra remains fearful of loving anyone.

NOAH is a great paranormal romance due as much to the vivid world described by Jacquelyn Frank as well as the seesaw relationship between the lead couple. They make the realm with demons, vampires, and other ilk seem genuine in this well written character-driven saga. Characters from previous novels make appearances as Ms. Frank and her fans welcome them back inside of an engaging romantic fantasy with the emphasis on the romance.

Tarizon: The Liberator
William Manchee
Top
9781929976485 $23.00

On the planet Tarizon, several volcanoes erupted simultaneously; placing the world in darkness and affecting the ability to survive and even grow crops. Everything is aimed at survival so the people of Tarizon make a deal with the authorities in the United States. The will give America tech in exchange for mating with humans and producing healthy offspring. When teenage earthling Peter Turner discovers there are aliens amongst us, they kidnap him and send him to Tarizon to silence him. Many believe he is the prophesied Liberator who will appear from outside during a super eclipse, which occurs as he arrives.

Peter learns his new home, still devastated by e nature, is on the brink of a civil war that neither side can truly win. The Chancellor is incapacitated and Videl of the Purist Party takes his place. He and his followers oppose the Supreme Mandate that grants freedom and equality to sentient non-humans including mutants, the rhutz, the Nanomites and the Seafolken. Peter sides with Vidal's opponents the Loyalists who vow to uphold the Supreme Mandate to live free or die. Still he is caught in a civil war between the Purists and the Loyalists as there is no room for compromise only death.

TARIZON: THE LIBERATOR targets the young adult science fiction audience, but older readers will enjoy the action-packed exciting thriller with a deep message of at least tolerance for all while preferable consensus. The vivid descriptions of the planet will feel as if fans are there assisting the earthling as he struggles with doing what he believes is morally right and taking part in the action and battles. William Manchee has created a fascinating world in trouble that anchors this exhilarating powerful morality tale.

Dance of the Wolf
Karen Whiddon
Silhouette Nocturne
9780373617920 $5.25

When his best friend Dr. Charles Watkins vanishes after using Dallas' hottest nightclub Fantasies as a spot to help the poor, Dr. Jared Gies investigates his disappearance. He is a bit surprised when he hits owner Elena Cabrera with his car, but she insists she is okay as she needs to find Charles who she recently fired when she saw him change into a monstrous werewolf; her fear is he harmed her reliable dancer Damien who is missing. Jared is stunned as he wants her immediately, but he knows first his inquiry then his libido. Elena is worried about Damien too as he has been reliable since she hired him to replace the monster. Charles Watkins.

Elena reciprocates Jared's desires, but is wary also as two of her dancers have recently been killed. Still she and Giles agree to team up on an investigation into who is the predator. As they fall in love, Jared knows they have no future together as he would have to reveal that his lone wolf is not a shapeshifting act

Elena creates this totally enthralling and enjoyable paranormal romantic suspense with amateur sleuth elements. She is courageous as she refuses to back down from the Pack (see CRY OF THE WOLF and TOUCH OF THE WOLF), a clever killer, nor love. Werewolf romance fans will enjoy Karon Whiddon's latest tale.

Son of the Shadows
Nancy Holder
Silhouette Nocturne
9780373617937 $5.25

Jean-Marc de Devereaux Guardian of the House of the Shadows loses much of his essence when a demon depletes his soul. Guardian of the House of Flames Isabelle De Bouvard uses her mage powers to enable Jean-Marc to regain much of his soul and live, but the cost to her is immense. She suffers from amnesia after over extending herself.

Meanwhile Isabelle's twin sister Lillane, Guardian of the House of Blood, owns the remaining part of Jean Marc's soul. She tries to use that to manipulate him into killing her sibling; if Isabelle dies, Lillane will begin a world of evil under her control. As Jean-Marc struggles to control the dark that coaxes him to kill the woman who saved his life, he must open the remainder of his soul to Isabelle although that means falling in love.

The latest Guardian romantic fantasy (see DAUGHTER OF THE BLOOD and DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES) is a terrific entry due to the sacrifices made by the lead couple to save their beloved and the threat of her twin who owns the rest of his soul. That weird triangle makes for a powerful tale as Jean-Marc struggles between the pulls of the sisters; as he loves the one he must kill while hates the one he obeys. Fans will appreciate this character driven exhilarating trek into the Guardian world of Nancy Holder.

Out of Time
Samantha Graves
Forever
0446618373 $6.99

Harlem's Linden Museum curator Jillian Talbot inherited her psychic gift, but always believed no one outside her family knew of their skills. Her ability to see an object or person's past benefits her work at the museum.

Once an artifact stealer, Simon Bonner never planned to return to field work. However, his tomb raiding rival, a severely wounded Jackson informs him that his ex wife Celina is being used as a hostage to force him back into robbing tombs. His assignment to obtain an ancient crystal lens and abduct Jillian, who the blackmailer believes is the seer that a prophecy claims she can find buried archeological booty. Apparently the extortionist has ruthless Kesel working the abduction too as Simon barely keeps Jillian from being snatched. He persuades her to join with him as they play a ten days maximum game of cat and mice in Mexico with one known deadly opponent and several unknown adversaries who change the rules to fit their requirement of win at all costs to others.

OUT OF TIME is a fabulous romantic suspense with a touch of the paranormal. The lead couple is a terrific pairing of opposites as she sees the goodness in everyone and everything while he finds everyone evil and everything ugly. Their differences make for a strong thriller as they perceive their opponents differently as Simon thinks she is naive and Jillian believes he is cynical. Fans will appreciate this fine psychic tomb raiding thriller and seek out SIGHT UNSEEN starring Jillian's thief of a sister.

A Highlander Never Surrenders
Paula Quinn
Forever
0446619132 $6.99

In 1659 English General Monck captures Scotswoman Claire Stuart. He plans to use her as a negotiating pawn to force her brother Connor, leading an enemy fighting force using guerilla tactics, to end their rebellion by surrendering. While in captivity, Claire keeps in shape and improvs her fighting skills waiting for the opportune moment to escape and join her sibling.
Graham Grant is a superb warrior, but refuses to join the fight. He joins his brother-in-law, a Royal Scottish Earl, Robert Campbell on a trip where he learns of Claire's captivity. Graham helps Claire escape and accompanies her as she heads to her brother. As they fall in love, neither has any hope of a future together as she supports the rebellion and he pushes for peace.

Using real historical figures and events to anchor time and place, Paula Quinn provides her fans with an engaging seventeenth century romance. Claire is a fabulous lead female who prefers to fight alongside her brother while the capable warrior Graham is sick of death, maiming, and blood chooses peace. Readers will relish their delightful match up as Ms. Quinn provides a strong war and peace historical.

Underdead
Liz Jasper
Cerridwen Press
9781419956836 $7.99

In Long Beach, California, Jo Gartner teaches geology to the hormonal crowd, eighth graders. She attends a boring Christmas party with her best friends, high school science teachers Becky and Carol when the spiked and dyed hair Korean-American Becky informs her a hot dude in black is eying her like the last piece of Carol's chocolate cake. After dodging Roger, Jo says no way, but Becky persuades her to talk to the hunk worth dying for. Will insists Jo needed rescuing from ennui and besides he explains he loves Jane Austen.

They go outside to talk further, but instead of Pride and Prejudice, he bites her neck. Jo is clueless to what his nip means as Will is a vampire who has turned the science teacher into an underdead; an almost vampire, sort of like being almost pregnant, as she has all the issues like sunburn and no bread to cope with, but none of the benefits. Gavin the vampire hunter arrives to either kill or help her. Meanwhile Jo struggles with her blood attraction and loathing of Will; while his vampiress lover rejects the notion of sharing his neck. Soon afterward another teacher is killed with phony vampiric bites on the neck in Jo's classroom. However, learning vampirism 101 and amateur sleuthing still seems relatively easy to Jo after teaching eighth graders and worrying how her mom will react.

Using amusing hyperbole to stereotype the negative side of vampirism, this tongue in cheek (and teeth on neck) tale is an amusing fast-paced paranormal whodunit that the audience will enjoy because of the combination of suspense, romance and the supernatural. Jo is terrific as the focus of the storyline; she muses how she went from dateless to a triangle and one in the romance department while working on a mystery and surviving eighth grade. as Liz Jasper writes an entertaining lighthearted romp.

Just Breathe
Susan Wiggs
Mira
0778325776 $24.95

In Chicago, Sarah Moon loves her husband of five years Jack Daly. She enjoys her work writing the comic strip Just Breathe whose star Shirl reflects much of the idiosyncrasies Sarah sees in life; but unlike Sarah Shirl often confronts the hypocrisy. Sarah has been undergoing infertility treatment until she came home and saw Jack, who had been struggling to get it up with her, naked and up with his "horsy" business associate.

She leaves heading home to Glenmuir, California while having Shirl represent her frustrations with men, divorce and being in your thirties while living under your mom's roof. Ironically, Sarah is pregnant and even more sardonic, she and fire chief Will Bonner, a single father, are friends. He was her enemy in high school while his daughter Aurora is her teen replica of loneliness and angst from when she was in high school and, who already has mom issues exponentially compounded by her father and the cartoonist falling in love.

Susan Wiggs shows her greatness with this terrific second chance at love tale as she combines humor with the Shirl comic strip at the start of each chapter with deep angst laden relationship issues. The story line is obviously character driven by the lead couple and Aurora; but what makes this so good is the reader will cry and laugh with the lead trip throughout. Ms. Wiggs provides a superb family drama filled with love.

My Husband's Sweethearts
Bridget Asher
Delacorte Press
038534189X $22.00

In Philadelphia thirty something Lucy Shoreman loves and hates her fiftyish husband Artie. She left him six months ago when she learned he cheated on her. However, when Artie informs her he is dying, Lucy comes home to help him in his final days. Still she is bitter and finding out other secrets he hid from her increases her acrimony; especially his concealing an illegitimate alienated adult son, John.

She decides life is unfair that she the cuckold one needs to go it alone when he had so many women in his life who shared the good times so let them also share the end times. She calls all the women in his black book and assigns the somewhat stunned females with tasks. She orders her mom, the divorce queen, to arrange the funeral. Finally to herself, she assigns bringing together estranged father and son; though she admits to herself he is a chip off the old hunk block.

The story line is limited as everything focuses on the death countdown; however the ensemble cast make up for this with their differing personalities and reactions to Artie and Lucy. The sharp chick lit asides and the often rancorous exchanges are superseded by a sentiment of doing the right thing even if it kills you. Fans will appreciate this bittersweet final grand "Tour d'Artie".

