Category: Books-Fiction

The Shadow District Begins a New Series from Arnaldur Indridason

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The Shadow District – Reykjavik Wartime Mystery #1

The Shadow District by Arnaldur Indridason is book one in his new Reykjavik Wartime Mystery series.

Indridason is the author of the excellent Detective Erlender series. However, I must admit that while I have loved the series books I have read, I have fallen behind in the series. As a result, I often forget about the series. Can out say once again “too many books too little time”.

Anyway, when I saw The Shadow District in the library and discovered it was book one in a new series It was a no brainer to check it out.

The Shadow District: Plot

The story unravels in two tine periods. The first is the present. Where the police have discovered a ninety year-old man killed in his own bed, smothered by his own pillow. In the room former police Detective Konrad finds two newspaper clippings. The clippings are about a murder that occurred in wartime Reykjavik. The murder occurred in a rough part of town known as “ the shadow district” A place Konrad knows well because it’s where he grew up!

The second time period is wartime Reykjavik.  In that time period, the body of a murdered young woman is stumbled upon by a young Icelandic girl and her US Army boyfriend.  Soon the murder is being investigated by an American Military Police inspector and an Icelandic Detective.

In order to solve the murder of the old man in the present day Reykjavik , Konrad must solve the unsolved wartime murder.

The book’s chapters alternate between present day Reykjavik and Konrad’s investigation and wartime Reykjavik and the two detective’s investigation.

Bottom Line

Typically, I read several books at one time. However, I must say that once I started The Shadow District I didn’t want to leave Reykjavik until I knew the solutions two both murders.

As always, I thought  Indridason created a great story populated with some great characters.  It is however hard for me to see who will be the lead character going forward. If it is the Wartime Reykjavik series. I assume it will be either Thorson the Army military police officer or Flovent his Icelandic counterpart. If  though the stories are told in flashbacks Konrad could be the lead character, supported by the current police detective Marta.

Either way, I am certain it will be a tight well-written story. A story  populated by believable and interesting characters. I am looking forward to The Shadow District’s sequel!!

EKK Rating 4.00. Goodreads Rating: 3.69

Links for the Further Exploration of the Books of Arnaldur Indridason

Wikipedia</a
Goodreads
Amazon

Book # 10 for 2018

P.S. Note to self – start reading the Erlender series again!!

Descent – Tim Johnston – A Parent’s Nightmare Visited!

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Descent is the debut adult novel from author/teacher Tim Johnston and a decent debut it is. This novel explores complex themes of loss and family dynamics, engaging readers with its emotional depth.

The Story

It is the story of the Courtland family. Father Grant, mother Angela, and children Caitlin and Sean who are on vacation in the Colorado Rockies, when the unthinkable happens. Caitlin, 18, a high school track star, goes for a morning run in the mountains with her brother Sean. There is an accident, and only an injured Sean returns, leaving the family shattered.

Caitlin was not found after police and volunteers searched the area where Sean was discovered. As time passes, each of the Courtland family members deals differently with the loss. Grant can’t leave the mountains and waits patiently for any glimmer of hope that his daughter is alive. This desperate hope creates a tension that permeates the narrative.

Angela and Sean return to their home in Wisconsin, hoping to move on. However, neither can escape the haunting memories. Angela is especially tormented by the loss of her twin sister in a tragic accident. This backstory adds layers to her character, revealing her struggle with guilt and grief. Meanwhile, Sean feels the same burden regarding Caitlin’s disappearance.

The questions abound: Is Caitlin alive? Is there hope? Should they just move on? Can they become a whole family again? These questions serve as a poignant backdrop to the family’s unfolding tragedy, highlighting the emotional turmoil that drives the narrative forward.

Thoughts About Descent

Descent is best described as a psychological thriller that delves deeply into the emotional disintegration of the Courtland family. As I read the reviews on Goodreads, I find myself leaning more towards “Oh, well, that was okay” rather than “Wow, what a great ride.” The pacing and emotional weight of the story can often feel uneven.

While the focus of the book centers on the disintegration of the Courtland family rather than Caitlin’s fate, I found the characters lacking in relatability and depth. Constantly referring to Sean as “the boy” did little to foster compassion towards him. This choice feels alienating, detracting from the emotional connection.

