A Dark and Twisted Tide by Sharon Bolton

Sharon Bolton (previously S.J. Bolton) has added another Lacy Flint novel to her series.  I've only read Dead Scared in this series featuring Lacy Flint and Mark Joesbury, but I've read a couple of Bolton's stand-alone Gothic/Suspense novels:  Blood Harvest and Sacrifice.

I've missed a couple in the Lacy Flint series, and evidently Lacy has made an attempt to get away from the horror of some her last cases by leaving the detective unit and going back into uniform with the River Police.

Poor Lacy--her attempt to escape the darker side of police work doesn't work too well.  While swimming in the Thames, she comes across the shrouded body of a young woman, secured and waiting for Lacy to discover her.

Despite her efforts to remove herself from this kind of investigation, she finds herself drawn into another dangerous situation.  And someone is watching Lacy, delivering strange gifts that seem to hint at something that she doesn't yet understand.

In the meantime, Mark Joesbury has been on an undercover assignment, and there are suspicions that he may have turned.  

An intriguing mystery with some curious characters.  I need to catch up on the books I've missed.

Read in April; review scheduled for May.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books.

Mystery/Police Procedural.  June 3, 2014.  Print version:  448 pages.

The Truth Against the World by Sarah Jamila Stevenson

The Truth Against the World is an interesting ghost story. Olwen Nia Evans and Gareth Lewis, two young people a world apart,  connect through the internet.

In California, Olwen (Wyn for short) posts some of her puzzling dreams on her blog.  Her great-grandmother Rhiannon is terminally ill, and Wyn's life is shadowed by this imminent loss. 

Gareth, in London, has also been having strange dreams.   After a disturbing incident in Wales involving the ghost of a young girl near a grave marked Olwen Nia Evans, Gareth has had more than dreams to contend with--photographs show images that can't be explained and his phone seems to have a ghostly connection.

Gareth's online search for an Olwen Nia Evans leads him to Wyn's blog.  The two begin a conversation and discover that both families have roots in the same small Welsh village.

Wyn tells Gareth that her family will soon be visiting Wales to honor Rhiannon's wish to die there, in the village where she was born.  Gareth arranges to visit his great-grandfather in order to unite with Wyn and hopefully solve the mystery behind their strange dreams.

This YA/Juv novel provides an interesting plot with likable characters and a supernatural element that works well.  No gratuitous angst or sexual imagery.  No condescension to a false image of adolescence.  A neat little ghost story that both Middle Graders and adults can enjoy.

I particularly enjoyed the inclusions of the Welsh language and proverbs.

Read in January; blog post scheduled for May.

YA/Middle School.  June 8, 2014.  Print version:  360 pages.

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

Half a King (book one in the Shattered Sea series) is a suspenseful fantasy, a coming of age story, and a revenge story.  

Prince Yarvi is born with only half of his left hand, earning the scorn of his father (and most of the court).  His older brother is heir to the throne, so Yarvi has been trained as a Minister, an important position as adviser to the king that requires scholarship, knowledge of healing, and an understanding of politics and negotiation.  A position that appears perfect for Yarvi, who has shown no skill as a warrior.

Before he can take his vows, however, his father and brother are killed, and a reluctant Yarvi becomes king to the chagrin of a court and populace who view him as weak and crippled.  He takes a vow of revenge against those who are responsible for his father's death, but his quest for vengeance leads to a reversal he could never have expected.

Among others who have praised Abercrombie's latest work on Goodreads:  Patrick Rothfuss, Robin Hobb, Brent Weeks, and Rick Riordan.

An interesting cast of characters (well-drawn and dynamic), a standard plot with some serious twists, and a protagonist who must make the most of his own abilities.  I'm eager for the next book in the series!

Not scheduled for release until July, but I'm going to publish review early as a Once Upon a Time entry.  Will mention it again closer to publication date.

NetGalley/Random House/Del Rey Spectra

Fantasy.  July 15, 2014.  Print version:  352 pages.

Troll Mountain by Matthew Reilly

I've not read any other books by Matthew Reilly, but I gather that this is his first novel for young people.  It is entirely suitable for his audience.  Character development is limited, but it is the familiar hero's quest and meets all of the requirements for this genre.  

