Once Shadows Fall by Robert Daniels

In Once Shadows Fall, Detective Beth Sturgis is heading up her first major manhunt for a potential serial killer. Seeing similarities between this new killing and ones from years ago, Sturgis enlists the help of the retired FBI agent, Jack Kale, who headed up those long ago cases. Kale, now a university professor, is at first reluctant to get involved. Demons from the past still haunt him, but he is soon helping Sturgis on the new case.

I really enjoyed this police procedural, a debut novel from Daniels. There's tons of action, lots of entertaining twists, and some pretty good characters. Once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. It turned out to be quite the page turner. Some of the details are a little gruesome, so this one's definitely not for the faint of heart.

I liked both Sturgis and Kale. I think they make a pretty good team. I hope we learn more about them in subsequent books.

One thing that struck me as odd was the lack of urgency towards the end of the book. I don't want to give too much away but I would have thought that with a missing person you'd think there'd be a mad scramble to find them. No holds barred. I just didn't feel that build up in intensity. That's not to say it wasn't a good ending. It just wasn't as intense as it could have been.

This book and its main character, Kale, a retired FBI agent, reminded me a little of John Verdon's books and his character, Dave Gurney. This one isn't quite as good, but it's still a wonderful read.

Recommended. I'd definitely read another work by this author.

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

For more information about the author and his next books, please visit Robert Daniels's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Once Shadows Fall by Robert Daniels, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2013. ISBN 9781629533834(Hardcover), 343p.

An Evil Mind by Chris Carter

In An Evil Mind, the serial killer, Lucien Folter, is already in custody and it's up to Detective Robert Hunter to get him to give up the details about the killings and the location of the bodies scattered around the country. In the past, Hunter has had stellar success in catching other criminals and getting information from them. However, this time Hunter has met his match and must deal with a truly evil mind.

I really enjoyed this book, but I don't think I liked it as much as Carter's other thrillers. Because the killer had already been caught, Hunter spent a lot of time talking to him. Lots and lots of talking. Perhaps a little too much. However, I did enjoy the way the author brought in past events and the forays into the past. Like Carter's other books, this one was immediately engaging. The short chapters allowed Carter to build in lots of suspense. Also like Carter's other books, this one is quite graphic and not for the squeamish.

I don't think I've read too many books where the killer is in custody when the story begins. Knowing who the killer is, having him in custody and then getting the details of the killings and locations of the bodies is sort of like working backwards. It's such a fascinating concept. I loved it!!

After reading a few of the previous books featuring Hunter, I was thinking he was perfect and definitely smarter than everyone else he has to deal with. However, for the first time, we are seeing some small cracks appearing in his solid armor. Did this case get under his skin so much that he's lost his advantage? Were the cracks there all along? Maybe he's not so perfect after all.

Carter mentions at the beginning of the book that it's based on real facts and people he met while he was working as a criminal behaviour psychologist. I would have loved it if he expanded upon this more. I can't imagine it was all one case, right? I would also have loved him to say which parts are fiction.

I also loved that this story had a personal connection for Hunter. That connection is revealed quite early in the book, but I don't want to give anything away so I'll leave it at that.

Carter's resume never ceases to amaze me. He was a member of the Michigan State District Attorney's Criminal Psychology team, then became a rock musician and is now an author.

Highly recommended. Not my favourite book of his, but still a really great book. I'm really looking forward to reading more books by this author.

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

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster UK for this review copy.

An Evil Mind by Chris Carter, Simon & Schuster ©2014. ISBN 9781471132193(Uncorrected proof), 484p.

The Night Before by Lisa Jackson

In The Night Before, Caitlyn Bandeaux wakes up one morning, covered in blood. The night before she was supposed to meet her sister, Kelly, for drinks, but Kelly was a no-show. That's all she can remember. Soon, she learns that her ex-husband was murdered last night and she doesn't have an solid alibi. Did she kill him? Could all of this blood be his? Or was he killed by a serial killer that has taken others over the years. Others who've been known to Caitlyn. Fearing that she's losing her mind, Caitlyn turns to a Adam Hunt, a new psychologist, who contacts her after her regular therapist disappears.

I enjoyed this book first book in the Savannah series. I really liked the way the story unfolded and the way Jackson revealed certain parts of the story. It was really suspenseful, but perhaps a little long. I wasn't bored at any point and I can't think of specific anything that could have been cut out, but my overall impression was that it was longer than needed to be.

As the story progressed, I feared that it was headed for a dreaded clichéd ending. I won't say what I thought was going to happen because that would give too much of the story away. I will say that I'm so glad I was wrong. It was much more complicated than I had imagined.

I liked a number of characters in the book. What I enjoyed the most about the characters was the way Jackson held back some details of the relationship connections and character traits until later in the book. It left me wondering about some of their motivations at times, but it really added a lot of suspense to the story. As for specific characters, Caitlyn was a little flighty, but considering everything that had happened to her, that's understandable. I liked her regardless. I also liked the police officers, Detectives Pierce Reed and his partner Sylvie Morrisette, who were assigned to the case. Their back and forth banter and Sylvie's filthy mouth made reading about them more fun.

Some serial killer novels come across as believable; other ones, not so much. I'm afraid that this one falls in the latter category. It was just too fantastical and "out there" to be plausible. Despite that, the book was entertaining and fun to read.

I've read one other book by Jackson and really enjoyed it. Tell Me is the third book in the Savannah series featuring Pierce Reed, Sylvie Morrisette, and Nikki Gillette.