Angela, on the other hand, may elicit a bit more sympathy, as she grapples with the compounded grief of both her sister and her daughter. Yet, even with her struggles laid bare, I didn’t feel the emotional connection I anticipated.

I understand that engaging with the discussion questions provided at the end of the book might enhance my experience, potentially offering deeper insights. However, that kind of analysis isn’t my usual approach. By the time I finished reading, I was eager to move on to another book, possibly even by the middle of Descent!

Bottom Line

Descent holds a 3.69 rating on Goodreads out of 5. This rating suggests that readers fell somewhere between “liked it” and “really liked it,” which is likely where I land with my assessment of Descent. Initially, I awarded it 4 stars. However, considering my feelings during the book’s slower middle sections while anticipating something significant, I would adjust my rating to 3 stars. Averaging it out gives a score of 3.5, aligning closely with the 3.69 rating from Goodreads readers. Thus, I will settle on a rating of EKK Rating 3.69.

If you’re drawn to character studies and emotional depth, you may find Descent resonates with you. Conversely, if you’re seeking thrills and chilling suspense, this book might leave you wanting more.

Conclusions on Descent

Ultimately, Descent presents a thought-provoking narrative that explores the intricacies of family relationships in the face of tragedy. While it may not deliver the thrills some readers seek, its emotional core provides a rich landscape for reflection. Tim Johnston’s debut novel opens discussions on how loss shapes us, making it a significant piece of contemporary literature.

In conclusion, Descent is not just a story of a missing girl; it’s a deep dive into the psyche of a family unraveling at the seams. Readers seeking a profound look at grief intertwined with human relationships will find value in this work.

The Setting: A Character of Its Own

The Colorado Rockies are not just a backdrop in Descent; they play a crucial role in the storytelling. The majestic yet perilous landscape mirrors the family’s emotional journey. The isolation of the mountains enhances the feeling of despair and longing.

The setting also provides a stark contrast to the family’s home in Wisconsin, illustrating the shift from safety to danger. Johnston’s vivid descriptions make the reader feel the oppressive weight of the mountains, adding depth to the narrative.

Themes of Loss and Resilience

A significant theme in Descent is the exploration of resilience in the face of overwhelming loss. The characters’ journeys depict various coping mechanisms, from denial to acceptance. The stark contrast between Grant’s fixation on hope and Angela’s descent into despair deepens the narrative.

This theme resonates with many readers, as it mirrors real-life experiences of grief and recovery. Johnston effectively captures the complexity of navigating through personal and collective trauma.

In-Depth Character Analysis

The characters in Descent serve as a lens through which we examine grief. Grant embodies the archetype of the father clinging to hope, while Angela represents the complex interplay of past trauma and present loss. Sean’s status as ‘the boy’ can be re-evaluated as a narrative choice that may limit depth but also reflects his youth and vulnerability.

Their journeys through grief are compelling yet flawed, pushing the reader to confront their understanding of loss. Johnston’s portrayal invites reflection on how tragedy reshapes family dynamics and individual identities.

Links

Author’s Website
Amazon
Review: Publisher’s Weekly
Goodreads
Book Journey Discussion Questions

Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America…

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If You Want to Understand the Roots of Our Current Political Situation – Read this Book!

Over the last few weeks I am finding it more and more difficult to post. Again I haven’t stopped reading, listening or exercising just that when I sit down to write a post, I get distracted and pick up a book or good do something else. Anyway I just finished book 9 of 2017. The following read though is for book 7. Hopefully, if I can get myself focused and motivated reviews for book  8 Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay and book 9 Descent by Tim Johnston, will follow shortly.

Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America by Nancy MacLean. 

