Audrey Reads

The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney

2007-11-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

The Saving Graces
By Patricia Gaffney
Copyright 1999
Published by HarperCollins

Women's Fiction

Emma, Rudy, Lee and Isabel have been friends for ten years. Through marriages and divorces, children and lack of children, career changes and everything else, they have encouraged and supported each other. As the years pass, they just grow closer.

In their early years together, they save an injured dog they name Grace. Thus, their group becomes "The Saving Graces". Together, they save each other from everything life throws at them. There is nothing they can't handle, as long as they have the rest of the group to lean on. Then a disaster strikes, that they can't overcome.

I think this is the new genre called "Hen Lit". Like Chick Lit, but for more grown up women. The characters are in their 30's and 40's. More my speed than Bridget Jones was.

This book is written in first person, with each chapter switching to a different woman. Each character is fully drawn and has her own voice. Once you've met them all, you don't need to look at the chapter headings to see whose turn it is to talk. It's clear who is who.

Even the secondary characters are memorable. By the end, I was madly in love with Henry. And his mother, Jenny, has a scene toward the end that left me howling with laughter. I swear I would recognize that woman if I met her on the street.

Gaffney paints her characters with bold, bright colors, yet they are us. By the middle of the book, they were my friends too. For the first time in longer than I can remember, I had to put a book down because I was crying too hard to read. Then, when I picked it back up, I got the hiccups from laughing and crying at the same time.

I recommend this book for women over 30, to read about their lives. For women in their late teens and 20's, to know what life will be like in 10 years. I even recommend this for men, to help them understand how women think.

Oh heck! Everybody needs to read this one. If I gave out stars, this would get a full five star rating.

The Cleaner by Brett Battles

2007-10-08T10:52:00.000-05:00

THE CLEANER
By Brett Battles
Published by Bantam Dell

Thriller

Because of my involvement with The Writer's Chatroom, I read a lot of debut novels. Some suck. Some are okay. Some show promise for future books, and aren't bad to read.

What's rare is to find a debut novel that reads like it's the author's 10th book. "The Cleaner" is that rare find.

Jonathan Quinn is a "cleaner". He is the one who goes in after a job and disposes of the bodies, removes clues, and generally cleans up the mess. He works for an agency called "The Office". Good money, clandestine work. But he likes it, and it's not too dangerous.

Until he is called in to clean up an arson. When he finds a body where it doesn't belong, The Office goes silent on him, and a professional tries to kill him, Quinn needs answers. Dragging his apprentice, Nate, Quinn runs for his life.

Vietnam seems to be the safest place, and Orlando lives there. She dropped out of his life years ago, but she may be the only person who can help him figure out the mess he's caught up in. Whether she will or not, is the question.

Take a deep breath and leap into the tornado. Quinn, Orlando and Nate continent hop, looking for answers. The uncover the shocking plan, but can they live long enough to stop it?

Did you ever read a thriller, and start to wonder where the character gets the money to keep jumping on planes, changing hotels, etc? Battles handles that early. Quinn has bank accounts, ATM and credit cards in a dozen names. Plus plenty of money in all those banks.

That's a small detail, but one that can derail a novel. Battles' attention to the little details is the icing on this exciting cake. Nothing slips through the cracks. Nothing is left to chance. He ties it all together in a strong net.

This is a five-star thriller. Don't miss it!

RUNNING BLIND by Lee Child

2007-07-22T15:01:00.000-05:00

RUNNING BLIND (Lee Child)
Copyright 2000 by Lee Child
Published by G P Putnam’s Sons

Thriller

Jack Reacher, a former army investigator, is being set-up and framed by the FBI. They are holding charges over his head because they need his help with a very baffling case. Women who once worked for the military are being targeted by a serial killer. The victims have something else in common; they all knew Jack Reacher.

The FBI has no leads. The women are all found dead in their bathtubs, up to their necks in camouflage paint. The strangest thing is that they can’t figure out how they were killed. They aren’t shot, stabbed, strangled, smothered or drowned. There are no signs of a struggle or any violence, but the women are clearly dead.

Jack is in a race against time to save the rest of the women he worked with in the military. But with no clues to go on, he is running blind. The FBI doesn’t seem to agree with any of his ideas, but they are still forcing him to work this case.

Child has written other books about Jack Reacher, and now I want to read them too. I enjoyed this book very much, in spite of the fact that I figured out the killer and the method of death before Jack did. Of course, the reader gets insight on the killer that Jack doesn’t have, so that made a big difference. Fast-paced and enjoyable.

Terminal by Brian Keene

2007-06-10T13:26:00.000-05:00

Terminal
Brian Keene
Copyright 2005 by Brian Keene
Published by Bantam Dell

Thriller

What would you do if you only had a month to live? Tommy O'Brien decides to rob a bank.

Tommy loves his wife and son. Their lives are rough, but they have hope for a better future. A doctor's visit takes that dream away from Tommy forever.

Determined to provide for his family, Tommy and his friends hatch their plans. No one will ever connected them to the robbery, and Tommy can leave this world knowing that his family is taken care of. But Tommy's plans never work out the way he wants.

One of the hostages is a child with a supernatural power. A touch of his hand changes everything, and Tommy's life spirals into another direction.

This is a bittersweet story. Tommy is a good man, who just wants the best for his loved ones. The harder he tries to make things right, the more they go wrong.

I think everyone will be able to identify with Tommy. If you've ever been in desperate straits, you will understand how your mind can sometimes come up with outlandish schemes. Tommy does all the wrong things for the right reasons.

Read it.

The Conqueror Worms by Brian Keene

2007-06-10T13:14:00.000-05:00

The Conqueror Worms
Brian Keene
Copyright 2005 by Brian Keene
A Leisure Book Published by Dorchester Publishing Co Inc.

Horror

Teddy Garnett is writing his story down for the future…if there is a future. The chances are looking slim.

One day it started raining, and didn't stop. The seas rose. Entire cities disappeared under water. But the rain kept coming.

Teddy spins his tale from a mountain in West Virginia. He's seen a lot in his 80-some years, so he decides to sit out the storm at home, instead of evacuating with the National Guard. By Rainy Day 41, he questions his decision. There seems to be nobody left in the world but himself, his friend Carl, and Crazy Earl. And the worms.

On Day 42, the city folks drop out of the sky. Kevin and Sarah have their own story to tell, once things calm down a bit. But the rain doesn't stop.

