The Black Room (Dark Ground) Review

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(More customer reviews)Gillian Cross is back with the second book in her Dark Ground Trilogy! Quick note to readers who have not read the first book: The Dark Ground. This review will contain spoilers for the first story, so you may want to read it before you continue on in this review. Fans of Gillian Cross have been waiting quite a time for this next book in the trilogy. Fortunately, the Black Room is now out and this strange saga can continue!
The story reopens not long after we left characters in The Dark Ground. Robert and his sister continue to try and help those tiny folk he left behind, providing them with materials to last out the winter. But the Robert who has returned to his old life is not the same boy he was before--and his best friend Tom is beside himself trying to figure out what's happened to change him so drastically. Tom is not about to lose his friend quietly, but when he discovers what Robert and his sister are doing he's reluctantly forced to accept that something impossible and incredible is going on. Robert desperately wants to help his small friends rediscover their own lives and when he discovers a chance to help his friend Lorn, he'll do anything he can to save her. With Tom's help, Robert is determined to find Lorn and rescue her before the coming winter, but can he deal with the dark truths that he will discover?
This is one of those books where it is nearly impossible to explain the story properly without giving huge amounts of it away. Ms. Cross' work continues to be profoundly different from the usual fantasy story. There is nothing cute or twee or sparkly in this tale, despite using the convention of miniature people and the strange magic that has caused them to be "shrunk". In fact, it's easy to forget this is a fantasy, despite the strangeness that goes on. The author's writing style takes what is strange so matter-of-factly that it becomes just one more piece in a gripping and bizarre story. The style is refreshing after reading so many stories where characters spend endless time reflecting and considering and analyzing things. Characters relate through confrontation and action, all of which seems real without falling into stereotype and painful cliché. Some readers might find the style a bit brusque, but it worked for me. The plot may be less satisfying for some readers in that it doesn't clear up the pervading mystery nor does it exactly hint what's going to happen to our characters by the end of the trilogy. If the author intends to illuminate the why's of what's happened, there's going to be a lot of ground for book 3 to cover! Still, the ending is unexpected and satisfying in its own unique way.
Given the disturbing nature of some of the things our hero discovers about Lorn, this book is not light reading and may be inappropriate for younger readers. This is likely best for those readers who are young adults, although if a mature younger reader liked the first book, they'll probably enjoy this one. I'm hoping it won't be another long wait for the third book in the trilogy, because I'm eagerly looking forward to finding out what will happen next! Those who enjoyed this might want to try The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. For those who are looking for lighter books on little people, try Terry Pratchett's Bromeliad Trilogy!
Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad


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Life Is Hot in Cracktown Review

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(More customer reviews)Masterfully written yet ultra depressing, this book unleashes a no-holds-barred account of life in the not-so-trendy part of town. It forces us to see what we try so hard to ignore, the ugly truth about New York's Lower East Side: drugs, pimps,prostitutes, dimestore criminals, murder. As painful as it is at times to read, it's impossible to put down. Kudos to Giovinazzo!

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Goodbye Sister Disco (Lieutenant George Hastings) Review

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(More customer reviews)Suspicions arise and interest grows page-by-page from the first few minutes in this well-written detective story. The author provides a very engaging plot, while bestowing upon the reader an interest to see this to the end; providing insider's understanding of the work of murder detective. You will stay up till you are finished reading this book, and yearn for more of James Patrick Hunt's work.

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Night Shift Review

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(More customer reviews)I've read over two dozen of Stephen King's books, and this one is his best. King's short story writing is what allows him to be mentioned in the same sentence with the likes of Poe as one of the best horror writers ever. There are so many King classics in "Night Shift" it is scary. "Graveyard Shift," "The Mangler," "Children of the Corn," "Trucks," "Gray Matter," "Quitters Inc.," the list goes on and on. Many of these were made into inferior movies, but the stories themselves are are among the scariest things he's written because they reduce fear to its most basic elements. This is one King book that qualifies as a "must" read.