Book Description:  A dauntless young hero.An army of brutal monsters.An impossible quest.Journey to the mountain …In an isolated valley, a small tribe of humans is dying from a terrible illness.
There are rumors, however, that the trolls of Troll Mountain, the valley’s fearsome overlords, have found a cure for the illness: a fabulous elixir.
When his sister is struck down by the disease and his tribal leaders refuse to help him, an intrepid youth named Raf decides to defy his tribe and do the unthinkable: he will journey alone to Troll Mountain and steal the elixir from the dreaded trolls.
But to get to Troll Mountain, Raf will have to pass through dangerous swamps and haunting forests filled with wolves, hobgoblins and, worst of all, the ever-present danger of rogue trolls …The journey to the mountain has begun.  

And there you have it.  The novel is exactly what it says it is and is certainly something young readers might enjoy.  On the other hand, there is little character development (and Raf, the young hero, and Ko, the mysterious old man, are worth more development).  The adventures move too quickly and feel abbreviated.  Maybe it would make a good manga--it would certainly lend itself to illustration.  

Interestingly, this novel was published as a novella series first, then the three novellas combined for the final version of the novel.  Even as a complete novel, it felt rushed and awfully short.

An example of "fantasy light"--that will engage young readers, but leaves a lot to be desired for most adults.   

NetGalley/Momentum Books

Fantasy/YA/Juv.  May 20, 2014.  

Blacklist by Jerry Ludwig

Blacklist is one of the best novels I've read this year.  Maybe this is because the McCarthy Era, the persecution of American citizens during the Red Scare, and the Red Baiting by Hoover has always fascinated and frightened me.  The lives that were ruined, the vindictiveness of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), the betrayals of friends--are all part of a shameful episode in our past that most people now don't even remember and many have never heard of.

However, although this is a period that interests me, that is not all that makes this novel a stand-out.  It is exceptionally well-written, capturing the essence of Hollywood, the abuses of power, the harassment, and the psychological damage to both those who refused to name names and to those who succumbed and named their friends and colleagues.

The novel is written from three viewpoints:  David Weaver, son of blacklisted writer Teddy Weaver, who left the country rather than testify against his friends; Jana Vardian, daughter of Leo Vardian, whose father testified and betrayed friends; and FBI Agent Brian McKenna, Hoover's man in Hollywood.  This was a particularly effective technique that allowed the author to present so many versions of the truth.

Within a few pages, I wondered if the author had intimate experience with this time period and went to the final pages to find out.  The ADDENDUM to the novel turned out to be almost as interesting as the novel itself.  Ludwig explains his connections to Hollywood and to many of the individuals who endured the witch hunt.  He knew two of the Hollywood Ten (those who went to prison for Contempt of Congress because they invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer HUAC's questions); the description of the remarkable Dalton Trumbo is particularly fascinating.  

The parents of one of the author's best friends were blacklisted when he was a child--Ludwig includes other details about his friend and his family that make it obvious that the friend was the inspiration for David Weaver's family.  Ludwig knew Dashiell Hammett and Lillian Hellman (who was blacklisted and told HUAC that she would "not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions." Ludwig knew many others, including the famous namer of names, Elia Kazan.

So...what is the novel about?  David Weaver returns to Hollywood in 1959 to bury his father.  He desperately wants to renew his relationship with Jana Vardian, his childhood sweetheart.  Agent McKenna is immediately aware of his arrival.  These three characters are all connected in the web of past events, and from them, we get information--past and present--from different points of view.

Then people who had ties with HUAC begin turning up dead.  David Weaver looks like a good suspect.

The murder mystery is interesting, but it is the characters that make this novel several cuts above the rest.  The characters and Ludwig's ability to create the atmosphere of Hollywood during the 1950's feel absolutely genuine making this a great book in several ways.

My thanks to NetGalley for this one.  Highly recommended!

Historical Fiction/Mystery.  Macmillan-Tor/Forge.  June 10, 2014.  Print length:  416 pages.

Sorrow Bound by David Mark

Sorrow Bound  is a gritty crime novel.  Set in Hull, Yorkshire, this is the third in the series featuring Detective Sergeant Aector McAvroy, a huge man with red hair and a face that people trust. The detective's appearance and personality contrast with the depravity and violence he often faces in his work.  

The characters are vivid and their circumstances are penned with care and certainty, even if, in some cases, I would rather not be privy to those circumstances.   The murders are violent and twisted and the back story is violent and twisted.  

