Author: ekkarn

Three-Inch Teeth – C.J.Box (Joe Pickett #24) A Great Addition to the Series!

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Three- Inch Teeth  is the 24th book in the Joe Pickett series from C.J.Box, It is also the 23rd book I have read in the series. The only book in the series I haven’t read is Cold Wind. (Note to self read Cold Wind this year!). As a long-time fan of the series, while Three- Inch Teeth is one of his best books, it is for me one of the most disturbing. 

About Three-Inch Teeth

The story begins when a rouge grizzly bear attacks and kills a fly fisherman in Joe Pickett’s territory. Everyone is surprised by the grizzly;s presence because they aren’t supposed to be in the area. The other surprise is the victim could have been Joe’s future son-in-law! 

Meanwhile, former rodeo star and Saddlestring resident Dallas Cates is released from prison. Joe helped put Cates in prison  Joe was involved in the deaths of several members of Cates’ family. These deaths happened after Cates had attacked Joe’s adopted daughter April and left her for dead. (See books Endangered and Vicious Circle). Anyway, Dallas is out for revenge and his hit list includes: the judge, the county prosecutor, Joe and his wife Marybeth and Nate and Live Romanoski.

Enlisting in some allies to help him extract his revenge, Dallas devises a way to use the bear attacks as a cover for his murderous plan.One of his allies is Alex Soledad, who appears in Storm Watch.

The Bottom Line (Spoiler Alert)

Three-Inch Teeth is a little grisly (no pun intended). However, I think it’s one of Box’s best books. The characters, as always, are well-developed and the action and suspense is great throughout the book. It was disturbing for me because of the deaths of some of the characters in this book and past books.

While I think Three-Inch Teeth could be read as a standalone, it would be that much better if the books I mentioned earlier were read first!

The ending of Three-Inch Teeth was upsetting. It set the stage for future books in the series. And I can’t wait! So, Check it Out!

C J Box

About C.J. Box

 

Scott Carson – Lost Man’s Lane. His Best yet? Yes!

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Lost Man's Lane - Scott Carson

I have been a fan of author Michael Koryta ever since way back in 2003? And after two terrific books I am now a fan of his alter-ego Scott Carson. And I think Scott Carson’s latest release  Lost Man’s Lane just may be Scott’s best novel. As such it also makes it Michael’s best! 

 

The Story

The story grabbed me from the beginning, when Marshall Miller was pulled over by a policeman on the first time he took the car out after getting his license. The police man was very surly and while Marshall was receiving his ticket he noticed in his rear view mirror a young girl is sitting in the backseat of the police car looking terrified and crying. She was wearing a t-shirt of a restaurant that had closed years ago! 

Soon posters are put up concerning a missing girl from a neighboring town, Marshall recognizes the girl, She was the one in the back of the police car. When Marshall goes to the police to report what he saw he discovers that there are no police officers with the name he’s reporting. As a result, Marshall sets out on a quest to discover what was happening. He is soon in contact with a private investigator who is investigating the case. The PI hires Marshall as an assistant for the summer. 

The story takes many twists and turns as the investigation unravels. And the story because not only a horror/mystery story but also a coming of age story, with an ending that upturns Marshall’s life!

Bottom Line

The bottom line is go find and read Lost Man’s Lane, you won’t be sorry! It’s a terrific book on so many different levels. I think it would  make a great book club read. If anyone else has read it I would love to know what you thought about it. 

While your at it you can also check out Scott’s two other books The Chill and Where They Wait. All three books are high recommended!

As for me I have to wait until next April to read my next Scott Cason book Departure 37

Scott Carson

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About Scott Carson

Scott Carson is the pen name for a New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter Michael Koryta. He lives in New England.

Michael Koryta is a New York Times-bestselling author whose work has been translated into more than 20 languages and has won or been nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Edgar® Award, Shamus Award, Barry Award, Quill Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the Golden Dagger. They’ve been selected as “best books of the year” by numerous publications. Michael Kortya for More

 

 

 

Village in the Dark – Iris Yamashita (Cara Kennedy Book#2)

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Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita is book number 2 in her Cara Kennedy series. It is a mystery thriller set in Alaska. Book 1 in the series is City Under One Roof. Cara Kennedy is an Anchorage Police Department Detective. She is on administrative leave after her husband and son disappear while on vacation in Point Mettier. Point Mettier is an isolated town where its residents all live in one high-rise.

