Genre Go Round Reviews

Stand By Me-Neta Jackson

2012-01-31T12:36:00.001-08:00

Stand By Me

Neta Jackson

Thomas Nelson, Mar 13 2012, $15.99

ISBN: 9781595548641

University of Arizona pre-Med student Kathryn Davies attends the Midwest Music Festival in Illinois. Following the Resurrection Band concert, Kat has given her heart to Jesus. She knows she must tell her family who will go ballistic as her DNA imprint says medicine; but she enjoys working with kids as she did with ESL students. She plans to transfer to Chicago Crista University to major in Christian Ed.

Three years later, Kat and her school friends attend the SouledOut Community Church, a multi-cultural place of worship where she meets elementary school Principal Avis Douglass. Kat’s mouth gets her in trouble with Avis and others as the student’s tendency to say what she thinks is grating. However, what divides the pair is their path to God as Kat is flamboyant while Avis is reserved. Still they share estrangement from loved ones; Kat from her family in Phoenix and Avis from her MIA youngest daughter.

The first SouledOut Sisters contemporary urban inspirational tale is a great story starring a strong cast especially the lead females who on the surface seem polar opposites but share two essential elements: their love for Jesus who they pray stands with them and the estrangements. Using real social issues like dumpster diving, racism and HIV, Neta Jackson provides her Yada Yada fans with a powerful tale.

Harriet Klausner

Bond Girl-Erin Duffy

2012-01-31T12:35:00.002-08:00

Bond Girl

Erin Duffy

Morrow, Jan 24 2012, $24.99

ISBN: 9780062065896

Alex Garrett always dreamed of taking Manhattan by storm; not song as the latter is Sinatra’s gig whiles hers is Wall St. having just graduated from the University of Virginia in the class of 2006. She feels great about landing a position on the “Street” and getting an apartment in the West Village. Besides no sleep due to the noise of the city that never sleeps, Alex is treated as a female tyro by her office. Instead of trading, she fixes her boss’ spreadsheets, and takes food and drink orders from the males in the office. Although bored, she survives due to a wicked sense of humor. Ultimately Alex begrudgingly earns respect from her colleagues and begins to date a huggable even as the financial tsunami threatens to drown the Street.

This is a fascinating look at Wall St. just prior to and during the Great Recession crisis. The storyline starts breezy and satirical focusing on the pitfalls of a single female newcomer living in the Big Apple and working the Street. When Alex gets her break she spins into Putt’s Law of Failure recommendation to fail big so you can keep your job by learning from your mistakes. However, though timely and entertaining, the trials and tribulations of the newcomer in Manhattan is a typical amusing chick lit with the tsuris level relatively low considering what is going on the Street.

Harriet Klausner

When A Scot Loves A Lady-Katherine Ashe

2012-01-31T12:35:00.000-08:00

When A Scot Loves A Lady

Katherine Ashe

Avon, Feb 28 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780062031662

In 1813 London, Lambert Poole ruined Lady Katherine “Kitty” Savege. She pretends to still want him but instead she wants to learn his secrets. She attends a masquerade where she sees Lord Leam Blackwood back from overseas and is attracted to him; as he is to her. Kitty drops her plans to destroy Poole until the rat threatened her brother six months ago. She gives information to the Home Office about Poole’s illegal dealing. He flees to France to live in poverty.

In 1816 Leam informs Colin Gray he quit the Falcon Club as he plans to spend time with his son in Scotland. Gray asks him to perform a last mission to learn whether member Captain Jinan Seton also quit and to look into French activity in Scotland. Wyn Yale accompanies Leam. A blizzard strands Kitty and her friend Lady Emily Vale at an inn. Also stopping due to the weather are Leam and Yale. Leam and Kitty recognize each other and the attraction remains strong. David Cox comes to the inn to stay until the snow melts. He flirts with Kitty which make Leams jealous. Kitty and Leam play strip cards before making love. Later a sniper wings Kitty, but gets away; she demands the truth from Leam.

This entertaining Regency is a wonderful historical as the romance seems real while the suspense enhances the plot. The lead couple and the support cast are fully developed. Although I personally do not like local vernacular, but the use of the Scottish brogue adds authenticity to the engaging tale. Although the climax is a bit weak, sub-genre fans will enjoy this exciting nineteenth century romantic suspense.

Harriet Klausner

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Secrets of an Accidental Duchess--Jennifer Haymore

2012-01-31T12:34:00.002-08:00

Secrets of an Accidental Duchess

Jennifer Haymore

Forever, Feb 1 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780446573153

A Marquis used to easily bedding the women, Maxwell Buchanan is frozen in place for the first time in his thirty years of life when he sees the angel Olivia Donovan for the first time. Leonard Reece catches him staring at the beautiful fragile Olivia for ten minutes. Competitive with Maxwell, Leonard who failed to persuade Olivia into a tryst bets him he will not succeed either. Though he knows he should not accept the wager, Maxwell agrees on a hefty bet over his seduction of his angel.

The middle sister, Olivia knows her siblings, Jessica and Margaret (See Confessions of an Improper Bride), are overly protective of her ever since she suffered from malaria as a child in the West Indies. However, though she still looks frail, Max soon learns quickly that Olivia has a steel backbone, which amplifies his desire for her. As he falls in love with his angel, he fears for the safety of the three Donovan sisters especially his angel when they rescue an abused spouse that enrages a psychopath who targets them for their intrusion.

The second Donovan sisters’ historical romance is an exhilarating tale that grips the reader from the moment a spellbound Donovan can’t take his eyes off of her and never blinks until after the final confrontation. The storyline is fast-paced as the Marquis learns the mouse he has a tendre for is actually a lioness.

Harriet Klausner

With This Kiss-Bella Riley

2012-01-31T12:34:00.000-08:00

With This Kiss

Bella Riley

Forever, Mar 1 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780446584227

In Emerald Lake, New York, innkeeper Rebecca Campbell hosts the wedding of her Lake Yarns’ friend Andi Powell to Mayor Nate Duncan (see Home Sweet Home). This happens to be a difficult time for Rebecca as she forced her fiancé Stu Murphy to end their engagement as she wants a love like Andi and Nate share rather than just a nice friendship. Since he is generational family and she decided to hide his secret, she is blamed by the townsfolk except for her Lake Yarns’ Knitting group for the end of their relationship.

Stu’s younger brother Sean returns home for his sibling’s wedding after being away for almost two decades following seeing something that broke his heart when he was fourteen. To his chagrin, Sean finds himself attracted to his sibling’s former fiancé. Rebecca feels the same way about him. Neither wants to make that first move as secrets keep them apart.

The second Emerald Lake contemporary romance is an engaging story of secrets estranging a family. Second chances surface but the Murphy family and Rebecca must dive into the opportunity; which means having confidence that your loved ones will keep you from drowning in a sea of distrust and encouraging you into swimming in a sea of love. Fans will appreciate this engaging family drama.

Harriet Klausner

Last Chance Beauty Queen-Hope Ramsey

2012-01-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

Last Chance Beauty Queen

Hope Ramsey

Forever, Feb 1 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780446576086

English Baron Hugh DeBracy comes to America with a plan to build a textile machinery factory. U.S. Senator Rupert Warren wants the plant in his home state of South Carolina. He sends his aid former Watermelon Queen Caroline “Rocky” Rhodes to escort the aristocrat around the state; especially since Lord DeBracy considers her hometown of Last Chance as his last chance to avoid a marriage of money.

Hugh needs to purchase land, but the locals never sell to carpetbaggers. However, Ricky’s mom Ruby considers an exception as she knows her daughter could lose her job if the deal falls through and besides the pair are obviously attracted toe on another. However what clinches the deal for Ruby is his earthly behavior at the Watermelon Festival.

The third Last Chance contemporary romance (Welcome to Last Chance and Home At Last Chance) is a zany, jocular and over the top of Sassafras Mountain frolic. The lead couple is a nice pairing while the townsfolk are an amusing eccentric crowd. Timely with the textile industry having left the state, fans will enjoy riding the Rhodes to Last Chance.

Harriet Klausner

The Twelfth Insight: The Hour of Decision-James Redfield

2012-01-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

The Twelfth Insight: The Hour of Decision

James Redfield

Grand Central, Feb 9 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9780446575942

Now in the final countdown year, on December 21, 2012, the Mayan calendar predicts the world as we know it will end. Wil and his best friend receive an odd segment of an ancient manuscript; other fragments are also being released around the globe to chosen ones who have displayed a potential enlightened soul. Wil and his buddy know they need the rest of the document to understand how to use the mind and spirit to achieve universal contentment and harmony though deployment of the twelve integrations. As the enlightened 144,000 converge in the spirit of synchronicity and integrity to reach the plateau of world unity theyt must contend with powerful political and religious leaders; fanatics who prefer the status quo as well as preventing a nuclear terrorist attack.

The fourth Celestine spiritual thriller (see The Celestine Prophecy, The Secret of Shambhala and In Search of the Eleventh Insight) is a fascinating uplifting tale. When the focus is on the integrations, readers learn the steps that James Redfield recommends while the protagonists and other chosen struggle with world leaders who oppose any downgrading of their status. When the storyline turns to the terrorists it loses some momentum as this feels forced. Still fans will enjoy Mr. Redfield’s enlightenment re the Mayan doomsday prophecy.

Harriet Klausner

The Way-Kristen Wolf

2012-01-30T14:14:00.001-08:00

The Way

Kristen Wolf

Crown, Jul 12 2011, $25.00

ISBN: 9780307717696

In 7 A.D. Palestine, the young boys taunt handsome seven year old Anna for looking more like a boy than a girl. Her mother Mari explains that she a boy and a girl. When Mari gives birth to a stillborn boy, Anna’s dad Josef filled with anger and grief stones elderly healer Zahra to death while his daughter watched in horror. Three years later, with her dad still raging and Anna looking even more like a boy than a girl, the child wonders why a dead son is worth more than a living daughter. Josef beats his wife who soon dies and sells Anna as a boy to a visiting shepherd.

In the desert the Sisters secret sect abduct Anna from the shepherds. In their caves, they mentor her in the ancient belief "The Way," which releases dormant power within her. When the Sisters become endangered, the inner Circle sends Anna on a journey to spread the word of the Way among the people. Taking advantage of her male looking physique, she begins her missionary work, which places her at odds with the priests and the Roman overseers. By 33 A.D. in Ancient Palestine, word spreads about a Healer who walks amongst the people helping the downtrodden but refusing any gifts; while betrayal and redemption battle to claim their souls.

This is an intriguing coming of age retelling of the Jesus story starring a flawed heroine who has doubts that she is the one to spread the word of the Way to the masses as she has always been the outsider. The support cast like Judas is shone in different lights than the typical renditions. Fascinating, fans will enjoy the “truth” of Anna’s journey.

Harriet Klausner

Colorado Fireman-C.C. Coburn

2012-01-30T14:13:00.003-08:00

Colorado Fireman

C.C. Coburn

Harlequin American, Mar 6 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373753994

Only having returned home in Spruce Lake, Colorado a week ago,, firefighter Adam O’Malley enters the burning apartment to rescue a an elderly woman and eighteen month old Charlie. The boy’s three older siblings were taken outside by the babysitter. However, Adam learns that Molly remains inside. Though Molly is a dog, Adam goes back in and rescues the canine. The widow working mom Carly Spencer, a masseuse at the Spruce Lodge Spa, thanks the firefighter who just wants to catch his breath. His mom offers the apartment over the stables to Carly, her four kids and the dog to the shock of Adam; who happens to be living there.

Adam and Carly are attracted to one another. However, he has a secret that he concealed from everyone that keeps him distant from relationships while she has doubts about having another firefighter in her life and that of her kids as her late husband Michael was one in San Diego. When Carly is charged with arson, Adam intercedes.

The latest contemporary romance (see The Sheriff and the Baby and Colorado Christmas) is a warm second chance at love O’Malley drama. Neither of the lead couple wants to fall in love, but they cannot help themselves as they do. The two extended families add depth to their romance especially mom who brings humor (and aggravation if you ask Adam) to this wonderful tale.

Harriet Klausner

Cowboy to the Rescue-Trish Milburn

2012-01-30T14:13:00.001-08:00

Cowboy to the Rescue

Trish Milburn

Harlequin American, Mar 6 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373754007

Merline Teague, proprietor of the Vista Hills Guest Ranch in rural Texas, interviews Brooke Vincent for the position of a cook. Mrs. Teague remarks that the applicant’s résumé is thin, but will give her a trial of cooking for the family. If that works out she will also cook for the guests who can number upwards of forty. The food is so good that Merline’s son Simon jokingly proposes. Brooke Vincent is hired while she laments that Brooke Alder no longer exists.

Another Teague son, Ryan was a loner before he served in the Iraq War; now he is all but a hermit except for his family. However, he feels more than just attracted to the new cook, Ryan senses a fellow wounded warrior. Ryan also knows he cannot compete with Simon who is interested in the new employee. Brooke hopes hiding on the ranch will eventually force publicly squeaky clean lobbyist Chris Franklin to stop stalking her since she no longer resided in Arlington though she misses her family in West Virginia. However, no one walks out on Franklin who will use any tool including threatening the Teague clan and Brooke’s extended family including her young nieces to force her to return to him.

The latest Teagues of Texas (see The Cowboy’s Secret Son) is a tense romantic suspense starring two hurting souls and a psychopath. Readers will appreciate love healing the protagonists even as she fears she owes him the truth at the cost of her job, haven and him. Fans will relish this exciting taut thriller as readers anticipate that Franklin is coming for Brooke.

Harriet Klausner

Upgunned-David J. Schow

2012-01-30T14:09:00.002-08:00

Upgunned

David J. Schow

Dunne, Feb 14 2012, $26.99

ISBN: 9780312571375

Elias McCabe had sex with his best friend Clavius’ ex-wife Nasja and took pictures of her naked when a man holding a very formidable looking gun enters the photographer’s loft. Elias considers that Clavius might be annoyed for his banging his mentor’s former spouse, but soon realizes otherwise. Gun Guy escorts Elias at gunpoint before taking him to meet his teammates Cognac and the Professor, and a dead Dominic Sharps who made the news whenever LAPD was involved. The photographer’s assignment is to take shots of Sharps seemingly having sex and afterward Elias will leave with ten grand. However, if he opens his mouth Gun Guy will reuse Sharps’ body bag.

During the shooting, Elias video records the event without Gun Guy knowing what he did. When Elias finds out what Gun Guy has used the shoot for, he places his video version of the encounter on the Internet where it goes viral and destroys the blackmail scheme. Raging Gun Guy begins killing those who were involved while seeking Elias, who hides on a New York movie set. Elias knows flight is impossible from this ruthless maniac so he must fight but a shoot to him is a photo gig not a gun gig.

This is a super satirical noir starring an antihero who is comfortable with shooting porn but not shooting guns. His adversary Gun Guy is terrific as a violent stranger who gets mad and even. With a biting mocking of fictional violence and an even more acerbic masticating of the American obsessive quest for the perfect look at any cost, fans will anticipate the High Noon encounter between the porn photographer and the Gun Guy.

Harriet Klausner

The Preacher-Camilla Lackberg

2012-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

The Preacher

Camilla Lackberg

Free Press/Simon and Schuster, Feb 7 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9781451621778

In Fjallbacka, Sweden, police detective Patrik Hedstrom is on vacation spending time with his eight months pregnant mate Erica when the call comes from Superintendent Mellberg. A six-years old boy exploring the mouth of the King’s Cleft discovered the corpse of a naked lady. Patrik arrives in time to get his boss away from contaminating the crime scene. When Forensics lifts the body, they find the skeletal remains of two more victims. Mellberg asks Patrik to lead the investigation as his other detectives, Martin lacks experience and Ernst lacks imagination; Martin resents not getting a chance to lead and Erne rages over the Kid getting another case.

Patrik believes the older skeletons are female teens, Siv Lantin and Mona Thernblad, who vanished in 1979. The autopsies affirm that each victim was tortured in a deliberate simmering manner until death provided relief. The latest deceased is identified as German Tanja Schmidt. Time becomes precious when a young girl vanishes without a trace while evidence points to the Hult family.

The keys to this strong Swedish police procedural (see The Ice Princess) are the profound look inside the souls of the key players to learn what motivates each them; including negative incentives and the discerning glimpse into group dynamics when time is running out. Using flashbacks to 1979 to tell the tale of the Hult evangelical healers who are involved in the present day investigation enhances the overall tension. Although Erica’s sister Anna’s domestic problems with her ex add to the look at what moves people, this subplot takes away from an otherwise taut Swedish whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

Witchful Thinking- H. P. Mallory

2012-01-30T14:08:00.001-08:00

Witchful Thinking

H. P. Mallory

Bantam, Feb 28 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780345531452

Almost thirty, fortuneteller Jolie Wilkins gave up on dating after the last few losers were deader than the reanimated she has brought back from beyond. Her self-image is pitiful; however, that was when she was just another mundane human trying to eke out a living. Her world spun off its axis when Rand the Warlock entered her shop. Soon afterward, she becomes a witch resurrected from the dead by Mercedes. Jolie is proclaimed the Queen of the Underworld of vampire, werewolf, fae, and witches; she has no earthly or other plane understanding of why or how it happened except some ties back to 1878 where she almost killed Rand.