Highly recommended. I have the next book in the series, The Morning After, in my to-be-read pile. I hope to get to it soon.

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

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

Thanks to those nice people from Kensington Books for this review copy.

The Night Before by Lisa Jackson, Zebra Books (Kensington Publishing), ©2013. ISBN 9781420133714(Mass Market), 444p.

Extraordinary Rendition by Paul Batista

In Extraordinary Rendition, Byron Carlos Johnson volunteers to defend a man, Ali Hussein, who's suspected to be the banker for Al Qaeda. Almost immediately, Johnson's life is under scrutiny and in danger from both the government and terrorist operatives. To get through this case, Johnson must use his all of his skills to outwit those who have surrounded him, in a world where no one is who they say they are.

When this book first arrived, I found the description intriguing. I don't think I've read a book before that focused on the American legal system at a federal level. Having said that, I wasn't at all sure I was going to enjoy it. I thought it might be beyond my understanding because I don't follow American politics or the war on terror that much and figured that most of it was going to be inaccessible to someone like me. However, that wasn't the case at all! I really enjoyed it. It was immediately engaging and interesting enough that I really didn't want to put it down. It really is a great book!

I think the author could have explained the title a bit better. According to Dictionary.com, the term extraordinary rendition is defined as "the process by which a country seizes a person assumed to be involved in terrorist activity and then transports him or her for interrogation to a country where due process of law is unlikely to be respected". Essentially, detaining then sending a prisoner suspected of terrorism to a country where he can be treated inhumanely in exchange for information. Since I was unfamiliar with the term, I was left wondering what it really meant. If the term was spelled out in the book, I don't think it was done as clearly as this.

While the author included some details of Ali Hussein's treatment, he didn't go overboard with the gory or horrific bits. I think that would have made it too hard to read. That isn't to say he minimized them or trivialized them. What happened to this man at the hands of a supposedly respectable first world country is inconceivable. Generally, the book left me appalled by what a government can do all in the name of fighting terrorism. It's sad, really. But this is fiction, right?

The ending surprised me at first. However, upon further reflection it couldn't have ended any other way. Overall, it's top notch story telling!

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

For more information about this book or to purchase it directly from the publisher, please visit the Astor + Blue Editions website. Other retailers: Amazon, B&N.

I'd like to thank Nicole at Astor + Blue Editions for this review copy.

Extraordinary Rendition by Paul Batista, Astor + Blue Editions, ©2012. ISBN 9781938231261(Trade paperback), 314p.

Taboo by Casey Hill

In Taboo, Reilly Steel from San Francisco goes to Dublin to help the forensics team upgrade their techniques. When a young man and woman are found dead in a hotel room, Reilly soon realizes that there's more to it than first meets the eye. As more bodies are found, the police and forensic team determine that have a demented serial killer on the loose, who's determined to put society's taboos on display.

I really enjoyed this book. The author is such a great mystery teller. The details are drawn out slowly so that the reader is compelled to turn the page and keep reading. There are some interesting twists and turns scattered throughout the book. Some of the details were a tad gory or unpleasant to think about, but overall it wasn't too bad. The book was definitely hard to put down.

I love reading books set in countries different from my own. This was set in Dublin, Ireland. A place I'd like to visit one day. I believe this is the first book I've read set in that city, but I may have read one set in Ireland. Regardless, I loved all of the location details.

Besides the main story, the book also contains some surprisingly compelling side stories. There's a possible illness and alcoholic father to contend with. These stories are written in such a way that they didn't feel like filler material. They really added depth to the characters and substance to the story. I was surprised that I found them almost as intriguing as the main mystery. Well done!!

I really liked Riley. She was a strong intelligent woman. Her family history and past events were haunting her, but the author didn't tell us why right away. Like with the mystery, the details were revealed slowly, so it wasn't until closer to the end of the book that the reader got the whole picture. My one complaint about Riley was that she was a bit condescending towards her co-workers. She had more experience than them and was brought to Dublin to bring them up to speed, but her approach made me cringe a few times.

Casey Hill is the pseudonym of husband and wife team Melissa and Kevin Hill.

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

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

For more information about the Hills and the other books, please visit the Casey Hill Books website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

Taboo by Casey Hill, Simon & Schuster ©2011. ISBN 9780857202390(Uncorrected proof), 409p.

The Abomination by Jonathan Holt

In The Abomination, a woman dressed in the sacred robes of a Catholic priest is found dead on the streets of Venice. She quickly becomes known as the Abomination. This is Captain Kat Tapo's first murder case in Venice and she's about to embark on a complicated, but exciting journey. This is the first book in the Carnivia Trilogy, a thrilling series in which a police captain and a female US military officer team up to "unravel a dark conspiracy linking the CIA and the Catholic Church". The parties involved include the US Military, the Italian mafia, the Catholic Church, a corrupt police force, and much more.

I enjoyed this first book in the trilogy. The story was extremely interesting and educational, but got a little too complicated with all of the opposing forces at work. Some of the time, I couldn't figure out what was going on.

The story also delves into the wars that broke up the former Yugoslavia. While the conspiracy theories kept me interested and on my toes, I think I needed some background information on the war in order to understand the implications and intricacies of what was going on. I got bits and pieces, but not the whole thing. I hadn't followed what was going on when the war was taking place because news stories about the war generally make my eyes glaze over.