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Stories Behind Women of Extraordinary Faith Review

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Worthy of using as a devotional book.
Worthy of a textbook for a woman's Bible study.
Worthy of a reminder to us as to the value of women in the Kingdom of God.
Worthy of encouraging everyone to make good use of the gifts they have received in the Kingdom of God.
Worthy of recalling the power of God unleashed when people give themselves over to him.
Ace Collins has chosen 19 outstanding women to illustrate his points. It is a refreshing set of vignettes from modern church history in regard to the work of women. Some of these women gave from godly homes filled with prayer and devotion to God. They then lived out their lives at a higher level than they had experienced at home. Others abandoned position and fortune to accomplish what they recognized as a God-given call to ministry. Many like Catherine Booth recognized a serious social need and stepped outside the box to meet that need. One of these women is the founder of the Girl Scouts. Two giants of the faith included by Collins are Catherine Booth and Mother Teresa.
Collins challenges us to think of the value of women in the church in all of history. Many who read this review will relate to mothers, grandmothers, wives, and other godly women who helped mold them into the person they are today.


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Twenty women whose faith has reshaped the world.Ace Collins employs all his storytelling skill to uncover the deeply personal stories of women whose faith shines for us today. Explore twenty different tales of unparalleled inspiration. Learn how each woman's prayers were heard and answered, and discover how each story can light the way on your own journey of faith.

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Locked Doors: A Thriller (Andrew Thomas) Review

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(More customer reviews)Locked Doors picks up seven years after the conclusion of Crouch's debut novel, the compulsively readable Desert Places. Having barely survived the events related in that harrowing thriller, famous writer Andrew Thomas, now one of America's most wanted criminals, has settled in the Yukon after many years on the run. Believing his ordeal over, Thomas is stunned to learn of the murder of a friend's wife and the kidnapping of a former flame. Apparently, someone is trying to send him a message that the trials that commenced seven years prior are not over, and that a reckoning must occur. Thomas travels to North Carolina and the Outerbanks island of Ocracoke to confront his adversary, setting the stage for an epic battle between the author and a man who can only be described as a relentless killing machine.
Crouch's sophomore effort, a tense, violent, fast paced work of suspense, proves the author has not lost his ability to enthrall and surprise his audience-Locked Doors is just as slick and twisted and entertaining as Desert Places, perhaps even more so. What distinguishes it from that novel is Crouch's focus on ancillary characters like homicide detective Violet King and would be true crime writer Horace Boone, which, rather than diverting readers' attention from the main battle, actually intensifies the experience once the blood starts to fly.
Crouch's chief talent lies in dropping his characters into untenable, sanity threatening situations, and then letting all hell break loose. This affinity for mayhem wreaks havoc with the reader's expectations, as neither the heroes nor the villains ever act predictably. The relentless pace of the narrative and Crouch's clean, taut prose allows for a certain suspension of disbelief, making for a book that readers will be loathe to put down once they've begun.

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The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross novels) Review