Six-Gun Two-Step
William C. Duncan
PublishAmerica
1424186099 $24.95

In Cleveland, Timmy Thomas supports his slight drug habit as a two bit neighborhood dealer. He has no ambition to go up the illegal drug selling pyramid. His girlfriend Sandy went to the apartment of their dealers Bam and Susie both of whom are dead; she from an overdose and he from blowing out his brains. She grabs two bags filled with the white powder she cam to purchase and flees the death scene.

Sandy tells Timmy, who suddenly gains ambition as he sees a chance for a big score. Not sure how to sell so much, he enlists exotic dancer Glendy to assist him. However, their efforts upset the major gang dealers especially the Guatemalans, whose supply they stole. The pair flee to New York planning to hook up with the mob there, but things just get worse as he gets hooked on his product and back in Ohio an even deadlier gang than the Guatemalans demand he hand them his goods or else; two other gangs show interest too.

This is a fascinating look at the supply and demand of illegal drug economics although the realistic cast of a zillion participants can be difficult to keep score. When the tale switches into a terrorist plot to destroy the Cleveland area, it loses steam as that seems surreal. Still this is an interesting glimpse at a two step player foolishly dealing with six-gun gangs even if the gangbangers' cumulative IQs sum in double digits.

Death Books a Return
Marion Moore Hill
Pemberley
9780977191369 $17.95

Wyndham, Oklahoma librarian Juanita Wills is writing a history of the town when her research comes across the cold case murder of back teenager Luther Dunlap in 1959. She is elated to have found a witness to the homicide as the victim's best friend almost fifty years ago Samuel Davis agrees to talk to her. However, when she goes to his home in nearby Bryson Corner, no one answers her.

Later she learns Samuel died from corn cockle poison in bread left by eccentric reticent Grace Hendershot. As she keeps digging, her boyfriend police lieutenant Wayne Cleary warns her to not get involved as some people want the segregated abusive past left buried. He proves right when someone tries to shoot her or her walking companion and tinkered with a tilt ride that hospitalizes Juanita. However, the intrepid "scrappy librarian" refuses to close the book on her amateur sleuthing until she solves the 1950s killing, the modern day murder, and a few relationship enigmas.

This engaging cozy explores race relations then and now as Marion Moore Hill makes the case that though we have come a long way yet in some ways Otis Redding remains right that "Everything still remains the same"; so we must work even harder at achieving equality. At times the mystery takes a back seat into the interrelationships between characters; not just interracial although that is the prime theme. Though the action overall is light in spite of two attempts on the heroine, fans will appreciate the second well written Scrappy Librarian tale (see Bookmarked for Murder).

Curse of the Pogo Stick
Colin Cotterill
Soho
1569474850 $24.00

In the late 1970s the Laotian National Coroner seventy-three years old Dr. Siri Paiboun is attending some governmental Communist Party function (waste of time if you ask him) in the north. Meanwhile back in the capital Vientiane a corpse of a soldier booby trapped with grenades is anonymously dropped off at the morgue. Only the fast and capable work of Paibourn's assistant Nurse Dtui avoids a tragedy from happening.

Meanwhile Paiboun looks forward to getting home to spend time with his fiancee Madame Daeng and even time in the morgue, which is better than attending these inane officious official officialdoms. Instead the female members of the Hmong tribe abduct Dr. Siri as they need his help; or at least of the millennium old shaman Yeh Ming is to perform an exorcism on the tribal chief's daughter demonically possessed due to an evil pogo stick placed on an alter.

CURSE OF THE POGO STICK is a solid historical mystery that contains two subplots, in which both contain humor inside serious situations that brings to life 1977-78 Laos. The Vientiane investigation is superbly written as Nurse Dtui cleverly leads the inquiry into who would use a dead soldier to kills others. However, Colin Cotterill's insight into the suppressed Hmong people, caught between the violent Communist regime and Nixon's just completed a few years ago secret war, is what makes this a great entry as neither side cares what happened to these expendable mountain pawns. The insight into the Hmong culture and their "collateral damage" plight supersede the whodunit.

Folly Du Jour
Barbara Cleverly
Soho
156947513X $24.95

In 1927 Scotland Yard Detective Joe Sandilands attends the Interpol conference in Paris, but when he lands at the airport the local police meet him. They take Joe to a prison where they hold a countryman of his charged with murder. Joe is stunned to find the French police accuse his long time friend Sir George Jardine of stabbing Sir Stanley Somerton, another person Joe knew but in this case would prefer not to have ever met the horrid victim.

Joe rejects the official position as he knows George would never do such an act except in self defense. He and French detective Inspector Jean-Philippe Bonnefoye investigate together based on the assumption someone else murdered the sleazy Somerton. They start at the morgue where pathologist Dr. Moulin explains the odd M.O. matches several recent homicides in the last three to four years. The two sleuths wonder whether a serial killer is stalking Paris.

FOLLY DU JOUR is a terrific 1920s police procedural starring two superb detectives. Joe may be shocked in his latest case (see THE BEE'S KISS, THE PALACE TIGER and THE LAST KASHMIRI ROSE), but gets to work right away while his French partner holds up his end of their joint investigation. Although the resolution can be seen from the French capital to London, historical mystery readers enjoy the two detectives' guided tour of Roaring Twenties euphoric post WWI Paris as this is a superb historical whodunit.

Anarchy and Old Dogs
Colin Cotterill
Soho
9781569475010 $12.00

In 1977 Vientiane a truck ran over blind dentist Dr. Buagaew, killing him instantly. Everyone who witnessed the tragedy assumes the late pedestrian obviously owed karmic debt so no tears were shed. As is the case in these types of vehicular deaths, the Laotian National Coroner septuagenarian Dr. Siri Paiboun is directed to perform a cursory review. He and his capable assistant Nurse Dtui assume nothing of their inquiry even when they find an odd anomaly of blank papers on the victim.

Paiboun soon realizes the papers actually contain encoded notes written in invisible ink. He and Dtui with the assistance of his closest comrades Police Officer Phosy and Politburo member Civilai begin to find clues related to the secret writings that to their shock is simply moves in a game of chess that sends the coroner to the city of Pakse where he begins to piece the puzzle together of a plot to overthrow the Communist regime.

Combining humorous eccentric characters like a fortune telling transvestite Auntie Bpoo and the corpse as a practicing blind dentist inside a strong serious investigation, Colin Cotterill continues his great late 1970s Laos mystery series with another excellent entry. The story line is fast-paced from the moment the truck hits the dentist and never slows down until the final confrontation between anarchists and the old dogs like the coroner. Readers will appreciate Colin Cotterill's fine tale with newcomers seeking the backlist (see DISCO FOR THE DEPARTED, THE CORONER'S LUNCH and THIRTY-THREE TEETH).

Stalking the Unicorn
Mike Resnick
PYR
9781591026488 $15.00

It is New Year's Eve in present day Manhattan and private detective John Justin Mallory is having a drink at his office when he sees the elf Murgensturm; the sleuth assumes he is hallucinating. The elf convinces the shamus he is real and needs his help. On Murgensturm's Manhattan in a parallel universe he was given an assignment by his guild and he blew it. If he does not find the unicorn Larkspur by the next morning he will die. Leprechaun Flyer Gillespie stole the unicorn on behalf of the demon Grundy.

Gillespie double crosses Grundy so Mallory on this alternate earth searches for the impish leprechaun. He gets helps from Felina the cat-girl, who adores him and is at his side as he makes his inquiries. A small talking horse informs Mallory that Larkspur is special because on her forehead is a magical ruby that is the gateway between earths. Something happens and his quest becomes personal. Mallory must find the ruby or become trapped on this alternate Manhattan that is weirder than his birth side as elves, goblins, dwarves and other make up part of the populace. Worse some want the outsider dead.

Mike Resnick shows why he is a first class storyteller who switches from his more serious works to a lighthearted whimsical urban fantasy filled with interesting characters from various mythological species and of course a somewhat stunned human sleuth. The tale located in Manhattan is fascinating as there is no telling what might crawl out of the subway (sounds actually like the NYC I grew up in). The hero is a Phillip Marlowe type placed in a strange yet similar environs and his investigation is very entertaining as he follows clues that seem slightly off kilter in his mind.

Stalking the Vampire
Mike Resnick
PYR
9781591026495 $25.00

The Manhattan that private investigator John Justin Mallory lives in is quite different than the one he used to reside in; the one on our earth. Some of the differences are insignificant like Madison Round Garden, people visit the Museum of Unnatural History, and the American Civil Liberties Union is the American Civil Freedom Organization. However, other variances are yellow elephant taxies and humans mingling with such beings as vampires, goblins, and shapeshifters, on my; having the same rights as humans have.

Mallory is in his office when he realizes his partner Winifred Carruthers has punctures on her neck and her nephew Rupert says he thinks he was bitten by the vampire Aristotle Draconis. After Rupert dies, Mallory tracks down Draconis with the help of the cat-girl Felina, the dragon Scaly Jim Chandler who is a mystery writer and the timid vampire Bats McGuire. They learn that Draconis was trying to save Rupert from Vlad Drachma. Vlad leads the troupe on a merry chase as they seek his coffin, but no one seems to know where it is yet their goal is to destroy a millennium old serial killing vampire.

This tale is a tongue in cheek dark humor novel that will have the audience believe Mike Resnick cast a spell to alter Manhattan where magic is a science and creatures from mythology use public transportation. Readers will enjoy this alternate reality urban fantasy that is elephantine different from Mr. Resnick's novels as he satirizes the sub-genre. Full blooded (at least for now) Mallory is terrific as he adapts to a new world order while retaining his old world values like loyalty.

Impossible
Nancy Werlin
Dial (Penguin)
9780803730021 $17.99

Lucy Scarborough feels very lucky to have wonderful foster parents Soledad and Leo Markowitz, who took her in when her mother Miranda, only eighteen when her child was born, went insane and left. Lucy sees her sometimes as a bag lady with a shopping cart. Right now Lucy looks forward to going to the Junior Prom with Gray Spencer, who she likes. The date turns miserable because he rapes her, but she does not believe her predator was Gray as his eyes changed and he spoke in another language; he also called her Fennala.

Her caring parents and her childhood friend Zach get her through the next four months. Zach finds her biological mother's diaries in which he reads that the Scarborough family line including Lucy has been cursed; to lift the elven curse, each female must accomplish three impossible tasks or go mad. None including her mom has succeeded at even one task. However, Lucy has something unique to aid her on her quest that her ancestry never had; she has three people who love her very much, who willingly risk their lives to help her. Three people she loves back as a daughter who cherishes her parents and as a girlfriend to Zach; so she prefers to keep them safe and go it alone but they won't let her.

