Alexandria Link by Steve Berry

All Cotton Malone desires is to run his book store, enjoy his retirement from government service and spend time with his son as often as he can. But all that changes early one October morning when Malone’s ex-wife appears on his stoop with shocking news. Their son has been kidnaped and only Malone has access to the information which is required to secure his son’s return. And to spur Malone on, his bookstore is firebombed minutes after Malone receives telephoned instructions. What is this secret that only Malone knows? Malone is the only person alive who knows the hidden location of the Alexandria Link. The Link marks the way to the Library of Alexandria.   Wasn’t the ancient Library of Alexandria destroyed? Apparently not, and certain individuals will do anything to regain the secret knowledge, religious writings and other documents hidden in the library. In fact, according to ancient writings, certain scrolls in the library may even question the location of biblical sites. If this proves true, economic and religious power and influence will shift drastically. Peace might even come to the Middle East.   Berry’s novel is great, a runaway-train-ride of international locales, assassin squads, political intrigue, and ancient secrets. Readers new to Berry’s books will be hooked! I am. Returning fans will not be disappointed in Alexandria Link. In my opinion, Berry has joined the ranks of Rollins and Brown.

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
Phileas Fogg is the epitome of the perfect British gentleman. He is extremely precise. Fogg's wardrobe is organized by season. He knows exactly how many steps it takes to his club. He refuses to accept his copy of the London Times if any other club member has already perused it. In short, Phileas Fogg is an automaton posing as a human being. Fogg's only weakness is his enjoyment of whist. Three days before the events of this momentous day, the Bank of England had been robbed of the sum of 55,000 pounds by a distinguished looking gentleman. This robbery was the main topic of conversation at the Reform Club of which Fogg was a member. The Bank of England hired detectives to travel to all parts of the world in hopes of apprehending the felon. As Fogg's Whist partners discussed the escape and pursuit, they mentioned that you can travel around the world in three months now. But Phileas Fogg informed them that the journey can be made in 80 days. His playing partners were incredulous at this news and doubted Fogg's information. Fogg showed his compatriots an itinerary that calculated the travel time at 80 days. Still doubting, one playing partner proposed a wager and Phileas Fogg accepted. In fact, he decided to leave that very night. Passepartout, Fogg's butler, was completely perplexed at his master's insane plan, but prepared a travel bag and off they went. This sudden departure aroused the suspicion of Agent Fix, one of the detectives looking for the bank robber. Unfortunately, Fogg fit the description and the chase around the world began. Fix interfered with Fogg's plans as often as he could. Numerous adventures and mishaps plagued Fogg and Passepartout in their travels.  Around the World in Eighty Days is a great travel adventure filled with suspense, pursuit, deceit and honor. Phileas Fogg is the perfect gentleman at all times. He always keeps his cool under pressure and doesn't let circumstances dictate his feelings. This is my favorite book of all time.

Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy
Sergey Nikolaich Golovko loves his late-model white Mercedes 600 S-Class. This beautiful car is an obvious luxury for the current chairman of the SVR, formerly the KGB. Golovko has a driver/bodyguard and the Mercedes is armored. Every workday, Golovko relaxes while his driver traverses the circus known as Moscow traffic. On the particular morning in question, Golovko notices another Mercedes identical to his. Moments later, the other Mercedes explodes! Golovko's driver uses his defensive driving training and safely delivers Golovko to SVR headquarters.  This is the start of Bear...! What does this possibly botched assassination attempt have to do with the storyline? Wait and see. Meanwhile, the Vatican has assigned Cardinal DiMilo to travel to Beijing as the Vatican's ambassador. Of course, no Vatican cardinal directed to live in a foreign country is ever just a political figure. DiMilo also serves the Holy See as a spook.  China is a land filled with rich nearly mystical history and reprehensible human rights violations. The birth rate is restricted through stringent and despicable laws and actions. No Chinese couple may have a second child unless they receive permission from the population control center. Illegal pregnancies are even terminated as the baby is born. This is achieved through the use of a formaldehyde-filled syringe which is inserted into the babys brain as the head crowns before the child takes its first breath.   America's trade balance with China is lopsided by $70 billion. An American trade delegation is engaged in talks with the Chinese to rectify this imbalance.   Mother Russia has never recovered from the economic turmoil caused by the tearing apart of the Soviet Union. Now scientists have discovered a huge gold mine and an underground lake of oil, both in Siberia. If the gold and the oil can be retrieved without the financial shenanigans played by corrupt politicians and the Russian Mafia, Mother Russia will become an economic world power.
Now what do these diverse points have in common? They all are part of Clancy's latest novel. The Bear and the Dragon is pure Clancy! TC gives the reader multiple plots, superfluous information and excessive but interesting factoids. Bear... is a long book, 1028 pages, but very readable. In my opinion, it may not be Clancys best novel, but it is definitely worth reading.   L, V


Blackout by John J. Nance
Sea Air Flight 122 crashes into the Gulf of Mexico. All passengers die and there is no immediate cause found for the crash. Investigative reporter Robert McCabe believes that this crash is related to several previous crashes. He also believes that the U.S. government is somehow involved. As Robert continues to investigate, he decides to involve Kat Bronsky from the FBI. They meet in Hong Kong and plan to return to the USA on the same plane, but Kat is pulled off the plane just minutes before take-off. In flight, a mysterious intense light flashed in front of the cockpit, killing the pilot and blinding the co-pilot. Additionally, mechanical failures add to the mix of disaster and the plane crashes in Viet Nam. Robert is one of only six survivors and their troubles are just starting. Yes, there is a conspiracy of sorts and Robert is the target. How will Kat become involved, how will any of the survivors return to the USA?  John Nance provides plenty of excitement in Blackout. In addition to the airplane crashes, we also get international chases and a conspiracy. I like Nance's writing style. He gives the reader sufficient, but not exhaustive, technical details and keeps his novels moving at a good pace. His characters are believable and worth rooting for, the good guys that is. Blackout is good escapist reading.   L,V

 

Bleachers by John Grisham

Harsh memories assault Neely Crenshaw when he arrives in Messina. It has been fifteen years since Neely graduated from high school and embarked on a promising football career. Why football? Because Messina was, and still is, football-town-USA. Eddie Rake was the high school football coach for several decades. Eddie's athletes either hated him or loved him for his grueling football drills and exercises. Now coach Rake is on his deathbed and many of his former athletes are returning to Messina to await the inevitable. Nelly hated Rake during high school but football offered more rewards than just exercise and feeling good about yourself. Through Rake's demanding coaching, Neely grew to be the star of his team, the great Number 19. Life was good for Neely, the girls loved him and scouts from various colleges courted him. And after graduating from high school, Neely could have had a great professional football career until he got hurt with a career ending injury.  So what brought Neely back to Messina? Did he come back to see his old football buddies or to make his peace with coach Rake? Perhaps it is a combination of the two reasons. Neely doesn't seem to know.  Bleachers is quite readable but unfortunately does not offer any real excitement. I had expected better and was disappointed. But luckily this book is mercifully short. Bleachers is neither a touchdown nor a field goal but a fumble. As I see it, there are only two reasons to read Bleachers, one-if you are a diehard Grisham fan, and two---well, I guess there is only one reason to read Bleachers.