Having said that, there was a lot I loved about this book. I loved all of the information about Venice and the US government in Italy. I had no idea that there were still so many US servicemen and servicewomen on bases in that country. The information about the Catholic Church and its priests were equally fascinating.

This was the first book I've read set in Venice. What a wonderful city! I loved all of the information on the Acqua alta, which is "high water" in Italian. I'm definitely going to read more about this subject.

Some of the story takes place in Carnivia, an online version of Venice where users could meet in secret and leave messages for each other. It was apparently accurate right down to the number of bricks and stones in the city. I adored the idea, but I wanted this "online world" to figure more prominently in the story than it did. What can I say, I'm a geek.

Recommended. Even though I didn't love this book, I'll probably read the next book in the series.

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Abomination by Jonathan Holt, Harper (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062264336 (Uncorrected Proof), 437p.

The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter

In The Death Sculptor, a murderer leaves behind a bizarre calling card near the body of prosecutor, Derek Nicholson. The police know that the killer is trying to communicate with them, but it's not readily apparent what the message is. The police are stumped when another body turns up, with an equally disturbing calling card, and they can't find any connection to the first victim. Detective Robert Hunter, together with his partner Garcia and investigator Alice Beaumont, must decipher the message and stop the Death Sculptor.

I loved this book!!! It's creepy and seriously twisted. It's pretty scary to think that Carter was able to come up with something so disturbed. It's definitely not for the squeamish or the faint of heart. The details get quite gory, but fortunately these aren't the main focus. The psychological side to the story is the main attraction. While it's seems tamer on the surface, it can sometimes be just as terrifying as the violence.

There's lots to love about Detective Robert Hunter, the main character. He seems to possess a set of traits perfect for this type of work. He approaches the investigation by trying to get into the mind of the killer and does a lot of analysing. He's a loner, who seems to do little else other than work. He also enjoys a good whiskey, but doesn't drown his sorrows.

Even though it's the 4th book in the Robert Hunter series, it didn't read like part of a series and can be read as a standalone book.

I've read one other book by Carter, One by One. I loved it!!

The author's background is interesting and varied. He started off working for the District Attorney in Michigan on the Criminal Psychology team. Then spent numerous years in LA as a rock band musician before becoming a writer full time.

Highly recommended. I love Carter's work and I hope to read many more of his books.

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

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster UK for this review copy.

The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter, Simon & Schuster ©2012. ISBN 9780857203007(Hardcover), 496p.

One by One by Chris Carter

In One by One, Detective Robert Hunter in LAPD's homicide special section is contacted by a killer, who has been murdering people and broadcasting their deaths live online. After awhile, the killer turns his murders into a reality show and asks the public for their input. Together with the FBI and others from the LAPD, Hunter has a lot of work if he wants to catch this cunning killer.

This is such an awesome book! I purposely picked it to read at this time because the other books I had been reading were good, but low-action and not that thrilling. They didn't get my heart pumping or have me on the edge of my seat. Well, that certainly changed with this one.

The story starts off with a bang and doesn't let up for one second all the way to the end. The author used short chapters and skipped around the various plot lines telling the story from the various characters points of view, all adding to the suspense. A few times I had to put the book down just so that I could catch my breath.

I loved that the story was presented from many different points of view. I particularly liked the ones from characters on the outer fringes of the story. They were such a surprise because these characters hadn't been mentioned up until that point and were never heard from again, but their points of view were right at home and didn't feel out of place in the story.

The story focuses mainly on Robert Hunter. His biography is amazing, sort of a combination of Superman and a master of all trades. His job is basically his life. I really liked him and can't wait to read more books featuring him. He might be a little too perfect, though, but I'll wait until I've read more books to decide that.

The story felt real and very current. It's probably only a matter of time before something like this happens. I sincerely hope that we as a society are above this, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

My favourite quote from the book mentions my hometown. I love it when it appears out of the blue like this.

The bitter wind that blew from the north made Los Angeles feel like Winnipeg in November. (page 383)

At least it wasn't "Winnipeg in January". ;)

Even though it's the 5th book in the Robert Hunter series, it didn't read like part of a series and can certainly be read as a standalone book. Carter is pretty graphic and gruesome in his descriptions, especially of what's happening to the people who are being killed. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Highly recommended. I have The Death Sculptor on my to-be-read shelf. Because I loved this one so much, I've moved it closer to the top of the pile. Eventually, I hope to read the other books in the series.

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

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Chris Carter's website. Chris's biography is a bit eclectic, which I love. He went from a member of Michigan's State District Attorney's Criminal Psychology team, to rock musician, to writer.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster UK for this review copy.

One by One by Chris Carter, Simon & Schuster UK ©2013. ISBN 9780857203052(Hardcover), 500p.

Need You Now by James Grippando

In Need You Now, Abe Cushman commits suicide after pulling off a 60 billion dollar Ponzi scheme. Patrick Lloyd's girlfriend Lilly is somehow tied to the lost millions which puts both of their lives in danger. They hope they can remain on the run long enough to uncover the truth and evade the powerful people determined to keep their secrets.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the premise, which played on the notoriety of Bernice Madoff. It probably would have been thrilling if I could have followed it all the way through. There was just too much going on. I have a vague idea about money laundering and Ponzi schemes. The people who set up these things make it hard to follow on purpose. However, with this one, it was almost impossible. It just seemed overly complicated with way too many people involved.

