The Cypress House

Death and corruption haunt this tale about a World War I veteran during the Depression who has a unique ability to see whether a person faces an imminent demise because of a trace of smoke in his/her eyes. Arlen Wagner in the late 30’s was a supervisor at a Civilian Conservation Corps (“CCC”) camp and was transferred to another in the Florida Keys along with several others from his detachment.  On the train he saw the sign of death in his fellow passengers and tried to warn them of impending danger, but only 19-year-old Paul Brickhill listened to him.

The two abandoned the train and found themselves at an isolated inn on the Gulf Coast, The Cypress House (a euphemism for a casket).  There they discovered a different kind of danger: a corrupt judge and a sheriff who ruled the area by sheer terror, allowing drugs to be imported from Cuba at a boat landing located near the inn.

The eerie but fascinating tale follows the efforts of the two men, along with Rebecca Cady, who runs the inn, to survive not only the massive 1935 hurricane which caused severe death and destruction, but the human forces that ruled the area.  Written with an excellent eye for describing life during the Great Depression, the novel also exhibits a deep view of human emotions, as Arlen, while wishing to depart as fast as he can, refuses to abandon Rebecca or Paul.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, April 2011.

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The Attenbury Emeralds
Jill Paton Walsh
Minotaur Books, January 2011
ISBN: 978-0-312-67454-0
Hardcover

I have a confession to make:  I never read any of the Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries.  As a result, I suppose, I can approach this novel without any prejudice about the originals written by a legendary author, the redoubtable Dorothy L. Sayers.  And I can firmly state that I have been remiss and must hasten to correct my past negligence.

The author undoubtedly undertook a dream assignment:  to bring closure to the series with this concluding work, bringing Lord Peter full circle to recount his first “detective” assignment and finally bringing the ultimate mystery successfully to a conclusion. Initially, Lord Peter undertook to find the missing Attenbury Emeralds which seemed to disappear during an engagement party.  This novel, however, traces further mysteries surrounding the gems through several decades before, during and after World War II.

I have, of course, no way of knowing how authentic the tone of the book or development of the characters is compared to the originals, but I suspect they are completely compatible.  The dialogue, deliberately stilted to simulate upper crust English society, is really touching, and, of course, the interaction between Peter and Harriet poignant.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, May 2011.

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On Borrowed Time
David Rosenfelt
Minotaur Books, February 2011
ISBN: 978-0-312-59836-5
Hardcover

This is a potboiler of a novel, the author’s third standalone.  He is remembered most fondly for his Andy Carpenter series and admired for his home for sick and injured dogs.  He has now turned his creative self to a sort of sci-fi mystery in which journalist Richard Kilmer lives in both a real and a fantasy world.

Without giving the plot away, it is safe to say the story relies on the reader to suspend disbelief in some ways.  Richard is set up to believe what someone wants him to in order to prove the success of an experiment in mind manipulation.  On the other hand, it becomes quite obvious that the more he is channeled in a specific manner, the more he acts contrary to direction, somewhat opposite to what one would expect.

In any event, the novel progresses to almost a soap opera type of conclusion, detracting, in my view, from an otherwise over-all pretty high standard.  That is not to say that I have a better idea, or that the ending is not warranted, at least on the level of what went before.  That said, the book is, for the most part, good fun, and recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, May 2011.

Known to Evil

Leonid Trotter McGill is a 54-year-old African-American man, an amateur boxer known to have had his “finger in every dishonest business in the city” including being a fixer for the mob, who is trying to turn his life around, now working as a private detective. He describes his marriage as “twenty years of unfaithfulness on both sides of the bed;” he has fathered only one of the two sons he has raised with his wife, she of the “gorgeous Scandinavian face.”  At present both his wife and his girlfriend have taken on new boyfriends, and his two sons are involved in some kind of trouble.  And that’s only his personal life.

He is hired [although insisting it will be a ‘favor,’ with no money to change hands other than expenses] by a very powerful man to find a young woman who it seems is being stalked, with no information except for an address; when he goes to that address it quickly becomes apparent that it is a crime scene where two dead bodies have been found.  The ensuing investigation, by McGill and the police, is not a simple one; ‘convoluted’ would be an understatement, but one never loses interest for a minute.   The woman he was sent to find was “a mystery and missing, the object of attention of a man who was as dangerous as any terrorist or government-trained assassin.”

I must admit to only having read one of this author’s prior books, which took place in an LA of earlier times.  I found this novel, which takes place in contemporary New York City, more accessible, which probably says at least as much about me than about the author.  But his evocation of present-day Manhattan is a vibrant one, as are his characters.  His writing is enjoyable on so many levels:  The frequent irony; the depiction of his protagonist as a deeply flawed man but one with his own immutable moral code; the wonderful names he gives his characters:  e.g., a young man who I want to describe as a computer genius except that that wouldn’t do him justice, with the two nicknames of “Tiny” [because he isn’t] and “Bug,” [no idea]; his father was self-named “Tolstoy;” an ex-cop’s middle name is Proteus; an assassin friend is named Hush; his brother is Nikita; he himself has named his sons Twilliam and Dmitri.