This is the story of the Radical Rights campaign  to steal our democracy. The blueprint for the campaign was laid out but conservative economist James Buchanan.  Buchanan merged states rights thinking with free-market principles and laid the groundwork for the “makers”and “takers” philosophy of today’s Republican party. The campaign  has been funded by Charles Koch and is bearing fruit beyond his wildest dreams. The Radical Right has goals like establishing and assuring minority rule, the elimination of both the government safety nets i.e. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and programs and agencies that protect our health and safety. They seem like current GOP goals to me. And I am scared for my country! 
Throughout the last year we have seen time after time the majority of Americans opposing what the GOP was trying to do. We watched them try to destroy The Affordable Care act. Then we watched them pass a Tax Bill designed to make the richer richer. Anyway if you want to read about how we got to where we are today read this book. 
From author Greg Grandin author of Fordlandia a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize

“How did we get to where we are today? How did corporations come to possess rights? How did democracy come to be defined as selfish individualism? Or money as free speech? Nancy Maclean’s Democracy in Chains provides the answers. It is essential reading in order to understand the ideas billionaires use to justify their control over our political institutions. I can’t imagine a more timely or urgent book.” 

Bottom Line

I found this book scary and very enlightening. The book is well written, easy to read and well documented. So once again if you want to read how we got to the point where our country has become an oligarchy with the 1 percent running the country.So check it out. The author of Democracy in Chains, Nancy MacLean is The William H Chafe Professor of History and Public Policy at Duke University.

Links for Further Explorations

Democracy in Chains – Duke University
Goodreads
Penquin Random House

 

Shadow of Death – Wiliam G Tapply – A Return to an Old Favorite

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Shadow of Death (Brady Coyne #21) – William G. Tapply

Here we are in February 2018, and I still hadn’t formalized my Reading Challenges. I knew my goal was to read 65 books that year, with at least 25 pulled from my “to be read” shelves. By the first week of February, I was already off to a decent start — and book number six turned out to be one that had been waiting patiently on my shelves: Shadow of Death by William G. Tapply.

EKK and the Brady Coyne Series

Shadow of Death, published in 2004, is the 21st entry in Tapply’s Brady Coyne series. The series began in 1984 with Death at Charity’s Point. My own journey with Coyne started a little later, with Dead Winter (#8), which I read in the summer of 1990 when the paperback came out. By the end of that year, I had caught up with the series!

Sadly, William Tapply passed away in 2009, bringing the series to a close. The final Brady Coyne book, Outwitting Trolls (#28), was released in 2010. Between 1990 and 2001, I read 16 of the 18 Coyne books available at the time. After that, I shifted to his short but memorable Stoney Calhoun series.

Reading Shadow of Death reminded me just how much I enjoyed these books. Brady Coyne, a Boston lawyer handling divorces, wills, and trusts for wealthy New England families, always seems to get pulled into something bigger. That mix of law, mystery, and human drama was Tapply’s strength.

About Shadow of Death

In Shadow of Death, Brady is hired by the campaign manager of Ellen Stoddard, who is running for the U.S. Senate. The task: find out why her husband, Al Stoddard, is acting strangely. When the private investigator Brady hires is found dead on a lonely New Hampshire road, Brady is drawn into a dangerous search. As he digs deeper, he discovers two of Al’s childhood friends have also died under mysterious circumstances — and the story turns darker.

Bottom Line

Like all of William G. Tapply’s books, Shadow of Death is exceptionally well plotted and believable. But what makes these novels shine is Brady Coyne himself — a lawyer who’d rather be out fly fishing than handling divorces, but who still manages to be a convincingly heroic and likable sleuth.

Publisher’s Weekly, writing about Scar Tissue, praised Brady as “one of the most convincingly heroic and likable of the contemporary sleuths.”

And the Florida Times-Union, reviewing Muscle Memory, noted that “Mystery lovers will thoroughly enjoy Brady and the other characters that Tapply creates… one of the best in the game.”

Another little delight for me has always been the subtle crossover with Rick Boyer’s Doc Adams series. Tapply and Boyer were close friends, and in almost every Coyne novel there’s a sly reference to Doc Adams. Shadow of Death is no exception — it’s brief, but it’s there!

Shadow of Death, like most of the Coyne novels, can be enjoyed on its own. If you haven’t tried Tapply before, this would be a fine place to start. I still have two more Brady Coyne books waiting on my shelf, including Outwitting Trolls, which I’ll save for last.

P.S. Don’t overlook the Stoney Calhoun books. Those three are shorter, but equally strong — and best read in order.

Return to Roots Author’s Page
Return to William G Tapply Page

The Long and Faraway Gone – Lou Berney – A Can’t Put Downer!