Brian signed this book "Audrey, read this on a rainy day." I did. I don't recommend it. The sound of rain gave me the creeps for weeks.
Read this book, but read it on a bright, sunny day. Don't worry. Next time it rains, you will remember the book clearly.

COAL RUN by Tawni O'Dell

2007-05-27T16:49:00.000-05:00

COAL RUN
By Tawni O'Dell
Copyright Tawni O'Dell, 2004
Published by Penguin Group

Genre - Drama

Ivan Zoschenko was a high school football hero. An injury ended his career right before leaving for the pros. But it wasn't the accident that crippled him emotionally.

Eighteen years of roaming comes to an end, as Ivan returns home. The local sheriff hires him as a deputy. He moves in with his sister, a still lovely former beauty queen, and all her children. Mom is glad to have him back. He's still considered a small-town football hero. Life is relatively quiet. But a storm is building.

A former teammate is about to be released from prison. Old secrets are about to be revealed. And Ivan will have to face the demons he's been running from.

The characters are bright, vivid people that you will care about. Ivan's sister is definitely her own woman. His childhood idol, Val, has been running from the past as hard as Ivan has. The woman with all the answers will never, ever tell. But secrets are hard to hide in a small town.

I thought O'Dell's first book was really good. This one is even better. Coal Run is set in my home area, and I feel I know these people. Her setting is spot-on, as is the culture of small town western Pennsylvania.
Don't miss this one. It's worth every word.

The Grail Conspiracy by Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore

2007-03-05T13:27:00.000-05:00

THE GRAIL CONSPIRACY
BY Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore
Copyright 2005 by Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore
Published by Midnight Ink, a division of Llewellyn Publications

Mystery

Move over Dan Brown, you lose. Sholes and Moore took your basic premise and did it better.

Rookie SSN reporter Cotton Stone will go as far as she has to, to get a story. Right off the bat, we land in Northern Iraq as Stone is tossed from a vehicle and abandoned in the desert. At night. Alone.

Stone doesn't waste time crying or moaning about her predicament. She gathers up her precious video tapes and starts walking. Of course, she walks straight into the story of a lifetime. A story that could end her life.

A man is killed in front of her eyes. The survivor dies of a heart attack in Stone's arms. With his last breath, he speaks to her…in a secret language spoken only by Stone and her dead twin sister. He shoves a wooden box in her arms and tells her "You are the only one".

The box contains what may be the Holy Grail, the cup Jesus drank from at the Last Supper. And there are people who want it, and Stone.

Stone joins with Biblical scholar and priest John Tyler to figure out the story of the cup…and to stay alive. Tyler is on leave from his priestly duties, trying to find his purpose. He feels there is something important he should do with his life, but he can't figure out what it is. Is Stone his answer? Keeping her safe is definitely a big job.

Cotton Stone is not a weak woman. She's young and confused, but she has inner strength that brings her through everything. Including a family history she never knew.

John Tyler is a man with a mission. He just doesn't know what the mission is. He discovers that everything he's learned and done in his life has been preparing him for this adventure.

Sholes/Moore have created strong characters that we care about, and an adventure story you can't put down. Remember all those long, boring lectures Dan Brown put in his book? Forget about them. The closest Sholes/Moore come to a lecture is the less than two page prologue. All the other history you need to know is scattered through the book in an interesting fashion.
No droning lectures in this book. Sholes/Moore have given us a whirlwind adventure story. Grab it quick, then get the next book in the series!

RAIN FALL By Barry Eisler

2007-02-12T22:22:00.000-05:00

RAIN FALL
By Barry Eisler
Copyright 2002 by Barry Eisler
Published by GP Putnam's Sons

Genre: Thriller

John Rain is a hired killer. His specialty is "death by natural causes". There are three rules for hiring him: He doesn't go after women. He won't take a job if anyone else is on it. And he will only go after a principle character.

Trained by the US Special Forces to fight in Vietnam, he now lives in Tokyo. Something traumatic happened at the end of his Vietnam tour, and Rain turned against his American past. Half Japanese, half American, he is all loner. He doesn't let anyone close. If you allow people to get close to you, you get hurt. He has no intention of getting hurt again.

John Rain is a man torn apart: Japanese/American; soldier/assassin; samurai/ronin. The war is within himself. But he shows nothing on the outside.

Eisler doesn't waste time, dropping us into a hit on the very first page. Rain calmly does his job, but his internal warning system goes on high alert. Something here isn't what it seems.

Circumstances bring jazz pianist Midori Kawamura into his life -- the daughter of the man killed in chapter one. Midori is the key to something she doesn't know about, and she's going to die for it. Rain doesn't like that plan.

This is a fast-paced action thriller. Eisler has created a cold-blooded killer the reader cares about. He makes us feel Rain's agony, and gradually feeds us the back story that turned Rain into the man he is today. The plot twists and turns, drags us into dark alleys and then throws us out into light on the other side. Who can be trusted? Maybe no one. Sometimes, not even John Rain.
This is the first book in a series. Get them all. When you finish this one, you will gasp for air and immediately reach for the next one.

ICARUS by Russell Andrews

2007-02-06T20:14:00.000-05:00

ICARUS

Copyright 2001 by Russell Andrews

Published by Doubleday

Thriller: Violence, minor sex

This I liked! A real thriller, Icarus twists and turns until you aren’t sure who is who and what is what. I had the killer figured out about five times…unfortunately, I thought it was a different character every time.

Jack Keller’s mother was killed in front of him when he was very young. He recovers from the trauma (except for his paralyzing fear of heights) and goes on to have it all. A beautiful, loving wife, business success, friends, good health, and lots of money. In one shattering moment, a gunshot takes what matters, and makes the rest of it worthless.

A young friend from his past returns to nurse Jack back to health, mentally and physically. "Kid" regales Jack with stories of his women, never with their names, only the nicknames Kid has given them. They are all appealing, sexy and extremely dangerous. Then a third tragedy occurs in Jack’s life…Kid is found sprawled on the pavement 20 stories below his balcony.

Jack knows Kid too well to believe it was suicide, so he dives into Kid’s world to find the killer. It is a world of drugs, after-hours clubs, lap dancing, violence and overwhelming sensuality. The closer Jack gets to the killer, the deeper he falls into Kid’s world. What he doesn’t realize is that the killer has been watching him all along. Jack finally realizes that he must find the killer before the killer gets him.