Although the book held my interest, my final thoughts are that the tendency to create more violent and graphic murders for serial killers becomes formulaic.  D.S. McAvoy's personality and appearance set him apart, but strangely, he doesn't come across as clearly as some of the other characters.  

The main plot is tied up by the end of the novel, but a subplot, a very important subplot for D.S. McAvoy, is a cliffhanger.  I haven't read the first two novels in this series, but I don't really feel that this series suits me.  

read in February; review scheduled for May  

NetGalley/Penguin Group/Blue Rider Press

crime/police procedural.  July 3, 2014.  Print version:  352 pages.  

Quinn Hawk Trilogy by Jim Pugmire

I was looking for another medieval mystery, and I wanted to try another new author--so I perused the offerings and saw a cover that I liked with an interesting book description for 99 cents.  I had such great luck with the Jason Vail books that were also Kindle 99 cent downloads and decided to The Bishop of Canton a try.

The Bishop of Canton, the first book in the trilogy featuring Quinn Hawk, is set in a fantasy medieval world.  There is no magic, but the medieval world Pugmire created is excellent and highly entertaining.  

Written as one book of over 600 pages, the decision was made to divide the original manuscript into two books:  The Bishop of Canton and The Baron of Eastcastle.  At some point, the author decided to continue the story, and The King of Dalatia completed the trilogy.

The story follows young Quinn Hawk who, at thirteen, cannot read and has no skill with weapons.  His parents are dead; his uncle, the Duke of Eastcastle, is resigned to the fact that Quinn will be neither scholar, nor warrior.  

This is a series that improves chapter by chapter and book by book.  The author begins a bit slowly, but then seems to find his way deeper and deeper into the story and the characters.   Quinn, of course, gets the most attention,, gaining confidence as the book proceeds.

Plot:  Instead of traveling with his uncle to the Spring Festival, Quinn has permission to go with his uncle's Weapon Master and his son.  Bastian and his son, Alexander have been Quinn's best friends and supporters for most of his life, and the trip takes on an added excitement for the two boys.  When problems with a wagon wheel develop, Alexander and Quinn decide to take a brief outing while they wait for the repairs.  To their shock, they discover a cart of sacrificial wine and a dying man.  The Bishop of Canton, who has been beaten and fatally wounded, manages to tell Quinn that he has information about his parents' murders.  Quinn has always believed that his father parents (the former Duke and Duchess of Eastcastle) drowned at sea.  

Alexander goes for help while Quinn remains with the dying Bishop, but when wolves threaten him, he is saved by Rowan, a passing ranger, who is very curious about what the Bishop may have said before he died.  Although grateful to the ranger for saving his life, Quinn is reluctant to give information.

Alexander returns with help, and eventually, Bastian and the boys reach Bridgewater where the festival is held.  While there, the boys meet Rhiannon, an orphan who picks Quinn's coin purse, which the boys recover.  Now, we have most of the main characters in play.

Quinn persuades Rhiannon to come with them to Eastcastle.  There are a few more adventures before this book ends in a cliff hanger (remember, the original manuscript was divided into two books) that is resolved in the next book. 

The Baron of Eastcastle begins by recounting some of the events in the previous novel--nothing lengthy--before continuing with the story.  (Yep, I downloaded it immediately, and yes, when the book always refers to the Duke of Eastcastle, I'm not sure why the cover reads Baron.)

Quinn, Alexander, and Rhiannon have returned to Eastcastle where Quinn continues to ponder the mystery of his parents' deaths.  In spite of his uncle's request that Quinn drop the matter, Quinn and Rhiannon decide to follow up on one of the clues.  They sneak away to see if they can get further information, but when Quinn's uncle realizes where they've gone, they are pursued.  

The mysterious ranger appears again; Rhiannon disappears; Quinn is sent to Maladria as a kind of ambassador.  More danger around every corner, but the mysteries concerning his parents and several other deaths are solved.  I hate to skim over all of the adventures, but this is a pretty long post, and some of the adventures result in spoilers.  No cliffhanger;  all is wrapped up.

The King of Dalatia takes place four years later.  Quinn is now at the King's Academy in Roseland.  When he is recruited by the king to find the identity of  "The Voice of the People" more danger ensues.  New adventures and resolution.

