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click on images or titles for complete review Publisher: Quenda Books ISBN 978-0-9871205-1-9 (paperback) Reviewed by Jim Rogers, New Mystery Reader Karen Treanor’s new mystery, Long Bones, is sure to please anyone who has pets, grown children, culinary talent and a wonderful lover. It is also sure to entrance anyone with a slightly shady past, is victimized by mysterious visitors, is a crackerjack marksman, has a tendency to stumble across corpses and is less-than-blessed by a truly nasty ex-lover. Ms. Treanor succeeds in striking an amusing balance between the ultra-normal township of Byford, Massachusetts (which comes across as a character in itself) and sinister forces that, for the most part, remain unseen—and hence all the more ominous. In many domestic-centered whodunits, evil lurks behind the deceptions of everyday life. But in Byford, what you see is what you get: perfect normalcy. While Miss Marple’s villains are likely as not your sweet-faced next door neighbors, Geneva Bradford’s nemesis comes from the past, and is strictly an outsider. I got an overwhelming sense of a community binding together to protect its oddly normal-yet-quirky routine. There is no shortage of common sense advice on everything from managing chickens to how to handle a gun after discharging it (count those bullets, folks!). There is food aplenty, and even instructions on how to block a sweater. All of this adds to the sense of being in an alternate universe, where Evil falls flat on its face and Good Triumphant is described as “Just a bit of tidying up.” The writing is up to Ms. Treanor’s usual high standards, and eminently quotable—my favorite being a reference to the Aztec practice of cutting out hearts. A truly enjoyable read. (for buying info please contact: quendabooks@iinet.net.au)
The Villa of Death by Joanna Challis
A Vine in the Blood by Leighton Gage Publisher: Soho Crime Reviewed by Dana King, New Mystery Reader Different is sexy. Publishers, television producers, and movie studio magnates are always looking for the next big thing. It will be groundbreaking, earth-shattering, and unlike anything you’ve ever seen or read before. Not too different, mind you. Can’t get so far ahead of the curve the least common denominator loses sight of you. Edgy is good. Different enough not to be the same, but not so different people don’t know what’s going on. New. Exciting. Not the same old same old. How’s that working out? Movies stink, most television nights make Newton Minnow’s “vast wasteland” comment seem nostalgic, and publishing as we know it may not last the decade. Or even the year. And it’s December. Producers, directors, and writers are so bound up in being new and different and sexy they can’t be bothered with being good. Let’s take a moment and celebrate excellence. Police procedurals have been around since Ed McBain virtually invented the form in the Fifties. Unfortunately for many erstwhile competitors, McBain also perfected the procedural and became its pre-eminent practitioner, much as if Beethoven had also been Mozart. Many have attempted to dress up the form. Try different things. Make it sexy. But it’s not sexy. It’s workaday stuff, except the people who work here solve crimes, usually murder. It’s their job. No psychics need apply. No one man wrecking crews who break all the rules. Just cops. McBain’s cops lived in New York, thinly disguised as Isola. Leighton Gage put his cops in Brazil. They’re not local, they’re federal, which gives them some juice. Brazil provides customs and corruption we don’t see much of here. Still, his stories are contemporary versions of what McBain wrote so well for fifty years, with the exotic tinges of Carnaval and horrific poverty thrown in. Gage’s cops go to work every day. Some are friends, some aren’t. One has romantic hopes for another, but they are kept quiet. There is none of the sexual tension and bed hopping that would inevitably erupt in a movie or television version. Nothing sexy in Gage’s stories. The stories don’t need it. Especially not his newest, A Vine in the Blood. Tico “The Artist” Santos is the greatest soccer player in the world, possibly the greatest of all time. Even Brazilians dare to compare him favorably to Pele. When his mother, Juraci, is kidnapped for ransom on the eve of the World Cup, the entire country is in an uproar. Was it Argentinian provocateurs, hoping to throw The Artist off his game to better their country’s chances? Is Tico’s supermodel girlfriend involved? She hates his mother with a passion rivaled only by Juraci’s hatred of her. Or maybe it’s just for money and the World Cup makes for convenient timing. Chief Inspector Mario Silva is called in to find Juraci and get things back on track for the Cup. As usual, he is plagued by his boss, a political appointee whose sole crime fighting talent is getting credit. Silva’s usual team is with him, sometimes joking, sometimes bickering, always watching each