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Kill All the Lawyers Another rollicking, laugh-out-loud mystery from Paul Levine (Deep Blue Alibi). Only this time it's darker, more revealing and a little more bone chilling thatn ---‘s previous efforts in this series. Sure the charactrers are the same but this time out they, especially Steve Solomon. Stgeve is confronted with a client from the past – a client who wants revenge. Dr. William Kreeger, the client in question has a beef with Steve – and I won't reveal much more than that. But Kreeger is a formidable foe causing Steve to question everything, fear everyone, and nearly loose everyone he loves. Kreeger, a lethal psychologist begins a series of escalating threats which have Steve jumping out of his skin. To be sure, there's plenty of comic relief – Steve and Victoria can't seem to settle on anything in common whether it be just how far to bend the law or whether or not to buy a condo rather than a single home. The characters, major and minor, have been drawn well right from the start of the series. But this is where my one quibble comes in. Steve Solomon is certainly a brash, bend-the-law, almost to breaking sometimes, kind of guy. He can be stubborn and impetuous, sometimes even blissfully unaware how he's coming off to others but he isn't stupid. In this installment, however, he shows a side of himself which may well be called “stupid” and it's out of sync. It kept me frustrated as I read, wondering just why he'd do some of the things he did. But it won't stop me from reading the next book in the series and the many more that readers should hope will be coming.
All Mortal Flesh Spencer-Fleming never fails to please and astonish. Not only is this a well done whodunit, it's also a testament to Spencer-Fleming's powers of description and inventiveness. Anyone who's ever been to places like Miller's Kill in upstate New York the place described in this novel will immediately know that the author is intimately familiar with this world. You feel the cold seeping into everything, you hear the crunch of snow beneath your feet, you understand the isolation of these upstate locations. Episcopal Priest Clare Fergusson and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne are struggling to keep their, now cooled down, affair from ruining their lives. They want people to forget it ever happened. But events won't let them take the easy path. Van Alstyne's estranged (though not divorced) wife is found murdered and all anyone can think about is that aborted affair. The characters are very real people with real problems and you never forget this no matter how dramatic and complicated things may become. The book is filled with twists and turns, drama and conflict. It's one of those books you don't want to put down and you won't, not until you've reached the surprising (unless you're a good detective) conclusion.
Eye of Newt Denise Dietz gives readers a magical mystery filled with humor and a good share of mayhem. Sydney St. Charles, apothecary owner, sells the regulation cosmetics and over the counter grade drugs, but she also peddles spells and potions. Well, she is a witch, even if she doubts the reality of her powers as well as the heritage left her by the long line of witches she is descended from. Her small Colorado town, hoever, doesn't have time to worry about her witchcraft. They're all wrapped up in the murder of the member of a rock band and several other murderous events. Syndey has her hands full but handles it with a dash of humor, some magic, and a lot of thinking. Not only does she get involved with the modern day murder, she finds herself increasingly drawn into a three-hundred-year-old murder, a long-standing family mystery. Dietz deftly handles switching between historical periods, different murders, and a plethora of characters – and does it very well. She also manages to draw a connection between the long ago murder and the rock star killing. Dietz deserves all the praise she's been getting with this book. Love is Blond Ever been to Cassadaga , Florida ? It's a place you may just want to add to your “Places I Must Visit” list. Cassadage is a strange paranormal town, with a coven of witches, psychics, spiritualists, UFO believers, and many, many other unforgettable characters. In this installment in the series, Dees brings us back to his town for a real treat. Ambrose Lunan, famous psychic comes to Cassadaga to conduct a seminar – Patrick, the town's Tarot expert, never acknowledges that Ambrose was his teacher. Never that is until Ambrose winds up dead and Rafael, Partick's partner, is accused of the murder. Of course, Rafael has publicly threatened Ambrose so the accusation is credible. But not believing this can be the case, Lynn calls all the forces at her disposal to help solve the mystery. This return trip to Cassadage is a real treat and a real mystery. The characters are memorable and fun, the writing is tight and vivid, and the whole experience is delightful. Don't miss it – you won't be sorry you read it.