------------
I really liked these three books.  So much so that immediately on finishing one, I downloaded the next.  This is an excellent series for young and old.

"Jim Pugmire's Quinn Hawk series provides young readers with three outstanding historical novels featuring the adventures of a teenage boy who was born the son of the former Duke of Eastcastle but must make his own way through a troubled world of intrigue, deceit, and danger. The three deftly crafted novels set in a medieval era include "The Bishop of Canton"; "The Baron Of Eastcastle"; and "The King Of Dalatia". Author Jim Pugmire has a positive knack for engaging his young readers with believable characters in a deftly woven, complex, unpredictable story line that is solid entertainment from beginning to end. This outstanding trilogy is very highly recommended for school and community library historical fiction collections."

-Midwest Book Review

Although my copies are on my Kindle, I've ordered the first two books for my granddaughter in hopes that she will find them as good as I did.  

Blur by Steven James

Blur 

Mystery and paranormal combined, the title refers to the blurring of reality that occurs when the young protagonist Daniel attends the funeral of a classmate who drowned.  Daniel, who knew Emily Jackson only by sight, is horrified when he has a vision of Emily sitting up and grabbing him, insisting that what happened was not an accident and that Daniel needs to find out what happened.

Daniel struggles with his visions and his investigation with the help of his friends.  Who would have killed Emily and why?  Sometimes the blur between the visions and reality become so unclear that Daniel isn't sure about the separation.  As Daniel and his friends work their clues, Daniel finds himself suspecting a number of people--including his best friend and himself.

An entertaining mystery with a supernatural aspect that works well.  

Biography

Steven James is the bestselling author of nine novels that have received wide critical acclaim from Publishers Weekly, New York Journal of Books, RT Book Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal and many others. He has won three Christy Awards for best suspense and was a finalist for an International Thriller Award for best original paperback. His psychological thriller The Bishop was named Suspense Magazine's book of the year. Publishers Weekly calls James "[A] master storyteller at the peak of his game."

ARC from Thomas & Mercer  

Read in April; blog post scheduled for May

Mystery/Paranormal.  May 27, 2014.  Print length:  368 pages.

Any Other Name by Craig Johnson

Any Other Name

The best thing about NetGalley is when offers like Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire series appear.  I love this series
that I began following several years ago thanks to a post by Wendy at Musings of a Bookish Kitty.

I watched one of the A&E series episodes, but after reading the books, the series didn't work for me.  I'm sure it is a great series; I probably would have liked it if the characters were not already in my head.  

Aside from the fact that any dedicated reader of the series loves Walt and Henry and Dog, the pleasure of Johnson's writing provides another layer of appreciation.  Walt and Henry are intelligent, well-read, and thinking individuals.  This ability to create warm and thoughtful characters is one of the strongest points in these novels.  

Walt's daughter Cady is about to give birth, and she wants Walt there.  Walt, however, has let Lucien pull him into an investigation involving the suicide of a friend.  One thing leads to another, and the original case morphs into the cases that Detective Gerald Holman was working on at the time of his suicide.

As Lucian warned Holman's widow, Walt Longmire never gives up and sometimes what he discovers can be things that are unpleasant to know.  In this situation, the deeper Walt digs into the cases of three missing women, the more dangerous things become.

:)  Just a  fun thing to look for:  the lady with the raccoon.  

Read in April.  Blog post scheduled for May 4.

NetGalley/Penguin Group/Viking

Mystery.  May 13, 2014.  Print Length:  324 pages.

Outshine by Nola Decker

Outshine

Gabe Hearst has an unusual kind of...synesthesia?  Well, actually there is no real case of a synesthete being able to detect lies, but when Gabe hears a lie, he tastes rust.  And gets severe headaches.  Since the common social lies (yeah, your hair looks great--love that outfit--no, your butt doesn't look big) and more serious lies of all kinds abound, Gabe's life is pretty uncomfortable.  High school is a misery for him:  in the halls, the lunch room, and worst of all for Gabe, in his history class.

The result is that Gabe is a loner who doesn't like to communicate with his peers because it becomes painful.  Not only does Gabe recognize lies, but when he is lied to, he becomes aware of further information revealing the liar's thoughts.  He is aware of the lie, and the thoughts behind it. Not a pleasant talent to have.  