other’s backs. They talk to people. Drug lords. Soccer team owners. Caretakers and pharmacists. All described just enough to set them in your mind, and you’d do well to pay attention, because Gage is going to ask questions later. He doesn’t hit you over the head with clues, nor will there be a Eureka moment where Silva (or anyone) leaps to his feet with the sudden realization of who is guilty. Silva and his cops investigate. They pull at loose threads and occasionally shake the tree and otherwise incite reviewers to mix metaphors until something comes loose. Someone says the wrong thing or makes a mistake or they get a little lucky. Only a little lucky; large coincidental events are likely to set Gage’s cops back more than help them. They plug away, true devotees of the school that defines luck not as an event, but as the place where preparation meets opportunity, and they’ll damn sure be ready when theirs comes. Then the momentum builds and events pick up speed until you realize the villains were right in front of you, the realization dawning at the perfect time, a split second before the reveal. This is true suspense. Not a series of chase scenes, rather a inexorable tightening of the cords of the story until one snaps and things must be sorted out right now. I read A Vine in the Blood in one sitting. Gage has a knack of keeping you reading without doing anything obvious. Everything in balance, no individual feature overwhelms anything else. The dialog flows and the descriptions put you there without slowing down the story, the work of a master craftsman so secure in his field he sees no need to impress you with overt virtuosity. He keeps things fresh without resorting to zombie detectives or vampires who can live in sunlight. Just a great story, well told. Publishing really is in trouble if the industry can’t make a go of it with books like this. (Note: The reviewer was provided with a pre-publication copy of the book free of charge.) For an interview with Leighton Gage
The Drop A Harry Bosch Novel by Michael Connelly Publisher: Little Brown Reviewed by Don Crouch, New Mystery Reader We all look forward to retirement, right? Hanging out, indulging our indulgences. It’s our reward for a life of labor. Unless, of course, you’re Harry Bosch. Then it’s just another thing to be confronted, dealt with, then defeated. And this is where Connelly deposits the reader as The Drop commences. He has been given some news regarding his request to delay his retirement. With that news, he’s also been given a doozy of a case. DNA connects a recently-incarcerated sex-criminal to a brutal crime. Only problem, the crime was many years ago, and the connected individual was a small child. Hmmm. But wait! There’s more! Harry is summoned to a death scene at the legendary Chateau Marmont, only to find the victim is the son of his long-time annoyance, Irwin Irving. Anyone who’s read this series knows well enough to wince at the name. He’s been gone, but now he’s back, and he wants Harry to make sure the family’s integrity is maintained. Odd choice, eh? Harry thinks so too, and before long he’s deep in the weeds of political nastiness; specifically taxi licenses and the pressure exerted to secure their issuance. Connelly wants us to think about a couple of things while our palms sweat. Primarily, High Jingo. Which, per Bosch, is how power is used to affect the truth. And not only in the hallowed halls of justice, but throughout our lives. The DNA case brings Harry into the world of Clayton Pell, convicted sex offender. It’s his DNA found and recently tested on a victim who died 30 years ago, when Pell was 8. An interview at halfway-house where Pell is currently in residence introduces Harry to one Hannah Stone—Raven-haired counselor and eventual romantic intoxicant for our favorite detective. Their nascent romance provides some welcome relief to the very solemn events unfolding in The Drop, and we hope she sticks around. It also starts Harry off on an investigation that will test his beliefs about nature/nurture and will lead him to unravel years of sickening murders. And don’t forget, Bosch’s status quo has been rattled as of late. We get some nice insights into Life With Father, with Maddie in residence. It allows Connelly to paint some comforting brush strokes for those of us vested in Bosch’s whole story. But it’s REALLY about the cases, right? And Connelly has whipped up a couple of beauties here. The sense of dread as Bosch unravels the DNA case is vintage Connelly, while the Irving investigation allows the author to fully immerse Harry in what the character hates most, resulting in high rewards for the reader. The previous all-Bosch novel, Nine Dragons, was a apex for the series, and one of Connelly’s best books, period. The Drop isn’t as “major”, but it’s still Connelly firing strong on all cylinders, delivering a novel complex in its emotions, direct in its action, and compelling in its depiction of one of Crime Fiction’s greatest detectives.