Even more confusing for the new royal is Rand the hunk seems to want her. Throwing her already out of control life further into chaos is Sinjin the vampire who desires her Highness while vowing to protect her. Not used to one man coveting her let alone two, Jolie cannot make up her mind. However, Jolie has no time to ponder choosing one as a deadly paranormal species threatens genocide of her subjects even while she begins to learn governance is not a matchbook cover endeavor.

This is an engaging urban fantasy starring a self-deprecating heroine and two hunks who vie for her affection. The storyline starts off a bit choppy as the backstory (from self-published E-books) is provided. Once the game is set, Witchful Thinking turns into a wonderful amusing thriller as the paranormal seem real in the Mallory mythos. Wisenheimer Jolie makes the tale as she struggles with two males wanting her, preventing ethnic cleansing by malevolent mobsters, and learning governance of four conflicted species (like post Tito Yugoslavia).

Harriet Klausner

Eye of the Sword-Karyn Henley

2012-01-30T14:07:00.001-08:00

Eye of the Sword

Karyn Henley

WaterBrook, Mar 13 2012, $9.99

ISBN: 9780307730145

In Camrithia, King Laetham completes the ceremony that makes Trevin a comain military leader. At the same time, Dregmoorian Prince Varic arrives at the castle with a peace proposal that Laetham considers as a means to end the raids from his neighbor to the east. Varic offers to marry Princess Melaia, who Trevin loves. Daughter of a late angel, Melaia tells her father that she will wed Trevin only, but after she obtains the three missing harps that will restore The Wisdom Tree.

Laetham sends Trevin on a mission to find the missing comain; while Melaia asks him to bring back the harps; one of which is possessed by the Dregmoorian Secondborn Benasin. Trevin loathes leaving her with Varic, the sly treacherous heir to the Dregmoorian throne. Still he leaves on his missions to prove his worthiness to his beloved Princess and himself. On his horse Alamarin who once had wings, Trevin’s journey begins when his steed leads him to Eldarra Prince Resarian and the Golden. As Varic tries to kill him, Trevin’s horrible deeds while working for the Dregmoorian FirstBorn Lord Rejius, haunts him.

The second Angelaeon Circle thriller (see Breath of Angel) is an exhilarating quest fantasy starring an honorable champion who’s driven by his love for the princess and his obsession to for redemption. The storyline is action-packed from the moment the vile Varic and the tense Trevin meet and never slows down until the readers learn why the Dregmoorian heir wants the newest Camrithia comain dead. Though it behooves the audience to read the first tale to better understand the complex Henley mythos, fans will enjoy walking and riding in a realm where the Angelaeon interact with people and often rule.

Harriet Klausner

Show Dog: The Charmed Life and Trying Times of a Near-Perfect Purebred-Josh Dean

2012-01-28T11:40:00.002-08:00

Show Dog: The Charmed Life and Trying Times of a Near-Perfect Purebred

Josh Dean

It Books, Feb 7 2012, $24.99

ISBN: 9780062020482

Using Jack Australian shepherd and his retinue as a fascinating entrance into the dog show world, Josh Dean writes a delightful look into why so many people invest so much money, emotion and time on these events. His career starts with Jack appearing to be a future superstar. Over the year we get to know him and his human team up close and personal as Jack is the ticket to help us on the outside understand what motivates so many people to participate. This includes the support elements like training, breeding, hairstyling, etc.; as Mr. Dean states that these shows keep some purebred breeds alive. Occasionally attendees like me see chaos when watching a dog show, but Mr. Dean explains it is very structured and how the lay person can better observe what is going on. Jack wins first prize as he turns Show Dog: The Charmed Life and Trying Times of a Near-Perfect Purebred into an enjoyable romp.

Harriet Klausner

Time Out-Jill Shalvis

2012-01-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

Time Out

Jill Shalvis

Harlequin Blaze, Feb 21 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373796731

In Santa Rey, California, Rainey Saunders is the junior sports coordinator at the beleaguered North District Rec Center. At the same time that Rainey and her BFF Lena run a car wash to raise some funds, on the news the Sacramento Mammoth players and their thirty-four years old coach Mark Diego and the Anaheim Ducks got into a brawl at a seedy bar after the latter team won the Stanley Cup over the former team due to a controversial call. Lena dates their boss, Mark’s brother Rick’ while Rainey remembers when she was sixteen and offered herself to Mark who rejected his friend’s advances with a life misconduct.

Mark and two of his players arrive at the rec center as the coach and his Ducks’ counterpart make their inane fighters do community service. Rainey’s seditious heart stops as she knows she still wants the rat, but she never forgave him for the humiliation. However, as he hangs around coaching the girls’ softball team, he realizes he is in love; she has been in love with him for over a decade. He plans to score the goal of his life winning the trust of his woman.

This is a charming second chance at love sports romance starring two likable protagonists and a strong support cast especially rec teens at the rec center. Fans will enjoy this fun tale as Mark prays Rainey will release him from the penalty box so that they can heat the ice with their love.

Harriet Klausner

Have Me-Jo Leigh

2012-01-28T11:39:00.001-08:00

Have Me

Jo Leigh

Harlequin Blaze, Feb 21 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373796755

A member of the Manhattan trading card women St. Marks Lunch Exchange, socialite and charity foundation CEO Rebecca Thorpe has tried three hunks but none give her the sizzle. She sees the card of retired NYPD detective Jake Donnelly, who was injured on the job, and likes what she sees and reads.

While she is Manhattan and he is Brooklyn, Rebecca and Jake have in common is neither is interested in a long term relationship; both want a one nighter or three. They have the best sex of their respective lives. Meanwhile Rebecca targets affluent William West for a large donation to her charity. Jake is stunned as even with major cosmetic surgery, West appears to be a high roller drug trafficker he busted years ago who vanished while on bail. Meanwhile he rationalizes why he must stay with this woman he is falling in love with. He needs to keep her safe from a nasty person pretending to be an honest businessman.

The second It’s Trading Men! contemporary romance (see Choose Me) is an enjoyable New York City frolic. The lead couple seems to be total opposites except in bed as she is a 1% upper class Manhattanite and he is a 99% middle class Brooklynite. Their romance is wonderfully developed to slowly evolve from just lust with the impetus to keep them together long enough for the evolution to occur coming from West.

Harriet Klausner

Protector-Catherine Mann

2012-01-28T11:38:00.001-08:00

Protector

Catherine Mann

Berkley, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780425246993

Ever since her uncle was murdered in front of her eyes as a child almost two decades ago, Jolynn Taylor stays away from her father’s mob world. However, when her dad Josiah suffers a heart attack, Jolynn goes to spend some time with him on his “home” a cruise ship the Fortuna currently docked in Genoa.

In Nellis AFB, although it rips at his soul, Captain Chuck Tanaka informs his superior officer Colonel Scanlon that he lost his edge since the enemy tortured him. Scanlon says instead of a desk job until his Air Force commitment ends, Chuck will go undercover as a blackjack dealer on the Fortuna with the chance to destroy the terrorist cell that kidnapped him and other military members. Scanlon and “Ice” Berg have his back. His assignment is to get close to the daughter. After a klutzy introduction, Chuck realizes someone wants Jolynn dead. Attracted to her, Chuck breaks cover to protect her.

The latest Dark Ops romantic suspense is a terrific thriller in which the need to protect the damsel in distress supersedes the romances (Scanlon meets his woman too). The storyline is fast-paced from the first clumsy move until the final confrontation. This is another winner with readers anticipating the melting of Ice soon.

Harriet Klausner

Nightborn-Lynn Viehl

2012-01-28T11:37:00.003-08:00

Nightborn

Lynn Viehl

Signet, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780451413215

The High Lord of the Immortal Darkyn wants the alleged scrolls that contain the secrets to immortal life and the maps that lead to Templar treasure buried in the early fourteenth century. He sends his best warrior Korvel to France to obtain the scrolls.

As he drives the worst road in France, Korvel is warned others are making an attempt too. Soon he is attacked and hurt, but defeats his enemy, but is aware more await him. His quest leads Korvel to Simone, the daughter of the scroll’s guardian. She seeks them too in order to return them to safety. As they team up with killers pursuing them, they begin to fall in love, but Simone fails to inform her new partner that once she obtains the scrolls, she is to kill Korvel.

The first Lords of the Darkyn romantic urban fantasy is a great entry inside the magnificent mythological world of Lynn Viehl. The storyline is fast-paced from the first assassination attempt until the final confrontation as readers will wonder whether Simone will complete the mission as ordered. Fast-paced, fans will appreciate the opening act in the new trilogy due to the strong protagonists who make the Viehl realm exciting to visit.

Harriet Klausner

Eternity’s Mark-Maeve Greyson

2012-01-28T11:37:00.001-08:00

Eternity’s Mark

Maeve Greyson

Kensington Brava, Mar 1 2012, $14.00

ISBN: 9780758273390

On Jasper Mills, veterinarian Hannah MacPherson grieves the death of her husband though he died in Iraq four years ago. Frustrated by her lack of response to the missives he sent to the stubborn Hannah that she inherited a Scottish castle, dragon-human Taggart de Gaelson arrives in Jasper Mills to bring her to Taroc Na Mor. Though wary, she goes to Scotland with Taggart.

He and his race need her to save his breed as she is the last sacred guardian of the Draecna magical dragons who guard the portal between worlds. Hannah is a whisperer who talks with animals. Taggart believes her uncanny skill will bring out the hatchlings from their eggs. However, she soon finds herself caught in the crosshairs of the bitter war between brothers.

This is an award winning entertaining romantic urban fantasy starring a stubborn American and a desperate hybrid. The romance seems too stereotypical as a woman in mourning for several years attracted to an outsider wanting to disrupt her life is a sub-genre staple. However, the dragons waging an inbreeding dark good and evil civil war with the Yank tilting the edge to one side makes for an exciting thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Bloodrose-Andrea Cremer

2012-01-28T11:36:00.001-08:00

Bloodrose

Andrea Cremer

Philomel, Jan 3 2012, $18.99

ISBN: 9780399256127

Bellicose Calla knows if she is to be the Alpha of her pack, she must prove her leadership skills in combat and choose a mate. Ren and Shay vie to be that male. However, Calla makes it clear to both competitors and her pack she will not select anyone until the Keepers and their magic are defeated.

Calla also shows her loyalty when she protects her brother Ansrel, stripped of his essence, from those who want to kill him for being a traitor. However, it is what she prays is the final battle that she focuses on; a war Calla does not expect to survive and if she does she knows she will live with regret of having led brave warriors to their deaths; though she feels she had no choice.

The final Nightshade fantasy (see Nightshade and Wolfsbane) is an exciting thriller starring a heroine who was forced to detach her feelings for others in order to lead her side in war as she knows she will leave brothers and sisters in arms dead and maimed. A stunning twist adds to the realism that people die in war. Andrea Cremer provides a shocking but strong finish to an intriguing trilogy.

Harriet Klausner

By The King's Design-Christine Trent

2012-01-27T12:08:00.001-08:00

By The King's Design

Christine Trent

Kensington, Feb 1 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9780758265906

In 1812 Leeds, Annabelle Stirling runs her successful cloth making dress shop. Her wastrel brother Wesley and her fiancé Clive Pryce join the Luddites who destroy her new gig machine as immoral. Angry at the double betrayal and believing the Luddites worked for her rivals, Belle demands the authorities do something; they ignore her rants.

Fuming, she heads to London to make her case with the leadership, but the Prince Regent who she meets acts no differently than what she met in Leeds. Architect John Nash takes her under his wings as his mentee while she and cabinet maker Putnam Boyce are attracted to one another. Meanwhile Wesley gets involved with a high level assassin abduction plan.

The latest Christine Trent historical (see A Royal Likeness and The Queen’s Dollmaker) is an engaging Regency story starring a likable protagonist who enjoys her shop vocation; which makes the twin betrayals that much more hurtful. The storyline is driven by undeterred Belle’s need for retribution as she makes a wonderful lead holding the plot together. While the Luddite movement anchors time and place, other historical facts slow down what is overall a strong early nineteenth century tale.

Harriet Klausner

Leaving Lancaster-Kate Lloyd

2012-01-27T12:07:00.003-08:00

Leaving Lancaster

Kate Lloyd

David C. Cooke, Mar 1 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9780781405089

In Seattle, Esther informs her thirty something daughter Holly that she received a letter from her grandma begging for her to come home as she needs her. Holly, whose dad died in Vietnam, is a bit taken aback with the news as Grandma Anna is dead. She is even more stunned when her mom sadly says she will hate her. Esther tells Holly, who she knew desperately wanted relatives for years that she lied to her all her life; her mother and her brothers still live in the Lancaster area.

Her BFF Dori agrees to manage Esther’s Amish Shoppe while mother and daughter are away as reluctantly Esther decides to go home to Lancaster County. Holly accompanies her as she wants to meet her grandma, her five uncles and aunts and cousins. They stop at the home of Mennonite Beth Fleming before finally meeting the family. Ass Holly enjoys her time with her kin; she meets and falls in love with Beth’s son Zach.

This is a wonderful refreshing Amish tale that focuses on the complications of second chances. Esther makes the tale work with her trepidation of seeing her mom and brothers (who are all heading to Big Sky Country) after abandoning her family, her community, her religion and her lifestyle decades ago. She prays for forgiveness from her kin especially her Mommy Anna and her daughter. Readers will relish the prodigal child’s return accompanied by her adult offspring.

Harriet Klausner

The Woman Who Loved Jesse James-Cindi Myers

2012-01-27T12:07:00.001-08:00

The Woman Who Loved Jesse James

Cindi Myers

Bell Bridge, Jan 2012, $15.95

ISBN: 9781466473461

In 1864 Missouri, a fire and brimstone Methodist Minister’s daughter Zeralda Mimms and her cousin Quantrill’s Raider Jesse James meet at the wedding of her older sister Lucy to Bowling Browder. Each is attracted to one another and he boldly kisses her. Jesse returns to the fighting. When the war ends, wounded Jesse goes to Zee’s home to heal. As she nurses him back to health, they fall in love. They become engaged and she learns her future husband is a robber and rumored to be a cold blooded killer. She prays that their marriage and their children will straighten out her beloved husband, but that hope is not answered.

The Woman Who Loved Jesse James is a fascinating biographical fiction that looks at the famous outlaw through the eyes of mostly his adulating beloved wife in a world still suffering from the ravages of the war and the consequential agony of defeat. Because of Zee’s loving filter, Jesse comes across as heroic rather than a cold blooded killer. She needs to believe in the goodness rather than the wickedness of her mate who she knows is tender with his family. Well written, readers will enjoy Cindi Myers fine nineteenth century look at Jesse James through his spouse’s loving perspective.

Harriet Klausner

Death of a Kitchen Diva-Lee Hollis

2012-01-27T12:06:00.002-08:00

Death of a Kitchen Diva

Lee Hollis

Kensington, Mar 1 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780758267375

In Bar Harbor, Maine, Island Times Editor in Chief Sal Moretti offers his office manager single mom (of fifteen year old Gemma and thirteen years old Dustin) Hayley Powell the position of writing the food and wine column with the nonagenarian reporter retiring. She agrees and her column proves successful with its unpretentious Maine earthiness, which angers her rival at the Bar Harbor Herald prim and proper British aristocratic Karen Applebaum.

However, Karen is found dead with her face buried in a bowl of Hayley’s clam chowder. The police consider Hayley their only suspect and soon Officers Earl and Haley arrest her. She makes bail and with her BFFs investigates the Death of a Kitchen Diva.

This is an amusing culinary amateur sleuth starring a delightful beleaguered protagonist. The breezy storyline is fun to follow as the war of the recipes turns deadly. Although the sub-genre is loaded with similar entries (see Diane Mott Davidson), sub-genre fans will enjoy this entertaining regional whodunit as Haley seeks out a cold blooded killer whose recipe includes the soccer mom taking the fall.

Harriet Klausner

The Sound of a Scream-John Manning

2012-01-27T12:06:00.000-08:00

The Sound of a Scream

John Manning

Pinnacle, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9780786027637

Orphan Daphne May has spent her life cloistered at Our Ladies School for Girls. Now at twenty-two years old, she leaves the convent where she met only one male in her life Father O’Donnell to ride the train to her first job as a governess in Point Woebegone, Maine. No one from Swallowtail meets her at the station, as promised. Instead a stranger takes her to a nearby inn.

Daphne is taken aback by a clown before she enters the ladies’ room to find a waitress with her throat slashed. The gruesome homicide has the townsfolk angry and anxious. Meanwhile Daphne struggles with the behavior of her eight years old charge Christopher whose grandfather was a serial killer wearing a clown costume. When the psychopath kills several more times, Daphne wonders whether somehow she was the spark that ignited a dormant serial killer.