I like it when the author periodically goes over what's known so far in the mystery. That allows me to review what I've already learned, remember what I've forgotten and catch up if I missed anything. That's especially important with complicated plots like this. In my opinion, Grippando doesn't do that enough. At least, he doesn't do it clearly enough for me. I followed some of it, but I got lost many times and had to go back and reread some sections.

Having said all of that, I did find a couple of bright spots. I loved Evan the computer guy or "quant" as they called him. He was awesome, quirky and into computer stuff. I liked that. I also really liked the parts where Andie, the FBI agent, was trying to decipher Evan's research that was up on his walls. It was a little hard to follow (a diagram might have helped), but it was no worse than other parts of the book that I couldn't follow at all.

New Words:
quant (used in a couple of places): an expert in quantitative data.
hawalas (page 280) According Wikipedia, it's Arabic for "transfer". I didn't really understand the concept, but it looks like a way to transfer money outside of regular banking channels. If you are really interested and want to can read it for yourself, click here.

Apparently, the book title was taken from a song from Lady Antebellum called Need You Now. I wasn't familiar with it, so I looked it up on Youtube and listened to it. I'm not sure what it has to do with the story, but it's a pretty catchy tune.

I've read a couple of Grippando's books now and seem to come up with some of the same issues. Here are my other reviews: Afraid of the Dark and Lying with Strangers. The second one is a very early review that's mostly just a bunch of jumbled sentences. Also, it contains some spoilers.

I've come to the conclusion that maybe he's not the right author for me. That's ok, though. He's written lots of books and appears to be really popular with lots of people. As for me, I have lots of other authors to read.

Other reviewers on Goodreads.com really liked the book. However, even with a few bright spots, overall it didn't do it for me.

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

For more about the author and his other books, please visit James Grippando's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

Need You Now by James Grippando, Harper (HarperCollins), ©2012. ISBN 9780061840302(Uncorrected proof), 357p.

Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay

In Trust Your Eyes, Thomas Kilbride, a schizophrenic, is obsessed with maps. So much so, he spends most of his time on his computer using a program called Whirl360 and rarely leaves his bedroom. He goes street by street, city by city, studying everything on the screen, memorizing it. That's his life, until he sees an image that looks like a woman being murdered in downtown New York. He shares what he's seen with his brother, Ray, who takes care of him. Ray doesn't quite believe Thomas, but agrees to poke around a little. It soon becomes apparent, though, that Thomas was right. A woman has been murdered and they have stepped into the middle of something very deadly.

I loved this book. Even though I'm a somewhat slow reader, I got through this one in just a couple of days. It was so good I didn't want to put it down. It was suspenseful and psychologically thrilling. The storyline was sort of like a modern twist on the movie Rear Window. It was awesome!

Barclay bounces between storylines and time periods quite a bit in this book. At times, I was wondering how it was all going to come together. It finally did, but not before making many twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat.

Thomas was such a great character. I really felt sorry for him, though. After the death of his father, he was so isolated with no face-to-face contact with anyone but his brother. His extreme interest in maps was very cool. I like maps, too, however, my interest is definitely not at this level. Having said that, I was oddly fascinated and totally drawn in by Thomas's obsession. It was interesting to see how his passion for maps combined with his mental illness lead him to his current state of mind. I loved that his delusions included emails to the CIA, keeping them informed of his activities and progress, and phone calls with President Clinton.

I've read two other books by Barclay. Here are my reviews for those: The Accident and Never Look Away. I loved them both.

I also have a number of books by this author that are still on my to-be-read bookshelf. I know they are going to be good, I just have to find time to read them. It's another case of buying books faster than I can read them.

Highly recommended. Barclay is definitely one of my favourite authors.

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

For more information about the author, please visit Linwood Barclay's website.

Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay, Doubleday Canada (Random House), ©2012. ISBN 9780385669573(Trade paperback), 498p.

The Devil Will Come by Glenn Cooper

In The Devil Will Come, Elisabetta Celestino a young archaeologist, has discovered some astrological symbols in an underground chamber in Rome's catacombs. She thinks that it's evidence of a pre-Christian sect. However, the Vatican is refusing to support any further study. Ten years later, a cave-in occurs in those same catacombs and an amazing discovery is made. Elisabetta, who is now a nun, is called upon to help with the find and uncover its secrets before an apocalyptic event destroys the world.

I loved this book! This story was so amazing. I can't figure out how Cooper comes up with this stuff. I found the overall storyline and conspiracy theory extremely fascinating. However, there were a few times that I wanted the author to focus less on the history and just get on with the mystery. Because of this, this book was probably my least favourite of his so far.

Like this other books, Cooper jumps amongst many storylines within different time periods. In this book, he takes the reader to ancient Rome, 16th century England, as well as present day Rome. This is a perfect format for a story like this. All of the jumping around really added to the suspense of the story.

I find books surrounding the Vatican and its activities particularly interesting. Because their history goes back centuries and they are so secretive about so many things, it's hard not to be curious. Even if Cooper's theories are improbable, they sure are fun to read. I especially liked the brief explanation about Irish Saint Malachy and his prophecies regarding the Catholic church and the popes.

I love it when authors allow their characters to interact with real people. In this book, Cooper writes about Nero, the Roman Emperor, and Christopher Marlowe, the author of Doctor Faustus, among others. Even when I don't know that much about the real life people, as is the case here, the fact that they are featured in this book makes me want to know more about them.

I'm not sure why, but I found the Lemures' physiology was a little off putting. I'm not usually that squeamish, but a few of the descriptions left me squirming a little. I don't want to get into any details that might spoil the book from someone else, so I'll leave it at that.