This is an outstanding young adult fantasy thriller based on the Scarborough Fair ballad with a Brothers Grimm Grim like spin that older readers will appreciate due to an excellent tense story line and strong characterizations. Zach and Lucy are determined obstinate individuals who in his case is willing to die for his beloved and in her case she is not willing to accept his help as she wants him to live (proving Mickey & Sylvia right that "Love is Strange"). The antagonist demonic elf is evil punishing generations of women due to the first sin of an ancestor rejecting him; affirming that adage that Hell has no fury like an elf scorned.

City of Time
Eoin McNamee
Wendy Lamb (Random House)
9780375839122 $16.99

A year has past since Owen and the Resisters won the battle against the Harsh Ice beings who wanted to destroy the world by destroying time. Now the Resisters are sleeping until they are called again when the world is in peril by Cati the Watcher. Owen has the Puissance, a weapon that can destroy time, locked inside his trunk; the lock is the magical Mortmain, which looks like a tarnished brass lock, but is much more.

Owen knows trouble is coming when he speaks to a young woman when he suddenly looks at the face of an old woman. Cati sees geese age crumbing into dust in an instant. Cati notices the atmosphere in the work house is stale as time is leaking out of the world. Owen gets a note from the famous Navigator telling him he must obtain a tempod,, an object that holds time, and bring it back from Hadina, the CITY OF TIME. Cati and a Resister, who Owen awakened, accompany him, but Hadina is full of danger with part of it seeming like it is dead. To survive and save time, Owen must begin to act as the Navigator.

CITY OF TIME is an apocalyptic thriller aimed at young adults; yet this entertaining action-packed science fiction thriller will remind grateful older fans of the works of Robert Heinlein. Owen is a brave hero; a person afraid but performs his mission to save the world anyway. With a great climax, this middle book can stand alone though it remains consistent to its predecessor THE NAVIGATOR. It is also worth reading as a great tale and to better understand Owen and company.

Mia the Melodramatic
Eileen Boggess
Bancroft
9781890862565 $19.95

Fifteen years old Mia fears this is going to be the summer of her discontent. Her best friend Lisa is off to some brainy camp and her boyfriend Tim is in Maine visiting his grandparents while she remains in Des Moines. She assesses her options, Mia concludes she can spend her vacation time being the butt of her younger brother Chris' pranks or she can escape the house by finding a job although employment for a young teen is not easy to find.

Mia obtains work at Little Tyke's where her role is coming off the bench to replace youthful stage frightened actors; that is when she is not mortifying herself as Playtime Pal the clown. As Tim dates a New England teen, heartbroken Mia considers going out with attractive fellow troupe member Eric.

The heroine has come a long way from MIA THE MEEK as she does things she could not have done before like performing on stage and overcoming a broken heart to dive back into the dating pool. What stays the same is the amusing sibling war with Chris as she matches him prank for prank; young readers will be on the alert when it comes to their breakfast. Yet by summer's end there is a truce of sorts between the battling sibs. Young adult fans will enjoy the lighthearted MIA THE MELODRAMATIC as the star deals with several relationship calamities although never that deeply.

Buffalo Bill's Defunct
Sheila Simonson
Perseverance Press
9781880284964 $14.95

After her daughter leaves the nest to attend Stanford, Meg McLean decides to make a few life changes starting with moving to the Pacific Northwest town of Klalo to become the head librarian. Her next door neighbor is Rob Neill, the sheriff's investigator still seeking to solve his first case that occurred a decade ago. Artifacts sacred to the local Native American tribe were stolen and the cop and the tribe believes it is in the hands of a private collector.

Meg finds a piece of a petroglyph that was part of the lost collection that somehow ended up in her empty garage. When she shows it to Rob, he goes into the garage and smells death. He looks closely at that artifact's location and the body of a dead person is found; the corpse is identified as a Kleo who searched for the purloined treasure at the behest of his Chief. Meg and Rich team up seeking to catch the killer and the booty, but more deaths make the cop wonder how many people are involved and how to keep his new neighbor safe.

This combo police procedural amateur sleuth mystery is entertaining even though readers will doubt the hero would welcome a civilian into the investigation. Ironically it is the pairing that makes the story line fun as each is attracted to one another and have a deep need to solve the cold case. For that matter so will fans who will try to solve the identity of the killer(s) as Sheila Simonson provides a difficult but interesting whodunit.

Green Monster
Rick Shefchik
Poisoned Pen
9781590585245 $24.95

The curse of the Bambino was partially buried when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 with a sweep of the Cardinals. Any lingering doubt concerning the Ruth mojo was put to rest in 2007 with a second championship.

However someone signing off as Babe Ruth insists that proof exists that the Cardinals were paid to throw the World Series; that individual demands $50 million or will go public with the evidence that the fix was in. Although he does not believe the extortionist, owner Lucky Louie Kenwood fears the implications of even a rumor as basketball and football are dealing with similar issues. He hires private investigator Sam Skarda to look into the claim and assigns his personal assistant Heather Canby to assist the sleuth. Sam and Heather start with those Cardinals who had an extremely sub-par series; then All-Star right fielder Ivan Hurtado and the league MVP pitcher and third baseman Alberto Miranda. The detective wonders if one of the two stars who played poorly is the source of the allegation and through that player wonders if they can uncover the identity of the blackmailer. They soon find a double helix trail of drug enhancers and gambling that tie to the mob, the owner's son and Fenway Park; as increasingly Sam and Heather believed the 2004 World Series was fixed.

The premise seems over the top of the GREEN MONSTER although with the NBA referee scandal maybe not. Regardless this is a fun sports whodunit unless you're a Red Sox fan as the book will be filed in Boston alongside the Buckner error and the Dent homer. Heather's all star propensity for hitting homeruns in everyone's bed is a called strike three as it distracts from Sam's fine sleuthing into what he believes is the second coming of the black sox scandal.

Different Paths
Judy Clemens
Poisoned Pen
9781590583005 $24.95

In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the first reaction by everyone to the assault on veterinarian Carla Beaumont and the subsequent hijacking of her truck is that the criminal was after the drugs she carried. Stunned by the attack on her currently hospitalized friend, dairy farmer Stella Crown agrees with the consensus, but revises her opinion when other female professionals are assailed with no males harassed at all.

The police continue to cling to the drug theory assuming that the perp believes women are easier targets. The violence widens as a new female pastor's office and the truck of a woman driver are vandalized and medical physician Dr. Peterson is killed. Stella begins to investigate with her MS afflicted boyfriend Nick covering her back.

Stella is extremely opinioned as judge and executioner based on her first impressions upon meeting someone; this often leads her into inadvertently forming red herrings about people and cases. Her abrupt often false conclusions make the tale and the series (see THE DAY WILL COME) fun to read as the heroine is not the crown jewel of amateur sleuthing though she is wise enough to adapt her theory; this leads to excellent whodunits as she overcomes her initial estimations to achieve success. Fans will enjoy eccentric Stella, loyal to a fault to her friends and acerbic to her enemies.

Night Kill
Ann Littlewood
Poisoned Pen
9781590585047 $24.95

At the Finley Memorial Zoo in Vancouver, Washington, husband and wife Iris Oakley and Rick Douglas are zoo keepers; her specialty is big cats while his is the reptiles. They argue over his excess drinking and he promises are to stop.

Soon afterward, Rick is torn apart in the lion lair. The police decide an accident occurred due to alcohol. Iris is irate that he already broke his promise to her even as she mourns her loss. Concerned about a grieving Iris and knowing her new "ghost" haunts her current assigned location, the zookeeper transfers Iris to the aviary house over her objection and that of the chief bird-keeper. While some cronies suspect Iris killed her husband for his insurance; a tiger incident that almost left her dead has Iris wondering if someone wants to kill her and probably murdered Rick although she has no idea why.

Feeling like a woman in peril for good reason and not trusting anyone since her late husband let her down while used going alone in the working with the big cats, Iris does her own snooping in a fascinating setting, the background to a zoo. Ironically readers will know who the killer is long before the heroine does as her biggest obstacles to the truth are her peers who demand she leave. Although the sleuthing is relatively simplistic, readers will root for Iris who believes she must depend on no one as everyone could be her wannabe killer.

The Falcon And The Sparrow
M.L. Tyndall
Barbour
9781602600126 $10.97

In 1803 the French leave Dominique Dawson' with a Hobson's choice. She can spy on her beloved homeland England or never see her brother languishing under French incarceration ever again; she knows the threat is real and if she fails to do her mission, her sibling will be dead.

Dominique obtains work as governess to the son of Royal Navy Rear Admiral Chase Randal of the Royal Navy in order to gather information for Napoleon's agents. She pretends being a mouse, which disgusts her new employer, but he begins to notice her lioness ferocity when it comes to his son. Deeply attracted to father and son, Dominique expects someone she loves will die regardless of what she does.

This is an intriguing historical romance due to the predicament the heroine must face as she believes she will betray someone she loves regardless of what she does or does not. Readers will enjoy following Dominique's anguish as she rationalizes what she must do and even projects her ethical dilemma onto others as a psychological defense mechanism. Still as always M.L. Tyndall provides her fans with an interesting Regency due to the lead female's lament.

That's (Not Exactly) Amore
Tracey Bateman
FaithWords
9780446698955 $13.99

In Manhattan, as part of her final semester at interior design school, Laini Sullivan must do a real project. She and her project partner Jazz are assigned to make over Nick Pantalone's struggling coffee shop. Nick is all for the two young women adding zest to his shop; his nephew Joe opposes what he classifies as her intrusion and detests all her ideas. Almost as bad is the fact that while all her friends seems to have a significant other in their life, she baby-sits on Valentine's Day.

Whereas Joe is outright hostile towards her; police officer Mark Hall, who she recently met, likes her. They begin dating, which upsets Joe, who suddenly acts nice towards a confused Laini, who went from no men to two men in a heartbeat. However, she is "not exactly sure which of her studs makes her heart beat.

The third Drama Queens chick lit tale (see YOU HAD ME AT GOOD-BYE and Catch a rising star) is an amusing angst laden story that starts with Laini's jocular yet grim aside that she is five feet in seven feet of water. Her asides are humorous, but also poignant and inspirational as the heroine struggles with doubt about herself that makes the choices she has that much more difficult as she has options re her profession and her personal relationships (including with God) but lacks confidence.

Escape
Robert K. Tanenbaum
Vanguard
9781593154745 $25.97

New York District Attorney Butch knows the world is watching because whenever a mother kills their young, the homicide becomes headline news. The mother in this case, NYU Political Science Professor Jessica Campbell has some notoriety for her protests starting in 2001 with chaining herself and her three year old daughter Hillary to the gates of Trinity Church. Her defense for killing her three preadolescent kids (Hillary, Chelsea and Benjamin) is the God order insanity plea that he directed her to "send her three children to Him". Karp has to prove she knew what she was doing in spite of her claim and the public's general belief that the murdering of an offspring denotes insanity.

