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Rizzo’s War by Lou Manfredo

Publisher:  Minotaur Books  ISBN:  978-0-312-53805-7

Reviewed by Ray Palen, New Mystery Reader

As a veteran of the NYC Criminal Justice System, debut author Lou Manfredo clearly displays hands-on knowledge of his subject matter.  He spent over twenty-five years working in Brooklyn and has based his first full-length novel there.

NYPD veteran Detective Joe Rizzo welcomes a new partner, Mike McQueen, to the sixty-second precinct in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.  McQueen comes from a short but successful stint as a beat cop in Manhattan, where he also resides.  The veteran and Brooklyn native, Rizzo, has much to teach McQueen about the precinct, the streets and most of all the political structure of his home borough.

The beginning of the novel has the feel of the movie, “Training Day”, where a seasoned veteran of the LA Narcotics Squad named Alonzo (Denzel Washington) spends a tumultuous day with his new squad member (played with naïve eagerness by Ethan Hawke).  It is at this point where the comparison ends --- as Joe Rizzo is no Alonzo.  True, the reader will have a difficult time figuring out whether Rizzo is dirty or not and he is under IAD investigation for incidents with his previous partner, Morelli.

What transpires in “Rizzo’s War” is one full year spent with new partners Rizzo and McQueen.  During this time they handle a number of different cases --- Rizzo attempting to show McQueen the ropes along the way.  The bulk of the novel involves a case with intricate political ties.  When the daughter of a City Councilman goes missing, Rizzo and McQueen are tasked with the case.  It is clearly not cut and dry and the things that are uncovered during their investigation may just be the tip of the corruption iceberg.  This is a case that could finish Rizzo and potentially derail the young career of McQueen.

Throughout “Rizzo’s War”, the reader is consistently reminded of Joe Rizzo’s mantra: “There’s no wrong, there’s no right, there just is.”  I commend Lou Manfredo for keeping the language and feel of his debut novel real from start to finish.  It is clear he is quite comfortable writing in this genre and the territorial knowledge he possesses is self-evident.  Where he could have resorted to typical nourish language and hard-boiled detective clichés he instead just gives a very colloquial voice to all his characters.  Fans of hard-boiled crime will enjoy his prose.  Personally, I would have liked to have seen a little more character and mystery as the novel, at times, seemed to spin its’ wheels. 

Blood Game by Iris Johanson

Publisher:  Publisher: St. Martin’s Press  ISBN-10: 0312368127

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

This new chapter in the life of Eve Duncan, a forensic sculptor who suffers an obsessive compulsion to find her long-missing daughter’s body, takes a further step into the foreign country that is the human mind.

Joe Quinn, Eve’s long-time partner in both crime investigation and romance, is not himself.  Eve and her adopted daughter Jane both notice that Joe is withdrawn, introspective and abrupt, but they don’t know the reason.  Eve blames herself: she knows her obsession with finding Bonnie’s body has been wearying for Joe—perhaps he’s had enough, wants to be free of her and her problems?  They have just been through an unbelievably evil experience with a serial killer, and perhaps Joe’s mental stability has been rocked by it.  Despite being aware of her obsession, Eve isn’t willing to let it go, she’s like a person always picking off a scab; there’s no chance of healing while that’s going on.

Joe, barely recovered from the horrors of the recent child-murder case, is having to deal with a new murderer, one who appears to believe he’s a vampire.  The case is made worse by the fact that the first victim is the daughter of a powerful and pushy U.S. Senator who is making Joe’s life harder by having his every move followed and second-guessed.  Worst of all, Joe discovers he can talk to the dead girl.  While this is handy because it provides him with clues he couldn’t get any other way, he’s still not sure if he’s really talking with Nancy Jo or if he’s going mad.

The book requires the reader to accept that there may in fact be ‘more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of’, and crime purists may jib at the large serving of otherworldliness that takes the book to the boundaries of another genre.   At the end, there’s a spark of hope that Joe and Eve may both be able to move on to a better, healthier future.  This would probably be a good thing for the future of this series, as the child-murder-obsession theme will wear thin one day soon if not developed into something new and believable.

Collision of Evil by John J LeBeau

Publisher: Oceanview Press  ISBN 978 1 933515 54 0

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader 

It had to happen eventually: a thriller writer saying to himself, “What if I combined the two nastiest groups of the past century?”  It took a retired CIA clandestine ops officer to link a legacy of the Third Reich with modern-day jihadlist monomania, and it makes for very scary reading indeed.

Tourist Charles Hirter is murdered while hiking through picturesque Bavaria, and his brother Robert wants to know why.  The local police inspector, Franz Waldbaer, is sympathetic, but urges Robert to go home and leave the job to the professionals.  He might have done that but for meeting an old man who says he knows nothing of the murder, but has a story which might interest Robert.  It concerns some mysterious crates stowed in a cave in the mountains at the end of the war. 

Waldbaer keeps pushing Robert to go home, and Robert keeps pushing back.  Finally he comes clean and informs the policeman that he’s a CIA operative, and proposes they work together on an informal level to get to the bottom of what now appears to be a lot more complicated than a single murder. 

Thanks to an observant farmer and a car rental agent who has more than the usual ability to note details, Waldbaer and Hirter get on the trail of a pair of suspicious characters with Middle-eastern connections.  One of the men is picked up in Turkey, and thanks to the power of suggestion and a Black and Decker drill, is soon singing like a bird.  That helps move the investigation forward, but not fast enough.  However, when the investigators find an old warehouse that has recently been used to manufacture something nasty, the situation becomes urgent.  At last they know what was hidden in the Bavarian cave, and they can guess to what dreadful purpose it will be put.

This is a fast-moving and all too believable novel.  Despite the author’s disclaimer in the epilogue, you have a spine-chilling feeling that his characters are based on real people with real agendas, and you hope his good guys will always overcome his bad guys.

Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie

Publisher: William Morrow  ISBN-10: 0061287539

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

No doubt London has changed in the last few decades or so, and it’s these changes in all their many forms that are really the backbone of Crombie’s latest mystery.  Focusing on the myriad of ethnicities that now make up London (and most Western big cities), she creates an absorbing tale of just how the search for a better life, while timeless and global, has, and still, can lead to greed and violence against those seeking a better life.