Jessa is the Queen Bee of Galton High School.  She has cultivated an image as the princess of fluff and style; she is concerned with her appearance and her status; and currently, she has set her sights on gaining Gabe's brother Watts as a boyfriend.  But Jessa, too, has abilities that she hides.  She is a physical powerhouse hiding behind the image of superficiality.

When Gabe's brother Watts disappears, Gabe is secretly delighted because Watts is petty and mean-spirited, going out of his way to denigrate and humiliate Gabe at every opportunity.  Jessa, on the other hand, wants her prospective boyfriend back, and recruits a reluctant Gabe in the search for Watts.

What the two discover about each other and their abilities and about the source of their abilities puts both of them in danger.  Their search for Watts reveals information that frightens and angers them.  

I enjoyed the fast pace of this book.  Gabe and Jessa each have strengths and flaws, but they form a good team. 

The young protagonists are engaging as they unite their distinctive skills to fight the villain and his dastardly plans.  Deacon, the villain, remains more of a comic book character and his network has a sketchy feel.

Although there is a final wrapping up of the plot, a sequel seems obvious.  A quick, suspenseful read.

NetGalley/7 Sparks Press

Mystery/Speculative Fiction/YA.  2014.  Print length:  243 pages.



   

I Am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff

I Am the Weapon  (previously titled Boy Nobody)

A sixteen-year-old boy.  Cute enough, friendly, the new kid at school.  "Benjamin" watches to see what attitude he should strike to make friends fast; to be the kind of person you feel you've known forever and trust.  He does this over and over, moving from one new school to the next when he receives his mission from The Program.  

He needs to befriend a fellow student in order to get close to his target, usually the father of his new friend.  "Benjamin" is an assassin and has been trained since he was twelve.

Parts of the book are very good, but things begin to slip when "Benjamin" meets a girl he begins to care about.  The problem was not in being convinced that the boy could be an experienced assassin--the author does that very well.  The problem is that Sam, the girl, is not believable.  While "Benjamin's" character can be described as spare, Sam's character is simply tissue-paper thin despite an effort to build her character.

After completing the mission involving Sam and her father, Benjamin (almost without thinking about it) goes AWOL from The Program.  Certain memories have him questioning a great many things about his past, his training, and the purpose of his missions.  Cliff hanger ending with resolution in the next book, which will probably also end with a cliff hanger.

I would have liked this one so much more if the whole Sam thing had not interrupted my ability to believe the premise which, although far-fetched, worked for me.   The parts where Benjamin thinks like an assassin are much better the parts with his relationship with the Sam, which feels false from the first time he sees her.  

NetGalley/Little, Brown

Mystery/Suspense.   2014.  Print version:  342 pages.

On the Dark Path: An Anthology of Fairy Tale Poetry

On the Dark Path is very descriptive of the poems in this anthology.  Edited by Anita M. Barnard, most of the poems are quite dark and have a modern, psychological take on the tales.  


I found the little volume disappointing because of the lack of balance and the persistent negativity.  Perhaps I would have appreciated some of the darker poems if there had been a better balance.  Had they been mixed in with poems that were beautiful because of the language, that were whimsical, or that were humorous, reading the darker poems would not have become so onerous.  Might even have been more appreciated.

As it was, the poems began to sound affected, pretentious, kind of pompously psychological.  There were maybe 3 or 4 of the 50+ poems, that caught my imagination.

Several good quotes were placed before the first poem.  I really like the following quote.

Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.  -- G.K. Chesterton, as quoted in Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

The poems in the anthology, however, do not, for the most part, carry the same message. 

Here is one of the few poems that I liked:

Snow White's Dream

the light passing through the glass
seemed distorted     slightly skewed
she feigned sleep     eyes pinched
in prayer     flushed lips
relishing the single bite
still
in her bright box
she wished to be remembered
not for her beauty
nor her sweet manner
but for how she mastered 
her own escape

---Gail Comorant


And another that is dark, but thought provoking:

Hansel and Gretel

When mother read me
Hansel and Gretel I could not believe
even a witch would bake a child.

Even as we read
thousands of children
were tossed into ovens,
small shoes, shirts, 
dresses, pants,
stripped away, piled up
and the last toy 
to which small hands clung for comfort 
pried from reluctant 
fingers.

---Wilda Morris

Poetry/Fairy Tales.  2013.  85 pages.

