The Deceived
Brett Battles
Delacorte, Jul 2008, $24.00
ISBN: 9780385341578
As a CIA Cleaner, Jonathan Quinn has only one restriction as he rids corpses that must vanish without a trace; his one personal decree is to insure nothing can ever trace in even a remote way to him; he must “disappear” once the job is done.
His current assignment is to clean up the violation of his basic rule of survival. At a Los Angeles port, a shipping container arrives holding a special cargo; inside is CIA agent Steven Markoff, who once saved his life. Quinn knows that besides cleaning the mess, he must inform Steve’s girlfriend, Jenny Fuentes that he is dead and find who sent him this corpse as a special cryptic message. To Quinn’s shock, Jenny is missing and many people want her to stay vanished, which means killing Quinn and his two cronies.
Quinn and his buddies globetrot to Europe following clues that ultimately leads to what appears to be an international conspiracy focused out of Singapore. However, he needs to turn to additional underworld help to close in on his main adversary. At an incredible pace faster than the speed light in spite of stunning plausible twists, fans will relish this electrifying thriller that in many ways is more political than espionage (though some might say all espionage is political).
Harriet Klausner
Friday, May 23, 2008
Vicious Circle-Mike Carey
Vicious Circle
Mike Carey
Grand Central, Jul 28 2008
ISBN: 9780446580311
Following his efforts applauded by the Bonnington Archive ghost who encouraged him, Felix “Fix” Castor reopens his exorcist shingle though he remains impoverished and is concerned for his friend the possessed Rafi. His only income is some consulting sleuthing for the cops, but they are reluctant to give him anything that might lead to more jobs as the constabulary does not want to advertise they employ an exorcist as a part-time contractor.
Fix thinks he has found a fix for his fiscal deficit. He seeks a kidnapped ghost of a little girl, but Asmodeus the evil fire and brimstone malevolent, other nasty demons, Satanists and Ms. Julia the succubus stand in the way of his success. As he battles in and out of churches all sorts of otherworldly species want to recruit him onto their side, he struggles with the underlying concept of why a young female spirit is critical to the universe. Still he works the case while dreaming of a high paying low risk job instead of everything seemingly under the sun trying to kill him.
Readers will enjoy their latest Fix (see THE DEVIL YOU KNOW) as Mike Carey provides an enjoyable urban Noir fantasy in which London once again steals the show with all the supernatural residents that greet Castor. The story line is similar in some aspects to the Dresden Files, but is more humorous as Mr. Carey somewhat lampoons the “rules” of the sub-genre. Readers will appreciate Fix’s London as he seeks paranormal work to pay off a deficit that he insists would be acceptable in America.
Harriet Klausner
Mike Carey
Grand Central, Jul 28 2008
ISBN: 9780446580311
Following his efforts applauded by the Bonnington Archive ghost who encouraged him, Felix “Fix” Castor reopens his exorcist shingle though he remains impoverished and is concerned for his friend the possessed Rafi. His only income is some consulting sleuthing for the cops, but they are reluctant to give him anything that might lead to more jobs as the constabulary does not want to advertise they employ an exorcist as a part-time contractor.
Fix thinks he has found a fix for his fiscal deficit. He seeks a kidnapped ghost of a little girl, but Asmodeus the evil fire and brimstone malevolent, other nasty demons, Satanists and Ms. Julia the succubus stand in the way of his success. As he battles in and out of churches all sorts of otherworldly species want to recruit him onto their side, he struggles with the underlying concept of why a young female spirit is critical to the universe. Still he works the case while dreaming of a high paying low risk job instead of everything seemingly under the sun trying to kill him.
Readers will enjoy their latest Fix (see THE DEVIL YOU KNOW) as Mike Carey provides an enjoyable urban Noir fantasy in which London once again steals the show with all the supernatural residents that greet Castor. The story line is similar in some aspects to the Dresden Files, but is more humorous as Mr. Carey somewhat lampoons the “rules” of the sub-genre. Readers will appreciate Fix’s London as he seeks paranormal work to pay off a deficit that he insists would be acceptable in America.