At the same Butch mounts the prosecution's case, Islamic terrorist The Sheik has trained an American jihadist unit all willing to die for Allah to deliver a major terrorist attack on Manhattan that would cripple the global economy. Butch his still somewhat shook wife Marlene Ciampi, their daughter Lucy and a few other dedicated people try to prevent the planned tragedy.
ESCAPE is a fast-paced thriller that obviously moves on two subplots with the connection tenuous through the Professor's admiration of Islamic extremists willing to suicide for their belief in Allah. The legal case re the prosecution challenging the defense's insanity plea is well done, fun to follow and fits the role of Butch. On the other hand a band of superheroes led by Butch and Marlene against dedicated terrorists seems off kilter as one wonders where NYPD, Homeland Security, and the Defense Department are with so much at stake. Still this is an exciting tale if you let your imagination accept a DA and his team as professional field counterterrorists.

At First Sight
Stephen J. Cannell
Vanguard
1593154828 $25.95

Fifty-five years old Chick Best has run an Internet business for the past dozen years; however recently competition from the global chains threatens to bury him. The affluent Los Angelino is married to philandering Evelyn; though she cheats on him he thanks God for that. He is concerned with his sixteen year old daughter Melissa who knows more drugs personally than any pharmaceutical company.

Chick and his two indifferent towards him women go to Hawaii on vacation. When he sees newlywed Paige Ellis emerge from the Maui hotel swimming pool, Chick finds himself in love at first sight. He insures he meets the object of his adult rated fantasy and to his chagrin, her spouse Chandler though he is cleverly nice to the man in his way. Back in the Forty-eight states, Chick is on a business trip to New York, but instead of going home he heads to Charlotte where the Ellis couple lives. There he accidentally runs over Chandler several times to eliminate the only person in the way of happily ever after with his obsession.

This is an exciting thriller with morbid dry humor as Chick allows his fixation for his love interest to get control of head as if his brain had one icon: Paige. The story line is told by the prime players, for the most part Chick. Although somewhat satirical, the reaction of Chandler's family including to a lesser degree his new wife seems too indifferent (especially when they learn how they died) even though that purposely contrasts their apathy to his killer's passion. Still Stephen J. Cannell provides readers with a fascinating "novel of obsession".

The Night Villa
Carole Goodman
Ballantine
9780345479600 $14.00

University of Texas Classics Professor Dr. Sophie Chase knows she is fortunate to be alive when cultist Dale Henry, ex boyfriend of promising classics student Agnes Hancock, starts firing a gun at those attending an interview. Although shook up, Sophie joins a special reenactment in Capri. John Lyros is sponsoring the rebuilding of an exact replica of a Herculaneum villa and will use an information technology program to interpret the burnt scrolls that somewhat have been salvaged from the volcanic ruins.

However, Sophie's Italian dig turns sinister when her former boyfriend Ely, who vanished five years ago apparently into the same cult as Dale joined, sends her a message by returning a book he borrowed from her. Meanwhile a scroll found amidst the ruins written by a visiting Roman insists the NIGHT VILLA was a place for blood, sex and duplicity. In the labyrinth below the city, Sophie will find much of the same as what happened to a free woman in 79 AD.

This is an engaging academic thriller with a delightful link between modern day archaeology and the Ancient World; mostly through the scrolls. Sophie is a terrific lead player holding together the two prime parts of the novel while she and her cohorts dig into the past at the same time struggling to survive the present. Fans will enjoy Carole Goodman's fine tale and seek her previous literary mystery, (THE SONNET LOVER.

Deadly Beautiful
Sam Baker
Ballantine
0345475909 $25.00

When her career collapsed after leaving behind her teen years, former supermodel Scarlett Ulrich landed in Tokyo working at a bar. However, when Scarlett, the face that launched a million album covers, vanishes; her half-sister, Luella "Lou" McCartney becomes concerned. Knowing she needs help, Lou asks her reporter friend Annie Anderson to investigate.

Anne explains she is now a fashion features editor for Handbag magazine and is no longer doing investigative journalism as she used to (see FASHION VICTIM); besides she is in New York City while Scarlett was in Tokyo. However, Anne makes a few long distance inquiries and learns of Japan's Roppongi Ripper, who has murdered several Western young blonde females; she fears Scarlett is on the dead list. She heads to Tokyo to learn what happened to Scarlett.

The investigation is superb as Anne tries to find Scarlett, but it is the look at the fashion industry's obsession with the young that makes the tale worth reading. The father of the half-sisters symbolizes the youth fixation as Rufus is a "modelizer" who only wants to screw the latest superstar who is younger than his daughters. Readers will enjoy Sam Baker's fine expose in which twenty is old, twenty five is the walking dead, and thirty is an ancient history corpse.

Bound by Flame
Anna Windsor
Ballantine
97803454985440 $6.99

Fire elemental Sibil Cynda Flynn and half breed demon NYPD cop Nick Lowell are so attracted to one another they fear their sparks will cause an inferno. Meanwhile Nick's brother Creed and earth elemental Sybil Riana married (see BOUND BY SHADOW). However in spite of their bliss, everyone fears the evil Legion is fostering some nastiness.

They prove correct when someone, most likely the Legion, assault fire sibils. This places Cynda in jeopardy. Nick risks his life to keep his beloved "firebird" safe. He goes so far as to prepare to kill his brother Jake an Astaroth demon who is held captive by an unknown adversary pulling his strings by using his personalized talisman.

The second Dark Crescent Sisterhood tale is an action-packed urban romantic fantasy that grips the audience from the opening sequence and never slows down running red lights in Manhattan. The lead couple is a wonderful pairing while the third Lowell brother is manipulated into being the deadly stalker by a diabolical puppeteer. Anna Windsor has bound the sub-genre fans who will relish this exciting tale and look forward to the next thriller in this wonderful series.

It's a Crime
Jacqueline Carey
Ballantine
034545992X $24.00

LinkAge Telecom accountant Frank Foy is convicted of fraud and sent to prison. His wife Pat, a landscape designer, rejects his guilt; insisting a simple mistake occurred. Obsessed while living with their teenage daughter Ruby, Pat decides to prove her spouse's innocence based on his explanation that fixing the numbers is standard acceptable accounting practice in the United States. She plans to make remittance to the victims.

Her efforts prove overwhelmingly futile but lead her former best friend Ginny Howley and her first lover Lemuel Samuel to offer to help her; although both mystery writers are victims of the firm's collapse. Along with his teenage son and Ruby, they try to persuade Pat that Frank is guilty and deserves jail time for all the people he hurt.

Echoes of Enron and Arthur Anderson run throughout this unusual character driven tale of five people impacted by the fraud. The cast is solid although the changing perspectives can prove overwhelming and subtract from the morality tale of minimally correcting wrongs. Still this is an interesting look at the business of business in the Bush Era in which the White House and Congress are located on Wall St.

Bachelor Degree
Judith Marks-White
Ballantine
0345492390 $14.00

In New York thirty-eight years old divorcee Samantha Krasner has always felt overwhelmed by her beloved but larger than life mother, Madeleine Krasner-Wolfe. Inanely she thinks her mom has been wealthy widowed twice to her one impoverished divorce and is a noted art collector while she is an assistant at the Cole Gallery.

Madeleine wants her daughter to live life to the fullest as the late Rosalind Russell described her philosophy that "Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death"; so she is euphoric when Samantha and hot British artist Blake Hamilton seem to hit it off. However, geography is a factor so Madeleine encourages her daughter to after the gynecologist hunk Spencer Gould or perhaps Mark Robbins. Meanwhile she makes it a family affair when Madeleine decides to go after Spencer's father Alden, also a gynecologist. To matchmake with the father and son physicians, Madeline arranges medical appoints for her, Samantha, and her niece virginal Celeste.

The upper crust Manhattan-Long Island lifestyle comes across in a vivid manner through the escapades of the Aunt Mame like mom and her often embarrassed daughter. Madeleine is more of a caricature lampooning the elitist affluence right next door to poverty while the rest of the support cast enables the audience to see deep into what makes Samantha tick. Samantha is the star but her chick lit asides are more often cold and cruel instead of cool and comical. Still overall this romp through the world of the nouveau widowed riche is an intriguing look at the indifference of the let them eat cake crumbs crowd.

The Map Thief
Heather Terrell
Ballantine
0345494687 $25.00

Famous conservative kingmaker Richard Tobias hires art recovery investigator Mara Coyne to find a valuable Chinese map stolen from an archeological dig. This is the type of artifact that Coyne searches for as it is the oldest known map to clearly show the entire globe; dating to the early fifteenth century and the expedition of Admiral Zheng to sail around the world. The priceless artifact was smuggled out of China when an Emperor purged any reference to the expedition. It reappeared when Vasco Da Gama used it as a guide in his search for the western sea passage to India.

In the present many groups willing to use force want the map mostly to suppress the evidence that the Chinese came to the Americas decades before Columbus. Mara and archeologist Ben Coleman struggle to find the map and stay alive; neither task easy to accomplish.

Fictionalizing the historical theories of Gavin Menzies (see 1421 THE YEAR CHINA DISCOVERED THE WORLD and 1434: THE YEAR A MAGNIFICENT CHINESE FLEET SAILED TO ITALY AND IGNITED THE RENAISSANCE), Heather Terrell provides a fascinating thriller. The story line is at its best when the focus is on the fifteenth century among Zheng and Da Gama journeys. The modern day cast fails to hold up next to the real historical cast, making most of the contemporaries feel as unnecessary intruders except for Coyne who is the readers guide to the expeditions of Zheng and Da Gama.

Everything Nice
Ellen Shanman
Bantam
9780553591477 $12.00

In Manhattan Michaela "Mike" Edwards learns the truth when she was fired from her job as a copy writer at A.S. Logan Advertising because she bet on the wrong horse at the office politics race and no one on the other teams wants a woman who cannot relate to other females. No income means no more expensive New York apartment so she moves back in with dear old dad who raised her as a single father and his live in girlfriend.

Mike obtains work as a substitute life skills teacher to a group of seventh-grade girls. She wants to nuke the curriculum which teaches girls to be domestic girlie girls instead of all you can be. Meanwhile, she and visiting Aussie reporter Gunther seem attracted to one another, but he must soon leave the city of "oy vey" pessimism to return to home land of sunny optimism.

Mike is fabulous as a tomboyish kick butt woman who cannot cope with the inane office females arguing over mascara and lipstick color; she prefers to be one of the guys. The story line is fast-paced as she struggles with earning money, residing in the land of barbarians (Brooklyn), teaching girls to cook and sew, and dealing with Gunther who has turned her life upside down. Fans will enjoy Ellen Shanman's fine chick lit character study as the heroine makes EVERYTHING NICE, RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES.