It all starts when while shopping DI Gemma James happens upon a crime scene far from her district, making it one she has no right to get involved with.  But something about this case strikes a chord in her.  What began months before with the disappearance of a happily married wife and mother has now become even more mysterious with the murder of the missing woman’s husband.  But it’s really the beautiful young child left behind that grabs Gemma’s heart and leads to her obsession in finding the answers that could explain these mysterious events. 

Luckily for Gemma, her soon-to-be husband Scotland Yard Investigator Duncan Kincaid has no trouble getting officially involved, smoothing the way for Gemma to help find the answers and, most of all, help protect the beautiful child left behind. 

But is Gemma just using this case as an excuse to avoid making plans for her upcoming wedding, or to avoid her mother’s increasingly failing health, or perhaps her guilt about working too much?  As Gemma comes closer to the truth that lies behind the crimes, one far deadlier and extensive than she imagined, she’ll find her priorities, not to mention her safety, hanging in a precarious balance.       

Crombie does her usual great job of creating a mystery, offering clues, and following up with an intelligent investigation.  But, in this latest, fans will be treated to even more than just another of her consistently well-devised crime stories.  She evokes from her characters, especially Gemma, an added dose of sincerity and intimacy that brings a wonderful depth to the story, and fans will delight in seeing the softer side of this hard-nosed investigator.  And when combined with Crombie’s compassionate depictions of strangers in a strange land that are both heartfelt and stirring, what you end up with is a novel that has it all and that just might be Crombie’s best so far.    

Sherlock Holmes Handbook by Christopher Redmond

Publisher:  Dundurn Press ISBN:  978-1-55488-446-9

Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader

A reference book that will make an excellent gift for the Sherlock Holmes fan. Its inclusion in any private or public library will expand the information base on this well known fictional character who, at times, is thought to have actually lived.

The research done by talented author Christopher Redmond brings us up to date on the people who lived during the days of Sherlock’s investigations, a short introduction to each story about the detective and his companion, Dr. Watson. We are introduced to Arthur Conan Doyle who created the world famous detective and reflected the world of his own day as the setting for his tales.

This book contains as much information on Holmes as is possible to ever need. He includes the movies and TV shows based on the stories, gives the facts about whom the characters in the stories are based on, the influence the Holmes tales have had on other literature in other countries of the world. The description of the lengths some fans go to to bring Holmes to life or to live in the time of the detective will make you smile or perhaps feel a little sad that they can’t achieve that reality.

So thorough is the job done by author Christopher Redmond you will find yourself reading the book page by page, rather than piecemeal in search of certain facts.  The interest in Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson is so strong that it continues to be exercised in films, cartoons, books, articles, and now on the Internet one will find multiple sites dedicated to the Holmes mystique.

I’m pleased to highly recommend the Sherlock Holmes Handbook as a must have for any library or fan of the detective.  This is one book that should be kept at hand for the mystery fan.  I enjoyed reading it and know you will too.

The Price of Love by Peter Robinson

Publisher: William Morrow  ISBN-10: 0061809489

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

Anthologies are a bit like a holiday bowl of mixed candy: some of the stories are bright and hard, some are chewy, others have soft centers and some have unexpected and unusual flavours.  This anthology of Peter Robinson’s stories is a bit like that; there’s something for every taste here.  Some of the stories feature Robinson’s main character, Inspector Banks; then there are some stand-alone crime stories, and even one verging on being a horror story.  The collection will variously amuse, sadden, or creep you out.

The title story has appeared in another recent anthology, “The Blue Religion".   Several others have been published in other anthologies during the Noughties.

Brand new for this collection is the novella “Like a Virgin”, which covers the previously unpublicised period of Bank’s’ life between leaving London and beginning work in Yorkshire.  It’s a darkly thought-provoking story with the genuine flavour of the grim and greedy 1980’s.

“Like a Virgin gives much insight into how Banks became the man he is, and why Yorkshire was the place he needed to be after what he experienced in Thatcher’s London.  There’s a lot packed into this novella, more than you’d find in many full-length novels, including murder, prostitution, organised—and disorganised—crime, infidelity, corruption and, thankfully, a sort of justice: long deferred but eventually delivered.

If you’re a fan of well-written crime fiction that goes beyond the ‘body-in-the-library’ or ‘loner-on-the-mean-streets’ scenarios, this is a book you will enjoy.

Blackwork by Monica Ferris

Publisher:  Berkley Prime Crime ISBN:  978-0-425-22990-3

Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader

Mystery fans—attention!  This is one tale you won’t want to miss. Guaranteed to provide lots of entertainment. Talented mystery author Monica Ferris has crafted a tale to keep you reading page after page, waiting to see what happens in Blackwork.

The town of Excelsior, Minnesota, has a varied population that will keep you interested as you meet the local witch who brews beer, a Jeckyl/Hyde mechanic whose drinking gets him into trouble, an amateur sleuth who runs Crewel World needlework shop, as well as many others.

Betsy Devonshire has to take time from her needlework shop to help organize the Halloween parade while others arrange for an autumnal event the small town won’t forget for a long time.  One of the parade’s organizers is partner to the town witch who isn’t really a witch, but a woman who is a Wiccan.  Her religion brings out the prejudice in Ryan McMurphy who is vocal and nasty when drunk. 

When Ryan is found dead in a borrowed room in someone’s basement, local speculation begins to plant suspicion on the local witch who Betsy is sure is innocent of any wrong doing.  She is drawn into investigating the death based on her past successes.

This is a tale with lots of surprises and you will keep guessing who did it and why.  Sit back and enjoy a mixed-up Halloween parade as done in a small town.  It took me back to my own childhood and I enjoyed reliving the parades I saw. 

Lots of action and fun characters, this author shows the reader something new in her plotting and you’ll be looking for other books by her.  I’m pleased to highly recommend Blackwork as a run read any mystery fan will enjoy and long remember.  Enjoy.  I certainly did.

Blind Eye by Stuart MacBride

Publisher: Minotaur Books  ISBN-10: 0312382642

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

MacBride is one of several crime writers who delight in making puns in their titles.  This one is particularly apt and macabre: people are being found all over Aberdeen with their eyes gouged out.  Most of the wounded are Polish, but there are a couple of local lads in there as well, which confuses the trail for DS Logan “Lazarus” McRae and his workmates in the Grampian Police.

