DECEPTIVELY SWEET PLACES WHERE DANGER LURKS — A REVIEW

Tess Monaghan’s roots are in Baltimore, where she grew up in one of the blue collar neighborhoods. As a P.I., she has traversed most of the neighborhoods and is familiar with their history. She and her father are close, almost like pals, so when he asks for a favor, she obliges. An old friend of his, Ruthie Denbrow, wants to know why her brother Henry was killed in his early weeks in prison after confessing to a crime.

The crime, referred to as a Jane Doe murder, because the victim’s identity has never been found, seems fairly straightforward: find out who she was, and the answers will follow.

The Sugar House: A Tess Monaghan Mystery is not just a mystery, but a story of a city. Its culture, the politics, the corruption: all figure into the mystery, and in the end, more lives will be lost and more danger will loom, but Tess is courageous, determined, and even when her father tells her to stop, she won’t. She can’t. That’s who she is. While there is an actual Sugar House in the story, an old Domino Sugar company, its neon sign protectively guarding a mountain of sugar, Tess’s quest takes her to other versions of a Sugar House: places that look sweet and safe, but only from the outside.

Why is someone trying to hide the victim’s identity? After more than a year, why has there been no clue as to who she was? And when Tess finally figures it out, the mystery is even deeper, as the answer only leads to more questions. Who is trying to bury something deep and dark, and is willing to keep killing to hide their secrets forever?

A real page-turner, my favorite parts were the descriptions of the neighborhoods, the characters, and how they all came together to create a cozy world for Tess, even as the dangers mounted. I have read one other book in this series, but now I want to know more. Especially since Tess seems like a friend now, and I want to visit her world again. The ending came together a bit too easily, in my opinion, but it was still a satisfying read. Four stars.

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SWIRLING RIVERS OF LIFE — A REVIEW

 

 

When Neil Kazenzakis and his wife Wendy are on a trip with their son Chris, the unthinkable happens.

Neil is listening to a speaker at a conference, while his wife and son are enjoying the pool in the hotel. A helicopter medi-vac hovers overhead, and soon someone is airlifted away. In the next few moments, Neil is summoned and learns that his wife was involved in a near-drowning.

When the story picks up a few years later, we see the aftermath of Neil’s life: his son is ready to finish high school and is planning for college; and his wife is in a vegetative state in a long term facility.

The story is narrated in Neil’s first person voice, and we learn through flashbacks and memories about his journey forward, replete with all the pain of the loss and the continual reminders of what was and what will never be.

Living in Port Manitou, Michigan, on the farmland owned jointly with Wendy’s widowed mother Carol Olsson, Neil has fashioned a kind of normalcy for himself and son Christopher. He teaches science at the local high school and coaches the girls’ track team. He has started a relationship with Lauren, the hospice nurse who works with Carol. But the two of them are keeping their relationship a secret until just the right time for Neil to tell his son.

But unfortunately, life doesn’t hold back its punches for just the right moment, and soon Neil is engulfed in a horrifying scandal regarding an event at his school…and he could lose everything he loves. Again.

The Banks of Certain Rivers is a captivating story that leads the reader through all of the swirling rivers of life that can engulf a person, much like the dangers of the river that flows through the property. Will Neil manage to work his way through the allegations against him? Will his relationship with Lauren and with his son survive the onslaught that descends upon them?

Finding out kept me rapidly turning pages until the satisfying conclusion. I loved the characters and the author’s ability to engage me and draw me right into the midst of the emotional morass that swirled about them all until the very end. Five stars.

ENTER A FUTURISTIC WORLD WITH CAPTIVATING CHARACTERS — A REVIEW

In this first book of a captivating series, Naked in Death, we meet Lt. Eve Dallas and discover her passion, her commitment, and her focus for solving murders.

Almost immediately, Eve is caught up in a murder investigation that takes over almost everything in her life, and also puts her in the path of a handsome, compelling, and super-rich man named Roark. He follows his own rules without straying too far over the line.

When the first murder turns into a second and a third, Eve and her colleagues begin to suspect that the perpetrator is someone who knows the system well.

Will they find the perp before the killer moves on to Number Four and more? Will Roark turn out to be involved, or is someone trying to frame him? And how will Eve avoid the powerful chemistry between the two of them? Or will she give in to his charms?

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, their chemistry, and the futuristic world in which they live (2058), a world in which guns are illegal, prostitution is legal, and many techno gadgets make life seem much more convenient. I also liked how the author revealed some of Eve’s background so that we can understand what drives her. I can’t wait to dive into the next one! Four stars.

A FASCINATING JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY — A REVIEW

In 1930s London, esteemed artist Nick Bassington-Hope falls to his death the night before a much anticipated exhibition of his latest work. While the police determine it to be an accident, his twin sister Georgina has doubts. As a result, she hires Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator, to conduct her own inquiry.

