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click on titles for buying info Flawed by Jo Bannister Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur ISBN-10: 0312375662 Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader Bannister takes us once again into the convoluted dramas that make up the lives of Brodie Farrell, a "finder" of everything and anything; Daniel Hood, shyly sensitive math genius nerd; and DS Jack Deacon, the gruff and constantly irate ex lover of Brodie. This time out, Brodie is getting further along in her pregnancy (the father being DS Deacon, now her ex who is unaware of the impending birth), and so hires Daniel to look over her business, a situation neither is quite comfortable with but one that Daniel eagerly agrees to, as always, in his quest to please the prickly target of his unrequited love. The first client Daniel encounters is a young boy who has an unhappy homelife, and one that after further investigation, Daniel identifies as abusive and dangerous. Meanwhile, Deacon stands somewhat on the sidelines in the investigation of a somewhat friend of his who investigators are hoping to bring down for various crimes, one of which might include murder. And so eventually, these two cases will collide, although their collision is born out of happenstance not answers. Usually Bannister manages to blend her well-written characters with a mystery that also proves to be compelling, but as the wary reader might have noted from the above bewildering description, to ascribe such a balance to this latest might be misleading. It's not that this is poorly written, it's not. It's just that readers who haven't read what's come before might get easily discouraged by the complicated personal dramas that all too often overshadow and make extraneous the mysteries themselves. However, those already involved in the saga of these lives will find this latest to be another highly entertaining romp with these very likable characters.
The Widow's Mate by Ralph McInerny Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur ISBN: 0-312-36455-5 Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader Mystery surrounds the disappearance of a married man who turns up as a body several years later. No one knows where he was until he was found murdered. Suspicion points its finger in several directions at once but the case remains unsolved. The victim's old girl friend hires the same lawyer to find out what happened that his wife had hired--a man named Tuttle. Will he be able to unravel the tangle? Then a new murder occurs and an arrest is made. Is there a connection and have both cases been solved? Family complications, business ties, love affairs--all add to a good mystery with lots of personal intrigues added to the mix. Will Father Dowling bring all the loose ends together to provide answers to all the problems and solve the old as well as the new murder? A nice easy paced read. Recommended for any mystery buff as a pleasant way to spend some time with old friends as you tag along with the priest to find the solution. Enjoy. I did.
Rebel Island by Rick Riordan Publisher: Bantam ISBN: 978-0-553-80423-2 Reviewed by Kathryn Lawson, New Mystery Reader When a group of people with dangerous secrets and hidden motivations are trapped on Rebel Island by a hurricane, the margaritas flow freely at first. But dark humor gives way to real concern when dead bodies start piling up faster than the booze bottles, in this rollicking novel that’s as driven by the characters as by the plot. Semi-retired private investigator Tres Navarre and his pregnant bride Maia decide to spend their wedding night on Rebel Island at the behest of Garrett, Tres’s exasperating but loveable brother, who has his own reasons for wanting them there. Throw in an elderly criminal defense attorney, the U.S. marshal whose murderous tendencies pushed Tres into early retirement, three drug-addled college students, and a mysterious explosives expert for a light-hearted and entertaining read. Riordan is the winner of the Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus Awards, and this novel showcases his talent. He moves fluidly between present-day action and Tres’s bittersweet memories of the island. Dialogue is crisp, with each character having a unique voice. Swift pacing and credible plot twists keep the story moving until its surprising conclusion. All in all, an enjoyable book that will whet your appetite for the other Tres Navarre mysteries.