Harriet Klausner
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Pearl’s Redemption-C.H. Admirand
Pearl’s Redemption
C.H. Admirand
Five Star, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 97815941467005
In Emerson, Colorado, Pearl Lloyd 's life and that of her daughter Amy dramatically improved when her odious abusive spouse died. She inherited the Ranch that her ogre husband had turned into a brothel, but managed to keep him from selling her or her Amy to men.
However, the infamous Committee for the betterment of Emerson place an ad in a Denver paper offering Pearl’s ranch for sale without her approval. Bostonian Davidson Myth buys the spread sight unseen because he is fleeing Massachusetts and the belief that he killed his brother. After the tall female points a gun at him and the sheriff puts him in jail, he and the woman compare notes. They agree to team up for now until they can resolve their differences. As they fall in love, she remains wary of men while he tries to show her that not all males are a beast like her late husband was. Meanwhile someone is willing to kill and has murdered to gain land cheaply; eliminating Pearl and David is acceptable.
The third C.H. Admirand’s Irish Western romance (see THE RANCHER’S HEART) is an entertaining historical that stars two likable heroes conflicted over ownership of the ranch due to that outrageous committee committing fraud. The story line is fast-paced but the audience will feel they are in the Rockies; a trademark of a Ms. Admirand tale. Fans will relish this fine entry as a somewhat beleaguered depressed and bone weary heroine is quite a pearl of a woman desspite of all she has been through. She has hope for a better future for her and Amy.
Harriet Klausner
C.H. Admirand
Five Star, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 97815941467005
In Emerson, Colorado, Pearl Lloyd 's life and that of her daughter Amy dramatically improved when her odious abusive spouse died. She inherited the Ranch that her ogre husband had turned into a brothel, but managed to keep him from selling her or her Amy to men.
However, the infamous Committee for the betterment of Emerson place an ad in a Denver paper offering Pearl’s ranch for sale without her approval. Bostonian Davidson Myth buys the spread sight unseen because he is fleeing Massachusetts and the belief that he killed his brother. After the tall female points a gun at him and the sheriff puts him in jail, he and the woman compare notes. They agree to team up for now until they can resolve their differences. As they fall in love, she remains wary of men while he tries to show her that not all males are a beast like her late husband was. Meanwhile someone is willing to kill and has murdered to gain land cheaply; eliminating Pearl and David is acceptable.
The third C.H. Admirand’s Irish Western romance (see THE RANCHER’S HEART) is an entertaining historical that stars two likable heroes conflicted over ownership of the ranch due to that outrageous committee committing fraud. The story line is fast-paced but the audience will feel they are in the Rockies; a trademark of a Ms. Admirand tale. Fans will relish this fine entry as a somewhat beleaguered depressed and bone weary heroine is quite a pearl of a woman desspite of all she has been through. She has hope for a better future for her and Amy.
Harriet Klausner
One Small Victory-Maryann Miller
One Small Victory
Maryann Miller
Five Star, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594146992
In Texas teenager Brad Brennan was driving too fast high on drugs when he crashed; he killed his passenger Mike Jasik and he was nearly dead in the hospital. Mike’s single mom flower shop owner Jenny is stunned to learn Brad was deriving high on dope though Mike was clean but dead.
When her fifteen years old other son Scot informs her that drugs are easy to obtain, she decides to take action. She informs Police Lieutenant Steve Morrity she needs to join the undercover drug task force. His superior Chief Gonzales agrees if she passes the physical test. Steve commiserates with the grieving mom and lies to his superior that she did pass the test. The rules are simple: no one is to know what she is doing including her two surviving children, her best friend or her canine. Her son and her daughter Alicia notice her acting strange and they inform their dad, who threatens a custody suit although he never showed an interest in their kids. Still she needs to bring down the Main Man if she is to sleep at night even though that places her in danger.
ONE SMALL VICTORY is an engrossing suspense thriller with a hint of romance that is intelligently kept very minimal and mostly off page futuristically possible. Obsessed Jenny makes the story line work as she must do what she does in order to stop drug trafficking at least in her small town. Fans will appreciate her courage and fixation while also wanting to scream at her that she has two other kids. Maryann Miller showcases how difficult it is to win the over three decade war on drugs on a macro scale, but individuals can help secure small local victories; albeit not necessarily by going undercover.