New word: anorectic (page 361): loss of appetite

I've read a number of other books by Glenn Cooper. Here my reviews for those: Library of the Dead, Book of Souls, and The Tenth Chamber. The first two books from the Library of the Dead trilogy are my favourites, but I also really enjoyed the last on in the list. He is definitely one of my favourite authors.

Highly recommended. I'm hoping to read many more books by this author. I'm especially looking forward to the third book in the Library of the Dead trilogy called The Librarians.

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

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

The Devil Will Come by Glenn Cooper, HarperCollins, ©2011. ISBN 9781554688074(Trade paperback), 440p.

The Last Good Man by A.J. Kazinski

In The Last Good Man, disgraced policeman Tommaso di Barbera in Venice, has discovered that righteous people, those who are known for their good deeds, are dying all over the world. Each of the bodies has the same mysterious mark. In Copenhagen, Niels Bentzon is also investigating, but he and Barbera don't speak the language. Communicating and passing information is difficult at best. With the help of Hannah Lund, an astrophysicist, a pattern emerges and if she's correct, someone is out to kill the 36 righteous people who, according to the Talmud, protect all of the other people on the Earth. From this pattern they can determine the time and location of the next death. It's up to them to save the last good man.

I loved this book. Although it was over 500 pages, it didn't feel like that at all. The author's use of short chapters and multiple storylines made the story suspenseful and fast-paced. At times I felt breathless just trying to keep up. The whole story was so well thought that there wasn't one dull minute.

The story is translated from Danish. I sometimes worry that translated books, especially ones from faraway places won't be accessible. However, with this one I couldn't have been more wrong. It was awesome!!

The storyline was intriguing. I've heard a little about the Talmud, but nothing at all about the 36 righteous people, who keep the rest of us safe. I thought that it was extremely interesting. To read a little more about the 36 righteous people mentioned in the Talmud, see this Wikipedia entry for Tzadikim Nistarim. The out-of-body experience in the book was also intriguing. Because it was presented as a scientific study, it came across as believable.

The miscommunication or lack of understanding between Bentzon and Barbera added another dimension to the story. Because Bentzon was afraid to fly and unable to travel very far put him in a unique position that the author was able to capitalize on later in the story. I loved Hannah and what she brought to the story. Her expertise in math and science was fascinating. There's one diagram in the book that was supposedly drawn by Hannah. It looked hand drawn which added to its authenticity, but the size made it hard to make out and read. Perhaps if it were larger, it would have been easier to see.

The one weak point in the whole book was the ending. It was exciting and suspenseful until the very end, but the "solution" fell flat. Perhaps it was just too simple for an involved lengthy story like this. It didn't ruin the book for me, I just wish it had ended a little differently.

A.J. Kazinski is a pseudonym of Anders Rønnow Klarlund and Jacob Weinreich. This is their first collaboration. This book was translated from the Danish by Tiina Nunnally.

Highly recommended. I hope these guys write more books.

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster UK for this review copy.

The Last Good Man by A.J. Kazinski, Simon & Schuster UK ©2012. ISBN 9780857205803(Trade paperback), 522p.

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman

In Rage Against the Dying, Brigid Quinn, a retired FBI agent is settling into early retirement with her husband and her dogs. Her previous life and cases are behind her. That is, until Floyd Lynch confesses to one of Brigid's unsolved cases. He knows things only the killer would know and has offered to lead the FBI to one of the bodies. The new agent in charge, Laura Coleman, is convinced that the confession is false while Brigid discovers that she has some unfinished business to attend to.

I really enjoyed this fast-paced page turner. The storyline was compelling, gripping and filled with twists and turns. Just when I thought I'd figured out the direction the author was taking, she'd veer off in another direction.

The opening packed a huge punch, but some of the sexual deviancy details in the opening pages might scare some people off. It does become a little tamer, but this is no cozy mystery. The violence and graphic details of the murders are up front and centre. It's definitely not for those who are squeamish or those who would rather not know or read about the evil that exists out there.

Brigid is such a great character. She definitely not like any other FBI agent I've read about. She's older, fit, short, and sarcastic while sometimes being irrational, impulsive, and aggressive. She still possesses the physical skills of a much younger agent, which makes people underestimate her. It's a shame that she felt the need to hide parts of her past from her husband Carlo. However, past events have lead her to believe that it's for the best. Her situation seemed plausible, but I didn't quite believe that she missed some key clues at first because she was "seeing what she wanted to see". Aren't law enforcement people supposed to be more observant than that?

These are my favourite quotes from the book:

...they say never trust a woman who tells you her age; if she can't keep that secret, she can't keep yours. (page 9)

If Arizonans want Mexicans to stay out of the country, why do they give everything Spanish names? It kinda sends conflicting messages. (page 208)

New word:
arroyos (page 36): dry gulch

Highly recommended. This is a terrific debut thriller for Masterman. I hope to read many more books by this author.

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Penguin for this review copy.

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman, Penguin, ©2013. ISBN 9780143182665(Uncorrected Proof), 307p.

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

In Into the Darkest Corner, Catherine's passionate relationship with Lee takes a nasty turn when she discovers his dark violent side. Things go from bad to worse when she tries to break it off with him. When her friends don't believe her and she can see no other options, she plans her escape. Four years later, Lee is in jail and Catherine, now going by Cathy, is trying to start over. She tries to keep her constant fear at bay by checking and rechecking that her apartment is safe and secure. Eventually, she befriends her new neighbour, Stuart, who encourages her to deal with her fears in other ways. As time goes by and their relationship deepens, she starts feeling a little better and is beginning trust him. It's then that she gets a phone call that changes everything.