 

Blue Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver

Women are considered the weaker sex but that doesn't mean that women are defenseless. Lara Gibson is an expert on urban protection for women. Her website teaches women how to become more aware of their surroundings, how to deal with overbearing jerks in bars and in general how to live a safer life. Of course, Lara teaches that things aren't always what they seem. Will she follow her own advice? Thomas Anderson was known by many names in his youth; Tom, Stealth and CryptO are just a few of them. He started his love affair, or lust, with computers in high school working on TRS-80s and Commodores. As computer technology advanced, so did Tom's skills. Among his many jobs, Tom worked computer security for AT&T and eventually found his calling in law enforcement. Thomas Anderson became Thomas F. Anderson, chief of the California State Police Computer Crimes Unit. Phate believes himself to be the ultimate computer hacker. He is playing a game with people's lives and every time a victim dies, Phate moves forward to the next more difficult level. What is his final goal and will Tom Anderson prevent Phate from succeeding? Jeffery Deaver's books are always engaging and entertaining. This time around, he shows his readers that all personal and private information stored on computers can become available to hackers. ID theft and cyber-stalking already exist but Deaver's book will give readers pause before booting up their computers. I loved Blue Nowhere.

 

Broken Hearts Club by Ethan Black
The Broken Hearts Club consists of a group of men who have experienced poor relationships. Dr. Bainbridge, the NY City psychologist who started the club, encourages all the members to fantasize about taking revenge against the women who wronged them. The group meets weekly in the backroom of a steakhouse. Often, these meetings get quite loud and sometimes violent. Several women who are the focus of these meetings are brutally murdered, but the members of the club have alibis. Detective Conrad Voort doesn't see how these murders could be related. His girlfriend, Camilla Ryan also is a patient of Dr. Bainbridge, but she doesn't belong to this club. Eventually, the pieces fall in place, even surprising the reader.  Broken Hearts Club is a psychological thriller. Ethan Black weaves his story well and keeps a tremendous surprise well hidden. I look forward to his next book.   L,V,S

Broker by John Grisham

A delicious scandal allowed Arthur Morgan to achieve his ultimate political goal and become a resident in the Oval Office. Alas, Morgan’s four years as leader of the world’s most powerful nation were mostly uneventful and uninspiring except for the multiple poor decisions Morgan made. His presidency will receive little notice in history books. But Morgan has one last chance to leave his mark, no matter how asinine it might be. Every outgoing president signs last minute pardons before leaving office. And Morgan is being pressured into pardoning Joel Backman.  Who is Backman? He was a Washington broker who tried to sell technology to the wrong people. In doing so, Backman made powerful enemies, both domestic and foreign. When Backman realized the danger he and his family were in, he accepted a plea bargain and became a federal inmate. Now, six years later, Backman’s life is about to be turned upside down.  Backman is given a new identity and smuggled out of the country. He will learn to live in a strange land, learn to speak a new language, and become a different person. And eventually, officials in the CIA plan to leak Backman’s location to various sources. Then the CIA will sit and wait to see who will assassinate Backman.   John Grisham has strayed from his legal writing on several occasions, with mixed results. However, Grisham successfully combined international locales, spies and conspiracy in The Broker.

 

Brotherhood of the Rose by David Morrell
An orphan's life is often filled with misery, despair and unhappiness. Saul and Chris were orphans raised in a school for boys in Philadelphia. Their friendship bonds made them brothers. Together they became the beneficiaries of a cryptic and clandestine man named Eliot. This Eliot educated Saul and Chris in many different ways. The boys learned about world history and current events. They also learned multiple styles of self-defense and the fine art of assassination. Eliot then used Saul and Chris as spies in many dangerous and perilous areas of the world. However, the current assignment that Eliot has given them may just be too difficult for Saul and Chris.   I have never been disappointed with a Morrell novel. He does plenty of research to make history come alive. His characters are developed and distinct. Morrell creates exciting plots and peppers his novel with all the appropriate terminology and facts to entice the reader.   L,V


Burnt Sienna by David Morrell
Once a military helicopter pilot, Chase Malone now is a painter. His last mission nearly killed him and he retired from the service. Chase discovered his unique talent for painting and became successful at it. He paints what he wants and doesn't accept commission work. Derek Bellasar is an arms dealer and wants Chase to paint a portrait of Sienna Bellasar. Sienna isn't the first Mrs. Bellasar, her predecessors all died in mysterious accidents. It seems that Derek gets rid of his current wife whenever she doesn't retain her ageless beauty. Chase learns this from a friend of his at the CIA. This friend wants Chase to accept the commission to paint Sienna. At the same time, Chase is expected to spy on Derek and gain information to convict Derek of arms smuggling and murder. Chase also decides to rescue Sienna from becoming the next "late" Mrs. Bellasar.  Burnt Sienna is a bit different from Morrell's earlier works. This book shows the reader a softer side of Morrell. He still gives the reader plenty of chase scenes, action and adventure, but there also is a bit of romance. Morrell also keeps a couple of surprises up his sleeve until the very end of this novel. I enjoyed Burnt Sienna and recommend any of Morrell's other books also.   L,V,S

By Dawns Early Light by Philip Shelby

Sometimes life is good, sometimes life is bad. For Sloan Ryder, life has gone from good to bad. Her job as a financial analyst is presenting an ethical dilemma and her boyfriend no longer seems to care for her. Ryder accidentally stumbles across some confidential information which appears to point to insider trading involving the firm and Chinese oil interests. Little does Ryder know that this is only the beginning of her troubles. Assassins hire out to the highest bidder and the Handyman commands a high price for his services. His latest assignment takes him to an orphan camp in North Korea where he will select a child, #1818, for a special mission.  The President of the United States often seeks advice from many sources and Dodge French is the imminent source for information and guidance in dealing with China. But French has his own agenda.  What do these people have in common? In Shelby's book, all of them are puppets in a turbulent novel full of surprises, plot twists and a nefarious plan to assassinate the U.S. president. What defines a patriot, what defines a traitor and how fine is the line of demarcation between the two? By Dawns Early Light allows the reader to decide for himself. I've enjoyed all of Shelby's books so far and this latest novel did not disappoint me.    L

 

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

(This is Fleming’s first Bond novel and was written in 1953 when the Cold War was anything but cold.)

Bond’s assignment seems easy enough, all he has to do is win a series of card games and by winning, financially destroy his opponent Le Chiffre. Although Bond just received his "00" status, killing shouldn’t be necessary for this job. But who is Le Chiffre?  Le Chiffre is a financier and a valuable agent of the USSR. He has a couple of weaknesses which can be exploited by MI6. One of these is his propensity for gambling, particularly, with the monies given to him for investments. The spying and business powers of Le Chiffre’s Soviet masters would be nicely adversely affected if Le Chiffre were to lose his "borrowed" fortune. Thus, James Bond, the best gambler in the service, finds himself sitting opposite Le Chiffre at a gaming table playing high stakes baccarat.   Bond’s simple task becomes complicated when he is saddled with a beautiful partner from the treasury department. Add to this a possible information leak, Le Chiffre’s thugs, torture, lust, and a car chase on a dark mountain road, and you get Fleming’s introduction to the world of James Bond. And don’t forget about SMERSH.