In book one Cara finds some of the answers to her husband and son’s disappearance and they weren’t pleasant. (I’m not spoiling things by telling you what she discovered). Anyway at the end of the book she makes another discovery that leads her back to Point Mettier to see if she can find the final answers!

Village in the Dark is full of great characters.The story is told through the eyes of three women. First is obviously the main character Cara Kennedy. Second is the owner of a hotel within the Point Mettier high-rise Ellie and finally Mia, an Indigenous woman who left the village she grew up in to enter the White man’s world. The plot of the novel interweaves the lives of all three women. It’s really hard to say more without revealing too much!

Bottom Line

The bottom line is Village in the Dark is a really terrific read.  It;s filled with great quirky characters and a few twists here and there that kept me guessing, I really would recommend that you should read City Under One Roof before reading Village in the Dark. So check them both out!

 

 

Links for the Further Exploration of the Books of Iris Yamashita

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Goodbye Girl – (Jack Swyteck #18) – James Grippando

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Goodbye Girl - Ja,es Grippando

   Ok so after having read only two books in all of March, I finished my second book for April yesterday! The two books I’ve finished are Goodbye Girl by James Grippando and Innercise: The New Science to Unlock Your Brain’s Hidden Potential by John Assaraf.

Goodbye Girl is the 18th book in Grippando’s Jack Swyteck series. WhileInnercise is a self-help book.

Goodbye Girl (Jack Swyteck #18) – James Grippando

I read The Pardon the first book in the series way back in 2005.  Well ctually, I read the second book first in the first part of June in 2005 and quickly readThe Pardon in the same month! I went on the record several of the earlier books but Grippando was a hit or miss author for me.

I picked the series up again in 2018 with the 14th book in the series A Death in Live Oak. Since then I haven’t missed a book in the series. Goodbye Girl is a very good addition to the series and left me eagerly waiting for the next installment.

The Story of Goodbye Girl

Jack Swyteck is a defense attorney married to Andie Henning an FBI Agent. In Goodbye Girl Jack is asked to defend a Imani Nichols aGrammy-winning popsinger in a contentious intellectual piracy case. While Imani is a huge star she’s making very little money because “she says her ex-husband Shaky stole the rights to her music. To get back at him Imani is telling her fans to “Go Pirate!” to get her music. This is a 180 degree turnaround for Imani since she previously had fought against piracy.

While the trial is in progress, Jack receives anonymous tip connecting Imani and Shaky to a murder that occurred 12 years prior. A murder where Andie had been called in to aid the investigation.

Anyway a lot of action outside the of the court room as a Russian Oligarch and his son who runs the world’s largest privacy website are pulled into the mess. As is Jack’s best friend Theo. Oh and there’s a serial killer copying the 12 year old murder!

One of the best aspects of the series, as in most book series is the characters. The characters in the Jack Swyteck series include: Theo who Jack saved from death row, Jack’s father the ex-governor of Florida and Andie Henning Jack’s wife. In Goodbye Girl the problems that arise from the marriage of an FBI agent and a defense attorney play a pivotal role in the story. ( I hope they can work out their problems)

The Bottom Line

Goodbye Girl is a fast paced mystery/thriller. that can be read as a standalone book. As always,. though it’s better if you’ve read some of the earlier books. So check it out. As for me I’m off to tackle my humongous TBR pile. C.J Box’s latest may be up next!

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James Grippando- Jack Swyteck Author

About James Grippando

The Last Ranger – Peter Heller

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The Last Ranger - Peter Heller

The Last Ranger is only the second book I’ve read by Peter Heller. The first, The River, was one of the best books I read in 2020…

So I was looking forward to reading The Last Ranger. I must admit that I found it a little slow going in the beginning and and actually set it aside and started reading James Grippando’s latest Goodbye Girl.