The writing is wonderful. When something bothers McGill, he describes it as “a feeling at the back of my mind, something that was burgeoning into consciousness like a vibrating moth pressing out from its cocoon.”  When he turned 49, the man who was a surrogate father to him gives him this wisdom:  “When you hit your fifties life starts comin’ up on ya fast . . .  Before that time life is pretty much a straight climb.  Wife looks up to you and the young kids are small enough, and the older kids smart enough, not to weigh you down.  But then, just when you start puttin’ on the pounds an’ losin’ your wind, the kids’re expecting you to fulfill your promises and the wife all of a sudden sees every one of your flaws.  Your parents, if you still got any, are getting’ old and turnin’ back into kids themselves.  For the first time you realize that the sky does have a limit. You comin’ to a rise, but when you hit the top there’s another life up ahead of you and here you are – - just about spent.”

Mr. Mosley has been called a master of contemporary noir, and I cannot disagree with that assessment.   Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Gloria Feit, May 2011.

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Misery Bay
Steve Hamilton
Minotaur, June 2011
ISBN: 978-0-312-38043-4
Hardcover

The first page of the newest book by Steve Hamilton, which brings the welcome return of Alex McKnight, describes a scene wherein the body of a young man is found hanging from a tree branch at the edge of a bay in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  For those new to the series, McKnight is a former Detroit cop and current holder of a p.i. license, although he protests that he ‘doesn’t do that anymore’:  He owns and rents out cabins to ‘the snowmobile people’ in season.

Three months after that first-page event takes place, McKnight is approached by Roy Maven, Chief of Police in “the Soo” [Sault St. Marie], who asks for his help.  This from a man whose relationship with McKnight could at best be described as ‘fraught’ – as the Chief says, ‘just call it a persistent lack of liking each other.”  The dead boy’s father had been Maven’s partner on the police force, and Maven wants McKnight to investigate the circumstances that could have led to what appears to have been a suicide.  Having suffered horrendous personal losses himself – his partner on the Detroit police force, the woman he loved – there is no way this particular man could refuse.  In what is perhaps the unlikeliest of alliances, McKnight agrees.

The place where the body was found is the eponymous Misery Bay, a fitting enough name for the site itself and for what happened there, and a five-hour drive away from McKnight’s home on Lake Superior, in a town called Paradise.  McKnight once again periodically turns to his friend Leon Prudell, the once and perhaps future p.i., for his unerring ability to point him in the right direction.  The investigation takes some unpredictable turns, as more lives are lost and more still endangered.

The writing is wonderful – no surprise here.  The long, long winter of Paradise is once again made palpable by the author:  “The sun went down.  The wind picked up and started howling and I knew the wind chill would be something like thirty below.  Another beautiful April night in Paradise. . . [where] springtime felt like a fairy tale.”  [And I loved that the author tips his hat to fellow mystery writers, both from NYC: Reed Coleman and Jim Fusilli, both police sergeants in this incarnation.]

As dark as the story line is, there is just enough humor injected into the writing and, as usual for this author, it is a sheer pleasure to read, and highly recommended.

Reviewed by Gloria Feit, July 2011.

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The Retribution
Val McDermid
Little, Brown, September 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4087-0319-9
Hardcover

[This review is based on the UK edition and the US edition is now available from Atlantic Monthly Press, ISBN 9780802120175]

In her twenty-fifth novel, Val McDermid brings back Jacko Vance, introduced to readers in The Wire in the Blood, and to television viewers in its wonderful series adaptation.  As the book opens, this truly malevolent serial killer, whose resume includes “killer of seventeen teenage girls, murderer of a serving police officer, and a man once voted the sexiest man on British TV” as well as an Olympic athlete and an outwardly charming and charismatic man, has served over 12 years in prison, owing mostly to the efforts of DCI Carol Jordan and psychological profiler Tony Hill.  Vance has spent most of that time meticulously planning his escape, as well as his future after its successful completion:  the revenge suggested by the books title, directed toward those who had caused his imprisonment, first among them Jordan and Hill, as well as his ex-wife whose betrayal he sees as making her equally culpable.  Of course, his plan for vengeance merely begins there.

Carol Jordan, as yet unaware of what is about to happen, is dealing with a shake-up at the Bradfield Metropolitan Police, where the powers that be are disbanding her Major Incident Team.  In an attempt to go out in a ‘blaze of glory,’ they are faced with finding a killer who has been killing street prostitutes in gruesome ways, and branding them with a distinctive tattoo on the wrist of each.   Suddenly, Jordan’s priorities change with Vance’s escape, and its implications.  Tony’s priorities as well must be divided between these investigations.

The relationship between Jordan and Hill has always been difficult to define, becoming more so all the time.  They are not quite lovers, although they share space, and different flats, in Tony’s house.  But their emotional entanglement has always been obvious to all, even if they themselves do not admit to one.  That relationship, both professionally and personally, is about to be threatened now as never before.

