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click on links for buying info Covenant Hall by Kathryn R. Wall Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN-10: 0312375352 Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader Investigator Bay Tanner searches for the long-estranged aunts of young Kimmie whose only hope for survival is bone marrow from the missing relatives. The girl’s family, both immediate and distant, is torn over a family secret from years before. At the same time, Bay uncovers her own heart-wrenching family mystery after rifling through her beloved father’s papers during a family emergency. With little time, Bay seeks to help Kimmie while thinking of her own changing family with an ambivalent wedding and expected funeral. Continuing the Bay Tanner Mystery series set in South Carolina, Kathryn R. Wall weaves the threads of families together like strands of Spanish Moss clinging to a Live Oak even as the families try desperately to rip themselves apart with deadly secrets on all sides. Both African-American and Caucasian families are affected here, each playing a large role in the others’ lives. Remnants of the stereotypical old South with treasured black servants who have become family members in influential white families and bitter, hardscrabble black families who know the cycle of polite manners and the segregated worlds only too well. Likewise, Bay remains ensconced in the old world of placating females tending to the delicate male egos even though it would be nice if she’d politely laugh off the poor advice of her doting, old-school father and fiancé/brother-in-law Red. There are just too many stereotypes here—the poor but earnest and unfailingly polite young black man who does what Bay wants; the wealthy white South Carolinians whose only interest seems to be their own; the long-suffering black servant Lavinia; the gruff fiancé who convinces Bay that he’s right when he argues that he needs to take care of her rather than allow her to claim self-sufficiency in her eventual dotage; and a host of others. There’s a nice complicated story here with an appropriately slow pace but without the modern multi-cultural vibrancy of today’s South, the stereotypes are just too crushing to ignore.
Martyr by Rory Clements Publisher: Bantam ISBN-10: 0385342829 Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader Thoughtful and tenacious, John Shakespeare serves Queen Elizabeth I and her advisor, Lord Walsingham, with various assignments requiring subtlety on behalf of Tudor England in an era full of plots—and heads violently separated from their bodies. The times are difficult as Elizabeth tries to solidify her hold on the throne inherited from her infamous father, Henry VIII, and to more firmly establish the Anglican church while snuffing out the defiantly publicly practiced Catholicism. Raised in the culture of ever-shifting religion and resulting mistrust, Elizabeth knows that when her subjects declare themselves Catholic, they may also be repudiating her right to England’s throne in favor of her beautiful and foolish cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. In Martyr, John Shakespeare is charged with finding an elusive Flemish assassin intent on slaying the arrogant but idolized national hero, Sir Francis Drake, as a death blow to England’s military might and Elizabeth’s birthright. John’s journey weaves through not only English politics but also those in other equally unstable European countries but always with a light touch. As a bit of humor, John’s younger brother William makes a brief appearance with his fellow struggling theatre colleagues. Journalist Rory Clements maintains historical accuracy throughout major events and with many of the real characters. His attention to detail and thoroughly readable style makes this Elizabethan England addictive and bodes well for future installments of the new series. Although John Shakespeare is fictional (William’s father was named John but was not the investigative man created by Clements), his reflections and experiences offer insight to the dirty, dangerous time immortalized in the graceful, albeit bloody, work of William Shakespeare. One final note: Bantam fittingly published Martyr on May 19, 2009, which was also the 473rd anniversary of the beheading of Anne Boleyn, mother of the justifiably paranoid Elizabeth I.
Gold of Kings by Davis Bunn Publisher: Howard Books & Touchstone Books ISBN: 978-1-4165-5631-2 Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader Sean Syrrell died seeking a treasure beyond value; he died because others wanted it too. Recognizing the danger he was in, he put his granddaughter Storm out of harm’s way. To aid her and protect her he had Harry Bennett freed from the Barbados prison where a greedy official had sent him so he could steal the treasure he’d found. To help his old friend and thank him for his release, Harry agrees to help Storm and protect her. Once they are on the trail of the mysterious treasure that Sean had been seeking, the enemy seems to be everywhere and there is more than one, but with the aid of a federal agent, Harry and Storm follow the elusive trail of the treasure. A story with plenty of intrigue and fascinating characters set against an exciting background as created by imaginative author Davis Bunn, this fun tale is a step above the usual treasure hunt with lots of tension and mystery and a plot that is tightly crafted and with characters that are realistically drawn. A story you won’t soon forget and one that will have you looking for other work by this talented author, I’m pleased to recommend it as a read well worth the time for anyone. Enjoy. I sure did.