As Maisie begins the process in her own unique way, she interviews those closest to the victim, while at the same time, learning more about the art world and the victim himself.

Unexpected events draw her into the strange underworld as she follows the paths she discovers along the road to her final outcome.

What familial connections will lead her to some of her final judgments? How will she ultimately discover the hiding place for the missing last work? And how will she bring her investigation to a close?

In this fourth Maisie Dobbs novel, Messenger of Truth (Maisie Dobbs) reveals bits and pieces of Maisie’s earlier life and some of what transpired in previous novels. As this was my first read in the series, I realized that it would have been helpful to read the other books first. However, I was able to maneuver through this one and come to understand Maisie as a character. Her style of investigating was intriguing, as she used meditation, internal dialogue, and a map that charted her progress. In the absence of the kind of technology contemporary investigators take for granted, her style felt like a fascinating journey of discovery.

A story of war, social injustice, and familial disputes led me along new pathways in my discovery of a talented author I had previously not read. The author showed me the contemplative process that defined Maisie Dobbs and made her intriguing. She also showed me the world of London after the war and during a time that meant hardship for many. On the cusp of a new beginning, that world in which the wealthy and the poor interact in a socially proscribed manner is all set to change in unexpected ways. Four stars.

WEAVING A COMPLEX TAPESTRY OF FAMILY LIFE — A REVIEW

In the opening scenes of The Tin Horse: A Novel, we meet Elaine Greenstein, sorting through boxes that hold the memorabilia of her life and the lives of her parents.

Elaine has had a rich and full life as an attorney, and the causes she took on have made her something of a celebrity in her ranks. A young man named Josh, an archivist, is helping her decide which of her mementos to donate to USC . Because Elaine is finally leaving her home in Santa Monica for Rancho Manana, a retirement home that she has dubbed the Ranch of No Tomorrow.

Elaine’s wry sense of humor comes through as she tells the story in her first person narrative. A story that sweeps across the miles and the years to the homes where her ancestors lived, in the Europe of the Nazi years. Starting over in the Jewish communities of America would be like a fulfillment of their dreams. But what happened to each of them, including the struggles, the bigotry, and the reversals, would inform their lives forever.

Moving back and forth with the story, we are sometimes in the present as Elaine moves and settles into her new life. And then we move backward, watching as the answers begin to unfold. We learn many of the secrets, fears, dreams, and longings of the first and second generations of the Greenstein family. And when the secrets are revealed, we see the betrayals beneath them.

What has created the special link between Mama and Barbara? What is the significance of the tin horse? And how will Barbara’s impulsive behavior lead to something she does right after their high school graduation? How will her actions leave a hole in Elaine’s heart, and change the choices she makes from then on?

What will Elaine discover in the boxes that ultimately provides answers about her sister, and how will she finally discover what happened to her?

Richly layered with history, emotion, and the complex tapestry of family life, this is a story with true-to-life characters and settings that fully engaged me. Five stars.

A LIFE OF LOVE & FRIENDSHIP — A REVIEW

Callie Perry is a happily married photographer with two wonderful kids, a lovable sister, Steffi, and a best friend, Lila. Problems are minor: Steffi can never settle down, Lila has finally found love but the guy has a nightmare of an ex, and Callie and Steffi’s divorced parents, Honor and Walter, haven’t spoken in 30 years. But then Callie, a breast cancer survivor, is diagnosed with a rare and incurable complication of the disease. Suddenly realizing that she has only months to live, she begins the painful process of saying good-bye.

For most of the story, I was caught up in the lives of these characters that felt like people I would love to know. While Callie seemed almost too good, I enjoyed Steffi’s quirks and poor choices in men, and loved seeing her slowly find her niche in the little country house in Sleepy Hollow. I enjoyed that she was a chef who reveled in her cooking. Her nurturing side flourished and added dimension to her character.

Another rewarding aspect to PROMISES TO KEEP was seeing Honor and Walter meet each other again for the first time in years and begin to appreciate each other despite the differences and the enmity between them.

How will Callie find a way to celebrate the rest of her life? What special joining together will help them all find a way to deal with her loss? And what unexpected joys and discoveries will come along?

Predictably, there was sadness and loss…and in the end, hope. As some of the characters found love and new lives, we could revel in the whole “life goes on” theme. The author’s epilogue and her final tribute to a friend, Heidi, who died and to whom this book was dedicated, left the reader with feelings of closure.

After each chapter, there were recipes: a kind of homage to Steffi and how she brought joy to her family and friends through her cooking. A feel-good story with moments that brought me to tears, I enjoyed this one, even though it fell into place quite predictably. Four stars.