Twelve Drummers Drumming by C. C. Benison Publisher: Delacorte Press Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader As a priest for a small rural congregation, Father Christmas sounds like a page from a Victorian mystery set in the English countryside. Father Christmas, or Tom, as he prefers, is indeed an extremely devoted follower of the faith but the modern reverend believes in levity and forgiveness, occasionally lightened by accompanying magic tricks (outside the services) remembered from his earlier career as the Great Kromboni. Tom’s lighter side has deepened after the murder of his beloved wife, Lisbeth, and his need to find a safer environment for his precocious nine year-old daughter Miranda, a devoted fan of the French version of Nancy Drew. Because of a fortuitous vacancy, Tom finds a post in the same small village in which his sister-in-law lives, giving his daughter security and doting relations in one fell swoop. While helping the villagers prepare for the annual fayre, the Christmases discover the body of a young woman whose own path veered towards danger, possibly because her parents were international celebrities surrounded by temptations. The young woman, Sybella, retained connections to London even after joining her father in a quieter life, adding to the list of suspects kept by the police investigators, Bliss and Blessing. Tom’s concerns grow as his verger, the highly self-contained Sebastian John, becomes even more private during the growing speculation. Author C. C. Benison adds depth to the portrayal of the villagers by including a diverse group of characters such as the British-born Japanese descendent and artist who created quilts portraying the local activities and Colonel Northmore, a World War II-era hero and former POW. Benison punctuates the narrative with letters from Tom’s housekeeper and local gossip, Madrun, to her mother detailing the events of everything from murder investigations to the local kleptomaniac who donated his finds to a charitable sale, requiring his indulgent neighbors to buy back their own things. Benison carefully avoids peachiness or triteness with the one exception of equating Sybella’s goth past with her misbehaviour, instead letting his characters reveal believable layers and describing complicated relationships that teach Father Christmas a considerable amount about his new flock.
A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry Publisher: Ballantine Books Reviewed by Robin Thomas, New Mystery Reader Imagine a pristine winter scene in Victorian England interwoven with the darkness of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and now you are ready to read A Christmas Homecoming. Caroline Fielding, her husband Joshua, and his theater troupe, travel through a snowstorm to the Netheridge mansion in Whitby, the Yorkshire fishing village Dracula visited when he arrived in England. The troupe has been hired to perform Alice Netheridge’s adaptation of Dracula for the stage. No surprise, since Alice is an amateur, the script is horrendous and Joshua doubts that it is salvageable. Unfortunately, Joshua must perform a miracle; if he is going to keep the theater troupe afloat he must secure the financial largesse of Netheridge and that is dependent on the successful performance of his daughter’s play on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). Despite the severe snowstorm an unexpected guest arrives at the Netheridge mansion. Anston Ballin claims that his carriage has broken down and he needs a place to stay until the storm passes. During his stay, Ballin gets involved in the rewrite of the play and he displays an uncanny knowledge of the theater and vampires. Just when things seem to be settling down a murder occurs and the killer is one of the occupants of the mansion. The snowstorm has made travel impossible, so Caroline uses the knowledge she has learned about police investigations to protect the evidence from the crime scene and to conduct her own sleuthing. A Christmas Homecoming is Anne Perry’s ninth Christmas novel. The author creates a well-developed traditional style murder mystery using the storm to “lock” all the suspects in the mansion. The author accurately depicts the challenges that women faced during Victorian times through the tension between Alice Netheridge and her fiancé and the struggles Caroline has being married to a man who is quite a bit younger than her and Jewish. A Christmas Homecoming is a delightful Victorian mystery that is sure to get the reader into the Christmas spirit.