Final Finesse by Karna Small Bodman Publisher: Forge Books ISBN 978 0 7653 2252 4 Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader There’s nothing like a bit of inside information to give a writer’s work the flavour of the real thing. Ms Bodman seems to be the real-life version of CJ from “The West Wing”, somebody who’s worked inside the White House on a daily basis and who probably knows more scary stuff about the workings of government than most of us. The story opens with an ordinary family waking up freezing in Oklahoma because their furnace has gone off. The cause is an explosion in the gas pipeline, which initially looks like nothing more than an accident. Several more explosions happen, and the Head of Homeland Security’s Deputy Assistant Samantha Reid believes that there’s a major terrorist operation underway. Not everyone in Washington sees—or wants to see—the danger Samantha does, so she makes common cause with Tripp Adams, one of the senior men in the pipeline company, and they begin investigating what’s going on. Samantha and Tripp also begin investigating each other, which adds an unexpected complication to the story. No sooner does the romance begin to grow than Tripp has to go to Venezuela to follow a lead on who’s sabotaging his pipelines. Before he gets very far, he’s kidnapped and held for ransom. Meanwhile back in the USA, there’s another serious gas explosion. Samantha’s had enough; she packs a small bag and hops a plane for Caracas, lightly disguised as a tourist, and links up with a friend of Tripp’s, Joe Campiello, who has a bag of tricks that may help to rescue Tripp. That’s if there’s anything left to rescue: the kidnappers have already sent a box containing a finger with their renewed demands for money. Joe has a very clever way to identify and track the imprisoned executive, and a plan to free him. However, behind the kidnappers is a shady group with a very different agenda; they don’t want anything as simple as a few million dollars. Samantha has suspected something like this from the beginning, but was unable to convince her boss. Fortunately he becomes caught up in an entirely different problem, but it’s going to be a race to the wire to prevent the ultimate disaster. Like most thrillers, this book requires you to suspend disbelief in a big way to accept the premise that someone as high up in government as Samantha would go haring off into the jungles of Venezuela to rescue a friend, or chase terrorists through a processing plant, but if you can swallow that, you’ll enjoy this fast-paced story.
Jelly’s Gold by David Housewright Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN: 978-0-312-37082-4 Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader Rushmore McKenzie was a St. Paul, Minnesota police officer who won the lottery. He retired from police work – kind of. He continued to work as an unlicensed PI. Then he made more millions when he caught a successful embezzler Ivy Flynn – a graduate student who helped McKenzie on a past case – turns up with an interesting proposition. Ivy and her boyfriend Josh Berglund have been researching the location of gold stolen in the 1930’s. A three-way split of the $8 million in gold catches McKenzie’s attention. Through a series of flashbacks, the author tells of the criminal career of Frank Nash. Nash was gentleman bandit who earned the nickname “Jelly” from his expert use of nitro. In 1933, Nash pulled off a heist of gold bars that he hid. The location of the gold was apparently lost when the robber was killed in a violent attempt to help him escape police custody. In the 1930’s, St Paul was one city that afforded criminals “protection”. By following three rules, they received safe haven there. This made the city a probable location for the lost gold. Now McKenzie begins a hunt for “buried treasure’ along with Ivy and Josh. McKenzie first has to discourage two bumbling amateurs who are following them. McKenzie uses his old police connections to examine the ancient homicide files. Next, while looking for clues at the Minnesota History Center, McKenzie meets Heavenly Petryk – the one who sent the amateurs and Josh’s former girl friend. Heavenly claims to have started the treasure hunt only to be pushed out by Ivy and Josh. Finally, when Josh is killed, the old robbery becomes a current case with the police and media involved. Housewright has penned an intriguing mystery by connecting the past and present. The characters are well developed and entertaining.
Even by Andrew Grant Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN: 978-0-312-54026-5 Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader David Trevellyan is not your average English tourist visiting New York. So when he discovers the body of a homeless man who has been murdered in an alley and is immediately arrested by the NYPD, he realizes that someone is setting him up. David is no stranger to arrest or tight spots as an intelligence operative attached to the Royal Navy. David puts in a call to the British Consul. First Tanya – an attractive attorney and former love interest of David’s – is sent to help. Then he is transferred to FBI custody. Now his employers refuse to help. He finds out that the homeless man was an undercover FBI agent. The FBI is trying to pin the murder of a number of homeless men on him. Being an enterprising fellow, David decides to clear his name. First he escapes FBI custody. He is then captured by members of a shadowy group that admits to being responsible for the murder and his frame-up. The leaders of the group consider the murder and frame-up to be no more than a miscalculation. They meant to kill a number of homeless men – just not an undercover FBI agent. In exchange for one small favor, the group will clear his name. Unfortunately, the favor involves setting up an FBI agent for assassination. David reluctantly agrees - with a condition of his own. The group must release another captive he met – a female journalist. Ultimately, David foils their plot and finds himself working with the FBI thanks to Tanya’s efforts to help her brother’s friend. However, there is a sense that something else is afoot involving the death of the homeless men and identity theft. The homeless men turn out to be former military who fought in the war against terrorism and left to work for private contractors. So unfolds the complicated life of an intelligence operative and an interesting mystery. While well written and fast-paced, the complexity of the plot makes this work suitable for the more serious mystery fan.
