Unleashed: A Kate Turner, D.V.M. Mystery - Eileen Brady

Unleashed: A Kate Turner, D.V.M. Mystery

Eileen Brady

Poisoned Pen, Aug 4 2015, $25.95

ISBN 9781464203961

Owing a fortune in student loans, veterinarian Dr. Kate Turner accepts a temporary position at the Oak Falls Veterinary Hospital in Upstate New York.  In spite of her recent involvement in a murder case (see Muzzled), Kate loves her new job and locale. 

Kate becomes upset when artist Claire Birnham, the owner of one of her patients Toto the Cairn Terrier, apparently commits suicide.  The vet rejects the premise of Claire taking her own life; as she would never orphan her beloved Toto.  The police soon find evidence of a homicide that leads to the arrest of Eugene Spragg, Kate’s kennel worker.  Rebuffing the police premise that slow-minded Eugene killed someone and ignoring the objections and warnings of police officer Luke Gianetti, Kate looks for motives in others within Claire’s circle especially who gained from her death.

The second Kate Turner amateur sleuth is a thrilling whodunit occurring in a picturesque Hudson River town.  The storyline combines jocularity (no reader will look at a gaggle of geese in the same way) within a murder mystery in which the heroine’s retired firefighting grandfather once again adds newness with his investigative suggestions. 

Harriet Klausner

A Murder Of Mages - Marshall Ryan Maresca

A Murder Of Mages

Marshall Ryan Maresca

DAW, Jul 7 2015, $7.99

ISBN: 9780756410278

Injured on the job, Maradaine Constabulary at Inemar Inspector First Class Loren Rainey lies near death.  Needing to feed and shelter their two children, his wife Satrine arrives at the Inemar Constabulary with forged references to enhance her credentials as a former street rat and ex spy to Captain Cinellan.  Reluctantly he introduces her to her partner, Third Class Inspector Minox Welling on a one week trial basis.

No one voluntarily teams with Welling the “Jinx” as horrid occurrences happen to anyone partnering with this Uncircled mage cop, but Satrine has no choice.  They investigate the shocking homicide of a Circled mage whose heart was removed and extremities nailed into the ground by spikes containing magic in the neighborhood where Satrine was once a rat.  Meanwhile the Circles refuse to cooperate as the mages insist they police their own.  A second corpse as hideously murdered as the first is found, but the Circles remain adamantly silent and civilians rejoice with the deaths of each mage even as an internal war of magic threatens to ignite.

The fabulous first Maradaine Constabulary police procedural fantasy occurs in the same realm as the Thorn of Dentonhill.  The excellent cast makes for a wonderful whodunit; as Satrine faces sexism for being the first female inspector; while Minox deals with mage-ism prejudice of being the first Uncircled inspector.  The people residing in the seedy Maradaine neighborhoods and the Circles reject helping law enforcement as both diverse groups share in common (an extremely rare event) a hatred and distrust of police.  With a nod to M.R. Sellars’ exciting Rowan Gant paranormal mysteries (see Harm None), Marshall Ryan Maresca authors an exceptional serial killer case.

Harriet Klausner

The Cowboy’s Secret Baby - Karen Rose Smith

The Cowboy’s Secret Baby

Karen Rose Smith

Harlequin Special Edition, Jul 21 2015, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373659043

In Fawn Grove, California, Marissa Lopez stops at the physical therapy center to talk to her friend Sara Cramer (see Wanted: A Real Family) when she sees Ty Conroy.  To most people, Ty is a former bull-rider whose career ended with an injury; but to Marissa he is the father of her baby who is unaware he has a son.  Marissa bluntly asks him why he is at the center; he responds knee replacement.

At his family Cozy C Ranch, Jace’s Uncle Eli tells him Marissa is a single mom raising her fourteen month old baby.  Ty cringe when he realizes conception would be when they hooked up.  He visits Marissa who is wearing a T-shirt saying “Jordan’s Mommy”.  Stunned he asks why she failed to inform him; she responds rodeo cowboys cannot be fathers and besides like her dad would resent being forced to marry due to a pregnancy.  She further explains she and Jordan have made it due to the Mommy Club (see A Match Made By Baby).  Finally he insists, as Jordan’s father, spending time with his no longer secret son.  As Jordan’s parents work on the details, their attraction remains palatable.  Soon both conceal from the other they want to become a family of three and counting.

The third Mommy Club family drama displays Karen Rose Smith’s immense talent; as the author makes very fresh an overused technique due to a strong lead trio especially the mommy logic, his family particularly doubting Eli, and the club including stars of previous tales.  Character-driven, love turns The Cowboy’s Secret Baby into no secret anymore as Ty wants to shout to everyone that he is Jordan’s daddy.