McRae has barely recovered from his previous near-death experience, and now finds himself hip-deep in a new case that eventually threatens his life and sanity.  Searching for a clue to the eye-gouger’s identity, Logan goes to Poland, meets a female police officer, gets blown up again, returns home to be tongue-lashed by his superior officers and constantly dragged into trouble by DI Steel.  Steel is a sort of female version of Andy Dalziel: large, ugly, scary, but sound at the core.  Regulations are there to be ignored in Steel’s opinion.

There are precious few clues for Logan and Steel to follow, but one of the only witnesses is a pedophile, who has to be stashed somewhere safe while the cops make their case.  Steel reluctantly takes the man into her home, but cautions Logan that her partner, Susan, mustn’t know that Rory Simpson is a child molester.  Rory falls in with her plan, and passes himself off as an outrageously gay man who’s lost his partner to death, which gets Susan’s sympathy.  Susan’s particularly vulnerable, having just been knocked back for the IVF program, which was her best hope of having a child of her own.  Steel will do almost anything to help her achieve her dream, and there’s a running sub-plot in the book of Steel’s attempts to get Logan to agree to provide the vital fluid for a do-it-yourself impregnation kit.

This is a big thick book with a lot of really grim stuff in it; definitely not one to read if you’re feeling a bit down.  The two major plot threads, organised crime and a serial mutilator, plus the secondary threads of drugs, prostitution, police corruption and pedophilia make for pretty heavy going.  There are some lighter moments, but by the last few chapters you find yourself wondering why Logan doesn’t just chuck it all in and find himself a job guarding a distillery somewhere.

If you’re a MacBride fan you’ll find this is as good as his previous Logan McRae adventures.  It would be good on a long plane trip, to take your mind off the spooky guy across the aisle who’s talking to his rucksack.

Doubleback by Libby Fischer Hellmann

Publisher: Bleak House Books  ISBN-10: 1606480529

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader 

Bringing back together the two heroines from her duo of successful series, video producer Ellie Foreman and PI Georgia Davis, Hellmann provides readers with a wonderfully written tale of mystery that is both stimulating and highly riveting. 

It begins when a neighbor’s young daughter is kidnapped and Ellie is asked her advice on how to proceed.  Ellie, knowing she’s not quite up to the task of running down the facts, suggests both the police and PI Georgia Davis be brought in.  Both of whom seem hardly needed when the child is unexpectedly released by the kidnappers.  But when shortly thereafter the child’s mother is murdered, the mystery begins anew.

And while initially it seems that the mother, an IT specialist at a local bank, may have been involved with a 3 million dollar embezzlement scheme that could have had something to do with her death, Georgia is convinced there’s a whole lot more going on than meets the eye.  And so following the clues, she’ll go down a trail that leads to a much more frightening truth than she imagined in a case involving border town drug cartels, illegal immigrants, and government paid mercenaries that all just might prove to be a bigger battle than she could possibly fight, much less win. 

Hellmann’s latest is a compelling, well-mixed bag of suspense, controversial values, family loyalties, and unresolved emotions from the past that all come together in just the right way to prod the reader into thinking about some pretty heavy stuff.  And amidst the swinging pendulum between right and wrong, in the end, she still manages to remain true to her characters. Even when that proves far from easy, especially with the sometimes hero, sometimes sinner, Georgia Davis - a character that definitely deserves another showing.  With this type of story-telling, Hellmann proves she’s got what it takes to keep readers interested and, personally, I can’t wait to see Georgia Davis go to battle again.

Midnight Fugue by Reginald Hill

Publisher: Publisher: Harper  ISBN-10: 0061451967 

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

Andy Dalziel’s misquote of the old saw “Many a good tune is played on an old organ” sums up Reginald Hill’s latest outing into the adventures of the Mid-Yorkshire constabulary.  When in top form, which he certainly is here, few writers beat Hill at constructing convoluted but plausible plots peopled with convincing characters.

Andy Dalziel is still recovering from a near-fatal explosion, and has returned to work perhaps sooner than he should.  He’s engaged in an unspoken contest with his 2IC, Peter Pascoe, to regain control of the homicide squad.  

The new book starts with a confused morning for Andy, one in which he is literally not sure what day of the week it is.  On his way to what would have been an embarrassing appearance at the office on a Sunday which he thinks is Monday, Andy is diverted by a phone call from a slight acquaintance, Mick Purdy.   Mick beg Andy to help Gina Wolfe, his fiancée,  find out if someone’s playing a cruel prank by sending her a picture that purports to be her long-lost husband Alex, alive and well.  It’s going to take some discreet investigating to find out what’s going on, something that Andy isn’t noted for. To quote his creator, “Normally Andy Dalziel was to diplomacy what Alexander the Great was to knots….”

Andy and Gina meet at a posh hotel for lunch.  Also at the hotel are one of Andy’s constables, Shirley Novello (nicknamed ‘Ivor’, of course), a middle-aged couple who are in a snit about losing their terrace table; a pair of psychopaths who work for a supposedly retired crime king pin; a heavily-disguised man who may or may not be Alex; and Peter Pascoe, who is attending the christening of a friend’s child.  From this apparently innocent scene all manner of mystery and mayhem is launched. 

Can the Fat Man sort it all out, or is it just too much for an aging county copper?   With a little bit of luck, and the help of his devoted but puzzled staff, he might just bring it off.  It won’t spoil the finish to say that all of the disparate threads are, after a complex weaving, brought together in one solid fabric by the end of the book, which covers only 16 hours.

This is one of the best books I’ve reviewed this year, and I heartily recommend it to fans of either police procedurals or just plain good writing.  There’s a particularly satisfying ending for those who long to see Nemesis catch up with the wicked.

Tragic Magic by Laura Childs

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Publisher: Berkley Hardcover

Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader

Carmela Bertrand finds New Orleans’ French Quarter to be a constant source of inspiration for projects in her scrapbooking store, Memory Mine.  Carmela loves the constant activity, casual warmth of the regulars and looks of wonder on the faces of tourists.  With plenty of attention from her new beau Edgar Babcock, Carmela thinks post-Katrina life is starting to improve, especially when she and her vivacious best friend Ava Gruiex are hired to help Melody Mayfeldt to convert an empty mansion into a frightful haunted house named Medusa Manor.  In a devastating moment, Carmela and Ava witness Melody’s dramatic and tragic demise, leaving them shaken but determined to finish the project in spite of lingering danger.