The bloody storyline is an exciting thriller with an interesting late twist that ties the tale together. Daphne is a terrific damsel in distress whole local Gregory Winston tries to be her knight in shining armor. Although the plot is very typical of the suspense sub-genre even with a fascinating spin re the killer’s identity, fans will enjoy The Sound of a Scream in gothic aptly named Point Woebegone (no relationship to Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon).

Harriet Klausner

Born Wicked-Jessica Spotswood

2012-01-27T12:05:00.001-08:00

Born Wicked

Jessica Spotswood

Putnam, Feb 7 2012, $17.99

ISBN: 9780399257452

By 1896, The Brotherhood established a harsh Christian theocracy in which the prosecution of witches is a major endeavor. Practitioners are condemned to death or worse: the prisons ships and the asylums. Additionally when a female turns seventeen, they must marry or join the Sisterhood.

Cate Cahill’s mom died trying to produce a male offspring. Her mother made her make a death bed pledge to care for her two younger sisters, but Cate is running out of time as in six months she must choose. Adding to her dilemma is the three Cahill siblings are closet witches, which makes her courtship by Paul McLeod a going nowhere relationship and her dalliance with Finn Belastra possessing even less staying power. As Cate reads her mother’s missing diary, she realizes her time problem worsened with a terrible fate that dooms the trio; forcing her to peruse banned books in an attempt to keep her and her sisters safe while townsfolk suspect them of wickedness. Then Sister Elena arrives to help them.

Born Wicked is an exhilarating alternative New England historical fantasy starring a courageous but increasingly desperate heroine. Her sisters and Elena are top notch characters while their late mom comes across as full blooded also through her diaries and her daughters’ observations. Although the males seem thin, fans will enjoy Jessica Spotwood’s engaging witch hunt.

Harriet Klausner

Forbidden-Syrie James and Ryan M. James

2012-01-27T12:04:00.001-08:00

Forbidden

Syrie James and Ryan M. James

Harper Teen, Jan 24 2012, $8.99

ISBN: 9780062027894

In Southern California, sixteen years old Claire hopes this time she and her mom stay in one spot so she can makes friends at the Emerson Academy that she attends on a scholarship. Her nomadic mom has them relocating seemingly even before they can open their bags. At the school Claire meets new student Alec, an angel attending school for a bit of R&R though if caught by the Elders he will be executed for desertion. He explains to her why her mother constantly is on the run; as Claire is a half-angel, a hybrid species considered an abomination by the angel Elders.

Alec and Claire fall in love while Helena begins sending visions to Claire with a warning to tell no one, not even her beloved, of her psychic powers. Unable to resist Claire reveals all to her friends. When her life is threatened, Alec risks his to keep her safe.

Although angels are a large population in the paranormal romance subgenre (see His Dark Bond By Anne Marsh), team James provide an entertaining teenage romantic urban fantasy. The storyline is fast-paced while the antics of the heroine are fun to follow as her hormones war with her brain. Although the support characters are out of the genre’s typical casting mold, Alec is a unique individual who is wary and in love. Readers will enjoy Claire’s coming of age not so angelic Los Angeles joy ride.

Harriet Klausner

Heart Echoes-Sally John

2012-01-26T12:09:00.003-08:00

Heart Echoes

Sally John

Tyndale, Mar 1 2012, $13.99

ISBN: 9781414327877

Teal Morgan-Adams knows to the second when her world ended as NPR announced the time over the radio while she crawled on one of the Los Angeles parking lots known as a freeway. The ground began to shake while the announcer warns people to get out of traffic; Teal wonders how even as the overpass crumbled.

Meanwhile her husband River worries about his wife “Xena the warrior” even as his teenage stepdaughter Maiya, who he loves in spite of her obsession to know who her biological dad is (mom refuses to tell her), would laugh about any tremor. However, the worst earthquake he has ever seen in his forty-two years pins him under bins in his garage with his cell phone out of reach. Teal barely survives the road collapse but saw the horror of so many apparently dying. However, tragedy in her hometown of Cedar Pointe, Oregon forces everything to a head.

The latest Side Roads (see Desert Gift) family drama is delightful tale starring engaging protagonists and a strong support cast. The storyline loses some of its zing as the entertaining earthquake subplot becomes overwhelmed by the aftershock in Oregon. Still, fans will enjoy Teal’s homecoming as her daughter and husband put enormous pressure on her.

Harriet Klausner

Beneath a Meth Moon-Jacqueline Woodson

2012-01-26T12:09:00.001-08:00

Beneath a Meth Moon

Jacqueline Woodson

Nancy Paulsen/Penguin, Feb 2 2012, $16.99

ISBN: 9780399252501

Fifteen year old Laurel is filled with remorse as she feels she failed her loved one especially when she turned to meth to numb the pain of death. Having kicked the habit, encouraged by her BFF Kaylee who she let down, she writes an elegy to cleanse her soul and hopefully regain her life. Her downward spiral began when Hurricane Katrina killed her mother and grandmother who remained in the family house when the storm swamped New Orleans.

Her father, her younger brother Jesse Jr. and Laurel obtain temporary shelter in Jackson, Mississippi before moving to Galilee, Iowa in order to start over. Laurel seems to adapt well as she becomes BFF with Kaylee, becomes a cheerleader and dates basketball team captain T-Boom. Still the teen grieves her matriarchal losses; so T-Boom introduces her to “the moon,” which numbs the depression. However, she soon needs more and more moon until she becomes an addict begging people for loose change on the city streets.

This is a great tweener-teen cautionary tale that makes a powerful case that Beneath A Meth Moon the addicting drug takes over your mind and body as you only live for more meth. Laurel’s observations of going to hell and back (she is writing the elegy so she obviously has survived her self-inflicted ordeal) are brilliant as her recollections are dark, choppy and filled with memory gaps. Jacqueline Woodson provides a powerful warning to her tween-teen audience that meth may allow you a moon walk or two but will incarcerate you with a desperate need for more.

Harriet Klausner

A Texan’s Honor-Shelley Gray

2012-01-26T12:08:00.002-08:00

A Texan’s Honor

Shelley Gray

Abington, Mar 1 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9781426714634

In 1874 the notorious Walton outlaw gang is infamous for cold blooded murders as much as they are for their robberies. Gang member Will McMillan plans to end the killing spree of his violent compatriots soonest though he knows how difficult this will prove to be as he expects he probably will not survive.

The gang stops a train in Kansas. Those who are not immediately killed are held hostage including the only solo female Jamie Ellis. She quickly realizes that the outlaw Will is the only reason she has not been harmed so far. Undercover Will needs to stay in character if he does not wish to be exposed although that keeps him at risk when the law catches up to them, but saving Jamie takes precedence over saving his life though he sadly knows she could never love a violent man like him.

The second Heart of a Hero thriller stars an honorable man who rode with the title character of A Texan’s Promise. Fast-paced, readers will enjoy the romance between the “outlaw” and the hostage as Shelley gray provides a fabulous Kansas post-Civil War thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Head Race-R. Lee Nathans

2012-01-26T12:08:00.000-08:00

Head Race

R. Lee Nathans

Hudson House Publishing, Sep 23 2011, $12.95

www.hudsonhousepub.com

ISBN: 9781587761850

Medical director of the Doubestrover Township Community Health Center in New Jersey, single mom Dr. Audrey Epstein raises her twelve year old daughter Lainie and her away at a nearby college Josh alone ever since their dad Ben was murdered. She has problems at home with her tweener and at work with another state inspection and in the Newark Star Ledger where reporter A. J. Amoreaux accuses her staff of improprieties. On the bright side Bradford Lecoyne Eccleston IV gives her a large pink diamond as an engagement ring.

Craig Boseman believes the world owes him. He collects a check from the state due to a fake back injury, but that is not enough as he had to move back in with his disgusting mom. His cousin Dennis’s friend Bill Hartick tells Craig they can make a fortune robbing a clinic. Instead the trio abducts Audrey and a colleague Tim. When the local police chief investigates, the mayor tells him to stop wasting money as the pair of pain in butt missing persons are obviously decamped lovers. The media following the mayor’s lead drops the story while only Brad searches for his missing fiancée.

Bias disclosure: I was hooked with the mention of Jerome Avenue, spaldeen and sewers as my husband was all-neighborhood in stickball. This is a dark humorous satirical tour of New Jersey in which R. Lee Nathans mocks the media-big business-government complex that has Ike turning in his grave. The entertaining storyline is fast-paced though it rotates between several subplots starring an ensemble cast besides those above and the suspense comes late. Readers will appreciate Head Race as the audience will learn that avarice lowlifes come from all classes.

Harriet Klausner

Victims-Jonathan Kellerman

2012-01-26T12:07:00.001-08:00

Victims

Jonathan Kellerman

Ballantine, Feb 28 2012, $28.00

ISBN: 9780345505712

In her apartment, the victim fifty-six years old Vita Berlin was mutilated with her guts placed like a precious necklace around her neck. The only clue to the horrific murder is a strange note with a question mark on it left inside a pizza box that adds eeriness to an already unnerving homicide. LAPD homicide detective Lieutenant Milo Sturgis leads the investigation. His friend and frequent police consultant psychiatrist Dr. Alex Delaware assists on the inquiry. Both men who have seen too much violence over the years are particularly shook up by this gruesome killing.

As they work the case, several additional similar murders occur. They find a link at the mothballed Ventura State Hospital; a place that at one time housed mentally troubled people with the worst head cases locked away in the Specialized Care Unit. Alex interviews psychiatrists who worked with the victims, but all hide behind a wall of privacy.

The latest Delaware-Sturgis police procedural is an entreating serial killer thriller as mildly mocking Miles is off his feed bag with this case. The storyline is fast-paced with a deep spotlight shining on when the mental health care system fails. Although the ending feels off kilter and Delaware has worked vicious serial killing cases with and without Sturgis (see The Butcher’s Theater), fans will enjoy the latest buddies’ whodunit as their usual quipping is subdued by the brutal homicides.

Harriet Klausner

Legend-Marie Lu

2012-01-26T12:01:00.001-08:00

Legend

Marie Lu

Putnam, Nov 29 2011, $17.99

ISBN: 9780399256752

The Republic of America has twenty million citizens and seems to be at constant cold and hot war with its neighbors the Colonies. The laws are strictly enforced regardless of economic and social placement though the elite have all the special advantages and privileges.

From a highly prominent affluent family, fifteen year old June is mentored to become a member of the inner most military leadership. However, her fast track to the top is derailed when her brother Captain Metias is murdered while officially hunting for criminal teenager Day, the number one most wanted person in the Republic, who, in spite of security video cameras all over Los Angeles, his face remains a mystery. Commander Jameson claims Day killed June’s sibling. She vows to avenge her brother’s murder.

Although the High Noon encounter goes the way one would expect even with a fascinating twist, this is a superb futuristic dystopian police procedural. The storyline is fast-paced as readers will appreciate the teenage chess match between the elusive felon and the obsessed soldier; as checkmate is an intriguing spin. Marie Lu provides a fabulously exciting thriller starring two teens from polar opposite sides of the track.

Harriet Klausner

Lenobia's Vow-P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast

2012-01-26T12:00:00.001-08:00

Lenobia's Vow

P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast

St. Martin's Griffin, Jan 31 2012, $12.99

ISBN: 9781250000248

Today Lenobia is the horse mistress of the House of Night in St. Louis and Zoey Redbird’s favorite teacher. She and her mother were servants in 1788 at the Chateau de Naverre in Evreux, France. Her father the baron seduced her mother, impregnated her and cast her and their offspring aside. That child Lenobia looks identical to her spoiled half-sister Cecile.

When Lenobia is sixteen years old, the legitimate daughter dies from ague. Leonia’s mother arranges for her daughter to masquerade as Cecile in order for her to marry an affluent aristocrat. The plot works perfectly as Lenobia and other unmarried young ladies travel by ship to New Orleans to marry rich French aristocrats. While traversing the Atlantic, evil sorcerer Bishop Charles recognizes and announces the fraud as he coveted her back in France and plans to make her his mistress. A nun protects her and she decides to go to the cargo hold on the last level of the ship where she meets Quadroon Martin in the stables. She falls in love with him and the Percheron horse that his employer bought. He sent Martin to go to France so that he could take care of them over the long sea voyage. n The Bishop soon makes his move to rape Lenobia using all means available to him while Martin vows to keep his beloved safe.

The latest House of Night Novella (see Dragon’s Oath) focuses on the teen years of a secondary but popular character. Readers learn what shaped Lenobia’s present mysterious life as the child is the adult even if two centuries have passed. At sixteen, Lenobia displays the same traits she shows as a teacher: courage, honesty and inner strength. She wanted to be happy, but her choices were limited to be or not to be until a third option was offered. This is an engaging biographical fiction as the Cast crew entertains their fans.

Harriet Klausner

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank: Stories-Nathan Englander

2012-01-24T11:51:00.001-08:00

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank: Stories

Nathan Englander

Knopf, Feb 7 2012, $24.95

ISBN: 9780307958709

This insightful anthology focuses on living Jewish in a modern fast food world; yet the themes of conflict (modernization and assimilation vs. tradition, anti-Semitism, and grief, etc.) are universal. These excellent eight entries were published previously over the past five or so years but not in one place.

“What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank” stars two married intoxicated women discussing the Holocaust as the secular Jew says the Nazis are the culprit while the orthodox Jew says it is now with assimilation leading to mixed marriages.

“Sister Hills” focuses on a settlement in Samaria over four decades ago in which the heroic Jews build their city, but their rigidity in a changing world leaves everyone in peril.

The students decided an eye for an eye when they confront an anti-Semitic bully in “How We Avenged the Blums,” but now feel haunted with what they did.

He indulged in “Peep Show” porn in Times Square, which gave him pleasure until everyone even the strippers became rabbis lecturing him.

"Everything I Know About My Family on My Mother's Side" has a different tone; that of a cherished memoir.

“Camp Sundown” in the Berkshires hosts seniors who believe one of them is a concentration camp guard who deserves swift justice.

The Author would do book tours to lines out into the street; now no one shows up except one elderly “Reader” who demands he read.

“Free Fruit for Young Widows” who pass down from generation to generation tales of surviving the Holocaust, but the survivor is not the same soul that she was when she entered the death camps.

Harriet Klausner

History of a Pleasure Seeker-Richard Mason

2012-01-24T11:50:00.003-08:00

History of a Pleasure Seeker

Richard Mason

Knopf, Feb 7 2012, $25.95

ISBN: 9780307599476

Piet Barol leaned in his recent adolescence that he is a pleasure magnet to most women and many men. He knows his charm comes from his late mom as his dad is a grim university administrator. Thus Piet uses his looks and gracefulness to obtain whatever he desires.

In 1907 in Amsterdam, Piet becomes a tutor to preadolescent mentally ill piano protégé Egbert Vermeulen-Sickerts. Heeding the advice of a footman, Piet avoids the daughters of his sexual abstemious employer but the wife is fair game. However, while almost everyone in the household adores Piet, he has one key adversary, Daughter Louisa, who strips away his charming veneer with a look of scorn. However, he begins to understand his student’s issues as the martinet father brings the wrath of rigid strictness to his son.

This is an intriguing morality tale starring a fascinating protagonist who is not so much a pleasure seeker but a pleasure giver who wants to do right by his student and help others with their tsuris. The key cast members are fully developed as they anchor time and place, and enable the reader to better understand the title protagonist. Although the ending serves only the purpose of setting up the further adventures of the pleasure seeker in South Africa, fans will enjoy his Dutch escapes as The Netherlands in the Queen Wilhelmina Era come to light.

Harriet Klausner

If You Know Her-Shiloh Walker

2012-01-24T11:50:00.001-08:00

If You Know Her

Shiloh Walker

Ballantine, Feb 29 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780345517555

Nia Hollister knows logically the law caught the killer Joe Carson who brutalized and killed her cousin Jolene six months ago in Ash, Kentucky. She saw his corpse, yet her instincts scream at her that something is not right. To obtain closure, she heads to Ash.

The only negative with her quest in her mind is in Ash is Law Reilly who she obsesses over as much as finding who killed Joely. Law reciprocates her attraction and goes up in her mind when he does not scorn her theory but actually supports her assertion. As Nia scrutinizes the police report and other related public documents, Law fears for her safety from an unknown enemy watching her. He will soon learn that sometime paranoia is justified when her room is haphazardly searched.

The final Ash romantic suspense is a great finish to a strong series. The overarching whodunit os brilliantly resolved while the romantic subplot takes a back seat to the increasingly dangerous investigation. Although it behooves the audience to read the previous novels in order (see If You See Her and If You Hear Her) as they build up and directly lead to this suspenseful climax, Shiloh Walker completes the fabulous Ash saga with another super entry.

