Killing Trail by Margaret Mizushima

In Killing Trail, a young girl is found dead near Timber Creek, Colorado. Officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, are assigned to the case. The more she investigates the more secrets she uncovers in this small Colorado town.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even though it's a police procedural, it starts out feeling like a cozy mystery. As the book continues, though, it gets a bit more gritty, but stays pretty tame as far as mysteries and thrillers go. There are plenty of red herrings and twists that kept me guessing until the end.

I especially loved reading about the local veterinarian's work as well as the relationship between Officer Mattie Cobb and Robo. I found all the information about the team fascinating. There was information about their training, the commands they used, and the procedures they followed. I liked that the team was just out of training and new on the force. That way the author could introduce some additional tension as to whether or not the team could do its job. Also, she could explain their team dynamics without sounding like a lecture or training manual. Very cool stuff.

Highly recommended. I think most mystery lovers would enjoy it, but I especially think that cozy lovers, who aren't into gore and are looking for something a little more serious and beefier would probably enjoy this one, too. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Margaret Mizushima's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Killing Trail by Margaret Mizushima, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2015. ISBN 9781629533810(Hardcover), 311p.

The 8th Circle by Sarah Cain

In The 8th Circle, Danny Ryan is still grieving over the loss of his wife and son when a friend of his drives his vehicle into a pond after being shot. The pond happens to be in Danny's front yard and Danny immediately becomes a suspect. Both Danny and Michael are (or were) journalists and now Danny suspects that Michael's last story may have gotten him killed. As he investigates to clear his name and get to the truth, Danny realizes that Michael was about to uncover a deep, dark secret that involved some very powerful people, who would do anything to keep that secret under wraps.

While I mostly enjoyed this book, I didn't love it. The story was good with plenty of twists and turns and progressed at a good pace. . I especially liked that just when I thought it was over, the story continued with more twists that I didn't see coming. However, there was something about the writing that bothered me. Also, the story was quite depraved at times and made me cringe more than once.

I thought Danny was a great main character. His life experiences, background, and upbringing definitely shaped him as a journalist. I really enjoyed reading about his experience in his profession as well as his upbringing. I'm not sure why, but there was a slight disconnect for me in his grieving and his now romantic pursuit.

For me, the author used a couple of words a little too often. Rather than unifying the story, they grated on me and seemed repetitive. One of those words was "lost". Lost girls, lost boys, he was lost, they were lost. The other was "ghost". Half a ghost, ghostly, desolate ghosts. Also, for some reason the color green stuck out. I wondered if the author liked green and used it a lot or she hated green and used it to represent evil or vile things. I didn't even really notice it until one of the characters showed up in all green. I thought that was an odd fashion choice even for this guy. Perhaps it was prominent in the story because some of the characters were Irish.

The title, The 8th Circle, was totally lost on me. Apparently, it's a reference to Dante's Inferno and the circles of hell. There is one brief reference to it in the book and many references to the word "inferno", but that wasn't enough to enlighten me. I finally looked it up after finishing the book.

I don't think I'd recommend this book to my friends, but I might pick up the next book the series to see how the series progresses.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author and to see her blog, please visit Sarah Cain's website.

Thanks to Julia from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

The 8th Circle by Sarah Cain, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2016. ISBN 9781629534855(Advance Uncorrected Proofs), 326p.

Nine Lives: A Lily Dale Mystery by Wendy Corsi Staub

In Nine Lives, Bella Jordan and her son seek refuge in Lily Dale, New York after a storm delays their drive to Chicago. Bella's husband has just died and she needs a change of scenery. As it turns out, Lily Dale isn't just an ordinary small town. It's filled with psychics and mediums. Soon after she arrives, Bella is asked to help out at the local hotel, who's hostess has just died. Murdered, in fact. Even though she's new in town, Bella is determined to find the killer.

This is definitely a cute cozy mystery. The mystery was fun to follow and all of the characters were likeable. A few things felt a little contrived, but all and all I enjoyed it.

I'm not a huge believer in psychics and that sort of thing, but I found that I liked reading about this community and its inhabitants Some weird things definitely happen, but it's only not clear whether or not these happenings are supernatural. Perhaps the author is leaving that up to the reader to decide or maybe answers will be forthcoming in the next installment of the series.

Chance the Cat and her movements were among those unexplained things. She certainly had a knack for getting around. She turned up in the oddest places without a seemingly rational explanation. Max, Bella's son, knowledge about certain events was also left open-ended.

There was lots of talk about psychic readings, but I don't seem to remember one actually taking place within the storyline. Or maybe I just missed it. Anyway, that might have been fun to read about.