The murder bonds the group of shopowners even closer as they try to protect their stores, their customers, and the future of New Orleans’ reputation while trying to uncover who could be the culprit in Melody’s death.  Melody’s husband and jewelry store co-owner, Garth, begs Carmela and Ava to find out who could have killed Melody even as he becomes the number one suspect.

Through all the heavy uncertainty, Carmela’s impending divorce from her self-centered adulterer husband and his unbalanced sister provides levity while also sharing glimpses of life in the cultured, upscale Garden District.  Childs effectively ties up loose ends and touches on some of the many segments of New Orleans society which make the city entirely unique.

Scrapbooking tips and recipes are featured in the back, with some recipes inspired by Cajun and Creole cuisine.  Interestingly, there is one recipe for poboys, but it uses roast beef and mayonnaise instead of the ever-present Louisiana seafood and spicy accompanying poboy sauce.  This is indicative of Childs’ biggest weakness in Tragic Magic- she incorporates New Orleans elements but has a difficult time integrating them without seeming like she’s trying to hard.  (No one in New Orleans would call oysters “New Orleans oysters”—they’re just oysters.)  Still, for someone who likes the idea of New Orleans, loves scrapbooking and some non-gory scary atmosphere, this is a fun read, especially during the Halloween season.

Murder, She Wrote: A Fatal Feast  by Donald Bain

Publisher: NAL Hardcover  ISBN-10: 0451227964

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader 

Jessica Fletcher, mystery writer and amateur sleuth, is doing her best to stay away from anything involving mayhem and murder as she attempts to finish up her latest mystery while preparing to host a lavish Thanksgiving feast for her favorite citizens of Cabot Cove, Maine.  But, as usual, that’s not an easy feat, especially when she starts receiving anonymous letters in the mail bearing cut out letters pasted on plain white paper, while at the same time she observes the new stranger in town lurking across the street night after night.  And as she begins to wonder if these events are related, and if so, if she’s in possible danger, her wavering resolution to answer the unknown will go from unlikely to impossible when she discovers a dead body while taking a breather from the delights of her delicious feast.   

Fans of the long-running series Murder She Wrote will find much to adore in this latest Jessica Fletcher mystery, finding that even though the T.V. series is now a thing of the past except in reruns, the voice and charm of this delightful series is still alive and well.  Not only does Bain manage to nail the dialogue and mannerisms of the many familiar and beloved characters, but he also manages to bring back the cozy, light-hearted touch of the wonderful mysteries and the setting of Cabot Cove with a convincing amount of verve and expertise.  A warm and engaging read that dares to bring back a classic, this is one that is surprisingly done up right.           

Capitol Offense by William Bernhardt

Publisher: Ballantine Books  ISBN-10: 034550299X

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

When Tulsa defense attorney Ben Kincaid is visited by a bereaved college professor asking Ben’s assistance in facing a charge of murder, Ben is immediately wary in offering his services when he quickly learns that the murder hasn’t actually taken place yet.  Apparently, the professor is seeking an out for his possible act of retribution against the detective who failed to take the report of his missing wife seriously, a judgment call that resulted in his wife’s slow and horrible death following a car accident that left her barely alive for days waiting for a rescue that would come a mere few hours too late to save her. 

When the detective is actually murdered a few days later, with all the evidence pointing straight to the professor, Ben decides to take on the case using a defense of temporary insanity, even though with more than enough evidence to convict, and less than ideal support from the community, the case is doomed before it begins.  But when a number of disturbing questions begin to arise after his client is sent to death row, Ben will find that nothing was as it appeared and his failure to discover the truth might be his biggest failure yet, a failure that just might result in an innocent man’s execution.

On the positive side, Bernhardt’s latest in the series does attempt to address the issue of the “one size fits all” brand of punishment that makes up our justice system.  His implications being that most crimes are as individual as those who commit them, and “cookie cutter” justice not only fails to deal with the underlying reasons for many crimes, but tends to meet out punishment that is more likely than not inappropriate for many.  And one can easily see his point, especially when given the startling statistics of our over-burdened prison system. 

On the negative side, Ben’s lack of true commitment to his client, along with his initial tendency to overlook certain suspicious events, seems incongruous coming from the Ben readers have come to root for. And, too, while Ben does manage a bit of self-reflection near the end of the book, too much of the book seems to have an overload of glibness and forced humor that just didn’t seem to fit.  One can’t help but wish Bernhardt would ease up a bit on his attempts at levity and concentrate more seriously on the issues he’s so knowledgeable about.    

Still, this is a decent read that does raise some very interesting points that will leave readers thinking.  Personally, I’m hoping next time out we’ll see a more mature Ben who can live up to the worthy premises Bernhardt tends to tackle.

The Chocolate Cupid Killings by JoAnna Carl

Publisher: Publisher: NAL Hardcover  ISBN-10: 0451227972 

Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader

In this latest installment of the Chocoholic Mystery series, Ten Huis Chocolade is the place to go for delicious chocolates, juicy gossip, and well-intentioned secrets in the tiny town of Warner Pier.  Lee McKinney Woodyard works in the old-fashioned chocolate shop on the business side, helping her Aunt Nettie and basking in the beautiful and aromatic concoctions.  The shop is especially busy since Valentine’s Day is coming up but too many inhibiting suspicions spoil the season for Lee.

As an employee, Lee knows that an abused woman is temporarily hiding out in the shop, which has temporarily become part of a battered women’s underground railroad station. Even though she’s devoted to her husband Joe, Lee has promised not to tell him about the fragile woman since he’s the town’s attorney.  A short stay for the woman becomes fraught when a determined private investigator stops in the shop, asking pointed questions that throw all the plans off track.  After the nosy investigator is found lifeless outside the shop, then Lee’s personal and professional lives get thick with motives, suspects, and keeping promises to her beloved aunt.

Meanwhile, Joe has secrets of his own when he meets with strange foul-mouthed city-bred men whose appearances seem to unnerve him.  Tight-lipped, Joe won’t share his apprehensions with Lee so his bad temper and frequent absences are a recipe for mistrust between the two.  To ignore her growing doubts, Lee tries to fill her days with working at the shop and visiting other friends who keep the gossip flowing.