The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith Publisher: Grand Central Books ISBN 978 0 446 40240 8 Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader This is the second in Smith’s series set in mid-20th century Russia, and it immerses the reader in a dark, cold and very grim time and place. Leo Demidov and his wife Raisa both have pasts that don’t bear thinking of, but which constantly affect their present lives. They are trying to be good parents to two little girls they’ve taken into their home, but it’s difficult. Leo’s involvement in the girls’ parents’ deaths is a barrier to trust, for the older girl in particular. The arrest of someone else who trusted Leo and was betrayed by him opens the story. Lazar is sent to a Gulag for crimes against the state. The man is well-named, for he rises again from the living death to which he was condemned. We then jump forward seven years to the apparent suicide of a printer of cheap books. Or was it murder? What did the printer do or know that made him a danger? The story ranges from Moscow to Siberia and back, and involves Leo and his entire family when they become targets for a hidden assassin who is powerfully motivated. Trying to do his job, protect his family, make amends for his past errors, and just plain survive puts Leo under nearly intolerable pressure. The price of his family’s survival is the rescue of his old friend, but how can he get the man to trust him now? At the end of the book there’s a tiny hint of a new day dawning: Stalinist Russia is fading, and Kruschev ‘s Russia is striding on stage. Whether this will improve Leo and Raisa’s lives remains to be seen, but they’ve survived this far against incredible odds. This book has the same stylistic format as the first one in the series, with direct speech in italics with dashes, rather than quotation marks. There would be more than one reader who finds this irritating, and a real barrier to the appreciation of the book. This book has ‘naught for your comfort’ and can’t be recommended as a nice way to while away a rainy weekend. However, it is a book that those of us who have comfortable lives and take our relatively democratic governments for granted should all read, especially those who can’t be bothered to vote.
Whispers of the Dead by Simon Beckett Publisher: Delacorte Press ISBN: 978-0-385-34006-9 Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader Dr. David Hunter is a top forensic anthropologist in the UK. In the past few years, Hunter lost his wife and child in automobile accident and was attacked and stabbed by serial killer on a case in which he was involved. Even in the present day, Hunter reminds himself that she is still out there as he looks into the shadows. He just doesn’t realize there are other dangers in the shadows. As part of the resumption of his career, Hunter accepts an invitation to consult at the Knoxville, Tennessee forensic facility known as the Body Farm. This is not Hunter’s first involvement with the Body Farm. He had trained there early in career. Returning to the facility puts him back with his earlier mentor, Tom Lieberman. Lieberman has not aged well with a heart condition combining with the strain of the job. A gruesome discovery in a vacation cabin leads to a murder investigation. A fingerprint leads to a suspect – who had been dead and buried six months. The body is exhumed, only the body is not of the suspect. Hypodermic needles have been placed in the body as an apparent booby trap and wound an assistant. Also, both bodies are more decomposed than they should be. All of this leads to more questions than answers and keeps the mystery moving along at a satisfying pace. The characters are interesting and well developed. Hunter struggles with his fears and Lieberman with his health. Hicks, the coroner and Irving, a profiler, inject monumental egos that hinder the investigation. Dan Gardner, the state investigator in charge is a somewhat disheveled figure that has to sift through the evidence and suspects. Also, there are scenes shown from the unknown killer’s perspective. These include an encounter with Hunter and the abduction of Irving. The investigators are just beginning to realize how close and dangerous the killer is to them. While well written, as with any story of murder, there is gore. The reader should be prepared for this as well as detailed chronicles of forensic techniques and procedures.
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN-10: 0312544901 Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader In 1905 New York, Detective Simon Ziele struggles to recover from the horrific large-scale accident that killed his fiancée and a thousand others by leaving the city for the nearby small town of Dobson with its two-person police department. After being called to a rare murder, the rush of memories comes back to him and he finds himself dealing with two deaths instead of one. Like his fiancé e victim is a young woman, although in this case, she’s Sarah Wingate, a wealthy mathematician e, th and suffragette who sparks controversy as she attempts to solve a famous mathematical problem to the dismay of her jealous university peers. As Ziele tries to focus on Sarah’s murder, local professor Alistair Sinclair quickly approaches Ziele with the promise of the murderer’s identity and the help of his own unusual criminology team. Using period forensic techniques and weaving in suffragette issues plus academic politics, Pintoff’s award-winning debut includes tantalizing teasers that never spoil the secrets exposed in later chapters. The time period provides a good historical setting for her intense but humorous characters and well-paced character development. The character of Ziele in particular would be welcome as a serial detective, especially in continuation of the uneasy partnership with Alistair Sinclair or the professor’s equally resolute daughter-in-law. Ziele may be a little too perfect, with modern sensitivity and a strong moral imperative, but he possesses enough rough edges and secrets in a time of considerable national and international change. Although readers may figure out elements of the solution before the final pages, Pintoff ensures that surprises remain, making this a satisfying mystery populated by a turn of the century conscientious cop, struggling academics, and capable women.