Bonnie by Iris Johansen Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Reviewed by Robin Thomas, New Mystery Reader Eve Duncan knows that the end is near; that all of the answers to her questions about Bonnie’s disappearance will be known. Bonnie’s spirit comes to Eve and confirms her suspicions but shares with her mother her concern that there she senses a great deal of pain. Iris Johansen created a trilogy that is part of the Eve Duncan series that provides fascinating insights into Eve, Quinn, and Bonnie’s background. BONNIE, the final book in the trilogy marks the end of the powerful series plotline surrounding Bonnie’s disappearance and the life changing impact this event had on Eve Duncan. Over time, Johansen has skillfully built up the tension to this climatic moment in the series and uses Bonnie’s spirit to guide Eve to the answers that she and readers of this series have long anticipated. Although I found the interactions between Eve and Bonnie’s spirit to be farfetched and a bit over-used in this book in particular, the dialog between them is so tender and endearing that it envelops the reader in the enduring love that exists between them. The desire to read on and get to the next visit from Bonnie is addictive and compensates for the whodunit that is adequate but not compelling. Although BONNIE is the last of the trilogy, Johansen leaves the door wide open for Eve and Quinn to solve more crimes in the future as the series continues.
The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis Publisher: Soho Crime Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader Denmark Red Cross nurse Nina Borg definitely has the "White Knight" syndrome, flying from country to country whenever disaster strikes and she's in need. Something that takes her away from home and her husband and two children. Something that she has promised she'll try and temper down. But when she's contacted by an old friend to retrieve a suitcase from a train station locker, she jumps to the task. And when she finds a three year old boy inside, still breathing but with no identity, she once again finds herself as savior, only this time the stakes are personally higher than those that have ever come before. This huge international bestseller finally makes it to the U.S. and fans of the genre will be glad it did, with the hope that next time the lag will be much shorter. The two authors have created a riveting and emotionally charged read that contains fully realized characters, important social comment, and white-knuckled suspense. And combined with the slow but steady revealing of these well drawn characters' motives and the racing plotline, putting this one down before the end is damn near impossible. Can't wait for the next, and am hoping that some of these same characters return.
Double Dexter by Jeff Lindsay Publisher: Doubleday Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader The challenge in approaching a new novel featuring the complex and playfully twisted Dexter Morgan is the inevitable comparison to the hit series, DEXTER, running on Showtime. As so often happens with the television or film adaptation of popular novels the producers attempt to ‘spice things up’ by changing plot elements and adding or dropping characters at will. As I began Jeff Lindsay’s sixth novel in the series, entitled DOUBLE DEXTER, I was immediately faced with getting the characters straight in my head --- i.e. Dexter’s wife Rita is alive in the novels after being brutally killed off on TV two seasons ago; Dexter has a young daughter instead of a newborn son, and the most dramatic difference, Dexter’s arch-rival Sgt Doakes is still alive (however crippled and without a tongue) and still out to get Dexter. Following the wildest novel in the Dexter series, last year’s DEXTER IS DELICIOUS, I found DOUBLE DEXTER somewhat of a letdown. Yes, it still features our fearless hero and his ‘dark passenger’ as well as the best inner monologue of any current character in modern fiction. However, the plot just didn’t grab me. After Dexter is witnessed punishing another sinner --- a pederast --- he begins to receive strange messages from the individual who caught him in the act and is not sure if he has a stalker or just a demented fan of his work. At the same time, Dexter’s work with the Miami Police Department is hopping as his sister, Sgt. Debra Morgan, and the rest of the squad are after a killer that has been beating his victims to death with a hammer. When one of the victims ends up being a female lab assistant from their department, the Miami PD begins to step up their investigation. Things get sticky for Dexter when his deceased co-worker’s apartment is