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The Long and Faraway Gone – Lou Berney

A while ago I purchased  the Kindle edition of Lou Berney’s book The Long and Faraway Gone.. Like many of the books I have purchase through Bookbub, it has been in my Kindle unread. Well, something made me take a look at it the other day and I start reading it.

It didn’t take long for me to get swept up in the story.   So for the last few days I literally did not want to put the books down. Last night it was getting close to midnight, as I was finishing the book.  I could barely keep my eyes open , but I was determined to finish. And finish I did, just on the other side of midnight exhausted but satisfied and not ready to go to sleep!

The Long And Faraway Gone’s Awards

The bottom line is the book is damn good! Which is the reason Lou Berney won the following awards……

Barry Award for Best Paperback Original (2016)
Macavity Award for Best Mystery (2016),
Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original (2016)
Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original (2016)

Characters and Plot

Wyatt Rivers a Las Vegas Private Investigator and Julianna Rosales a Registered Nurse in Oklahoma City are the two main characters in the book. Both are searching for answers concerning tragic events from their pasts.

Wyatt Rivers

Wyatt Rivers travels to Oklahoma City for a major client. He was hired to investigate the harassment of a former Las Vegas waitress, at the music venue she inherited from a man she had befriended in Las Vegas but otherwise hardly knew. The question is by whom.

But the trip also takes Wyatt back to his hometown and the summer of 1986 and a movie house robbery that left six of his friends dead. Wyatt  needs to find answers: How did the robbers really gain access to the movie theater? And why is he still here?

Julianna Rosales

Meanwhile, Julianna is likewise searching for answers. Her question is What happened to her sister Genevieve on that summer night in 1986?  The night Genevieve left her younger sister Julianna alone on the Oklahoma fairgrounds and disappeared into the night.

After twenty-six years the prime suspect in the case has resurfaced and Julianna will stop at nothing to get him to tell her what really happened that night.

Bottom line

Once again the bottom line is that The Long And Faraway Gone is a terrific book. A wonderful tale  featuring two characters that you can root for. Two characters searching for answers concerning tragic incidents that have mystified them and disturbed their lives for years. The reader is, as puzzled as they are, until the last pages of the book. From Kirkus Review:

 Berney’s novel is most truly a thoughtful exploration of memory and what it means to be a survivor. Elegiac and wistful, it is a lyrical mystery that focuses more on character development than on reaching the “big reveal.”  Full Review

So Check it Out!

 

The Unexpected President Paints a New Picture of Chester A Arthur!

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The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur

Ok quickly tell me everything you learned in history class about President Chester A Arthur. I’ll wait! I bet your done aren’t you? So I imagine that you said ” He became President after James A Garfield was assassinated” or maybe even “he was responsible for Civil Service reform.” I imagine that because that’s just about all I knew about him until I read The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur by Scott S. Greenberger earlier this month.An additional tag line on the front of the book reads “A Gilded Age tale of corruption and courage” and that well sums up the book and the story of “Chet” Arthur. It is actually a pretty fascinating tale and Mr. Greenberger tells it well!

The Corruption and Courage of Chester Arthur

The corruption came from the years that Arthur spent as the crooked crony of New York machine boss Roscoe Conkling. During that time Arthur was head of the U S Customs House in New York City. The Customs House was rife with corruption and cronyism. You either voted Republican and contributed to the GOP or you didn’t get a job in the Customs House.

Because of his reputation as a puppet of Conkling many people initially thought he was unqualified to be Vice-President. Then when Garfield was assassinated and Arthur was set to ascend to the Presidency Arthur cried, Not only for Garfield who had died but for himself because he knew that he could not live up to the high standards a President must uphold.

Julia Sand and Arthur’s Transformation 

However, when Arthur did become president he also became a changed man. He boldly took on corruption, civil rights for blacks and issue of land for Native Americans. Much of the credit for Arthur’s transformation came from a bedridden young New York woman Julia Sand. Ms Sand wrote Arthur over two dozen letters urging him to put country over party and to find “the spark of true nobility” that lay within him. In her first letter she wrote:

“Faith in your better nature forces me to write you – but not to beg you to resign. Do what is more difficult & more brave. Reform! It is not the proof of highest goodness never to have done wrong – but it is proof of it, sometime in one’s career, to pause & ponder, to recognize the evil, to turn resolutely against it & devote the remainder of one’s life to that only which is pure & exalted. Some resolutions of the soul are not common….