Recommended for cozy lovers. I think those who believe in mediums and psychics will enjoy it more than those who don't. Also, if you like cats, that would help, too. I enjoyed reading the book, but I don't know if I liked it enough to seek out the next book in the series. We'll see, I guess.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Wendy Corsi Staub's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Nine Lives: A Lily Dale Mystery by Wendy Corsi Staub, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2015. ISBN 9781629532486(Advance Reader's Edition), 279p.

The Stages by Thom Satterlee

In The Stages, Daniel is an American translator living in Copenhagen and is known as one of the best translators of Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. When his ex-girlfriend dies and a invaluable manuscript goes missing, Daniel, who has Asperger's syndrome, must break out of his comfort zone to search for the truth.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The blurb at the back of the book mentions that it's reminiscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. While I enjoyed that book, I think enjoyed this one more.

The Cast of Characters provided at the beginning of the book lists the characters as well as how to properly pronounce the names. Because of this, I learned a lot about Danish name pronunciations. For example, Søren Kierkegaard is SIR-in KEER-ka-gore. Apparently, the Danes use lots of silent letters and pronounce some letters differently than the English do. As I was reading, I really tried to use the given pronunciations, even though it slowed down my reading.

Two aspects of the book were particularly interesting to me. First, I'd heard of Kierkegaard, but didn't know anything about him. Since it's one of his manuscripts that is missing, the author included a little information about him and his life. Intriguing stuff. Even though this book is a work of fiction, I assume that the information given is factual. Second, Daniel's Asperger's Syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum, is fascinating. I especially loved learning about how he dealt with his job and his personal life.

I think this is the first book I've read in Copenhagen. I don't know anything about the city or the Danes themselves. The details in the book about Danish life were all pretty interesting.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely love to read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Thom Satterlee's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

The Stages by Thom Satterlee, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2013. ISBN 9781629534190(Advance Uncorrected Proofs), 209p.

Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron

In Plantation Shudders, Maggie Crozat returns to her family's plantation in Louisiana after breaking up with her boyfriend in New York. The plantation, now a bed and breakfast, is full of guests. When two guests, an elderly couple, die within minutes of each other, everyone at the B&B comes under suspicion. Maggie must work with the town's new detective, Bo Durand, to find the killer and clear her name, while keeping the business going. As she investigates, she uncovers some interesting and mysterious information about her guests.

I really enjoyed this debut cozy mystery. The story is filled with lots of humour, a little romance, a little spookiness, and a whole lot of fun. I wasn't able to guess the culprit ahead of time, but that didn't really bother me. I certainly enjoyed all of the red herrings that kept me guessing until the reveal.

I really liked Maggie. She wasn't as flighty as some of the other cozy mystery characters I've read about. That was a bonus, for sure. When I found out that she was an artist, I was hoping that her art would figure into the story a little more. Perhaps the author could consider that for a future book in the series.

The other characters had a variety of personalities. Some were easy to like; others, not so much. Each of their backgrounds and possible motives were varied enough to make for an interesting read. I especially loved Maggie's grandmother. She was awesome!

I haven't been to Louisiana, but from what I've read and seen on TV, Byron represents the sights and sounds of Louisiana quite well. I'm sure those familiar with the area will get a kick out of reading about the area.

The book also contains a few recipes that might be fun to try. The one for Crawfish Crozat looks amazing, but there's no way I'm going to find crawfish (or a few of the other ingredients) here on the Canadian Prairies. Maybe one day I'll be able to find some suitable substitutes.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author and am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Ellen Byron's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron, Crooked Lane Books, ©2015. ISBN 9781629532509(Hardcover), 282p.

Red Line by Brian Thiem

In Red Line, Matt Sinclair has just landed his first case since coming off desk duty. A teenager is found on a bus bench. That's just the beginning, though, as other bodies turn up. With no apparent links among the victims, Sinclair has to wrap this one up quickly before this new chapter of his career comes to a crashing end.

When the book first came in the mail, I decided to read a couple of pages, just to see what it was like. I found the story so compelling that I immediately dropped the other two books I was reading just to see how this one was going to pan out. I wasn't disappointed. I absolutely loved this methodical police procedural with a great main protagonist.

Brian Thiem, the author, has extensive experience in both law enforcement and military duty. Since I'm not a huge fan of war related stories, I'm glad he focused on his knowledge of police work to bring us this terrific mystery.

There are many things I like about this book. First of all, the book got (and held) my attention from page one without gratuitous violence, sex or excessive swearing. Thiem proves that a good story and a great main protagonist go a long way in making a successful book. Next, Thiem not only explained many of the abbreviations/acronyms used in police work, he did it in a natural way. Not all authors do that. Also, cop lingo and insider slang was kept to a minimum. Both of these last items made me feel included rather than feeling like an outsider looking in. Besides that, the writing is pretty good and the characters are very believable.