However, I went back to it as the library due date for the book approached, uh it’s today! Anyway, I’m glad I returned.

About the Last Ranger

The setting of The Last Ranger is Yellowstone Park. The main character Ren Hopper is a Park Ranger or an Enforcement Agent assigned to act like the police within the Park. As an Enforcement Agent his duties range from breaking up fights at campgrounds to saving tourists from moose attacks.

He also works to keep the peace between the vacationers,who tromp around with cameras and the locals who want to carve out a meaningful living in the lands beyond the park boundaries,.

The book takes off when Ren finds his friend Hilly, a biologist and wolf expert, nearly dead in the steel jaws of a wolf trap. He hopes it’s just an accident.

However, a small red ribbon tied to the stake makes him fairly certain that it wasn’t. The first and best suspect is a known poacher, who has an ongoing feud with Hilly.

Aside from this investigation Ren soon finds that someone is also out to get him. The best suspect is a member of a local group of ranchers

\.These ranchers have formed an alliance at odds with both the park and with Ren’s responsibility to protect it. Is the poacher a member, too?

From Goodreads

Rife with surprising humor, populated by a cast of extraordinary characters, each drawn to Yellowstone for their own reasons, Peter Heller once again mines the rich vein where our very human impulses play out against the stunning beauty of the natural world.

More at Goodreads

My Thoughts about The Last Ranger.

The setting is one of the aspects like the most about The Last Ranger. I have only visited Yellowstone Park and surrounding area via the books of C.J. Box. And both authors have left me feeling that I’ve been there and wishing that I could be there. I get the same feeling from the William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Conner books.

Needless to say, the characters are the other aspect of the book I love. Major and minor characters are real life folks with real life problems. And the reader gets to know and care for them all. Even if you are rooting against some of them you still understand their behavior.

Speaking of behavior, I also like books that teach me something. The Last Ranger does just that discussing both behavior of the wolves of Yellowstone, as well as, their impact on the environment.

The bottom line is I highly recommend this book. So check it out. As for me, I will be on the lookout for books from Heller’s back catalog! I will also be getting back to Grippando’s Goodbye Girl.

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Petwer Heller
Peter Heller

About Peter Heller

If You Enjoyed The Last Ranger Here’s Where My Reading Went (and Where It’s Going)…

This one sent me down a bit of a wilderness/conservation rabbit hole…

  • Nora Kelly (Preston & Child) — archaeological thrillers I’m planning to dive into, a natural. It’s also set in the rugged moutnains of the American west.
  • Breaking Wild — Diane Les Becquets — a gripping wilderness survival story that I couldn’t put down (see my original post)
  • Alice Henderson — Alex Carter series — where I’m heading next with environmental thrillers
Preston & Child
Diane Les Becquets
The Vanishing Kind Alice Henderson
Alice Henderson

Update: January-February 2024 Reads

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Update: January-February 2024 Reads

 

Midnight Creed - Alex Kava

Midnight Creed (Ryder Creed #8) –

Midnight Creed  is the 8th book in Alex Kava’s Ryder Creed series  The series was a spin-off of Kava’s Maggie O’Dell series. Since Maggie and her FBI colleagues are an intricate part of the Ryder Creed series, I’m going to call this book book 19 in the Maggie O’Dell has targeted homeless people up and down the east coast. While Ryder  and his dogs are searching for a missing boy. Additionally, Ryder and his staff are awaiting a shipment of K9s that were left behind when our troops left Afghanistan. Read More

Beach Wedding -Michael Ledwidge

Beach Wedding – Michael Ledwidge

In Beach Wedding we find Philadelphia police officer Terry Rourke returning to the Hamptons to attend his brothers lavish and expensive wedding. However, this is not the first time Terry has been in the Hamptons…..

….As the designer tuxedos are laid out and the flowers arranged along the glittering surf, Terry can’t help but take another look at a decades-old murder trial that rocked the very foundations of the town—and his family. He soon learns that digging up billion-dollar sand can be a very dangerous activity. The kind of danger that can very quickly turn even the most beautiful beach wedding into a wake.