Caribbean Calling Gordon's sleuth, Eddie Gilbert, a Chicago area firefighter, gets himself involved in another case again in tropical climes. Anyone from Chicago will gladly get involved in a murder case just to get out of the cold and into the Caribbean and Gilbert's no different. This time out, Gilbert finds himself on the trail of a young doctor who is missing. As it turns out, she's the prisoner of a drug lord and this leads Gilbert and his sidekick, Mario, on a real and dangerous chase. Actikon packed, tightly written, and with a great feel for the tropical setting, Caribbean Calling is sure to grab your attention. Add to that Gordon's own experience as a firefighter and you have an interesting time in store. In the Wash A slim volume, In The Wash presents the reader with an interesting but all too short mystery. Rona Shively is a private investigator with a penchant for getting herself hurt while on a case. This one proves no different. Set to find the ex-wife of her client, Shively faces danger, deception, and brush with romance. Never fear, though, Rona finds her way to a satisfying conclusion and manages to keep herself intact – well, mostly.
The Blonde Philadelphia is the scene of Swierczynski's newest. He detaiols a long and frightening night in this fast-paced work. The story alternates between journalist Jack Eisley, who is poisoned at a Philadelphia International Airport bar by a beautiful blonde, Kelly White; and Mike Kowalski, an operative for a covert government agency, who must find a scientist who has gone into hiding. Catch is he has to kill the guy and also take Kelly into custody. What do these stories have in common? A dangerous nanotechnology tracking device. Mike's superiors are interested. Kelly is infected with these nano-bad guys that will cause her to kill. Which brings the reader to why she slipped the poison to Jack; she nicely keeps him in tow with the promise of an antidote. This is as hardbopild as it gets and the city itself becomes a character in this charged-up thriller.
Claire Hanover is not very happy these days. Her husband Roger spends way too much time at work, the kids are grown and out of the house and her gift basket business isn't much consolation. Rather bored and lonely, this wasn't the way her life was supposed to go at all. Then, there is the fact that her close friends are divorced and generally bitter towards men in general. Men aren't the good guys they may have been years ago and Roger is one of them. Her good friend Ellen seems to believe that what Claire really needs is a good fling and suggests that Enrique is just the one to show her a good time. It won't be serious and there won't be strings and of course, it won't hurt anyone. Beyond that, Enrique teaches a couple of exercise classes which is how Claire met him and gives a great massage. Even if it doesn't lead to anything else, Ellen is convinced that a really good massage will help adjust Claire's outlook on life. Backed into a corner by Ellen, Claire finally allows Enrique to come over to give her a massage. Whether it could have led to something more, Claire will never know because Enrique is gunned down in her bedroom while giving her the massage. As it happens, Roger is home and there to hold the gun and for Claire and the police it initially appears that Roger did the deed. Claire, slowly realizing what Roger must think she has done and what they stand to lose, begins to try to figure out the case. The police consider it an open and shut case since Roger was there holding the gun that fired the fatal bullet and she no doubt was committing adultery. They see it as nothing more than the husband gunning down his wife's lover in a fit of rage. The fact that Roger also believes she committed adultery makes her finally realize how close she has come to losing him. She soon becomes determined not only to save her marriage but to save her husband. Unlike her basket making business, her blundering could get her killed and yet she soldiers on in her efforts to gift wrap the real killer for police. This cozy style mystery is a real treat to read. Claire quickly becomes a character the reader cares about and one alive in every sense of the word. As her character development continues to grow throughout the novel it becomes clear that Claire is relying on inner resources she never knew she had. At the same time, several of the secondary characters also grow and change and none are given short shrift in terms of plot or development. While the focus is primarily on Claire, the other characters play major roles and contribute to the overall read. Full of twists and turns along with plenty of suspects, the book currently scheduled to be released on March 21, 2007, is sure to keep readers entertained all the way to the end. Clearly the start of a series and a good one at that, this is a book that is sure to please a lot of readers.
