Review of The 7th Victim (Hardcover)

The 7th Victim is a masterpiece! Having read every James Patterson and several Jonathan Kellerman, JD Robb and other spy/murder novels, the 7th Victim ranks up there at the top.Super character development for the lead profiler, Karen.Lots of suspense, turns and twists, and non-stop action --- very difficult to put down.

Jacobson has succeeded in creating an unsettling and suspenseful edge throughout the book --- everything that could go wrong, did go wrong for Karen until it righted itself at the very end.So many family twists that we got to know the whole family intimately by the end, like peeling back an onion, it was done layer by layer - surprise!

I can see the quality attention to detail about profiling, SWAT teams, with the appropriate language and procedures.All genuine and seemed realistic. Very enjoyable and I can see how it could be a great movie!

I also reread The Hunted and enjoyed it again!



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Review of Street Hungry: A Mystery (N.S. "Shep" Ladderback and Andrea Cosicki Mysteries) (Hardcover)

On the streets of South Philly, "Weight" Wisnitz sells fruits and vegetables out of a truck at cut rate prices.He's been a fixture in the neighborhoods for years so when he suddenly keels over and dies, one of his regular customers thinks enough of him to call obituary writer Shep Ladderbook of the Philadelphia Press.Shep writes a nice obituary for the colorful man who made an impact so many lives.

A few days later, Ladderback's assistant, Andy Casicki is eating lunch with her mother at the upscale restaurant Loup-Garou when a famous restaurant critic keels over in the same manner as Wisnitz. Andy and Ladderback learn that there have been similar deaths in the city, which raises the obituary writer's curiosity.He investigates the deaths and learns that they lead back to a free clinic, an ambulance company that is always late delivering the bodies, and a generic drug company ready to go public.

STREET HUNGRY is a fascinating who-done-it with so many interrelated sub-plots that is takes the full length of the novel to finally understand how they are linked.The protagonist, a man who has been on top at the paper game for four decades, is a likable character whose contacts developed over forty years allow him to track a story back to its source.Bill Kent looks at the seamier side of life and turns it into a gritty and dark expose of the human condition.

Harriet Klausner



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Review of Dangerous Games: A Jack Liffey Mystery (Jack Liffey Mysteries) (Hardcover)

When we last saw Jack Liffey, he had found the perpetrator of various crimes of vengeance arising from the racist history of Terminal Island, been dumped by his new girlfriend, survived a collapsed lung and renewed his relationship with his teenage daughter, Maeve.Liffey also fell for a police officer named Gloria Ramirez, a Native American who was raised by Latino parents who taught her to hate her own heritage."Dangerous Games" begins with Liffey living in East L.A. with Ramirez; his moody daughter is delighted with Ramirez and hopes her father won't mess this one up.But Liffey's relationship leads inexorably to a new search for a lost child: Ramirez's beautiful 18-year-old niece has disappeared from her tiny reservation in the Owens Valley leaving enough clues to make everyone suspect that she's been swallowed up by L.A.'s porn scene.Liffey feels up to the task.

If it were left at that, our hero would have more than enough to occupy him.But during one clear day while Liffey waters his girlfriend's lawn and Maeve lounges alongside chatting with her father, a gangbanger loses control and shoots indiscriminately in Liffey's direction leaving Maeve severely wounded.As Maeve recuperates, Liffey adds a new mission to his list: revenge.His subsequent confrontation of the perpetrator and eventual solution is one of the most surprising and fulfilling aspects of the narrative.

But there is still a lost child to find.And this is where things get ugly as we're thrown into the world of phone sex, porn films, dangerous reality videos, AIDS and very violent men who truly believe that women are meant to be controlled and used in any way imaginable.Throughout, we're treated to Shannon's smart dialogue, complex characters and a thrill ride of action.The denouement takes place in the Malibu Hills, set ablaze by reality "filmmakers" as their ultimate get-rich-quick venture.As Liffey and others try to outrun the flames, Liffey muses on all the failures in his life and wonders about the meaning of it all.There are wonderful things in life to be certain: the love of both his girlfriend and his resilient, brilliant daughter.But all the mistakes are there too: failed relationships, a battle with alcohol, physical scars too many to count.In Shannon's sure hands, we see the world through the eyes of a man who struggles to reconcile life's joy and pain shaped in large part by Los Angeles itself.Shannon offers more questions than answers.But that's okay.Finely-crafted novels do that.And this is certainly one of Shannon's best.