I loved Matt Sinclair as a main character. His far from perfect life had me on the edge of my seat hoping he'd succeed in putting his troubles behind him. Everything that happened, though, left me with lots of doubt as to whether or not he had the capacity to do it. Lots of tension for sure! I especially loved his struggle with addiction and his relationship with his sponsor/friend. I also really liked how events from his past were scattered throughout the book. Because they were revealed slowly, they added another mysterious quality to the story.

The book also contains lots of information about Oakland, California. I haven't been there myself, but I'm sure those familiar with the area will get a kick out of reading about it.

Highly recommended. I'm anxiously waiting to read more works by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Brian Thiem's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Red Line by Brian Thiem, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company), ©2015. ISBN 9781629531946 (Hardcover), 360p.

Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn

In Things Half in Shadow, the reporter for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Edward Clark, has been asked to use his knowledge about magic and magicians to expose mediums in the city of Philadelphia just after the American Civil War. He plans to expose Lucy Collins first, but when she learns of a secret in his past and plans to blackmail him, he has no choice but to team up with her. Soon they find themselves at the murder scene of a seemingly legitimate medium, Lenora Grimes Pastor, and work together to find her real killer.

To say I loved this book would be an understatement. I absolutely adored it! The author had me hanging on every word, from the first page to the very last. I found it immediately engaging and quite the page turner throughout. It's so well written and perfectly paced.

I especially love the way the book was written. The book starts out in the first person narrative with Clark looking back on his life, recording the events for his granddaughter. A perfect style for this story.

The historical information and subject matter were both terrific. I like reading historical fiction, but hadn't read any in quite awhile. This one had me feeling like I had been transported to a period in Philadelphia's history. As for the subject matter, even though I don't believe that ghosts exist or that mediums can talk to the dead on the other side, I found the storyline intriguing. Finn didn't change my mind in either of these matters (I don't think he meant to), but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book immensely.

I especially loved Clark as the main protagonist, but all of the characters were sensational. Lucy Collins, the Willoughbys, the Pastors, the Duttons, and everyone else. I love it when authors incorporate real-life people into the story. Here, Finn uses P.T. Barnum, the famous showman as a character interested in using a medium in his travelling show. Fantastic!!

The ending or at least part of it were a complete surprise. While I didn't have any ideas about how it would end, I certainly didn't see those events coming at all. The author hints at another book, possibly a series. I couldn't be more pleased.

Alan Finn is the pseudonym of Todd Ritter. I've read two other books by Ritter, Bad Moon and Death Notice. I adored them both. I'll have to track it down the other book in the Kat Campbell series.

Highly recommended!!! I hope to read many more books by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Alan Finn's or Todd Ritter's website.

Thanks to those nice people at Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster), ©2015. ISBN 9781476761725(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 434p.

Eternally 21 by Linda Joffe Hull

In Eternally 21, Maddie Michaels becomes a coupon-clipping, money saving, budget-crunching blogger after her husband high finance husband, Frank, loses the family's nest egg in a Ponzi scheme. While Maddie was shopping at Eternally 21, the store manager, Liala, drops dead and Maddie becomes a suspect in the death. In an attempt to clear her name, Maddie starts investigating who could have wanted Liala dead and soon discovers that there is no shortage of suspects.

This is such a fun book! I love cozy mysteries and this one is no exception. The mall setting provided lots of interesting suspects, but I found the logistics a little confusing and had trouble remembering some of the minor characters. It didn't stop me from fully enjoying the book, though.

I really liked Maddie and her secret alter-ego Mrs. Frugalicious. She was extremely organised and inventive in coming up with all of her tips for her readers all the while keeping her secret identity from her husband and sons. I would have loved to read a few more of her blog posts.

There are lots of good bargain hunting and coupon clipping tips in the form of footnotes scattered throughout the book. At least at the beginning. I sometimes find footnotes distracting, but I didn't mind so much here. The tips were informative and useful.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Midnight Ink's website.

For more information about the author and her other book, please visit Linda Joffe Hull's website.

Thanks to those nice people from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Eternally 21 by Linda Joffe Hull, Midnight Ink (Llewellyn Worldwide), ©2013. ISBN 9780738736897(Trade paperback), 342p.

Arctic Fire by Stephen Frey

In Arctic Fire, Troy, the adventurous globe-trotter, seems indestructible while his brother Jack is always playing catch up. When Troy dies on the crab boat "Arctic Fire" in Alaska, Jack heads to Alaska to find out what really happened to him. On the way, he uncovers a link between Troy and a secret intelligence organization, Red Cell Seven. As Jack learns more about the RCS and Troy's death, the situation becomes more dangerous and Jack could lose more than his brother.