The Keeper by John Lescroart

My goodness, I've been reading John Lescroart's novels for a long time!  The latest entry in his series about Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky is The Keeper, and I enjoyed it very much.  (Especially since I was disappointed in the previous one, The Ophelia Cut, I was so glad to find that Lescroart can still keep me involved.)

Hal Chase is a guard at the city jail, his wife is missing, and when homicide detectives visit him, he decides it is time for a lawyer.  Dismas Hardy is well aware that the circumstances look grim for Katie, Hal's wife, and that the usual suspect is, indeed, the husband.  However, Dismas entertains an intuition that Hal may not be responsible.

Abe Glitsky, former head of homocide, is now retired, at loose ends, and a little bored.  When Dismas brings him on as an investigator to find evidence of Hal's innocence, Abe has to admit that Hal would be his most likely suspect.  

When Katie's body is discovered and Hal's affair and the large insurance policy on Katie are revealed--well, things don't look good for Hal Chase.  

District Attorney Wes Farrell, Dismas' friend and former partner, is also concerned with suspicious deaths that have occurred in the jail.  What connections can there be between corruption in the jail and Katie's murder?  

Glitsky is now looking at the possibility of other suspects, and it turns out there may be more than would be expected.

Lescroart is in top form, pulling together a number of disparate threads in this tightly constructed plot.  As usual, his characterization is spot on, and the cast of characters, both familiar and newly introduced, feel genuinely human. 

I've been reading this series for about twenty years, and have rarely been disappointed.  The characters have aged, their kids have grown up, their situations have changed, but the San Francisco world that Lescroart has created still feels honest and authentic.

NetGalley/Atria Books

Crime/Mystery/Legal Thriller.  May 6, 2014.  Print version:  320 pages.

The Dragon Boy: Book One of the Star Trilogy by Donald Samson

The Dragon Boy has an interesting oral process of creation, much like the original folk and fairy tales.  Donald Sampson was a Waldorf classroom teacher for nineteen years, and he shared his favorite fairy tales and folk tales and myths with his students.  Then he began a new story, a story that he spun out for weeks and that came entirely from his own imagination.  His students loved the story and begged him to write it down.    And he did.

The story begins with two archetypal characters, Galifalia, an old woman with a back story of heroism, and Aga, an ageless magician.  Aga brings Galifalia a baby boy to raise.  She tells the magician she is too old to raise a child, but she is unable to resist the baby--as Aga knew would be the case.  

The orphan baby grows happy and content in Galifalia's care, but when she dies, the boy has no one and must survive on his own.  He goes each day to the compound where the great dragon Star is kept and asks to speak to the Dragon Master.  His determination finally bears results, and his request to be taken on as a stall boy is granted.

The boy loves his work and makes some good friends, but he also must endure some bullying from one of the older boys.  Though small, his time on the streets has made him tough and determined, and he doesn't let the bullying discourage him, but fights back.  Working with the dragon Star is all he has dreamed of, and his love for the dragon increases.

Star takes to the boy immediately, and one small detail that I liked is that Star purrs when the boy is around.  Something about a dragon purring just appeals to me.  As the relationship grows, it turns out that the boy and dragon share the ability to communicate telepathically, and the dragon takes it upon himself to teach the boy.  The boy becomes the dragon's apprentice--a goal that the mysterious Aga, who brought the orphaned baby to Galifalia, has intended all along.

The Dragon Boy has been honored with a first place gold medal in the 2009 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards for Best First Book.

The Dragon Boy has also received the coveted Mom's Choice Award for juvenile fiction.

I enjoyed this adventure, and since many of the reviews are from young people, it is clear that Samson has reached his target audience.  A great book for read-aloud with parent and child both enjoying the experience, but for middle graders, an involving read on their own.

Once Upon a Time Challenge

Fantasy.  2012, 3rd ed.  245 pages.


              

Hangman by Stephan Talty

Hangman 

Serial killer Marcus Flynn has escaped from prison, and Abbie Kearney finds herself the lead in the investigation.

After murdering four young girls, Flynn's attempt at suicide failed, and the brain injured man was tried and incarcerated. The body of the 4th girl was never recovered, a loose end that hangs over the heads of the police and of her father.

Despite the dragnet in place after his escape, Flynn makes his way back to his old hunting grounds, and almost immediately begins killing again.