Delicious
Sherry Thomas
Bantam
9780440244325 $6.99

In London she was scorned for being a mistress to her employer Bertram "Bertie" Somerset, who recently died; in Paris she is the toast of the city for her DELICIOUS meals. Verity Durant loves being a chef. However, her joy of cooking is suddenly disturbed with the arrival of Bernie's illegitimate brother Stuart the barrister arrives.

A decade ago she fell in love with Stuart; they had a heated one night affair and he left. She still wants him as she never stopped loving him. However, he is engaged to prim and proper Miss Lizzy Bessler. Stuart realizes the error he once made when he let the love of his life go and feels marrying Lizzy is his just desserts. However, Verity tries to serve him the one repast he cannot resist, her.

This is a wonderful gender war as Stuart and Verity love one another, but use words to hide their deep feelings from their beloved enemy. As the heroine points out from the onset some aristocrats think their romance is a Cinderella tale, but no fairy Godmother came to her rescue as a pariah with passion for cooking and for Stuart. Readers will appreciate this fine tasty delight as Lizzy, the Ton, villains and the lead couple stand in the way of a happily ever after fairy tale ending.

Before I Wake
Kathryn Smith
Avon
9780061340277 $6.99

In New York, psychologist Dr. Dawn Riley is the top authority on dreams interpretation at the Sleep Center where she works. She knows that her incredible skill is because of her "Nightmare" DNA as she is a chip off the old male block. Her father is Morpheus, the King of Dreams; her mother met him while she slept and they hit if off, literally. To be with him in his only realm of existence, the land of dreams, her mom buried herself in a coma rather than raise her daughter. Her dad warned her not to visit all of the "Dreaming" places because her Uncle Icelus irresponsibly, in the name of freedom, allowed some of his creations to wander freely; his sector is disturbing and is populated with frightening monsters; thus Dawn always stayed at her father's castle when visiting his realm.

For the first since Dawn was born, she is attracted to a man Noah Clarke who is a subject in a study she is doing. He feels the same way with his instant attraction to her. However, being half mortal has its negative side as the nasty Karatos stalks Dawn and Noah while they sleep. She is an expendable pawn in his plan to take over the Dream realm.

The key the well written first paranormal Nightmare Chronicles is the Dream Realm seems real as a place where nightmares literally can leave visitors dead. The romantic urban fantasy story line is fast-paced from the onset and never slows down once Karatos begins his assault on his turf on the lead couple. Fans will enjoy Kathryn Smith's eerie tale with the consequence of trying not to go into a deep dreaming sleep.

Twice Loved
Lori Copeland
Avon
9780061364914 $12.95

In 1865 Texas the three friends, Willow Madison, Copper Wilson and Audrey Pride all taught school until the Civil War entered Thunder Ridge and the surrounding towns; the Northern army destroyed everything in its march to crush the south.

When the war ended, this section of Texas has become home to poverty. A desperate Madison's ailing Uncle Wallace begs her to marry wealthy Silas Sterling, thirty years her senior, who might have a reason to invest in rebuilding the demolished town. She reluctantly agrees although she feels no attraction to him. Making matters more complex and difficult for Madison is sawmill owner Tucker Gray who she wishes was her suitor, but he holds her culpable for the fire that destroyed his mill.

TWICE LOVED is an entertaining Post Civil War Texas romance starring a courageous heroine willing to sacrifice her desires to help her family, friends, and neighbors in need. When she realizes her heart wants Tucker while her head says Silas, Willow prays to God to guide her as she believes she is giving up her integrity by marrying Silas. The rest of the cast is solid as Silas hopes his fiancee will learn to love him one day; Tucker wants her, but has issues with her; her two teacher friends beg her not to sacrifice herself; finally there is fascinatingly deep yet ironically shallow Uncle Wallace who disguises his real reason for his niece to wed Silas behind his altruism. Americana fans will relish the first Belles of Timber Creek saga with Audrey and Copper to follow.

Surrender to Me
Sophie Jordan
Avon
9780061339271 $6.99

The Ton blames Lady Astrid Derring for her spouse leaving her. With no income, she is forced to attend galas in order to eat the crappy cucumber sandwiches served while men make illicit offers and women gossip. When she hears a rumor that the rat who left her is marrying an heiress in Scotland, Astrid decides to confront the man who destroyed her reputation in order for his betrothed to know the truth.

On the trek to the Highlands, Texan Griffin Shaw, in Scotland to meet his Scottish relatives, rescues Astrid from thugs, but he is hurt in the battle. They stop at a nearby inn to see to Griffin wounds only her spouse is there. Astrid is under the scoundrel's bed hiding when someone kills him. As one assault after another occurs as they travel to his grandfather's estate, the American and the widow fall in love, but survival comes first.

This is a fast-paced regency that showcases the tenuous position of many female members of the Ton; as everyone blames Astrid for the desertion. Astrid is a wonderful protagonist who holds her head up high while attending events she does want to go to; her motive for going is the food she cannot afford. Griffin is a more typical character as a Texan with aristocratic blood in his veins taking his Wild West personality amongst the Ton. Regency romance readers will appreciate Sophie Jordan's fine historical romance.

Before the Scandal
Suzanne Enoch
Avon
9780061456749 $6.99

Lieutenant Colonel Phineas Bromley is as much a legend in the bedroom as he is at battle. However, the war hero known also as a notorious gentleman lover is stunned when he gets home to his estate. The place looks like a battlefield. He concludes someone is methodically ruining his family and he plans to expose the scoundrel.

He dons a mask and hunts the thug disguised as a highwayman. To his shock when he stops on the shelf Lady Alyse Donnelly, she does not act frightened as he would have expected. He is attracted to her courage and could not care less of the scandal that made her unsuited for marriage. However, he does care that Alyse insists on helping him with his charade though that places his beloved in danger from the still unknown adversary.

The second Notorious Gentlemen tale (see AFTER THE KISS) is an excellent Regency romantic suspense starring two fully developed protagonists and a lurking stalker ready to pounce on any weakness; in this case Phin's Achilles' heel is Alyse. Historical romance readers know you cannot have enough novels from Suzanne Enoch as she consistently provides entertaining exhilarating epics.

Too Dangerous to Desire
Alexandra Benedict
Avon
9780061170478 $5.99

In 1819 as they come home from Italy at the request of his mom, while at sea on the Hercules, pirates led by Black Hawk steal Adam Westmore's wedding present watch from his wife Teresa. Not long afterward a storm hits the ship. Adam leaves Teresa in the cabin while he investigates the damage. He is knocked overboard while the ship turns into an inferno. His beloved Teresa is dead and he blames his wastrel brother the Duke of Rogues Damien for they were coming home due to his depravities.

In 1825 Adam lives in an isolated home rejecting his family. He sees a woman jump off a cliff and rescues her. Evelyn awakens in fear as she trusts no man as all are selfish and cruel like her father who sold her sister Ella to pay gambling debts and like her brother in law who killed her sister Ella.

Adam explains he lives by the sea to be near his late wife. Evie tells him her sister is dead, but that her dad sold her this time to "Him" as she fearfully in scorn calls her vicious brother-in-law, Prince Vadik. Adam vows to keep her safe from "Him". As they fall in love, he learns how complex meeting pledges truly are.

The lead couple are interesting protagonists with both carrying baggage as they fall in love. Adding to the fun of this angst-laden Regency romance is the return of the stars of TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION in key support roles as the estranged brothers struggle to reconcile. The irony re Black Hawk is a great twist although the final confrontation seems a bit watered down after all that occurred. Fans will fully appreciate Alexandra Benedict's exhilarating character driven historical romance.

The Mistress Diaries
Julianne MacLean
Avon
9780061456848 $6.99

In 1873 widow Lady Cassandra Montrose and Lord Vincent Sinclair share passionate evening of lovemaking. Both consider the tryst a one night stand. However, to her consternation Cassandra, who believed she was barren, becomes pregnant and gives birth to a daughter.

One year has past since they made love. Due to inheritance pressure from his dad, Vincent is engaged to marry Lady Letitia Markham, daughter of a duke, when Cassandra arrives with their three month old child June that she has raised as a single mom. However, Cassandra fears she is dying so pleads with Vincent to raise their love child. He is stunned by instant desire to make love to his unexpected visitor. To care for her and their baby, he persuades her to pretend to be his mistress. However, that is not good enough for him as he wants her to be his wife and their child his legitimate offspring.

Although the underlying theme of a woman giving birth out of wedlock has been used quite frequently in contemporary romances, it is rare to see this "matchmaking" ploy applied to a Victorian. The story line is fast-paced as Cassandra, worried about June's well being, accepts Vincent's offer of her being his mistress; neither consider marriage as an option even as their passion turns to love. Although Letitia comes across as a shrew, the lead couple makes for a fine tale as he must choose between inheritance and love; acceptable behavior and scandal; and duty and friendship. here is June for him to consider too. Juliana MacLean turns Vincent's options of for love or money into a fabulous Victorian romance.

Some Like It Wicked
Teresa Medeiros
Avon
9780061235351 $7.99

Almost sixteen year old Catriona Kincaid meets Sir Simon Wescott when she was reading Sir Walter Scott in a loft while he is seducing her cousin Alice. Whereas her vile cousin calls her a monster, he thinks nothing of her being there beyond coincidence. Although he calls her a lad and then a little girl, even his rakish actions fail to deter her from worshipping the rogue.

Five years later in 1810, Lord Eddingham informs Catriona and her Uncle Ross that he purchased land in Scotland once owned by the Kincaids; he plans to end the raids led by the outlaw Kincaid. Catriona fears that might be her brother so she decides to go home to the Highlands where her family was once head of a clan until her grandfather chose otherwise. Realistically she knows she needs an escort and is resolute that her "hero" takes her to Scotland. Simon resides in Newgate so she visits him there with an enticing proposition. She will pay off his debts, which will free him from prison if he marries her and takes her home. He agrees and once he is released he honors his new debt by marrying Catriona. The journey north is dangerous as someone apparently wants to prevent her from coming home while her beloved proves to be a real hero risking his life to keep her safe.

This entertaining Regency romance is fun to follow as Catriona's puppy love turns into an adult love while Simon finds himself falling in love with the courageous woman whose terms he agreed to as he no longer thinks of her as a little girl. Whereas her uncle, her cousin and Eddingham display no positive attributes, fans will still enjoy this fine historical as Catriona and her hero fall in love while waiting anxiously for the sequel to see what happens with the hanging thread.