As I read the book and especially the about paragraph I though, “Boy I wish someone had written a letter like that to Mr. Trump!”

Bottom Line:

For me, The Unexpected President is a five-star biography. It was well researched and presented by Mr Greenberger. It is a wonderful book that painted a far different picture of Chester Arthur than the one that I have developed over the years. He has become for me a man who turned his life and reputation around. Arthur went from someone who the general populace thought was not qualified to be president, someone  who people thought would only by Roscoe Conkling’s puppet to a man and president they respected and loved. He grew into the presidency and by the end of his term people were begging him to run for another term!! Oh, if  Mister Trump could only grow into the job but alas some leopards can never change their spots!

Anyway, check out The Unexpected President…..

Links for Further Explorations

The Washington Post:The biographer of Chester Arthur discusses the forgotten president,

Twitter

CSpan  Video

 

 

The Demon Crown – Science, History and Action Collide!

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The Demon Crown byJames Rollins  Sigma Force #13

The Demon Crown is  Book # 13 in the Sigma Force series from James Rollins. I think  it just may be the best book in the series.  I have written before that I love books that not only are good stories, but also teach me something new. Well, James Rollins does that just about as well as anyone writing today.

I don’t believe that there are many authors ,who provide six plus pages of notes to their readers, explaining what aspects of the story are true and what was made up by the author. However, that is just what Rollins does with each book. In The Demon Crown there are both a variety of historical and  scientific facts that form the basis of the story. So I learn a lot during this Sigma Force adventure!

About the Story

In The Demon Crown the Sigma Force must battle an act of eco-terrorism the likes the world has never seen.   While on sabbatical from the Sigma Force Gray Pierce and Seichan are caught up in that attack. An attack by swarm of ancient deadly wasps that may require nuking the Hawaiian Islands to contain the threat!

The swarm is linked to a piece of amber that James Smithson called The Demon Crown. He claimed that what was trapped in that block of Amber, discovered in a salt mine near the Baltic Sea could unleash “the very hordes of hell upon this world”

The Crown is discovered in 1903 by Alexander Graham Bell, when he went to Italy to bring the bones of James Smithson to America. The Crown remained sealed in a hidden room in the Smithsonian until 1944. In that  year the Demon Crown was stolen. And now the thief is unleashing those hordes on the world!!

Now Gray, Seichan and the rest of the Sigma Force have three days to discover who.has unleashed this terror. And to find a cure for the havoc the swarm is causing on the environment and the people of Hawaii and on Seichan.

While Gray and Seichan are tracking the perpetrator in the Pacific, another Sigma crew travels to the Baltic and Poland to track down the source of the Demon Crown. As such  they hope to find a method to combat the deadly wasps and maybe a possible cure. The trip takes them to Tallinn, Estonia then along the ancient Amber Road to Poland and finally the Weiliczka Salt Mines! The question throughout their quests is will they be in time!!

Bottom Line:

As far as I’m concerned The Demon Crown is a five-star book! It has everything I look for in a thriller. An action-packed fast-moving story, with great characters and a barrel load of stuff that was new to me!

I knew very little about James Smithson the Englishman who bequeathed his scientific collection to the US. That inheritance formed the foundation of the Smithsonian Institute.

Additionally the scientific information about the wasps was at times over my head but was utterly fascinating. And the thoughts of containing an environmental attack like the one portrayed in The Demon Crown was scary!

The Weiliczka Salt Mines

Finally, the information about Amber and the Weiliczka Salt Mines was also extremely interesting. Since I knew nothing about the history of salt mining in Poland. So I obviously didn’t know anything about the Cathedrals, rooms and various carvings I  the subterranean labyrinth of the mine. Here is a picture of the show piece of the mine the Chapel of St. Kinga all carved out of salt! You can read more about the mine at Wikipedia and at the web-page for the mine.

 

Anyway The Demon Crown is great so check it out! As for me, I’m returning to the town of Promise Falls , New York  via Linwood Barclay’s latest Parting Shot

 

 

2018 Winter Releases Include Some “Must Reads”

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2018 Winter Releases Have Me Pumped

Oh that I was a Speed Reader!