Abbie Kearney desperately attempts to stop the Hangman before he kills again, and a young girl has only hours left if Abbie isn't successful.

Hangman reads reads quickly and is a suspenseful adventure.  There are no surprises, really; you can figure most of it out very early, but the turns the investigation takes will keep you interested.

Talty has been compared to Jo Nesbo and Tana French, but Abbie lacks the strange charisma of Nesbo's Harry Hole and the writing lacks the multi-layered psychological approach of French. Not as violent as Nesbo, not as well-written as French.

I had a few questions about a few situations, but didn't go back to see if I just overlooked a few things.   

 Read in Jan.; blog post scheduled for April

NetGalley/Random House/Ballantine

Police Procedural/Crime.  May 23, 2014.  Print Version: 320 pages.

Fatal Inquiry by Will Thomas

Fatal Enquiry is the 6th book in the Barker/Llewellyn series of mysteries set in Victorian London.  I was not familiar with the series, but the book works perfectly as a stand-alone even though the villain was introduced in a previous book.  

Cyrus Barker, a respected private enquiry agent, is man with a complicated and colorful past and a deep appreciation of all things Asian.  Intelligent and intuitive, Barker is also a physical person, known for his skill with both fists and weapons.

 Narrated by Thomas Llewellyn, Barker's young Welsh assistant, the plot mainly follows Thomas in his attempts to save his employer after Barker is accused of murder and on the run.  

Thomas' perspective is limited, and the reader discovers information along with Thomas.  Barker, of course, is often better informed.  

Sebastian Nightwine, the villain of the piece, has a long history with Barker and has recently been granted immunity by the government and returned to London with a dastardly plan.  Taking down Cyrus Barker is only part of it.

Atmospheric Victorian London, a little "cherchez la femme," some homage to Holmes and Watson--but definitely NOT Holmes and Watson, an engaging narrator, assassins....

An interesting and entertaining mystery.  I wouldn't mind reading more in this series, getting a better feel of the background of the relationship between the experienced Barker and the loyal and resourceful Thomas Llewellyn. 

read in February

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books

Mystery/Historic Fiction.  May 13, 2014.  Print version:  304 pages

A Famine of Horses by P.F. Chisholm

A Famine of Horses

I've read one other book in Chisholm's Sir Robert Carey series (An Air of Treason), but A Famine of Horses is the first in the series and very, very good.

A Famine of Horses is a fast-paced tale full of historical detail with many of the characters taken from real life, both the good guys and the bad guys.  On Sir Robert Carey's arrival as Deputy Warden of the West March, he is faced with a murder to investigate.  He must discover the guilty person quickly to avoid further bloodshed.  Another mystery pertains to the shortage of horses; horses are being stolen at an alarming rate, and what, wonders Carey, is the purpose.

I loved Carey's character, but the other characters were well-drawn with distinct personalities, as well.  (oh, and names:  the murdered young man is Sweetmilk Graham, Carey's sister's name is Philadelphia, and then there is Red Sandy Dodd, and Bessie's Andrew, and Bangtail Graham, etc.)  

In An Air of Treason, I was quite fond of Sergeant Dodd, and it was fun to see the beginning of the relationship and get know his wife, a great character in her own right.

This was a Kindle read for 99 cents!  How I love a bargain that turns out to be a so rewarding;  I look forward to the next in the series.

Background on Sir Robert Carey--
The real Robert Carey was the son of Lord Hunsdon, Henry VIII's illegitimate son by Mary Boleyn.  Lord Hunsdon was also Queen Elizabeth's Lord Chamberlain (and half-brother) and patron to Shakespeare.  Obviously, Robert Carey had some interesting DNA to draw from, and he had an interesting life as a dandified courtier in Elizabeth's court.  Then, for whatever reason, he decided to switch to soldiering, and he accepted the position of Deputy Warden of the English West March.  Quite a switch, that.  From courtier to sheriff/marshall of the wildest part of the kingdom in the West March where murders, horse thieves, and outlaws abounded.

Evidently a charming and cheerful man, his memoirs are lively and entertaining, and Chisholm says that she lifted him "practically undiluted from his own writings." 

Information about the West Marches can be found here. 