Ritual
Mo Hayder
Atlantic Monthly
9780871139924 $24.00

Still grieving the loss of her parents in an accidental drowning two years ago in Boesmansgat (Bushman's Hole) in Africa, police diver Sergeant Phoebe "Flea" Marley recovers from Bristol Harbor, a detached hand; no other body part is found. The hand's fingerprints identify the limb belonged to heroin addict Ian "Mossy" Mallows.

The obvious drug connection is explored by Detective Inspector Jack Caffery; Flea investigates a seemingly loose thread tied to the African witchcraft of muti that she knows from her parents deaths in the Kalahari Desert. It uses body parts as part of the rituals. The two cops soon change their minds about finding a corpse as evidence begins to point towards the victim being alive. They also conclude that the muti ritual is a sleight of the hand (no pun intended) ploy to cover up even more nefarious plans.

This gritty urban English police procedural hooks the audience from the opening dive until the final confrontation as the two cops uncover a case tied to illegal drug usage and the torture side of muti before realizing there is much more to the investigation. The story line is fast-paced as the readers wonders along side of Caffery and Marley what is going on especially when they feel strongly the victim is breathing. Fans will appreciate this strong investigative thriller (see THE TREATMENT and BIRDMAN; neither read by me) as Mo Hayder provides an enjoyable whodunit that focuses on learning what was done.

Moonpies and Movie Stars
Amy Wallen
Plume
9780452288959 $14.00

In 1976 in Divine, Texas grandmother Ruby Kincaid feels her life is overflowing with family concerns with no time for herself. The widow runs her late husband's bowling alley; serves as mother to her runaway daughter's abandoned children Bunny and Bubbie whose dad is about to remarry; and finally puts up with her impudent childish sister Loralva. Ruby copes nicely with her "moonpie" lifestyle until she sees her absentee daughter Violet starring in a TV commercial.

Outraged, Ruby decides enough of this inane separation; though she also knows she would not mind a bit of self time. She mounts a save the marriage and family rescue mission. Loading her Winnebago with MoonPies to limit the stops, Ruby, Loralva, Bunny, Bubbie and their paternal grandma Imogene head to Hollywood to bring Victoria home; with an agreed upon side trip to meet Bob Barker on The Price Is Right.

This is an amusing yet angst ridden historical tale in which rural Texas dirt meets Hollywood glitter on Hollywood and Vine. The trek west is fun as long as you are metaphysically arm-chairing the journey. Though some of the capers the Divine trio get into seem strained beyond farcical lampooning, fans will appreciate this interesting look at save the marriage while wondering whether they can succeed when Violet has seen the lights of Hollywood; Americanization of "How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen Paree?"

The Riven Kingdom
Karen Miller
Orbit
9780316008365 $7.99

In the walled island Kingdom of Ethrea, Rhian stays with her father the King as he is dying. She sadly muses she will be an orphan soon since her mom Queen Ilda died ten years ago. Rhian detests the unfairness of succession as her two brothers are dead two months and she is the next in line to the throne; however Ethrea has never had a female ruler. Even near dead with his belief he failed the kingdom when he left no heir, the monarch frets that he never found a husband for his daughter.

Sadly Rhian knows she is the best person for the job of ruling the kingdom, but knows the religious leader Marlen will tell the ruling council who she will marry; some loser he controls to the ruin of the kingdom. That is if he even lets her outlive her father. No one seems to accept she is capable not even her dying dad. Rhian concludes she must flee to find allies to take back her country. Toymaker Dexterity Jones pushed by the shade of his late spouse Hettie offers to help the besieged princess. They obtain assistance from Zandakar, the son of the insane Empress of Mijak; he helps them so that they might one day abet him to end his mother's slaughter of millions.

The second Godspeaker tale (see EMPRESS) is an entertaining epic fantasy thriller whose strong cast keeps this fine entry from being just another middle book (though it has many of the set up trappings). Rhian cannot understand why gender not skill or even bloodlines is the prime requisite to be the next ruler; Dex has talked to his wife since she died years ago, but now she is talking to him; finally Zandakar realizes he must depose his mom who is much stronger than him. Although it is a necessity to read EMPRESS first to avoid getting lost in the plot, readers will appreciate THE RIVEN KINGDOM as civil war and much worse have arrived on the island

Debatable Space
Philip Palmer
Orbit,
9780316068093 $12.99

Lena is traveling solo in deep space glad to get away from the perfection of thirty-first century Earth when the computer implanted in her brain informs her that a pirate ship is heading her way. The leader of the pirates Flanagan wins the battle and boards her ship telling her she is a hostage to be used in negotiations with Cheo the dictator of Earth. He knows of the special relationship that exists between the two of them and intends to exploit that.

Lena knows that when it looks hopeless, the Cheo will let her get killed. Flanagan has plans and one includes the liberation of his homeworld Cambria a slave colony ruled by Doppelganger Robots who are inhabited by the minds of the elite on Earth. He has a plan that would allow the crew to disconnect Cambrina from the universal web. From there he convinces the pirates from all over the galaxy to help him disconnect the beacons which would result in isolating Earth and freeing the empire. The only problem is the empire has warships in the millions and the pirates have ships in the six digit range.

Philip Palmer writes a terrific space opera and DEBATABLE SPACE would make a great marquee movie in the tradition of Star Wars. Alien races co-exist with humanity and the aliens are major characters so readers feel as if they actually exist. Readers ride an orbital roller coaster that takes us to various planets in the galaxy, making the audience realize how enslaved the human race is if they don't live on Earth.

Orcs
Stan Nicholls
Orbit
9780316033701 $14.99

"Bodyguard of Lighting". Half-nyadd Queen Jennesta (her other side is irrelevant and weak) sends her mostly Orc unit the Wolverines to retrieve a cylinder from the humans in Homefield. She warns her commander Captain Stryke not to come home alive without the package; collateral damage is desired. The troops succeed, but celebrate their victory by using illegal drugs they stole from the humans. Kobolds attack the unit and steal the cylinder. Not back on time, Jennesta assumes she was betrayed and so declares the Wolverines as outlaws.

"Legion of Thunder". Queen Jennesta sends Orc Commander Delorran to kill the Wolverines and bring back her cylinder. The evil sorceress warns her minion not to fail on either of their tasks; if they do she will dine on their life forces. Soon afterward Stryke learns his and his men (and one female) are named outlaws; if they go home her Highness will serve them as her main meal regardless of bringing the cylinder to her. He knows Jennesta waits for no living thing. So he changes the mission to recapturing the cylinder to learn what it contains and go from there.
"Warriors of The Tempest". Stryke and his warriors struggle to collect the now known five-artifacts and learn how to use them to save the world from the shocking axis of evil. The three deadly sorceress sisters seem to have forged a pact that will lead to pandemic horror if true; as paradoxical as it seems each is the most malevolent powerful being on the planet.

This omnibus edition of Stan Nicholls' thought provoking Orcs trilogy uses the perspective of the so called "bad guys" to tell the quest fantasy. Their ruminations on the vicious vile violence they obeyed before switching to stay alive make for a fine fascinating saga. However, Tolkien purists will object to the change from wicked Wolverines to courageous champions trying to save the world from the tempest triad. Fans will enjoy this fine threesome as the "Stryker" force makes a strong case against ethnic profiling.

King of the Holly Hop
Les Roberts
Gray & Company
159851038X $24.95

Cleveland based private investigator Milan Jacovich wonders where the time went since he graduated from St. Clair High School; as he attends the fortieth reunion gala. As he muses over who attended that he never would have bet on coming and who did not that he would have considered a sure shot to attend, a heated loud argument breaks out between cardiologist Dr. Phil Kohn and playwright Tommy Wiggins ending with the latter tossing his drink into the former's face.

Not long after that Kohn is found murdered; shot in the parking lot. For obvious reasons, police Sergeant Matusen assumes Wiggins to be a person of interest. Wiggins hires attorney Ben Magruder, wife of classmate Danielle, to defend him; both attended the reunion, but left before the brawl. Magruder hires Jacovich to investigate though he understands the sleuth like anyone at the gala including the lawyer is also a suspect. Milan begins interviewing his classmates with many attendees having strong motives to kill Kohn, still universally considered a "snotnose" four decades since they graduated.

Though lacking the twists and spins that the Jacovich's mysteries contain, KING OF THE HOLLY HOP is an enjoyable whodunit with a deep realistic look at Cleveland now and a nostalgic surreal look at the city in the 1960s though the distorted lens of memories. There are obviously a lot of suspects as Magruder points out when he hires Jacovich that anyone at the gala could be the killer. Although the investigation is not the strongest, fans of the series will enjoy this entry as the audience meets people from the sleuth's teen years and through their recollections see another side of the hero.

Irrational Numbers
Robert Spiller
Medallion
9781933836881 $7.95

Five years ago at his high school graduation, the most popular male Leo Quinn the Salutorian announced he was gay. The residents of East Plains, Colorado turn against the teen, feeling he was not the person they thought he was nor should be, One night on Squirrel Creek Road, his former classmates and friends, all homophobes, decide to play prank on him.. The next day his naked corpse is found with three bullets in the heart.

Math teacher Bonnie Pinkwater had Leo as a student and liked the teenager. The police question her as they found her phone number in his neatly folded pants lying next to his murdered body. Later at the rodeo Bonnie finds the dead body of a clown with bullet holes in the chest region just like Leo. Soon other young men are killed with ballistics proving the same gun being used. At Leo's funeral, youth pastor Jason is shot; the critically wounded man was once Leo's lover. Bonnie and her boss Principal Lloyd Whittaker investigate before the serial killer adds more young men to the deadly spree.

IRRATIONAL NUMBERS is a fascinating mystery due to the intense need for the protagonists to end the homicidal assault on the young. The sexual preference choices especially homosexuality is handled deftly so that the audience obtains a wide spectrum of reactions such as Leo's father kicking him out of the house, but later demands justice for his son. Although educators turning into sleuths on a serial killing case seem as if 1 and 1 makes 3. Fans will appreciate this riveting whodunit that takes a deep look at the impact of coming out of the closet.

Blaze Of Lightning, Roar Of Thunder
Helen A. Rosburg
Medallion
9781932815641 $7.95

Louisa Rodriguez survived the scalp-hunters massacre of her family and the other Santa Rita villagers though a bullet grazed her head. She buried everyone and struggled to also bury from her conscious mind the horror she witnessed. Louisa insanely wandered naked for a couple of months until horse wrangler Ring Crossman found her. Whether she remembered her name he did not know because she refused to tell him. He calls her Blaze for the lightning looking light colored streak caused by the bullet in her black hair. Unable to forget, she vows vengeance on the scalp-hunter leader.

Known by his Apache people as the Bringer of Thunder, warrior Bane seeks his sire who raped his mother. He plans to kill the evil one so he cannot hurt anyone else. When he and Blaze meet, they are attracted to one another but also share a thirst for vengeance against the same person. Their hate appears stronger then their love.