 

The Cassandra Compact by Robert Ludlum and Phillip Shelby

"Smallpox, the ancient disease, was eradicated 20 years ago. Smallpox is on death row, frozen in two highly protected laboratories in the United States and Russia."  No laboratory is ever completely secure and the right sum of money offered to a desperate person will buy just about anything. This is particularly true in the economic mishmash formerly known as the Soviet Union.  Lt. Colonel Jon Smith has continued his involvement with Covert-One since his fiancée's death one year ago. As a medical researcher, Smith has contacts and friends among the medical community. One such colleague from Russia contacts Smith to arrange a clandestine meeting in Venice. This meeting comes to an abrupt and deadly end, but not before Smith learns that Russia's smallpox supply may have fallen into terrorist hands. If the smallpox virus is unleashed, the world will experience a plague which will rival the mortality rate of the Black Death. Robert Ludlum and Phillip Shelby have successfully combined their constructive talents as thriller writers in this book. Cassandra Compact is the second volume in the Covert-One series. Readers will enjoy the fast pace, correct but limited medical jargon, and the international locales. I enjoy the Covert-One series and I look forward to the next book.  L

 

The Children of Men by P.D. James

"Early this morning, 1. January 2021, three minutes after midnight, the last human being to be born on earth was killed in a pub brawl in a suburb of Buenos Aires, aged twenty-five years, two months and twelve days."

This sentence opens James’ novel about a distressing and disappointing future in which the human race is dying. The last children were born in 1995. Since then, all males have been infertile. Was this disaster a new disease, divine retribution or a quirk of evolution? No answers presented themselves and scientists worldwide were baffled.   In England, where this story takes place, the government instituted programs to test for fertility. The British government also created resources to make it more appealing to its citizens to regenerate the species. All to no avail.   Since many people believed this plague to be of divine origin, new religious charlatans took center stage to appease the masses. Society in general became duller, filled with hopelessness and malaise as the years passed with no children being born. Other problems also arose. Outside of the cities, roving bands of crazed bandits would attack travelers. And for the aged who didn’t want to patiently wait for natural death to finally end their miserably demoralizing and dispirited lives, the Quietus was created.   It is January 2021 and Theodore Faron, historian by profession, understands the turmoil surrounding him. But he is disappointed that society is crumbling and succumbing to the psychological destruction of this disease. England is ruled by a man calling himself the Warden of England. The Warden and Faron are cousins. Faron’s life changes when he accepts the plea by a small group of concerned citizens to talk to the Warden about societal ills. Then Faron learns that a woman in the group is pregnant!   Children of Men is well written. The despair and hopelessness of this future society ooze from every page. Unfortunately, James’ novel’s plodding pace won’t appeal to readers hoping for an exciting page turner.

 

The Crimson Portrait by Jody Shields

"It will be a great adjustment to have the men occupy your house, ma’am." This simple sentence will have a long-lasting effect on Catherine’s life. It is Spring 1915 and Catherine allows her home to be transformed into a military hospital for soldiers with severe facial injuries. Catherine has been a widow for almost a year and is filled with great loneliness.   While Catherine struggles with the changes brought on by WWI, Dr. McCleary, the surgeon in charge of the "hospital" bemoans the fact that "war is the only proper school of surgeons." McCleary was only a novice regarding facial injuries when the war started. Now he has become an unfortunate expert whose newly developed surgical skills have been forged in the crucible of human suffering.   However, painful operations coupled with inventive yet oft-times primitive prostheses can often only restore a mere resemblance of a once handsome face. As part of treating the most severely destroyed faces, it is suggested that a thin metal mask be created and painted to at least allow the wearer a form of social interaction. Seizing upon this idea, Catherine hatches a plan which might bring peace to her tortured soul. For though she knows that her husband is dead, Catherine’s heart refuses to accept the loss.   Without revealing some of the finer details of this novel, let me say that Crimson Portrait is more than just a story of lost love and suffering. It is also a story of sacrifice, mental anguish, fear, determination and hopefulness. Shields skillfully depicts the tormenting loneliness endured by widows, the fear of opening one’s heart to new love, and the despair of helplessness. Crimson Portrait, like Shield’s Fig Eater, is a book that readers won’t soon forget.

 

The Cutout by Francine Mathews

Cutout: A third person used to conceal the contact between two people usually an agent and a handler who do not want to meet because one or both may be under surveillance. Encyclopedia of Espionage

Genocide, the systematic extermination of a national or racial group also known as ethnic cleansing, has been practiced by demented leaders and terrorists throughout history. The Cold War may have ended but Europe is facing variations on the theme of genocide. Caroline Carmichael is an analyst for the CIA. She once was happily married to another agent named Eric. Both of them understood the hazzards of their work and both of them enjoyed their work. Their happiness ended abruptly when the commercial airliner Eric was flying on exploded, courtesy of a bomb placed by 30 April, a violent terrorist group led by Mlan Krucevic. Caroline has tried to locate and apprehend Mlan for the past thirty months. Focusing on her work has helped Caroline deal with her grief. But the fates are about to surprise her.  Vice President Payne is visiting Berlin, the new capital of the united Germany, to dedicate a new U.S. embassy. The crowd of onlookers is restless, Gastarbeiter have been a thorn in the side of German politics. Everyone is awaiting America's response to this turmoil. But the V.P.'s speech is cut short by an explosion which severely damages the Brandenburg Gate and the new Reichstag Building. During the confusion, V.P. Payne is kidnaped. Television crews capture the kidnaping and one terrorist's face is clearly identified. The terrorist is Eric Carmichael. This revelation crumbles Caroline's rectitude and she wonders if her marriage to Eric was nothing but a sham. Of course, the question remains, "What does 30 April want with the U.S. V.P.?"  Francine Mathew's time working for the CIA served her well in writing this novel. Authentic details bring her narrative to life. She has polished her writing style through several novels and The Cutout is the excellent result. I gladly recommend her new novel to all readers of Follett, Folsom, Forsyth, Higgins, Ludlum and Le Carré!   L, V

 

Dark Justice by William Bernhardt
While in law school, Ben Kincaid had dreams of being a hot-shot lawyer in a big city firm. His dreams soon were dashed to pieces, his first experience in a big firm wasn't to his liking, and Ben opened his own firm. As a lawyer with no clients, Ben accepted unpopular cases to get his career started. Through a series of books, W. Bernhardt has expanded Kincaid's character. Ben isn't as naive as he used to be and his court room skills have increased.   In Dark Justice, Ben is on vacation, but trouble seems to find him anyway. He's staying in a town supported by the lumber industry. Soon, Ben is involved in defending an "eco-terrorist" accused of murder. All the evidence is against his client, but Ben believes his client to be innocent. In addition, the judge is antagonistic and the D.A. is crooked.   I won't tell you more about the book. I have enjoyed all the previous Ben Kincaid novels. In fact, I've enjoyed W. Bernhardt as much as, and often more than, John Grisham. Dark Justice not only is a fun legal thriller but also a good murder mystery.

Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Though respected and conservative, Jacques SauniPre's bold act to save his life would have shocked his acquaintances. And then, before he died, Jacques somehow had to leave a message relaying a religious secret which he had been carrying in his head for decades.  The investigating officer is baffled by the murder scene. Not only did Jacques pose his body peculiarly but he also wrote a cryptic message on the floor of the Grand Gallery of the Louvre Museum. Who can solve this message? Perhaps the visiting American cryptologist Robert Langdon, who is in Paris to present a lecture on religious symbology.  Aided by Agent Sophie Neveu of the Département de Cryptographie, Robert partially deciphers Jacques' message. But the answer, along with Sophie's alarming information that both their lives may be in danger, only deepens the conundrum of Jacques' murder and last message. Each puzzle that Robert and Sophie solve just leads them to another even more perplexing riddle.  Meanwhile, a tormented albino and a Catholic bishop act on telephoned orders to retrieve a sacred keystone which may show the way to the Holy Grail. This keystone was created by the Knights Templar to protect information which, if revealed, would bewilder Christians everywhere. Clandestine acts hidden in secret plots within wheels of deception all shrouded in religious fervor effectively pull the reader into Brown's Da Vinci Code. The curious history of religious artifacts and the uncommon practices of Opus Dei, a Catholic group, will intrigue readers. Brown's research fills his book with short lessons in cryptography and readers can have fun following the clues and solving the puzzles. Da Vinci Code is sensational.

 

Demolition Angel by Robert Crais
Carol Starkey and her partner David Boudreaux died three years ago. The bomb which they were attempting to defuse detonated. Carol was revived but her partner was not. Shrapnel from the bomb pierced Carol's protective Kevlar suit and scarred her body horribly. Her mind is still struggling with this horrific event. Carol has been trying to put her life back together. She's been seeing a string of psychiatrists, hasn't eaten well and has been smoking and drinking too much. Tagamet has been her main sustenance. Carol changed jobs and now works in the LAPD'S Criminal Conspiracy Section.  When a bomb technician is killed while disarming a pipe bomb, Carol gets the case. Her investigation into this bombing and other similar explosions soon reveals a hidden agenda. Somebody is building bombs with the sole purpose of killing bomb techs. Not all the explosions take place in LA and Carol soon finds herself unwillingly working with Jack Pell from the FBI. Pell has a few secrets of his own regarding his career as an investigator. Starkey and Pell have some vital clues which supposedly give clear direction for their investigation. But.... Robert Crais' Demolition Angel is an entertaining thriller. I always find it fascinating to watch an author create the process and methods by which his characters investigate and solve crimes. A good author is aware of technological advances and applies them successfully to the plot of his story. Crais does this and he also adds enough character details to help the reader relate to Starkey and Pell. Demolition Angel never was boring and the ending was intense.   L,V

Devil's Teardrop by Jeffery Deaver
The place: Washington, D.C. The time: New Year's Eve 1999 A crazed shooter, the Digger, has just started his reign of terror by shooting indiscriminately at the commuters at a subway station. A ransom note demanding $20 million is delivered to the Washington, D.C., mayor. Until the ransom is delivered, the Digger will continue his shooting spree every four hours. He has already chosen his next targets. The Digger's accomplice is killed in an auto-pedestrian accident before he could collect the ransom. How do you stop a psychotic killer whom you can't find. Well, the odd ransom note holds many clues which Parker Kincaid, a document expert, interprets. Kincaid and the FBI are trying desperately to unravel the mystery of the Digger and his next target. The suspense builds as the Digger strikes again.  Devil's Teardrop was exciting and incredibly suspenseful. Deaver gives the reader multiple lessons in criminology including document examination. The plot is fascinating and Deaver has a few surprises waiting for the reader. The last few pages of this novel are just amazing. Devil's Teardrop will please any thriller reader.   L,V

Eagle Shadow by Shelly Greenhalgh-Davis

The Montana Territory in 1865 is considered the frontier, Indians and white settlers do not always see eye-to-eye. This is the world of Nate Hunter, a ranch hand. Nate also is an enigma in this world for he is half Cheyenne Indian and half white. Nate's father married a white woman and Nate and his sister learned to respect the Cheyenne teachings but they also learned the rules of the white men. Tara, Nate's love interest, is a white rich girl.  Many years ago, Nate's father, Buck, was accused of causing the death of the son of a brave. Buck proclaimed his innocense but was banished from the tribe. Now the truth about the death has been discovered and the tribe wants Buck to return. But Buck and his family are settled in their life at Broken Bow Ranch. Bloodshed occurs between Buck and the Cheyenne and an attack and massacre at Broken Bow follow. Nate and his sister escape but their parents are among the many killed. Now Nate is faced with being hunted by the Cheyenne and being ostracized by many of the white settlers. Which heritage, influence and teachings from his youth will Nate follow? Eagle Shadow is informative and fairly entertaining. The love story between Nate and Tara develops nicely and the reader cheers for Nate and his difficult adventures. However, I'm not a fan of Westerns and Eagle Shadow barely held my attention.

 

Edge of Danger by Jack Higgins

"Paul Rashid was one of the richest Englishmen in the world. He was also half Arab, and few people could tell you which influence most ruled his heart."  Paul's father was a soldier by birth and tradition; he was also the leader of the Rashid Beduin in the province of Hazar. As a young man, Paul's father studied at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. This is where he met Lady Kate Dauncey. They married and became the parents of four children; Paul, Michael, George and Kate.  The Dauncey family is one of Britain's oldest families and the children guarded both their English heritage and their distinguished Omani past with equal fierceness. After their father's death, Lady Dauncey inherited the family estate and continued to raise her children in the proper way of English upper class. Once, as teenagers, Paul and his siblings even defended the family name and their mother's honor by banishing vagabonds from the family's estate.  Now, years later, the Rashids have decided to enter the Gulf Stream oil business. Paul, as Earl of Loch Dhu, uses his worldwide industry contacts to increase the family business and fortune. But other parties also want to profit from the Rashid oilfield. Assassins try to kill Paul and his sister, unsuccessfully. Paul swears revenge. He probes his intelligence sources and learns that both American and Soviet companies are interested in his oil fields.  "I always return!" is the Dauncey family motto. Paul reminds his siblings of this and together they hatch a plan to gain the world's attention. They plot to have the U.S President killed.  Meanwhile, back in London, Sean Dillon maintains his covert activities for Brigadier Charles Ferguson. Sean was an IRA enforcer in his earlier life. Then Ferguson convinced Sean that a switch of occupation would be healthier for the former enforcer. Sean and the Rashids will cross paths and the results will not always be pleasant.  I have read many Higgins novels and always enjoyed them. His style is simple and the action is fierce and quick. American readers may not understand some of the British terminology and colloquialisms but Jack Higgins always weaves a thrilling yarn. L,

 

Eleven Hours by P. Simons
Didi Wood is miserable. She is nine months pregnant. The Braxton Hicks have started. All Didi wants to do, besides giving birth, is to enjoy a short shopping spree before she is supposed to meet her husband Richard for lunch. Their lunch date was set for 1:00 PM. Didi never made it. Instead, Didi was accosted and kidnaped by a man she met in the mall. The next eleven hours are pure terror for Didi. Meanwhile, Richard, the police and the FBI are all trying to find and save Didi.   The tension in Eleven Hours increased with every turn of the page. Simons draws the reader into the story and holds him spellbound. L,V,S