The Frightened Man by Kenneth Cameron Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN: 978-0-312-53896-5 Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader For the fan of the dark and dangerous, take a walk on the night streets of London during Victorian times as talented author Kenneth Cameron brings a story that hints back to the times of Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes in his new tale, The Frightened Man. One evening, a badly frightened stranger visits Denton, an American mystery author now living in London, and tells him a strange tale about a murderer, beginning with the bald statement he has seen Jack the Ripper who has been gone for fifteen years or so. Something compels Denton to listen and half believe what he’s told. He communicates the tale to the police who are inclined to dismiss it until a murder draws Denton in and he is viewed with the suspicion as a suspect might be. Join Denton as he takes matters into his own hands and investigates on his own and much to the annoyance of the police. The trail twists and turns, red herrings cross his path, and leads grow cold as he tracks a killer. I’m pleased to recommend this tale that blends mystery and thrills with a touch of old fashioned horror into an enjoyable read. Guaranteed to please with descriptions that put the reader onto those wet streets at night, feeling the tingle of fear from unseen eyes watching from shadows. Eerily evocative of times and crimes gone by, this atmospheric read entertains.
Alexandria by Lindsey Davis Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN-10: 0312379013 Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader Marcus Didius Falco deserves a nice relaxing vacation with his family in exotic Alexandria, Egypt, from his busy work as an informer for Rome. Accompanied by his happy wife Helena Justina, three daughters and his young brother-in-law, Falco plans to see the Pyramids and catch up with his host, Uncle Fulvius and his partner Cassius in Egypt’s most cosmopolitan city. Although suffering from traveler’s fatigue, Falco attends a welcoming feast including several esteemed guests including Theon, the head librarian of the legendary library of Alexandria. Falco is determined to enjoy his time off from being the extremely versatile servant of the Emperor. Unfortunately, Theon unwittingly imposes on Falco’s vacation by being murdered in his locked office, and his high professional status requires an investigation by the Emperor’s man in spite of Helena’s pre-planned vacation itinerary. In order to uncover the guilty party, Falco surrounds himself with academics and observes the fast shuffling of feet by potential library directors as they seek to make Theon’s tragedy their good fortune. Surrounded by philosophical disagreements, single-minded students, and hundreds of thousands of unique scrolls, Falco succeeds in learning much more about academia and Egypt than he ever expected from Helena’s tour. Being a dutiful husband, Falco hopes to solve the mystery while still making it to the pyramids before returning home. The entertaining story maintains a wry modern tone with witty comments (Theon missed a bureaucratic meeting because he was “detained at the undertaker’s”) and the realization that even ancient Romans thought of history as “ancient”. Falco muses about city founder Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, and even “antiques” in casual asides without being preachy. The lively banter between Falco and Helena Justina echoes modern couples but they remain grounded in Davis’ version of ancient Roman culture complete with togas, Greek and Roman philosophy, and empire politics. Booklovers will enjoy immersing themselves in the richly depicted version of the greatest library in the world and imagining its central role in ancient Egypt.
Cecilian Vespers by Anne Emery Publisher: ECW Press ISBN-10: 1550228617 Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader Traditional church music, Catholic priests clad in austere black, and a grisly murder… it may sound pretty grim but Anne Emery instead surprises her readers with a witty story populated by realistic Catholic clergy whose spiritual belief remains palpable even as they struggle with their very human flaws. In the course of Cecilian Vespers, we have not only an earthly mystery, but also reflections on the religious mystery held dear by so many and on the changes in the mass inspired by Vatican II. Irish priest Brennan Burke leads a schola, or group studying church music, culminating in a public program in his lovely historic church in Nova Scotia. Schola students include a stylish Italian priest stationed in the decidedly protestant backwoods of Mississippi, a moody former priest still coming to grips with losing the special relationship between God and priest, other participants eager to do away with traditional hymns altogether, and most controversially, a man so hated by both liberal and conservative Catholics that he’s traveled under an alias. After one of their occasionally combative number is murdered on the Feast Day of St. Cecilia, church attorney Monty Collins joins Father Burke in an investigation to discover the party most in need of confession. While knowledge of Catholic theology is not a requirement to enjoy the book, Catholics will find special meaning in the descriptions on saints and even the titular reference to Saint Cecilia, patron saint of church musicians. Likewise, novices to traditional music may also enjoy the discourse on the role of music in the church. There are things here which may offend some (imperfect priests, discussion of Catholic doctrine which differs from Protestantism) but as a work of fiction, Cecilian Vespers captures interest and keeps it to the surprising end.
Chasing The Bear: A Young Spenser Novel By Robert B.
Parker
The Way Home by George Pelecanos Reviewed by Don Crouch, New
Mystery Reader
This is the sort of book that you might pick up and take a dislike to. “Not my sort of book,” you might think. It starts in a juvenile detention facility, what we used to call a reform school. There’s a sullen boy named Chris, his bewildered parents, and an assortment of fairly unlikeable juvenile crims. If you persevere, somehow you get drawn in. You start to see the boys as individuals, you begin to see a few nuggets of gold mixed in with a lot of coal dust. Move ahead a while: Chris is back home, he’s met a decent girl, and he and his father have come to a truce of sorts. More than that, Mr Flynn has hired a few of the other parolees from the Pine Ridge facility Some of them have made good, some haven’t, but Chris and his best friend Ben are doing all right, going straight, learning the carpet-laying business, and looking as if their bad experiences are behind them. Then they find a big wadge of money hidden at one of the job sites. They walk away from the money, but Ben foolishly mentions it to a third person, who steals it, and thus sets in motion something like a Greek tragedy that ends in pain and blood for many, and threatens to destroy the progress Chris has made with his life. What saves him is an unexpected sacrifice that, in the best Euripidean tradition, brings things back into balance, but at a high price. The book’s acknowledgements page indicates Pelecanos has a keen interest in judicial reform and appropriate sentencing; this book should give others some food for thought about those topics.
Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child Publisher: Grand Central Publishing ISBN 978 0 446 58029 8 Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader The strange silver-eyed special agent is back, in another strange adventure. Pendergast is a bit like a character from a 1930’s radio serial. He owns not one but three apartments in the Dakota, one of which has been converted to a Japanese garden and tea house; he has a faithful deaf-mute servant; and he has apparently unlimited income. Why he’d bother chasing bad guys is debatable, but in this case it’s because the victim of the murder that opens the book is his long-time friend and fellow adventurer, journalist William Smithback. Smithback has been hacked to death in his own apartment while his wife Nora is around the corner getting dessert. Nora returns and is attacked in turn, escaping death by a hair. The killer is identified as Colin Fearing, a neighbour of the Smithbacks. There’s a small problem when it comes to tracking down the murderer: he himself has been dead for days. At Smithback’s autopsy, a tiny skull and pouch of mysterious ingredients are found hooked to his tongue. Talk of zombies and voodoo begins, Readers of the authors’ previous books will know that things will only get weirder from here on. Pendergast and police lieutenant D’Agosta begin the difficult task of finding the murderer, and the shadowy figures behind him. This involves, among other things, a visit to Pendergast’s mad old Aunt Cordelia at the maximum security insane asylum. Meanwhile Nora and Smithback’s former colleague Caitlin Kidd tackle the problem from a different angle, one which exposes them to considerable risk. Colin fearing turns up again—really dead this time—with strange symbols drawn on his back. Pendergast sees a tie-in with a local cult, and he and D’Agosta set out to infiltrate the group’s secret ceremony. Meanwhile Nora Kelly has been kidnapped from her hospital bed, for what purpose one can only shudderingly speculate. On another front, a group of animal rights activists is also focussing on the cult, for reasons of their own. Underneath all the blood and darkness, there is a motive you might not expect, although when Pendergast and D’Agosta finally track the main villain down it all makes sense. Somehow I didn’t find the scary bits all that scary; the authors have done better in some of their earlier books. That sense of impending horror doesn’t come though as well in this story but it is nonetheless a better way to spend an evening than listening to unemployed economists rehashing financial doom stories on some infotainment show.
My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir Publisher: William Morrow ISBN-10: 0061143383 Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader When Icelandic attorney Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, single mother of two, is invited by one of her more unusual clients to visit his New Age seaside resort for the weekend, she jumps at the chance to add some spice into her rather dreary life. But while a weekend at the lovely resort sounds good in theory, Jónas, the owner of the retreat, is also inviting her to see if a case can be made against the family who sold him the land, his complaint being that the whole place is haunted and it’s killing his growing business, not to mention creeping out the staff. But while Thóra may be more than dubious of making a case out of the so-called huantings, she’ll all too soon find her hands full defending her client in a murder charge when he becomes the chief suspect after the body of the resort’s young and beautiful architect is discovered on the beach. And the only way it seems to prove her client innocent is to find out who the killer really is, leading Thóra to begin her own investigation into the strange happenings in this very strange place that holds some very strange and deadly secrets, many of which reach back decades, and that in their own insidious way stubbornly seem to have remained to haunt the living. While this is the second in the series, have no worries if you didn’t catch the first. Sigurdardóttir does a great job of bringing back just enough aspects of her first novel to make it flow seamlessly for both the initiated and the not, giving away just enough to make the first group glad to return and the latter enticed to go back to the beginning. With easy-to-like characters, a grand setting, old secrets, and a challenging who-done-it, there’s a lot to enjoy in this mystery. And if there’s a complaint to be made, it’s only that perhaps the guessing game goes on for just a tad too long, with the many wrong trails taken becoming a bit wearying towards the end. But for those who like a mystery with plenty of suspects who have plenty of motives, and who like to puzzle out the truth, this will fit the bill. Engaging and entertaining, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon or two.
First Family by David Baldacci Publisher: Grand Central Publishers ISBN: 978-0-446-53975-3 Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader What do Secret Service agents do when they leave the Secret Service? In the case of Michelle Maxwell and Sean King, they become private investigators. What does the somewhat deranged descendent of wealthy American plantation owners do to compete with the atrocities carried on by some of his ancestors? In the case of Sam Quarry, he struggles to maintain the remaining two hundred acres of the past empire, renovate an old house into a survivalist’s bunker, and convert a deserted mine into a remote underground prison. All this plays along with his plans of kidnap. Quarry then kidnaps the niece of the First Lady from one state. In a seemingly unrelated act, he kidnaps a woman from another state. What is the ultimate purpose of the kidnapping and why is he collecting vials of blood from the victim and her family? What does the First Lady do if close relatives are attacked in their home and her niece is kidnapped? She calls an ex-Secret Service agent she can trust – Sean King. King once saved her husband from a comprising situation that could have ruined his future chances to be President. Needless to say, this does not set well with the Secret Service or FBI. Then there is also the brother of the first lady who had his wife murdered and daughter kidnapped. What secrets is he hiding? Finally, there is the death of Michelle Maxwell’s mother. What looked like an accident begins to look like murder with her father as the prime suspect. So what does it all mean? That’s part of pleasure of reading a well-crafted mystery by a master writer such as Baldacci. However, be forewarned that there are several subplots early on and the reader will need to pay close attention to detail thanks to the plot twists.