Even though  I already have a boatload of books to read in January, I still am on the quest for new reads. So I checked out the new releases scheduled for the first three months of 2018. The following twelve books are written by authors whose works I have previously read and enjoyed. The ones that I have written about can be categorized as “must reads” While the others are should-reads and would be read, if there were enough hours in the day!!!

JANUARY RELEASES

City of Endless Night (Agent Pendergast series) – Lincoln and Child – January 16, 2018

The Wife: A Novel of Psychological Suspense – Alafair Burke – January 23, 2018

The Night Trade - Barry Eisler

The Night Trade (A Livia Lone Novel Book 2) – Barry Eisler

Last year I read the first book in this series Livia Lone. Fom Goodreads…

Seattle PD sex-crimes detective Livia Lone knows the monsters she hunts. Sold by her Thai parents along with her little sister, Nason; marooned in America; abused by the men who trafficked them…the only thing that kept Livia alive as a teenager was her determination to find Nason….

The Night Trade

For sex-crimes detective Livia Lone, a position with a government anti-trafficking task force is a chance to go back to Thailand to ferret out Rithisak Sorm, the trafficking kingpin behind her own childhood ordeal.

But after a planned takedown in a nightclub goes violently awry, Livia discovers that she’s not the only one hunting Sorm

Sounds like another winner to me!

 

Hell Bent Gregg Hurwitz

Hell Bent:An Orphan X Novel (Orphan X #3) – Gregg Hurwitz– January 30, 2018

I have read first two books in this series and again have enjoyed them. The Nowhere Man is a great character and both of the stories themselves have been fast-moving and exciting. From Goodreads….

The Nowhere Man is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It’s said that when he’s reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them.

But he’s no legend.

Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He’s also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as part of the off-the-books black box Orphan program, designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence assets—i.e. assassins. He was Orphan X. Evan broke with the program, using everything he learned to disappear.

 

FEBRUARY RELEASES

Force of Nature – Jane Harper – February 6, 2018

The Deceivers – (A John Wells Novel) – Alex Berenson – February 6, 2018

Sunburn – Laura Lippman – February 20,2018

The Hush - John Hart

The Hush: A Novel – John Hart February 27, 2018

There are some authors that are great storyteller, some can create a great sense of place, and some can create great characters. John Hart does all three        extremely well.  In fact…

Hart has won two Edgar Allan Poe Awards for Best Novel, one in 2008 for Down River, and the second in 2010 for The Last Child. He is the only author in history to win the best novel Edgar Award for consecutive novels. He also won the Barry Award (2010; novel) for The Last Child, the SIBA Book Award (2012; fiction) for Iron House, and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (2009) for The Last Child. Read More

John Hart begins back two characters in  The Hush. Johnny Merriman the lead character in The Last Child and his friend Jack Cross The Hush picks up their lives five years after the events in The Last Child. I can’t wait for this one!!

MARCH RELEASES

I'll Keep You Safe - Peter May

 

I’ll Keep You Safe – Peter May – March 6, 2018

I’ll Keep You Safe is another book that I am eagerly awaiting.  May while not returning to past characters he is returning to a past setting for this book. The setting is the Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland. The Outer Hebrides were the setting for May’s Lewis Trilogy which included: Black House, The Chessmen and The Lewis Man. Three of my favorite books.

The Blackhouse won the U.S. Barry Award for Crime Novel of the Year and the national literature award in France, the CEZAM Prix Litteraire. The Lewis Man won the French daily newspaper Le Télégramme’s 10,000-euro Grand Prix des Lecteurs. More About Peter May

From Goodreads…..

Niamh had lived all her life on the Isle of Lewis and had known Ruairidh Macfarlane since her school days. When they became husband and wife, Niamh couldn’t have been happier. They were partners in their business of Ranish Tweed, as well as life partners. Niamh accompanied Ruairidh on business trips often – it was the trip to Paris which changed her world forever.