I loved this psychological thriller.  It was so good. It that had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to end...right to the very last page. There were a couple of holes in the story, but I was willing to overlook those because I loved the premise and the style in which it was written.

The story alternates between two time frames: 2003/2004 when Catherine was in a relationship with Lee, and 2007/2008 when Lee is in jail and Cathy is suffering the consequences of his abuse, but trying to move on with her life. Haynes, the author, jumped between the two time frames quite frequently, so it always felt like the story was moving along. I loved this format. It took a little while to get used to it, but it was awesome once I figured out what was going on. This style made the story extremely intense, scary and very suspenseful. I got totally engrossed in the story to the point where I was anxious and nervous while I was reading. It even gave me nightmares. I believe this is the first book to ever do so. Despite that, I didn't want to stop reading and I couldn't wait to get back to the book each time I put it down.

The story highlighted some key issues that are unfortunately current and relevant in our society: domestic violence, obsessive/compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That made the story hard to read at times, especially because the violence was so graphically portrayed. I don't know anyone who's been on either end of domestic violence (at least as far as I know), but it was horrible just reading about it. I think the author did a good job of answering some key questions, such as "Why didn't she just leave?", "Why didn't she tell someone?". The OCD was interesting. I don't know how Cathy was able to hold down a job without serious repercussions; I'm not sure the author explained that well enough.

The one part that bothered me in the story was that Cathy's recovery seemed a little too perfect. When she suspected that someone has been sneaking into her apartment and moving things around, she took it too calmly. I was still scared of what was going to happen, so why wasn't she? I don't want to give too much away so I'll leave it at that.

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

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes, HarperCollins, ©2011. ISBN 97800622000457(Advance Reader's Edition), 397p.

Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark

In Guilt by Degrees, deputy D.A. Rachel Knight discovers that the murder of a homeless man is connected to the murder of a LAPD cop from a few years back. The suspect, a beautiful woman, in the first murder was acquitted. It's up to Knight and Detective Bailey Keller to decipher the connections and track down the killer while staying out of his or her way.

I liked this book and found it entertaining. It's Clark's second book featuring Rachel Knight, but the first one that I've read. It was reasonably well-written and contained a good fast-paced story. It kept be interested until the very end. The short chapters added to the suspense and allowed me to read just a few pages in between other activities. (I don't like breaking in the middle of a chapter.) I really liked the shifting points of view and the shifts from first person to third person. A perfect fit for this type of book.

I liked both Rachel and Bailey. Both were strong women who didn't cower at the thought of chasing down a psychopath. I also really liked the side story about her sister Romy. It's too bad there wasn't more of it in this book. Maybe I'll find out more about it when I read the first book or maybe I'll have to wait until subsequent books some out.

While I enjoyed this book, I didn't love it. The story just didn't stick with me. I remembered what was happening while I read the book, but as I write this review I'm having to depend on the notes I took. I could probably reread it at some point and be surprised some of the things that happened. Also, I had a little trouble with some of the slangy verbs Clark used: beefed, jacked up, popped off, nailed. The problem is that many of these have or could have multiple meanings. Sure, I can probably decipher their meanings from the sentence in which it was used, but after awhile it got a little annoying. I didn't like some of the abbreviations either for the same reason: eyewit, uni.

As a former Los Angeles deputy district attorney and lead prosecutor on the O.J. Simpson murder case, Clark no doubt saw her fair share of murder cases. I don't really know the roll of the DA (or deputy DA in this case), especially the ins and outs of what they do outside of the courtroom. The book left me wondering how much of this book represents the job of a real-life deputy DA.

Favourite quotes:

Seething done in private can keep anger burning, but like a pot of boiling water, once you take the lid off, the heat dissipates and the boil turns to a simmer. (page 306)

New word:
immolate (page 303): kill as a sacrifice

Recommended. Even though I didn't love this book, I picked up Clark's first book featuring Rachel Knight, Guilt by Association recently and hope to read it soon. If that goes well, I'll be looking for more books by this author.

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

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Hachette Book Group in Canada for this review copy.

Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark, Mulholland Books (Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group)), ©2012. ISBN 9780316129534(Hardcover), 438p.

Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler

In Dead Ringer, neurosurgeon Dr. McCrae sees the head of his best friend at a medical conference demonstration in Hong Kong. This is unsettling, to say the least because the last time he saw his friend, Andy, he was alive and well and living in Seattle. McCrae later discovers that Andy is indeed missing. To get to the bottom of it, McCrae gets together with Sergeant Wendy Elliott and a gang member, Ruiz, whose sister is also missing. The three determine that a funeral home is murdering prostitutes and their johns then selling off their body parts for medical research -- a lucrative, but sleazy, adventure involving crooked cops and greedy funeral directors.

I enjoyed this book. Actually, a lot more than I thought I would. I found the premise interesting, but, quite honestly, because it wasn't a review book that came from a major publisher, I thought it might be mediocre. I admit, I judged a book by its cover and its source and was wrong.

Like I said, I liked the premise. A bit on the gruesome side perhaps, but interesting nevertheless. The book was well-written, fast paced and suspenseful. The author kept the story moving along by using short chapters and frequently changing the setting and character focus. I stayed up past my bedtime a couple of time reading this page-turner.