The Silence Of The Loons While writers of the southwest in particular write of the broiling heat of summer, writers of a Minnesota background seem to write about the brutal cold of the winter. That brutal cold of the winter is certainly a factor in a number of stories here but not in all of them. The stories do share a number of clues that had to be encompassed in each story. I'm not going to ruin the clue list by explaining it here but it's a good one. So too are the stories in this anthology. Carl Brookins who, among other things, wrote the excellent comedic mystery novel “The Case Of The Greedy Lawyers” which I have reviewed here and elsewhere contributes “A Winter's Tale.” For the recluse, the snowstorm is bad enough but he really doesn't need to find the lost traveler nearly dead in his barn. For Kaye Brock, her past is known by all in “Take Me Out” by Lori L. Lake . Being an ex-con has its burdens as does living up to expectations of others. Then, there is David Housewright's tale “A Domestic Matter”. Jack is convinced his wife wants him dead. Reporter Dan Thorn doesn't believe his old friend at first and then follows the reporter's credo to take lots of notes as it's going to be important later. This anthology also features stories by M.D. Lake , Mary Logue, William Kent Krueger, Judith Guest, Monica Ferris, K. J. Erickson, Ellen Hart, Deborah Woodworth, Kerri Miller, and Pat Dennis. In each of the thirteen stories, some of the clues are the same and yet each author goes in very different directions. While the stories share clues, they also share the fact that almost all of them are highly atmospheric noir style reads. Maybe it's the cold. Maybe it's the short daylight hours. But this is a dark read that should be savored in front of a roaring fireplace. Just make sure you can keep an eye on your surroundings while you are reading.
A Wedding To Die For Then they find out someone has been attacking their florists. It appears another florist in town has targeted them. After there is a murder and their florists shop is bombed, Carrie and Henry decide to try to locate the culprit behind all these acts. Can they do so without putting themselves or anyone else in danger? In the meantime, Carrie has invited Henry's half-sister to the wedding without Henry's knowledge. Will he be upset if she shows up? This is the first book in this series that I've read. I can assure you it won't be the last. I really enjoyed Carrie and Henry. They are great senior sleuths. Henry is a former cop so he has a lot of knowledge about investigations. Carrie just wants to help and gets into many situations. I also like that Carrie has good morals and isn't another twenty-something sleuth. She also has a good head on her shoulders which comes in handy in investigations.
Cattery Row Plus her friends are having their own problems. Rose has received a blackmail phone call. She doesn't have the money they asked for. If she doesn't pay, they will kill her cats. Violet has had some sick kittens stolen from her shelter. Theda gets hired to write a follow up about 4 women. Her friend Rose is one of those women. When Theda goes to interview her, she finds Rose murdered. She figures the blackmailer killed her. The police figure she was involved in the string of robberies of purebred cats. To muddy the waters even more, her ex-boyfriend returns. Should Theda get back with him or work on her relationship with Bill? Can Theda figure out who the killer is and what is really going on without using up her one life? I really enjoy Theda. She's such a fun character. I love the Boston setting as well. I like this series with cats. The author really knows cats. That comes through in the way she has them interact with the humans. Yet, she doesn't feel a need to make them “talk.” I felt this was even better than her debut novel in this series.
Curiosity Killed The Cat Sitter After arriving at the home of a wealthy client, Marilee, to care for her cat, Dixie discovers a man who apparently drowned in the cat's water bowl. She cannot locate Marilee, and soon finds herself in the middle of the investigation. Dixie meets quite a cast of characters and is soon looking for answers the police don't seem to be finding. This puts her in some sticky situations as well as finding another dead person. Can she prove her innocence by finding the guilty party without putting herself in danger? I really enjoyed Dixie . She is fun but also still grieving her loss. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the various pets she cares for. Her brother and his partner really added to the story as well.
Dead and Berried Add to that murders and developers that seem to stop at nothing, and you have Natalie's life on Cranberry Island . Then when her best friend becomes a murder suspect, Natalie knows she has to do something. She has no faith in the local police. Can she solve the murders, keep her best friend out of jail, and save the island without putting herself in harm's way? I love this series. I wish I could go stay at the Gray Whale Inn. The descriptions of the island and the Inn are so wonderful. It sounds like a place you could go to get away from everything. Natalie is a great character as well. She's well-rounded and naturally inquisitive. The recipes and food descriptions will make you hungry! The author has created plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.