Harriet Klausner

Run From Fear-Jami Alden

2012-01-24T11:49:00.003-08:00

Run From Fear

Jami Alden

Forever, Feb 28 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780446572811

Two years ago in Seattle, former Green Beret Jack Brooks saved the life of Talia Vega from a serial killer. Talia was part of fifteen minutes of notorious fame and she still is unfairly trashed on the Net.

She relocated in the Bay area with her teenage sister Rosario. At the restaurant where Talia works, Jack enters, which brings back the bad times in her mind. He explains he is in town for a few weeks helping his boss at Gemini securities. When Jack meets Rosie’s friend Kevin, he warns the douche bag that these siblings have met enough creeps. However, Talia soon will be grateful for Jack’s return into her life as a psychopath decides to complete the Seattle nightmare.

The latest Jami Alden romantic suspense (see Beg For Mercy and Hide From Evil) is a pulse pumping taut thriller that grips readers from the first threat to the final confrontation. The lead couple is an interesting pairing as both have survived the baptism of fire. The support cast augments a terrific tense tale in which the romantic subplot is palatable but it is the viable threat from a madman that takes center stage.

Harriet Klausner

A Parliament of Spies-Cassandras Clark

2012-01-24T11:49:00.001-08:00

A Parliament of Spies

Cassandras Clark

Minotaur, Jan 31 2012, $25.99

ISBN: 9780312595746

These are chaotic times in England under the unsteady rule of King Richard II and the viable threat of a French invasion. In these dangerous times, Abbess Hildegard prefers to rusticate in prayer.

However, though she insists she has no skills, York Archbishop Alexander Neville orders the nun to come with him to the Parliament meeting at Westminster in London, where she will be his spy; a role she is extremely uncomfortable with. Before they leave York, Neville assigns her a short clock to investigate the murder of Martin his saucier drowned in a wine vat filled with water and barley. The road to London is filled with violence as Hildegard thinks no place not even near the monarch is safe in these dangerous divisive partisan times.

This is a great medieval historical thriller as murder, mayhem and politics converge in fourteenth century England. The storyline is fast-paced as a power struggle that makes Machiavelli seems like an amateur manipulator. Timely, readers will relish Cassandra Clark’s strong entertaining Abbess Hildegard tale (see The Law of Angels).

Harriet Klausner

Darkness Bound-Stella Cameron

2012-01-24T11:48:00.003-08:00

Darkness Bound

Stella Cameron

Forever, Feb 28 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9781455500154

After two years as a couple and a few days married, Chris died. Fourteen months later, his grieving widow Leigh Kelly decides she cannot live in their home filed with too many memories. She moves to Chimney Rock on Whidbey Island.

Former Special Ops soldier Niles Latimer and his werehound Team are diligently watching the newcomer to keep her safe from rogues assaulting women. However, he also senses Leigh possesses something unique that could prove her compatible as life mate for a werehound. Nile realizes she knows nothing about her DNA or the existence of werehounds as he and his Team vow to protect her while the evil enemy senses who she is too and pledges to take her.

The first Chimney Rock romantic urban fantasy is a superb dark thriller in which Stella Cameron creates a deep mythos that feels genuine; inside of a fast-paced good and evil battle for Leigh. Loaded with chilling action, a strong lead couple and two camps of werehounds and other ilk, sub-genre readers will enjoy a visit to mysterious Whidbey Island where the paranormal is the normal.

Harriet Klausner

Bridge of Dreams-Anne Bishop

2012-01-24T11:48:00.001-08:00

Bridge of Dreams

Anne Bishop

Roc, Mar 6 2012, $26.95

ISBN: 9780451463814

Siblings Lee and Glorianna Belladonna along with Michael the Musician and others removed the darkness of The Eater of the World from Ephemera (see Belladonna). However, though Ephemera is balanced now, the world remains a perilous place as affirmed when bellicose wizards arrive. Lee stops their threat to disrupt the balance, but ends up in an asylum in Vision, a city also facing dark peril.

The Vision Shamans fail to prevent the dark plague from spreading. Lee understands what they face and offers his assistance and those of his family in Ephemera, Glorianna and their cousin Sebastian. However, the proud protectors of Vision eventually may acquiesce to his offer, but time is running out.

The third Ephemera fantasy is an entertaining tale with an incredible vivid description of the Bishop mythos and a wonderful self-sacrificing hero who risks his life again to save a city of strangers. The storyline starts slow with an inordinate amount of time on what happened in the previous entries (see Sebastian). However, once the protagonist jumps into the frying pan to save Ephemera and then into the fire to save Vision, Bridge of Dreams accelerates into a super-fast-paced exciting thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Wicked Edge-Nina Bangs

2012-01-23T14:08:00.003-08:00

Wicked Edge

Nina Bangs

Berkley, Mar 6 2012, $15.00

ISBN 9780425245491

The Council of Justice finds Passion the angel guilty of too much impish behavior as her appeal is that she just wanted to bring life to their tedious existence fails to move the judgment board. Passion can deal with her punishment to wander the Earth as a mortal in order to save human souls; however, she feels the Council was cruel and non-angelic when they made Hope the whiner her heavenly contact as once a day having this irritant in her mind can make anyone consider evil thoughts.

Her assignment takes the “human” Passion to the Castle of Dark Dreams where any form of sexual fantasy occurs. However, the virginal temporarily fallen angel meets Edge playing the role of a demon. She realizes how wicked he truly is by his aura, but rationalizes even a demon can be redeemed while Edge insists he just wants to bang the virgin demonic style.

The fifth erotic Castle of Dark Dreams romantic fantasy (Wicked Edge, Wicked Fantasy Wicked Pleasure and My Wicked Vampire) is an enticing wicked tale starring an interesting pair; as she is a virginal angel and he is the sinful demon. Their forbidden romance makes for a terrific paranormal star-crossed lovers’ thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Darkness Undone-Jessa Slade

2012-01-23T14:08:00.001-08:00

Darkness Undone

Jessa Slade

Signet, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9780451236265

To earn his wings as a League of Talyan Bookkeeper, Sidney Westerbrook leaves London to study why Chicago contains an exorbitant level of otherworldly combat. Though he preferred research from a distance, he knows field work is an inconvenient truth of his mission. However, the Chicago League Chief Liam Niall refuses to allow him to join their night patrol on his first evening in the city; suggesting he adapt to the time change first.

Thus Sidney goes out on the town alone. However, Westerbrook realizes the stupidity of his actions when two feralis attack him. His shoulder injured, he expects to be a mangled corpse only a female talya warrior intercedes as Alyce Carver is not bound by strict League rules as a rogue battling evil ferales solo. They are attracted to one another, but Sid is a London based Bookkeeper and Alyce is a rogue unaffiliated talyan ,and is expected to mate with one of her kind.

The fourth Marked Souls romantic urban fantasy (see Seduced by the Shadows, Forged in Shadows and Vowed in Shadows) is an exciting paranormal with a fascinating unexpected but plausible twist. The story line is fast-paced with the well done gender spin of the heroine saving the helpless male in distress. Although Alyce garners much respect for her dedication and empathy for her loneliness, Sid fails to do likewise as understanding him comes late. Still this is another dynamic thriller in the super Slade mythos.

Harriet Klausner

The Affair-Alicia Clifford

2012-01-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

The Affair

Alicia Clifford

St. Martin's, Mar 132012, $25.99

ISBN: 9780312376277

Famous author Celia Bayley received critical and fan accolades for her poignant passionate look into human relationships. She came from an upper middle class background, married World War II hero Frederick as a teen back sixty-five years ago in 1944 and raised three successful children with a happy home. Now the extended family gathers for her funeral.

Newspaper profile author Jenny Granger asks Celia’s children if she can write the family sanctioned biography of the great late writer. They allow her access to Celia’s diaries, notebooks and letters. They shock the reporter and the deceased’s loved ones as they paint a different picture of her. Naive Cecila’s love match with over a decade older Frederick was a sham as he broke her heart early on, but for the sake of her children and 1950s culture created the facade of a happy home. Even more stunning is years later the sophisticated Celia met the grand passion of her life who was not Frederick.

The Affair is a stunning character study as Celia made a sacrificing choice for the sake of her children. Incredibly profound, fans will ponder whether destroying a legend with the truth will set everyone free when already knowing the truth sets everyone somewhat free. As each of her loved ones (and the author) looks inside their hearts and souls, they wonder what happiness means to them and whether they have what they desire in their respective relationships. The Affair is a thought provoking winner that will have reader doing the same inner SWOT analysis of what we want in our lives.

Harriet Klausner

Saving Hope-Margaret Daley

2012-01-23T13:49:00.001-08:00

Saving Hope

Margaret Daley

Abingdon, Mar 1 2012, $14.99

ISBN-9781426714283

In Dallas, teenager Rose knows that Kate Winslow, manager of the Beacon of Hope School, will be disappointed in her for borrowing the van. However, she feels she has no choice as her BFF Lily frantically called her from the “Nowhere” Motel where both have had to turn tricks for pimps. Rose believes once she returns with Lily, Kate will forgive her though she will admonish her.

Kate is despondent with worry when Rose fails to return to the school. Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan is assigned to find the girl, but what he learns upsets him as Rose seems to have vanished inside what increasingly looks like human trafficking ring. Matters turn even uglier when someone abducts Kate and his daughter Maddie is threatened to make the Ranger back off.

The key to this terrific contemporary romantic suspense is that the romance takes a back seat to the investigation. The storyline is fast-paced while placing a deep spotlight in child trafficking that at times overwhelms the plot. A touch of inspirational and a stunning late metaphoric twist enhance the exciting Men of the Texas Rangers investigative thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Wedded in Scandal-Jade Lee

2012-01-23T13:48:00.003-08:00

Wedded in Scandal

Jade Lee

Berkley, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9780425245934

Robert Percy knows that one of his recurring missions is to learn what his dad purchased whenever the earl is in his cups. This time the viscount explores the drunken entrepreneur’s latest acquisition a coal mine.

Lady Helaine Talbott was forced to become the seamstress Mrs. Mortimer, half owner of A Lady’s Favor, due to her vanished father “the thief of the ton.” She visits her BFF widow Lady Irene hoping to arrange a business deal as their acquisition expert. Grieving Irene accepts the mercenary role of shopkeeper as that gives her hope to find her lost zest for life.

Mrs. Mortimer next visits Robert as the dressmaker for his sister Gwen’s wedding to collet payment as his man of business sent her to him; he accuses her of being a con artist and threatens her with the constable. Soon afterward Robert comes to her shop. He interferes with her assisting a customer, but realizes she is a lady though why she works in trade is beyond his understanding until he learns who she is. Falling in love, each knows they have no future together except as his mistress as he has spent a lifetime avoiding a hint of scandal and she has spent her adulthood dealing with the sins of her father.

This Bridal Favors “wicked” historical romance is a superb gender war as the protagonists engage in a delightful battle of the wits. She forces him to make a paradigm switch about the business acumen of a lady while he forces her to fully grasp how far she has fallen as five years ago they could have had a future together.

Harriet Klausner

Chasing Midnight-Randy Wayne White

2012-01-23T13:48:00.001-08:00

Chasing Midnight

Randy Wayne White

Putnam, Mar 6 2012, $25.95

ISBN: 9780399158315

Marine biologist Doc Ford seems like a mild amiable person who enjoys studying sea life and providing fresh or preserved specimens to schools and labs nationwide from his Sanibel Island base. In his other life, Doc is a brutal agent working for the American government by cleaning up dire ugly situations.

He and his friend Tomlinson attend an eastern waters caviar productivity improvement conference hosted by vicious Russian black marketer Victor Kaslov on Vanderbilt Island. Attendees come from China, Iran and Turkmenia etc., but Doc diligently focuses on Kaslov in order to obtain some Intel. While Ford goes underwater to inspect the Russian’s yacht, six eco-terrorists crash the conference. Just after their assault, an explosion knocks out the electricity and jamming electronic communication on the island. The party crashers demands must be met or one hostage every hour will die until at the stroke of midnight, everyone still breathing will die in an explosion. Doc realizes how precarious the situation is; his goal is simple to get his friends and himself off island, but the execution is impossible as this group acts more like the Russian’s deadliest “capitalist” rivals than environmental extremists.

This is an exhilarating Doc Ford thriller as the meek marine biologist and the ruthless agent makes him seem like a sea version of Clark Kent-Superman. Tomlinson is his usual Zen-self driving Doc crazy, but who though not brave turns competently hyper with ideas when facing danger. He actually is the one who provides the twists to another fabulous Doc Ford tale as he battles to keep alive his friends from cut throat competitors with no business ethics.

Harriet Klausner

Question of Trust-Laura Caldwell

2012-01-23T13:36:00.000-08:00

Question of Trust

Laura Caldwell

Mira, Feb 20 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778313212

In Chicago, Bristol & Associates criminal attorney Izzy McNeil and her boyfriend Theo Jameson move into her place together until his new house is ready once his mortgage is approved. However, soon after he arrives at her home, someone breaks into her abode.

Not long afterward, the Feds arrest Theo charging him with fraud at his firm HeadFirst software he co-owns with Eric. While Izzy defends the Cortadero Mexican drug cartel family, her boss Maggie Bristol represents Theo. As Izzy wonders about Theo’s anomalies like his mortgage request being rejected and his inability to put up the $50,000 bail money when his firm has made a fortune, Cortadero stunningly demands her firm stop their defense of her boyfriend.

The latest magnificent McNeil legal thriller (see Red Blood Murder and Claim of Innocence) has a loose sense of déjà vu that the beleaguered heroine notices (see Red Hot Lies). With her father back in her life after years of not being there for her, last year's Sam fiasco (see Red Hot Lies), and now the Theo incident; Izzy wonders whom do you trust when you cannot trust a loved one. This is a terrific twisting tale.

Harriet Klausner

Wicked Edge-Nina Bangs

2012-01-23T13:35:00.003-08:00

Darkness Undone-Jessa Slade

2012-01-23T13:35:00.001-08:00

Kill Shot-Vince Flynn

2012-01-22T13:03:00.003-08:00

Kill Shot

Vince Flynn

Emily Bester Books/Atria, Feb 7 2012, $27.99

ISBN: 9781416595205

One year ago Mitch Rapp completed the CIA special ant-terrorism training. With the support of his now handler Irene Kennedy he is a lone wolf who has left a trail of corpses around the globe. The blood does not disturb him as he believes devoutly these killers deserve retribution as you live and die by the bullet. The Lockerbie mass murder still motivates him into the revenging grim reaper he has become as killing these monsters proves therapeutic.

His current assignment is to assassinate a Libyan in Paris, which he does. Before Rapp can leave, Samir Fadi and cohorts burst into the room with machine gun firing to kill the solo ghost who stalks them. Rapp takes a bullet but escapes. Samir is shocked that the enemy got away and his brother died in the assault. The French gendarme finds nine corpses in that room while the CIA denies any responsibility for the deadly incident.

Unlike his agency’s leaders depending on heavenly intervention, Rapp’s former trainer Stan Hurley knows a liability must be eliminated before the local authorities capture him. However, Rapp refuses to die or be caught while a betrayal high inside the agency leaves him hanging alone.

Bloodily over the top of the Eifel Tower, the direct sequel to American Assassin continues Rapp’s early years with the CIA in another action packed thriller that takes off explosively in Paris and never slows down until the final bullets are fired. The hunter becomes hunted by an avenging Muslim and his former teacher, but it is the betrayal that leaves Rapp in peril. With the next tale seemingly set up by the betrayal, fans will enjoy Vince Flynn’s latest super suspenseful Rapp entry.

Harriet Klausner

Deader Homes & Gardens-Joan Hess

2012-01-22T13:03:00.001-08:00

Deader Homes & Gardens

Joan Hess

Minotaur, Feb 14 2012, $24.99

ISBN: 9780312363628

Bookseller Claire Malloy and police lieutenant Peter Rosen return home to Farberville, Arkansas after spending their odd honeymoon in Luxor, Egypt (see Mummy Dearest). However, first order of business is finding a place to live as the married couple and her teenage daughter Caron need more space.

After a week of failure hunting for a house without Peter who is busy working but with Caron, Claire finds the perfect home in Hollow Valley. She goes to close the deal with realtor Angela Delmond, who drove her to this house, but following a phone call the woman vanished; stranding Claire. A second shock occurs when Claire goes inside to get her purse and sees octogenarian Moses Hollow drinking Bordeaux. Nattie Hollow-Brown soon arrives and takes Angela to a nearby tavern for her to make a call. Later, Angela cannot find the realtor whose office hides something seemingly sinister and she learns the owner Winston died under mysterious circumstances; his lover Terry of Key West says the house is not for sale. When Terry dies, Claire knows she must catch a killer if the house is to belong to her and her family.

The latest Malloy amateur sleuth (see Closely Akin to Murder) tale is a zany regional whodunit as one learns that even with a recession realty is a killer market. Deader Homes & Gardens is fast-paced with a breezy amusing tongue in cheek undertone starting with the jocular opening refrain of “… my kingdom for a house.” Fans of the series will wonder what next will happen to anyone associated with the house not for sale in Hollow Valley.