This gripping and enthralling western romance hooks you from the moment the scalp bounty hunters attack the village and never slows down as readers will feel empathy towards Louisa even if she believes that woman is dead replaced by an avenge seeking Blaze. The story line is fast-paced with a great ending, but character driven mostly by Blaze and to a lesser degree by Bane, Ring and the horse wrangler's woman Carrie. This may be over three hundred pages, but fans will read in one sitting the avengers, BLAZE OF LIGHTNING, ROAR OF THUNDER.

Angelslayer: The Winnowing War
K. Michael Wright
Medallion
9781933836539 $25.95

Although it was forbidden; when the angels looked upon the humans with curiosity and lust, they mated with them. This damned those who did the forbidden by the Creator Elyon; he made their progeny giants (Nephilim) did. Desperate for forgiveness, they send Enoch to plead with the Creator for a second chance; he returns to tell them their children will be cursed with a thirst for human blood and flesh and that this generation of Nephilim will be the last one. The Nephilim generate over the generations, but the goodness is the part that vanishes. Now they only survive by eating purebred humans' flesh and blood.

The Nephilim fleet ventures forth From Etlantis, the city created by the Son of the Morning to take control of what is left of a devastated world; depleted over the centuries by their evil. However the pirate chief Darke and his men make it their mission to raid the invading fleet, but now they are visiting Satariel, the Fallen angel, who offers an exchange of prisoners. The angel will free the pirate's son, long thought dead, in trade for a Datahoon Loch, who like all his people, is the descendant of Uriel the archangel. Darke completes his part of the mission, but not before Lach plants his seed in Adrea. Their child will be humanity's last hope after Darke delivers Loch to the angel.

This wondrous fantasy is based on two biblical verses in which the Fallen Angels and their offspring walk the earth, but with the spin that they no longer accept living in harmony with humans as the first generation of Nephilim did. The only reason mankind lives is because they are a food supply, which makes for an intriguing look at the "origin" of the vampire mythos. The protagonists work hard to stay alive and free in a world in which the Creator seems to have deserted all his children, but has given them a distant light of hope. L. Michael Wright has the right stuff as he provides a mesmerizing thriller.

Running Scared
Cheryl Norman
Medallion
9781933836416 $7.95

After living for two years with a violent spouse who put her in the hospital, Ashley Adams is a free woman. Determined to become all she can be including recovering what she was before her marriage in hell, Ashley goes to therapy, learns self defense, and carries a gun; her vow is never again. Peter calls her all time alternating with pleading and cajoling for her to come home and cursing her out. She ignores both sides of the SOB.

Instead Ashley is preparing to run a marathon with her good friend and coach in DC, which will add to her self esteem. Early one morning, she and the coach are running when a car suddenly bears down on them; a gun shot is fired from the vehicle killing Paul Stratford, who was picking up a newspaper in front of his door. Homicide Detective Rick Edwards is uncertain who the intended victim was, but believe this was not random. Ashley has no doubt that her ex spouse Peter hired someone to kill her. The next day, Ashley runs again, but her coach suddenly collapses after drinking some water and is rushed to the hospital where he is diagnosed with turpentine poisoning that she knows Peter put in their water. Her house is broken into twice and someone shoots at her. Peter swears he is innocent; that someone else who drives a gold HHR is making him look like the suspect. Rick vows to protect the woman he loves though she doubts he will ever commit to a permanent relationship.

This is an exciting explosive suspense thriller that works on several levels. Ashley and Rick are a couple the audience hopes will make it as she helps him through his personal problems while also working on her own self worth. Readers will wonder if Peter hired a killer as the obvious scenario is that the abuser refuses to accept Ashley wants nothing to do with him. Cheryl Norman keeps fans off balance as other possibilities crop up. Mindful of Linda Howard's novels, RUNNING SCARED is a terrific thriller.

Death by Latte
Linda Gerber
Sleuth/Speak (Penguin)
9780142411186 $6.99

Four years have past since her dad Frank Connolly took his daughter Aphra to Open and Run an exclusive Pacific island resort; her mom Natalie remained in the States allegedly seeking to find herself as an artisan. Aphra has not seen her mom in four years and after the recent harrowing experiences with the "Smith" family nee Mulo (see DEATH BY BIKINI) decides to confront her in Seattle. She tells her dad, still recovering from poisoning, that she is going to see a friend in South Carolina.

Her mom is stunned when Aphra shows up at Pike's Pottery. She tells her daughter she is leaving for the island immediately. Aphra realizes her mom still works for the CIA and her partners Joe and Stuart are undercover with her trying to know who has betrayed the agency by going after family members. Matters turn frightening when teenage Seth Mulo arrives asking Aphra for a ring he gave her that some thugs now are demanding or they will slice off his father's body parts one at a time; a finger has already arrived special delivery. About the same time Joe dies from a poisoned latte; it is too late for Aphra to leave town as she has been spotted.

The second Death by young adult mystery suspense thriller is an exciting sequel with the action switching from the Pacific island to the American Northwest Pacific coast. The story line is fast-paced from the moment a stunned Natalie sees her daughter innocently step into the danger that mom sent her and her beloved spouse away from. Although this is a stand alone, reading DEATH BY BIKINI helps set the table for DEATH BY LATTE as the audience better understands motives especially Seth. Linda Gerber provides an entertaining Seattle joy ride that middle school teens will appreciate.

The Fifth Floor
Michael Harvey
Knopf
9780307266873 $23.95

In Chicago, private investigator Michael Kelly is working a simple domestic violence case although he knows this one is personal. His former girlfriend Janet hires him to follow her abusive husband Johnny Woods, who works for the city's mayor as a fixer of potentially embarrassing problems. Michael wants to get Janet and her daughter Taylor to a safe house as he fears what Woods is capable of doing, but the woman warns him not to make it personal. However, his surveillance quickly proves the case is much more complex when he finds a body inside an old house. As he digs into the murder he stumbled upon, Kelly begins to see connections back to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 including a cover-up back then, but still in effect, involving two prominent wealthy families with the final solution of eradicating the undesirable Irish. Afterward he is forced to visit the infamous City Hall's Fifth Floor for a lecture by the mayor to back off or else. However, Kelly begins to feel like Mrs. O'Leary's cow when the modern day killer sets him up to take the fall for the corpse he found.

Still a frustrated Cubs fan and attracted to a judge he wants to call but never seems to, Michael is a terrific hardboiled private investigator who makes it to THE FIFTH FLOOR where he assumes is the wood shed for those embarrassing the powers. His second urban noir thriller (see THE CHICAGO WAY) is a superb whodunit that ties current Windy City activity to the 1871 inferno. The star investigates both even as he struggles to stay out of jail as a clever killer perfectly frames him reminding him about that cow held culpable by the myth (mindful of "Professor" Robert Wuhl's underlying assumption in "Assume the Position".

Leather Maiden
Joe R. Lansdale
Knopf
0375414525 $23.95

Reporter Cason Statler has been nominated for a Pulitzer; so when he comes home to Camp Rapture, Texas to work for the local newspaper the Camp Rapture Report even he knows how far back he has fallen. The scandal he caused in Houston over boning his boss' late forties wife and thirty something daughter ended the Gulf War journalist's career. Mrs. Margot Timpson editor of the Report gives him a chance to redeem himself though she is unhappy that his best friend seems to be Jim Beam.

He decides to investigate the disappearance of twenty-three years old history major Caroline Allison who vanished six months ago while on a late night food run; her car was found near the creepy Siegel place. As he makes inquiries Cason sees a connection with some more recent odd unsolved felonies that even bring his successful older brother the history professor who knew Caroline as a possible suspect in the student's disappearance.

Few if any writers bring alive the essence of East Texas as well as Joe R, Lansdale consistently does through his usual endearing eccentric cast. His latest investigative tale stars a reporter who has fallen into disgrace rather quickly and remains in the doo-doo pond even as he struggles to right himself. With a strong support cast especially at the Report, plenty of weirdo humor and pulling no punches from the moment Cason explains his disgrace to Mrs. Timpson until the climax with Belinda the reporter at his side, fans will enjoy Mr. Lansdale's latest East Texas mystery.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Stieg Larsson
Knopf
9780307269751 $24.95

In Sweden financier industrialist Hans-Erik Wennerstrom successfully sues Millennium magazine financial journalist Carl Mikael Blomkvist for libel and defamation of character. Mikael cannot believe he lost as he thought his proof was solid that Wennerstrom had used state funds intended for investments in Poland in an arms deal. The reporter refuses to appeal; he will serve his ninety days in gaol and pay the damages and court fees. He has no idea how the Minos Affair scandal as the media dubbed it turned so wrong.

Milton Security's top researcher tattooed Lisbeth Salander looks into the trust factor of Blomkvist for a client. She speculates that he was set up by someone in the Wennerstrom fiasco, but is honest to a fault. In Hedestad eighty something industrialist Henrik Vanger hires Blomkvist to learn what happened to his beloved great-niece Harriet who vanished decades ago. Henrik explains that when Harriet was twelve she baby-sat three year old Mikael, who did not remember that. The elderly man wants Mikael to uncover the truth of who killed the then sixteen year old Harriet in 1966; as she instead of her brother would have run Vanger Enterprises as she was the talented intelligent one of her generation. He agrees but the family does not truly cooperate so he gets nowhere until Lisbeth joins his investigation, which increasingly finds powerful men hating women of substance.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a superb Swedish thriller that grips the audience on two fronts. First is the libel case in which author Stieg Larsson vividly describes the government-industrial complex ripping off taxpayers to set up fake business ventures; the second is the investigation into the Vanger family. Readers will be fascinated with the business scandal, but enjoy the whodunit even more as that is fast-paced and exciting. The first Millennium Trilogy tale is a strong investigative thriller, a great homage to the talented author who past away a few years ago.

The Gone-Away World
Nick Harkaway
Knopf
9780307268860 $24.95

For a rare time the government's claims re the Go Away Bomb is not obfuscated with the usual disinformation and misinformation. The assertion that the weapon was not of mass destruction just capable of erasing nasty reality elements made people euphoric with the no damage to property concept. However, the reality modification proved in reality a bit more convoluted as Einstein was right about relativity. Soon after the release of the Go Away Bomb, people's nightmarish thoughts started to turn into real monsters of the under the bed variety.

The Jorgamund Pipe is built like a belt around the world that releases FOX, an elixir to counteract the Go Away Bomb effect at least for the few kilometers nearby. When a fire threatens the pipe and consequently the shrunk world, Gonzo Lubitsch, his best friend, and their HazMat emergency team go to put out the blaze and repair the damage. They know they enter a world of horrific chaos, but as Gonzo's pragmatic best friend says that is the norm for his pal going back to childhood under the tutelage of a Kung Fu guru, his military time building a bomb of not mass destruction and seeing its collateral damage shrinking the globe to a small Livable Zone.