Mating Season by Jon Loomis Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN-10: 0312367708 Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader When the body of Kenji Sole, a wealthy and beautiful heiress, is found brutally murdered in her upscale home in one of Cape Cod’s more unique tourist destinations, Provincetown, her shocking sexual past manages to raise more than a few shocked eyebrows even in this town that is renowned for its open attitude. And for Detectives Frank Coffin and Lola Winters, discovering her hidden camera that taped them all only widens the pool of suspects, some of which reside in the highest echelons of power and influence and who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets. Having really enjoyed Loomis’ first in the series featuring Detective Frank Coffin and the wildly unique locale of Provincetown, his follow-up was eagerly anticipated. But while his previous tale was rich in character development and setting, this latest seemed to dim in comparison, with both Coffin and Provincetown being over-shadowed by Loomis’ foray into the kinky and risqué that often times felt more gratuitous than essential to developing the story. One can’t help but miss the insightful views into Detective Coffin’s original approach to making sense out of murder, not to mention his life, that were offered the first time around, views that enriched the story and left readers wanting to know Coffin and what came next for him and his crazy little burg. We can only hope that Loomis’ next will return to the basics that made his first so richly compelling, with the risqué and the brazen being the cream and the sugar, and the characters and setting being the coffee and the cup.
The Language of Bees by Laurie King Publisher: Bantam ISBN-10: 0553804545 Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader “It had been a long day, filled with bees and Bohemians, children scrubbed for bed and children in the most terrible distress.” In this latest of the popular Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mystery series set in 1924, Sherlock Holmes is enlisted by Damian, the son he barely knows and met only five years before, to find Damian’s wife and daughter after they disappear while on an “adventure”. Learning more about Damian proves as compelling to Holmes as does the case, and both inspire him to move quickly to find his daughter-in-law and little granddaughter, leaving Holmes’ young wife Mary Russell to work out why one of Holmes’ beloved hives at his Sussex farm swarms, losing the queen and heirs. Not only is the existence of Damian’s wife, Yolanda, a surprise to Holmes, but he also finds that his artistic, passionate son has chosen a vivacious Chinese woman scarred by a terrible childhood, resulting in her quest for peace in the most obscure of religions during an era filled with mysticism and charlatans. In order to track Yolanda’s “adventure”, Holmes and Russell separately delve into the spiritual fringes to follow her trail. At the same time, a bizarre killing spree centered on early religious sites leaves several unfortunate victims with no apparent connection. Luckily, Russell’s education in ancient religions provides Holmes with knowledge on one of the few subjects he purposely avoids and the two take off on parallel quests with occasional checking in, proving their partnership remains more than just marital. Throughout the series, we’ve seen the Holmes/Russell relationship evolve from a mentor/student one into an egalitarian partnership weighted with intelligence and passion. Russell especially continues to develop into a well-educated and self-assured woman who balances the great, aging and moody detective made famous by Dr. Watson’s case stories during the reign of Victoria. In the story, the modern age bursts through with the setting of the roaring twenties in which Mary Russell maintains her maiden name and sports a fashionable “smart” cut, although her short hair resulted from a case described previously in the series. Even bearing in mind that the 1920s were a time to stretch fashion, art, and morals into new modern directions, the book still reads a little too 21st century. This is surprising since King superbly evokes a slightly later period in Touchstone, a mystery which also benefits from the lack of iconic characters. Fortunately, the witty Language of Bees focuses on the first person narrative of Mary Russell, supplemented with almost as much emphasis on her brother-in-law Mycroft Holmes as on Sherlock. Still, if it’s been a while since you’ve read Arthur Conan Doyle, King’s version remains uncommunicative and independent enough to remain a viable character and the addition of Damian and a Holmes granddaughter (!) prove fascinating.