I learned a little about medical research while reading this book. Well, at least it made me think. I never really thought about it before, like where the specimens/body parts come from. Now, that I've thought about it, I think I'll stop thinking about it. It's kind of macabre, especially the way it was handled in this story. I just hope that in real life, it's handled properly and with utmost respect.

I do have one complaint about the book; the language. The swearing, at first, seemed excessive and over the top. It did calm down as the story continued. I know it was used to set the scene and give insight into the characters, but it felt gratuitous. I should say that swearing doesn't usually bother me when it's warranted. The other thing was the racial slurs. It's one thing to generalize and say something derogatory about a whole race of people; it's another to use an offensive term in doing so. Again, it emphasized the characters' mindset, but that could have and SHOULD have been done differently. I hadn't seen or heard some of those terms in years, probably for good reason.

This book might not be for everyone. The squeamish, sensitive reader should be wary. Otherwise, recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Astor + Blue's website.

Thanks to Lauren from Blue Dot Literary for this review copy.

Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler, Astor + Blue Editions, ©2012. ISBN 9781938231148(Advance Reader Copy), 324p.

Darkness, My Old Friend by Lisa Unger

In Darkness, My Old Friend, the police ask Jones Cooper, who has recently retired from the Hollows Police Department, to look into a cold case, the disappearance of Marla Holt. Meanwhile, Michael, Marla's son, asks Eloise, a psychic and PI Ray Muldune to find out what happened to his mother all those years ago. Cooper is also looking for another missing mother at the request of Paula Carr. For someone who's retired, he's a busy man. Another resident, Willow Graves is new to The Hollows and is having a hard time adjusting. Her desire to run away leads her in dangerous directions.

I loved this book. This is the first book I've read of Unger's, but it won't be the last. It started off with great intensity and was thrilling to read. I didn't want to put it down. I loved the interconnecting relationships...much like a huge spider's web. I guess it's typical of a small town where everyone knows everyone else or is at least connected to lots of the other residents. I had lots of "aha moments" when those connections came to light.

The book contained lots of interesting characters, but my favourite character was Jones Cooper. He's about the same age as me and is questioning, "Is this all there is?". That's something I'm sort of struggling with myself. I also understand his recent retirement woes because my husband retired three years ago. It's tough to be doing something different after so many years of the same thing.

The psychic was an interesting addition. I don't know if I believe that sort of stuff, but her story was interesting. She was a bit creepy, though, I thought. She plays a major role in Unger's other book Fragile, which I haven't read.

My one complaint is that the intensity didn't quite carry through all the way to the end. It was still compelling enough, but it sort of leveled off rather than building up to a grand conclusion.

Even though this is the second book featuring some of these characters (the first being Fragile), this book can be read as a standalone book. I haven't read the first book yet, but I'd love to.  I'm going to keep my eye out for it.

New word: mollycoddled (page 153): overprotected. I was pretty sure I knew what this meant, but I like the word so much I wanted to include it in my review. ;)

Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.

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

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Darkness, My Old Friend, Crown Publishers (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780307464996(Hardcover), 358p.

The Drop by Michael Connelly

In The Drop, Harry Bosch is near forced retirement. He has three years left and wants to go out with a bang. He's now working on the Cold Case Squad and picks up two cases in one day. The first case deals with a rape and murder from 1989. There's been a recent DNA match, however, it matches a rapist who was just 8-years-old at the time. The second case is a new one that involves a body dropped from a window in a glamorous hotel. It's not just any body, either. It belongs to the son of a Councilman Irvin Irving, Harry's old nemesis. With two high-profile cases on the go, Harry uncovers some nasty secrets that go back decades.

I really enjoyed this book. It's more of a police procedural and not that action packed. However, it was exciting nevertheless. The story didn't go as I surmised from the book jacket description, but that just made it that much better. I love being surprised by the direction of the story. The book contained two great main storylines, as well as a more personal one with Harry's daughter.

This book is Connelly's 17th book with this character (24th novel overall), but the first one that I've read. I didn't feel like I missed much, but I'm sure reading the other books would have helped me understand Harry and his motivations better. I still think this book can be read as a standalone book.

Bosch is such a great character. His motto, Everybody counts or nobody counts, makes him a great detective, who sees that justice is served for everyone. His investigations lead him where others fear to go because of this.

I have a number of Connelly's books on my bookshelf that I picked up at a used book sale after hearing how great they are. However, I've only read two of them. The Poet (before I had a blog) and The Scarecrow (my review). I really enjoyed them both. Both of these feature Jack McEvoy. I really must get to the other books on my shelf.

Highly recommended. I can't wait for the next book to come out. Since I haven't read the others in the series, I have lots to catch up on in the meantime.

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

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Hachette Book Group for this review copy.

The Drop by Michael Connelly, Little, Brown and Company, ©2011. ISBN 9780316069410(Hardcover), 388p.

Shut Your Eyes Tight by John Verdon

In Shut Your Eyes Tight, a bride is beheaded at her wedding reception just after she was wed to a prominent psychiatrist. Dave Gurney, a retired homicide investigator can't resist looking into this one. His wife is opposed to the idea and just wants him to enjoy their move out to the country. Once Gurney learns the details, he finds that it's so bizarre and horrific that soon he can't think of anything else. Through his digging he finds evil very close to the surface. However, as he continues to dig the extent of that evil becomes unimaginable.