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(More customer reviews)Will the real James Patterson please stand up? Most Patterson loyalists have been waiting for this moment. When will the real Patterson emerge again? We've had glimpses of the greatness and BIG BAD WOLF ("BBW") is no exception however, Patterson seems to just fall short time and again. It always seems worth the read just to determine if the magic has returned. Regardless and like most Patterson fans, I'll continue to buy and read his books until I tire of waiting for the real Patterson to stand up.
Early in BBW, the Wolf, a renegade Russian mafiya soldier, is introduced to the reader. In something of urban myth fashion, the Wolf has gained underground notoriety as a ruthlessly cold killer without face or name. One particularly telling tale revolves around the Wolf's encounter with a jailed U.S. mob boss. As the story goes, the Wolf is able to walk into a 'super-maximum' security prison in Colorado to speak with jailed mob boss, don Augustino "Little Gus Palumbo." Ostensibly, the Wolf has a proposition for Little Gus. The Wolf completes his business and walks out off prison grounds undeterred. The next day, Little Gus's body is found in his cell with virtually every bone in his body broken. Those familiar with Russian mafiya tactics know this as "Zamochit." The urban tale became reality and the universal underground came to know that the Wolf's reputation was well deserved.
At the end of the previous Cross iteration, Alex had just joined the FBI. As BBW opens, Alex is in the early stages of training at FBI headquarters. Given his impressive law enforcement background and experience, Alex is finding much of the "newbie" work and training quite rote however, ever the good trooper, Alex presses on and doesn't complain openly. Alex's theoretical training soon becomes on the job training. Alex is called in when the wife of a prominent judge is kidnapped in the parking lot of an Atlanta shopping mall. Unbeknownst to Alex, an underground, internet-based cabal of twisted individuals "places orders" for human slaves. This woman seems to have become the next victim of this perverse group.
Alex is whisked from newbie orientation and flown to Atlanta. The Director of the FBI wants Alex on this case. Alex soon learns of the case and the fact that this isn't the first unsolved disappearance; to the contrary, the FBI has recent unsolved disappearances in several other states. The puzzling and troubling aspect of each of these disappearances is the total lack of contact, no ransom demand and no reappearance of the missing person. After a tip, the FBI is able to track down the two-person team responsible for the Atlanta kidnapping. The two turn out to be low-level associates in the Russian mafiya, Slava and Zoya. But, neither can shed any light on the whereabouts of the judge's wife as they are both found dead...Zoya, by means of Zamochit.
The plot thickens when Alex and his FBI team run on to 14-year-old computer hacker Lili Olsen. It seems Lili, a modern-day Kevin Mitnick, has hacked her way into a secure chat room called "The Wolf's Den." Lili clandestinely observes the dialogue between such aliases as Sterling, Mr. Potter, Sphinx, Marvel, and, of course, The Wolf. The dialogue centers on buying individuals with certain characteristics and attributes. However, the talk quickly descends to the depths of sickness when the discussion turns to disposal of these "slaves" and their willingness to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for their next minion.
BBW has all the makings of a great Patterson offering. The storyline is brilliant however, where BBW falls short is character development and ultimately, climax. The reader has peripheral glimpses of the characters in this book, other than Alex, his kids, and Nana Mama. If Patterson had taken the time to truly allow the reader to see inside the characters, to know them, this novel would have been fabulous. Instead, it became a middle-of-the-road novel written by an author who used to write great novels. And, one of my great pet peeves of Patterson in his Cross novels, Alex always seems to find some personal tragedy in the midst of an intense investigation. It gets old. You want to scream, "When does Alex ever win
Overall, this is a very readable and worth reading book. It is still not the Patterson of old but it is a reasonable offering.

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Doin' Dirty Review

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(More customer reviews)Howard Swindle is back and his second novel of this series is even better than his highly acclaimed first thriller, Jitter Joint. Dallas homicide detective and recovering alcoholic, Jeb Quinlin and his partner, Paul McCarren are assigned the murder investigation of a young, ivy-league newspaper reporter, Richmond Carlisle. It seems Carlisle was onto something big, career making big and was playing his card very close to the vest. With the help of his many well placed sources, Jeb traces Carlisle's steps back to his own hometown of Comanche Gap and the very powerful and prominent Colter family and discovers crime and corruption at its highest levels.....Doin' Dirty is a fast paced, edge of your seat page turner, full of great realistic characters and vivid, riveting scenes. Mr Swindle's writing, is tense and gritty, with a real ear for dialogue. As an Edgar nominated true-crime writer and Pulitzer-prize winning investigative reporter, his expertise on police investigations and the newpaper business adds real credibility to the story. This is a very compelling, suspenseful novel, with a climax and ending that will leave you breathless. Doin' Dirty is a MUST read for all mystery/thriller lovers.