CHILL FACTOR by Chris Rogers

2006-12-04T18:31:00.000-05:00

CHILL FACTOR
Chris Rogers
Copyright 2000 by Chris Rogers
Published by Bantam Books

Bounty hunter Dixie Flannigan discovers that a large amount of cash is missing from her checking account. She heads for her bank to find herself in the middle of a holdup carried out by a most unlikely robber…her sweet senior citizen neighbor, Edna. Kind, gentle, thoughtful Edna leads the police on a high-speed chase that ends in a violent shoot-out. Suddenly, Edna is dead, the loot is missing, and the police say that she is the latest in a string of "granny bandits".

Dixie can’t take this lying down, so she sets everything aside to find out what in the world would make a comfortably well-off widow become a violent bank robber. Since her love life is a mess, she has plenty of time to chase the master manipulator who is putting together a deadly plot. She discovers that a friendly smile can be the most chilling weapon of all.

This is the second Dixie Flannigan novel I’ve read, and I’m looking forward to more. Once again, I figured out the villain before the hero did, but that didn’t take anything away from my pleasure in the book. I enjoyed this one very much.

CASUAL REX (Eric Garcia)

2006-11-27T22:19:00.000-05:00

CASUAL REX (Eric Garcia)
Copyright 2001 by Eric Garcia
Published by Villard Books
Crime/humor

Now this is a detective novel with a twist. Vincent Rubio is a private eye who works in Los Angeles with his partner, Ernie. They handle a lot of divorce investigations, other lower class detective work. Ernie is recently divorced, and can’t seem to get over his ex-wife. When she contacts the men asking for their help, Ernie is ready to dive in with both feet. Vincent is more reticent, but when she explains that her little brother has gotten caught up in a "back-to-nature" cult, they take the case.

Oh, did I mention that they are all dinosaurs?

Yes, Mr. Garcia takes us behind the latex disguises to show that dinosaurs are alive and well, and living right next door. Meet Vincent’s friend Jules, a maker of human disguises for dinosaurs. Jules is a male dino, living as a human female impersonator. Did you follow that?

Circe, a beautiful Velociraptor is a leader of the Progressives, the back to nature cult. She gets under Vincent’s latex suit, and under his skin. The detectives manage to kidnap Ernie’s former brother-in-law from the cult and get him deprogrammed, only to have him commit suicide days later. Something here doesn’t jibe, and the boys are out to find the truth.

From LA to a tiny island in Hawaii, they follow Circe and infiltrate the Progressives, uncovering the dark secrets hiding behind the guises. And of course, they have to solve their other case: the theft of a rare and priceless prosthetic penis treasured in the dino community.

This book was definitely different, but the dinosaur twist wears thin after a while. I believe this is the second of three books about Vincent and Ernie, but it didn’t grab me enough to make me go looking for the others. It wasn’t bad, just wasn’t great.

DARKNESS PEERING by Alice Blanchard

2006-11-20T22:19:00.000-05:00

DARKNESS PEERING
Copyright 1999 by Alice Blanchard
Published by Bantam Books

Suspense - Violence/sexual situations

Police chief Nalen Storrow thought he had moved his family to a safe town. The dead girl face-up in the mud made him wonder about his choice. But worse is still to come…The murderer might be his own son, Billy.

18 years later, a different cop become obsessed with the unsolved murder…Billy’s grown up sister Rachel. No sooner does Rachel reopen the case then another young woman disappears. Once again, Billy is a suspect, along with many others. The harder Rachel searches for the truth, the more the mystery deepens.

The centerpiece of the picture-perfect town is the Winfield School for the Blind and Special Needs…where Billy and the missing woman work, and where the murdered girl went to school 18 years ago. There is a cunning psychopath at work here. Can Rachel find him before anyone else dies…and can she handle what she finds?

A riveting suspense novel. I had to put everything else aside and finish it once I started. Very interesting ending!

Shattered by Dick Francis

2006-10-23T21:57:00.000-05:00

SHATTERED
Dick Francis
Copyright 2000 by Dick Francis
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Dick Francis has written over 40 books in collaboration with his wife, Mary. Mary died shortly after this one was published. She was the chief researcher for his many books. Francis is a former jockey, and his books are all set somewhere in the horse racing world. This one has less horseracing then most do.

The book is full of information on glassblowing, but it is fit into the story so well that you don’t realize you are learning as you read. Mary learned the ins and outs of the industry so that this book would be as authentic as all the others have been.

Gerard Logan is a master glassblower. His best friend is a jockey. When the friend dies in a riding accident, Gerard must unravel a dangerous secret. What was on the missing videotape that his unlucky friend entrusted to his care, and why are so many people determined to get their hands on it? Most of all, where is the tape now?

The search leads our hero all over the place, with little pieces of the puzzle being gathered in the most unlikely places. Gerard also gets his butt kicked quite a few times, but when you know the right people you can find protection. All the characters are fleshed out very satisfactorily, and you will find yourself rooting for Gerard and his band of eccentric friends.

Dick Francis is a very dependable writer. I’ve read dozens of his books, and I’ve never been disappointed.

THE LESSON OF HER DEATH by Jeffery Wilds Deaver

2006-09-30T10:25:00.000-05:00

THE LESSON OF HER DEATH (Jeffery Wilds Deaver)
Copyright 1993 by Jeffery Wilds Deaver
Published by Doubleday

Crime Drama (violence, sexual situations)

Detective Bill Corde heads the investigation into the death of a coed from the nearby college. All clues seem to lead to dead ends, but it isn’t nearly as baffling as his private life. When the killer starts threatening Corde’s family, the two sides of his life entwine.

Hysteria builds the murder into a crazed serial "moon killer" with satanic undertones. The case explodes into all directions when a second coed is killed, and the killer entangles Corde’s haunted wife and troubled teenage son. But his learning-impaired, 4th grade daughter is in the most danger.

Corde works frantically, trying to track down the elusive killer. As he digs deeper into the coed’s lives, he uncovers a seamy underside to campus life. What do the sexual shenanigans of these young women have to do with their deaths? And how can he save his family?

The story was good, but I had a problem with this book. I couldn’t really find a character to care about. Sarah, the daughter was the most interesting main character, but the only one I really found myself caring about was Kresage, a minor character.

I did think I had the killer figured out a couple times, but was wrong each time. I found this book disappointing. I just couldn’t connect with it.

The Black Angel by John Connolly

2006-09-18T21:08:00.000-05:00

THE BLACK ANGEL
By John Connolly
Copyright 2005 by John Connolly
Published by Atria Books (Simon & Schuster, Inc.)

Mystery thriller
Warning: violence

Connolly does it again.