I loved this book. I love that Verdon doesn't rely on action scenes to make the story interesting or suspenseful. Much like his first book, this is very much a thinking man's mystery. It sucked me in and made me forget about everything else that I should have been doing. It was so intelligently written and meticulously thought out that it was a joy to read. Verdon's storytelling is amazing. I just love it. He reiterated the facts in the case several times without coming across as repetitive or preachy. It just made it easier to follow. I didn't have to flip back once in the book to remind myself of who was who or what had happened previously, even though the book is 500+ pages long.

The storyline did get a little gruesome at times. Thankfully, it did not feature the action of the beheadings, just the aftermaths of them, which was bad enough. The other main topic or subject matter of the story was sexual abuse. Another uncomfortable topic to read about. This time it was especially sad since the both the abused and the abusers were so young.

The main character, Dave Gurney, is a fantastic protagonist with lots of great qualities and numerous flaws. He suffers terrible guilt over his sons and has quite a unique hobby - using his computer to manipulate portraits/mug shots of serial killers. He also lectures at the police academy. I loved both his lectures and the way his students answered his questions. I find Gurney very relatable and easy to understand. I think I like him so much because he's very much like me...at least according to his Myers Briggs evaluation:

His instinctive route to understanding was primarily through thinking...He was fascinated by connecting the dots...He was energized by solitude...observing was just one tool to enable clearer judging. (page 96)

His wife, Madeline, on the other hand, is pretty much his opposite, which is probably why I have a hard time connecting with her. As for the other characters, I didn't like them very much, but I don't think I was supposed to.

If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like, it was the dust jacket. It's very striking with the rose petals, rose stems complete with thorns, drops of blood and the raised and indented lettering. However, the slightly weird texture (a bit rough) bothered me. I didn't like the feel of it. It wasn't exactly irritating, but it wasn't comfortable either. It's strange because now that I compare it to other books, it's not really that different. It did, however, seem very different when I was reading the book and handling it daily.

New words:
shibboleth (page 180): catchword or slogan
amelioration (page 214): improve
scimitar (page 218): Arab or Turkish saber
cupidity (page 242): greed
loquacity (page 268): tending to talk a lot
physiognomy (page 268): facial features
insouciant (page 382): not worrying about possible problems; carefree
condign reparation (page 485): punishment in perfect balance with the offense. Punishment of an ideally appropriate nature (definition from the book).

I've read one other book by Verdon, Think of a Number (my review). I loved it.

Highly recommended. I'll definitely be looking for more of this author's work.

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Shut Your Eyes Tight: A Novel by John Verdon, Crown Publishers (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780307717894(Hardcover), 509p.

Altar of Bones by Philip Carter

In Altar of Bones, Zoe Dmitroff is entrusted with a centuries old very dangerous secret. Just like those who have come before her, this secret will put her life in danger. As she fights to protect it, others will stop at nothing to attain it. The story spans many years, crosses many countries and touches many lives. Even the rich, powerful and famous are not safe.

I enjoyed this one, but only up to a point. It was a good thriller and had the potential to be great, but it's heavy reliance on action sequences, let me wanting. I kept reading because I wanted to hear about this conspiracy in which "everything you believed is wrong...everything you feared is real". Doesn't that sound good? Maybe I was expecting too much and looked at the book the wrong way. Instead of reading to find out about this conspiracy, I should have just relaxed and read the book for what it was...a good thriller. Maybe.

This book offers up another theory (or theories) surrounding the deaths of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. I found that very intriguing. However, the theory is so out there and such a small part of the book, relatively speaking, I was a little disappointed. I wanted substance, planning, deception, plotting...all the things of a good conspiracy. Maybe there was some of that here, but it got lost. As far as I'm concerned, with a few changes the conspiracy could have been about any two famous people, say John Lennon and John Belushi, or Natalie Wood and Abraham Lincoln. Again, maybe I'm being too hard on the book.

Back to the action scenes for a minute. I like said above, this book is packed full of action scenes. It would probably translate beautifully into a motion picture. In fact, it's almost like it was written with making a movie in mind. While I don't mind some action in my movies, here it was too much. Much of that action/running around/car chases etc. was wasted on me. While putting the characters in jeopardy as they race around the world added suspense to the story, I wanted to get to the part about Kennedy and Monroe.

Having said all of that, there were parts I really liked. The story might not be probable or even plausible, but it certainly was entertaining. I didn't once think about stopping and giving up on it. I loved how the different characters took turns telling part of the stories. It fit with the overall theme and made it interesting and suspenseful. Also, I really liked the two main characters, Zoe and Ry. I liked the tension in their dynamic relationship.

Favourite quote: I liked this quote because every time my husband and I dig in the garden and a plant is really hard to dig up, I say to my husband "I wish that Chinese person holding onto the root would just let go already?"  It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks like that. 

Babe, they're gonna bury it so deep, the only way it'll ever see the light of day again is if some kid in China accidentally uncovers it while digging around in his backyard. (page 312)

Philip Carter is a pseudonym of an internationally bestselling author. I've heard rumours that it's Dan Brown. It certainly could be. The storytelling and conspiracy angle were not unlike The da Vinci Code. Then again, it could also be any one of a half-dozen other writers out there. Anyone have another theory?

Recommended for its thriller aspects.

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

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster UK for this review copy.

Altar of Bones by Philip Carter, Gallery Book (Simon & Schuster UK), ©2011. ISBN 9780857202062(ARC), 455p.