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A Question of Belief: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery (Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)Venice this summer has been hotter than blazes, hotter than Hades, hotter than Dante's inner circles and what must a police commasario to do to get out of the city for a vacation sure to be a cool respite from all the law and order stuff he deals with year-round?
For Donna Leon's inimitable Guido Brunetti it seems the summer's heat is interminable but there's a light (a cool breeze?) just ahead--a vacation to the Alps to cool things off. At least that's what he's hoping. "Not only was it too hot to think about crossing the city to go home for lunch; it was too hot to think about eating."
Alas, in Ms Leon's 19th Brunetti case, "A Question of Belief," this is not to be.
While Brunetti and all of Venice may be suffering from the summer's heat, Leon's readers find this latest installment in a very successful series to be just what the doctor (or policeman) ordered: Leon at her best. A taut, tersely written tale that reaffirms our faith in this very popular author, whose talents and abilities in this genre keep producing winners!
Before Brunetti can take this family on vacation, needless to say, a murder is announced, to quote Miss Marple.
And, as usual with the Leon series, subplots support the storyline quite smartly. Inspector Vianello's aunt in mixed up with a charlatan horoscope guru; a corrupt judicial system is wrecking continued havoc and injustice as some judges become suspect; and the ramifications of the central murder are ever-widening. As usual Leon touches upon important social issues (the environment, illegal immigration, the country's governmental and financial corruptions) and blends these into her narrative cleverly and smoothly, never detracting from the bigger picture: who done it and how are we going to make the arrest?
Crime, Brunetti says, is usually reduced to money, money, money or sex, sex, sex, with Greed playing the major role. As Brunetti's friend Brusca tells him, as he's revealing details about the judicial system's "irregularities": "It's strange. We think that love of music can run in families, or maybe the ability to paint. So why not greed?" And greed it is.
Then when the murder occurs, an official within the court system, there are more complications. An enigmatic, totally dedicated civil servant Araldo Fontana is found bludgeoned to death in the courtyard of his apartment building. It is left up to the incorruptible Brunetti and his team to work through the maze of misinformation, disinformation, lies, deceit, cover-up, and even a couple of red herrings. Along the way, Leon's set of the "usual suspects" are there to impede the progress and these include his boss Vice-Questore Patta and the ever-pugnacious Lt. Scarpa. And, it seems, an indictment of the entire Italian bureaucracy. As Leon says, "It was seldom, after all these years, that Brunetti could be moved to indignation by some new revelation of the skill with which his fellow citizens managed to slip around the edges of the law. In some instances...he felt grudging admiration for the ingenuity employed...." This isn't to say that he ever gives up, which is the appeal of his character, alongside his intellect, his tolerance, and a fine sense of humor.
Brunetti, as always, is finely supported by his wife Paola and his two children, and none of the Leon books would be complete without Signorina Elettra, the most able office manager in the Questura, whose knowledge of the computer and the Internet--and what she can do with them--make her invaluable. But she's more than this. A character who holds her own, she notes that "A man without a sense of fashion is a man without a soul." Brunetti, moralist that he is, moves to subscribe to Signorina Elettra's philosophy: that "dishonesty is in proportion to how much trust you are betraying, not to the lie you actually tell." Brunetti throughout his career has felt it necessary to work in shades of gray and not black and white.
Leon's theories about motive (greed, love, money, sex) come to fruition all in good time. One of the many pluses of her writings is the fact that she's not afraid to confront such issues in Italy (She told me in London a couple of years ago that her books weren't translated into Italian, perhaps for good reason!). A resident of Venice (where she's live for 25 years), she clearly has a literary love relationship with the city, even the country, and does not appear to falter in being willing to show these shortcomings. And while she doesn't hesitate to get "involved," her novels never falter in their effectiveness, their readability, their pursuit of what's inherently right. It's such a pleasure to read Donna Leon.


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Murder on Nob Hill Review

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(More customer reviews)The first installment in a new series featuring the intrepid lawyer, Sarah Woolson, "Murder on Nob Hill" was a very satisfying and engrossing read. I enjoyed the book on every novel -- the mystery was a good and intriguing one, the detective-heroine, Sarah Woolson, was engaging and likable, and the pacing and the manner in which the novel was crafted was superbly done. All in all, the Sarah Woolson mystery series has all the hallmarks of being a really good one, and I for one, am rather excited about this.
Sarah Woolson, the youngest child and only daughter of a respected judge, has always wanted to practice law (like her father); but even though she's qualified, getting a respected law firm to hire her is another matter altogether because its 1880 in San Francisco, where the common wisdom is that a woman's place is at home and not in the work place. But with the help of her brother, Sarah is able to finagle an interview at Shepherd, Shepherd, McNaughton and Hall (one of the stuffier law firms); where through sheer highhandedness (Sarah actually "steals" a very valueable client, the newly widowed Mrs. Annjennet Hannaford whose much older husband was recently murdered in a rather brutal manner, from right under Shepherd's nose) she's able to land a job as a junior associate at the firm. One would think that things would finally be looking up for Sarah, except that her client, Annjennet Hannaford, ends up getting arrested for her husband's murder! The police and district attorney think that they have an ironclad case (motive and opportunity); and the lawyers handling Annjennet's criminal defence have all but conceded defeat, going so far as to prepare a defense based on an insanity plea. But Sarah is sure that Annjennet is innocent, and fearing that she's the only one in Annjennet's corner, is bound and determined to discover who the real murderer is, no matter the danger...
Obviously I shouldn't start books just before my planned bedtime because "Murder on Nob Hill" was so engrossing a read that I just had to keep on reading until I reached the last page. The plot was a very intriguing one and Shirley Tallman did a good job of ensuring that the book unfolded swiftly and smoothly. And while it is true that the prose is a bit verbose, once I got into the flow of things, this truly was something I hardly noticed after a while. I thought that the character portrayals were very good, esp that of our plain-speaking and forceful heroine, and this, together with the historical ambiance went a long way towards making this a very enjoyable and successful novel. My favourite bits, however, were the ones in which a very calm and rational sounding Sarah would (successfully) counter the somewhat hysterical and irrational arguements of her male counterparts would claim that she didn't have it in her to be a good lawyer. All in all, a fantastic first installment in what promises to be a wonderful mystery series.