[The full version of this review first appeared in The Elegant Variation.]



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Review of Mary, Mary (Hardcover)

Well I must admit I did wonder if Patterson had another great Alex Cross adventure in him after recent efforts where he seems to have got confused between his star character being Alex Cross or James Bond.I am happy to say though that this is another excellent traditional style Cross adventure with one of the best serial killers yet, that will have readers guessing their identity until it is revealed near the end.Speaking of the ending though I thought it was a little but unrealistically convenient so Alex could be around for the next sequel.That's all I'll say on that though so as not to give it away to anyone who actually reads these reviews before making a decision to purchase books.

Overall I was very pleased with Mary, Mary and recommend it to any fan of quality Alex Cross adventures.I also recommend Patterson's previous novel (not an Alex Cross Adventure) Lifeguard which shows he can still write great stand alone novels as well, again some in this line have been rather average of late.Anyway its great to see Patterson back and hopefully he has learnt from the extensive criticism he got from his mediocre novels and will continue to put the time into producing the great work that we know he can and we all want to read.


Product Description
FBI agent Alex Cross is on vacation with his family at Disneyland when he gets a call from the Director. A well-known actress was shot outside her home in Beverly Hills. Shortly afterward, an editor for the Los Angeles Times receives an e-mail describing the murder in vivid detail. Alex quickly learns that this is not an isolated incident. The killer, known as Mary Smith, has done this before and plans to kill again. Right from the beginning, this case is like nothing Alex has ever confronted. Is this the plan of an obsessed fan or a spurned actor, or is it part of something much more frightening? And particularly baffling, how could a woman be capable of these vicious crimes? Members of Hollywood+s A-list fear they+re next on Mary+s list, and the case grows by blockbuster proportions as the LAPD and FBI scramble to find a pattern before Mary can send one more chilling update.Filled with the ruthless and shocking twists that make his fans hunger for more, MARY, MARY is James Patterson+s most sophisticated thriller yet.

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Review of The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club (Debutante Dropout Mysteries, No. 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

A big cheer for Susan McBride and The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club!The third installment in the Debutante Dropout books is a great addition to this series.I love the author's witty writing style and her true to life, yet, quirky characters she has created.The great dialog between Andy and Cissy, and humorous observations, provide plenty of laughs as they go through a slight role reversal of mother and daughter in this book.

Cissy has a much larger role in this book than the previous two, which I was delighted to see with this character.Cissy is convinced her dearest friends were murdered because of the evidence she discovered, a nightgown and smudged lipstick.Andy, however, is not convinced of anything, except that her mother may have just flipped out under the stress of finding her friends dead.Andy does her best to humor her mother until the tests prove her friends deaths were from natural causes, while Cissy pushes forward to investigate with help from a reluctant Andy.When things aren't adding up like they should, Andy begins to realize Cissy might be closer to a truth no one wanted to believe, which could place Cissy right in the cross hairs of the killer.

Susan McBride takes us on a great ride into her world, giving fans and new readers of the Deb Dropout Series a fun, often hysterical, and exciting journey for us to enjoy.




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Review of I See You (Paperback)

I SEE YOU is the third of Lisle's romantic suspense books.It returns to the setting of the first one, MIDNIGHT RAIN, and uses Brig as a main character rather than a secondary one.(On a side note, it's nice to hear even the tiny glimpses that are included about Alan and Phoebe, though for a moment I expected them to actually make an appearance.)

The mystery and suspense element of the book is very strong, and one of the things Lisle's readers can rely on.She gives enough hints that a very, VERY astute reader could, theoretically, figure out the plot twists before the main characters do.Most readers, however (including yours truly) will figure out only enough hints to point them in the wrong direction.Instead of being annoying, however, this only serves to increase the tension.

The romantic scenes in I SEE YOU are also well written.They flow realistically from the characters' personalities and situations rather than being there just to have sex scenes.In fact, all of the characters are fully developed, and their actions reflect their personalities in the non-romance scenes, also.