Harriet Klausner
Maryann Miller
Five Star, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594146992
In Texas teenager Brad Brennan was driving too fast high on drugs when he crashed; he killed his passenger Mike Jasik and he was nearly dead in the hospital. Mike’s single mom flower shop owner Jenny is stunned to learn Brad was deriving high on dope though Mike was clean but dead.
When her fifteen years old other son Scot informs her that drugs are easy to obtain, she decides to take action. She informs Police Lieutenant Steve Morrity she needs to join the undercover drug task force. His superior Chief Gonzales agrees if she passes the physical test. Steve commiserates with the grieving mom and lies to his superior that she did pass the test. The rules are simple: no one is to know what she is doing including her two surviving children, her best friend or her canine. Her son and her daughter Alicia notice her acting strange and they inform their dad, who threatens a custody suit although he never showed an interest in their kids. Still she needs to bring down the Main Man if she is to sleep at night even though that places her in danger.
ONE SMALL VICTORY is an engrossing suspense thriller with a hint of romance that is intelligently kept very minimal and mostly off page futuristically possible. Obsessed Jenny makes the story line work as she must do what she does in order to stop drug trafficking at least in her small town. Fans will appreciate her courage and fixation while also wanting to scream at her that she has two other kids. Maryann Miller showcases how difficult it is to win the over three decade war on drugs on a macro scale, but individuals can help secure small local victories; albeit not necessarily by going undercover.
Harriet Klausner
In For a Penny-Maggie Toussaint
In For a Penny
Maggie Toussaint
Five Star, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594146466
In Maryland at the Hogan’s Glen Golf Course, Cleopatra Jones and her best friend Jonette are playing around. Jonette is killing Cleo at their game because the latter “sees” the figurative face of her ex-husband Charlie on her ball so she slams it for the seats. On the sixth hole, her ball lands in the inseam of deceased local banker Donny “Dudly” Davis who lies in a sand trap.
Detective Britt Radcliffe leads the investigation into the homicide in which Jonette is acting strange. Soon Jonette becomes the prime suspect with Cleo, dodging her mom and battling daughters Charla and Lexy, investigating in order to prove her best friend is innocent even as she is attracted to club pro Rafe Gordon and ignores her cheating ex spouse who wants a second chance.
Though Cleo’s mom can be a distracting hook as she overwhelms her scenes, fans will enjoy this amateur sleuth as the heroine displays her moxie and loyalty by investigating the homicide expecting to prove her best friend is innocent. However every clue Cleo finds adds a nail to the case against Jonette. Fans will enjoy this fun mystery wondering whether the golf pro, the ex husband or no one will score with the heroine.
Harriet Klausner
Maggie Toussaint
Five Star, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594146466
In Maryland at the Hogan’s Glen Golf Course, Cleopatra Jones and her best friend Jonette are playing around. Jonette is killing Cleo at their game because the latter “sees” the figurative face of her ex-husband Charlie on her ball so she slams it for the seats. On the sixth hole, her ball lands in the inseam of deceased local banker Donny “Dudly” Davis who lies in a sand trap.
Detective Britt Radcliffe leads the investigation into the homicide in which Jonette is acting strange. Soon Jonette becomes the prime suspect with Cleo, dodging her mom and battling daughters Charla and Lexy, investigating in order to prove her best friend is innocent even as she is attracted to club pro Rafe Gordon and ignores her cheating ex spouse who wants a second chance.
Though Cleo’s mom can be a distracting hook as she overwhelms her scenes, fans will enjoy this amateur sleuth as the heroine displays her moxie and loyalty by investigating the homicide expecting to prove her best friend is innocent. However every clue Cleo finds adds a nail to the case against Jonette. Fans will enjoy this fun mystery wondering whether the golf pro, the ex husband or no one will score with the heroine.
Harriet Klausner
The Price Of Silence-Camilla Trinchieri
The Price Of Silence
Camilla Trinchieri
Soho, Jun 2008, $13.00
ISBN: 9781569474976
In Manhattan Emma Perotti teaches English as a second language. Five years ago, Chinese immigrant An-ling Huang signed up to attend Emma's ESL class. Emma felt the frightened young girl’s loneliness and overall defenselessness. Emma suffers from guilt from an incident involving the death of her other child as an infant. She has hidden her culpability from her husband Tom for years. she brings An-ling into her family.
