Death Goes Postal-Rosemary and Larry Mild

Death Goes Postal


Rosemary and Larry Mild

Magic Island Literary Works, Aug 13 2012, $14.95

www.magicile.com

ISBN: 9780983859710



In 2004 in Bath, England, Professor Emil Kravitz believes the “old mule” is in his way. Kravitz wants the Herr Koenig's fifteenth century typesetting molds. He visits Professor Abner Fraume to demand the octogenarian hand them over to him, but the old mule refuses; having hid the valuable relics and sent three letters to his sister Edythe Bender in the States as to there whereabouts. Raging out of control Kravitz kills the man standing in his way.



In Annapolis, Maryland Edythe and her husband are ailing so they need to sell their Olde Victorian Bookstore, but refuse to do it to just anyone. They want someone who appreciates old books and will treat the bookstore’s live-in cat Lord Byron with kindness; so she choose their friends Dan and Rivka Sherman. At a book event, employee Liz Nathan mentions the letters, which apparently lead to a break-in and the kidnapping of Rivka; as one of the attendees must be obsessed Kravitz.



Death Goes Postal is a terrific bookstore mystery that is ironically made fresh by the six centuries old typesetting artifacts. The whodunit is fun to follow as readers, Dan and the Feds believe Kravitz is behind the dangerous crimes, but do not know who in the mystery writer’s club he is (though you would think that would be relatively easy to find out). Fans will appreciate this engaging whodunit as the infant days of printing meets the on demand digital age.



Harriet Klausner

Wild About You-Kerrelyn Sparks

Wild About You


Kerrelyn Sparks

Avon, Nov 27 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780062107718



Head of security for Romatech Angus McKay notes Howard Barr the were-bear is missing in Alaska. Five year old Constantine Dragonesti says Howard has videos he conceals from everyone that reveals he has a crush on Amazon Elsa Bjornberg of the International Home Wreckers TV Show.



In Alaska Howard looks over the cliff where his human girlfriend Carly was murdered by Rhett Bledlyn twenty years ago. Howard was exiled for killing Bledlyn in order to keep the werewolves from overwhelming the much smaller were-bear population; but recently he learned Rhett lives so he came home. With allies, he deploys operation three little pigs destroying two of Rhett’s houses and distributing his illegal offshore money to his enemies, endangered villages and charities.



Elsa will work with Howard to renovate a house.. When Howard’s hand touches Elsa’s shoulder birthmark, both burn. Stunned she tells her Aunt Greta that the curse was activated. Greta and Aunt Ula arrive to protect their niece from Howard the berserker. Howard and Elsa discuss family curses as his family lives if the guardian of the forest dies; while the guardian lives if the berserkers die. Soon weres, vampires and guardians will converge on the Adirondacks.



The latest Love at Stake romantic urban fantasy (see Wanted: Undead or Alive) builds off the deft comingled curses turning the strong lead couple into star-crossed lovers. The good, the bad and the misinformed support cast enhances the engaging storyline. Although the confrontation seems weak, readers will enjoy the twisted love story of Howard the bear and his amazon.



Harriet Klausner

Imager's Battalion-L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Imager's Battalion


L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Tor, Jan 22 2013, $27.99

ISBN: 9780765332837



Quaeryt’s brother-in-law, the ruler of Telaryn Lord Bhayar, names him subcommander in the army that is about to punish Bovaria for its recent annexation invasion of their kingdom as part of an effort to unite the five squabbling nations into what it once was as Lydar. Realizing the opportunity to prove the value of imagers like him, Quaeryt logically plans to display leadership, courage, worthiness and loyalty when he takes his unit into combat so that he and his peers become accepted by society as heroic rather than the pariahs they currently are.



However, Quaeryt’s obsession costs the lives of many of his troops in battle yet accomplish little in terms of acceptance. Even with the heroics performed by him and his soldiers, the anti-Imager adversaries at Lord Bhayar’s court and in the military continue their unrelenting assault on Quaeryt and his Imager peers.



The latest Imager Portfolio fantasy (see Princeps and Scholar) is a fascinating tale as brilliant Quaeryt learns that his rational thinking does not mean others will do likewise regardless of what he and his unit achieve. Though there is limited action considering this is a military thriller, series fans still will enjoy the thought provoking concepts generated mostly by a hero with a deep need to belong.



Harriet Klausner

Truancy City-Isamu Fukui

Truancy City


Isamu Fukui

Tor Teen, Nov 13 2012, $19.99

ISBN: 9780765322630



The City continues to be divided between the tyrannical Educators and the rebellious Truants. Neither side is prepared to end the conflict as Educators backed by their deadly Enforcers refuse to give up the power of centrally controlling what is learned; while many of the Truants believe the only way to obtain the freedom to think is to overthrow the ruling oligopoly through bloodshed. Thus the Educators and the Truants share in common a dogma that they are totally right and their enemy totally wrong.