I SEE YOU is less gory than its predecessors.The paranormal element is present, though I won't give away any details about it.In all, this is a very good addition to a set of highly recommended books.

Product Description
For paramedic Dia Courvant, each day brings the possibility of facing blood and death. But nothing matched the horror of the day she was dispatched to the scene of a terrible car accident and rescued the sole survivor-only to find her own husband dead in the wreckage. Now, four years later, a series of deadly car crashes has brought handsome detective Brig Hafferty into Dia's life. She's drawn to Brig, but can she trust him enough to tell him of the terror that stalks her? For Dia has received a message warning her of danger and death-a message that seems to have been sent to her from beyond the grave.

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Review of Death Takes a Honeymoon (Carnegie Kincaid, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

Carnegie Kincaid is not going to Idaho for the wedding of old friend, now famous TV actress Tracy Kane, and it didn't have anything to do with the fact she had once had a close encounter with the soon to be groom - smoke jumper, Jack "The Knack" Packard.

But her close friend, B.J. insists she needs her help, she has been unfaithful to her husband Matt, with Carnegie's cousin (who she was never close too), smoke jumper, Brian Theale.Brian won't give her back the specially designed necklace her husband had made for her and she has to have it by the wedding.

And then Brian is killed doing a smoke jump.

Was it an accident or murder?

Did it have anything to do with the necklace

Did it have anything to do with a supposed stolen treasure that the bride's late uncle, Roy was supposed to have stolen and who was thought to have committed suicide 30 years ago.

And on top of that Cissy Kane - mother of the bride insists Carneige take over as on-site wedding planner.

As more murders follow, Carneige begins to wonder if there are going to be enough guests left for the wedding.

And then there's that pesky fire.

Highlights:

Great mystery.Wonderful new characters.I love the detail about smoke jumpers and the work they do.

Aaron Gold - Carnegie's (We're just dating, nothing special as he tells the wedding guests) sort of boyfriend. Determined that he is not going to settle down and wants to keep things casual, but it doesn't stop him from getting into a knock down drag out fight when someone makes a comment about Carnegie.

Boris the florist, has to be flown in when the wedding's original florist is hospitalized with a bee sting. He is always funny and one of my favorite reoccuring characters.

Beau Paliere - Wedding Planner to the stars who shows up at the wedding after Cissy has substituted Carnegie for his manager. Beau is still upset about the toupee incident, but doesn't mind dumping all the work on Carnegie while getting all the praise.

Lowlights:

The reason this is a 3 star and not higher is the ending.Cliff Hanger's belong in weekly magazine's and old movie serials, not in books where the next one may not come out for another year.Since I read dozens of different series I don't instantly remember everything about characters or situations as soon as I start reading the book and may not remember a lot of details when I finally get this one, which looks like it's going to come out in January 2006.

A lot of the mystery wasn't really clearly explained, I don't know if that's because of the cliff hanger and it's going to be better explained in the next book, but I had a lot questions still unanswered.

Overall these books have really improved.I hated the first one. Thought the 2nd was ok and really like the 3rd one.Ilikeed this one until the end.So if you don't mind a cliff hanger at the end of a book, this has great mystery with lots of interesting and different characters.




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Review of Terminal Island: A Jack Liffey Mystery (Hardcover)

Thank goodness it's not Jack Liffey that's terminal!Here's a wonderful new book that takes us back to Jack's hometown.We even get to meet a family member of his that he's hidden up to now.It's almost impossible to put this book down once you start it.Be warned!



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Review of Immaculate Midnight: A Jane Lawless Mystery (Paperback)

I was a little tentative about reading this book only because Hart had begun highlighting Jane's weaknesses and depression so much in the last two books that the series itself was becoming depressing to read.Although Jane's character isn't a ray of sunshine in this book, the suspense is tighter than it has been for a while.There is also greater attention paid to Jane's father, brother, and sister-in-law so that the family relationship and dysfunctions (and yes, Jane's family has them) are fleshed out.Cordelia is returned to her larger-than-life dramatic self and Jane does manage some self-relevations such that some progress for personal improvement is made.All-in-all, a solid effort to a very good series.