Patriot Acts by Greg Rucka Publisher: Bantam ISBN-10: 0553804731 Reviewed by Dana King, New Mystery Reader It has been stated – accurately – that a review says more about the reviewer than it does about the alleged subject. Blind spots and prejudices are exposed, along with gaps in knowledge and personal preferences. It would be hard for me to rip anything by Elmore Leonard. I don’t know Mr. Leonard, never met him, but he has provided me so many entertaining hours that anything he writes gets the benefit of the doubt. On the dark side, I don’t care for contemporary thrillers. Hitchcock I love, and a good suspenseful story will hook me every time. What passes for a thriller today is the literary equivalent of an action movie, all chase scenes and body counts, with only minimal reference to why this is happening, or how feasible it is. This can be fun in a movie, as the theater experience wraps the audience in the moment and doesn’t leave time to see the holes in the plot, or the gauze-thin characterizations and dialog. So when I started Greg Rucka’s Patriot Acts, my first thought was, “Oh, this is one of those books.” (Apologies to fellow reviewer Barbara Fister for borrowing her line.) A dozen bodies in the first twenty pages, no idea why, and a hero named Atticus Kodiak. Not too promising. This is why I always read the whole book. Patriot Acts is the thriller that exposes the weaknesses of its peers. Rucka never allows Kodiak to become too much of a superman, though he’s damned good. He has the doubts anyone would have, yet never succumbs to the navel gazing that makes it difficult to believe someone so sensitive could do what he’s about to do. Kodiak knows he’s damaged goods, but deals with it and moves on each time, careful not to become the killing machine glorified by too many patriotic thrillers today. Rucka gives Kodiak and his team enough warts and self-doubts to seem real, without making them oxymoronic amalgamations of characteristics put together by the marketing department to appeal to every demographic. His villains are motivated, and grounded in contemporary culture. Most difficult of all, he is able to navigate the swamp of political perspective without preaching about it. There’s not much to say about the plot without ruining it. Picking up where previous books left off, Patriot Acts begins with Kodiak and his friends Alena and Natalie fighting off a quick sequence of attacks, the origins of which they can only guess. The book catalogues the backtracking and resolution of the initial battles, and ties up some loose ends that one suspects have been floating throughout the series. To say more than that would risk spoiling the sequence of climaxes, and they’re worth waiting for. Rucka assumes the reader is familiar with the series, which makes it hard to keep track of who and why and how and when. Hang in there. By the end everything material is made clear enough to be satisfying, and your curiosity may be piqued to go back to the previous stories to see how Kodiak and Alena got to this point. Patriot Acts is a roaring good read, full of action and characters worthy of a reader’s empathy. To say it’s a page turner is faint praise; I set my DVR to delay a baseball playoff game until I could finish the last couple of chapters. Now that’s high praise.
Mr. Clarinet by Nick Stone Publisher: HarperCollins ISBN: 978-0-06-089729-1 Reviewed by Susan Illis, New Mystery Reader Miami private investigator turned inmate Max Mingus is still in Attica when he is approached with a missing persons case. He tears up the letters and refuses the phone calls without a second thought. Until his wife, Sandra, dies tragically and he is set free—physically, but not emotionally. Most private investigators would be tempted by the multimillionaire dollar reward the white Haitian family is offering for information on the missing boy, Charlie Carver. Many would also be frightened off by the disturbing fates of Max’s predecessors. Max is neither attracted nor deterred by these factors. Mainly, he isn’t ready to go home to a house filled with memories of his wife and doesn’t have any better offers. Charlie Carver disappeared when he was a toddler, and most people assume he is dead. Too many Haitian children have disappeared without a trace for the last few generations, and most blame the legendary Mr. Clarinet, a sort of Pied Piper who lures children with his clarinet. Through Max Mingus, Nick Stone offers an unforgettable portrayal of Haiti—bleak, corrupt, and filthy. The Carvers control a banking empire with tentacles stretching all over the world. The cracks in the family armor are not far below the surface, but Max assumes the Carvers have been torn apart by the loss of their young heir. He soon realizes that the cracks are more like canyons. Max Mingus is a flawed but likeable hero, with his own unique sense of morality. Mr. Clarinet has waaay too much back story for the first book in a series, and some readers will be put off either by the graphic violence or the subject matter. Others will just enjoy the suspense and the insider glimpse into Haiti. Although Mr. Clarinet is billed as the first in a series, it’s hard to imagine Nick Stone creating a setting so expertly as he does with Haiti.
Irish Alibi by Ralph McInerny Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur ISBN: 0 312 35457 1 Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader Notre Dame fans -- take heed! Mystery buffs, pay attention! Talented author Ralph McInerny has again written a tale to keep us happily reading in a tale of strange happenings at the time of the big game. A murder draws Roger and Philip Knight into the lies of a writer, a publisher and a dead author who is the writer's estranged wife. Mixed in with the tangle of relationships among the three are some antics of the student body which prove the War between the States is not quite over. While one suspect after another is reeled in and tossed back by the police, the campus police are also actively seeking a solution to the student created problem. Is there something linking the student actions to the murder? A fun read full of trails that wind back upon themselves to lead the reader a merry chase while trying to figure the identity of a killer. Will they strike again? What does the author have to do with the university? Recommended as a read well worth the time. You'll enjoy a return visit with the Knight Brothers and others as old friends if you've read other books by this imaginative author. Enjoy. I did.