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The year is 1880, the place San Francisco. Intelligent, outspoken Sarah Woolson is a young woman with a goal and the fortitude to achieve it. She has always dreamed of becoming a lawyer. The trouble is, everyone believes women belong in the home---that it is not only unnatural, but against God's will for them to seek a career.When Sarah finagles an interview with one of the city's most prestigious law firms, no one thinks she has a prayer of being hired. Except Sarah. Using her brains and a little subterfuge, she not only manages to become the firm's newest (and only female) associate attorney, she also acquires her first client---a lovely young society matron suspected of brutally stabbing to death her wealthy but abusive husband. Sarah is sure of her client's innocence, but the revelation of the woman's secret lover may make that innocence impossible to prove. When four more victims fall prey to the killer's knife, Sarah fears she has bitten off more than she can chew. Bucking her boorish employer and the judicial system, Sarah finds herself embroiled in shady legal maneuvers, a daring Chinatown raid, and a secret and very scandalous sex club in this irresistible blend of history, romance, and murder.

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Living In Hell: A True Odyssey of a Woman's Struggle in Islamic Iran Against Personal and Political Forces Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is an amazing account of an Iranian woman who learned the value of civilized society the hard way. To her it was not some college exercise in philosophy, it was life or death. I cannot stress enough what a unique perspective this book brings. Although raised as a devout Muslim, she reasoned, on her own at a young age, the difference between the "True Message" of God, and religious manipulation.
Although at first the book may sound like a long series of complaints, it makes some extremely serious points. I read it cover to cover and then had to take a couple of days to think about it. If she were talking about our society, we might consider her a chronic complainer. We would, as a caveat, automatically make the assumption our system itself was correct. Instead I consider her one of the first to see the overall problem and expose it for what it is, a barbaric culture which has failed to develop into a modern cooperative society.
After all this author has been through in her life most people would be completely devastated and unable to function. She, on the other hand, still believes in a civilized world and wishes to do all she can to promote peace.
This is a book that screams for women's rights, and helps you understand why they are an absolutely essential part of any civilized society. I have puzzled for years over why fanatic behavior exists and is tolerated. This book shows first hand a direct connection between how women are treated and how their lack of a voice in family dynamics cause high numbers of insecure children. The insecure grow up to be selfish and self centered, totally lacking a self generated moral compass. Out of these insecure children grow the suicide bombers of tomorrow, who, unlike this author, do not understand that there is no reward in heaven for being manipulated in the name of religion.

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Lincoln's Flying Spies: Thaddeus Lowe and the Civil War Balloon Corps Review

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(More customer reviews)Burns's CIVIL WAR was commended for its even-handed treatment of
the North-South conflict; likewise Ted Turner in his epic GETTYSBURG.
And the works of the now-departed Shelby Foote are respected on both
sides of the Mason-Dixon line.
Any serious work about the Civil War, such as Jarrow's LINCOLN'S
FLYING SPIES, must also pass that first test, whether it has a
bias for one region of the country. Jarrow's book handily passes.
(I've spent a number of years in the South and North and won't
waste time with arguments about the superiority of one side or
the other.)
In this heavily researched work, you are awe struck by the unique
air advantage of the North with its balloon corps making successful
(and unsuccessful) attempts at spying on Rebel movements. But the
writer then invites you to observe the cunning maneuvers and
camouflage by the South (tactics the British used 75 years later
to fool Germany's air reconnaissance --read Anthony Cave Brown's
BODYGUARD OF LIES about British counterespionage in WWII.) See
the photo on page 49 showing dummy guns the Rebels used to fool
Union soldiers.
Another way Jarrow does not disappoint is that her storytelling
style belies the depth of her research. She does her readers, young
and old, a great service by giving life and color to an old, lost,
but important story ... so much that you might think the many Civil
War photos included in her book are in living color (almost).
Finally, I'm happy to find an author that makes history accessible
despite its weight of research. I remember trips to the library
50 years ago where my mother helped me find "fun" history books
--biographies, novels, etc. Thank you, Gail Jarrow, for digging
through dusty archives and making a balanced, fascinating book
for young AND old alike.
PS: This book, with its many Civil War photos and cited Web sites,
would make a great eBook to browse on Kindle!