Black Angel is the 4th Charlie "Bird" Parker novel. Over the course of this series, we have been with Charlie through some horrible events. Bad things seem to be drawn to Parker. Finally, we start to figure out why.

A young prostitute disappears from New York City. Her mother shows up on Parker's doorstep, desperate to find her daughter. As usual, Parker can't walk away.

In the first book, Every Dead Thing, Parker lost his wife and daughter to a depraved killer. Since finding the killer and ridding the world of his evil, Parker has tried to rebuild his life. He now has a new love and a new daughter. But evil won't leave him alone.

As Parker searches for Alice, the trail links to a church of bones in Eastern Europe, to the slaughter at a French monastery in 1944, and to the Book of Enoch and the myth of the Black Angel. And, possibly, to the origin of Parker's own internal hell.

Louis and Angel are back as well. In The White Road we learned more of Louis' story. This book deepens that knowledge.

I really can't tell much of the plot without giving away vital information. Connolly gives us history lesson after history lesson, but they are all riveting and germane to the plot. How much truth is in the myth of the Black Angel? Why do murdered spirits speak to Parker? Why do evil men seek to destroy him, and why does he seek them out in turn? What do fallen angels have to do with a drug-addicted hooker sliding fast toward destruction?

Excellent read. I'm chomping at the bit for the next one to come out. This is not a series for the faint-hearted. But it's a must for fans of dark mystery…almost horror at times. No punches are pulled in Connolly's books. I quite often come up gasping for air at the end. The trip is well worth the wild ride.

Be thankful for men like Charlie Parker. And hope you never need him.

Heiress to Evil

2006-08-30T14:27:00.000-05:00

Heiress to Evil

By Athena Sydney

Publish America

Virginia Ann Crane was a white witch and guardian of the Dark Temple. In 1902, she knows that her time has come to an end. She hurries to write down the happenings of her life, so that her descendents will know the what happened and what is to come. She writes her will, bequeathing everything to a distant cousin who hasn’t yet been born. The heiress will arrive in the village exactly 100 years in the future.

Virginia is brutally beaten to death by a man possessed by a dark demon. The demon wants the Dark Temple buried beneath the house, but Virginia holds fast, and dies without giving in.

The rest of her story is told in flashbacks throughout the book. The villagers have been waiting 100 years for the promised heiress. A few days before the anniversary of Virginia’s death, two women appear in the village. Ginny is fleeing an abusive boyfriend, and Georgia has been drawn to Virginia’s house by dreams. Which woman is the heiress?

The story twists and turns, leading down many false alleys. The evil demon is back, but whose body is he inhabiting this time? Who can be trusted?

I’m not into happily-ever-after endings, but I do like a book that ends on a hopeful note. This one doesn’t. The final twist is jarring.

“Heiress to Evil” would have been much better with more editing. There are many typos, misspellings and run-on sentences. There is also a tendency to head-jump. The characters aren’t all fleshed out, some of them almost caricatures.

Regardless, the underlying story is still interesting. Sydney keeps the reader guessing until the end, never quite sure who is whom they seem to be. The information on modern-day magick is interesting also.

A decent read, although another session with a good editor would have made it much better.

After Dark

2006-07-22T01:45:00.000-05:00

AFTER DARK (Phillip Margolin)
Copyright 1995 by Phillip Margolin
Published by Doubleday

Crime Drama (Violence)

Tracy Cavanaugh is a young lawyer with a huge future in front of her. She was a clerk for an Oregon Supreme Court Justice then gets her dream job working with Matthew Reynolds. Reynolds is a legendary attorney who specializes in death penalty defenses.

Laura Rizzatti is a law clerk for Justice Robert Griffen, and a friend of Tracy’s. She is found dead, and her office was ransacked. No suspects are found. A month later, Griffen is killed by a car bomb. This time there is a suspect: Abigail Griffen, star of the district attorney’s office and Justice Griffen’s estranged ex-wife. Did she do it, and are the two murders connected?

Reynolds takes the case, confident that he can get Abby set free. Tracy keeps digging, putting together the pieces of the puzzle. The picture that slowly emerges is a plot so bizarre that Tracy doesn’t know who to trust or where to turn. The only thing she is sure of is that she has to get to the bottom of it all.

I really enjoyed this one. Who the killer is and why they did it is a real twist. I wasn’t expecting it. Great book.

A Certain Slant of Light

2006-06-27T22:38:00.000-05:00

A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT
Cynthia Thayer
Copyright 2000 by Cynthia Thayer
Published by St. Martin’s Press

Peter MacQueen still blames himself for the accident that cost him his family 20 years ago. Elaine Sinclair, devoutly religious, fears that the sins of her past may cost the life of her unborn baby. These two very different characters end up hiding out in the same tiny New England cabin. Friendship can grow in the most unlikely places.

Love doesn’t always conquer all, but learning about yourself and facing your past can bring new beginnings. I’m not against all relationship novels. I found this one quite satisfying. An enjoyable read.

The Ultimate Rush

2006-05-29T12:04:00.000-05:00

THE ULTIMATE RUSH
Joe Quirk
Copyright 1998 by Joe Quirk
Published by St. Martin’s Press

Sex and violence. Action adventure. Adult reading.

Take a deep breath before you start this one. By page 6, you are flying down a steep hill 50 mph…on roller blades. Things don’t slow down much after that.

Computer hackers, skateboarders, roller bladers, Chinese Mafia, insider trading, punk rockers, 20-somethings learning to be adults…this book has all that and more. The reader races through all this at top speed. Sex and violence, sexy violence and violent sex. Love and the bonds of friendship.

Grab your skates and jump aboard for a heart-pounding race that will take your breath away. "A hip, heart-pounding game of cat-and-mousepad that will leave you breathless". That's for sure!

Monstrum

2006-05-29T12:02:00.000-05:00

MONSTRUM
Donald James
Copyright 1997 by Donald James
Published by Villard Books, a division of Random House

Thriller. Violence. Adult reading.

Set in New Russia, 2015. Police inspector Vadim is sent to Moscow to solve a string of unspeakable crimes committed by a serial killer who has become a terrifying local legend called Monstrum.

Vadim’s ex-wife is a general in the army which failed a coup. Once she reappears in his life, things get even more confusing. Who can he trust? Not his former friends, not his ex-wife, not the other police around him. Not even his government. Can he trust the pretty doctor who wants to help him? Or is she using him to get information against his ex-wife? Religion? The most popular "Minister" in the country is running sex orgies and just might be in league with Monstrum. Who is the American doctor, and what is she really there for? Above all, what really happened to Vadim’s son?