Harriet Klausner

Stay Close-Harlan Coben

2012-01-22T13:02:00.001-08:00

Stay Close

Harlan Coben

Dutton, Mar 20 2012, $27.95

ISBN: 9780525952275

Ray Levine was once a highly regarded photographer until the incident that shattered his life occurred almost two decades ago. Fortyish, he now is a despondent sham paparazzo posing as such for his celebrity craving clients.

Megan Pierce has come a long way from the incident that changed her seventeen years ago when she buried that wild life in a shallow ditch. Now she is a bored suburban soccer mom with a teenage daughter Kaylie and a younger son Jordon; her spouse is nice Dave whom has no idea who the woman he has slept with for the past sixteen years really is; including her real name Maygin.

Police Detective Jack Broome remains haunted by the cold case he failed to solve though he knows his torment comes from watching what has happened to the missing’s person wife and children as their house is an untouched tomb. The spouse Sarah Green still leaves her husband Stewart’s slippers out for him while their kids Susie has been arrested for DUI twice and Brandon was busted for possession. Jack investigates the disappearance of Carlton Flynn and has found other similar husbands-fathers vanishing without a trace. Three people tied together with what happened to Stewart seventeen years ago will learn whether the truth sets them free.

With Bolitar taking a well-deserved time-out, Harlan Coben provides a superb stand-alone thriller. The key is the ensemble cast connected by the incident in which none of them is able to move on passed what happened though they disguise their trauma with seemingly “normal” behavior. Action-packed hooking appreciative fans, this is a taut suspense as the past has returned to shake up the lives of three people going through the motions of living.

Harriet Klausner

Born to Darkness-Suzanne Brockmann

2012-01-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

Born to Darkness

Suzanne Brockmann

Ballantine, Mar 20 2012, $26.00

ISBN 9780345521279

The United States is spiraling into third world status as the Great Depression II wreaks havoc on most people due to policies that legalized unfair practices leading to the wealthiest doing great while everyone paid the price. For much of the increasing poor there is only one commodity they can sell: their preteen daughters. The Organization has created Destiny from the hormones of pre-puberty females; the affluent love the elixir that allows those with money to buy the perfect physical specimen at the cost of their mind.

The Obermeyer Institute opposes the sale of girls as a commodity and by extrapolation are against the use of Destiny. However, groups like the Organization own the media and the politicians so Obermeyer is considered by most a place for crackpots. With nowhere to turn, banished former Navy SEAL Shane Laughlin joins OI though he believes the media portrayal of lunatics especially the “Greater-Thans” philosophy to deploy otherworldly powers for the common good. He changes his mind when female Greater Than scientists half his size kicks his butt in. Shane and Greater Than Michelle “Mac” Mackenzie had shared a one night stand before he joined OI as a test subject. In Boston, they attempt to rescue a young girl sold for her hormones who appears to be a Greater Than.

Noted for Breaking the Rules of romantic suspense with her Troubleshooters saga, Suzanne Brockmann provides a powerful enthralling and dark paranormal thriller as the extraction of young female hormones is a capitalist commodity exchange item. The gripping premise extrapolates trends in economics, politics, journalism and pharmaceutical to paint a dark soulless future. The prime romance between the protagonists and a gay relationship enhance an exciting fast-paced rescue mission.

Harriet Klausner

Shatter-Michael Robotham

2012-01-22T13:00:00.001-08:00

Shatter

Michael Robotham

Mulholland/Little Brown, Jan 26 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9780316187428

Clinical psychologist Dr. Joe O'Loughlin teaches part-time behavioral psychology at the University of Bath. He lives with his beloved family in Somerset. His wife of two decades Julianne is a successful executive while both adore their daughters, twelve years old Charlie and three years old Emma. The only bight to their idyllic life is Joe's deteriorating health due to Parkinson's disease diagnosed four years ago.

The cops come to the campus to get Dr. Bruno Kaufman to talk down a potential jumper on the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Bruno sends his friend Joe to the scene. A middle aged naked female ignores everyone around her including Joe as she frantically talks on a mobile before leaping; her last worlds to Joe was he would not understand. Student Darcy Wheeler arrives at Joe’s home insisting her mom Christine would never commit suicide. Joe begins to realize the psychological pattern of a leaper does not fit Christine. When a similar suicide occurs, police Detective Inspector Veronica Cray leads the investigation. Joe and his friend retired Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz join the inquiry.

Shatter is an exciting psychological thriller as a master of mind manipulation successfully breaks the will of single confident females. The latest O’Loughlin thriller (see Suspect and The Night Ferry) is fast-paced with a cat and mouse contest between the psychologist whose wife wants him off the dangerous case and the villain a virtuoso playing with emotions. As readers learn why, Michael Robotham keeps the suspense tropospheric in anticipation of a showdown between the protagonist and the antagonist.

Harriet Klausner

Fall from Grace-Richard North Patterson

2012-01-22T12:59:00.001-08:00

Fall from Grace

Richard North Patterson

Scribner, Mar 20 2012, $26.00

ISBN 9781451617054

On Martha’s Vineyard, internationally famous writer Benjamin Blaine is found dead at the bottom of a cliff overlooking the sea. Ben’s estranged son Adam returns home for the first time in a decade to attend his dad’s funeral. Others expected at the burial are the deceased’s widow Clarice, their other son gay Teddy, his mistress movie star Carla Pacelli and Ben former girlfriend Jenny Leigh.

Ben thinks someone pushed his larger than life father off the edge. He knows the revised will is a powerful motive for those who gained wealth and for those who lost wealth. Carla receives $10 million; Jenny gets $1 million; Adam inherits $100,000; and Clarice and Teddy were left out of the new will with each obtaining nothing. Using what he learned as an agricultural envoy in Afghanistan, Ben investigates.

This is a great thriller filled with stunning but plausible twists as Ben’s training and experience in duplicity comes in handy when dealing with the extended Blaine clan. As the protagonist uncovers secrets he wished he never knew, readers will relish his exhilarating investigation. Fall from Grace will be on most short lists for mystery of the year.

Harriet Klausner

Force of Nature-C.J. Box

2012-01-22T12:58:00.001-08:00

Force of Nature

C.J. Box

Putnam, Mar 20 2012, $25.95

ISBN: 9780399158261

In the Saddlestring, Wyoming area Joe Pickett and Nate Romanowski are friends though the former knows the latter has concealed something from him. In 1991, Nate was assigned to a Special Forces unit when the “Five” led by Lieutenant John Nemecek did something terrible. He walked away, but knew one day they would come for him. That day of reckoning arrives when a gutted Large Merle tells Nate in his last breath: “The Five. They’ve deployed.”

Nate understands no one stands in the way of Nemecek’s rising political career especially those who witnessed the atrocity. He knows the tactic Nemecek uses to kills those on that infamous patrol. His goons will get at him but won’t go directly; instead they terrorize friends and family. The Five will assault the Pickett family. Upset for what has come to his friends and concluding there is Nowhere to Run, Nate believes that the only way to defeat the enemy is outside the law, but doubts his game warden friend can walk the crooked path. Joe has his friend’s back though he prefers not going “rogue” but a High Noon confrontation with Nemecek’s minion is imminent and he must choose between life and the law.

With a nod to the movie Red, bestselling author C.J. Box has written a fresh fantastic Pickett thriller (see Cold Wind) as fans of the series finally learn what recurring support character Nate has hidden though numerous books. The villain has a powerful network in Wyoming and Idaho that informs him who is where and identifying their loved ones so he can arrange their deaths. It is Nate’s turn through the Pickett clan is a Force of Nature that is not to be trifled with. Each book in the series is better than the one before.

Harriet Klausner

Finding Our Way Home-Charlene Ann Baumbich

2012-01-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Finding Our Way Home

Charlene Ann Baumbich

WaterBrook, Mar 13 2012, $13.99

ISBN 9780307444738

Sasha Davis left Wanonishaw, Minnesota on a scholarship to Juilliard when she was seventeen years old. Twenty years later after starting on the road to becoming an international star as the principal dancer at the Boston-based Mid Central Festival Ballet, Sasha’s career ends in a horrible accident. Depressed, she returns home to allow herself to have a self-pity party as she cannot lift her legs without immense pain; her career is over and perhaps her marriage to her dance partner Donald Major too as she refuses to see him and he refuses to visit her.

Sasha finds encouragement from her optimistic caretaker big boned nineteen years old Evelyn Burt, who has family issues of her own, but refuses to let them get her down though she knows she will have to choose between loved ones. However, the former prima ballerina’s comfort comes from the snow globe of a dancer that her mother gave her when she started the odyssey.

Readers will enjoy this contemporary character study in which Charlene Ann Baumbich enables the audience to understand what each key player, especially the disabled dancer, thinks. Although the audience learns rather late the cause of the estrangement and why the teen feels trapped, patient fans will enjoy the latest wonderful Snowglobe Connections saga (see Divine Appointments) as two female opposites forge a sisterly bond that helps both of them.

Diary of a Mad Fat Girl-Stephanie McAfee

2012-01-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

Diary of a Mad Fat Girl

Stephanie McAfee

NAL, Feb 7 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9780451236494

In Bugtussle, Mississippi, schoolteacher Graciela (Ace) Jones looks forward to the annual Spring break trip to Panama City with her BFF teacher Lilly Lane. However, nine hours before the drive begins, Lilly cancels. Angry Ace knows it is because of the mysterious Gentleman her friend is seeing. Ace is further mad at Mason McKenzie who is the love of her life though their relationship died three years ago. Thank goodness the size-sixteen teacher has the love of her loyal companion Buster Loo the canine.

While Ace rages, Lilly is accused of having an affair with a student. Their other buddy Chloe Barksdale (Ace hates her friend’s married name) is married to womanizing, abusive Richard Stacks IV, who is a paragon of the community. Ace and Lilly stalk nasty Richard to prove the rat cheats on pathetic Chloe; while Mason is back in town wanting a second chance with the love of his life.

This entertaining small-town Southern sisterhood tale is a fun frolic over the top of Woodall Mountain as readers will wonder how the teachers, who enter boob bars, point guns at male anatomy, try to take down their boss Catherine “bitchy Hilliard, and get arrested, keep their jobs as role models. The title character tells the tale of the tape as she and her comrades take down the skunks of The Magnolia State.

Harriet Klausner

The Inquisitor-Mark Allen Smith

2012-01-21T12:47:00.002-08:00

The Inquisitor

Mark Allen Smith

Holt, Mar 13 2012, $27.00

ISBN: 9780805094268

Manhattan-based Geiger “the Inquisitor” is an expert in breaking down people to obtain the truth as he has an innate lie detector that warns him when a person is not telling the truth. He mostly uses mental attacks to insure fear supersedes all other emotions; while he rarely deploys direct physical assaults as Geiger understands the target will lie to end the pain. Nobody is a better "information retrieval" guru than Geiger is.

Client Richard Hall hires Geiger and his partner Harry Boddicker to obtain information from Matheson who stole a valuable Willem de Kooning masterpiece from a private collector. Hall fails to arrive with the thief, but instead has Matheson’s twelve year old son Ezra for the Inquisitor to learn whether the lad’s father hides. Irate as he does not deal with children, he beats up Hall and accompanied by Boddicker takes the tweener to a safe-house. Hall and his gang pursue them as Geiger wonders why the kid is important.

With a nod to Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter, Geiger is perhaps the most refreshing character of the year as his matter of fact treatise on torture will stun, horrify and fascinate readers. The storyline is action-paced from the first torture to the last as the amoral antihero shows he has a conscience when it comes to protecting kids; yet he also makes the euphemistic titled "enhanced interrogation" techniques of the Bush crowd look like amateurs. With a strong shocking climatic spin, fans will enjoy the exhilarating "information retrieval" thriller.

Harriet Klausner

The Anatomy of Ghosts-Andrew Taylor

2012-01-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

The Anatomy of Ghosts

Andrew Taylor

Hyperion, Jan 17 2012, $15.99

ISBN: 9781401310738

In 1786, Tim Turdman finds the body of young Georgie Holdsworth, who drowned in the Thames. His father John the bookseller is despondent but conceals his grief from his wife Maria whose depression frightens her spouse but is understandable as she helplessly watched her son drown in the river. She insists she speaks to her deceased offspring with the help of a medium. A fire destroys the bookstore that contains John’s investment leaving him broke. Angry and grieving John authors a book to prove to Maria that she cannot communicate with Georgie and her channel is a con artist. His effort leads to Maria committing suicide by jumping into the Thames near where she last saw her child.

Lady Anne Oldershaw hires a depressed John to catalog her late husband's library that she is bequeathing to Cambridge University. Her son Frank, a Jerusalem College student, has a nervous breakdown following his assertion that he saw the ghost of murdered Sylvia Whichcote. Lady Anne asks John, as a paranormal fraud expert, to help her son realize how inane his assertion is. John knows first he must learn what the lad saw as he struggles through the nasty Holy Ghost Club and their Master Dr. Carbury only to find his haunting mission changed.

This is a great late Georgian thriller that will keep the audience wondering whether to believe in ghosts or something more sinisterly human. The storyline starts melancholy in the opening chapters, but changes tone when the bookseller comes to Cambridge as he gets involved with a murder mystery that has him reconsidering his contention that ghosts are delusions of the parasitic relationship between the desperate and the amoral who take advantage of these depressed souls.

Harriet Klausner

The Ritual-Adam Nevill

2012-01-21T12:46:00.001-08:00

The Ritual

Adam Nevill

St. Martin’s Griffin, Feb 14 2012, $15.99

ISBN: 9780312641849

When they roomed in Birmingham while attending the university Luke, Phil, Dom and Hutch were the four musketeers as best buddies. After graduating they went their separate ways with three of the BFFs married as Luke is only one of them still single. The four agree to unite on a camping trip north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden to get away from their respective personal lives.

However, it didn’t take long to realize how out of shape Phil and Dom have become as the foursome trek on their three day hike though Luke and Hutch still smoke. The weather is cold and wet making the walk through the wilderness that much more difficult especially when they take a shortcut that fails to find the river, but instead the dead eerily hanging from a tree. The bickering and resentment become palatable as anger at each other and their miserable situation overtly explodes. They find shelter of sorts from the harsh environment in a cottage containing bizarre, frightening ancient-looking items. None of them yet comprehend the predator that stalks them may be just coming home.

Think of Deliverance and an adult coming of age Lord of the Flies in a stark setting to comprehend this exhilarating thriller. The storyline told by Luke captures the reader from opening line as Adam Nevill paints a harsh environment that sets the tone for what follows. The protagonists possess diverse personalities and different tsuris, but it is their reactions to the evil that hunts them which makes for a tense horror tale.

Harriet Klausner

Crucible of Empire-Eric Flint and K.D. Wentworth

2012-01-21T12:45:00.003-08:00

Crucible of Empire

Eric Flint and K.D. Wentworth

Baen, Feb 7 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9781451638042

A few years ago years ago the Jao invaders conquered the Earth (see The Course of Empire). The two species began forging a united kochan clan. Former resistance fighter Gabriel Tully commands Baker Company whose prime mission is to negotiate a peace between his former resistance allies and the Jao. He attends a briefing concerning the NGC 7293 nebula where three Krant vessels investigated strange data; they encountered hostility with the giant arachnid Ekhat species which ended with the enemy destroyed but the Krant ships not in much better shape.

Terra Governor Aille and Preceptor Ronz assign the Lexington to take Jao and humans to the sector where the Ekhat has violently surfaced and a third race was involved in the recent battle. Jao Captain Danner krinnu ava Terra commands the ship; but she is not in charge of the mission. Instead Wrot krinnu ava Terra runs the mission with Caitlin Kralik as the diplomat to deal with the unknown race and Tully and his unit enhanced by the Krant survivors provide military support against the Ekhat. His team destroys four Ekhat ships with a surviving vessel crippled in orbit around a star; only to learn the Lleix who the Jao assaulted in a previous encounter are on board.

As with the first science fiction “Empire” thriller, the sequel focuses on the species with a deep look at the Jao (especially on board the Lexington) and somewhat the Ekhat. The storyline also introduces a fourth sentient race with its own shtick. Although there is some reiterative commentary that slows down the outer space encounters, fans will enjoy traveling on the Lexington as the combined Jao-human crew go into combat and diplomacy.

Harriet Klausner

Vampire's Kiss-Veronica Wolff

2012-01-21T12:45:00.001-08:00

Vampire's Kiss

Veronica Wolff

NAL, Mar 6 2012, $9.99

ISBN: 9780451235725

Off the Scottish coast lies the Isle of Night populated by vampires, tracers, watchers, acari and humans. Ronan the vampire tracer recruited from the University of Florida Annelise Drew (see Isle of Night). She is a second year acari student who understands that only the strong survive so she diligently works hard with one goal to get off the island; which means becoming a Watcher even though escape is doubtful.