From Goodreads Read More Here

Tyranny of the Minority – Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point -Steven Levitsky, Dnaiel Ziblatt

Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point is a book that any concerned with the state of our political system has to read. The authors layout three key aspects of our political system that have helped create the mess we’re in now. k so if you don’t want to read the book,at least, which this video!

The Gatekeeper – (Dez Limerick #1) – James Byrne

The Gatekeeper is possibly my favorite book of 2024. I love the main character Dez Limerick, The book was a fast paced rollar0coaster of a ride! From Goodreads….

James Byrne’s The Gatekeeper introduces Dez Limerick in the most anticipated new thriller in years.

A highly trained team of mercenaries launches a well-planned, coordinated attack on a well-guarded military contractor – but they didn’t count on one thing, the right man being in the wrong place at the right time.

Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“Dez” to all) is a retired mercenary, and enthusiastic amateur musician, currently in Southern California, enjoying the sun and sitting in on the occasional gig, when the hotel he’s at falls under attack. A skilled team attempts to kidnap the Chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors, a major military contractor – in fact, Petra Alexandris is the daughter of the CEO – but their meticulously-planned, seamlessly executed scheme runs into the figurative ‘spanner-in-the-works,’ Dez himself……Full Review Pending.

The River We Remember – William Kent Krueger
Full Review Pending

Starter Villain - John Scalzi cover
Starter Villain – John Scalzi

So on Friday January 12 I finished reading my second book for 2024, John Scalzi’s Starter Villain. It is the ninth book by Scalzi on my Goodreads shelves. I began reading Scalzi’s books in 2008. The first book I read was Old Man’s War.  that book among the others in the Old Man’s War series may still be my favorites written by Scalzi.

The hero of the book, well maybe not a hero, let’s just say main character of the book is Charlie Fister. Charlie is  a divorced ex-newspaper  journalist. Who is now a substitute teacher living with his cat. A house his siblings want to sell.  All Charlie wants is to buy and run  a pub downtown. But the cost is astronomical  and his only collateral for a bank loan is the house he lives in, which his estranged siblings want to sell!

Then his estranged Uncle Jake dies and leaves Charlie his business. Charlie realizes he may be in trouble, when he’s asked to represent the family at his uncle’s memorial service. At the service, first it was the message sent on a vase of flowers. The message See You in Hell” During the visitation, one guest checks Jake’s pulse another tries to stab him! It seems his uncle was not too popular……… “Full Post

Tides of Fire – (Sigma Force #17) – James Rollins

Full Review Pending

Starter Villain – John Scalzi – Another Winner for Scalzi

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Starter Villain - John Scalzi

 

So on Friday January 12 I finished reading my second book for 2024, John Scalzi’s Starter Villain. It is the ninth book by Scalzi on my Goodreads shelves. I began reading Scalzi’s books in 2008. The first book I read was Old Man’s War.  that book among the others in the Old Man’s War series may still be my favorites written by Scalzi.

The hero of the book, well maybe not a hero, let’s just say main character of the book is Charlie Fister. Charlie is  a divorced ex-newspaper  journalist. Who is now a substitute teacher living with his cat. A house his siblings want to sell.  All Charlie wants is to buy and run  a pub downtown. But the cost is astronomical  and his only collateral for a bank loan is the house he lives in, which his estranged siblings want to sell!

Then his estranged Uncle Jake dies and leaves Charlie his business. Charlie realizes he may be in trouble, when he’s asked to represent the family at his uncle’s memorial service. At the service, first it was the message sent on a vase of flowers. The message See You in Hell” During the visitation, one guest checks Jake’s pulse another tries to stab him! It seems his uncle was not too popular. “

When Charlie is whisked away to his uncle’s island (I won’t  tell you why) he learns Uncle is a “villain”. Additionally, the people who were out to get Jake are out to get his heir, i.e. Charlie. Can Charlie survive??

Thoughts on Starter Villain

Starter Villain is the ninth book written by John Scalzi I have read. While I enjoy his hard science a little more I also enjoy his other books.I thought The Kaiju Preservation Society was a great read.  The book was nominated for a Goodreads Award as Best Science Fiction book of the year so others liked it, too. It finished as the 8th most popular book.