The author goes into more of Tony’s background, and the emotional and psychological paths that have shaped him, and caused him to work at “passing for human,” than I remembered having been done in the past.  He tells a colleague “I won’t deny that the people who do this kind of thing fascinate me.  The more disturbed they are, the more I want to figure out what makes them tick.”  It is his empathy and his oft-times brilliant insights that have made him so successful.  But this is a challenge unlike any he has ever faced.

The pace steadily accelerates along with a sense of dread as Vance begins to carry out his plans, and the resultant page-turner is as good as anything this acclaimed author has written.  Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Gloria Feit, September 2011.

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Split Second
Catherine Coulter
Putnam, July 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-15743-1
Hardcover

There are three story lines presented in the newest book by Catherine Coulter.  The first appears on page one, and isn’t resolved until nearly the final page in the book:  The owner of a small convenience store in Washington, D.C. is nearly killed late one night in an apparent robbery gone wrong, the latter not having counted on FBI Agent Dillon Savitch being the customer in the shop at the time.  When the same man is shot in another incident shortly thereafter, leaving him seriously wounded, it would seem there is more going on than a “simple” robbery.

The second, and main, story line deals with a series of crimes involving women in their 20’s and 30’s who are picked up in neighborhood bars, brought back to their own apartments, and strangled with a length of wire, no apparent connection among them, and the crimes occurring in various large cities including Cleveland, Ohio; San Francisco; and Chicago.  Autopsies show the women were drugged with Rohypnol and ketamine.   One of the victims had scratched her attacker before being killed, leaving a nice sample of DNA to be analyzed and run through databases, after which it is determined that the killer is the offspring of none other than Ted Bundy, the man who kidnapped dozens of young women, raped, tortured and then murdered them before he was caught and ultimately electrocuted in Florida in 1989.

The last of the plotlines is a very personal one, having to do with a horrifying family secret just discovered by Lucy Carlyle, another FBI agent in the Washington DC office, and her attempt to put it on the back burner while joining her boss, Savitch, and her partner, Cooper (“Coop”) McKnight, in the investigation of the serial killer, whose victims number five and counting.

I had several problems with the book, starting with the fact that one of the agents, whose name is, disconcertingly, Lacey Sherlock, is never referred to or called Lacey but, always, “Sherlock,” even by her husband.  As well, much of the writing felt stilted, the dialog often not what I felt one or another would be expected to utter or their actions not ringing true, e.g., a 27-year-old FBI agent “bouncing up and down” upon being given news of an important breakthrough in the case; a cup of coffee described as “dark as sin.”  And would a woman who had just been told her niece had lost control of her car and been badly injured, upon seeing that niece, really say to her “Oh, you’ve got a bandage on your head!”  Nor am I enamored with the supernatural in mysteries, as is the case here.

On the other hand, almost in spite of myself, I was caught up in the story, the pages turning quickly, and anxious to find out how each story line was resolved.  I am obviously in the minority with my reservations about the book, since the author consistently makes the bestseller lists.  This is her seventeenth book in what is termed “the FBI Thriller” series.  It made for good reading, on balance, and I’m sure most readers will find it very enjoyable.

Reviewed by Gloria Feit, November 2011.

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Very Bad Men
Harry Dolan
Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, July 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-15749-3
Hardcover

This new novel from the author of the acclaimed Bad Things Happen, his writing debut, has no ‘sophomore book’ problems.   Very Bad Men immediately engages the reader, and one is quickly drawn into this compelling tale of murder, specifically, the murder of two men who were part of a bank robbery seventeen years ago, and the attempted murder of a third.  All three men had been convicted, and served jail time of varying lengths.  But what could be the motive?  These three men had not seen nor contacted one another in all the intervening years.  And the killer – for his identity is quickly revealed – is not a cool, professional hit man; that is immediately made clear.

David Loogan, the editor-in-chief of a mystery magazine, receives, in a plain, unmarked envelope, what at first glance appears to be a manuscript, only several pages long, bearing no signature, the first line of which reads “I killed Henry Kormoran . . . “   Loogan, who lives with his ‘significant other,’ Elizabeth Waishkey, an Ann Arbor, Michigan, detective, and her precocious 16-year-old daughter, ultimately begins a kind of parallel and unofficial investigation.

Each character in the novel is wonderfully well-drawn.  These include the killer, who suffers from synesthesia, a rare affliction which results in a confusion of the senses, with words taking on dimensions far beyond their ‘normal’ printed appearance, according to his emotional reaction to them; Lucy Navarro, a young and rather endearing reporter, who comes up with a bizarre theory of the motive for the crimes; assorted politicians and their ‘handlers,’ among others.  The writer invokes some wildly disparate images: Occam and his razor, Aristotle, jazz musician Charlie Parker; mystery authors Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly; and a theme:  “We all want to be known.  To be seen for who we really are.” There are carefully placed, and easily missed clues, and startling and unexpected twists in this rather complex and engrossing novel, which is recommended.

Reviewed by Gloria Feit, December 2011.