Alcantara the vampire acts likes Drew enchants him when he accelerates her training so she can be placed on a mission with him. She is to act the part of a serving girl to seven vampires of whom her mentor states are evil. They seek Carden McCloud captured and most likely tortured by these malevolent bloodsuckers. Drew finds the rescue target and gives him her blood. When Alcantara and McCloud meet, Drew realizes they are enemies, which has her wondering why her mentor lied and who the wicked vampire is.

The latest Watchers urban fantasy is an enthralling, twisting thriller in which readers will appreciate the spellbinding in depth look at a vampire island community inside the wonderful world of the Wolff. Since escaping the Isle of Night is more difficult than getting off Alcatraz, Acari accept their role as gladiator students. Sanctioned fights between each other leave some dead; only the best live through the grueling ordeal their instructors call training. Drew is terrific as she completes the mission but learns a lesson to not trust anyone especially vampires as delineating the good, the bad and the ugly is impossible until it is too late.

Harriet Klausner

Touch of a Rogue-Mia Marlowe

2012-01-20T13:05:00.001-08:00

Touch of a Rogue

Mia Marlowe

Kensington Brava, Feb 28, 2012, $14.00

ISBN 9780758263544

Clairvoyant investigator Jacob Preston loves women, but demands his females be passionate in his bed and married so as to insure no dangling relationship demands. Lady Julianne hires Jacob to determine whether her husband’s death was not a suicide as reported and to locate the missing Druid dagger in the set he was collecting.

Jacob knows a widow is off limits in his womanizing as that means she is no longer married. Yet he cannot stop his desire for her. She matches him move for move as Julienne desires her detective but wants no commitment. A fanatical Wollstonecraft disciple, Julienne demands she be Jacob’s sidekick on the inquiry; though he insists he works with no partner except in the boudoir, she refuses to not join the investigation.

The second touching Preston paranormal historical romance (see Touch of a Thief) is a terrific nineteenth century frolic containing a madcap relationship mindful of the Grant-Hepburn movies. Fast-paced from the moment the protagonists meet, readers will enjoy their gender war antics inside of a clever detective storyline in which the feminist and the clairvoyant rock each other’s worlds.

Harriet Klausner

Power of the Raven-Aimee Thurlo

2012-01-20T13:04:00.003-08:00

Power of the Raven

Aimee Thurlo

Harlequin Intrigue, Feb 7 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373696000

Two months have passed since their Navaho foster father Hosteen Silver died. His “children” Gene Redhouse, Daniel Hawk and Paul Greyhorse miss their “uncle” who taught them to cherish life, but believe the medicine man still watches them to insure they respect themselves and others.

After a grueling day in Hartley filing documents as Hosteen’s executor, Gen heads home to his ranch when a frantic woman leaps in front of his truck; he barely misses hitting her. They met earlier at the DMV as he completed some of his late foster father’s estate documents there. Lori Baker claims jewelry designer Bud Harrington refuses to accept her rejection of him and stalks her. She also explains she has talked to the police about this sleaze but he accused her of stalking him. Gene and Lori are attracted to each other, but he saw her stalker run from him though he cannot testify that the predator is Bud. With his foster brothers having their back, Gene knows he must earn the trust of the wary woman by keeping her safe before he takes her to his special spot in Copper Canyon.

The second Copper Canyon Navaho romantic suspense is a terrific tale as two individuals from different cultures fall in love while he protects her as a woman in peril. Aimee Thurlo provides a deep focus on the difficulty victims and law enforcement face dealing with a stalker. There is a second subplot involving a DMV employee that enhances the entertaining storyline. However as in Daniel’s entry (see Winter Hawk's Legend), the Power of the Raven is the Navaho elements like the hero’s ability to communicate with animals and the foster siblings’ bond.

Harriet Klausner

So Pretty It Hurts-Kate White

2012-01-20T13:04:00.001-08:00

So Pretty It Hurts

Kate White

Harper, Mar 20 2012, $24.99

ISBN: 9780061576607

Best friends Bailey Weggins and Jessie Pendergrass work for Buzz, a gossip magazine known for its sensationalist disregard of the facts. Jessie invites Bailey to accompany her for the weekend at the home of record producer Saul Cohen. Upset with her boyfriend Beau Reagan for being out of town on business, Baily agrees. Among the celebrities attending the weekend bash is supermodel Devon Barrwho after eighteen years on the catwalk knows her career is over; she wants to become a recording artist and will do whatever it takes to sell herself to Saul.

Demanding diva Devon makes a terrible impression on the Buzz reporters with her queen of mean demeanor expecting everyone to kowtow to her wishes. She also has the nerve to invite her former boyfriend Tommy and his current girlfriend to the party as flaunting Devon wants him back. Bailey finds Devon weeping. The model says she must leave as it is unsafe for her to remain at Cohen’s house. Later she is found dead in her bed. The police believe she died from using Ipecac, a drug used to control eating disorders like anorexia. However, Bailey remembers how frightened the woman was and believes a homicide occurred. Her journalist instincts kick in as she investigates the diva’s death while someone tries to get Buzz to fire her.

The latest Bailey Weggins investigation (see Lethally Blond) is an entertaining locked country house whodunit (snowstorms come in handy). Fans will find it difficult to put down the exciting So Pretty It Hurts as we try to identify who the culprit is amidst a house filled with suspects; of whom most detested the deceased. The characters feel so realistic that the audiences will want to find out what the group members have against Devon. The Bailey Weggins series is one of the most entertaining and realistic series on the market today.

Harriet Klausner

The Hope Vendetta-Scott Mariani

2012-01-20T13:03:00.001-08:00

The Hope Vendetta

Scott Mariani

Touchstone, Mar 6 2012, $25.00

ISBN 9781439193471

Former SAS operative Be Hope considers his response to the question: “To be or not to be.” He decides to delay his exit strategy by attending Oxford to study theology, a field he dropped years ago when he became a covert agent.

Professor Tom Bradbury asks Ben to find his missing twentyish archeologist daughter, Zoe. Ben refuses as he no longer is in that line of work. He arranges SAS comrade Charlie Palmer to investigate the missing person’s case. From Corfu, Charlie contacts Ben that he is in trouble and needs help. Ben arrives on the Greek island. He soon learns Zoe found an artifact tied to Revelation, which leads him to Savannah and televangelist Clayton Cleaver, who insists John the Apostle told him he End Times is upon us.

The latest Hope Vendetta (see The Mozart Conspiracy) is an exhilarating over the top of Mount Pantokrator thriller. The storyline contains an intriguing underlying theme of true believers and cynical leaders making strange common cause bedfellows with each wanting to ignite the End Times for diverse reasons. Fans will enjoy Hope’s odyssey to save millions as he leaves behind a high body count.

Harriet Klausner

Oracle’s Moon-Thea Harrison

2012-01-20T13:02:00.003-08:00

Oracle’s Moon

Thea Harrison

Berkley, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9780425246597

Twenty year old college student Grace Andreas has no time to grieve the death of her sister and brother-in-law. With Petra’s demise comes overwhelming responsibility as guardian to her four-year old niece Chloe and nine-month-old nephew Max. if that is not enough, she inherits her sibling’s humongous debt. Finally there is Power of the Oracle of Louisville, which goes from the late Petra to the swamped Grace.

A dispute on her property leads Khalil the demonkind Djinn Prince of House Marid to enter the lives of Grace and her wards. Over her objection, he joins the grieving household. His shapeshifting amuses and distracts the children while his body distracts his hostess. As he calms down the irate Elder Races who loathe Grace’s sassy scorn while she fumbles at deploying her new power, the demonkind and the humankind fall in love.

The latest Elder Races paranormal is a delightful romantic urban fantasy starring an in shock heroine and her demon protector. The storyline is mindful of the first season of The Greatest American Hero as the protagonist struggles with using her new talent, raising her young relatives and with her feelings towards the demonkind. However, the key to this excellent entry and the fabulous predecessors (see Dragon Bound, Storm’s Heart and Serpent’s Kiss) is the Harrison mythos of humans living alongside seven otherworldly species comes across as real.

Harriet Klausner

By a Thread-Jennifer Estep

2012-01-20T13:02:00.001-08:00

By a Thread

Jennifer Estep

Pocket, Feb 28 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9781451651768

In Ashland, Pork Pit owner Gin “Spider” Blanco completed the magical hit she has trained for when she assassinated Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered her family when she was a teen (see Spider’s Revenge). With many of the punks seeking instant infamy by killing Spider, and with Gin wanting to spend quality with her long-lost baby sister Ashland police detective Bria Coolidge, she leaves on a vacation from her occupation.

The siblings travel to Blue Marsh beach resort where Bria introduces Gin to her best friend Callie Reyes of the Sea Breeze. Small time felon Pete Proctor and his giant partner Trent warn Callie to sell her establishment to their employer Randall Dekes the vampire before hurricane season causes damage. Pete also harasses Bria before breaking a mirror. When he gloats over hurting Bria before, Spider knocks out Trent and stabs Pete’s hand to the floor before knocking him out. With a sigh Gin knows the vacation is over. Gin’s former lover Blue Marsh police detective Donovan Caine who is also Bria’s fiancé arrives at the Sea Breeze. However, the power hungry vamp covets a new acquisition, Spider’s elemental ice and Stone magic.

The enjoyable sixth Elemental Assassin urban fantasy is the first in the post Mabs era and fans of the series will appreciate the still kick butt heroine flashing her knives though her opponent is much more clever and a more dangerous adversary than her previous opponent was. Action-packed from the moment the vacation ends, Jennifer Estep avoids the sub-genre stereotyping of the heroine and the villain By A Thread based on who has the sharper bite.

Harriet Klausner

The Drowning Girl-Caitlín R. Kiernan

2012-01-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

The Drowning Girl

Caitlín R. Kiernan

Roc, Mar 6 2012, $16.00

ISBN 9780451464163

India “Imp” Morgan Phelps would have been shocked if the shrink diagnosed her as an NT; instead labeling her as a schizophrenic which makes sense to her. Imp knows lunacy is like apple pie to her family as far back as she knows. Still meds and the shrink help her pretend she lives a normal life.

Imp is shocked when she sees the model in the 1898 The Drowning Girl painting. Meeting Eva Canning also brings about dreams and memories that cannot be true, but Imp wonders about their source as she fears her mental illness has worsened since meeting Eva. Deciding to learn who Eva is, Imp is further stunned when the woman vanishes. As reality becomes increasingly unstable, the voice amidst the chaos of her brain triggers an obsessive compulsive need to know what truly happened; ergo Imp ponders whether Eva is a ghost warning her but of what or a priestess whose flock died in 1991 in a mass drowning.

This excellent thriller grips the audience with a need to know whether the protagonist is mentally insane or dealing with regressed memories including perhaps generational. Impossible to put aside, The Drowning Girl is a fabulous psychological suspense or fantasy; Caitlín R. Kiernan keeps us guessing until the end.

Harriet Klausner

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming-Mike Brown,

2012-01-19T12:34:00.000-08:00

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming

Mike Brown,

Spiegel & Grau, Jan 24 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9780385531108

Caltech astronomer Mike Brown has found many objects beyond Pluto with all of them except one not even bringing a yawn from the public. However, that one Eris is bigger than Pluto and has similar properties like an irregular orbit. Ironically Dr. Brown learned second order effects of his discovery when the International Astronomical Union changed Pluto’s revered status from ninth planet in the solar system to a new category dwarf planet. For the diligent astronomer that means instead of number ten, he has number three. Dr. Brown explains the pros and cons of the new category, which is built around whether a sun orbiting object has cleansed its “space” of other major object. He understands the uproar of the paradigm relegation as he like most people grew up with Pluto the planet. Much of the memoir involves the author’s personal life before, during and after the discovery. This addition, especially the insight of how his wife and daughter see his “crazy” work and the discovery, enhances the memoir. His spouse stoically accepts the role of an astronomer wife means putting up with obsession and irregular hours similar to the orbit of Eris. On the other hand, Dr. Brown figures his daughter knows that her dad “killed Pluto.”

Readers obtain a fascinating look at an astronomer and his family with an emphasis on the impact of his work on his loved ones. However, it is the explanation of his work, the solar system and the reclassification simplified for lay people to comprehend without dumbing down that makes How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming an entreating whimsical though somewhat mistitled autobiography.

Harriet Klausner

Quinn- R.C. Ryan

2012-01-19T12:25:00.001-08:00

Quinn

R.C. Ryan

Forever, Feb 28 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9781455502455

In 1996 Wyoming, Big Jim Conway takes his grandsons (ten years old Quinn, seven years old Josh and five years old Jake) to town while their Pa Cole and Police Chief Fletcher talk. This has been a weekly affair since Cole’s wife and mother to the kids vanished.

In the present, wildlife expert Quinn is in the Grand Tetons observing a wolf pack. Rancher Cheyenne O’Brien meets Quinn in an acerbic encounter. However, a blizzard forces Quinn to stay at her spread. He realizes from her eyes that the independent rancher shares in common with him first-hand knowledge of tragedy. He learns of the deliberate "accidents" to her ranch and insists on helping her when arson destroys part of her home. As they fall in love while his family spread comes under attack, Quinn vows to find the culprit endangering the people he loves.

Leaving behind Big Sky Country (see the McCord cousins’ Montana trilogy) for the Equality State, R.C. Ryan writes an enjoyable romantic suspense. The storyline vividly describes the ruggedness of Wyoming while also focuses on a strong heroine and the close Conway Cowboy clan. Although the villain is too obvious, fans will enjoy the first Conway ranch romance.

Harriet Klausner

Fever-Joan Swan

2012-01-19T12:24:00.002-08:00

Fever

Joan Swan

Kensington Brava, Feb 28 2012, $14.00

ISBN 9780758266385

St. Jude Hospital provides medical services to five California prisons including San Quentin. Currently, Doctors Alyssa Foster and Greg Dyne compete for the radiologist vacancy. Alyssa is escorted to San Quentin where she is attending to convicted murderer thirtyish Teague Creek who complains about pain. She dislikes his racist tattoos like the Swastika, but finds herself wanting him though concerned with the heat of his body. After finishing her examination, Creek places his loose hand chain around Foster’s throat. Using her as his shield, he escapes from the prison with his subordinate Taz helping them hide in the Bay area though the latter wants the doctor dead.

Creek thinks Foster is Hannah who slept with his former best friend now his enemy; the man in control of his daughter Kat. At the same time DARPA sends Jason Vasser to kill Teague. Creek makes it appear that Foster is his partner not his hostage as he works to regain custody of his Kat. As his plans seem to constantly fail, the convict and the physician feel the Fever heat of love.

This is an exciting action-packed thriller with fantasy elements that starts with the hostage escape and never slows down until the final confrontation. The changing relationship between the lead couple is nicely developed so that it seems real overcoming improbability even considering the Stockholm syndrome. However, Senator Schaffer and DARPA’s need to kill Creek never quite gels though compassion has a life time warranty in prison, but a death sentence outside. Still fans will enjoy Joan Swan’s tense romantic suspense.

Harriet Klausner

Collision of Lies-John J. Le Beau

2012-01-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

Collision of Lies

John J. Le Beau

Oceanview, Mar 5 2012, $25.95

ISBN 9781608090457

In Austria, radical right-wing politician Georg Forster leads his Nationalist Defense Front Party from nowhere to a prominent influential role in in the new coalition government. His meteoric rise ends in a car crash near Garmisch, Bavaria. German Kommissar Franz Waldbaer happens to be at the scene of the brutal Mercedes accident.

Anton Hester replaces the late Forster as the head of the NDF. He claims the NDF possesses proof that his successor’s death was not an accident, but was an assassination by Israeli operatives. Waldbaer is assigned the police investigation while CIA operative Robert Hirter works the same case from the Intel perspective. Having teamed up on the inquiry into the death of the American’s brother in Bavaria (see Collision of Evil), the agent and the cop unite again unaware a shipment is the center of what happened to the NDF leader and related deadly events.

This is an exciting action-packed thriller grips readers with the deaths at sea, in Bavaria and elsewhere that seem unrelated except that the bad guys will stop at nothing to insure their cargo reaches its destination. Although the villainous elements cohesively tie together extremely late; fans will enjoy the second teaming of the CIA operative and the Bavarian kommissar as they make a terrific pairing on international investigations.

Harriet Klausner

The Tenth Saint-D.J. Niko

2012-01-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

The Tenth Saint

D.J. Niko

Medallion, Mar 1 2012, $14.95

ISBN 9781605422459

Cambridge University archeologist Sarah Weston leads a dig in Aksum, Ethiopia, the site of an ancient mountain kingdom. To her ire, her financial backers send famous American anthropologist Daniel Madigan to insure they get their value back in their investigation.

The pair locates a tomb with inscriptions in an unknown arcane language. Inside are the remains of a human. In the libraries of Ethiopian monasteries, the westerners find clues that the deceased is that of the Coptic Christian’s tenth saint who spread Christianity in this African nation and predicted the final days of planet earth. Their discovery leaves them in jeopardy from those who want the end of days’ prophecy to come true.