Empty Chair by Jeffery Deaver
Lincoln Rhyme strikes most casual observers as a curmudgeon. Well, when you are a quadriplegic criminalist who can't accept people's misplaced pity, you may appear rough around the edges. Lincoln follows medical advances in hope to alter his condition. This quest leads him and his assistant Amelia Sachs to the University of North Carolina Medical Center for some experimental surgery. Within hours of his arrival, Lincoln is sought out by the local Sheriff to aid in apprehending a teenage truant. This kid, nicknamed Insect Boy, is the prime suspect in the murder of a teenager and the abductions of two girls. Lincoln and Sachs are successful in catching Insect Boy but all is not well. Sachs believes that Insect Boy didn't kill the teenager and therefore helps the suspect escape. Now Lincoln must pit his forensic skills and intuition against his protege. But there are more factors influencing Sach's decision and Rhyme's work. Tanner's Corner, NC, with its swamp lands harbors a few more surprises.
Empty Chair was lots of fun. Jeffery Deaver creates multiple plots that interweave and leave the reader wondering how the plots will resolve. Deaver also likes to surprise his readers. Empty Chair is well written and is a good introduction to Jeffery Deaver's books.   L,V,S

Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman

This little book is a delightful treasure trove of literary essays. Anne Fadiman has a gift with words. Her thoughts spring from the page and amaze the reader with their descriptive beauty and eloquent prose. Fadiman allows the reader a glimpse into her familys, and her personal, bibliophilic lives. She relates how she liked to build castles when she was just four years old. Her building blocks were her fathers twenty-two volume set of Trollope. Fadiman's love of books grew as she grew; as an adult, she even chose a career in writing. After marrying the love of her life, George, the inevitable time arrived to also "marry" their respective book collections. However, Fadiman was worried because George's shelving style was quite free-spirited whereas she preferred her books to be "balkanized by nationality and subject matter." Eventually, the libraries were happily joined. The essay about carnal versus courtly love of books gave me a few chuckles. I could see myself wavering from one viewpoint to the other. I was amused by Fadiman's essay called "The Joy of Sesquipedalians." Lastly, Fadiman hits the proverbial nail on the head when she tells the reader about her "odd shelf" where she keeps an eclectic collection of books. She truthfully asserts that the odd shelf often tells more about a person's diversity than the rest of the books owned by that person.  Ex Libris is one of the finest books ever written about the pleasure of books. This book belongs on everybody's bookshelf. Anne Fadiman is gleefully afflicted with bibliomania and so am I.

 

Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson

Al Qaeda is a terror organization fighting to bring America to her knees. Al Qaeda has been John Wells’ undercover assignment for the past several years. Wells is the only CIA operative to ever infiltrate al Qaeda. Unfortunately, John didn’t know about the attacks executed on 9/11 and therefore he couldn’t warn the CIA. Since Wells has been undercover for so many years, several officials in Langley question his loyalty. But Wells’ handler Exley continues to believe in him.   Now Wells receives a new assignment from al Qaeda. He’s told to clean up, return to America, reacquaint himself with the decadent culture of the West and bide his time until further instructions. Wells contacts Exley and reports as much as he can, but his information is sketchy. Certain factions at the CIA no longer trust Wells and question his commitment. Wells escapes CIA custody and goes into hiding. Al Qaeda told Wells to return to America but Wells has no clue what is expected of him, yet. There will be a new terrorist attack but what will it be? Could it be a nuclear bomb, a dirty bomb or even a virus?   Berenson’s book is intense, scary and reads as quite plausible.

 

Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

DMORT: Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team   Commuter flight 228, flying from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., never reached its destination. Instead, the flight crashed in the North Carolina mountains, killing all 88 passengers and crew.  Temperance Brennan is among the first officials of DMORT to arrive at the horrendous crash site. She is shocked and dismayed at the carnage and inhospitable terrain. It will take all of Tempe's skills as a forensic anthropologist to piece together the mutilated bodies and identify the disfigured and dismembered passengers.  As the horrific investigation continues, Tempe discovers a foot which does not seem to belong to any of the passengers. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but curiosity also is the fuel of Tempe's life. And this lonesome foot presents a mysterious challenge.  Kathy Reichs grabs her reader's attention from the opening paragraph and she never eases the tension. This is Reichs' fourth book and I feel that it is her best book yet. She employs authentic terminology but never buries the reader in scientific or medical jargon. Tempe Brennan is a welcome addition to the mystery genre and I can hardly wait for her next adventure.  V, L

 

Final Round by William Bernhardt

Golf, the sport of luck, frustration and skill, quickly reveals the measure of a man in just a few strokes. And the ultimate test of skills and prestige is the Masters tournament played on the beautifully manicured fairways of Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. John McCree and Conner Cross have been buddies and golf pros for years. In fact, both of them are playing in the Masters tournament. Alas, poor Conner quickly runs afoul of the persnickety rule keepers of the conservative and fastidious Augusta National Golf Club. His clothing, his manners, his language and his overall demeanor all run contrary to the Club's expectations. But Conner manages to skate along the lines of decorum. All is well until Conner makes a grisly discovery in the sand trap of the eighteenth hole. He finds the corpse of his best friend John. The murder sends shockwaves through the tournament but the game goes on. John's wife asks Conner to "investigate" her husband's murder since the police have no leads and aren't holding out any promises about solving this case quickly. But the killer isn't done and soon another body disturbs the serenity of the elitist Augusta Club. Well, William Bernhardt did it again. His latest offering is filled with humor, such as a golfer wondering if he should have brought a machete since his golf ball constantly lands in the rough, and tension as the killer strikes without fear of apprehension. From the riveting opening sentence to the unorthodox use of golf balls during the novel's finale, Final Round is engrossing.

 

Finish Line by Tom Forest

Long awaited shore leave beckoned the crew of the USS McManus when the frigate arrived in the Turkish harbor. But a terrorist attack crippled the ship and killed many of the crew including Martin Korla's brother. Martin, who is a CIA field officer, discovered months later that this attack could have been prevented. Now Martin seeks revenge through extortion. He will make the CIA pay for his brothers death!  Martin's plan for revenge is elaborate, detailed and heinous. This plan also involves Uranium 235. When a member of Martin's group is killed by police, Martin sets a trap and the bodies start adding up. Martin's co-conspirators also steal an experimental aircraft. Then they travel from California to Utah.  In their Lehi hideout, Martin's proficient co-terrorists create two nuclear bombs to threaten events of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Martin's skills, learned from years in the CIA, allow him and his group to avoid detection and capture. But no plan is ever perfect and special agent Dale Fox of the FBI is hot on Martin's trail.  Murder, mayhem, death and destruction are all offered in this exciting and fast-paced novel. Just in the first eighty pages, readers are treated to a highspeed car chase, a murderous ambush and a deadly house fire. Tom Forest's background as a former US Marine, rescue diver and fire department officer strengthens the believability of law enforcement operations in his book. The details of investigative snooping coupled with the elaborate descriptions of police procedure and weaponry create authenticity for this novel. And for Utah readers, the locales hold specific pleasures. I can hardly wait for Tom's next book.