Even though she’s a reluctant investigator, Lee can’t help but learn little details while working so she slowly starts to put things together.  Throughout the book, Lee gets flustered and tends to use the wrong word as she panics in any situation that makes her a little uncomfortable.  Sometimes the slip-up is harmlessly Freudian and sometimes reveals her thoughts unexpectedly when she tries to play it cool.

Carl’s writing style often follows Lee’s train of thought, including “hmms” and other self notations which can be occasionally off-putting.  Carl wisely keeps a consistent focus on chocolate by sprinkling chocolate trivia throughout the book and keeping her characters firmly involved in the day-to-day sweet shop’s work. 

Stained Glass by Ralph McInerny

Publisher:  Minotaur Books ISBN:  978-0-312-58264-7

Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader 

Father Dowling fans will enjoy a complex tale of how a book about stained glass windows in churches leads to murder. In the background lurks the thread of St. Hilary’s being closed by the bishop due to dwindling attendance in several of the smaller churches. While Father Dowling doesn’t want it closed, he will obey and go where they send him.

But the wealthy family that donated so much to the church and has members buried in a section of it do not want to see this happen as do the senior citizens who visit the senior center almost daily.  There is also involved a couple of local reporters and lawyer in their efforts to keep the church open.

A murder then takes the headlines on the local paper and the possible closing of the church is pushed to the back pages.  The murder draws authors and a publisher into the confusion also while the priest is visiting the wealthy benefactress of the church and the bishop’s representative in hopes of learning their intentions. 

There is a lot of action with fun characters moving the plot along.  A series of stories within the main tale will keep you reading to the end.  Be on the lookout for some surprises along the way.  I’m pleased to recommend this story to any mystery reader or one who is simply looking for an enjoyable tale with interesting characters.  Enjoy.  I sure did.

Blood’s a Rover by James Ellroy

Publisher: Knopf  ISBN-10: 0679403930

Reviewed by Dana King, New Mystery Reader 

James Ellroy is a classical music aficionado. That he despises Brahms is no surprise. Brahms was great, but James Lee Burke’s writing is more closely aligned, with its flowing lines eliding seamlessly into each other. Ellroy is pure Stravinsky: primitive, brutal, visceral. No one reads an Ellroy novel without being moved in some way.

His newest effort is Blood’s a Rover, which picks up where 2001’s The Cold Six Thousand left off, shortly after the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. Blood’s a Rover is another epic, a sprawling story that presents what one can only hope is an alternative reality that spans the Chicago convention riots, organized crime in the Dominican Republic, Communists, voodoo, the Klan, J. Edgar Hoover (man, does Ellroy hate J. Edgar Hoover), up to the days preceding Watergate.

Wayne Tedrow and Dwight Holly are back from TC6K, along with many of their peers. The primary newcomers are Donald Crutchfield, a private investigator/voyeur, and two mysterious women with Communist affiliations, Joan Rosen Klein and Gretchen Farr, who may not even be Gretchen Farr. (Read the book if you want a clearer definition.) Scotty Bennett is a vicious LA cop with a fixation on a violent robbery several years earlier; Marshall Bowen is an LA cop/FBI operative with the same fascination. They will work together and against each other simultaneously.

Blood’s a Rover isn’t as dark as TC6K, which isn’t like saying is a stroll through Cabot Cove, either. Some characters seek redemption, though redemption is a rare commodity in Ellroy’s world, never bought on the cheap. Bigotry, violence, and amorality are coin of the realm. Life is cheap and “Whatever it Takes” is the Golden Rule. Redemption is often paid for in blood. Whose blood depends on the situation.

Ellroy’s relentless style pulls you into his distasteful world whether you want to come or not. He bludgeons you into accepting his view with unsparing descriptions. No edges are polished off. The book reads like an open wound, yet with a brutal eloquence. Wayne’s and Dwight’s feelings toward the woman they become close to are told in the same unflinching style as everything else, yet are touching when measured in context. Crutchfield is a man-child who is evil or innocent, depending on the situation. Always searching, his perverse voyeuristic adventures stem from the same part of his psyche as his devotion to find the mother who walked away, yet sends him a card and five dollars every Christmas.

The book is a mess, in ways both good and bad. Some parts of the plot don’t hold up as well as others. One important plot line becomes so convoluted Ellroy devotes several pages near the end of the story to sorting it out it, presumably to ensure the reader has some idea of what the hell just went on. On balance, he demands a lot of his readers, explaining little, leaving you to pay attention and put things together as best you can. He tells the story through several points of view, some more reliable than others. The reader knows more than any character, and is uniquely aware when they are working at cross purposes, or flat out wrong in their suppositions. At times it’s like having an aerial view to a impending train wreck.

It’s impossible to describe a book like Blood’s a Rover in a review of several hundred words; there’s too much there. Reading Ellroy’s idea of the Sixties and early Seventies is like watching a libertine’s autopsy: the smoker’s lungs, the drinker’s liver, and a brain ravaged by syphilis. He’s not for everybody; I remember The Cold Six Thousand as one of my most distasteful reading experiences. Blood’s a Rover isn’t as dark, and the writing’s a little less intimidating, or maybe I’ve grown. This time around, I was constantly aware of holding genius in my hands. I might not get it all, but Ellroy is writing on a level some people just aren’t going to get. He doesn’t mind. Hell, he’s probably delighted.

You may like Blood’s a Rover. You may hate it. You’ll never forget it.

Dark Tiger by William G. Tapply

Publisher: Minotaur Books  ISBN-10: 0312379781

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

Stoney Calhoun has been living a life without memories after being struck by lightening over seven years ago.  And while his life has been relatively peaceful as part owner in a fishing bait shop in Casco, Maine - his comfortable ties to the locals and his romance with his business partner keeping him more than satisfied - every now and then he gets an unsettling visit from the “Man in the Suit” whose sole mission seems to be checking on the status of Stoney’s memory of the past as a secret government operative. 

And while the visits may be unsettling, this time things are taken up a notch when the “Man” drops by to not just check in, but to bring an order from the top, assigning Stoney to investigate the mysterious death of another operative at one of Maine’s premier fishing lodges.  The death of the operative is anything but straightforward, his body found along side that of a local teen, both with a bullet in their head.  But the fact that they died from botulism before being shot is what Stoney is really meant to figure out.  So as Stoney goes undercover as a fishing guide, he’ll soon find himself deep in danger when after his arrival not one, but two, other employees of the lodge are killed, their deaths a little too close for comfort, making it ominously clear that Stoney might be next on the list to die.