Putting aside plausibility of some rescue actions, fans will enjoy this exhilarating Brownian romantic suspense, which provides a fascinating look at the Coptic Christian Church (in the news of late in Egypt). The storyline is fast-paced and filled with funny but unlikely teasing while in near death scenarios. Fans will enjoy this engaging conspiracy based on the premise that extreme fundamentalists obsess with eliminating those who would interfere by reversing the steps of Revelations; as all that matters to these die hard fanatics is for the end of times to occur.

Harriet Klausner

Cake On A Hot Tin Roof-Jacklyn Brady

2012-01-19T12:22:00.001-08:00

Cake On A Hot Tin Roof

Jacklyn Brady

Berkley, Feb 7 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780425246221

When her parents died, Aunt Yolanda and Uncle Nester took their niece Rita Lucero into their New Mexico home treating her as their loving daughter. After the pastry chef married Chef Phillipe Renier she moved to New Orleans where they started Zydeco Cakes. They separated for two years; their marriage ended when a killer murders Phillipe (see A Sheetcake Named Desire). Since her husband had no will, Rita is a wealthy widow; while her grieving mother-in-law Miss Frankie is elated that Rita will run Zydeco.

Preparing for Mardi Gras, the staff of Zydeco is working long hours with little sleep as they bake for the Krewe of Musterion party. Adding to her stress is the visits of her loving Uncle Nestor, accompanied by his wife; he pressures Rita to return to New Mexico; as he cannot accept a woman living without male protection. Rita takes her relatives to a gala, but Nestor and Big Daddy Boudreaux get into a public fight. Shortly afterward, Big Daddy is found dead. The victim’s widow accuses Nestor. Rita knows her uncle is not a killer and risks her life to prove her belief.

The second A Piece of Cake Mystery is a fast-paced delightful amateur sleuth tale starring a feisty independent pastry chef who cherishes the couple who took her into their home, but will not bow to her uncle’s wishes. Nestor believes women need the protection of a caring strong man. Ironically he needs the detecting skills of his caring strong niece. Even with the investigative action in the middle of the well written plot, Cake On A Hot Tin Roof is an interesting whodunit with the only lingering question being which classic Tennessee Williams’ play will follow.

Harriet Klausner

Allegiance-Cayla Kluver

2012-01-19T12:21:00.001-08:00

Allegiance

Cayla Kluver

Harlequin Teen, Feb 28 2012, $9.99

ISBN: 9780373210435

Her father King Adrik of Hytanica forced his daughter Alera to marry hedonistic Lord Steldor, son of the Captain of the King's Guards Lord Cannan. Once they wedded, Adrik removes the crown from his head, places it on the new monarch King Steldor and vows allegiance to his replacement. However, Alera does not want her spouse and refuses to consummate their marriage as she loves Narian of her country’s enemy Cokyri.

The Overlord of Cokyri uses his mystic abilities and the hostage of a woman Narian cares about to force him to betray Hytanica where he was treated well. Narian is to lead the invasion that will end the long running hot and cold Legacy war with Cokyri victorious. When he takes his troops into combat, Alera’s loses what is left of her innocence as she thought her beloved would never commit atrocities against the kingdom that treated him well.

This is an entertaining young adult romantic alternative medieval historical that contains fantasy elements. The irony of the two warring nations are neither remembers what the original dispute was about and the plight of Alera who if she lived in the adversarial kingdom, she would be the ruling Queen and not just the wife of the king. Although it is critical to read Legacy before perusing Allegiance to understand the two kingdoms and their complicated ties that bind them, readers will enjoy this entry as Alera must choose between her love for her country symbolized by the king she loathes, and her love for her enemy symbolized by the Commander she loves.

Harriet Klausner

A Life of Bright Ideas-Sandra Kring

2012-01-18T14:13:00.002-08:00

A Life of Bright Ideas

Sandra Kring

Bantam, Feb 7 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9780553386820

In 1961 in Dauber, Wisconsin BFFs Evelyn “Button” Peters and Winnalee Malone wrote their observations on life in their Book of Bright Ideas in order to avoid the mistakes they noticed others constantly do. The drifted apart with different lifestyles through the tumultuous sixties.

In 1970 Winnalee the flowerchild returns home to find Button seemingly trapped in a nowhere family scenario. Button’s Ma died and her dad quit being a father. She along with her Aunt Verdella raises her younger brother Boohoo while working in the family dress shop. Finally she also misses Jesse who is in the army. Winnalee is taken aback when she learns Button’s Ma died as the woman was her reason for coming home. Soon after her arrival, Winnalee’s mom Freeda arrives with her infant granddaughter, whom the hippie hoped she could leave with Button’s Ma. The two BFFs travel to see Winnalee’s Aunt Harriet who raised her as the flowerchild must come to grips with her child.

The sequel to the Book of Bright Ideas is wonderful female buddy tale that follows up on the lives of the now adultery protagonists. Ironically, Winnalee seems care free and liberated while Button seems imprisoned by family responsibility with no freedom; yet the engaging convoluted relationship character driven storyline will challenge readers to never judge a book solely by its cover.

Harriet Klausner

The Sometimes Daughter-Sherri Wood Emmons

2012-01-18T14:13:00.000-08:00

The Sometimes Daughter

Sherri Wood Emmons

Kensington, Jan 31 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9780758253255

In the mud of Woodstock as Crosby, Stills, and Nash are about to perform, Cassie gives birth to a baby Judy. Over the next few years Cassie remains the war protesting flowerchild indulging in sex and drugs. She takes her infant with her on her anti-Vietnam marches and to parties.

On the other hand Judy’s father Kirk has a revelation with the birth of his daughter. He understands parental responsibility so he cleans up his act to be the best dad to his child he can be. Kirk goes to law school, divorces his wife, and wins custody of Judy taking the child home to Indiana from a Kentucky hippy commune. Cassie flies free only occasionally visiting her child. When her mom moves to an ashram in India, a growing up Judy grieves her loss while struggling to hide her abnormal family so as to fit in the acceptable norm. Kirk remarries Treva adding to his offspring’s feelings of being an outsider; at a time when Cassie finally comes home with a demand to include her Sweet Judy in her life.

Told by the perspective of the young Sweet Judy, fans will see the impact of parents failing to parent and eventually abandoning their child. Judy, Kirk and Cassie are fully developed so the reader understands what motivates each thought he parents are filtered by their child. The support cast is solid as they enhance the child’s feelings of not belonging when they try to help her fit in. The ending fails to provide closure, which is disconcerting, yet seems apropos for this intriguing relationship drama.

Harriet Klausner

Guilt: Stories-Ferdinand von Schirach; Carol Brown Janeway (translator)

2012-01-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

Guilt: Stories

Ferdinand von Schirach; Carol Brown Janeway (translator)

Knopf, Jan 31 2012, $24.00

ISBN: 9780307599490

This is a strong German crime anthology that looks closely at justice especially legal failures as the fifteen excellent short entries focus on the meaning of guilt from several viewpoints. In “Funfair”, the band at a six century anniversary gala rapes a teenage girl, but the DNA evidence and subsequently the case is lost. Nina and Thomas called the subway home when they kill an old man who tried to molest her in “DNA”. The "Children" bare false witness against the man accused of abuse. The “Lonely” young teenage is raped by a family who left her naive, frightened and pregnant. Whether it is the manslaughter death of a teacher by student bullies in the “Illuminati” or a depressed bored housewife getting a rush of “Desire” by stealing nonentities, Ferdinand von Schirach provides a deep look at what guilt is and its impact on those within a degree or two of the selected guilty party. Readers will reconsider their definitions; as whether a person did the deed or not never matters when it comes to the altered psychological symbiotic partnership relationships as there is powerful cause and effect on the hurt party, the chosen one (guilty or not is irrelevant) and their two circles.

Harriet Klausner

Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Janson Command-Paul Garrison

2012-01-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Janson Command

Paul Garrison

Grand Central, Feb 14 2012, $27.99

ISBN: 9780446564502

Paul Janson was a covert assassin for the American government’s top secret Consular Operations. He saw the light when he became classified as the "beyond salvage" target of the government due to a failed mission in which he became the chosen one to take the fall of the screw-up of higher ups (see The Janson Directive). He survived the assassination attempts and opened up CatsPaw Associates security firm with Jessica Kincaid. Their firm’s vision is to accept scenarios that will make the world a better place. Janson also manages the Phoenix Foundation as his means for redemption; the mission is to rehabilitate black ops operatives discarded as worthless trash by their agency when their use is deemed over.

Doug Case lost his job at Consular Operations when he took a bullet that saved Janson’s life but left Doug paralyzed. He graduated from Phoenix and is security chief of Houston based American Synergy Corporation. Case hires Janson to rescue a company physician kidnapped by the Free Foree Movement who demands the Isle de Foree hated dictator “President for Life” Iboga leave. With Kinkaid having his back, they make it to the main rebel stronghold, but all hell breaks loose when they arrive

This is a great action-packed twisting thriller as Jason and Kincaid are stunned with the deployment of Reaper drones and Harrier jets as neither should be there. As the action goes international, readers will learn what Janson already knows from his assassin days that terrorist groups, rogue nations, and amoral covert agencies are less dangerous than internationally protected “job creating” ruthless unscrupulous corporations.

Harriet Klausner

The Fear Index- Robert Harris

2012-01-18T14:10:00.000-08:00

The Fear Index

Robert Harris

Knopf, Jan 31 2012, $25.95

ISBN: 9780307957931

When the Feds defunded the Texas super collider, Dr. Alex Hoffmann obtains a position as a physicist at CERN in Switzerland. When he suffers a nervous breakdown, he leaves Geneva. Alex takes with him VIXAL-4, an independent computer with the uncanny ability to self-teach at a speed that humans cannot comprehend.

To finance his research and his machine, Alex sets up a hedge fund run by VIXAL. The algorithm VIXAL uses takes the pulse of investors leading to four years of incredible growth while the stock markets around the world collapse. However, as the creator loses control of his creation, someone inside the firm diligently works on making Hoffman look insane to his staff.

This is an enjoyable modernization of Frankenstein with a touch of Harry Kellerman inside of a contemporary convergence of physics, computers and international finance. The storyline is fast-paced with a terrific late twist although none of the cast including VIXAL is likable as all seem morally bankrupt. With a two prong cautionary plot, Robert Harris provides a fascinating timely thriller as science without passion is dangerous while even more lethal is finance void of ethics and scruples when profit is the feral god.

Harriet Klausner

Tangled-Erica O'Rourke

2012-01-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

Tangled

Erica O'Rourke

K Teen/Kensington, Jan 31 2012, $9.95

ISBN: 9780758267054

In Chicago, St. Brigid’s High School senior, Maura “Mo” Fitzgerald witnessed the mob take out her BFF Verity; her thirst for vengeance led mousy Mo into a world of magic, prophecy and two mysterious hunks Colin and Luc (see Torn). Her need to avenge Verity’s murder changes to protecting those she loves but she fears she will never be freed from the Arcs, her mobster uncle, the Quartered and the Seraphim has all seem to have her in their crosshairs..

In one month since the homicide that changed her life occurred, Mo has a major dilemma as she has no one to take to the Sadie Hawkins dance. However wanting to be left alone to attend school and work at the diner is not an option; as the Chicago mob never lets witnesses live and the magic with the surges since the Torrent never lets practitioners especially one embroiled in the ancient prophecy quit. A grieving raging Constance is now the magical battleground.

The second Mo urban fantasy is a terrific thriller with a profound morality question cutting across the entertaining storyline as the resultant heroine deals with the unintended nasty consequences of her seemingly pristine actions in Torn. Action-packed, it is the second and third order effects that will have the enthralled audience wondering if the end justifies the mean even when that mean goes against your positive values. Tangled is a wonderful teenage thriller as Mo just wants to choose between secretive Colin and enigmatic Luc, but then fate may have chosen Billy for her.

Harriet Klausner

Shadow Heir-Richelle Mead

2012-01-18T14:07:00.001-08:00

Shadow Heir

Richelle Mead

Zebra, Jan 1 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9781420111804

Ohio seems like the perfect hell for hybrid Shaman Eugenie Markham to raise her unborn twins in a safe environ away from Otherworld assassins and the prophecy. However, her hiding in the humid heat of the Buckeye state leaves her unaware of the crisis in the Otherworld. A spell is turning the realm into a blighted landscape with extinction a real possibility.

Fairy King Dorian’s support, who deceived Eugenie re who was to be Iron-Crowned, is trying every desperate measure to prevent what increasingly seems inevitable. He knows the only hope is for him, Eugenie, Kiyo the shifter and others, including beings who want the twins dead, to unite in trust, but she is in the mortal realm looking forward to being a single mom with no desire to cross over.

The final Dark Swan urban fantasy (see Storm Born, Thorn Queen and Iron-Crowned) is a great surprising finish to the strong saga. Fast-paced, Eugenie faces a moral dilemma that leaves her choosing between two terrible choices that no parent ever should have to face. Readers will appreciate Richelle Mead’s strong end to a powerful series.

Harriet Klausner

The Surrender of Miss Fairbourne-Madeline Hunter

2012-01-17T15:59:00.001-08:00

The Surrender of Miss Fairbourne

Madeline Hunter

Jove, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780515150469

In 1798, Maurice Fairbourne, owner of the prestigious Fairbourne’s Auction House, falls from a cliff near Kent. His secret partner the Earl of Southwaite attends a final auction of mostly junk. Maurice’s daughter Emma pushes the sale while Southwaite wants to sell the house before the value deteriorates too much. Emma refuses and though he cannot explain what happened he leaves meekly. A woman visits Emma with a wagon of wine and other cargo lacking a government stamp. She realizes her dad dealt with smuggled goods. Southwaite looks at the accounts and concludes Maurice dealt with smuggled goods.

Southwaite discusses the Kent coast with concerned friends; while Emma’s pal lines up the consignment for Count Van Kandstrandt. Though Southwaite knows she tricked him to get the Count’s business he kisses Emma. Meanwhile Southwaite watch Emma’s activities near where her dad fell to his death. He confronts her and takes her to his estate where they make love. Since she was a virgin, he says he will marry her, but she refuses. He asks her to be his mistress, but she refuses. However, he vows to keep her safe as he realizes the woman he loves has become embroiled in his smuggling investigation.

The lead couple is fully developed protagonists engaged in a wonderful gender war. The support cast mostly enhances the smuggling subplot with the implication of a sequel between a French female printer and the “handsome Stupid Man.” Although the climax fails to live up to the taut suspense leading to the final encounters, fans will enjoy this exciting historical romance.

Harriet Klausner

The Revenge of Lord Eberlin-Julia London

2012-01-17T15:58:00.001-08:00

The Revenge of Lord Eberlin

Julia London

Pocket, Feb 21 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9781439175460

In 1792 in Hadley Green, eight year old Lily Boudine's testimony led to the hanging of a man for stealing the jewels of her aunt and guardian, the Countess of Ashwood (see The Year of Living Scandalously). Tobin Scott witnessed his father’s execution for a crime he did not commit. To keep young Lily safe she is sent to live with family in Ireland.

Fifteen years later, Lily inherits the Ashwood title. She finds her estate in terrible condition. Wealthy Tobin as Count Eberlin informs the Countess she has a choice between saving the people of Ashwood and saving herself. She agrees to a tryst to save her people. However he never expected to betray his own quest when he is attracted to the female who hung his dad. On the one hand she feels the same way but also has guilt weighing her down as Lily begins to thinks she condemned an innocent man to the gallows. As they fall in love, they seek the truth of what happened fifteen years ago.

The second Secret of Hadley Green Regency romance is an enjoyable tale as beloved enemies investigate the cold case. Fast-paced, fans will enjoy Tobin’s revelation that "revenge is a dish best served cold" (except for the Count of Monte Crisco and Emily Van Camp) as he finds Lily nothing like the frozen bi*ch he expected; especially with her remorse over what she realizes she did. Readers will appreciate this entry and look forward to more secrets revealed.

Harriet Klausner

Exclusively Yours-Shannon Stacy

2012-01-17T15:55:00.001-08:00

Exclusively Yours

Shannon Stacy

Harlequin HQN, Dec 20 2011, $7.99

ISBN: 978-0373776788

Spotlight Magazine editor Tina Deschanel learns that her entertainment reporter Keri Daniels and reclusive famous author Joe Kowalski were an entry two decades ago in high school. Tina has Joe on the bulletin board as the number three interview for years. She demands Keri do her job or find a job.

Keri left their New Hampshire home years ago without a look back at brokenhearted Joe. She makes contact and he agrees to her interrogation if she meets his condition. Keri must join the extended Kowalski family two-week camping trip. Reluctantly Keri accepts Joe’s terms. She quickly finds herself under assault by her former best friend Joe’s twin sister Terry, and wants to escape from the angst of his brothers and their spouses. Throw in a teen, four tweeners, and her attraction to her former sweetheart, Keri considers finding work suddenly viable; while Joe makes it clear she will not run away this time.

This is an amusing second chance at love romance in which the support cast, except for overly baggage Terry, adds humor and poignancy. Character driven, readers will enjoy the antics of the “Killer” Kowalskis as Keri and Joe realize they still are in love.