While in-fighting continues unabated with the adversaries entrenched, a third party sees an opportunity to take over the City. Unless the Educators and the Truants can unite against a common foe, both will be eliminated.



The third Truancy thriller (see Truancy and Truancy Origins) is an exciting climax that takes an external spin to Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall." Extremists on both sides reject comprise even with a new threat that endangers both groups. Character driven by reflective rotating leads among the ensemble cast, fans will appreciate this thought provoking tale wondering what will happen to the City.



Harriet Klausner

The K Street Affair-Mari Passananti

The K Street Affair


Mari Passananti

Rutland Square Press, Jan 8 2013, $15.99

58 West Rutland Square; Boston, Massachusetts 02118

ISBN: 9780985894603



Terrorists simultaneously attack several Washington, D. C. Metro stations in the worst assault on American soil since 9/11. While her husband cannot get home, FBI Agents Henry Redwell and Maxwell Van Buren visit Rutledge & Smerth junior associate lawyer Lena Mancuso at her house. The Feds demand Lena assist them prove their case against disgraced lobbyist William Acheson and her employer Q. Randolph Smerth who leads a team she is on defending the former in court. The agents insist the pair knew the terrorist attack was coming and want her to be their informant proving bribery and money laundering involving Smerth and his Clearwater clients Acheson, Russian oil baron Korov and future Saudi ruler Prince Aziz.



Though she insists Smerth is no terrorist abettor, she reluctantly agrees to help the Feds. However, Lena soon realizes the FBI is clueless as to how dangerous and humongous the international octopi of Lotus a “blocker company on steroids” truly are when it comes to profiting from tax free war.



The K Street Affair is a superb financial legal thriller starring a woman whose life is devastated when the Feds knock on her door to recruit her as an undercover operative. Lacking ambition as partnership is not a goal she wants to sacrifice her life for, Lena seems like a poor Hail Mary choice to save the country (and other nations) from a deadly global corporacy. Fans will enjoy this taut tale wondering whether this apparently average person has the guts to risk her life and those of her loved ones to prevent an insider takeover of the country when the impact on her would be insignificant at best.



Harriet Klausner

Private London-James Patterson and Mark Pearson

Private London


James Patterson and Mark Pearson

Grand Central, Dec 4 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9781455515554



In Southern California, Private International’s top gun Jack Morgan saved the life of Hannah Shapiro though she witnessed her mother’s assault. Shook by her near death experience, Hannah attends classes at Chancellors University in London. Her affluent father hires Private International to protect his daughter. Jack assigns Private London’s Dan Carter to keep her safe.



However, someone abducts Hannah to Dan’s chagrin. He desperately searches for her while his former wife Detective Inspector Kirsty Webb works on a case involving the serial kidnaping, rape and organ stealing of young healthy women in which Hannah may be in the queue for harvesting of her body parts.



The latest Private investigative thriller (see Private Berlin) is an engaging tale that is at its best when the focus is on saving Hannah though she seems more jinxed than Joe Btfspik of Li’l Abner fame. When the plot goes internationally big, it loses plausibility especially trying to merge the ex-spouses’ respective inquiries into one. Still fans will enjoy touring England with Private London as our guide.



Harriet Klausner

Cover of Snow-Jenny Milchman

Cover of Snow


Jenny Milchman

Ballantine, Jan 15 2013, $26.00

ISBN 9780345534217



In Wedeskyull, New York, owner of the Phoenix house restoration business Nora and police officer Brendan Hamilton are happily married. Deeply in love, she awakens to find him hanging by an old rope from the ceiling. Officials rule it suicide which his mother Eileen accepts without a second thought.



However, Nora rejects the ruling as she believes her beloved spouse would not have killed himself especially after a night of lovemaking both enjoyed. She investigates but the cops, his family and the remote Adirondack villagers refuse to cooperate. Still even with the silence she receives, Nora finds allies in her sister, autistic Dugger Mackenzie and reporter Ned Kramer as she uncovers strange behavior by her late husband. He obtained sedatives which would explain why she slept very late as he drugged her so she would not interrupt him and she learns of his brother’s death twenty-five years ago though she cannot quite connect the demises of the siblings.



The key to this taut psychological thriller is the cast including the isolated mountain village which seems genuine whether it is the grieving heroine seeking answers, the locals warning her to back off, or her few supporters helping her learn the truth. Atmospheric, fans will enjoy this low key suspense as a bewildered Nora narrates her tale in a town with a whispered dark history.



Harriet Klausner