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Review of The Man Burns Tonight: A Black Rock City Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

it's Sunday Morning. I woke up at around 9 something, as I have been for months now - even on the Playa. I picked up the book that I've been reading since Thursday on the Playa. A book call 'The Man Burns Tonight" by Donn Cortez... or should I say, Captain Fun. I can say that because I got the book from Captian Fun himself. He gave it to me while chatting on some tower, sharing a smoke, in a drunken haze called SantaCon. Black Rock City had it's SantaCon on Wednesday. It rivaled many of the local LA SantaCons that I've participated in. We bar-hopped many of the best bars in Black Rock City. It was on the top of one of these bars where I met Captain Fun. We chatted about the random excitement and joys that is Burning Man. He then gave me his just published novel & signed it for me. I do remember giving him one of the last of my custom postcards. I might have even placed proper postage on it. I can't remember because it is around that point when it all became a blur.

So i finished the book this morning. I have to say, it was one of the most fun & exciting books I've ever read. I had a couple issues with the plot, you could say there were a few holes in them, but overall it worked itself out. The thing I enjoyed the most were the characters. The story emphasised the true body of Burning Man, the people - The citizens of Black Rock City. Throughout the novel were interviews of various Burners. Although they are supposed to "fictional" they felt very real. They each had their own personal views of what Burning Man is or means to them. I would find it hard to believe that Captain Fun created all those thoughts & feelings himself, unless he's schizophrenic... which is possible. But in all seriousness Captain Fun was down to earth and... Fun. And so was his character in the book, aptly named, Captain Fun.

The story revolves around a virgin Burner by the name of Dexter Edden, or just Dex. In the beginning he witnesses the violent murder of his boss, who dragged him out to the desert against his own better judgement. He runs for his life away from the killer and gets lost in Black Rock City. He eventually meets & becomes friends with various citizens who decide to help him prove his innocence. "...Dex is wanted by the killer... and by the police."

The book is fast paced and full of wonderful characters. I don't know if the characters were genuinely fleshed out with prose or if my own biased Burner mind was able to fill in the blanks. It didn't matter because all the characters felt very real. It felt like I was really there on the playa. I could see the colorful lights and feel the drying wind. I could also taste the playa in my mouth - Or that could be because I was just there and I havent cleared up completely. Mmmm, playa dust.

Product Description
JACK RABBIT SPEAKS

A tall figure stands alone, waiting to be engulfed in flames. It is the Burning Man, the giant wooden centerpiece of Nevada's famous weeklong arts festival. Every year, thousands flock to the middle of the desert to push the limits of creativity and outrageousness. Dex Edden is not one of them. A computer programmer, Dex has come to the wild and wooly festival only to please his boss. Out of the blue, he will be a witness to murder.

When a masked visitor enters the RV where Dex and his boss are camped out, Dex's tiny oasis in the middle of the weird and unnerving festival scene is shattered in a moment of blinding violence. Now Dex is wanted by the killer, who fled into the desert -- and by the police. For Dex, survival depends on blending in with the oddballs and eccentrics in an alien landscape. For on the final, fateful night of Burning Man, the flames will rise -- and the masks will come off....--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Review of Solemnly Swear (Paperback)

If you're considering giving Nancy Moser's latest novel a read, allow me to Solemnly Swear to my belief that you'll throughly enjoy it.

From the prologue (which I found entirely engrossing) on, Moser had me spellbound. Seldom have I wondered about the personal backgrounds, life experiences, and motivations of jurors, but in Solemnly Swear we get a glimpse into the lives of four such people. And we end up realizing how one misconception, one slight, one lie, and one missed purpose could unite to condemn (or possibly free) the accused.

If you've ever thought you might have what it takes to be an impartial and fair jury member, read this gripping tale. And then if you get called to jury duty, remember it....



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Review of Diary of a Serial Killer (Mass Market Paperback)

Twenty years ago Alan Lombardo, accountant to the mob boss George Heinrich, was convicted of killing nine people.He swore he was innocent, but nobody believed him.Now after two decades in jail, he hires law partners Zack Wilson and Terry Tallach to find a loophole that will get him a new trial.They reluctantly take the case.They think they have found an opening when they learn who originally defended the convicted CPA; as Zach's father was on two payrolls with Alan and Heinrich both paying him.His father, now a respected judge, could get disbarred if his conflict of interest goes public.