Harriet Klausner

Raven Calls- C.E. Murphy

2012-01-17T15:46:00.002-08:00

Raven Calls

C.E. Murphy

Luna, Feb 21 2012, $14.95

ISBN 9780373803439

Seattle Urban Shaman Joanne Walker loved being a police detective, but balancing her two worlds ended when a werewolf bit her. She quits the force as she knows she cannot quit the mystic realm. Jo scratches a compelling itch that has her leaving behind her former police boss Mike Morrison who she only recently began seeing (see Spirit Dances) to fly to Ireland.

Mike sends Jo’s best friend septuagenarian Gary Muldoon to Dublin to keep her butt out of trouble. They head to the Hills of Tara in County Meah when a woman comes out of nowhere to identify Jo as Siobhan Walkingstick, Walker’s birth name. As the pair climbs the metaphysical Hill of Tara, Jo’s life spins full circle when she learns what the obsession that brought her to ancient magical Eire is all about; the deceased individual, who gave up everything for her, needs rescuing, but first the Shaman must escape the dark power of the Morrígan.

This is a great spin as the heroine has good cause to put on hold, perhaps permanently, her relationship with Mike in order to learn more about her ancestry and battle some nasty adversaries. Thus the spinning stunning storyline returns to its fantasy roots as Jo is in mortal combat with a nasty goddess in a long ago era (there is no Seattle coffee available) as the latest Walker Papers (see Demon Hunts) is a super smart shocker.

Harriet Klausner

Enchanted Again-Robin D. Owens

2012-01-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

Enchanted Again

Robin D. Owens

Luna, Dec 20 2011, $14.95

ISBN 9780373803415

In Denver, genealogist Amber Sarga understands the cost of using her gift as a curse-breaker; every time she deploys her skill she reduces her life span dramatically as she ages. Thus she is wary to deploy her talent.

Friends Conrad Tyne-Cymbler and Rafe Davail visit Amber at her place in Mystic Circle so she can help them break their respective curses though Rafe ridicules the concept of the paranormal. Conrad’s wife Marta left him with their son Dougie and vanished. Based on what his father told him on their only encounter when he next sees his child he will die. In Rafe’s family history, the first born son dies before turning thirty-three. Amber wants to help both, but can’t even use a mirror as she looks ten years older than she is chronologically. She agrees to look into their ancestry to identify the curse and what can be done to stop it. However, she feels sympathy for both cursed men and is attracted to Rafe.

The second book Mystic Circle romantic urban fantasy (see Enchanted No More) is an engaging tale based on the premise that magic costs to the practitioner. This concept is the conflict as Amber faces a moral conundrum with between to do and die young, and not to do and die lonely. Although the romantic relationship between the generalist and the skeptic feels forced, readers, craving for chocolate brownies, will want to know the outcomes of the curse.

Harriet Klausner

How to Be Death-Amber Benson

2012-01-17T15:45:00.001-08:00

How to Be Death

Amber Benson

Ace, Feb 28 2012, $7.99

ISBN 9781937007287

Since her dad’s untimely death thanks to his late oldest daughter (see Death’s Daughter), Calliope Reaper-Jones feels pressure she does not want; as the President and CEO of Death, Inc. with the Board and others making demands on her life. She knows she needs to read How to be Death (A Fully Annotated Guide), but has not gotten around to it. Instead she has depended on her younger brilliant sister Clio and a few of her dad’s best minions to help her as the girl who can make her deadly wishes come true.

Reaper attends the annual Death Dinner and masquerade ball at Haunted Hearts Castle. At the gala, she sees Daniel who she loves but assumes her feelings are unrequited; besides he is busy running Hell while his former boss receives heavenly punishment for his failed coup. Lying on the floor of Cal’s room is Daniel’s date Coy who is beheaded. Former Psychical Bureau of Investigation field agent Edgar Freezay leads the homicide investigation while Callie panics that the guide book she never opened has been stolen; if misused it could mean the extinction of humanity.

This is an entertaining locked castle murder mystery in which the homicide occurs about half way into the storyline. Callie has not matured since inheriting the position (see Serpent’s Storm and Cat’s Claw) as she remains unsure and shallow especially in the pre-murder chapters; in fact she would agree Clio is a better long term choice to become Ms. Death. Freezay takes over the novel with his inquiry. Still fans will enjoy Callie’s chick lit commentary as she struggles to learn How To Be Death; a job she does not want nor feel capable of performing.

Harriet Klausner

Star Wars: The Millennium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual-Ryder Wyndham, Chris Reiff (illustrator) and Chris Trevas (illustrator)

2012-01-17T15:44:00.001-08:00

Star Wars: The Millennium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual

Ryder Wyndham, Chris Reiff (illustrator) and Chris Trevas (illustrator)

Lucasbooks, Jan 31 2012, $20.00

ISBN: 9780345533043

The title is somewhat misleading as this owner’s manual focuses on the Corellian Engineering Corporation’s YT-1300 series with the legendary Millennium Falcon being the most famous (the Emperor says infamous) vessel having a major chapter. Besides the brief history of the corporation, the manual goes into depth with diagrams on the various YT-1300 models, a deep look at systems (piloting, propulsion, etc.), controls, weapons, crew facility and other floor plans, and other operations. There is also a section devoted to the modified Millennium Falcon operated by wanted preferably dead smugglers Han Solo a former Imperial pilot and Chewbacca the Wookie.

This is a great fun manual. Ryder Wyndham (see A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker) provides a well written text filled with fascinating details about the model while the photographs and art are incredible as the two Chris’ show their talent and knowledge of Star Wars. Fans of the saga especially the original three New Hope movies will appreciate this entertaining entry as we will feel we are on board and even driving an YT-1300 vessel. Finally unlike politicians who insist ads by their attack Super PAC pals were not approved by them, this super packed manual is approved by Lucasbooks and a reader can see why.

Harriet Klausner

The Living End: A Memoir of Forgetting and Forgiving-Robert Leleux

2012-01-16T13:25:00.001-08:00

The Living End: A Memoir of Forgetting and Forgiving

Robert Leleux

St. Martin’s, Jan 17 2012, $19.99

ISBN: 9780312621247

The family matriarch JoAnn is a Texas Steel Magnolia, which means a tougher brand of metal than the other southern states. Noted for her sandpaper tongue that rips the hide off the toughest cowboy, JoAnn is ironically a glamorous southern belle. However, for decades she and her daughter Jessica, a chip off the obstinacy block, remain estranged as the younger woman believed her mother seemed not to care when she or her grandchild needed her. Ironically, just when Jessica gave up on her, she would do something incredible like sending Robert a ton of books. When JoAnn’s memory began to fade due to Alzheimer’s, her family found it as a miracle that brought her back into their lives. Much of the two generations’ anger vanished as Jessica reconciled with her mom and Robert spent quality time with a grandma who never condemned his choices.

This wonderful upbeat memoir looks at Alzheimer’s as a reconciliatory bringing together of an estranged family as by forgetting, JoAnn and her family are forgiving. This positive assertion does not hide from the caretaking problems caused by dementia, but prefers to look at the positive that came out of the disease. Mr. Leleux reminds me of my husband’s fondest memory of his beloved mom during her “Living End” Alzheimer’s in which she did not know who her kids were but euphorically sucked the last neutrino of a chocolate shake. Much of this biography focuses on the generational war and peace as Mr. Leleux latest memoir (see The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy) affectionately yet realistically portrays his flawed larger than Texas grandma on her final Cotton Bowl gala.

Harriet Klausner

The Flowers of War--Gelling Yan; translated by Nicky Harman

2012-01-16T13:24:00.002-08:00

The Flowers of War-

Gelling Yan; translated by Nicky Harman

Other, Jan 31 2012, $15.95

ISBN: 9781590515563

In 1937 the Japanese Imperial Army invades Nanking. The St. Mary Magdalene Mission is considered a safe neutral zone by the forces of both sides. American expatriate Father Engelmann protects schoolgirls trapped in his sanctuary though he fears sustenance shortages.

Ignoring the internationally agreed upon protocols of war, invaders commit monstrous atrocities against the local population; females are a particular target. Brothel workers sneak into the mission. Unable to send them away though they exacerbate the dwindling food and water supplies, Father Engleman places them in the basement and the students in the attic. Also inside the mission is wounded Major Dai, who, demands the priest, grant sanctuary to two injured Chinese soldiers. Father Engelmann feels like Solomon without the wisdom; as he knows if he grants the request he threatens the females under his protection from the Japanese, who if they find out will deem the Mission is no longer neutral; if he denies the soldiers they will die.

Mindful of Nanjing Requiem by Ha Jin, The Flowers of War is an intriguing look at the Massacre from the perspective of those hiding inside the mission. The storyline is deep as readers obtain a deep look at the Chinese holocaust. However, ironically none of the cast moves passed typical stereotyping; for instance the American priest shoulders the “white man’s burden”, the usual prostitutes as seen in Ms. Yan's The Lost Daughter of Happiness, and the inane rivalry between students. Well written, fans will enjoy The Flowers of War as readers are reminded never forget, although there is no Minnie Vautrin.

Harriet Klausner

Autumn Lover-Elizabeth Lowell

2012-01-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

Autumn Lover

Elizabeth Lowell

Avon, Jan 31 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780380769551

After spending the Civil War years overseas, Elyssa Sutton returns to her Ladder S Ranch in the Ruby Mountains once the fighting ended. She finds her spread devastated and the peace signed in Virginia meaningless in Nevada where raiders and others steal her cattle and use her natural assets as their own.

Hunter (Maxwell) tracks the butchers who killed his family to the Ruby Mountains. Needing to go undercover he comes out of the shadows to ask Elyssa for employment. She hires him as a “ramrod who can use a gun.” Although she somewhat fears the rage she sees in his eyes, she is also attracted to her employee. He does not wants to care about his boss as he fears losing his ugly edge, distrusts women whose strength is betrayal, and besides people you love die.

This reprint of a 1996 “Only” post-Civil War romance (see Only Love and Only Mine) is an intriguing tale starring an intrepid rancher and an unlikable acrimonious person obsessed with revenge. Hunter’s constant debasing of the heroine even when they make love fits his ire that women betray while he still grieves the murders of his wife and children by the Culpepper gang. Although the story line is as straight as the Bonneville Salt Flats even setting up the obvious sequel starring Hunter’s s bitter brother (see Winter Lover), readers can see the plot for miles ahead, fans still will appreciate this engaging dark historical romance.

Harriet Klausner

Death On Heels-Ellen Byerrum

2012-01-16T13:23:00.001-08:00

Death On Heels

Ellen Byerrum

Obsidian, Feb 7 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780451236135

Lacey Smithsonian writes her column Crimes and Fashion for the Washington DC based Eye Street Observer. She left her hometown of Sagebrush after her boyfriend proposes; the temperature is way below freezing and her boss on the hometown newspaper gets on her last nerve.

Lacey learns that cattle rancher Cole Tucker, who once proposed to her, has been arrested for killing women over a two year period. She flies back to Sagebrush to learn whether the man she once loved is a serial killer. During a ten minute meeting at the courthouse, Cole takes Lacey hostage and escapes with her to a deserted cabin. He insists he has been framed by a sly adversary who wants his ranch for the water, mineral and oil rights. The rancher provides his former girlfriend a list of who he considers coveting his land and capable of such a diabolical ploy before freeing her. Believing Cole is innocent, Lacey vows to find the evidence that exonerates him. Whereas no female was murdered while Cole was in custody, another woman is abducted. However, this time Cole has an alibi in an ex-girlfriend reporter who also has solved homicide cases before (see Shot Through Velvet, Grave Apparel, and Armed and Glamorous).

The latest Smithsonian inquiry is a terrific entry as the heroine proves you can go home if you still have your cowboy attire especially the boots in this regional whodunit. The locals are quirky adding a Rocky Mountain high to the journalist’s investigation. Lacey and her current boyfriend, former Sagebrush Police Chief Vic Donovan the security expert care for one another deeply while having each other’s back as he helps her try to find the killer (which in the reporter’s case is an occupational hazard). Death On Heels is a fabulous Crime of Fashion Mystery.

Harriet Klausner

The Haunting of Maddy Clare-Simone St. James

2012-01-16T13:14:00.001-08:00

The Haunting of Maddy Clare

Simone St. James

NAL, Mar 6 2012, $14.00

ISBN: 9780451235688

In 1922 London, ghost researcher Alistair Gelles hires Sarah Piper as his temporary assistant. He explains to her that his permanent assistant Matthew Ryder is visiting his pregnant sister and that the patron Mrs. Clare asks for a female to get the ghost of the late serving girl Maddy, who hung herself, to leave.

Sarah enters the barn alone. She finds the barn on fire. She escapes, but once outside the barn is fine. She tells Alistair and Matthew who arrives what happened. Later she sees the scars on Matthew’s back, but he misunderstands her reaction as he assumes his war injuries horrify her. Instead she thinks he is beautiful. The team learns Maddy arrived battered and mute at the Clare farm when she was twelve. Sarah asks Maddy about her suicide note in which she said “I will kill them.” Later Sarah and Matthew have sex, but afterward he apologizes, which hurts her. The trio enters the barn. Matthew sees Maddy; Sarah senses Maddy is near; and Alistair hears music. Maddy tells Sarah that three men violated her as a little girl and she wants revenge. She orders Sarah to find them and her gravesite. Mrs. Clare smashes an oil lamp causing a fire. Matthew rescues Alistair who thinks he is back in combat. Sarah and Matthew investigate when the first unexplained (except by an avenging ghost) murder occurs.

This is an entertaining Post WWI British haunted barn thriller in which the researchers are fully developed, the ghost seems real, and the townsfolk enhance the enjoyable story line. Although the prime romantic subplot between the two research assistants feels forced and unnecessary, fans will appreciate Simone St. James’s well written early twentieth century ghost story.

Harriet Klausner

All Things Wicked-Karina Cooper

2012-01-16T13:13:00.002-08:00

All Things Wicked

Karina Cooper

Avon, Jan 31 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780062046932

Juliet Carpenter the witch fell in love with Caleb Leigh but he betrayed her and killed her Coven of the Unbinding witches who treated him as family. Two obsessions keep Juliet going; she needs to know why but even stronger is a need to avenge what he did to her and her “kin”.

One year later Juliet finds Caleb in a seedy motel, just like the demons he runs from always do. Her compulsion to kill him supersedes her desire to know why so she goes after him with a knife, which she plunges into him. Caleb survives but feels overwhelmed by the guilt of the wicked thing he did though his motive was to protect his sibling Cordelia and himself from her coven’s power grabbing sacrifice of them. When adversaries arrive with dire intentions of abducting the girl and killing her ally, Caleb, who still loves his Jules, knows this is the beginning of his last stand to keep his pledge of insuring the witch who owns his wicked heart is safe as long as what is left of his declining brain stays rational.

The third Dark Mission romantic urban fantasy (see Lure of the Wicked and Blood of the Wicked) expands the incredible Cooper universe beyond the New Seattle environs in a stunning coming of age thriller. Fast-paced and filled with action, readers will relish the romance between two people struggling with an inconvenient truth of being in love at a time when both should be in hate (at him). Wickedly dark, Karina Cooper provides a powerful futuristic twisting tale.

Harriet Klausner

The Scar-Sergey Dyachenko and Marina Dyachenko; translated by Elinor Huntington

2012-01-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

The Scar

Sergey Dyachenko and Marina Dyachenko; translated by Elinor Huntington

Tor, Feb 28 2012, $24.99

ISBN: 9780765329936

In Kavarren, being a member of the highly adulated elite guard, Lieutenant Egert gets whatever he desires. He wants Toria who is engaged to Dinar, but that lesser male is no impediment to arrogant Egert as he kills his rival in a duel. Observing the atrocity, the Wanderer defiantly “names” Egert as a bully and forces him into a duel. The Wanderer cuts Egert’s face leaving him with a painful scar; while his arrogance is drained into cowardice.

Fearful, he deserts his regiment, his family and his friends. Egert reaches the city where grieving Toria lives with her father Luayan the mage university dean. Whereas his daughter loathes Dinar’s killer, Luayan provides him shelter. Every time Egert looks at Toria, he feels shame. He needs her forgiveness before he can grant himself the same. Egert soon faces the Servants of Lash; though he prefers flight Toria’s visage makes him stay while a plague ravages the city. Finally Egert senses he will face the judgment of the Wanderer but feels that is easier than the judgment of Toria.

The Scar is a terrific allegorical second chance at redemption and life sword and sorcery thriller. Character driven by Egert and Toria, the deep storyline focuses on the pair’s lost zest for living following his atrocity. Although the enigmatic Wanderer never quite comes across as to who or what he is (perhaps because this is his second book of a four novel series in which the first entry has not been translated as far as I can tell). Still fans will relish this strong soul saving saga as the prime protagonists must find a way to forgive if they are to save a city under siege.

Harriet Klausner