searched and hundreds of photos of Mr. Morgan turn up. He now has become a person of interest --- especially in the eyes of Doakes --- and he realizes that the witness to his act may be taking things to another level and trying to rid the world of Dexter Morgan. When Dexter’s personal investigation, now done while he is on suspension from the Miami PD, turns up the identity of his ‘double’ he is alarmed to find out that it is the assistant Cub Scout leader of his step-son, Cody. Dexter reaches out to his ‘brother’, Brian, and asks for his assistance in ridding himself and the world of this threat. At the same time, Dexter and family take a trip to Key West to look at property in an attempt to rekindle their familial bonds through potential relocation. Unfortunately, Brian is unsuccessful in his attempt to take care of Dexter’s problem (very disappointed that this is only covered in the novel through a phone call as opposed to complete description) and of course, the deadly scout master has turned up himself in Key West for a final showdown with the Morgan’s. Dexter Morgan, as a character, is a personal favorite of mine and one of the most unique creations I have ever read. Fans will enjoy reading his exploits in DOUBLE DEXTER but the story is ultimately lackluster and does nothing to advance the characters in any way. Here’s hoping the next outing will have a little more bite to it!
Inmate 1577 by Alan Jacobson Publisher: Norewood Press Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader Alan Jacobson knows his stuff. Having worked with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit for 18 years gives him the uncanny ability to get into the mind of the deranged and driven killers that haunt the American landscape. With INMATE 1577, Jacobson revives his Profiler Karen Vail series with a mystery/thriller set in both the present and the past. A series of horrific murders in the San Francisco area may somehow be tied to a former inmate of the long defunct Alcatraz prison. Could the prison once known as Devil’s Island, shut down for over 50 years, still have a former inhabitant that is actively committing this horrible crimes? Vail teams with SFPD Inspector Lance Burden and her former task force colleague, Roxxann Dixon to hunt down this killer. The killer is not only choosing apparently random victims but also leaving behind cryptic messages at each death scene --- staged in such a way to baffle and challenge the newly formed task force that is hunting him. What makes INMATE 1577 so engaging is how the story continuously shifts between Karen Vail and her team in the present day and the story of Walton MacNally nearly fifty years earlier. MacNally was a small-time crook who stepped up to bank robbery and grand larceny in an effort to provide for himself and his young son, Henry. Unfortunately, he is caught and sent to Leavenworth Prison. It is there where MacNally is forever changed by the brutality and inner workings of a penal system that represents a social microcosm of the worst human beings that society has to offer. A failed prison break finds MacNally being transferred to the one prison that no one should be able to break out of --- Alcatraz. MacNally meets up with a former cell-mate and break-out partner, named Anglin --- and their infamous friendship leads to talk of the unattainable thought of freedom from Devil’s Island. Meanwhile, it takes Vail and company a long time to decipher the messages the serial killer is leaving for them. With the help of some local, and somewhat disreputable, local journalists they are able to recognize that the key to catching this killer lies not in profiling his next move but by understanding what happened to him in the past. MacNally did get out of Alcatraz and fell off the grid shortly thereafter. He had several grudges to avenge --- the most striking being the fact that his only son Henry committed suicide by jumping off the Bear Mountain Bridge in New York while he was imprisoned. MacNally vowed to avenge those who wronged him both in and out of prison --- but could he still be the mastermind in 2011 as a senior citizen capable of committing serial murder? Jacobson will have you guessing at every turn and the finale of this exciting and thought-provoking novel will provide more than a few shocking revelations before the final page is turned. The tough-talking and quick-witted Karen Vail proves a worthy adversary --- but will that be enough to defeat a vengeance that has festered for many decades? INMATE 1577 should satisfy both mystery and thriller fans alike as Jacobson has another quality addition to his Vail series. |
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