Complicating their ethics dilemma is that the attorneys begin to believe their client is innocent even before a serial killer begins a series of murdering using the same MO as the Springfield Shooter did.The pinky of each victim is cut off and the phrase "Welcome to my World" is left with each victim.That information was never made public.Back then the police barely looked at author Malcolm Ayers as their serial killer because Lombardo fit so perfectly; however evidence points towards him being the "Eternally Yours" killer except lead detective Vera Demopoulos has doubts as everything is to simply perfect making her wonder about a frame, but proving it without dying is quite a task.

DIARY OF A SERIAL KILLER is appropriate titled because it was Lombardo's journal that ultimately convicted him.Readers will feel sorry for the mild-mannered obsessive-compulsive convict who does not come across as a psychopath.The cat and mouse game between the cop and the killer will fascinate the audience who will obsess over deciphering clues from the present.Ed Gaffney has a hit series with this fine thriller as an indication.

Harriet Klausner



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Review of Hardcore Hardboiled (Paperback)

I've been looking forward to this one for quite awhile now.HARDCORE HARDBOILEDis the first anthology from Todd Robinson's online crime fiction mag THUGLIT, which is easily one of the best venues for original fiction on the internet.What we have here is a sorta "best of" type anthology from Thuglit's first year.Two dozen stories from both heavy hitters in the crime fiction biz and some names that I'm hoping make a lot more noise in years to come.

If you, like me, are pretty darn tired of weak pseudo sensitive crime and mystery fiction that reads like it was penned by Don Henley fans, Thuglit and Hardcore Hardboiled are for you.

Honestly, each and every one of the 24 stories in this sucker are quite good at the very least.Some personal favorites of my own are Duane Swierczynski's darkly hilarious 'The Replacment'; Mike Toomey's flat out awesome 'Ten Dimes'; 'Johnny Cash Is Dead' by Jordan Harper; Hana K. Lee's 'Burning Ring Of Fire'; 'A Sleep Not Unlike Death' by Sean Chercover; the stellar 'McHenry's Gift' by Mike MacLean; a Tommy Burns story from the modern master of crime fiction Charlie Stella called 'The Milfinators';and 'Kill Posse', yet another hoot of a story from Victor Gischler.

For the price of this trade paperback anthology, you get more than a bang for your buck, you get the whole Fourth Of July, pal.



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Review of The Disappearance (Hardcover)

From the first paragraph of lush, gorgeous prose, in which Sigel describes Joshua running toward the light in The Hollow, I knew this would be a heartbreaking, yet uplifting book.The title is a bit misleading, as the mystery behind the disappearance of 14-year-old Dan Sandler plays second fiddle to its aftermath in the lives of his parents, Joshua and Nathalie.I knew what the resolution to the disappearance would be, but that's not the point, and the flawless pacing made The Disappearance extremely difficult to put down.The suspense is relentless, fueled by dips into the past that begin to shed frustrating shafts of light on a mystery that at first is in absolute darkness.No one saw anything the day that Dan disappeared.There is no physical evidence of any kind.Over weeks and months, as hope fades and Nathalie and Joshua fall apart both separately and as a family, pinpoints of light reveal murky connections and slim clues.I'm normally resigned to reading in fits and starts, but I desperately wanted to shut myself in my room and read this book in one go.I stayed up far too late to find out if Joshua and Nathalie would find closure, or at the very least, a way to move on.

The Sandlers are newcomers to their summer home of The Hollow, a hamlet outside the little town of Smithfield, Massachusetts.When they return to their real lives in New York after the disappearance, Joshua throws himself into work while maintaining a grueling schedule of investigation in The Hollow: calling the police chief twice a day, spending his weekends interrogating neighbors.Nathalie's cello sits untouched as she plunges into depression.Their opposing responses to uncertainty and grief push them further and further apart.The struggle of parents following a child's death or disappearance is a story that's been told a thousand times, but Sigel's portrayal is fresh and realistic, and Nathalie and Josh are shown so clearly that their agony is almost unbearable.It is a credit to Sigel that I, too, held out hope for a happy ending to Dan's disappearance.