Deadly Laws Denver Homicide Detective Bryson Coventry is called to the murder of a man in a box car. Then later a law student is found dead by the tracks. Bryson feels in his gut these cases are related, but he can't find what ties them together. Tracking down a car seen at the first crime scene, Bryson arrives at Kayla's apartment only to find Aspen White. He is drawn to her because she is so beautiful, and they become involved. When more young women go missing and end up dead, Bryson realizes he is on the trail of a serial killer. An FBI profiler, who is also Bryson's friend, comes to help with the case. She's been tracking this guy for years. What neither of them knows is that Kayla and Aspen are also looking for the same guy. Can they find him before he kills again and without putting themselves in danger? I have to say this is one book you will have trouble putting down from page one. The author has done a fabulous job of pulling the reader in and keeping them there. He has a great knack at switching from one part of the story to another at just the right time. He will keep you wondering what is going on until the last page. There are lots of twists and turns and suspense. This is the first book I've read by this author. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more.
Death Of The Party He finally agrees to help and brings Annie along. The island is secluded with no way off until Sunday night. There's no cell phone reception either. When Harry, a hired hand on the island, goes missing, everyone believes he is the murderer. That is until another body turns up. Can Max and Annie find the killer without becoming the next victims? I really enjoyed this book. I think it was the secluded island that cinched it for me. I already liked Max and Annie from previous books. The South Carolina location is wonderful. Having them stranded on an island for a weekend with a killer increased the intensity. I kept trying to figure out who it was. The author did a great job of creating characters that were believable. She gave enough twists and turns to hide the killer to the end.
Dolled Up For Murder Gretchen and Nina know Caroline is innocent, but without being able to contact her, they aren't sure how to clear her name. They start digging into the dead woman's life and the doll collecting community. Can they clear Caroline's name without putting the killer on their trail? This is the first in a new series. It is great. I can't wait to read the next one. Gretchen and Nina are wonderful characters. The theme doll collecting really added to the storyline. The Phoenix setting was great as well.
Friends In High Places When she arrives at Ballantine, she ends up with a more time consuming position than she preferred. And she finds out that things at Ballantine are much worse than she imagined. As her enemy gets closer, Kick finds she has to work hard to keep a step ahead. A young nun comes to Kick with a great jeweled figurine and a story of murder. Kick soon realizes she must sneak into a high-society wedding in the Italian Alps, break into a castle owned by a murderer, and do it with style and finesse so she doesn't get caught. Can she locate the missing items and replace the needed jewels all without raising any suspicions or putting herself in danger? I love this series. Kick is such a great character. She's high society with an undercurrent of intrigue and secrecy. Even though she's now retired, she always gets called out to help by using her skills as a jewel thief. I enjoy these books because I get to see a slice of life that I wouldn't experience any other way. The locations and food are always exotic.
Hung Out To Die Now her grandma “Mamaw” Toadfern wants her to come to Thanksgiving dinner. Against her better judgment, she accepts. Once there, she regrets going. Even more so when her long lost parents show up for dinner. Things go from bad to worse when she finds a dead relative while out walking with a friend. Her mom begs her to help clear her father's name. She doesn't want to do it. But to keep peace in the town, she decides to help. Can she clear her father's name and keep them from ruining the town with their new get-rich scheme? Can she do all this without putting herself in danger? In the meantime, she is having second thoughts about her situation with her boyfriend. Josie is a great character. I always enjoy reading a book in this series. She is so down to earth and likeable. It doesn't surprise me all the situations she gets into. The author has done a great job of creating a town full of quirky but likeable characters. Let There Be Suspects Sid and Ginger's rivalry surfaces immediately, and when Ginger turns up dead, Sid is the logical suspect. Aggie knows Sid couldn't have killed her, so she sets out to find the real murderer before the police arrest Sid. Can she do so without putting herself or her family in danger? And without putting her husband's position in jeopardy? Aggie is a fun character. The fact that she is a pastor's wife really adds to her sleuthing. Her family and all their quirks really adds to the story. Often families get lost in the story as the mother sleuths. Not so in this series. And the sub-plots don't detract from the story at all. In fact they enhance it and make it a well crafted mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
On The Twelfth Night Of Christmas The next morning she goes for a walk and ends up being found drowned in the pond that's iced over. The pond is between the Salt estate and her brother's home. Mark, the Salt's middle son, is a police detective in this district and is soon one of the prime suspects. Some of his time while searching for Mercedes is unaccounted for. The book is set on the Salt estate, and most of it is conducted there, even with the detectives staying at the estate. This family has so many issues with each other, the police are inundated with motives. Then there is a second murder. Can the police figure out who the real killer is before there are any more deaths? Brenna Taylor, one of the detectives, has feelings for two of her colleagues, but due to policy, she doesn't act on them. I do hope she will have a romantic interest in one of the upcoming books. She is a very likeable character. I normally don't like British mysteries, but it helps me a lot when they are written by an American author as this is.