I had mixed feelings about this book. It started off really good, but by the time I was halfway through, I wasn't that thrilled with it. On one hand, the premise and overall story was good. Many times I was anxiously turning the page to see what would happen next. The author added tons of suspense by having several different storylines going and skipping back and forth amongst them. However, after awhile I came across a few of the conversations and situations that didn't seem believable or natural. I know that with stories like this you have to suspend your belief a little, but it still has to make sense in the grand scheme of things.

I liked both Troy and Jack and thought their relationship was interesting to read about. However, I didn't understand Jack's complacency when he found out the truth about his parents. I don't want to go into too much detail and reveal part of the story, but I didn't get that at all. I also didn't quite understand the extreme patriotism exhibited by Shaun Maddux. Then again, we Canadians tend to be more laid back when it comes to things like that. At least, the ones I know. I would have thought that self-preservation would come before anything else.

So, overall the idea was good, it just missed a couple of times in the execution. It's still a pretty good story, but there are better ones out there.   

For more information about this book, please visit Amazon's website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Stephen Frey's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Arctic Fire by Stephen Frey, Thomas & Mercer, ©2012. ISBN 9781612183480(Trade paperback), 346p.

Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy

In Fonduing Fathers, Olivia (Ollie) Paras, the White House executive chef, learns some new information about deceased father. Her mother has been keeping it secret all these years, but now it's time to reveal the truth. As Ollie digs deeper into his death and past, she makes some shocking discoveries about his work and how he died. Apparently, he's not the stand-up guy she believed him to be. However, she doesn't believe the allegations and is determined to clear his name and prove his innocence.

I loved this book, the 6th installment of the White House Chef mysteries. It's always fun to drop in on Ollie and the others at the White House to see what they are up to. I think this is my favourite of Julie's so far. Like the previous book in the series, this one seems to be edgy, dark and dangerous. Of course, there are some lighter moments, but the situations that Ollie gets into threaten not only US national security, but also her life. I really like how this series is progressing. In this one, we learn more about Ollie's family and her relationship with Gav.

I love Ollie and really enjoyed reading about her cooking lessons with Josh, the President's son. His enthusiasm for cooking is contagious. I was a little taken aback by the President's attitude towards his son's interests, though. Isn't he a little young for his interests to be discounted and discouraged? He's got lots of time to figure what he wants to be.

Sensitivity Director Peter Everett Sargeant, Ollie's one-time nemesis, is as crusty as ever and I'm loving it. He's such a great character. I hope we see lots more of him in future. I also like reading about Gav, Ollie's boyfriend, and the other members of Ollie's team.

Again, Ollie is spending a lot of time doing other things than cooking at the White House. In my review of the last book, Affairs of Steak, I mentioned that I loved seeing her in the kitchen and would like to see more of that. However, this story was so compelling I didn't mind one bit when she was pulled away to do other things.

Even though it's part of a series, I think it can be read as a standalone book. However, because I've read a few of the others, I might be a little biased. I don't remember very many references to past events so it should be easy for newcomers to the series to jump right in.

Hyzy included a number of delicious-looking recipes at the back of the book. I especially want to try the "Goat Cheese and Mushroom Bruschetta". A number of the others (Pumpkin Cheesecake, Panna Cotta, and Cheese fondue) are also on my list of ones to try. Yum!!

Julie Hyzy also writes another series, Manor House Mystery series, which is just as fun and wonderful as this one. For all of my reviews of Julie's books, please see the Review By Author page on this blog. You can't go wrong with any of her books.

Highly recommended. I'm anxiously awaiting the next one.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Julie Hyzy's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy, The Berkley Publishing Group (Penguin), ©2012. ISBN 9780425251812(Mass Market), 293p, including recipes.

Grace Among Thieves by Julie Hyzy

In Grace Among Thieves, Grace, the curator and manager of Marshfield Manor, has her hands full with a series of recent thefts, a film crew roaming the manor and the grounds, and Hillary, Bennett Marshfield's daughter, who inflicts havoc wherever she goes. When one of the tourists is found dead and another is injured, Grace becomes involved with the case and could end up losing her heart as well as her life.

When this book showed up in my mailbox, I ripped open the package, shouted "Yippee" and started the book almost immediately. I was hoping that I was going to love it as much as I loved all of Julie's other books that I've read. I was not disappointed at all. In fact, I think this one is my favourite one of the series so far! This book, the 3rd in the series, is an awesome cozy mystery. I love reading about this wonderful manor and all of the people who work there. The house sounds magnificent.