A dark, gripping thriller, not for the faint of heart. Vadim is a regular guy forced into a spotlight he doesn’t want at all. He is an imperfect hero, but he does what he has to do. Is he all that different from you and I?

Last Man Standing

2006-04-17T18:05:00.000-05:00

LAST MAN STANDING
David Baldacci
Copyright 2001 by Columbus Rose, Ltd
Published by Warner Books, Inc.

Action/adventure thriller. Violence

Web London is point man of the FBI’s super-elite Hostage Rescue Team. In ten seconds he loses everything: his friends, his team, his reputation.

The team rushes into a high-tech, custom-made ambush that kills everyone…everyone but Web. Now he has to figure out why he froze, why he was the only man to survive, and what happened to the 10-year-old boy who was the only other person to come out of that alley alive.

This is a gripping roller-coaster ride, where you never know who is friend and who is foe. The characters are fleshed out, so you feel you know them. My personal favorite was Big F, a huge black man, the king of drug dealers. He rules the city, amassing money hand over fist. He will kill anyone in his way without a second thought. Until tragedy strikes, and he will gladly give up everything he has to bring Kevin, his beloved son, safely home.

Web is looking for the boy too. Kevin was the boy in the alley and he holds the key to what happened there. But someone has snatched him out from under the FBI’s nose, and the search is on. Web has to face his childhood memories to find missing pieces of the puzzle.

This book grabbed me and held on tight. Even as the pieces fell into place, I still wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. Baldacci left the ending a bit open, so I’m hoping we hear more about Web London. He’s a very interesting man.

Manhattan Hunt Club

2006-04-09T22:07:00.000-05:00

THE MANHATTAN HUNT CLUB (John Saul)
Copyright 2001 by John Saul
Published by Ballantine Books

Thriller

Jeff Converse has his entire life ahead of him. College is coming to an end, and a wonderful girl has agreed to marry him. Life looks bright until that day on the subway…

Suddenly, Jeff finds himself convicted of a very brutal crime. The judge seems to believe his story, and gives him the lightest sentence possible. But someone else doesn’t agree, and they have deadly plans for him.

A shadowy world exists under the streets of Manhattan, a landscape of twisting tunnels and forgotten subterranean chambers. An invisible population of the homeless, the desperate and the mad has carved out its own shadow society there, and Jeff must find his way out. But he isn’t the only one from "up top" running through the tunnels. The hunters are closing in.

This is a terrifying, breath-taking battle of wits. I couldn’t put the book down! John Saul is a master of psychological suspense and heart-stopping terror. Take a deep breath, and enter the hell that lies under our feet, unseen and ignored.

The Last Day

2006-03-24T18:47:00.000-05:00

THE LAST DAY
By Glenn Kleier
Copyright 1997 by Glenn Kleier
Published by Warner Books

Genre: Apocalyptic thriller

1999 is drawing to a close. Will it be just another New Year, or is the world about to end?

Jon Feldman is a TV journalist and a skeptic. His assignment is to cover the millennium chaos. He does so, counting down the days until this assignment is over and he can move on to his next job, political reporting in Washington DC. Then all hell breaks loose…maybe not the right choice of phrase.

Christmas Eve, fiery destruction rains down on a secret scientific installation in Israel. Was it a bomb? A missile? A meteor? Or the hand of God?

At midnight on New Year's Eve, in the middle of a lightning storm and mild earthquake, a beautiful young woman appears. Proclaiming herself the daughter of God and sister of Jesus, Jeza travels the globe speaking on the New Way. Miracles follow in her wake, drawing people together. Other groups brand her a charlatan, a fraud, even the Anti-Christ. Or is she the result of a horrifying scientific experiment?

For whatever reason, she attaches herself to Jon. He fights to find the truth, as he is drawn under her spell. The more "facts" he finds, the more confused he becomes. Is she here to save the world or to destroy it?

I really enjoyed this book. The points discussed are relevant to our world today. Organized religions are facing dwindling populations, and the group who calls themselves "spiritual but not religious" is growing rapidly. This book fits right into that movement.

The Last Day does come down rather hard on Catholicism, and almost as hard on other organized religions. You don't have to be interested in religion or spirituality to enjoy this book. The action keeps it moving without bogging down. Spirituality is the undercurrent, but the mystery and action keep the book moving right along.

Why hasn't anyone made this into a movie? It would have been a blockbuster in 1999, but it could still be a great movie today.

Instruments of Night

2006-03-17T15:11:00.000-05:00

INSTRUMENTS OF NIGHT
By Thomas H. Cook
Copyright 1998 by Thomas H. Cook
Published by Bantam Books

Mystery/thriller

If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you know I'm pretty good at figuring out mysteries. It's not often that the end of a book stuns me. Richard Montanari did with The Velvet Hour. Now Thomas H. Cook has done it too.

Paul Graves knows evil. He writes mystery novels, tales of a horrifying, sadistic murderer, his cringing sidekick, and the man who dogs their steps, determined to end the reign of crime. The books are colored by Paul's past…his beloved teen-age sister was tortured to death in front of him when he was twelve. Her murderer was never found.

Paul is invited to Riverwood, an artists' community. Owner Allison Davies has summoned him to apply his knowledge of crime to the murder of her best friend. Faye was murdered when she and Allison were sixteen. The case was solved…or was it? Faye's mother is dying, still tormented by the unanswered questions of her daughter's death. Allison wants Paul to examine the evidence and write a story that will answer those questions. The story doesn't have to be true, just plausible.

Paul agrees. He begins investigating and is soon joined by another writer spending the summer at Riverwood, Eleanor Stern. Paul has made a life with no ties, no friends, but he is drawn to Eleanor against his will. Meanwhile, the memories of his sister's death haunt him daily.

As the pieces of Faye's puzzling death slowly start fitting together, Paul's memories become more demanding. He shares more of his history with Eleanor than he ever has with a living soul. But can he handle facing it again?

The mystery of Faye's death is interesting, and Paul's discovery of the truth was surprising. But the truth about his sister's death was the real shocker. Who were the men who tortured her so horribly? Why did Paul never tell their names?

This book is violent and not for the faint-hearted. But if you enjoy a great mystery, you want to find this one.

The Godmother

2006-02-26T22:35:00.000-05:00

“The Godmother” by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, (Copyright 1994 by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough) was an amazing book! I’m not sure if I can really describe it. Take Grimm’s Fairy Tales and throw them into 1990’s Seattle. Rose, a frustrated social worker, wishes for a fairy godmother for “the whole damned city”. Enter Felicity Fortune, a honest-to-goodness godmother.

