Thursday, August 14, 2014

City Of Ghosts-Kelli Stanley

City Of Ghosts
Kelli Stanley
Minotaur Books, Aug 5 2014, $26.99
ISBN: 9781250006745

In June 1940 San Francisco, private investigator Miranda Corbie receives a postcard from the last person she expected to hear from; her missing mother.  The postcard came from England where the Nazis conduct an endless aerial assault on the beleaguered nation.

Miranda considers what her options are re finding and rescuing her mom.  While she ponders what she can do, State Department employee James MacLeod hires her to investigate University of California chemistry professor, Dr. Huntington Jasper; the Fed believes he is a Nazi sympathizer using his profession and his love of art to disguise his espionage activity.  The P.I. agrees to make an inquiry after being offered their help in finding her mother.  Miranda learns of Dr. Jasper’s connections to those involved in German art looting, her inquiry turns ugly with murders leading to her framed for a homicide while MacLeod keeps his distance.

The third Miranda Corbie mystery (See City Of Secrets and City Of Dragons) is a thrilling dark gritty historical female Noir as readers learn more about the protagonist’s past through the momma drama subplot.  Fast-paced yet very atmospheric, readers will feel transported to the City on the Bay as attention already aimed at Japan expands towards the Nazis as the electrifying Jasper scenario affirms.


Harriet Klausner

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