The Last Child by John Hart Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN-10: 0312359322 Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader While for many a year gone by might seem little more than the blink of an eye, for Johnny Merrimon, a 13 year old boy in the South, the year following his twin sister’s disappearance has been anything but. He’s not only had to deal with the empty hole left by his missing sister, but also that left by his father who, apparently ridden with guilt, also managed to vanish into the greater unknown, leaving Johnny with his shell of a mother whose spiral into drugs and despair has only continued to grow. But despite his growing isolation and fears, Johnny has never given up the search for his beloved twin, with the intensity of his search only growing with each day that passes. And so it’s a year later in his search that he suddenly finds himself in the right place at the right time to receive a clue in what happened that fateful day. But the clue, literally falling to his feet from an overhead bridge in the guise of a dying man, will only lead to more questions, questions that involve not only this dying man, but also those surrounding the severely injured black man carrying his own burden he encounters shortly after. Yet, it's the deeper questions that Johnny will have to face that will forever change him - questions of just who to trust in his world of broken adults, of just how far friendship and family will go in time of need and, most importantly, questions of how far he himself is willing to go to get to the truth. In The Last Child, Hart returns to the South and again uses his uncanny ability to create characters that speak directly to the reader’s heart. There’s so many dimensions to this latest that it’s a bit difficult to pinpoint which one stands out the most. There’s the heartfelt portrayal of Johnny’s journey from boy to man - a rich and multi-layered quest that mercilessly leaves innocence behind. There’s the story of a determined detective who in his own relentless quest for answers also sacrifices his own share of ignorant bliss. Then too, there’s the story of the past, of its losses and heartaches, its regrets and promise, and its sometimes mystical return to set things right. Adequately describing the many facets of this book is most likely impossible, so let it just be said that undertaking this read will take you not just through a series of words wonderfully strewn together to create a wondrous story, but through an adventure that easily transcends the pages they’re written on.
Dead Men’s Dust by Matt Hilton Publisher: William Morrow ISBN: 978-0-06-171714-7 Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader Some people might label Joe Hunter as a vigilante. He calls himself a problem-fixer. Hunter has been a longtime soldier and entered the private sector to help those who cannot stop the abuse of society’s predators. The story opens with Hunter violently discouraging three thugs from terrorizing a woman and her children in England. Gradually it emerges that she is his sister-in-law. The thugs were sent to try to collect a debt owed by Hunter’s brother, John. Hunter has long cleaned up his brother’s messes and squared his debts. The sister-in-law is worried that the John is missing even though she admits he ran off to America with another woman, Louise. She still believes he’s in trouble. The story shifts to Florida and then Arkansas. Louise confirms that John is missing. Once again, John has debts owed to a local criminal. The question is whether John has fled to avoid his debts or if the criminal has done something to John. Hunter goes straight at the criminal to find out. Meanwhile, John is taking a sojourn across the country. Stranded in the western desert, he steals a car from an apparent Good Samaritan who stops to help him. Tubal Cain is anything but a Good Samaritan. In Cain’s SUV, John finds a bundle containing an assortment of inexpensive knives. John takes the Bowie knife from the bundle and leaves Cain in the desert. Unfortunately for John, Cain is well on the way to his goal of becoming America’s most prolific and undetected serial killer. The knives hold fond memories for Cain, as does thumbs collected from his victims as well as entire bodies hidden in his secret place. Cain uses the skills that he had developed stalking his victims to follow John. The story then becomes a race for Hunter or Cain to find John first. Hilton writes a tale that is simple and complex at once. The plot is relatively simple. The characters are more complex. This results in an interesting combination that makes it difficult for the reader to put down the book.
The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan Publisher: Minotaur Books ISBN-10: 0312558538 Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader When bride-to-be Meg Wynne Thompson goes missing the day of her wedding in the idyllic North Wales village of Llanelen, nail salon owner Penny Brannigan is shocked to discover that she’s the last one to have seen the bride alive. The killer, of course, being the last face this unpopular, materialistic bride had the unfortunate fate of seeing. And Penny, being a sprightly and insightful woman in her 50s, can’t help but get caught up in the investigation, her ability to note the smallest details being extremely helpful to the lead investigator on the case, a man whose attractiveness is also noted by Penny. But the deeper the investigation goes into this young victim’s life, the more suspects there are to consider, with each secret uncovered bringing danger only that much closer to all involved. Duncan’s debut novel is, simply put, a winner. With plenty of amateur sleuths out there already, she manages to distinguish her new addition to the crowd with a wonderfully drawn character who provides not only self-deprecating humor at being an “amateur sleuth,” but also finely tuned insights into the life of a woman with both feet planted squarely in middle age; both aspects artfully and unapologetically presented in a delightfully upbeat and unselfconscious manner. Also of note is Duncan’s colorful portrayal of small-town life in the beautiful and serene setting of the countryside of North Wales. This is hopefully just the first in a series that has the potential to really make a unique and refreshing mark in a genre that has gotten slightly stale, and so we eagerly anticipate what might come next from this very talented author.
No Such Creature by Giles Blunt Publisher: Henry Holt and Company ISBN: 978-0-8050-8062-9 Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader Owen Maxwell had an ideal childhood with two loving parents. This ended on his tenth birthday when his parents were killed in a car crash as the three came home. Owen could not accept the foster homes to which he was sent. Fortunately he was saved from that life by the appearance of his great Uncle Max. Max was a failed English actor who had turned his talents to larceny. Eight years later, Owen and Max divide their time between robbing Republican dinner parties and touring the country in a massive motor home. The pair - with the rest of their gang - is successful at this method of acquiring wealth. However, there is trouble in their world taking several forms. Owen has been accepted to Julliard to study acting thereby breaking up the criminal partnership. Also, the Subtractors – a vicious group of criminals that steal the loot from other criminals – are on their trail. Finally, Sabrina – the daughter of a criminal colleague of Max’s – is thrust into their life and turns Owen’s head, but a jealous and obsessed ex-cop is on her trail. Blunt has fashioned an extremely entertaining tale. The dialogue is snappy and the storyline allows colorful characters to interact on a humorous as well as violent level reminding the reader of the price that criminals can pay.