The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books ISBN 978 0 312 32942 6 Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader Meg Langslow's father was excavating a place for a swimming pool for 13 visiting penguins in his daughter's cellar--as one does--when he unearthed a human hand. Things sort of went downhill there for a while, but picked up with the arrival of a troup of llamas, three laughing hyenas, some ring-tailed lemurs, and a wonderfully delineated David Attenborough clone, Dr Mongomery Blake. The human hand proved to be attached to the recently dead zoo owner, who was on the verge of bankruptcy when death intervened by way of a crossbow bolt. The assorted animals that keep turning up at Meg's rambling Victorian mansion were 'farmed out' with local families by the now defunct zoo, and Meg's father, a keen amateur naturalist, has let it be known he's willing to foster these animals until a permanent home can be found for them. Rather than upset his wife with a sudden deluge of wildlife, Dad has chosen to upset Meg. Meg was already busy enough, moving into her new home with her fiance, and making plans to elope with him in a few days. The dead body causes complications, as does the claustrophobic medical examiner who can't bear dark cellars, small cars, or vampires. He takes up residence in an Adirondack chair on the lawn, while Meg's cousin Rose ministers to him with an assortment of aromatherapies and accupressure massage. Then the wolves turn up at the front door, a couple of peculiar locals begin excavating Meg's lawn in search of their dead Uncle Plantagenet, and a local boy goes missing. Meg's life can't get much more complicated than this, can it? Depends on whether you'd define a complication as ending up in a deep trench with a broken leg, while an injured wildcat lurks at the other end and a murderer prances around above you trying to get a good shot with the crossbow. This is a marvelously funny romp with a likable cast of characters and a really unforeseen ending. Get it before they sell out.
Lullaby by Sherry Scarpaci Publisher: Five Star ISBN-10: 1594145830 Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader Once a cop, Vicky Langford gave it all up to become an investigative reporter after the murder of her husband who was also on the force. And after years of believing that crime boss Richard Blackwell was responsible for her husband's murder, Vicky has never stopped pursuing justice. So when she begins to be assailed by increasingly threatening events, she's only more convinced that Blackwell is behind it all in an attempt to quiet her damning accusations. But when her son is kidnapped, she begins to question if he's really the one behind it all; suspicions that will lead her to suspect everyone she's ever trusted, and put her on the dangerous trail of killer who is closer than she knows. This debut mystery from Scarpaci has much to offer fans of the suspenseful thriller. With just enough twists thrown in to keep the reader guessing, and the sense of expectancy sustained high enough throughout to keep the pages turning, this easily makes for a good dose of entertainment. And for those who like a touch of romance, there's enough of that thrown in for good measure as well. There's much promise in this first, and we hope that Scarpaci is ready to follow up with another for the eager fans who are no doubt eagerly waiting for what comes next.
The Bloody Tower by Carola Dunn Publisher: St. Matin's Minotaur ISBN: 13:; 978-0-312-36306-2 Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader A keeper! This is one of those rare books you'll want to keep and read again and perhaps again to be sure you didn't miss any of the details. Daisy Dalrymple has taken up her journalistic pen again to write a series of articles about the Tower of London. An invitation to visit her mother's card playing friend gives her an entrance that guarantees her articles will have more information in them than the usual items written based on information given to tourists. A second invitation to see a special ceremony performed at night means Daisy will be spending the night at the tower. In a dense river fog, the ceremony goes on and Daisy is escorted back to the house to spend the night. In the morning, Daisy misses her twins and decides to leave early for home. And discovers the body of a man in uniform at the bottom of some steep stairs. It is evident he didn't just fall. Alec, Daisy's husband, is handed the investigation and right from the start wishes his wife wasn't involved. Now she must be counted as a murder suspect. Talented author Carola Dunn has paid such attention to detail in describing the Tower and its confines that any reader will come away with a sense of having visited the bleak place. Walk where Walter Raleigh walked and attend ceremonies established centuries before. The ghosts of the famous and infamous who spent their last days in this place will walk with you. Well-drawn characters and a twisting plot offer any reader a good read. I'm pleased to highly recommend this tale as worth the time. You'll be looking for other books by this creative author. I know, I will.
Second Shot by Zoe Sharp Publisher: Thomas Dunne/St Martin's Minotaur ISBN 978 0 312 35895 2 Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader The liner notes for this book say that Zoe Sharp spent most of her childhood aboard a catamaran on the northwest coast of England, opted out of mainstream education at age 12, and wrote her first novel at 15. After a start like that, of course the next step would be for Zoe to invent a series that makes readers into instant addicts of the adventures of Charlie Fox. Charlie (Çharlotte in another life) was in the SAS, and has put the skills she learned there to good use as a bodyguard. Her present job is guarding a new lottery millionaire and her daughter from what seems to be a threat from the ex-partner. It isn't long before it become apparent to Charlie and her boss Sean that there are a lot more dangerous predators after Simone and little Ella than the rather ineffective Matt. There's a complex web of subplots in this story, involving a bunch of very dangerous people, all of whom have an interest in Simone and Ella. Some who seem to be friends turn out not to be, and others who might be enemies are, for their own reasons, sometimes friendly. Every second character has an ulterior motive, most of them based on greed of one sort or another, so when murder enters the scene nobody should be surprised. Sharp skillfully twists all the various threads into a firm rope, one that looks suspiciously like a noose from some angles. The action takes place in England and New England, and action there is in huge measure. Charlie is shot twice in the early stages of the story and faces incredible danger hampered by an injured body that can't keep up with her tenacious determination. Used to overcoming barriers by physical means, Charlie is forced back on her mental reserves to deal with the dangers that come at her like line drives from Fenway Park. Charlie Fox has all the attributes of a superheroine, with the added blessing of a conscience, which makes her more than just a two-dimensional bash-'em-up character. If you want a challenging read, one that doesn't let up from page one to the end of the book, seek out this book.