 

First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer
The office of Prime Minister is the highest political office in Britain. Four men, all members of Parliament, desire to be Prime Minister for the culmination of their political careers. Charles Seymour, Andrew Frazier, Simon Kerslake and Ray Gould all have varied backgrounds and political views. However, their political goal is the same. Which one of these men will become Prime Minister? Jeffrey Archer follows their lives, starting in the 1960's, for thirty years of political strive, assassination attempts, marital difficulties and the ususal trials of life.  First Among Equals is one of my favorite Archer novels. I loved the details of the British political system and the historical details skillfully woven into the story. Jeffrey Archer of course continues a trademark of his writing style by surprising the reader with a twist at the end of his novel.   L


Fourth Estate by Jeffrey Archer
This Archer novel is a variation on the themes found in Kane and Abel. Archer gives the reader two men who are at odds and become rivals. Lubji Hoch and Keith Townsend both want to control the media, the fourth estate, in their respective homelands. Each eventually wants to become an international media mogul. Their combined stories start in the post WWII era. Hoch develops his talent for media as part of a job. Townsend is heir to a media empire. They both develop callous business tactics and even let their family relationships suffer in their pursuits of their vocational goals.   Fourth Estate starts out with the ending of the novel. Yes, you read correctly. Jeffrey Archer first presents the ending, including the death of one of the characters, and then presents the story chronologically leading up to this calamitous ending. Some readers may not like this style, but Archer tells his story superbly. He mixes historical events with fictitious events and enlightens the reader about the power and influence of the fourth estate.   L


Genesis Code by John Case
In a remote Italian village, the local priest hears a startling confession from an old man. This confession so thoroughly grieves the priest that he immediately leaves to travel to Rome to report to his superiors.  Here in the United States, Joe Lassiter is enjoying a quiet evening at home when he receives a distressing phone call. His sister Kathy and her son Brandon were killed in a house fire. Investigators quickly discover that Kathy and Brandon were gruesomely murdered before their house was set on fire. Lassiter, who runs a security firm, decides to start his own investigation. The only suspect is an Italian who escapes from the prison hospital ward. As Lassiter continues his investigation, he uncovers a trail of single women and their young sons who have been murdered. The puzzle and conspiracy of these massacred innocents deepen. What did all these women have in common? They all participated in the services offered at an Italian fertility clinic. Lassiter also crosses paths with Umbra Domini, an extremely conservative Roman Catholic order based in Naples. What Lassiter eventually discovers, while running from assassins, will seriously change the field of DNA study.   Genesis Code was a page-turner for me. I got sucked into the novel from the first chapter. The action and pace stayed constant throughout the book. A reader may surmise the ending, but the last sentence still gave me reason to smile in wonder.   L, V


Gideon by Russell Andrews
Old diaries can hide secrets. Carl Granville, a New York writer, is about to find out what troubles some secrets can cause. He has been hired to write a novel based on the material of an old diary. Certain information, some dates and names, has been blacked out. The story of the diary concerns a 10-year old Southern boy who killed his handicapped baby brother. As Carl writes his novel, he becomes more intrigued by the story. Carl is surprised when the editor who commissioned this book is killed. The surprises continue when nobody at the publisher knows about Carl's project. Then Carl's apartment is ransacked and the few finished pages of the novel are stolen. Carl doesn't know what is going on. His upstairs neighbor is killed and Carl becomes the prime suspect for both killings. To clear his name, and uncover the truth behind the diary, Carl enlists the help of a newspaper editor. As he and his "partner" follow the journal's clues, the mystery deepens. Unbeknown to them, a killer follows close on their trail and eliminates most everybody they talk to. What is the mystery of this diary? Who is behind all the killings?
Gideon is a cool political thriller. The bodies add up quickly as the mystery deepens. The intensity and drive of this novel increase with each page. There's even an amazing surprise. Gideon is a must read novel.
L,V,S

Hades Factor by Robert Ludlum and Gayle Lynds

A homeless man in Boston tries to steal a bottle of Advil from a drug store. The man is apprehended and arrested. During the arrest, the man is roughed up a little and then shows signs of respiratory distress. He is rushed to the hospital but dies en route. In fact, the backseat of the squad car is bathed in the homeless man's blood.  In Atlanta, a high school girl complains to her mom of having flu-like symptoms. Suddenly this girl gets really sick and her mom rushes her to the emergency room. Just a few short hours later, the girl is dead. Her body bled out completely.  An Army major in California also is plagued by flu-like symptoms which suddenly worsen. He also suffers a similarly bloody death.  What do these three individuals have in common? That is the riddle that Dr. Sophia Russell of the Unites States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, USAMRIID, has to solve. But no answers are forthcoming. Eventually, all hot zone type level four laboratories worldwide are asked to help identify this virus. Dr. Russell receives some information which could lead to clues about the virus origin but she is killed before she can act on that information.  Her fiancé, Lt. Col. Jonathan Smith also works for the USAMRIID. Upon his return from a European trip, Smith barely escapes several attempts on his life. When he finally returns to Fort Detrick, home of USAMRIID, Smith immediately delves into the mystery surrounding his lover's death. But Smith can find no clues as to what this virus might be. He does discover that Sophia was purposefully infected with this deadly virus. Who is spreading this virus and why? Robert Ludlum and Gayle Lynds have combined their literary talents in taking an old plot and infusing it with new blood. Hades Factor, the first book in the Covert-One series, surprised me a couple of times. The story is well thought out and written. I'm looking forward to the next novel in this series.    V, L

 

Hart's War by John Katzenbach
Legal thrillers usually take place in a stuffy courtroom. In Hart's War, the courtroom consists of barracks in Stalag Luft 13, a WWII German POW camp located in the Bavarian woods.  Tommy Hart is the sole survivor of his B-25. Tommy had been studying law before the war. Upon his capture, Tommy fills out an International Red Cross form notifying his family that he is alive. He also requests a copy of a law text so that he can continue studying while being held captive. All prisoners in Stalag Luft 13 are airmen and all prisoners are Caucasian.  However, the camps homogenous populace soon finds its peace disturbed when a new prisoner, Lincoln Scott, arrives. Lincoln is a black pilot, one of the Tuskegee Airmen. Racial conflicts arise shortly after Lincolns arrival. A few days later, the main racist is found murdered and Lincoln is the prime suspect. Now it becomes Tommy's responsibility to defend Lincoln against the murder charges. Tommy enlists the help of two fellow prisoners, a Canadian detective and a London barrister, to defend Lincoln. The Nazis allow the trial to go on and even send an observer to guarantee the fairness of the trial.   Katzenbach has taken historical events and tailored them to fit his fictional drama. Hart's War is far more than just a legal thriller. This novel also presents a moral dilemma. Is it ethically acceptable to sacrifice one man for the benefit of others? Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one?
L, V


Headwind by John Nance

The captain of an airplane is responsible for the safety of his passengers. Captain Craig Dayton has been a commercial pilot for a number of years. Currently, he pilots a Boeing 737 for a German airline. Among Dayton's passengers is a former U.S. president, John Harris.  Interpol warrants are honored by most countries of the world, and Peru has issued an Interpol warrant for John Harris' arrest. During his administration, Harris supposedly green-lighted a CIA-led attack on a biological weapons factory. All the workers were tortured to death and Peru holds Harris responsible for this massacre. The internationally recognized Treaty Against Torture allows Peru to issue an Interpol arrest warrant. When Greek officials in Athens try to board the plane to arrest Harris, Captain Dayton fears for the safety of the former president. Dayton eases his jet back from the gate and takes off from a vacant runway, all without proper clearance.  Losing his licence is the least of Dayton's worries. His plane doesn't carry enough fuel to fly all the way to America. Dayton must find a safe place to land where President Harris will not be arrested. However, the Interpol warrant is valid nearly everywhere. Once the plane lands, a legal battle will ensue.  Headwind is more than just an airplane adventure. Nance's novel deftly mixes international politics, legal acrobatics and exciting aviation. Nance also gives the reader an insight into the power wielded by nations and how that power can be misused. Headwind entertains and is well-written.