Intent To Kill by James Grippando Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers ISBN: 978-0-06-162868-9 Reviewed by Jim Sells, New Mystery Reader Ryan James was living the American dream. He had a promising career in minor league baseball with a shot at the majors. There was a beautiful wife – Chelsea - who taught school to supplement their income and who was attending law school at night. Even her adult, autistic brother only intrudes on the picture to a small degree. And there was their two-year-old daughter. All of that ended on fateful night. Ryan was playing an important game with a scout watching that night. He insisted that Chelsea skip her class to come and see. She did and was struck by a drunk driver. The wife died while the daughter only had minor injuries. The story jumps forward four years. Ryan had lost his minor league position due to his drinking and slumping performance on the field. At home he can’t sleep due to the nightmares. Ryan is now half of a sports radio-show “shock jock” team. His insomnia is interfering with this job as well. Meanwhile, prosecutor Emma Carlisle has struggled to solve the case and give closure to Ryan. Just as it looks as though this is a lost cause, an anonymous tipster starts leaving notes that they know who killed Chelsea. When the evidence starts pointing toward Emma’s former boss, she is torn between her duty and her loyalty. Grippando has crafted a first-rate thriller with believable characters and an intriguing storyline. Additionally, he captures an essence of the struggle for people to do the right thing.
Fifty Grand by Adrian McKinty Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. ISBN-10: 0805089004 Reviewed by Dana King, New Mystery Reader Adrian McKinty has been a writer to be watched since his debut novel Dead I Well May Be in 2003. The anti-hero of DIWMB, Michael Forsythe, appeared in two more books (The Dead Yard and The Bloomsday Dead) before McKinty decided Forsythe had suffered enough. (No slur intended; Forsythe’s trials sometimes made The Passion of the Christ look like a Lifetime movie.) His newest book, Fifty Grand, has been much anticipated. The hype was not unjustified. Detective Mercado (we never get her real first name) is a Havana cop whose father defected when she was a child. After Dad is killed in a Colorado hit-and-run, journalist brother and Party member Ricky sneaks away from a New York assignment to track down some information. Mercado has vengeance on her mind and a difficult trail to find it. The book moves back and forth through time, with elements of the movie Michael Clayton; the opening scene actually takes place toward the end, and the reader is taken back in time to work up to it. It’s trick to pull off, but McKinty has it under control. He knows exactly how much to tell, and how to make it memorable enough to be anticipated two hundred pages later. Mercado is a well defined protagonist. Tough as she has to be when, but not always so sure she wants to be. McKinty writes in a female voice unselfconsciously, never drawing the reader away from inside Mercado’s head. He takes risks, but always reveals just enough to maintain the compact of believability promised at the beginning. The Forsythe books were known for violent and complex endings, and McKinty does not disappoint. The climax on a frozen lake in Wyoming is properly graphic and bloody. Never gratuitous, McKinty has a knack for allowing the reader to feel not only Mercado’s terror, but her determination to get out of the situation. It’s the kind of scene that will look great in a movie, but still won’t be as good as the book, as the movie can’t get inside her head like McKinty does. The writing style can be described as how James Ellroy might write if Ellroy hadn’t decided he alone was God’s gift to crime fiction. Tight narration and dialog. Short sentences and paragraphs, using white space to pull the reader’s along almost hypnotically. No word is wasted, yet descriptions and emotions are not slighted. Take this excerpt from Page 172:
For all of recorded history and for the million years before that humans have taken vengeance into their own hands. A simple code. Kill one of ours, we’ll kill one of yours. The simplest code there is. Only in the last century or two have people given this job to outsiders. To police, lawyers, courts. And no one really buys into that 100 percent. Certainly not in Cuba, where the old ways walk the streets of Cerro and Vedado. This is what Ricky doesn’t understand. He’s never walked those streets. Cops and the rule of law are a blip in deep time. No, we don’t completely believe in them and some part of us remembers revenge isn’t just a right—it’s a sacred obligation.
There are too many memorable scenes to recount here. Mercado’s unorthodox acquisition of a gun from a dealer stands out, as does, of course, the scene on the lake. Like Ellroy, McKinty sometimes uses real people in his stories. Raul Castro plays a small, but pivotal part. Fifty Grand isn’t for everyone. Those who like bloodless murders solved by doddering old ladies or adorable felines will be upset by the language and manners of death. So it goes. If you enjoy tightly written yet colorful prose used to tell a story that always seems to have one more layer, then Fifty Grand should go onto your To Be Read pile immediately. Just don’t leave it there too long. For interview with Adrian McKinty
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