The evening of their arrival in Paris, Niamh confronted her husband with her suspicions of his affair with a Russian designer – his denial was immediate, but still he left the hotel to attend the meeting. Her horror was absolute when the car her husband was in exploded violently, showering debris everywhere – no one could possibly have survived. Bereft and desolate, Niamh felt she could no longer face life – her beloved Ruairidh whom she’d thought she would spend the rest of her life with, was gone…More

Once again, I can’t wait!

The Bishop’s Pawn : A Novel (Cotton Malone – Steve Barry – March 20, 2018

The Disappeared - C J Box

The Disappeared (A Joe Pickett Novel) – March 27, 2018

The Disappeared is the 18th book in the Joe Pickett series from C.J. Box. I think I started reading this series at around book  two or three and Have only missed one! (Note to self: read Stone Cold). Needless to say This is a favorite series. There are some series where the characters don’t change a lot but that is not the case with Joe Pickett. Over the course of the series, Joe’s daughters have grown, his best friend Nate has evaded the law and Joe has lost a lot of Government trucks… from Goodreads

 

Wyoming’s new governor isn’t sure what to make of Joe Pickett, but he has a job for him that is extremely delicate. Three British executives, all women, never came home from the high-end guest ranch they were visiting, and the British Embassy is pressing hard. Pickett knows that happens sometimes–these ranches are stocked with handsome young cowboys, and “ranch romances” aren’t uncommon. But three disappearances? That’s too many.

At the same time, with the help of his friend Nate Romanowski, he’s been called to investigate the killings of several bald and golden eagles–a serious federal crime. The more he investigates both cases, the more someone wants him to go away. Is it because of the missing woman or the dead eagles? Read more

 

Lost Creed - Alex Kava

Lost Creed: (Ryder Creed Book 4) – Alex Kava – March 29, 2018

Last but not least comes Lost Creed, the fourth instalment of the Ryder Creed series from Alex Kava. From Goodreads….

Fifteen years ago Ryder Creed’s sister, Brodie disappeared from an interstate rest stop. She was only eleven and Creed was fourteen. Since then her disappearance has haunted him, so much so that Creed has dedicated his life to his K9 business. He rescues abandoned dogs and trains them for scent detection. Together they search for the lost and missing……Read More

I must say that I still like the Maggie O’Dell  lols by Ms. Kava a little better than the Ryder Creed books but since Maggie makes an appearance in most of the books,let’s call it a tie!

Anyway, in Lost Creed Maggie while working on a case a thousand miles from Ryder stumbles upon a clue that may explain what happened to Brodie all those years ago!

Bring it on! Wait I have to wait into March 29th!

Well at least I have a lot to read between  now and then!!

P.S, The feature image is one of the 2018 Winter Releases Cutting Edge by Ward Larsen. I read three books in the David Slaton series from Ward Larsen in 2017. I guess this can count as a “must read”!! You can find out more about the book here

 

Don’t Let Go Another Winner from Harlan Coben

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Since I reached my 60 book goal earlier in the month, I have finished two addition books. The first book I finished was Don’t Let Go. The latest thriller from Harlan Coben. The second was Visitation Street by Ivy Pachoda. Both books were really good reads. My take on Don’t Let Go follows:

About Don’t Let Go 

Don’t Let Go is another fast-paced thriller from Coben. In this episode New Jersey Detective Napoleon “Nap” Dumas….

….hasn’t been the same since senior year of high school, when his twin brother Leo and Leo’s girlfriend Diana were found dead on the railroad tracks—and Maura, the girl Nap considered the love of his life, broke up with him and disappeared without explanation. For fifteen years, Nap has been searching, both for Maura and for the real reason behind his brother’s death. And now, it looks as though he may finally find what he’s been looking for.

The mysterious  Nike missile base located in Nap’s hometown is . Nap discovers that his brother Leo, along with Maura and several others were members of the Conspiracy Club in high school.

The Nike base was the obsession of the Conspiracy Club. The base became an agricultural research center, when the military discontinued its use. However, The club didn’t think that was the case. And they continued to observe it. Now fifteen years after the night that Leo and Diane died, the other members of the club are being killed! Did the military kill Leo and Diane? And why are they killing again after fifteen years?