WHEN THE PAST COMES BACK TO BITE YOU — A REVIEW

In the beautiful setting of Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Blast from the Past: A Mac Faraday Mystery revisits some of my favorite characters: Mac Faraday, Archie Monday, David O’Callaghan, and, of course, Gnarly, the beloved dog that acts as a helper to the police on many occasions.

The story opens at a time twelve years before, when a young woman named Kendra Douglas hears strange noises coming from the library stacks at the University of Maryland. Within minutes, as she leaves for the night, she witnesses a murder.

Flash forward to discover that Archie Monday is experiencing a “blast from the past,” and she is revealed as Kendra Douglas, whose identity and appearance were changed when she was brought into the Witness Protection Program.

The mobster she witnessed murdering the victim has discovered her location. And all hell is breaking loose in the beautiful, wealthy Deep Creek Lake setting.

In the usual fashion that drives any great mystery, we meet numerous characters that figure into the plot in some way, and then there are the characters we are suspicious about, but cannot quite connect to the story until the very end. How does a murder in a Bed and Breakfast connect to any of the other murders in the area? Who is the mysterious bicyclist seen at the scene and then never seen again…until another night when murder and mayhem are happening? And what sneaky dealings is another participant in the Witness Protection Program up to, and how will Archie discover her secrets?

Great characters, fascinating and revealing dialogue, and the kind of pacing that always keeps me reading quickly led to a very satisfying story with a great conclusion. Of course I can’t wait for the next mystery in this series! Five stars.

PLUM FULL OF MAD SCIENTISTS…& MONKEYS — A REVIEW

In the opening scenes of Plum Spooky, we once again see Stephanie Plum involved in her usual bounty hunting, plus a little extra something. Diesel, another hunky guy with special qualities, has popped into her life, and hovering nearby is his cousin Wulf Grimoire, a power-hungry evil entity.

Wulf has partnered up with some power mad science geniuses in an effort to control the elements. And in the Pine Barrens of Jersey, a whole cast of quirky characters will plunge the story into a quagmire of challenges that also include a lot of monkeys.

What do the monkeys have to do with the scheme the scientists are brewing? How will Stephanie manage to keep Diesel under control while he is camping out in her apartment? And how will one particular monkey named Carl seem to add that special something to the story?

As usual, Stephanie gets into a lot of trouble on her way to catching her bounty, and there are still the familiar hot men: Morelli and Ranger. But they are minor characters in this particular romp that had me turning pages rapidly, even as I knew that in the end, Stephanie and her cohorts would save the day. 3.5 stars.

TWELVE SIGNS, TWELVE STORIES: A REVIEW

Twelve individuals with twelve different Zodiac signs form the core of Sign of the Times. Holly Jameson’s story launches the tale as she flies to Pisa, where she will be doing research for a new travel book.

Her fiance Tom stays behind, dealing with his business.

Almost as though the book is comprised of numerous vignettes, we learn bits and pieces about each of the characters as they are introduced. Several chapters spotlight each individual and the intricacies of his or her life, along with the relationships that define them.

While I enjoyed the characters, there were so many of them that I often lost track of who they were as a new story launched another character. Would they eventually be connected to one another? How would each of the individual’s stories unfold?

Themes of challenged relationships, loss, betrayal, and illness form the major plots, even as subplots for each character thread their way through the canvas.

Sometimes the reader is not privy to how the various individuals are connected until later on, which can be problematic for those who like to know who’s who. In the end, the author manages to weave together most of the loose threads in one final sweep. But the style of this tale was too erratic for me; therefore, I’m awarding this novel 3.5 stars. Recommended for those who enjoy unique twists and turns in a contemporary venue.

A SERIES OF CAPERS & TWO HOT GUYS — A REVIEW

Stephanie Plum is in a pickle. Her cousin and the head of the bail bonds company for which she works has been snatched due to gambling debt, and the pay-off is $786,000 and mounting.

So what is a girl to do? With sidekicks Lula and Connie in tow, Stephanie tries to find Vinnie and snatch him back, since the odds of gathering this amount of money are zero to none.

Much hilarity follows, as the somewhat klutzy Stephanie tries various shenanigans to find her cousin and save the day. Meanwhile, she tries to capture a few FTAs along the way.

What or who is really behind Vinny’s kidnapping? How are all the various mobsters somehow connected to the event, making it almost impossible to either satisfy the debt or save Vinny? And how do stink bombs, fire bombs, and a group of Hobbits figure into the complex thrill ride that ends with Stephanie alone in her apartment with one of the hotties she dreams about. But will it be Ranger or will it be Morrelli?

Predictable, a little nutsy, and a page turner, Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum Novels) was also fun. But I think the most fun of all is how much trouble Stephanie gets into and yet somehow manages to get out of…with help from the hotties, of course. But shouldn’t she be developing a few more skills along the way? Or would that make her capers seem boring? 3.5 stars.

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