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Broken Thing Review

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(More customer reviews)...those promises to which the quality of Marlin Barton's previously-published short fiction (see his short story collection THE DRY WELL) alluded. All of them have been kept, and beautifully, in this, his first novel. A BROKEN THING is the story - stories, actually - of an extended family, the joys and sorrows, pleasures and pains the various members enjoy, endure and inflict upon each other and themselves. What makes it so compelling - and I dare you to turn away from it once you begin - is that, as others have noted elsewhere, one of these people (or ALL of them) could be us. There is an 'everyman' quality to each of the characters so vividly drawn here - and yet at the same time they are each resoundingly individual, painfully and delightfully human. These could be the people next door or down the hall - or across the dinner table.
Barton's vision and experiences of growing up and living in the American South resonate clearly, long after the book is read and put away. The life passages down which these characters walk, the dreams they dare to dream (and ache to let go), the ties that bind them and wedge them apart, the loves that make and break them, are made as real by the author's prose as anyone you can reach out and touch. None of them are perfect souls - they never come across as the false inventions of a writer attempting to please everyone - but there are things about each and every one of them that are admirable, even if they have to wrong others and themselves on the road to finding their way.
As the story progresses, not only are we treated to the exhilarating experience of getting to know these amazing people - we are privileged to see them get to know, to understand, each other, to learn to live with and appreciate their differences, and to come to know themselves as well. All of this 'education' is the stuff of life, of growing older - and, hopefully, wiser - and rarely have I seen it presented in such an intelligent and moving manner. This is the mark of a writer who not only excels at his craft (his use of multiple points-of-view is very skillful, and suits the novel perfectly), but one who cares for the people he grew up with, indeed for all those with whom he shares the world. He respects them - and his characters - for what they are, for what they have to offer each other, for their place in the scheme of things.
Writing like this is a treat - I can't recommend this novel (or his short story collection) highly enough, and I can't wait to read more.

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Author-editor Dabnet Stuart best summarises this debut novel "as relentless as Euripides, or Faulkner, whose "As I Lay Dying" is its formal model. Its central preoccupation is the sins (or in more secular terms, 'behaviour patterns') of fathers and mothers passing into the lives of their offspring. It also reminds us how many people, living and dead, ghost our daily experience, complicating and enriching our choices. Barton includes the dimension of mercy too -- the mutual forgiveness of failures by family members who, finally, find ways to realise they can't live without each other. An impressive, uncompromising book.

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Saving Room for Dessert Review

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(More customer reviews)In Rocksburg, Pennsylvania, no police officer likes working the Flats, a dangerous part of the city that can go from a quiet neighborhood into a war zone in nanoseconds. Things may seem serene for the moment, but any veteran cop knows that in the Flats a moment is all it takes to get killed.

Working the Flats this evening are the Rocksburg Police Department's only African-American William Rayford, giant Robert "BooBoo" Canoza, and Nam vet James Reseta. Each has personal problems they bring to the job, but all three dedicated men know they must not allow their troubles to interfere with the beat if they want to live another day. Quickly the three officers are going to learn first hand how the Flats is different from any other neighborhood in town because the incident seems trivial, but the aftermath explosion proves dangerous and life threatening.

Once series fans understand that Mario is not making a comeback and Rugs is not the headliner, the readers will quickly comprehend that SAVING ROOM FOR DESSERT is a gourmet feast for the police procedural crowd. The story line follows the three officers on routine patrols that turns nasty. The story line focuses more on the trio than on what they face as each has their moment of introspection involving their personal woes as much as their professional troubles. K.C. Constantine changes direction with this tale in which the crime activity is interesting, but the up front look at the three stars is fascinating and fabulous.