The Ridge

Chief Deputy Kevin Kimble is making an early morning drive when he receives a very strange and disturbing phone call. The call is from Wyatt French one of the stranger residents of Kimble’s county.  Wyatt lives on a hilltop known as Blade Ridge.  Wyatt is famous for his heavy drinking and his residence.  Wyatt lives in a lighthouse that lights up the hills surrounding his home.  Wyatt’s call is to ask just one question of Kimble and  that is if Kimble would rather have a homicide to investigate or a suicide.  Kimble finally responds with the answer of suicide.

Kimble’s early drive is a strange one.  He makes a monthly visit to prison to visit Jacqueline Mathis.  Mathis is serving time for the murder of her husband.  Jacqueline also severely injured Kimble although she claims not to remember that she shot him.  Kimble thinks that his visits are not common knowledge but his telephone conversation with French reveals that French is well aware of these trips.

Audrey Clark is the owner of a big-cat sanctuary and is in the process of moving the animals to her new location on Blade Ridge.  The cats are restless and seem to be dissatisfied with the new sanctuary.

Kimble’s return home after his prison visit finds him faced with the discovery of Wyatt French’s body.  French’s death appears to be a suicide but Kimble keeps going over the statements made by French in his phone call and the strange items revealed in the search of French’s lighthouse home.

Between the investigation of French’s death and the trouble stirring at the cat sanctuary it seems that Blade Ridge is a dangerous place to be. Roy Darmus is a newspaper reporter whose newspaper has just closed down but Roy also becomes interested in French’s death and Blade Ridge.  Kimble and Darmus work together to uncover the mystery that surrounds the Ridge.

Digging into the past finally reveals the history of Blade Ridge and the very real dangers that lurk there – dangers that Wyatt French attempted to fight.

I enjoyed this author’s The Cypress House and So Cold the River. This one is even better than the first two.  The three books are all stand-alones.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, June 2011.

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Dead Man’s Switch
Tammy Kaehler
Poisoned Pen Press, 2011
ISBN No. 978-1590588819
Hardcover

Tammy Kaehler’s debut novel Dead Man’s Switch introduces Kate Reilly.  Kate loves racing and although she has had some experience, she is looking for a full-time position with a racing crew.  When she pulls into the track at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut where the American LeMans Series is racing on the 4^th of July weekend she pulls into a dead man.  Or maybe a better phrase would be that she pulls over a dead man.

The corpse under Kate’s car turns out to be Wade Becker, a corvette driver for ALMS.  The driver’s death was a shock to everyone but not necessarily counted as a loss since Wade seemed to have a number of enemies in the racing world.

When Kate is offered the position of filling in for Wade, she is thrilled but uncertain how she will be accepted.  She finds that the detective in charge of the investigation is suspicious of Kate since she not only discovered the body but also has taken over Wade’s driving position.

The author takes the readers behind the scenes of racing and puts you behind the wheel with Kate.  Kate is trying to concentrate on her driving as well as attempting to clear her name and prove that she is innocent.

Strong characters and a lot of excitement make this book a great read and you don’t have to be interested in racing to enjoy the book and learn a lot about the sport.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, August 2011.

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The Burning Edge
Rick Mofina
Mira, December 2011
ISBN No. 978-0778313014
Mass Market Paperback

“Jennifer, I love you.”  No, this is not a love story.   These four words are the last words spoken by a young FBI agent as he lay dying next to Lisa Palmer, recently widowed, single mother. At the request of the agent, Lisa had tried to reach his gun so that he would have a chance at the robbers but the gun slipped and attracted the attention of one of the robbers who immediately shot the FBI agent and held a gun to Lisa’s head.   Lisa escaped death but didn’t escape the terror of living through the robbery and the fear that the robbers would somehow find her.

Although Lisa has two small children to protect, she does agree to do everything she can to cooperate with the FBI in their search for the criminals. For FBI agent Frank Morrow this case is extremely important.  Morrow is facing his own death sentence and is determined to conclude the case and allow him time to spend with is family before his health problems take their final toll.

Jack Gannon, a reporter for World Press Alliance, is given the assignment and pressured to land an exclusive.  Gannon’s current boss, Dolf Lisker, is nothing like Melody Lane, his former boss, who has taken a one-year leave of absence.  Lisker had never worked the streets or followed a lead and had no patience whatsoever.  Lisker demanded immediate results and had no patience with Gannon who had an anonymous tipster he was attempting to catch up with and obtain further information about the robbery and its purpose.  Gannon feels  that the robbery had been carried out by well-trained men and the purpose of the robbery was more than just a chance to grab some fast money.

The story jumps back and forth from Gannon’s quest for more information, Lisa Palmer’s fears and her determination to keep her family safe and be sure the robbers are captured, and the point of view of the robbers and their reasons for needing a large amount of cash in a short amount of time.

Jack Gannon is a professional and the inside story of how a reporter chases down leads keeps the pages turning rapidly.  If you have not read the previous Jack Gannon novels this fast-paced book will be sure to make you want to read each book in the Gannon series.

Rick Mofina is a former crime reporter and writes from his own experience.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, November 2011.