The Oxygen Murder Lori is doing a documentary on ozone and environmental issues. When Gloria goes to her apartment, she stumbles over the body of her camerawoman, Amber Keenan. Later Gloria learns that Amber had been scheming, and there is an abundance of suspects. Can Gloria enjoy her vacation while finding a killer? And can she help Lori stay safe in the process? Before I read my first book in this series, I worried about it being full of science jargon. It's not. The author has done a great job of presenting needed information without taking you out of the story. And all the technical data is in layman's terms. I really like Gloria and Matt. They are a great couple with real problems and issues to deal with. The New York location of this book adds to the story and provides great ambiance.
Perish By Pedicure She hopes her work with Luxor will bring her salon more business, especially after she moves to her new location. She's also hoping to gain more experience and possibly travel with them in the future to other conferences. Luxor director Christine Parks isn't well-liked. This is quickly evident to Marla as she gets to know the staff while setting up for the conference. When Christine ends up dead from poison, Marla begins to suspect everyone and works at trying to uncover the truth. Unfortunately there is another death. Can Marla discover the identity of the killer without putting herself and others in danger? Can she get through this week with Dalton 's ex-in-laws in her house? I really enjoy this series. Marla is such a fun character. She just can't keep herself from sleuthing. Dalton isn't the investigator in this mystery, but he still provides some needed data for Marla to unravel the mystery. I also like the Florida setting. The author has done a great job of creating the characters and plotting the story. And there are plenty of red herrings and twists so that you aren't sure until the killer is revealed who did it. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
In the school Caelie encounters some rude students and there are some mysterious incidents as well as more violence. Can she find the killer in time for Kat to complete her final exams and graduate? Will the fact that her ex-lover Gil Thurman is in town at his new restaurant sidetrack her plans? I enjoyed Caelie. She is a great senior sleuth. She is a lot of fun and cares about her family but doesn't want to be tied down to them or them to her. Apparently she moves around a lot. She doesn't want to get tied down in a relationship either. This makes her a very interesting character and also very three-dimensional in my eyes. The sparks always fly when she's with Gil. There is a lot of mystery as to what might develop between them. I hope that eventually something does. Saddled With Trouble Soon Michaela is embroiled in finding the killer. Plus her aunt asks her to look into a problem with the artificial insemination program her uncle was running for horses. Michaela isn't sure who to trust any more. The more she looks into things, the more she realizes who had possible motives. Her father has gotten himself into big trouble with gambling. Michaela works to help him get out of trouble without losing the family ranch. Can she figure out who killed her uncle without putting herself in danger? I really enjoyed this book. You don't have to be a horse lover to enjoy it. It is so well written. It is a great cozy and you'll find yourself picking it back up constantly to finish it. There are so many wonderful red herrings that it will keep you guessing until the end. Terrific plot and characters really add to the reading experience.
Web Of Evil Ali is surprised to find out that she is the sole heir since the divorce wasn't finalized. The pregnant fiancée is pretty surprised too. She isn't very happy about it, either. Neither is her mother. Ali becomes her the primary suspect in her husband's murder. When bodies start stacking up, Ali gets help from Dave and her mother. Can they find the killer without becoming victims themselves? I love this series. Ali is such a fun character. Her blog really adds to the story as well. The author has done a wonderful job of creating a character that you will really care about. And this story is so full of twists and turns it will keep you guessing to the end. Later that night after celebrating with Carrie and her family, Jo stops by the store. Unfortunately she finds Cuddles the Clown whom she hired dead in her store room. Jo becomes the prime suspect. The gals in her craft classes and Carrie help her set out to clear her name. Carrie's son Charlie is a great help as well. Who is feeing the police lieutenant information about Jo's past and encouraging them to look at her as the prime suspect? Can Jo find the real killer before the killer gets to her? I really enjoyed this book. I've never read anything else by this author, but this will not be the last. |
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