Hyzy's characters are great. I just love Grace. She's so busy, it's amazing she has time for herself and/or a love life. I love reading about her job and her relationship with all of the other characters. I love how the series is progressing, but I'm amazed that Grace still has a job after so many people have been murdered since she started there. Not that she was responsible for them, of course. But it does sort of remind me of Jessica Fletcher and Cabot Cove in Murder, She Wrote. You know she didn't commit any of the murders in the town, but you sort of wonder why all of these happen around her. ;)

Besides Grace, I also love reading about Frances, Bennett, Scott, Bruce and Bootsie. Of course, the story wouldn't be complete without characters you love to hate. In this case, Hillary and Flynn. Ronny Tooney is the only character I haven't quite figured out. I can't say whether or not I like him. As far as suspects go and the ending, I'll just say I suspected a few different people throughout the book, but I wasn't entirely surprised at who the culprit was. That didn't make reading the book any less enjoyable. The ending, however, left me a little sad, especially after reading this line from Grace: From this day forward, I knew I'd be more cynical, more jaded.

My only regret is that I read the book already and now have to wait so long for the next installment.

I've read all but two of Julie's books. Besides these Manor House Mysteries, she also writes the White House Chef series. All of them are terrific. For my reviews of the books I've read, see the Review by Author page and scroll down to "Hyzy: Julie".

New words:
bon vivant (page 252): somebody who lives luxuriously, especially good food and wine
ebullience (page 277): lively and enthusiastic

Highly recommended. This is a wonderful cozy mystery series.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Penguin'swebsite.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Julie Hyzy's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Grace Among Thieves by Julie Hyzy, Berkley Publishing Group (Penguin), ©2012. ISBN 9780425251393(Mass Market), 278p.

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey

In The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes, a man wakes up on a beach. He's naked and doesn't know who he is. In a nearby car, he finds some clothing and some ID belonging to someone called Daniel Hayes. Could this be him? All he remembers is a woman's face. Now his only choice is to find that woman and figure out who he is.

This is such an awesome book! It grabbed me from the very first page and didn't let go until the last word. I loved that part of it was written in screen play or stage play format. There were even a few emails and Facebook posts thrown in. I was often confused (in a good way) while reading the book and couldn't figure out what was going on, but that's pretty much how Daniel felt, too. I loved how the bits and pieces came back to him as he figured out who he was and how he got to where he was.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away. It's so good you have to experience it for yourself. I will say that the book was definitely a page turner. I stayed up late a few nights because I couldn't wait to see how it was all going to turn out in the end. Speaking of the ending, it was fantastic. It had so many twists and turns that it left me dizzy and breathless. I loved it!!

I don't often reread books, especially mysteries, because I already know how they are going to turn out. However, in this case, I'm going to make an exception. For first time around, I was reading so quickly that I'm sure I missed some details along the way. Even if I didn't, this book deserves to be read again...and again.

Favourite quotes:

...you're only who you choose to be. Every moment. The past is gone. Memories are no more solid than dreams. The only real thing, the only true things, is the present. That's it. (page 288-289)

New words:
palimpsest (page 185): a manuscript
churrascaria (page 214): Brazilian steakhouse

Highly recommended. This is the first book of Sakey's that I've read, but it won't be the last. I hope to read many more.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Marcus Sakey's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey, Dutton (Penguin), ©2011. ISBN 9780525952114(Hardcover), 388p.

Bad Moon by Todd Ritter

In Bad Moon, Eric Olmstead, now a famous writer, comes back to Perry Hollow to bury his mother and honour her last request...find his long lost brother, Charlie. Charlie disappeared the night Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and hasn't been seen since. At the time, everyone assumed that Charlie went over the falls and drowned. However, his mother wasn't so sure. Now that Eric's come back to wrap things up, he finds out that his mother may have uncovered a string of disappearances that were related to Charlie's in some way. After all this time, finding witnesses and evidence isn't going to be easy for Police Chief Kat Campbell, but she's determined to help her old flame, Eric, find out what happened to his brother.

I loved this book! It was so good and had everything a great mystery needs: a great setting, great characters and plenty of suspense. The story was exquisitely crafted and carefully laid out to examine everyone and everything from every angle until the case was solved. Even though there were plenty of suspects and lots of evidence pointing in different directions, the twists and turns didn't leave my head spinning. I loved that.

All of the characters in the book were pretty good. I really liked them all. The main characters: Kat, Eric, Nick, the mysterious Glenn Stewart and the Santangelos, all added substance to the story. While characters like Louella, Kat's son, James, as well as a host of other more minor characters rounded out the story nicely.

This is a fantastic follow-up to Ritter's first book, Death Notice (my review). I'd be hard pressed to pick which one I liked better. Both are equally good. Even though it's part of a series, this book can definitely be read as a standalone book. There's some information about the first case/book, but nothing excessive. Just enough details to remind those who've read the previous book of the facts, but not so much so as to confuse or alienate new readers.