Felicity’s magic net falls far and wide, but are her powers enough to handle Seattle? So many people need her help! There is Sno, whose aging supermodel step mom sends a hired killer after her. Sno runs away and is discovered by the seven Vietnam vets. Hank and his little sister, Gigi, meet an evil man with a gingerbread house. Cindy Ellis loses everything to her evil stepmother and equally evil stepsisters, and must live in a stable. Are you getting the picture?

This isn’t cotton candy fluff. Child abuse, drugs and alcohol, and murderous plots abound. This book shows the dark side of fairy tales, brought into modern day. I laughed aloud, and I shed a few tears, but I was left with a warm feeling of hope for the world.

I thought the author’s name was familiar, so I did a little searching. I was amazed to discover that she is the Nebula Award-winning author of “Healer’s War”, and co-author of the Acorna series written with Anne McCaffrey! How I missed “The Godmother” is beyond me. But I did make the wonderful discovery that she wrote two more Godmother books! Sorry, I have to go now. It’s time for another trip to the library!

For more information on Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, check out her site.

If “The Godmother” doesn’t leave you with the burning urge to go out and do something to help someone less fortunate, you didn’t read it closely enough.

A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT

2006-02-07T21:48:00.000-05:00

A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT
Cynthia Thayer
Copyright 2000 by Cynthia Thayer
Published by St. Martin’s Press

Peter MacQueen still blames himself for the accident that cost him his family 20 years ago. Elaine Sinclair, devoutly religious, fears that the sins of her past may cost the life of her unborn baby. These two very different characters end up hiding out in the same tiny New England cabin. Friendship can grow in the most unlikely places.

Love doesn’t always conquer all, but learning about yourself and facing your past can bring new beginnings. I’m not against relationship novels. I found this one quite satisfying. An enjoyable read.

Killer Swell

2006-02-01T20:23:00.000-05:00

KILLER SWELL
BY Jeff Shelby
Copyright 2005 by Jeff Shelby
Published by Penguin Group (Dutton)
ISBN 0-525-94880-5

Genre: Mystery/Action

Noah Braddock is a surfer dude when he's not being a private investigator. Life is good…until the mother of his first love shows up.

It's been over 10 years since Kate's parents convinced her that she could do better than Noah. Now Kate has gone missing, and her parents want Noah to find her.

In short order, Noah discovers that the missing Kate is far different from the teenage Kate he has never been able to forget. The case leads to drugs and organized crime. Who was this woman his Kate turned into?

This is a first book that reads like part of a series. The cover notes that it is "A Noah Braddock Mystery". Shelby has set himself up here for a good run. Noah is a likeable character, interesting enough to hang a lot of books on.

The supporting cast is well-built too. Carter is a perfect foil to Noah. They are opposites, yet the same, like two sides of the same coin. Carter's less-than-savory connections are a great resource.

Ernie's appearance is brief, but holds promise for lots of future plots. And what more could a PI want in an on-again-off-again girlfriend, then a police detective? Guaranteed conflict!

Costilla is well-done too. Not just a cardboard "bad guy", he is an intelligent man, hard and cold, yet willing to share info with Noah. After the way "Killer Swell" ends, I can definitely see Costilla returning in future books.

Even minor characters are well-rounded. Charlie the Key Guy is only on a few pages, but he comes through sharp and clear. Emily and Randall are also fleshed out.

I did figure out who the killer was, and had a good handle on the motive. But Shelby gives a lot of choice to pick from, and the book is never boring.

I enjoyed meeting Noah and his friends…and enemies. I'm looking forward to our next visit.

UPDATE: After meeting Jeff Shelby, I found out that "Killer Swell" IS the first book in a new series. "Wicked Break" will be coming out this summer. Watch for it!

The Violet Hour

2005-10-27T18:01:00.000-05:00

THE VIOLET HOUR
By Richard Montanari
Copyright 1998 by Richard Montanari
Published by Avon Books, Inc.

Genre: Thriller
Violence, adult language

I’ve now found another author who I will have to schedule, like I do with Stephen King. When I get a new King book, I have to leave it alone until I have time to sit down and read the whole thing in one sitting. Obviously, I will have to do the same thing with books by Montanari.

A cryptic email arrives on five different computers. A popular priest dies from a heroin overdose, apparently during a tryst with a high-priced call girl. Nick Stella knows a big news story when he sees one, and he is determined that this one will hit with his byline. But will he survive to write it?

Amelia finds the email in her husband’s inbox. Is it a love letter from a girlfriend, or something more sinister? Are sins from her husband’s past going to threaten her life, and the life of her little girl? And who is the dark-haired man in her writing class…friend or foe?

This book is spell-binding. I knew who the killer was… three different times. But I didn’t get it right until Montanari was ready for me to know. There are many different stories going on in this book, but they all tie together neatly at the end. The killer keeps asking his victims “What happened that night”, but the reader doesn’t know the big answer until the very end. And it’s startling.

The final wrap-up answers question I didn’t realize I had, and gave the whole story a very poignant twist. I had to ask myself how much better the world would be if people focused on love and healing instead of revenge. That simple decision by the killer would have made this story not even happen.

A terrific novel! Held me until I finished it at 2 am, though I had to get up at 6 am. Richard, you’re stealing my sleep.

This is an older book, Montanari’s second. I also have his latest book, The Rosary Girls, right here on my desk. But I know I don’t dare touch it until I can block out six hours. Richard, you’re really good-looking and a very interesting man, but you’ve got to quit keeping me awake at night…at least, long distance.

Richard Montanari was a guest at The Writer’s Chatroom not long ago. He is a very interesting man. I may have to be more careful who I try to share ravioli with.

Dark Hollow

2005-10-18T23:24:00.000-05:00

DARK HOLLOW
By John Connolly
Copyright 2000 by John Connolly
Published by Simon and Schuster

Thriller
Warning: Violence

Excellent read!

This is Connolly’s second book in the series starring Charlie “Bird” Parker. Bird is a former police officer. In the first book, “Every Dead Thing”, Parker’s wife and daughter were brutally murdered while he was sitting in a bar getting trashed. He left the police department and hunted down their murderer. But the guilt is still riding on his back.

In “Dark Hollow”, Parker is trying to move on with his life. He has moved to his grandfather’s house in Maine and is trying to live quietly. But life doesn’t allow peace for Bird.