 

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Drakulya, the name strikes fear into the hearts of men. But who was Dracula? Just some blood sucking incarnation of evil who would increase his legions of followers by biting men and women on the neck, or was he an actual historical figure? According to history, Dracula was actually Vlad Ţepeş of Wallachia, a sadistic Carpathian ruler in the 1400's. Bela Lugosi may have played the "Count" on the silver screen, but none of Hollywood’s portrayals ever even came close to the actual barbarous nature of the monster. Vlad Ţepeş was known as the Impaler in honor of one of his favorite torture methods. His life intertwined with the conquests and defeats of the Ottoman Empire.  The Historian starts with odd letters, all having a melancholy tone and a troubling message. An ancient book, displaying a disturbing woodcut of a fierce dragon, finds its way into the possession of a historian who then becomes almost obsessed with researching the Dracula myth. And this historian isn’t the only possessor of such a book.   Kostova’s novel is beautifully written and will make a pleasant book club assignment. However, even at its most exciting, The Historian just was not that exciting in my opinion. But I still found myself compelled to finish reading the book.

 

House on Hope Street by Danielle Steel
Liz and Jack Sutherland have been happily married for eighteen years. Their marriage is as perfect as it can be. Jack still remembers to romance Liz on a regular basis. They are best friends. They work together in their successful law practice. Perhaps, being divorce lawyers has helped them keep their marriage alive and thriving. Every day, their five children lovingly await their arrival home from work. Peter is the oldest, then there are three sisters; Annie, Rachel and Megan. Lastly, there is Jamie. Jamie is the jewel of the family. Liz experienced major complications during Jamies pregnancy and birth. He was born early and had suffered oxygen loss to his brain. This condition makes Jamie a slow learner, but it also allows him to speak his mind without guile. If he likes something or someone, he says so. If he doesnt like something, Jamie also gives his opinion. Liz and Jack, with the help of their housekeeper Carole, manage to juggle their careers and their family responsibilities successfully. Life is nearly idyllic in the Sutherland home on Hope Street. Then on Christmas morning, their crystal ball of happiness is shattered irrevocably!   Now Liz must live her life without her best friend and confidant. The children must learn to live without the support of their Dad. Depression sets in at the Sutherland home. The children, especially Peter, mature to cope with their situation. Every holiday is a painful reminder of what they have lost. Will laughter and cheer ever again reign within the walls of the Home on Hope Street?
House... is one of Danielle Steel's smaller format novels. This limits the number of pages D. Steel can use to develop her story. Everything happens fairly quickly in this novel. The story was still entertaining enough, but House... is more of a womans book.


Indwelling by Tim LaHay and Jerry Jenkins
It has been three and a half years since the Rapture. The seven years of tribulation are half over. Nicolae Carpathia is dead and the whole world witnessed his assassination. The various members of the Tribulation Force are in dire need of divine protection. Rayford Steele must escape from Israel before he is apprehended by Global Community security forces for the murder of Carpathia. Did Steele kill Nicolae, the self-appointed Global Community potentate? Meanwhile, Buck Williams is trying to rescue Chaim Rosenzweig. Dr. Rosenzweig also had plans to assassinate Carpathia. As Chloe Williams and Tsion Ben-Judah follow the shocking events on TV, Global Community security forces increase their efforts of locating the safe house where Chloe and Tsion are hiding. Will the safe house be compromised? All members of the Tribulation Force belief that Nicolae will rise again, but nobody knows when or where. Leon Fortunato, GC supreme commander, orders Nicolaes body to lie in state. Millions of people travel to New Babylon to pay their respects. But everybody is in for a surprise.  Indwelling is book seven of the Left Behind series. This religious series of adventure and intrigue is easy to read and holds the readers interest. You may not agree with the authors and their interpretation of scripture, but you can't fault their story telling. I have enjoyed this series and I will finish reading this series of books.


Irresistible by Ethan Black
Some secrets can fall into the wrong hands. Nora Clay has discovered some of these secrets. She has made it her mission to extract payment from certain men for their secrets. When Nora desires, she can be seductive, sexy and devastatingly beguiling. Her first victim never realizes his plight until Nora plunges her knife into his neck!   It is the middle of Manhattan's worst heat wave in twelve years and sex crimes detective Conrad Voort is distracted by two women in his life when he is assigned this latest vexing case. Arriving at the murder scene, Voort and his partner quickly realize that the killer cleaned the location thoroughly. But there is a message angrily scrawled on the wall: "I KNOW YOU." Voort now must dive into the victim's life and search for any clues. But this task is hopeless until the next similar murder happens. Who is killing and mutilating these men and why? As Voort attempts to solve these crimes, Norah prepares for her next victim. By the way, Conrad Voort, New York's most eligible bachelor, is also on Norah's list.   Irresistible is a compelling thriller which I found hard to put down. Ethan Black again has penned a captivating novel which follows chronologically the events of his first book. But Black writes his story in such a way that a reader doesn't need to be familiar with the first book to enjoy Irresistible.
V,S,L

 

Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross

When you think about the Holy Crusades, what comes to mind? Courageous knights in shining armor riding their brave horses against the pagan infidels who are defiling holy sites? Or, do you realize that not all participants in the Crusades were even properly outfitted or of noble birth? Why did even common serfs join the Crusades? Because they believed the Pope's propaganda that the Holy Land was being defiled and that any participant in the Crusades will receive riches, honor in battle and will sit in "Heaven at the feet of our grateful Lord." Pope Urban even promised to protect the families of Crusaders.  When Hugh De Luc joins the Crusades, he hopes to also gain his freedom from vassalage. Hugh leaves his beloved Sophie in their small French village and joins the Army of the Crusade. This army consists of a few nobles and many common men. The trip to the Holy Land takes many months; the travel conditions take their toll on the Crusaders and morale is low. Finally, the Crusaders reach Antioch, a heavily fortified walled city which houses religious artifacts and is controlled by the Turks. Many Crusaders die during the following attacks on the fortress. Dismemberments, rolling heads, skin burned off by boiling oil and arrows through necks are just a few ways that the brave Crusaders meet their mortal ends. Hugh survives through luck and skill and recognizes the futility of the Crusade. He becomes a deserter and returns to his village only to find more heartache and pain. Sophie may be dead and his home has been destroyed. Hugh suspects who his enemies are and plots his revenge. His plan involves becoming a jester. And before I forget, the hunt for a sacred mysterious relic creates more misery for many villagers.  Patterson and Gross bring the degradation, terror, and misconception of the Crusades to life. Jester is filled with ribald humor, bawdiness and violence. Unfortunately, multiple sexual encounters and coarse language, including many variations of the "f-" word, detract from the enjoyment of this novel. I found Jester entertaining but I would have liked it more if there had been less adult content. L, V, S