The small town is drawn beautifully.The police chief, Sammons, is not the usual bumbling hick portrayed in small-town law enforcement.He is thorough and determined, and most importantly, he cares deeply and never gives up on finding answers for the Sandlers.Information about the townspeople is dribbled out in a realistic, non-intrusive fashion.Coupled with Sigel's gift for description, this makes for a richly nuanced image of The Hollow and its inhabitants.

In The Disappearance, Efrem Sigel has crafted a haunting, beautiful novel of tragedy's aftermath, with deeply human characters and a satisfying resolution. <a href="http://hollybooknotes.blogspot.com">On My Bookshelf</a>



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Review of CSI: Nevada Rose (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) (Mass Market Paperback)

Max Allan Collins is the best writer for the CSI novels so far, but Jerome Priesler did a great job.I did find it weird that the cast was split into the swing shift and graveyard shift again.I enjoyed this more than the previous book, In Extremis, by another author.

Product Description
"Nevada Rose" Demille was one of the most beautiful and desired sports groupies in Las Vegas, a fixture at the trendiest casinos and clubs on the Strip. But the endless party came to a tragic end the morning her nude body was found bound and gagged in her home. As crime scene investigators Catherine Willows and Warrick Brown dig deeper, all roads (and a growing media circus) lead to Mark Baker -- a.k.a. "The Fireball" -- a hard-throwing, Cooperstown-bound major-league pitcher and fancier of gorgeous women who recently conducted a very public affair with one "Nevada Rose" Demille....

Meanwhile, miles away on the grounds of a world-class championship golf course, Gil Grissom is probing the macabre discovery of a John Doe -- an intense investigation that will unearth a bitter sibling rivalry twisted by jealousy and distrust over a "Nevada Rose" of a very different nature....

About the Author
Jerome Preisler is the author of more than twenty books, including the bestselling Tom Clancy's Power Plays series. He is also a baseball commentator whose work appears on the New York Yankees' YES Network Online.

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Review of Corsair (Hardcover)

I have noticed several reviews which acknowledge Clive Cussler's writing on Corsair--but I would like to clear something up: the Oregon Files books are NOT written by Cussler...NONE of them were. The first couple were written by Craig Dirgo (and were abysmal btw), and the rest have been authored by Jack DuBrul. Sure, Clive comes up with the story outline and makes suggestions here and there, but the ACTUAL novel is written by DuBrul.

Okay--enough of that...on to the review: Jack has outdone himself here with Corsair. This is one of those books where you either like it or not (for the most part anyway). Face it, some people have a talent for accepting a story, whether outlandish or not, and some want 100% authenticity throughout or it borders on pure drivel. While I'll admit that there are some places where authenticity are stretched a bit thin--but honestly, I don't CARE. Cussler has written several novels that border on outright science fiction (the base on the moon comes to mind...) and yet nobody seems too concerned with that...so perspective, folks...perspective.

DuBrul is a great writer and I've said for quite some time now that I've felt that if ANYONE in the action/adventure arena has the writing chops to de-throne Cussler, it's him...and I'd say Corsair goes a LONG way towards proving my point. Paul Kemprecos has managed to mirror Cussler's writing style MUCH better than Clive's son has in the last several Dirk Pitt stories. Reading the NUMA Files books are (for ME anyway) as close to reading a Cussler novel the way he USED to write back in the day as you can find. DuBrul's style is certainly every bit as cinematic as Clive's but also quite different. He places his own imprint on each story making it as unique to him as the earlier Pitt novels are to Cussler.

Again, the story is well told if not a bit far-fetched in a few places, but for THIS reader, that did NOTHING to alter my pure enjoyment of the latest Oregon Files tale. DuBrul really IS one of my favorite authors writing today and while I really, REALLY like his books with Cussler, I'm waiting to read another thriller featuring Phillip Mercer and his elderly half-drunken sidekick. Please tell me I won't have to wait much longer...???

Jack: WELL done! Now GET BUSY and bring back Mercer, dangit!



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