 P.F. Chisholm is a pseudonym of a well-known writer of historical thrillers, childrens’ books, and nonfiction blogs and ebooks. Previous titles in the Sir Robert Carey and Sergeant Dodd series are A Famine of Horses, A Season of Knives, A Surfeit of Guns, A Plague of Angels, and A Murder of Crows. After the events in An Air of Treason, Sir Robert and Sergeant Dodd will be heading back to the Anglo- Scottish Border where trouble is brewing as usual.  (from Poisoned Pen Press)

Read in March.

Elizabethan mystery.  1999/2012.  Print version:  288 pages.

Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Grumbles from the Forest features poems by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich, with lovely illustrations by Matt Mahurin.  

Fairy tales and poetry, a perfect mix.  Yolen and Dotlich give voice to the many inhabitants of fairy tales: prince or princess, fairy or witch, the gentle, the jealous, the greedy, to the major characters and to the minor characters whose opinions we rarely consider.

As an example, the following two are from the tale of Sleeping Beauty;  the first the lament of the wicked fairy, the second the (ahem) omniscient voice of reason:




Words of the Wicked Fairy

Beauty wakes!
My fun is through.
What's a wicked fairy to do?

I blame myself.
This didn't go well.
Big mistake.
Wrong spell.

I should have given her 
crooked ears,
a runny nose,
chapped lips.
Should've read 
that page on TIPS.

Spell's over.
Imagine this!
All because of a stupid kiss.

-Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Beauty Sleep

Wake up, princess, time to rise.
Open up your dreamy eyes.
Never mind the prince or kiss.
By no means were you raised for this.
Take the plot back from the witch.
Kick her spindle in the ditch!

-Jane Yolen


I liked that there were so many different voices imagined to tell the tales from unique points of view, but the quality of the poems varies.  Some of these poems are very good; some are less so;  all of the illustrations are beautiful.

While I wasn't as delighted with all of the poems as I'd hoped to be, I'll hold final judgement until after the grands give an opinion.  I'm not sure that the book quite knows its target audience.  

Another one for the Once Upon a Time Challenge.

Fairy Tale/Poetry.  2013.   40 pages.

The Flinck Connection (Book 4) by Estelle Ryan

The Flinck Connection   

Govert Flinck (1615-1660) was a Dutch painter during the Dutch Golden Age, and one of his paintings plays a part the latest Genevieve Lenard novel.

I've read all of this series whose titles always include the name of an artist.  Genevieve works for an insurance company in France that insures great art and so far, this has meant 4 mysteries connected with stolen paintings.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist in 1990 has made its way into several novels I've read.  In this one, Genevieve and her team determine who organized and carried out the heist--oh, if only!

You can find out more about the actual theft and see all the stolen paintings  (my favorites are the Vermeer, the Rembrandt, and the Manet)  on the Isabella Gardner Museum site .  

The reward-- "$5 million for information leading to the recovery of these works in good condition and, with the FBI and US Attorney, can ensure complete confidentiality.

I still enjoy all of the characters that populate this series, but the first one is the best.     

read in March

Mystery.  2014.  Print version:  359 pages.

Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani

Sunbolt is the second book I've read by Intisar Khanani.  When I finished Thorn, I was so impressed, I couldn't wait to try another of her books.  

As much as I enjoyed Thorn, I found myself liking Sunbolt even more, with the caveat that I was disappointed to discover that I have to wait for the next book in the Sunbolt Chronicles.  

Both of these books would be wonderful for Carl's Once Upon a Time Challenge, but I read them both before this year's challenge began.  

Hitomi is a young orphan who must conceal her magical talents and her role in The Shadow League, a resistance group in Karolene.  The leader of the Shadow League is called Ghost, and during the effort to help a targeted political family to escape, the only way to keep Ghost from being captured involves Hitomi allowing herself to be captured instead.

She and the family members that survived are held in Blackflame's cages.  Without giving away the details, Hitomi manages to escape, only to be recaptured...and out of the frying pan, into the fire.  

While some details follow the YA fantasy formula, this story has several unique characters and superb writing.  

What a thrilling YA fantasy this was, but as other readers noted, it is too short.  Khanani yanks you into Hitomi's world, keeps you breathless through her adventures, then leaves us eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Read in March.

YA/Fantasy.  2013.  Novella (I know, I'm not crazy about novellas, but I didn't realize it going in, and Sunbolt is so good, I'm making an exception.)