New word: stultifying (page 62): diminishing interest - to dull somebody's interest by being repetitive, tedious and boring.

Highly recommended. I couldn't have started the new year with a better book! Look for it on my "Best of 2012" list. I hope to read many more books by this author.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit MacMillian's website.

For more information about the author and his other book, please visit Todd Ritter's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Bad Moon by Todd Ritter, Minotaur Books, ©2011. ISBN 9780312622817(Hardcover), 356p.

Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy

In Affairs of Steak, Ollie Paras, the Executive Chef at the White House, is paired up with Peter Sargeant, the White House's Sensitivity Director, to find a venue for the Secretary of State's birthday party. The problem is that they don't get along at all. When they inspect the preferred venue for its suitability, they discover two bodies, both with strong ties to the White House. As rumours and suspicions abound, Ollie and Peter must huddle together and figure out who the culprit is before they become his next victims.

I loved this book! I've read two others in the series and loved them as much as this one. This 5th book in White House Chef Mystery series is so well written and fun to read. I just loved to sitting down with Ollie (and Julie) to see what she's cooked up this time. Pun intended. I may be a little biased because I'm a huge fan of Hyzy's and this series. This one seemed a little edgier or had more dangerous situations in it than the other two that I've read. More of the action took place outside of the kitchen, so maybe that's why it felt different. I like to think of the kitchen as Ollie's safe haven; when she's there she's less likely to get into really serious trouble. Anyway, it's all good.

Ollie always seems to have her hands full. She deals with new people to the job, new regulations, new and old rivalries, not to mention cooking elaborate meals for the President, his family and other dignitaries. And that's just her day job! She also investigates murders and other suspicious activities that happen in and around the White House. She's a gem!

My one small complaint is that the characters didn't spent as much time in the kitchen as I would have liked. As I said above, I thought this added more danger to the storyline and I really liked that. However, I love hearing about the food that Ollie cooks for the President, the first family and other visiting dignitaries. Even when it's simple fare, it sounds so scrumptious. A little of that was missing here.

New word: apologetic (page 91): remorseful (I've looked this word up so many times, but I just can't seem to remember what it means.)

I love that this book contained some recipes. These ones look especially delicious. Who doesn't love (or at least like) puff pastry?! In moderation, of course. ;) It makes every dish look and taste extra special. I love that some of these simple recipes could be used for weekday family meals as well as fancy-shmancy company's-coming weekend ones. I already have my eye on the few of them.

Julie also writes another series, Manor House Mystery series, which is just as fun and wonderful as this one. For all of my reviews of Julie's books, please see the Review By Author page on this blog. You can't go wrong with any of them.

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Julie Hyzy's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy, Berkley Publishing Group (Penguin), ©2011. ISBN 9780425245835(Mass Market), 293p, includes recipes.

The Silenced by Brett Battles

In The Silenced, Jonathan Quiinn is a professional cleaner. No, not the janitorial type. He job involves removing bodies from crime scenes to make sure they are never found again. He's not a killer, but his hands are not exactly clean either. He's just been hired to remove a body from a building that's scheduled to be demolished. The thing is that the body has been there for 20 years already. When he discovers that he's being watched and his family is threatened, he realizes that this is no ordinary job. He has to get to the bottom of this intricate web to not only save his life, but save the lives of those around him.

Awesome book! It was fast paced and well written with a smart, complex and edgy plot. The story alternated at times between the bad guys and Quinn and his team. I loved this method of storytelling. It added lots of suspense to the story and kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot was filled with twists and turns while the action was non-stop.

Even though the part of the story takes place in numerous international locations (Asia, Europe and the US) I was thrilled to see that one of the locations in the book was a place I'd actually been to, Warroad, Minnesota. I was even more thrilled when my home town, Winnipeg, was mentioned (page 252). Believe me, that doesn't happen very often. Later on, the Lake of the Woods was mentioned, which is where I spent many summers during my teenage years. Who knew that part of an international plot could reach into my own backyard? Very cool.

Jonathon Quinn was a very appealing main character. He's already been in a number of books, so I guess lots of readers like him. Now that list of readers includes me. I loved reading about his job and the way he does it. Even though what he does in on the shady side of the law, he does have his limits. He's an expert at getting himself and his team out of jams. He's a man of mystery with a secretive past. Besides, Quinn, the book has some other interesting characters, namely Orlando and Nate.

Highly recommended. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for the other books featuring Jonathon Quinn.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Brett Battles's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

The Silenced by Brett Battles, Dell (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780440245674(Mass Market), 401p.