Another woman and child are murdered and Parker is driven to join the manhunt. He doesn’t believe the murderer is the obvious suspect, and he sets out to find the real killer. This case will lead him back to his roots, to the case his grandfather was unable to close.

Many different threads weave together to create this story. A mafia boss in trouble with his peers, hired hitmen, and a killer who has remained a shadow for 40 years. Bird keeps digging and eventually ties all the loose ends together, leaving a bloody wake.

Bird is damaged goods, and aches to redeem himself. He dreams the ghosts of murdered women and children, sometimes while awake. His hunger for justice sometimes turns into obsession, and justice can turn into revenge.

Parker has a great supporting cast. Rachel is a psychologist, studying the criminal mind. Her brother was brutally murdered, and she is determined to figure out what makes murderers tick. In the first book, she gets too close to her work and nearly loses her life. Angel and Louis are a gay couple, a retired burglar and a semi-retired hitman. Although we really don’t know much about their pasts, they are so well-written that the reader knows them as real people, not characters. And cares about them.

Connolly’s characters all have a dark side, and it’s hard to find a truly innocent character in his books. But then, who really is totally innocent? These characters are real, and you will welcome them into your life in spite of the violence that surrounds them.

I do suggest reading “Every Dead Thing” first, so you can really get to know Parker and his friends. But hurry along to pick up “Dark Hollow”. I’m headed out for the next book in the series.

LUCKY MAN

2005-07-02T11:55:00.000-05:00

LUCKY MAN
By Michael J. Fox
Copyright 2002 Michael J. Fox
Published by Hyperion

Memoir

Highly recommended.

If he wants, Michael J. Fox has a new career. This book is written in a voice that grabbed me and took me along for the ride. There were times I could hear the voice of Alex P. Keaton or Marty McFly telling me the story. Fox says that he wrote the book himself, with some help from his brother-in-law Michael Pollan and his assitant Heidi Pollock. But his voice shines from every page. Not many celebrities can write in their own voice and make it enjoyable. Kudos to Michael!

Like millions of other people, I grew up with Alex Keaton. It was very interesting to read the story behind the public persona. Fox is blunt and open when discussing his battle with Parkinson’s, his drinking problems and all the mistakes he made. He doesn’t make excuses for his actions, he takes full responsibility. The closest he comes to an excuse is “I was too young to know better at the time”.

Even better, Fox manages to be completely open and honest about his life, while still preserving the privacy and dignity of the people around him. In one story, where he and his brother both came off looking bad, he apologizes to his brother for making the incident public, and assures the reader that he discussed it with his brother before putting it into the book. How many celebrities care that much about protecting the people they love?

Over all, I really enjoyed this book, and I’m not usually a memoir reader. If Fox decides to try his hand at fiction, I’ll be first in line to read it.

NO PLOT? NO PROBLEM!

2005-05-14T14:12:00.000-05:00

NO PLOT? NO PROBLEM!
Chris Baty
Copyright 2004 by Chris Baty
Published by Chronicle Books LLC

Writing

Baty is the originator of NaNo WriMo (National Novel Writing Month) http://www.nanowrimo.com/ . In NaNo, writers put everything aside for the month of November each year, and frantically attempt to write an entire novel…in 30 days.

NaNo is a roller coaster ride for writers. It sounds like an impossible task, but many people manage to do it every year. This book leads you through a process that can make it happen.

Baty has a great sense of humor, and makes the nearly impossible seem like fun. The sub-title of the book says it all: “A low-stress, high-velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days”. Yes, it can be done, if you have the right mind-set. Take this book to heart, and you will be in business.

Even if you aren’t trying to write a full book in 30 days, there are a lot of tips here that will help you in your quest. Baty tosses aside editing as you write, and convinces you to keep pushing on until the entire story is told, no matter what. As he says, you need to put your Inner Editor in a kennel while you’re working on a rough draft. Don’t try to write a perfect book, just write the entire book. Editing is done in the rewrite, after the story is complete.

This method is not for every writer. Some can work just fine with their Inner Editor. But if you are having problems or ever suffered from writer’s block, this is the book for you.

TIME MANAGEMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT

2005-04-27T11:59:00.000-05:00

TIME MANAGEMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Julie Morgenstern
Copyright 2000 by Julie Morgenstern
Published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC

Non-fiction, self-growth, management

This is an excellent book for anyone who feels that there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Morgenstern takes you through a process, step by step, that helps you find the missing hours in your day.

This book goes deeper then just telling you how to organize your time. It helps you realize your priorities and your goals in life, and then leads you into a schedule that will make you feel calmer and more satisfied with your life. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all outline, it is an individualized plan for organization.

Working through the plan in the book helped me to clarify where I am trying to go in my life. And then it helped me schedule my time to get there.

How do you think I found time to start a blog and write up these reviews?

DEATH MATCH

2005-04-27T11:58:00.000-05:00

DEATH MATCH
Lincoln Child
Copyright 2004 by Lincoln Child
Published by Doubleday

Thriller

I am definitely a Child fan now. This book was even better then Utopia.

Eden Incorporated is a matchmaking company, but not your average dating service. Their high-tech method has spectacular success that inspires awe around the world, but the secrecy is legendary.

The Thorpes were not just a good match, they were Eden’s first perfect match. Then why in the world did they commit double suicide? Eden calls in former FBI forensic psychologist Christopher Lash. Lash finds nothing suspicious, but inadvertently dredges up a searing personal tragedy he has blocked out for years.

When the second perfect match commits suicide together, Eden gets desperate. Lash is invited inside the secrecy of the company on a desperate search to find a reason. The technology is stunning and Lash is amazed to discover that Eden really does keep its promise to its clients: the guarantee of a perfect match.

Lash’s investigation becomes more personal and dangerous, the deeper he digs. Who is causing the perfect couples to die? Is it Richard Silver, the mysterious creator of Eden? Some other insider? About the only thing they know for sure is that it’s someone inside. But who?

This was a great read! Once again, Child slips in a lot of technical information without slowing the story. With the proliferation of matchmaking companies today, this is a must read simply for the technology. But it’s also a must-read for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced psychological thriller.

EVERYTHING BURNS

2005-04-27T11:56:00.000-05:00

EVERYTHING BURNS
Christopher Klim
Copyright 2004 by Christopher Klim
Published by Hopewell Publications, LLC

Thriller

Photojournalist Boot Means tracks a serial arsonist across Texas. Someone is setting fires and burning innocent children, and Boot is determined to find out who.

This book left me exhausted. The pace is fast and the emotion is draining. I could feel myself sitting with Boot, holding the hands of a child unable to get out of a burning house. I was crying, just reading it.