With nods to Vonnegut and Pratchett, THE GONE AWAY WORLD is an engaging satirical science fiction cautionary tale that takes a strong anti-war stand based on the justifications proving reality is relative. Those who believe will insure the facts fit their thesis; those who do not likewise (Cheney and Anti Cheney Effects). The story line is non linear as the unnamed best friend narrates by providing readers with Gonzo's biography. This is for the most part entertaining and relevant even with a final monster twist but also at times at least to the reality envisioned by this reviewer feels as if a sidebar hijacked the plot temporarily. Still cerebral sci fi fans with plenty of time will want to read Nick Harkaway's thrilling thriller.

The Ruby in the Smoke
Philip Pullman
Knopf
9780375845161 $7.99

In 1872 London, sixteen years old Sally Lockhart lives with her scornful Aunt Caroline Rees following the death of her father at sea. However when she receives a note that appears to have been sent by her dad, she visits her late father's former business partner Selby to learn who Mr. Marchands is and what is the Seven Blessings included in the enigmatic message. Office assistant Jim Taylor escorts her to secretary Mr. Higgs. Her mentioning of the Seven Blessings leads to Higgs suddenly dying from a heart attack.

When she receives a note from Mr. Marchands warning her to beware of the old witch, she goes to visit him. He tells her he cannot help her, but provides her with a journal from when her mother was murdered sixteen years ago in India. She avoids the witch who happens to be visiting Marchands and meets young artist Frederick Garland. She returns by train to London, but falling asleep the journal is stolen except for the last few pages that fell out. Her adventures are just beginning but she has allies in Jim, Frederick and his actress sister Rosa even as the witch Mrs. Holland arranges to have her murdered as she did Mr. Marchands.

This is a reprint of an entertaining Victorian young adult thriller starring a wonderful teenage heroine in peril and a strong support cast either willing to help her or hurt her. The story line is fast-paced from the onset as Sally just wants to know what her father's cryptic note means and never slows down as each innocent step she takes leads to trouble. In some ways in just a few scenes the vile villainess Mrs. Holland steals the show as her plotting is diabolically brilliant; just ask the journal thief. With a strong stance towards equality and bringing Madison Avenue marketing to Victorian London, fans will enjoy THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE, the first of the Sally Lockhart mysteries.

The Viper Within
Sam Mills
Knopf
9780375844652 $16.99

Charismatic high school student Jeremiah forms the religious sect Brotherhood of the Hebetheus. He quickly gains a following amongst his peers including Jon who has lost his childhood faith. Jeremiah insists he overheard student Padma plans to place a bomb in her locker so she must be stopped. Seeing glory in preventing a catastrophe as their leader convinced his flock she is a suicide bomber sent by a local Muslim cell, his disciples abduct Padma.

The brethren call Padma "Snake" for obvious reasons. They incarcerate her in the home of an elderly woman lying dead in her bed. Jon has doubts with what they did especially as he is attracted to their prisoner. Confusing matters worse for the jailers is her insistence she is Hindu not Muslim, which brings the issue of Jeremiah's fallibility to the surface.

THE VIPER WITHIN is a fascinating tale that focuses on how a seemingly nut case can charismatically charm others to follow their path; think of Waco or Manson. Jeremiah makes the tale interesting as he gains followers who do his bidding even when they believe it is wrong like the abduction of Padma. Her pleas of innocence and being Hindi is believed by some of the flock, but most still believe even more in Jeremiah. Although Jon's actions and reactions seem apparent from the onset, especially his falling for the prisoner in a reverse Stockholm Syndrome scenario, young adult readers will enjoy this cautionary thriller that proclaims (perhaps too much) it could happen to almost anyone. Ironically most of the audience will insist this could not happen to me as the Brotherhood is obviously made up of dolts and losers.

Bad Idea
Todd & Jedd Hafer
Think (NavPress)
1576839699 $12.99

In Kansas, eighteen years old Griffin Smith has just graduated from high school. He looks forward to going away from home where his parents divorced and new relationships in two states have left him confused. His mom married Max the "Mediocre" author while his father is engaged to Rhonda the Cliche a woman closer in age to Griffin than his dad. Griffin plans to fly to Lewis College in Southern California to meet his pen pal Carrot (who he prays is the female of his dreams) and his running teammates.

Dad has other ideas. He decides father and son need to re-bond like they did before the extended family soap opera so he insists on a road trip. However, before Griffin can object, his father includes Rhonda so she too can bond with his son. Also on the drive are Griffin's five years old brother Colby (a partial bond project for dad and fiancee as he is to be dumped in Topeka at his aunt's house) and Griffin's best friend Cole; one stop is to see mom for more bonding.

Griffin knew as soon as the Cliche suggested the road trip that it was a BAD IDEA. However, he soon learns five key life lessons that will stay with him forever so he reassesses the road trip as still being a bad idea worth doing (except for the dead coyote biting him). Readers will enjoy his teen lit commentaries on extended families divided all over the country, going to college, and prayer as he learns through some hallowing experiences what grace under fire truly means. This is a well written at time amusing yet always serious young adult inspirational tale, starring a sensitive high school grad trying to experience the world.

From Bad to Worse
Todd and Jedd Hafer
Think (Navpress)
1576839702 $12.99

Teenager Griffin Smith knows he is not in Kansan, the center of the great debate between God vs. coincidence AKA Darwinism. Griff is like most Wheat State residents and probably the brunt of the country thinking not all about whether God or Darwin created the universe. There are more important things in life than worrying whether one has an afterlife or not especially since he is about to begin his second road trip; having barely survived his first with his extended family including the irate coyote he ran over; he still suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.

This time the itinerary is to go from his California college to Oregon to pick up his childhood friend and secret love Amanda Mac to take her home with him. However he kicks himself for agreeing to his father's abstinence vow caused by Griff hearing chase when his father said chaste. Amanda Mac is the woman for him though she is unaware of how much he loves her. He also has a secret that he believes will end any chance he has with Amanda Mac, but owes her the truth even as the miles pass without him able to tell her. He knows the family waits for his heroic arrival while he thanks God though he is not sure for what beyond being the modern day teenage Job.

The second Griff tale is a deep biting character driven story in which the hero and everyone he knows has issues that believing in God and even worshipping does not mean instant eraser with a prayer. This concept contrasts with recent claims of evangelists who "sinned" but prayed for cleansing and insisted God answered them. Thus the Hafer brothers provide a realistic, often amusing, but always underlying serious spin to being a teen Christian in the modern world. Young adults will appreciate FROM BAD TO WORSE and the equally poignant BAD IDEA.

A Quarter After Tuesday
Jo Kadlecek
Navpress
1600060501 $12.99

Jonna Lightfoot MacLaughlin left her hometown of Denver (see A MILE FROM SUNDAY for her adventure as the Denver Dispatch journalist) for the Big Easy to work at the New Orleans Banner as the religion reporter. When Jonna stops for her usual coffee and two baguettes, she also receives a Big Chief message from one of God's messengers stating Big Mama is mad and in town.

Real estate reporter Rufus Ezekiel "RED" Denton suggests Jonna do a story on the Harmony Interfaith Senior Manor; a place where his ninety-four years old Auntie Belle is a resident and his cousin Marva Rae Bills runs the facility. He explains the religious angle is that different faiths got together to establish the senior citizens home to care for their elders; seniors with powerful faith convictions. However, when she arrives, Marva Rae informs her that a septuagenarian resident Ricky Jefferson mysteriously died; the cause unknown. Jonna begins to investigate and soon worries that an unknown person plans for the residents to meet their maker a bit earlier than expected. At about the same time that she seeks a decent gumbo and answers to who wants to harm the seniors, her personal life goes from zero to meeting interested men even if they offer her fried dough instead of chocolate.

The second The Lightfoot Trilogy tale (see A MILE FROM SUNDAY) is an interesting inspirational investigative thriller as Jonna escorts readers on fascinating tours of New Orleans's various faiths and sites. In fact, the mystery actually does not take full focus until the latter half of A QUARTER AFTER TUESDAY. The lack of the impact of Katrina on religion seems like a lost opportunity in spite of God's watery message to the heroine. Still fans will appreciate the intrepid reporter's trek around the Big Easy seeking good news to report while she meets some fascinating men, struggles with the latest heavenly message, and what is going on at HIS Manor.

The Book of Names
D. Barkley Briggs
Navpress
9781600062278 $12.99

In Independence, Missouri, grieving the loss of their mom, Haydn and Ewan struggle to move on past her death. Ewan dreams of an arch, which seems to be calling for him to come. When he finds the arch, he walks through it and realizes he came through a portal to his dream realm of Karac Tor. More philosophically pensive about their "Velveeta Cheese" lifestyle having already ended, Haydn worries about Ewan, so he follows him through the arch.

As they explore this strange realm with no Nyquil, soccer or Kansas City nearby, they begin to meet locals such as Flogg the gnome, Sorge the warrior monk, and Asandra the Mirling. The siblings also learn that Karac Tor is under siege from the malevolent Sorceress Nemesia. The brothers know now why Ewan dreamed of the arch; they are the desperate last hope of the forces of good to defeat the evil one and her treacherous minion.

THE BOOK OF NAMES is a terrific first book coming of age fantasy starring two likeable young men having no time for grief as they are thrust into a situation and a world totally unprepared Hayden realizes he is just a sophomore not a superhero. The story line is fast-paced from the moment the two quite different in outlook siblings cross through to Karac Tor and never slows down although the ending is overwhelmed with too many unresolved threads (setting up future books apparently). Still save the world teenage fantasy fans will appreciate the brothers Barlowe no longer traveling on I-70.

Heat Lightning
John Sandford
Putnam
9780399155277 $26.95

The Shooter killed Charles Utrecht, who put up no resistance because he felt strongly that though he did one bad thing in life three decades ago and paid for it since, he deserved to die. His body was found with a lemon in his mouth. Bobby Sanderson walks his dog on the same path every night; the Shooter forces him to give up the names of his associates from an incident many years ago before they kill him. Like Utrecht he is found with a lemon in his mouth and posed by the Veteran's Memorial.

Lucas Davenport, back with the BCA, assigns the case to Virgil Flowers. Sanderson's girlfriend tells Virgil that Bobby was in a heated argument twp people after he went to a Viet Nam meeting. Slowly, Virgil begins to put together who is involved in this Minnesota killing spree and why as more men are murdered execution style. He must find which men on this veteran's lost are the killers before they