If this all sounds complicated, oddly it’s not.  Tapply takes most of this ride at a slow amble that seems to have little concern for where it’s going and how it’ll end up.  Possibilities are thrown out - terrorists, drug runners, jealous lovers - with next to no follow-up.  The mystery itself never really even seems to even take root, it’s ending so anti-climatic that if you blink you might miss it. 

For most mystery novels written by someone else, this might be a big negative; however, in Tapply’s case, not so much.  There’s something calming about this read, most likely having to do with the peaceful setting of the forests, the fact that this is a character who is unburdened by recriminations over past mistakes, and by the lackadaisical attitude of ‘what will be, will be.’  It’s easy to recognize Tapply’s love for fly-fishing in the pace of this read, and so if that’s the kind of thing you like, you’ll love this latest.   

Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman

Publisher: Ballantine Books  ISBN-10: 0345495152

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

When an architect and an unidentified woman are found dead on the upper floor of an abandoned, half-built mansion in one of L.A.’s ritzier neighborhoods, Detective Milo Sturgis is quick to bring in his side-kick psychologist buddy Alex Delaware for help in solving this odd case of murder.  And with a list of suspects ranging from an eco-friendly developer, to a Middle-Eastern Prince, to a group of college students whose crimes reach back years, to a line of jilted lovers, these two will have their hands full finding those responsible. 

It’s been too long since I’ve enjoyed a title in this series as much as I did this one.  Kellerman manages to throw in twists after turns that are both believable and challenging, inviting readers to test their own skills at playing detective.  And while, yes, a bit more insight into the main characters would be welcomed, and without such a touch things can get a bit dry, this is still a fun ride full of L.A.’s more interesting oddities and eccentrics.  Fans and new readers alike will enjoy this latest from Kellerman that reads as enjoyably as his earlier works and will no doubt generate interest for his next.

Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime  ISBN-10: 0425230155

Reviewed by Bonnye Busbice Good, New Mystery Reader

There are a lot of unexpected details in this mystery that can cause the “ick factor” to accelerate as a blended family’s home life is exposed as an unsupervised dirty drug den whose harsh realities have negatively impacted its young inhabitants.  Thanks to neglectful drug-addicted parents, the related and unrelated children tried to stay together using only their own resources, which somehow works until a serious illness and the eventual disappearance of eldest daughter Cameron Connelly.  Cameron’s disappearance has haunted her sister Harper Connelly throughout her young life, causing her to especially bond with her step-brother Tolliver Lang.  Tolliver, who serves as Harper’s assistant, has recently become her boyfriend, causing the “ick factor” experienced by others and so stoically noted by Harper.

With a personal history filled with the special type of imaginative details relished by Charlaine Harris fans, Harper’s character excels at using paranormal talents bestowed on her after being struck by lightening and has recently been similarly struck by a desire to finally put down roots with Tolliver.  Her day job includes substantial traveling as she and Tolliver locate graves, where Harper can feel the last few moments of the deceased and quickly internalize the cause of death.  This unusual gift keeps them employed but also creates a deadly chain of events after she inadvertently offers an extra reading for the wealthy, well-connected Joyce family.

The only caveat to Grave Secret comes when a scientific element central to the story should include further discussion in order to arrive at the conclusion required by the mystery.  The lack of explanation on a fairly well-known theory proves more unrealistic of an accomplished author such as Harris than the remarkable description of Harper’s special talent.  Fortunately, this remains a small part of Harper’s story.

Charlaine Harris’ golden touch continues with her incredible grasp of both the ordinary and extraordinary realms in this quiet, intense mystery.  In spite of—or because of—the unusual relationship between Harper and Tolliver and their constantly evoked squalid beginnings, readers will pull for them to discover the truth about their family while solving the case that blows it wide open for them.

Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly

Publisher: Little Brown ISBN 978-0-316-16631

Reviewed by Don Crouch, New Mystery Reader

Nine Dragons is Connelly’s best book since The Poet.  If you are a follower of his, you know the depth of that statement. If you’re not, then get busy.

The last ‘real’ Harry Bosch novel was The Overlook, written over 2 years ago, itself an extension of a serialization he did for the New York Times, and was pretty much a place-holder. Granted, Connelly’s place-holders are better than the great majority of what gets passed for quality fiction these days, but still.

Then, Bosch was a co-star in The Brass Verdict, primarily a Mickey Haller book, and a vehicle for establishing an interesting connection between Connelly’s two most popular characters.

And now, Nine Dragons.  Connelly leaves nothing on the table with this one, folks. It’s all Harry, all the time, and we’re telling you now, you’d best have a few hours to spare once you get to the halfway point, because you’re not going to be able to stop.

As we begin, Harry is called in to investigate the murder of a shop keeper that he by chance has some history with. As the case progresses, we find that his partnership with Iggy Ferras, first set up in The Overlook, is strained to the point of dysfunction. Dysfunction is a big part of what seems to be on Connelly’s mind here, and it’s explored on many levels.

We also gain insight into Harry’s life as a father. You’ll remember from Lost Light that Harry found out about his then 4-year-old daughter, Madeline, born in Vegas after he and Eleanor Wish ended their short-but-productive marriage. Turns out, he’s been making regular trips to Hong Kong, where Eleanor had moved with Madeline to be a Casino’s ‘celebrity gambler’ there.

The investigation progresses, and evidence leads Harry to the murky world of the Triads, the organized criminals that control much of the commerce of Hong Kong emigres in Los Angeles, and their enforcer, one Bo-Jing Chang.  Harry brings all of his famous certainty to bear on Chang, with lots of circumstance, but lacking in hard evidence.  In an attempt to get a quick translation on some Chinese writing, he picture-messages his daughter with that writing.

Following a thinly-veiled telephone threat to back off the case—which of course convinces Harry he’s on the right track—he then receives a shocking video-message from Madeline, showing her bound and gagged, a clear victim of kidnapping. 

That stunning development sends Harry on a knight’s-errand to Hong Kong to rescue his daughter. He’s certain his transmission of those Chinese characters is responsible for her capture, and that Bo-Jing Chang is behind the whole thing.