Klim really gets into the emotions of the reader. I dare anyone to read this book and then just toss it aside. Klim writes mental pictures that will sear themselves into your brain. By the end, who did it is less important then simply stopping the killing.

This is a very violent book. But well worth the read. Buy it here.

THE VOICES OF HEAVEN

2005-04-20T21:28:00.000-05:00

THE VOICES OF HEAVEN
Frederik Pohl
Copyright 1994 by Frederik Pohl
Published by Tor books, a division of Tom Doherty Associates, Inc.

Science Fiction.

Barry di Hoa was happy with his life on the Moon. He was about to pop the question to his lovely girlfriend, when a romantic rival knocked him out and dumped him on a ship headed for a colony planet 18 light-years away. Waking in a strange world without his lady or his friends isn’t the worst of it. Barry has a manic-depressive problem, and the local doctor doesn’t have medicine to treat it. The planet is populated with large, gentle, caterpillar-like creatures who make friends with our hero. But they don’t have medicine for him either.

The Captain of the star ship has an evil plan up his sleeve. Barry seems to be the only one who can stop him, but will Barry be able to do it before he melts down himself?

WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORK CHOPS?

2005-04-20T21:27:00.000-05:00

WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORK CHOPS?
George Carlin
Copyright 2004 by Comedy Concepts, Inc.
Published by Hyperion books

I’ve loved watching Carlin since I was a kid. This is the second of his books that I’ve read, and I would rather watch him.

It’s not that the material is different. Many parts are familiar, because I’ve seen him do them on screen. But somehow it’s not nearly as funny without seeing the body language and expressions he does on stage.

I also can’t read in small sections. When I sit down to read, I go through pages and pages, sometimes an entire book in one sitting. Carlin should not be read that way.

With this book, as with NAPALM AND SILLY PUTTY, I started off smiling, giggling and occasionally laughing aloud. But after a while, it didn’t seem so funny. Eventually the book started to annoy me. Instead of being funny, it felt mean, nasty and disgusting.

If you enjoy Carlin, read this book. But read it slowly. A few pages the first night, then set it aside for a week. A few more pages, wait another week. Read too much at once, you’ll suffer an overdose.

Next time, I’ll space it out. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it much more.

NIGHTTIME IS MY TIME

2005-04-05T19:34:00.000-05:00

NIGHTTIME IS MY TIME
Mary Higgins Clark, 2004
ISBN 0-7432-0607-X

Mystery

“ ‘I am The Owl,’ he would whisper to himself after he had selected his prey, ‘and nighttime is my time.’”

Who is The Owl, and why is he killing the girls Jean used to sit with in school? Until her class held their twenty-year reunion, nobody had realized that the deaths were murder. They just thought their class had been very unlucky. Five of the seven most popular girls had died since they graduated. Only Jean and beautiful actress Laura are left.

Jean has started receiving mysterious faxes threatening the daughter she secretly gave up for adoption twenty years ago. She doesn’t even know who adopted the girl. How is she going to protect her?

Sam is a detective in their hometown. Now preparing for retirement, his main regret is a twenty-year-old murder he was never able to solve. As he investigates a rash of recent murders, he tries to help Jean find her daughter. Then Laura disappears. Suddenly, everything gets confusing. How are all the deaths related, and what do they have to do with Jean’s daughter? Who is The Owl?

I always enjoy Clark’s books. She has a real knack for creating characters the reader can care about. She is an expert at building suspense and holding us in thrall.

One thing I have learned about her books: when you think you have the killer figured out…you’re wrong. Sometimes, the reader is so happy to have their new friend safe and sound that the killer’s identity doesn’t really seem to matter. We’re just relieved to see the case solved.

Very enjoyable read.

TRICKY BUSINESS

2005-04-04T18:41:00.000-05:00

TRICKY BUSINESS
Copyright 2002 by Dave Barry
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Crime/humor

The Extravaganza of the Seas is a 5,000 ton cash cow, a casino boat that takes gamblers 3 miles from the Florida coast and so they can hand over all their money. A little thing like a tropical storm can’t stop the Extravaganza, and Dave is nice enough to let us come along for the ride.
The cast of characters are REALLY characters. From Fay Benton, a cocktail waitress desperately waiting for something in her life to go right, to Arnold and Phil, two escapees from the Beaux Arts Senior Center, you will meet people eerily similar to the people you know in your life. Throw in a bunch of thugs with names like Tark and Kaz, whose job is the ship’s true business of drug smuggling…or money laundering…or something like that...and you have a recipe for gut-busting belly laughs.

If you liked Dave Barry’s first stab at fiction, "Big Trouble", you will like this one just as much. Barry proves that he can write much more then satirical social commentary. "Tricky Business" is a roller coaster ride along the Florida coast. Or was that a boat trip in a hurricane?

Loved it!

WORLD WITHOUT END

2005-03-29T22:00:00.000-05:00

World Without End by Molly Cochran & Warren Murphy
(TOR books, 1996)
These authors have taken a wide variety of subjects and wrapped them into one amazing book. A modern day adventure story, love story, massive power struggle and a world-wide conspiracy drama. Mental telepathy, time travel, murder, human sacrifice and the lost continent of Atlantis. Throw in the Greek gods as everyday people going about their lives, and you have a very interesting read!

UTOPIA by Lincoln Child

2005-03-29T21:48:00.000-05:00

UTOPIA
By Lincoln Child
ISBN: 0-385-50668-6
Doubleday, 2002

* * * *

Stay out of the amusement parks.

Utopia is the amusement park of the near future, a fantasy land for children and adults alike. Even the most sophisticated and jaded find their jaws drop, once inside its borders. From the most amazing rides in the world, to the realistic worlds of the past and future, to the gleaming casinos, Utopia is a world of wonder.

With much of the work done by robots. To protect it from hackers, it boasts a closed system. You can’t even access email from inside. Nobody can break in from the outside. BUT…someone has broken in from the inside.

Dr. Andrew Warne, who created most of the park’s robotics, is called in to straighten the system out. But time is short. A band of ruthless mercenaries is in the park too, and they have a plan.

It’s a race against time as Warne tries to stop the mercenaries and save thousands of unsuspecting park visitors. As the minutes tick away, Warne becomes more frantic. His only daughter is somewhere in the park.

A roller coaster ride of a story. The characters are realistic and you care about them. Even the technical details are interesting.

Stay out of the amusement park..unless Warne and Poole are with you.