The Affair

Jack Reacher fans celebrate! Step back in time to read the case that separated the man from the military. Uncover secrets and lies and do so in the unique Child style we’ve come to expect. Reacher is the intelligent, tough guy with Sherlock Holmes type deductive reasoning. He’s patriotic, no nonsense, and determined to see a case through to the end, letting the chips fall where they will.

It’s 1997. Major Jack Reacher is assigned to go undercover in a small northeastern Mississippi town where a woman has been raped and murdered. Reacher is to make nice with the local police to monitor the investigation, especially in relation to the nearby military base where there is no shortage of suspects. Almost immediately upon arriving in town, Reacher meets the county sheriff, Elizabeth Deveraux, former Marine and beautiful woman. She understands Reacher’s role because she’s familiar with how the military operates. With no word from the investigator on the base, Reacher and Deveraux begin sifting through anomalies and clues in the case. Soon, Reacher must deal with not one dead woman, but three, all murdered in the last nine months. While military personnel do everything to cover their backsides, Reacher uses logic, his subtle but steady investigative process and his contacts in Washington, D.C. to ferret out the truth.

If you’re a veteran to Child, you know this one is going to be another good one. His unique writing style is logical, clinical, precise. Child’s portrayal of the military is truthful, unabashed, and his humor is well-timed. He knows how to slowly peel back the layers revealing a little at a time. If you’re new to Child, then be prepared to set aside large chunks of time to read. The Affair is one of those types of stories where you’ll want to continue nonstop to the end, then blank your memory and start over again. This is another winner.

Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton, November 2011.

Covenant

What if you had nothing to lose? However, what if you had everything to gain? What if you were a party to discovering a secret going back millennia, possibly to the beginning of the rise of mankind? Of course, you know there will be others involved who want the secret for themselves. Thus it is in Dean Crawford’s debut thriller, Covenant. From the untamed and violent Israeli deserts to the equally wild urban jungle of Washington, D.C., two sets of individuals try to unravel a mystery while a third, looming group seeks to control the secret for its own fanatical purposes.

His fiancé abducted three years ago, Ethan Warner, former soldier and war correspondent, has been living a rough life. Then, he is recruited by a military buddy to find the man’s granddaughter, Lucy Morgan. An archaeologist working in the Negev Desert, Lucy has been abducted by an unknown party shortly after discovering remains of a humanoid some are suggesting is alien in origin. Meanwhile, back in Washington, D.C., two homicide investigators stumble onto what, at first, looks like a simple case of three overdose victims. However, after the post mortem, one of the victims is rife with anomalies. Evading a ruthless civilian security force, Warner and Lucy’s mother seek answers not only to Lucy’s whereabouts, but to life itself, while the investigators piece together clues that implicate a powerful and controversial pastor.

With short chapters and death defying action scenes, Crawford presents a fast moving tale of intrigue, science, and technology, while revealing some of the mysteries of the origins of life. Where did mankind originate? Why do cultures around the world have similar stories of and throughout history? This book doesn’t seek to answer these questions, but it does spur the imagination.

Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton, November 2011.

Electric Barracuda

Attempting to review a Serge A. Storm novel is no small chore, it is a monumental task, because there is no possible way to provide even a modicum of a synopsis.  But one can always provide one conclusion, and this 13th novel in the series is no exception to the rule that it is whacky, humorous, different and a delight to read.

The themes in bare essence are as follows: Serge is on his usual tour of Florida’s “attractions” as a “fugitive,” advising those who read his website on how to enjoy themselves while “on the lam.”  Meanwhile, in reality (if such a thing exists in a Serge Storm plot) he is being chased by nemesis Mahoney and a Special State Task Force.  And while he’s at it, Serge has to recover funds fraudulently taken by an unscrupulous attorney from his grandfather’s old gang.

Enough said.  Just read the novel end laugh out loud.  Recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, April 2011.

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The Snowman
Jo Nesbo
Translated by Don Bartlett
Knopf, May 2011
ISBN: 978-0-307-59586-7
Hardcover

The Harry Hole series presents the reader with somewhat of an anomaly. On the one hand, we are informed that Norway is virtually free from serial killers.  On the other hand, Hole is reputed to be the only detective in the nation with experience in catching serial killers, having accomplished his experience in Australia and also attending an FBI course.  And then, serial killers tend to appear in the Harry Hole novels, including this one.

The first of several missing persons is a married mother, and the only clue is a snowman outside her home. Shortly before her disappearance, Hole received a mysterious letter which, in retrospect, leads him to believe there was a link between it and the woman’s vanishing.  In reviewing unsolved cases, Harry and his team find an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over some years.

Once again, Jo Nesbo has written a taut thriller, one that is forceful and gripping and, this time, full of madness.  His novels just keep on getting better and better.  Fast-paced and staggering, always keeping the reader looking ahead to the next shift, keeping one off balance with wonder.  Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, April 2011.

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The Janus Stone
Elly Griffiths
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-23744-2
Hardcover

Near the conclusion of the debut novel in this series, The Crossing Places, forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway and DI Harry Nelson enjoy an emotional one-night stand after solving the mystery of discovered bones in the salt marsh in Norwich, England.  In this second installment, we learn that Ruth is now three months pregnant, but that doesn’t prevent her from jumping into the trenches when a skeleton is uncovered during a dig at a development site.  Are the bones ancient or more recent?  Is it a murder case?