Connelly’s skill at ratcheting up the tension with each successive event is at its peak in Nine Dragons and he knits the inter-continental developments together with precision.  In Hong Kong, he is re-united with Eleanor Wish and her bodyguard Sun Yee, and the action reaches a fever-pitch. The body-count is both high and significant, intensifying the importance of the stakes involved.

So far, we really haven’t told you anything you won’t read on the book flap, and we’re gonna stop there.  Because NONE of that will prepare you for what is about to happen.

But there’s still a lot to talk about.  Like, for instance, Connelly’s development of Bosch as a character.  After nearly 20 years and more than a dozen Bosch novels, we think we know Harry. Guess what? We’re wrong. We see sides of him here that are totally logical and completely unexpected. Emotions revealed in Nine Dragons will both shock and please, as the author brings depth to shades that we sometimes found even annoying at times.  That’s something that can only be done with forethought, as if Connelly’s been planting these seeds for years, and is now ready to harvest the crop. The result is a novel that has an effect on Harry’s status quo beyond expectation.

Besides dysfunction, family matters are also clearly on his mind.  Bosch’s reflections, related in third person by Connelly’s eloquent prose, will hit nerves with any parent.  We all know that parenting is an art of love, not a science of fact, and that all the best intentions in the world do not guarantee success. Or even love returned.  Connelly gives a full flushing to these ideas, and the result is without a doubt the most gripping crime fiction of the year.

The Violet Hour by Daniel Judson

Publisher: Minotaur Books  ISBN-10: 0312383576

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

As a young auto mechanic working in a small shop in Bridgehampton, Caleb Rakowski appears to be living his life with little fanfare, with even his pay being off the radar.  But in truth, this 20 something year old is actually harboring a pregnant woman on the run from her abusive husband, a man that Caleb once worked for with his brother until his brother’s violent death.  And if that’s not enough excitement, when Caleb gets involved with another damsel in distress, the danger level goes up several notches when the bad guys both in the present and from the past close in on his trail of subterfuge.  But the real quandary for Caleb is finding out where his loyalties really lie when even those in his small circle of friends look more like enemies with each turn of events.

There’s a part of Judson’s novel that seems to subconsciously encourage the reader to put on some Bruce Springsteen, his blue-collar depiction of the wrong side of the railroad tracks being more than evocative of that place and feeling.  But it doesn’t take long for that soundtrack to go off the tracks.  While some of the events are easily plausible, all too soon they veer wildly off the track into Batman land when this humble hero of one becomes the savior of many.  Maybe this would make a better movie, or maybe I’m just a chick who doesn’t get the guns, cars, and blood and guts thing.  Either way, this is a fast-moving, action-adventure type of read that pretty much delivers what it promised, and if that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll be satisfied.     

The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault

Publisher: Delacorte Press  ISBN 978 0 553 80733 2

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

(Disclaimer: I should probably declare my bias upfront and confess that I felt instant kinship with Emily Arsenault because I, too, am a New Englander, former Peace Corps Volunteer in southern Africa, and logophile.) 

In her debut novel, Emily has created an imaginary dictionary publisher, the Samuelson Company.  (Word lovers will spot her homage to Dr Samuel Johnson, father of the first modern dictionary.)  To this august place comes Billy Webb, desperate for work and beginning to wonder if having majored in philosophy was a good career move.

Billy is shown the ropes by Dan Wood, the senior editor.  Billy is intrigued to learn that in the 21^st century, dictionary makers still work much as Dr Johnson’s team of starving scribblers did: collecting citations and writing them on little slips of paper and collating them in big cabinets. 

It is in this collection of ‘cits’ that Billy first finds a slightly disturbing citation attributed to a Delores Beekmim in a book apparently called ‘The Broken Teaglass”.  He and his workmate Mona find several more from the same book, and begin to feel that the cits are in fact part of a narrative about a crime.

Billy and Mona are intelligent people who know how to do research, so it isn’t long before they ‘ve tracked down a crime that matches up with the scraps of story that Delores Beekmim’s citations have told them. 

Their interest in Delores Beekmim eventually comes to the attention of Dan Wood, who seems strangely keen on their replacing all the cits and forgetting they ever read them.  They pretend to agree, but the story has gotten too much of a hold on them by now; they have to know how it ends.  Billy’s interest becomes a compulsion that starts to take over his life and perhaps threatens his sanity.  Then there’s a surprising revelation, and the amateur investigators must make a decision.  Perhaps Billy’s philosophy degree will come in handy now?

This is an intriguing debut by an insider who has manufactured a story reminiscent in some ways of Dorothy Sayers’ classic “Murder Must Advertise”.  There’s no gore, sex or car chase in this book, but if you have any interest in the world of words, you won’t miss those too-common ingredients.  Brava, Emily; I await your next story with interest.

13 ½ by Nevada Barr

Publisher: Vanguard Press  ISBN-10: 1593155530  

Reviewed by Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader

In this new stand-alone suspense tale, Barr begins by taking readers back to 70s, where in Minnesota a young boy is convicted of brutally murdering his parents and leaving his older brother for dead, and far away in Mississippi, a young high-spirited teenaged girl, Polly, leaves behind her dysfunctional parents by running off to New Orleans.  And after telling the tale of these three survivors in their early years, she then continues the story by moving ahead to post-Katrina New Orleans where these three characters’ lives - the convicted killer, the surviving son, and the high-spirited girl - will connect in ways that will prove both deadly and glorious. 

After having spent the intervening years in different ways, all have ultimately become successful professional and have settled into their changed lives with a certain sense of resignation, so that while “happy” may be a bit to ask for, it beats the alternative.  The boy convicted has long since been released and is now going by the name Marshall Marchand, a lonely but successful architect whose attempts at relationships have always fallen short.  But the one person who remains steady in his life is his brother, the survivor of that terrifying night whose never-ending loyalty seems nothing short of amazing.  But when Polly and Marshall meet and fall head-over-heals in love, it soon becomes apparent the secrets from the past they’ve kept hidden from each are closer than they know when ever-increasingly terrifying events begin to take place that seem to reflect the violence of that deadly night. 