Starter Villain reminds me a lot of The Kaiju Preservation, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps until she becomes involved with the Society.  Cuarlie on the other hand is an ex-journalist stuck working as a substitute teacher. Both are characters that you can root for as they both face formidable opponents.

John Scalzi’s sense of humor always comes out in his characters and it certainly does in Charlie Fister. It certainly is one of the aspects of Scalzi’s books I love.

Even though I keep waiting for something big to happen in Starter Villain, overall i was satisfied with the surprising final twist at the end. Actually, the more I think about the book the more I realize that I really liked the book.

In 2023 Starter Villain was also nominated for the best science fiction book at Goodreads. This time Scalzi’s book finished fourth in the voting. So check it out.

Links for the Further Exploration of the Books of John Scalzi

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Beach WeddDiscover the Magic of Beach Wedding by Michael Ledwidge

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So for whatever reason I have never read a book written by Janes Patterson. As a result, I  never discovered author Michael Ledwidge until I checked out Stop at Nothing book #1 in his Michael Gannon series from my library in July of 2021. It was great! I quickly quickly followed it up in August with book #2 in the series Run for Cover. Then I had to wait until January 2023 until book 3 Hard to Break was released. During that time Ledwidge had released a standalone novel Beach Wedding, which I put off reading until last month, when it became the seventh book I’ve read in 2024. Anyway, here   is what I’ve missed out on by not reading Ledwidge’s work until now!

About Michael Ledwidge

Michael Ledwidge wrote his first novel, The Narrowback, in 1999. That was followed by two more highly acclaimed novels. The second of which Bad Connection was optioned by George Clooney.
Now here’s the big part that I missed out on!

He has co-authored 14 bestselling novels with James Peterson featuring detective Michael Bennett The Michael Bennett series is the highest selling NYC detective series of all time. Shame on me for not reading this series! (Note to self check out this series!)

Additionally, their novel, Zoo, became a three-season CBS television series.

Born and raised in New York City, Ledwidge has worked as a Park Avenue doorman and a Manhattan outdoor telephone technician where he participated in the Ground Zero recovery efforts after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Beach Wedding -Michael LedwidgeBeach Wedding

Now back to Beach Wedding. In Beach Wedding we find Philadelphia police officer Terry Rourke returning to the Hamptons to attend his brothers lavish and expensive wedding. However, this is not the first time Terry has been in the Hamptons…..

….As the designer tuxedos are laid out and the flowers arranged along the glittering surf, Terry can’t help but take another look at a decades-old murder trial that rocked the very foundations of the town—and his family. He soon learns that digging up billion-dollar sand can be a very dangerous activity. The kind of danger that can very quickly turn even the most beautiful beach wedding into a wake.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts about Beach Wedding

It took several pages for this book to grab me, but since it did it didn’t let go until the end of the book! The main character Terry Rourke was easy to root for, as he tried to untangle the events of the murder of a Hampton elite. A murder where Terry’s father the lead prosecutor failed to get a conviction with dire consequences. The plot was intricate with an explosive in more ways the one ending.

The Bottom line is I highly recommend Beach Wedding. As well as, the Micheal Gannon books! So check them out! As for me, I have Ledwidge’s latest The Girl in the Vault waiting for me at my library. And a boat load of Michael Bennet books to check out!!

 

Links for the Further Exploration of the Books of  Michael Ledwidge

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Those Empty Eyes – Discovering Hidden Gems: Like Charlie Donlea!

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Those Empty Eyes — Charlie Donlea

Avid readers all have those must-read authors—the ones you grab the day a new book drops. For me: James Lee Burke, C. J. Box, and Karin Slaughter. (I keep a longer list here: Long-Time Favorite Series Still Going Strong.)

Then there’s a second circle of authors I really like—but I sometimes miss release day and circle back months later. Charlie Donlea is squarely in that group.

That happened with his 2023 novel Those Empty Eyes. I didn’t read it until November—and it’s another terrific, twisty ride.