Harriet Klausner

Faces - E.C. Blake

Faces

E.C. Blake

DAW, Jul 7 2015, $19.95

ISBN: 9780756409395

With her father being the Autarch Master Maskmaker in Aygrima, Mara Holdfast's future seemed predestined as his apprentice.  However, at her rite of passage ceremony, the mask her father made for her broke apart marking her as a traitor.  Stunned and despondent, Mara is banished from her upper class existence to a deadly short life at a mining camp.  Believing Mara is the key to their revolt, the Unmasked rebels rescue her so that she can create masks for them.  Though like her father Mara can see and use all the colors, her efforts crumble (see Shadows and Masks); unlike her despotic sire, she fears draining the life forces of others needed to compete her magic.

Distrusting her father to instruct her, a wary Mara turns to the only other known person with their skill level, Lady of Pain and Fire to teach her.  As she learns to use her extremely rare talent in the sanctuary of the Lady of Pain and Fire, Prince Chell’s army and the Unmasked plot to overthrow the deadly rule of the Autarch.

Targeting young teens and tweeners, the final Masks of Aygrima fantasy is a tremendous climax to an excellent coming of age trilogy.  The keys to the anticipated confrontation are the heroine and her teammates and allies suffer setbacks that amplify their already deep fears of failure and death; and doubts about the road taken and more crippling thoughts of the “Road Not Taken” (Robert Frost).

Harriet Klausner

Rambles into Sacred Realms: Journeys in Pen & Paint - Krish V. Krishnan

Rambles into Sacred Realms: Journeys in Pen & Paint

Krish V. Krishnan

Shanti Arts LLC, Apr 7 2015, $48.00

http://www.shantiarts.co

ISBN: 9781941830925

Rambles into Sacred Realms is a captivating inspirational memoir; as Krish V. Krishnan tells his spiritual global odyssey in “Pen & Paint”.  Containing unique visions of twelve locales on four continents, Mr. Krishnan “rambles” in paint and sketch, accompanied by explicatory articles.  The author-artist captures what he believes is the essence of “Sacred Realms” he visited in Central America, Thailand, India and Egypt, etc.  Though the essays enhance the art work, it is the visual “picture is worth a thousand words” that grips the audience who will relish stops in Jordan’s Red Desert and Hawaii volcanoes among others on Mr. Krishnan’s refreshing world tour.  Reader friendly (I enjoyed a chapter a week); perhaps the best examples are the sites familiar to most of us: sketches of Stonehenge with its “Hungry Blackbird” dining nearby and the Temple Mount behind the Eastern Wall in Jerusalem.

Harriet Klausner

Death of an Airman: British Library Crime Classics - Christopher St. John Sprigg

Death of an Airman: British Library Crime Classics

Christopher St. John Sprigg

Poisoned Pen Press, Aug 4 2015, $12.95

ISBN: 9781464204821

Visiting England, Australian Bishop of Cootamundra Doctor Edwin Marriott arrives at the Baston Aero Club seeking flying lessons so that when he returns home he can efficiently meet his practitioners spread over a large diocese that takes weeks to traverse with ground transportation.  The cheeky manager Sarah “Sally” Sackbut signs him up before introducing the Bishop to his flight instructor George Furnace.

Edwin arrives for his first lesson, but an irritated Sally tells the Bishop that George is in the air flying solo in spite of knowing of the appointment.  Suddenly the plane crashes killing George.  The official inquiry determines the plane was in excellent shape and the deceased was a great pilot.  Thus the conclusion for the death is undecided though suicide seems most likely even though those who knew him insist otherwise.  Bishop Marriott helps Scotland Yard Inspector Bray investigate the Death of an Airman.

This is an entertaining late 1930s twisting mystery at a time when tensions on the continent are heating up.  The key support cast is underdeveloped but their amusing sauciness somewhat makes up for their two-dimensional characterizations.  The wonderful teaming of the Australian Bishop and the British police inspector make for an engaging investigation.

Harriet Klausner

The Poisoning Angel - Jean Teulé

The Poisoning Angel

Jean Teulé; Melanie Florence (translator)

Gallic, Jul 14 2015, $15.95

gallicbooks.com

ISBN 9781908313683

As Napoleon runs over the continent; back in Brittany Anne Jégado warns her curious seven year old daughter Hélène not to touch the poisonous Thunderflower; the cause of split tongues and other similar ailments.  Following that lecture, her mom begins calling her Thunderflower even as she regales her child with tales of Death’s obedient servant Ankou, the remover of the dead.

Though still a little girl Hélène dedicates her life to Death.  She tests the use of poisoning by placing lethal belladonna berries in her sister’s soup, but her first attempt fails when her mom intercedes.  However, inadvertently Anne also educates her daughter on how to conceal poison in food.  Over the next five decades in many different households employed as a cook, Anne leaves behind a trail of dead including her sister who failed to escape her second poisoning.

This dark biographical fiction of a real nineteenth century poisoner grips the audience with a macabre fascination for the increasing professionalism and creativeness of the lead.  Filled with witty asides and insights, readers will enjoy Jean Teulé’s latest; as no author turns real people and historical incidents into wickedly brilliant comedic graveyard dramas better than him (see The Hurlyburly’s Husband, The Suicide Shop and Eat Him if You Like).

Harriet Klausner