We All Fall Down by Michael Harvey

In We All Fall Down, a light bulb filled with a pathogen drops from the ceiling of the subway tunnel in Chicago and people start dying. Parts of the city are sealed off with fences to keep the spread limited to that area while the scientists try to determine how to stop it and figure out what's going on. Private Investigator Michael Kelly goes looking for answers and winds up finding crooked cops, ruthless gangs and a government secret that could destroy many lives.

After reading The Third Rail (my review), I was so looking forward to this book. I was not disappointed at all. I loved it! The story pretty much continues on from where it left off in the previous book. It's hard for me to tell if this book can be read as a standalone book because I read the two books back-to-back. On the safe side, I'd suggest reading The Third Rail before reading this one.

Anyway, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading this book. I read it in just a few sittings and didn't want to put it down. The overall story is pretty scary and left me wondering what would happen if this were to really take place. Harvey suggests that we are ill prepared to deal with an attack such as this. The information on black biology, the research and the development of bio-weapons, was extremely fascinating. It was just believable enough to add to the scare-factor. I didn't think everything in the book was plausible, but that doesn't make it any less scary.

Once again, Harvey offers insights into the city of Chicago and highlights the problems that the city faces: gang violence, drug use, poverty and corruption. I especially enjoyed reading about the city's underbelly. It's definitely not the kind of thing you'd find in any travel or tourism brochure.

One my complaint is that some of the conversations were a little abrupt. There was a bit too much back and forth with very short sentences. It was sort of like watching a long rally at a tennis match. This appears to be Harvey's style, but I didn't notice it as much in his other book. It was really only a little annoying.

I loved that the last section of the book was called "Loose Ends". Given how the last book ended, I wasn't sure if Harvey was introducing more loose ends or was going to clean up those still outstanding. I won't tell you the outcome, but I will tell you that I was wholly satisfied with the ending.

New words:
stygian (page 254): pitch-black and frightening

Highly recommended. I'd really like to go back and read the first two books (The Chicago Way and The Fifth Floor) in this series. I'll have to keep my eye out for them. Harvey is definitely one of the best thriller writers around.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Michael Harvey's website.

Thanks to Dana from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

We All Fall Down by Michael Harvey, Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780307272515(Hardcover), 298p.

New Michael Harvey Book!

I don't often write about a book I've yet to read, but I'm so looking forward to this one that I can't contain my excitment. Since reading The Third Rail by Michael Harvey last month, I've been anxiously awaiting the next book We All Fall Down, which went on sale last week, July 12, 2011. Harvey left a few things unanswered in the last one and I'm just dying to find out what happens.

Here's the synopsis from the publisher:

Chicago cop turned private investigator Michael Kelly is racing to save his city from a deadly new foe: a biological weapon unleashed underground.

When a lightbulb falls in a subway tunnel, it releases a pathogen that could kill millions. While the mayor postures, people begin to die, especially on the city’s grim West Side. Hospitals become morgues. L trains are converted into rolling hearses. Finally, the government acts, sealing off entire sections of the city—but are they keeping people out or in? Meanwhile, Michael Kelly’s hunt for the people who poisoned his city takes him into the tangled underworld of Chicago’s West Side gangs and the even more frightening world of black biology—an elite discipline emerging from the nation’s premier labs, where scientists play God and will stop at nothing to preserve their secrecy.

It’s a brave new world . . . and the most audacious page-turner yet from an emerging modern master. From Knopf Publishers.

Doesn't that sound fantastic?

I going to have to bump this one to the top of the to-be-read pile.

The Third Rail by Michael Harvey

In The Third Rail, a sniper is killing people in Chicago. Michael Kelly, a former Chicago cop turned Private Investigator, just happens to be on the scene of the first shooting. As more bodies drop, Kelly becomes personally involved when the killer contacts him directly. It leaves him wondering how he could be connected to all of this. Maybe it's something in his past. He becomes even more motivated to find out what's going on when his girlfriend is kidnapped and he must find the killer before Rachel becomes the next to die.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was so good. There's plenty of action, lots of great characters and a plot that kept me guessing right until the very end. I like how in the Harvey switches point-of-view from Kelly to the bad guys and back again. It sort of gives the reader a leg up on the detectives. This is the third book in the series, but it can certainly be read as a standalone book. I haven't read the other two, but I plan to track them down and read them as soon as I can.

One of my favourite characters was Hubert Russell, the 20-something cyber hacker. You just got to love those guys who can find out anything about anyone at anytime.

The book is based in Chicago and contains lots of details about the city. I really liked all of the city references and felt a little like I had traveled there myself while reading the book. That was pretty cool. However, I've only been to Chicago once. A native or those more familiar with the city will probably enjoy those parts and get more out of them than I did.