Fans of Barr’s Pigeon series might be disappointed at first with Barr’s departure from her series, but, rest assured, it won’t last long as it’s quick to see that Barr succeeds at bringing to the table her ability to create characters and a storyline with the same forceful beauty as always.  Some might say even more so.  While this does indeed eschew the fundamentals found in what we’re used to from Barr and other writers who maintain their long-running series, that might just be what makes this stand out - it literally breathes a fresh gust of air into a genre that could use a strong wind to shake things up.  But while this read is unique and refreshing, fans will still recognize Barr’s stamp of talent in its gripping, touching, well-rounded, and immediate way of reaching into the reader’s heart with pure emotion while at the same time raising their pulse rate.  Definitely recommended, this comes with the hope that Barr is willing to try this again soon.

The Test by Patricia  Gussin

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing ISBN 1933515198

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

We’d all like to know we’ve left something worthwhile behind us.  Paul Parnell was one of the richest men in America when he was forced to re-assess his own legacy in the face of a terminal illness.

Paul had made millions and done a lot of good with the money, but like a lot of alpha males, he’d left the raising of his children to others while he amassed the fortune that he was now going to leave behind.  Too late, he saw that his children were flawed people: Carla was a drug addict, Frank was an egotist focussed on political power, Dan was a drop out and Ashley was sweet and bright but easily-led—how could Paul use his fortune to help his children grow into the people he felt they should be?

After the funeral, the family is called together by the old family lawyer and told that the huge pile of money is to be sequestered for a year, at the end of which time the would-be heirs would have to pass a test to get their share.  Each of the children also gets a personal letter from their dead father, telling them of his regrets and hopes for them.  They also discover they have a sibling they never knew about, who is to share in the fortune, as is the step-sister who was never formally adopted.  Frank is disgusted and immediately challenges the legitimacy of the will. He’s a spoiled brat you could hate on sight, always quick to attribute to others his own venal motives.

The book follows the heirs through a lot of ups and downs as they try to figure out what to do to pass the test. The only guidelines they have are the letters from Paul, but do these spoiled adults have the insight to realise how to use their father’s cry from the heart? Moreover, are they willing to change?

As you’d expect when there’s a fortune for the taking, a number of shady characters turn up like vultures at a dead zebra party.  Some are just greedy—but one is a psychopath.  And the new sibling isn’t the only surprise: there are many secrets in the Parnell family, in some very unexpected closets.

This is a very involving story that draws you in from the first chapter.  You may not like some of the characters, but you are compelled to read on to see what happens to them, and to find out if they can really grow and develop as their father hoped.

Author Gussin has given the reader a lot to think about, as well as being a cracking good story-teller.

The Professional/A Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker

Publisher: Putnam & Sons  ISBN--978-0-15594-9

Reviewed by Don Crouch, New Mystery Reader

This just in: Spenser finds women interesting. We know this because he tells us so. Frequently. More than one interesting woman fuels events in The Professional, Parker’s front-line Spenser offering for ‘09. Within the first page or so, Spenser speaks of no less than 4 women who interest him. Of course, his primary interest is Susan Silverman, and he is nothing if not loyal. Still, interested.

He’s hired by one of them to look into the affairs of a bunch of other women (of as yet undetermined interest levels) who are all having an affair with the same guy and are all being blackmailed by him. That would be the titular Gary Eisenhower, self-employed cad.

If ever there was a case for Spenser requiring the constant input of his Sugar Plum, this is it, and constant she is throughout
The Professional. 

As Spenser digs in, he comes to know Mr. Eisenhower and we see a certain affinity for him. It’s kind of odd, at first, but when we think of Spenser’s history, he’s certainly had his “Swordsman Era”, so a bit of appreciation for what Gary is pulling off can be understood.  And of course it provides fodder for much cracking of wise between Spenser and Hawk.

As he interviews the women involved, Parker reminds us how women love to offer themselves to Ol’ Spens in various and sundry fashions.  It’s always fun to watch, even if somewhat predictable.  Look, you wouldn’t want to see Springsteen without knowing he’d play “Born To Run”, right? Ok, then.

Parker mixes in what are essentially cameos from both Hawk and Vinnie Morris, as well as some Underworld flavor courtesy of Tony Marcus and some new players central to the action; middle-level player Chet Jackson and his back-watchers Boo and Zell. Turns out one of the women in Eisenhower’s orbit is Jackson’s wife. Uh-oh.  These three criminals are pretty much the center of action here, and the Mice-and-Men-like relationship between Boo and Zell provides a pleasant soft spot.

Parker takes a leisurely approach to events in The Professional, but once he does, the bodies start piling up in short order, and the book gains some altitude.

Developments allow Spenser and Susan to spend much time discussing the nature of love, obsession and morality, so if that’s a big part of the series for you, The Professional will make you happy. If not, you’ll still find plenty to like, as Parker scatters the usual blend of action, humor and thrilling heroics throughout.

Locked In by Marcia Muller

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing  ISBN 978 0 446 58105 9

Reviewed by Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader

At first glance, the title suggests that PI Sharon McCone may have been kidnapped and held hostage by one of the villains she so often runs across in her career.  But it’s worse, much worse: she’s being held hostage by her own body, after an assault late at night near her office.

If you’ve read “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”, you’ll be one step ahead of other readers once you realise what’s going on.  Sharon’s head injury has resulted in her being unable to move or speak, despite her mind being fully awake and active.  Doctors are depressingly reluctant to give Sharon’s husband Hy any hope; he and all her friends and colleagues are wondering if they will ever see the real Sharon again, or if the body in the bed is all there is from now on.

Then, miraculously, Sharon is able to make Hy realise that she’s still here, she’s inside this unresponsive body, and she’s desperate to recover.  All it takes is a blink, but with that one movement, Hy begins to hope and Sharon’s unimaginable frustration is slightly eased.

Over the next few weeks, Hy and all Sharon’s colleagues hold regular staff meetings in her hospital room, reporting to her all they have collected for evidence concerning who attacked her and why.  The scene is reminiscent of Josephine Tey’s classic “The Daughter of Time”, except the detective isn’t merely bedridden, she’s mute and paralysed.  Making herself understood is agonizingly slow: one blink for yes, two for no.

Despite her protagonist’s being the still point in the middle of the drama, Muller keeps the story moving rapidly by cutting between the bedside and the investigation scenes, showing the reader how Sharon’s staff are piecing together what must have happened on that dark night, and what’s going on inside her mind. 

Muller conveys the incredible fear, frustration, desperation and misery of those who suffer from the locked-in syndrome, and makes you hope you get hit by a really big bus before something like that happens to you.  This is a real tour de force by the ever-inventive Marcia Muller.