Harriet Klausner

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The Informant: An Otto Penzler Book (Butcher's Boy) Review

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(More customer reviews)As I was beginning Thomas Perry's The Informant, it occurred to me that among crimes, murder may not be the worst (at least in the fictional world). After all, you can have a such as Perry's Butcher's Boy who is at least somewhat likeable; on the other hand, there aren't too many rapists who come off as endearing. Of course, it helps that the Butcher's Boy - who operates in this book under the name Schaeffer - is really only killing other criminals, particularly some rather unpleasant mobsters.
The novel is a follow-up to Perry's debut novel, The Butcher's Boy (which I have not read; this is actually my first Perry book). Two decades after that book, Schaeffer is living a quiet life in England. He's happily married to a woman who understands (to some extent) his past and he's retired from the hit man game. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of mobsters who want him dead, so when he is attacked near his home, he is forced to go back to the U.S. and eliminate the mob boss who ordered his death.
This boss, Frank Tosca, is making a play to head the whole Mafia, and killing Schaeffer would go a long way to reaching this goal. As part of his plan, he creates an alliance with other bosses to put a bounty out on Schaeffer. Soon it becomes apparent that stopping Tosca will not be enough; the Butcher's Boy will need to terrorize the whole Mafia and stay alive long enough to make his enemies decide he isn't worth the effort of hunting. Part of Schaeffer's plans involves Elizabeth Waring, an Organized Crime official in the Justice Department who has been Schaeffer's adversary in the past. Both Schaeffer and Waring will try using each other for their own ends; Schaeffer to get back to his quiet life and Waring to shut down the Mafia.
This is a fun read but definitely one with a high body count; I didn't take a full tally, but including flashbacks, it easily gets into the dozens. The Informant is reminiscent of the Donald Westlake/Richard Stark series of Parker novels as it deals with a totally professional criminal who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal yet never goes out of his way to hurt an innocent person (but also doesn't allow anyone to get in his way). But unlike the Parker books, the Butcher's Boy is not really a series character, so you can't feel assured he'll live to the end. What does happen at the end? You'll have to read this to find out.

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The Captive Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a fifth grade teacher from Arlington, Virginia who could not put it down. My class loved it and we found the two sequels, The Feathered Serpent and The Amethyst Ring. They have the hero encountering the Aztecs and the Incas. It is an amazing introduction to the early Central American civilizations. Read all three.

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As part of a Spanish expedition to the New World, a Jesuit seminarian witnesses the enslavement and exploitation of the Mayas and is seduced by greed and ambition.

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The Closers Review

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(More customer reviews)In Connelly's previous novel, The Narrows, Harry Bosch was seriously considering coming out of "retirement" and returning to service with the LAPD, despite several misgivings, one of which was the entrenched corruption throughout the force. However a new police chief is on board with a mission to clean house. Harry's old enemy, Deputy Chief Irving, a self-serving political player, wants Harry to fail and will do anything to achieve this end. Bosch has been assigned to the Open-Unsolved Unit, (cold cases) teamed up with his old partner, Kiz Rider, a no nonsense police woman in a predominately male domain, embark on an unsolved seventeen year old murder of a young girl, shot through the chest and taken out of her bedroom and dumped in a field. Harry attacks this unsolved murder with calculated zeal, leading to possible corruption in the force, pushing the case to it limits to find the perpetrator. The Closers begins at breakneck speed and doesn't let up until the last page is turned.
Reading The Closers was like meeting an old friend after a year of absence. Harry Bosch is one of the great characters in crime fiction, a man with an incredible sense of justice and an over bearing conscience, that pulls him into trouble from time to time. His relationship with Kiz Rider, as his partner, is a perfect match, as they know each other well, can read each other's thoughts before a word is spoken. Kiz never rides on Harry's coattails, but contributes to the motion, adding her own special skills to the investigation. Harry is older but he's a little smarter, and careful to stay within the bounds of the law. Kiz keeps Harry in line and is there to prevent him from slipping into his old, unorthodox habits.
As a piece of crime fiction, The Closers is by no means a character study, it is entirely plot driven, following Harry Bosch at work to every twist and turn of the case. Connelly knows how to write a crime novel and does not leave anything to the imagination. I have come to believe that the crime genre is an art form all its own, and Connelly has become one of its masters.
This is the real thing. Modern detective fiction doesn't get any better, and in the hands of Connelly, one can be sure the ride will be thoroughly entertaining; and The Closers delivers on all counts - a five star effort.



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