There were two chapters in the book that stood out for me, Chapters 24 and 57. In chapter 24, I loved the
explanations of the victims' lives unfulfilled. It was really well done and though provoking. As for Chapter 57, the author eluded to the man's identify. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out if the man's identify was purposely left open or if I was supposed to know who this was. I quickly searched the book looking for a few clues I found in the chapter, but didn't have any luck. Finally, I contacted the publicist who put me in touch with the author. He quickly cleared up everything for me. Thanks so much Michael!

Normally, I like my mysteries all tied up in nice little packages by the end of the book. Harvey doesn't do this, though. He has purposely left a few loose ends. I like the way it was done. Even if those ends are not dealt with in the next book, the tension is tense and I can use my imagination as to what happens next. Having said that, I hope that the next book in the series does continue on with the open storylines and ties up a few of the loose ends. It should be an exciting ride.

Highly recommended. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, We All Fall Down.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Michael Harvey's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

The Third Rail by Michael Harvey, First Vintage Crime (Random House), ©2010. ISBN 9780307473639(mass market), 366p.

Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy

In Grace Interrupted, a group of Civil War re-enactors have set up on the grounds around Marshfield Manor. When one of the them turns up dead, Grace's groundskeeper and love interest, Jack, is suspected of the murder. Even though Grace is convinced he's not guilty, things don't look good when details of Jack's past are revealed. Grace wants desperately to prove Jack's innocence and find the culprit all while keeping things running smoothly at the manor.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Right from the first chapter, there was no doubt in my mind that this was going to be an enjoyable read. Besides the well-paced plot, it had all of the things a perfect cozy mystery should have including a well-written, intelligent, witty, fun to read story and a wonderful, likeable cast of characters.

I like how this series is progressing. In this instalment, Hyzy has introduced two new interesting characters: Davie, Jack's brother, and Bootsie, a tuxedo kitten Grace found on her doorstep. I hope she has plans to keep these two around for awhile. It'll be interesting to see if Davie fits in at the manor. It'll also be great to see what mischief Bootsie gets into as kittens are prone to do. In addition to these new characters, Hyzy has included some more information about Grace, her background and her feelings about her past, present and future. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Grace better.

I really liked Frances, Grace's assistant. Even though she's a little gruff and rough with Grace, I loved her reserved enthusiasm for her undercover work at the camp. Her antics and attitude were entertaining. She's certainly made herself indispensible around the manor.

One thing that I found a little unrealistic was that Grace was able to find who was she looking for at the camp right away, even though there were at least 3000 people there. This happened a number of times. That's quite the talent, considering I have trouble finding my husband in Wal-Mart.

New words:
docents (page 4): tourist guide
peplum (page 208): flared part at the waist (of a jacket or blouse)
snood (page 209): decorative hair net

I've read two other books by Hyzy: Grace Under Pressure (my review) and Buffalo West Wing (my review) and loved them both.

Highly recommended. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin'swebsite.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Julie Hyzy's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy, The Berkley Publishing Group (Penguin), ©2011. ISBN 9780425241905(mass market), 278p.

Death Notice by Todd Ritter

In Death Notice, George Winnick is found dead on the side of the highway. He's in a coffin and it looks like someone tried to embalm him. If that's not bizarre enough, Henry Goll, the obituary writer for the Perry Hollow Gazette, received a death notice for Winnick before he died. The town's police chief, Kat Campbell, has never handled a murder case simply because there hasn't been one. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Investigation is called in to take over the case. They have been looking for the "Betsy Ross Killer" and suspect that Winnick is another victim. It just keeps getting worse when the death notices keep on coming and the body count climbs. Campbell just can't sit by and watch. She's determined to restore order to her town and stop the killer, if she can.

This debut mystery by Todd Ritter is awesome! It's so well written that I had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it. It was definitely compelling enough to read in one sitting. Through Ritter's story, I got a sense of the small town and the people who live there. I grew up in the city, but this is pretty much what I imagined a small town would be like. Even though the story was a bit strange, it seemed real enough...and scary. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing.

The story does get pretty gory at times. While I usually don't flinch when it comes to stuff like that, I think the gore combined with the intensity made me a little scared to turn the page a few times. I feared what was going to happen next. A few times I could feel my heart beating in my chest as the team realized what was going to happen when another death noticed arrived.

Kat Campbell, Nick Donnelly and Henry Goll, the three main characters, were all excellent. Each brought something different and intriguing to the story. I really liked reading about them. As for the killer, I suspected a few different characters as the story went along, but, of course, I was wrong. Ritter kept me guessing until the very end.

Highly recommended. Todd Ritter is now one of my favourite mystery/thriller writers. I'd love to read another book by him.

For more information about this book, please visit Macmillan's website.

For more information about the author, please visit Todd Ritter's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Death Notice by Todd Ritter, Minotaur Books, ©2010. ISBN 9780312622800(Hardcover), 326p.