Juggling ancient Roman history, classical lore and modern science is the basics of a Ruth Galloway mystery, and The Janus Stone is no exception.  Janus is the God with two heads, looking forward and backward, guardian of “the door.”  And it is under the door to an old mansion, which served for a time as a home for children, that the bones are found.  Whether they are the remains of a little girl who ran away with her brother years before, or is there some other explanation, remains the task of DI Nelson and his associates to discover, especially after Ruth confirms they are of modern, rather than ancient, origin.  [Not a spoiler – this is revealed very early on.]  Other mysteries arise, especially when Ruth’s life is threatened.  Who is the perpetrator?

By combining ancient mythology with a plot involving family secrets, insanity, and two independent and interesting characters, the novel keeps the reader rapt in a flowing tale with multi-level subplots. Written with insight and humor, the book is recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, April 2011.

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Three Seconds
Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom
Translated by Kari Dickson
SilverOak (Sterling), January 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4027-8592-4
Hardcover

In the tradition of Swedish noir crime novels, this is a brutal and twisted tale of the cynical use of criminals as informers (“snitches” in prison parlance) and the cover-ups and subterfuge which follow.  It also is a cynical tale of the apparent practice of allowing drug use in Swedish prisons to keep prisoners calm and compliant.  Moreover, it is a look at police and political corruption.  In other words, it is one helluva tale.

The plot follows Piet Hoffman, who has served as an informer for almost a decade, now deeply involved with a Polish drug ring which he has infiltrated to the extent that he has risen to head up an operation to supply all of Sweden’s inmates with drugs.  It is, of course, the police plan that he would help crush the organization in the effort.  Then there is Detective Inspector Ewert Grens, a troubled man investigating a murder at which Hoffman was present.

The five novels which have now been published by the authors are anything but the usual crime genre..  A combination of fact and fiction (one author is an investigative reporter, the other an ex-criminal), written with depth and detail.  The writing is powerful, and the suspense builds from beginning to end.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, April 2011.

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Secrets to the Grave
Tami Hoag
Dutton, January 2011
ISBN: 978-0-525-95192-6
Hardcover

While this novel is a sequel to Deeper than the Dead, featuring many of its characters, in what is now a series, the book stands alone as a murder mystery on its own.  It takes place in a small California community in which a young artist, Marissa Fordham, and her four-year-old daughter have settled.  She is supported by a rich dowager who is a control freak.

Marissa is killed by multiple stab wounds and the child nearly murdered by strangulation, with multiple suspects to be sorted by the Sheriff’s Office, and particularly detective Tony Mendez, profiler Vince Leone and his wife, Anne Navarre, who becomes the child’s protector.  Piecing the story together is like peeling an onion, layer by layer.

The author has created the framework of a successful, continuing series, written with developing characters and evolving plots.  No need to add additional praise.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, April 2011.

The Sentry

There are many larger-than-life, hard-boiled superheroes, some more believable than others.  Then there is Joe Pike:  A strong, contemplative, quiet, unassuming protagonist.  And his sorrowful and anguished side-kick, PI Elvis Cole, adds a more human touch. Together, they make a great team, and in this, the third thriller in the series with Joe in the lead (Elvis is upfront in 11 others), they come together like ham and swiss or hand in glove.

It all begins when by chance Joe observes two gangbangers beating up a cook in a po’boy sandwich shop in Venice, California.  Killing one ( the other runs off), he meets the cook’s niece and becomes attracted to her, deciding to meet with the gang jefe to prevent further violence in what appears to be a protection racket.  This leads to all sorts of events involving the Mexican drug cartel, Bolivian drug lords, and a psychopathic killer, among others.

Each novel in the series is notable, with this entry among the best. The author has written a solid book, with ironic observations and a plot that swerves back and forth to keep the reader wondering what follows.  He has shown that the series is a long way from running out of steam, and I can’t wait for the next one.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, March 2011.

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Stettin Station
David Downing
Soho Press ,April 2011
ISBN: 978-1-56947-919-3
Trade Paperback

The chronicle of journalist John Russell begins in Nazi Berlin a week before Pearl Harbor in this, the third novel in the series [with a fourth, Potsdam Station, just out in hardcover].  The descriptions of Gestapo tactics and the beginnings of the “final solution” are eerily chilling.

Russell is ostensibly a correspondent for a San Francisco newspaper, allowing the author to describe the machinations of the Nazi censors and propaganda machine with vivid detail, while his protagonist acts as a go-between between German and American intelligence agents, carrying messages back and forth.  He even obtains proof that the Gestapo is removing Jews from Berlin and planning to gas them, even though he can hardly publish the story.

As conditions worsen, Russell has to find a way to get out of Germany, hoping to bring his long-time girlfriend with him.  It is a tale of terror with a thrill-a-page pace.  Descriptions of wartime Berlin and the police state remind us of a period many may have forgotten, but of which we, and they, should perhaps be reminded.

Recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, March 2011.

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Damage
John Lescroart
Dutton, January 2011
ISBN: 978-0-525-95176-6
Hardcover

Readers should not expect the author’s trademark court scenes in this novel.  Instead, it is more of a psychological study about a newly elected DA, Wes Farrell, in San Francisco, protagonists also including Chief of Homicide Abe Glitsky, Asst. DA Amanda Jenkins and others. The antagonists include Ro Curtlee, a convicted rapist-murderer released by an appellate court on a technicality after serving nine years of a much longer sentence, and his parents, wealthy owners of one of only two newspapers in town and not hesitant in using their power to influence public officials or opinion.

Soon after Ro’s release pending a new trial, the question of bail arises; Farrell takes no position and the judge grants it for a $10 million bond. And then the chief witness in the first trial is found strangled and her apartment burned.  Obviously, suspicion falls on Ro. Another murder and threatening events soon follow.  The thrust of the plot is to get Ro back in jail, and the machinations of the cops and prosecutors vs. the influence of the Curtlees.

So, instead of a courtroom drama, we have a thriller enhanced by peeks into the conflicts and complexities, including ethics, values and procedures, facing various professionals in their attempts to serve justice.  Written with insight and flowing narrative, the novel is recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, March 2011.

Hide and Seek

Katia Lief’s first book, the thrilling You Are Next, was published in the US in October of 2010; this novel, a sequel, was published there under the title Next Time You See Me one short month later. Inasmuch as it picks up four years after the end of the first book, everything to follow must be considered a potential spoiler, hence:

SPOILER ALERT

Karin Schaeffer is still living in Brooklyn, New York, but now she is about to celebrate her second wedding anniversary.  Five months pregnant, she had married Mac, after the latter quit the Maplewood, New Jersey police force [as had Karin herself a few years back], moved to Brooklyn where he married Karin and they both started a new life after [barely] surviving the events described in the first book.

Karin had been a soldier, a cop and a detective; now a mother and currently taking courses in forensic psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Mac [nee Seamus MacLeary], a former cop for more than twenty years, has just been promoted to senior vice-president of Forensic Security at the exclusive firm of Quest Security after a scandal involving allegedly altered forensic testimony in a high-profile legal case had resulted in his predecessor in the job being summarily fired.  Also present is Billy Staples, the cop who worked with them on the earlier case, now Mac’s best friend and still working in Brooklyn’s 84th Precinct.

As the tale opens, Mac’s parents have been found dead in their home, apparently the victims of a botched home invasion.  But a few days later, shortly after the funeral, the police suspect Mac’s brother, Danny, who has a history of alcoholism and rootlessness, frequently changing jobs and girlfriends, based on DNA evidence found in the house.  In a state of exhaustion, when Mac insists on going to work but trying to exude enthusiasm on the morning of their anniversary celebration dinner, he promises Karin, with a kiss and a smile, “next time you see me, I’ll be . . . “ when she cuts off his apology with another kiss.  Then he disappears.

Two weeks later, with no word from Mac, they are notified that the car that he had apparently rented has been found in Long Island Sound, with no trace of a body.  Months go by, with no word from or trace of Mac.  Karin is convinced that his disappearance has something to do with his new job, rather than his parents’ murder and Danny’s possible involvement.  She is convinced that Mac is still alive, focusing on the fact that no body has been found.  She hires a private detective, and discovers things about Mac’s past she never knew of or suspected. As her mother tells her, “we may think we know someone, but there are always surprises,” and as Karin herself thinks, “if you think life is going to turn out the way you plan it, you’re a fool.”

The book is as suspenseful and surprising as was the earlier book, and it too is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Gloria Feit, November 2011.

Dead Like You

Settle in for a lengthy read from an international bestselling author. Go along with a British investigator as he follows a trail of clues to track down a serial rapist. Learn about past relationships and how they affect present and future ones. Travel down a long and winding road filled with suspense, gritty police work, and enough characters to keep you guessing.

1997: Detective Sergeant Roy Grace becomes involved with what may be the latest in a series of rapes with a perverted twist. The perpetrator, after assaulting innocent women, takes as a souvenir one of the victim’s expensive shoes. Another woman has been abducted and Grace and his team are assigned to find her. In the midst of a hectic investigation, he’s also struggling to keep a relationship going with his wife. Transition to present day New Year’s Eve: A woman at a Brighton motel is raped and her clothes and designer shoes are taken. Grace, now a Detective Superintendent, sees similarities with the cold case from years ago. Soon, more women are attacked and there is no shortage of suspects. Can Grace sift through the clues and follow the leads before the latest, another kidnapped woman is gone forever?

James writes a complex but moving tale with excellent police procedure, unique characters, and even though it’s a lengthy read, he keeps you intrigued. Jumping from the past to the present, he slowly reveals the similarities and the differences and shows you how some things aren’t as they seem, guilty looking individuals may not be but everyone has a secret or two.

Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton, November 2011.