Whereas An-ling thrives on her teacher’s motherly attention; Tom is irate and resents the intruder; An-ling perceives his loathing Emma while Tom’s teenage son Josh forges his own special relationship with her. However, when An-Ling is found suffocated to death, Emma is arrested. During her trial secrets the Perotti conceal from one another and that of the deceased Chinese woman surface.
This is an exciting family drama as guilty secrets lead to an implosion. The story line is fast paced from the moment Emma feels that helping the vulnerable An-ling will give her some solace from what she accidentally did years earlier to her little girl. Although the climax feels too easy, readers will appreciate this look at relationships when lies are key elements of the foundation.
Harriet Klausner
Camilla Trinchieri
Soho, Jun 2008, $13.00
ISBN: 9781569474976
In Manhattan Emma Perotti teaches English as a second language. Five years ago, Chinese immigrant An-ling Huang signed up to attend Emma's ESL class. Emma felt the frightened young girl’s loneliness and overall defenselessness. Emma suffers from guilt from an incident involving the death of her other child as an infant. She has hidden her culpability from her husband Tom for years. she brings An-ling into her family.
Whereas An-ling thrives on her teacher’s motherly attention; Tom is irate and resents the intruder; An-ling perceives his loathing Emma while Tom’s teenage son Josh forges his own special relationship with her. However, when An-Ling is found suffocated to death, Emma is arrested. During her trial secrets the Perotti conceal from one another and that of the deceased Chinese woman surface.
This is an exciting family drama as guilty secrets lead to an implosion. The story line is fast paced from the moment Emma feels that helping the vulnerable An-ling will give her some solace from what she accidentally did years earlier to her little girl. Although the climax feels too easy, readers will appreciate this look at relationships when lies are key elements of the foundation.
Harriet Klausner
The Salisbury Manuscript- Philip Gooden
The Salisbury Manuscript
Philip Gooden
Soho, Jul 2008, $24.95
ISBN 9781569475126
In 1873, London attorney Thomas Ansell travels to Salisbury to pick up Canon Felix Slater’s manuscript of his father’s explicit memoir. George Slater was a compatriot of the great romance authors like Lord Byron, but his reputation was earned for his hedonistic ways especially womanizing.
After Thomas and Slater meet, someone murders the latter in his study; the murder weapon is a flint spearhead. The local police find Ansell near the corpse with his hands wet with blood. He knows he is prime suspect though the motive the cops assign to him is greed re stealing the manuscript. Not trusting the police to look elsewhere and needing to clear his name of scandal let alone murder suspicion, Ansell investigates.
This interesting Victorian amateur sleuth hooks the audience with an engaging whodunit and an unusual writing style that initially stuns the reader, but once adjusted seems apropos as it adds to the sense of time and place. Ansell is a fascinating protagonist who knows he is in over his head when he applies his legal skills to a murder mystery, but feels he has no choice. Although the ending seems too obvious, THE SALISBURY MANUSCRIPT is a fun late nineteenth century English mystery.
Harriet Klausner
Philip Gooden
Soho, Jul 2008, $24.95
ISBN 9781569475126
In 1873, London attorney Thomas Ansell travels to Salisbury to pick up Canon Felix Slater’s manuscript of his father’s explicit memoir. George Slater was a compatriot of the great romance authors like Lord Byron, but his reputation was earned for his hedonistic ways especially womanizing.
After Thomas and Slater meet, someone murders the latter in his study; the murder weapon is a flint spearhead. The local police find Ansell near the corpse with his hands wet with blood. He knows he is prime suspect though the motive the cops assign to him is greed re stealing the manuscript. Not trusting the police to look elsewhere and needing to clear his name of scandal let alone murder suspicion, Ansell investigates.
This interesting Victorian amateur sleuth hooks the audience with an engaging whodunit and an unusual writing style that initially stuns the reader, but once adjusted seems apropos as it adds to the sense of time and place. Ansell is a fascinating protagonist who knows he is in over his head when he applies his legal skills to a murder mystery, but feels he has no choice. Although the ending seems too obvious, THE SALISBURY MANUSCRIPT is a fun late nineteenth century English mystery.
Harriet Klausner
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