False Fortune by Twist Phelan Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press ISBN-10: 1590583639 Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader When Pinnacle Peak, Arizona attorney Hannah Dain takes her sister's place in a meeting intended to settle a lawsuit brought by tribal members claiming to be contaminated by government waste, she initially thinks it's a slam dunk with only signatures needed to seal the deal. But when she finds herself rescuing a woman also involved in the case from a near-lethal car "accident," she begins to look a little closer at the proposed settlement. And the closer she looks, the more dangerous life becomes, because the secrets she slowly uncovers were never meant to be revealed. While the actual mystery part of this book is enough to carry the read satisfactorily throughout, it's really the depiction of sibling bonding, or sometimes the lack thereof, that really sets it apart. And even though readers new to the series would benefit with a little more background on Hannah's complicated family history, the arrival of Hannah's other sister, a teenaged girl she's never met, still easily manages to add a great deal of spirit and poignancy to the read. This slow revealing of Hannah's hidden emotional depths through the blossoming relationship with her sister, another finely drawn character, is an element that promises great things to come and we look forward to the next.
Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard Publisher: Warner Books ISBN 978 0 446 57876 9 Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader This is a very different to Mitchard’s last book, “Cage of Stars”, which dealt with the affect of child murder on a family and a community. There are common threads, however: family and community dynamics are again under the microscope, but on a much reduced scale. The world where most of the story takes place is a luxury yacht, on which a group of middle-aged school friends travel the Caribbean for what is to be the holiday of a lifetime. So it proves to be, but not at all in the way the women expected. The idyll is somewhat disturbed from the start by the presence of Cammie, the almost-grown daughter of one of the women, Tracy. Putting a pullet in the hen house was bound to change the group’s relationships; more so because one of the two-man crew is young and virile and seen as natural prey by one of the women. The crew becomes separated from the sailboat and its passengers, and the women are left on their own with a broken engine and little knowledge of how to sail. One of them, Holly, is sickening with blood poisoning, and the radio isn’t working to call for help. Luckily, a boat with three fishermen comes to their rescue—except they aren’t fishermen, they’re pirates. Finding a shiny sailboat full of helpless women makes the pirates think all their Christmases have come at once—but not all the women are helpless, and things take an unexpected turn at a pivotal moment. Mitchard once again proves to be a writer who can draw you into a situation and involve you, even if you don’t particularly like all—or any--of her characters. You are compelled to finish the book to find out what happens; unlike some stories, this one keeps you guessing.
The Companion by Ann Granger Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Group ISBN: 9780312363376 Reviewed by Robin Thomas, New Mystery Reader Lizzie Martin arrives in London in 1864 to assume a paid position as a lady’s companion but one of the first thing she sees out the window of her cab is a wagon carrying the remains of a young woman found in a building that was going to be demolished. Lizzie is comfortable with death; her deceased father was a physician often called upon by the police to determine cause of death. Things become even more alarming once Lizzie arrives at her employer’s home. Her employer, Mrs. Parry informs Lizzie that she is replacing Madeline Hexham who has mysteriously disappeared supposedly to marry. When Scotland Yard inspector Benjamin Ross arrives at the Parry residence investigating the brutal murder of a young woman, Lizzie fears become real as she realizes that the dead body that she saw when she arrived was Madeline Hexham. Lizzie is shocked to hear Mrs. Parry assert that Madeline deserved to die due to her obvious immoral behavior. Lizzie is determined to find out what really happened to Madeline Hexham and assists the inspector in solving the case. Benjamin Ross welcomes Lizzie’s help and his reunion with a childhood friend but he is extremely concerned about her safety. Ann Granger vividly recreates Victorian England in The Companion. The whodunit is told from the viewpoints of Lizzie and Benjamin, rotating seamlessly between them to provide the reader with insights into the crime from both their perspectives. Lightly sprinkled into the plotline is a hint of romance. Fans of Granger’s Fran Vardy cozy series and her Mitchell and Markby series will welcome with open arms this break from her series to write a historical mystery featuring Lizzie Martin and will enjoy this glimpse of Victorian morals and foibles.
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New Mystery Reader Magazine editor@newmysteryreader.com
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