The Kingdom of Dog

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Rochester and I am a Golden Retriever.  For those of you who read about me in the book In Dog We Trust, it is good to see you again.  For those new to Golden Retriever Mysteries, Welcome!

For a little background, I now share a townhouse with Steve Levitan. We enjoy each other’s company and share some wonderful times as well as a few scary adventures. Steve has a full time job as an adjunct in the English Department of Eastern College, his alma mater.  Having a full time job is something new for Steve and me.  Steve got into a little trouble prior to moving here and it has been a struggle to put the past behind him but things seem to be coming together now.

Steve is currently working under Mike MacCormac, the director of alumni relations and Eastern is getting ready to launch a $500 million capital campaign to fund new constructions, scholarships and faculty chairs.   Mike isn’t happy with Joe Dagorian, director of admissions.  Mike has a wealthy alumni targeted for a major gift but Joe is refusing to send an admittance letter to Moran’s son.

The night of the big fund-raiser finally arrives and Steve is busy at the party.  I am resting in Steve’s office when I decide to go wander around outside and that is when I find Joe’s body.  I immediately notify Steve, the police are called and the investigation begins.

Joe thought the money being spent for the party was a waste and could be used to better advantage in other areas.  There were several people at the party who had reason to be happy to be rid of Joe so there was no lack of suspects.

Joe was Steve’s mentor and his friend and Steve was determined to do everything he could to bring the killer to justice.  I was able to be quite a bit of help when I uncovered a few clues and pointed them out to Steve.  Joe’s murder was not the only mystery that was solved in this story.

I think you will like the characters in The Kingdom of Dog and find the story to be a real page-turner.  If you haven’t read In Dog We Trust, try it too.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, April 2011.

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A  Drop of the Hard Stuff
A Matthew Scudder Novel
Lawrence Block
Mulholland Books, May 2011
ISBN No. 978-0316127332
Hardcover (ARC)

Although Alcoholics Anonymous and the twelve-step program has been a lifesaver for many people, Jack Ellery never got past the eighth step.  Matthew Scudder ran into Jack Ellery at an AA meeting.  Jack had attended the same grade school as Matt but the two really didn’t know a lot about each other.  Matt is an ex-police officer who is attempting to put his life back together.  This includes attending many AA meetings.  Jack, on many occasions. has been on the other side of the law but he is working at turning his life around.

Matt and Jack get together after the AA meeting and catch up on the past.  Jack filled Matt in on his sponsor, Gregory Stillman, who Jack referred to as a “Step Nazi”.    Jack said that Greg had been helping him work on the steps and the next one was the step where you list people you have harmed and become willing to make amends.

Matt was spending time on and off with his girl friend, Jan.  Matt attended an AA meeting with Jan where he ran into Jack again.  This time Jack didn’t look good.  His face was swollen and he had been beaten pretty badly.  The next news Matt had regarding Jack was from Greg Stillman.  Jack had been murdered.

Greg hired Matt to investigate the murder.  Both felt sure that the murder had something to do with the fact that Jack was working on making amends and revealing instances from his past.  The investigation proved dangerous and even threatened Matt’s hard-earned sobriety.

This addition to the Matthew Scudder series is a must read for Lawrence Block fans.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, April 2011.

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Among The Departed
A Constable Molly Smith Novel
Vicki Delany
Poisoned Pen Press, May 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59058-924-3
Hardcover
Also available in trade paperback

Brothers and sisters tend to argue and Jamie and his sister Poppy aren’t exempt from disagreements.  When the two get into an argument at the campground outside of Trafalgar, British Columbia, where the family is camping, Jamie is ordered by his mother to go into timeout.  Jamie decides that he will show his parents that he won’t be treated in that manner.  He stuffs his blanket in his sleeping bag and sneaks out of the tent to have his own private adventure. The adventure becomes scary for Jamie and his parents are terrified when they discover Jamie is missing.

The police are called and Adam Tocek of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is summoned to report to the campground with his dog Norman to lead the search.  Constable Molly Smith has been spending a romantic evening with Adam but when the evening is interrupted, she decides to accompany Adam and Norman on the hunt.  Jamie is found tired, dirty and scared, but Norman also uncovers some human bones.

Although the ID is not positive, Sergeant John Winters decides to reopen the Brian Nowak investigation.  Brian Nowak disappeared years ago.  Winters finds out that Molly Smith who was then known as Moonlight Smith was the best friend of Nicky Nowak, Brian’s daughter.  Molly happened to have been visiting Nicky on the day Nowak disappeared.  Smith asks Molly’s assistance into the old case of Nowak’s disappearance.

The Nowak family is nothing like it was at the time Molly and Nicky were friends.  Mrs. Nowak is a recluse.  Kyle Nowak is the son and still lives at home but has a studio in the basement.  He is an artist but his art is very disturbing.  Kyla walks the streets of Trafalgar at night and has no friends.  Nicky Nowak, Molly’s old friend, moved to Vancouver after her father’s disappearance.  She has a career that brings her an excellent income but not a career that she wants to discuss with her friend Molly or her family.

Many family secrets are brought to light during the investigation and the outcome is surprising and horrifying.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, April 2011.