About Those Empty Eyes

Those Empty Eyes belong to Alexandra Quinlan, nicknamed for the look in her eyes the night her family was slaughtered—and she became the prime suspect. The charges are dropped and she wins a massive settlement for the botched investigation, but her life is wrecked. With no killer identified, plenty of people still think she got away with murder.

Years later, Alexandra keeps an evidence board of everything she’s uncovered. Can it finally point to the killer? And will her work as an investigator for the law firm that won her case help her finish the search?

Why it worked for me: propulsive pacing, a smart investigator protagonist, and that obsessive evidence-board thread that pays off.

If Those Empty Eyes isn’t your thing, browse Charlie Donlea’s Goodreads page for his other standalones—he likes fresh setups, and you’ll likely find a premise that clicks.

Question for you: which authors do you always find late—then kick yourself for waiting?

Author Charlie Donlea

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About Charlie Donlea

Charlie Donlea is a USA Today bestselling author often praised as “a bold new writer…on his way to becoming a major figure in the world of suspense.” He was born and raised in the Chicago area. (Bio note via Google Books.)

raph –>

Proposed December Reads from Favorite Authors- Go!

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Proposed December Reads

UPDATE:December has come and gone and I read only two and a half books of the ones pictured above. The two I finished were Tides of Fire by James Rollins and Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane. The half was Starter Villain by John Scalzi!

So yesterday I wrote that I would like to read four to five more books before the end of 2023. The above picture shows the five books I currently have check out of the library. These are my proposed reads for December. The order in which I am going to read them is bottom to top. I have read books written by all of the authors. So let’s take and look at the books and authors for these Dcember Reads!

The first of my December Reads - Todes of Fire

Tides of Fire – James Rollins

Tides of Fire is the 17th book in the Sigma Force series from James Rollins. In total I have read 21 books by Rollins and I am ashamed to say the only Sigma Force book from Rollins I haven’t read is the first book in the series Sandstorm. Oh, and I haven’t read the two short stories he’s written.

If you like action adventure novels with science truth blended with science fiction from Rollins you’ll love his books!

From Goodreads about Tides of Fire

In the latest riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author, an international research station in the Coral Sea comes under siege during a geological disaster that triggers massive quakes, deadly tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. To stop the world from burning, it’s up to Sigma Force to uncover a secret buried at the heart of our planet. et. More at Goodreads


Small Mercies – Dennis Lehane

I have only read eight books from Lehane. Six of them are from his Kenzie & Gennaro series which is one of my favorite series. I’ve also read Shutter Island and Mystic River

If Small Mercies is as good as Mystic River it will become a favorite of mine!

From Goodreads…..

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling writer returns with a masterpiece to rival Mystic River —an all-consuming tale of revenge, family love, festering hate, and insidious power, set against one of the most tumultuous episodes in Boston’s history.  More at Goodreads



Distant Sons – Tim Johnston

I’ve only read one book from Tim Johnston Descent  and it was great, so I’m looking forward to this one!

From Goodreads…..

By the New York Times bestselling author of Descent and The Current, an absorbing new work of literary suspense about two young working men who forge a friendship despite secrets in their past, and whose actions ignite the passions and violence of a small Wisconsin town still haunted by the unsolved disappearance of three boys in the 1970s. For readers of Peter Heller, Liz Moore, and Cormac McCarthy. (More at Goodreads


The Only One Left – Riley Sager.

I discovered Riley Sager’s books a few years ago. So far I have read four of the seven books he’s  written. I’ve missed a couple of the more recent books. Can you say too many books, too little time! Anyway this one sounds really good!

From Goodreads….

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred…. More at Goodreads


Starter Villain – John Scalzi

I have read eight books by John Scalzi and four of  them are from his Old Man’s War series! hmm? Anyway he is one of my favorite Sci-Fi writers and this one sounds very interesting.  I’m sure that Scalzi’s wicked sense of humor is omnipresent in this one!

From Goodreads….

Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who’s running the place.

Charlie’s life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. More at Goodreads

There is my December Reads challenge…..Anyone read any of these??