Thoughts About Don’t Let Go

Once again Harlan Coben creates a great paging turning thriller about a man on a quest. Both the character and the storyline of Don’t Let Go are terrific.  As Nap tries find Maura the love of his life, but also to unearth the truth about his brother’s death. Goodreads writes this about the book…

With unmatched suspense and emotional insight, Harlan Coben explores the big secrets and little lies that can destroy a relationship, a family, and even a town in this powerful new thriller. Read More

I always enjoy both Coben’s stand alone thrillers, as well as, his Myron Bolitar series. (Myron does make a question appearance in Don’t Let Go) And as a native New Jerseyian I love the setting. I do wish though that his characters would visit South Jersey!

I also enjoy the use of the Nike base in the story. As a baby boomer I can relate to the air raid drills where we hid under our desks! I also know where there is at least one Nike base here in Burlington County, NJ.

Author’s Website
Wikipedia
Goodreads
Amazon

Harlan Coben

About Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben (born 1962) is a renowned #1 New York Times bestselling American author known for fast-paced thrillers and mysteries characterized by multiple twists, domestic secrets, and long-buried past events resurfacing

John Verdon -Shut Your Eyes Tight – (Dave Gurney #2)

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Shut Your Eyes Tight - John Verdon

Shut Your Eyes Tight – John Verdon

Originally posted on March 14, 2012. Updated October 2025 with new links, images, and notes.

So yesterday I did it. I reached what I thought was an unreachable goal. When I finished Shut Your Eyes Tight by John Verdon, I reached my goal of reading 60 books in 2017!

Shut Your Eyes Tight by John Verdon is the second book in his Dave Guerney series. The main character in the book, Dave  Guerney, is a retired New York City homicide detective. He is a gifted detective and is the most decorated detective in NYPD history.

 An intriguing Case Comes to Dave

Fellow NYPD detective Jack Hardwick brings the case that forms the plot for Shut Your Eyes Tight  to Dave. The case is four months old case and involves the beheading of a bride on her wedding day. Jack brings Dave the case because he thinks the police are moving in the wrong direction. And he believes the Dave the Super Detective can use his skills to solve the case.

Initially, the case seems  to be a pretty open and shut. The new bride, of a noted psychologist, was the victim.   While the killer appears to be a Mexican who came to work for the psychologist as a gardener and rose to the position of assistant to said psychologist. The Mexican was the last person to see the bride alive and he has now vanished!

But after for months the police are no closer to finding the killer, than the day of the murder. Hardwock believes there is much more to the case than  do the two officers who are heading the investigation. He brought the case to Guerney for that reason . He believes that the great detective Guerney can solve the mystery.

Dave thinks the case is intriguing. His wife Madeleine sees it as a diruption of their new idyllic life.  Despite Madeleine‘s objections, Dave decides to help the victim’s mother and investigate for two weeks. Then report what he found to the mother and the police.

Dave Finds Out the Case IS like an Onion

When Jack Hartwicks brings  the  case to Dave, he says the case was like an onion. The removal of each layer reveals something new. And that’s just what Dave’s investigating reveals.

As Dave investigates his discoveries  turn the simple slam dunk case into the search for a serial killer! The question then becomes can he ever get to the center of the onion,  before he or his wife are the necat victims!

Bottom Line

I am now a fan of Dave Gurney the character and John Versin the writer. I look forward to moving onto book # 3 Let the Devil Sleep.  In fact I just checked the e-book editon out of my library! 

Anyway I enjoy the characters that Verson has created,  both Dave and Madeleine and the surrounding cast. I also enjoy the plots that Verdon has created.  The storyline in Shut Your Eyes Tight was like an onion and each new discovery gave the case a new look until the final pages!

Goodreads Rating. 3.97  My Rating 4.0. So Check it Out

Update Note : Since this post was written in 2012 John Verson has written six more Dave Gurney books. I have read one of them book 1 # 3 Let the Devil Sleep . I think it’s time to pickup this series again! Book #4 Peter Pan Must Die is in my Kindle Library!

Links

Author’s Website
Goodreads
Amazon

John Verdon

John P. Verdon is an American novelist. In 2010, Crown/Random House published his first mystery thriller, Think of a Number, the debut novel in the Dave Gurney detective series. Wikipedia

Born: 1942 (age 83 years), The Bronx, New York, NY

Education: Fordham University, Regis High School