 

King of Torts by John Grisham

Washington, D.C. is not only the seat of government but also a city plagued by rampant crime. Random shootings are a nearly daily occurrence and Pumpkin is just one of the latest victims. His killer, Tequila Watson, was seen and identified and is quickly caught. At Watson's arraignment, Clay Carter from the OPD, Office of Public Defender, is assigned to defend Watson. When Carter investigates Watson's background, he finds an all too familiar story of robberies, arrests, juvenile troubles and rehab centers. And Watson even admits to shooting Pumpkin for no apparent reason!  Clay Carter has been working for the OPD for five long years. He is burned out and in desperate need for a change of vocation, or at least some new direction. This new direction comes in the guise of a mysterious stranger calling himself Max. Max represents a certain pharmaceutical company which has a problem that could cost the company enormous amounts of money unless the vexing problem is resolved quickly. The problem involves the illegal testing of a new drug on unsuspecting human subjects living in rehab centers including the center Watson attended last. In a few of the takers, this new drug creates an insane desire to kill for no obvious reason. Several random killings have already been traced to test subjects and the drug manufacturer wants to pay the victims' families. Max is offering Clay the chance to change his life, earn far more than he ever would in the OPD and bring some recompense to the families of the victims. Clay accepts the offer, changes career paths and opens his own office. Max is pleased with Clay's work and soon offers another case to Clay. This case involves mass litigation, torts. Clay accepts, grows confident in his work and earns a hefty fee in the process. He hungrily awaits the next case of mass litigation. But along the way of success and wealth, Clay discovers that his character has changed.  Grisham peppers King of Torts with detailed locales, explanations of the tort system and high finance. This novel also appears to be preaching against mass litigation, although Grisham may not have intended to do that. King of Torts is entertaining in an average way. It isn't Grisham's best novel nor his worst. But it will give readers insight into an aspect of the legal profession that many people consider to be a blight.

 

Lake House by James Patterson

Baking for fifteen minutes at 3600 degrees Fahrenheit will alter a human body from flesh and bones to a nice pile of ashes. And incineration is a perfect way to dispose of the used-up bodies remaining from Dr. Kane's experiments at the Hospital. Who is Dr. Kane? He is a modern-day Mengele who knows about six peculiar children who will become unwilling celebrities in the next few days.  Who are these children? They are the only survivors rescued from the School, a clandestine laboratory specializing in genetic engineering. Each of these children was injected with avian DNA as an embryo. When the mothers approached their due dates, they underwent cesarean sections and were told that their fetuses had died. Some of the children were locked up in cages for future studies.   Frannie O'Neill and her friend Thomas Brennan rescued the children from the School and cared for them at a secret location for a few weeks. The children grew close to Frannie and Thomas. This has made it extremely difficult for the six unique children to live with their birth parents. Therefore, Frannie and Thomas are seeking custody of the children. To make matters even more difficult, Max, the twelve-year-old girl, fears for her life and the lives of her "siblings." While working at the School, Max read some records which could prove deadly to her if revealed. Dr. Kane's name was prominently mentioned in the papers along with an item called the Resurrection Project.  Lake House can be read as a stand-alone novel but it is the sequel to Patterson's When the Wind Blows. Patterson's usual breezy style and short chapters briskly move the narrative along and keep readers turning the pages quickly. I found this book exciting and fun to read. Is this type of genetic engineering possible? Readers will need to decide for themselves. Since Lake House ended with a surprise, Patterson will likely write a sequel.     L

 

The Last Juror by John Grisham

Who is Willie Traynor? He is the new owner of the Ford County Times, a weekly, and ofttimes weakly, Mississippi newspaper. Does Traynor have specific journalism training? No! But it is 1970 and Traynor at the ripened age of twenty-three figures that he can run the Times as well as the previous owner. However, Ford County is a quiet place and exciting news items nearly have to be invented. Then a single mother is brutally murdered and Traynor covers the thrilling story in all its gory detail in his paper.   Before she died, the woman revealed her killer, a local good-for-nothing loser named Danny Padgitt. The Padgitt family has been involved in various crimes in Ford County for nearly one hundred years. So Danny doesn’t worry about his trial. In fact, he threatens the jurors and warns them about declaring him guilty of the crime. But the jurors find Danny guilty. Unfortunately, the jurors are locked in a stalemate regarding punishment and Danny is sentenced to life in prison. But in 1970 Mississippi, a life sentence can last for less than a decade.  While Danny is in prison, the good people of Ford County go on with their lives. The Times prospers and Traynor continues to become accepted, albeit slowly, by his readers. Of course, some readers still feel concerns about Traynor’s Northern upbringing and his liberal views. Then Danny is released and the tranquility of Ford County is shattered when the first of the jurors is killed!   Grisham has shown in past novels that he is a good writer but Last Juror is only a mediocre book. I was drawn into the story until the end of the trial. After that point, Grisham turned his thriller into a narrative about small-town Mississippi politics, desegregation and newspaper woes. However, Grisham regained his focus and provided an adequate ending to this novel.

 

Last Valentine by James M. Pratt

What is the definition of true love? Does true love really exist? Susan Allison questions the existence of true love but her television producer insists that Susan interviews a gentleman, Neil Thomas, Jr., for a Valentine's Day special.  Neil's parents had a fifty-year long love affair and now is the time for Neil to tell their story. Susan isn't so sure that she can cover this story properly. She prefers to do stories about real and gritty news; Bosnia, death row, politics, etc.  Caroline and Neil got married on Valentines Day 1943. Neil was a Navy pilot and a year later, on their 1^st wedding anniversary, he and Caroline said good-bye. WWII interfered with their blissful marriage. Neil never returned but Caroline would faithfully travel to Union Station every Valentine's Day to await his return. She longed for Neil's tender embrace and loving kiss. She needed Neil to be a father to his son who was born a few months after Neil left.  What had happened to Neil? He was shot down, nearly died and eventually joined a group of Filipino guerrillas. Neil wrote to Caroline as often as he could. In these letters he bared his soul and told Caroline how the War had changed and even hardened him. His letters revealed his personal fears and throbbing emotional pain. He feared the death of love.  While interviewing Neil, Jr., and reading his father's letters, Susan falls in love with Neil, Jr. However, she doesn't want to follow her heart.  I loved The Last Valentine. James Pratt's simple prose immerses the reader in the beauty of true love and devotion. Numerous romance novels and love stories are written every year but none that I have read even come close to the grandeur of The Last Valentine.

 

Letter of the Law by Tim Green
Marcia Sales is a beautiful and well-liked co-ed studying law at the University of Texas. At least, she was beautiful until her paperboy discovered her eviscerated body in her apartment.   Bolinger, the investigative officer, has several suspects. His list even includes the dead girls father. However, the prime suspect seems to be Eric Lipton, a world-famous professor of criminal law. Marcia had attended one of Liptons seminars. Lipton supposedly fears the abuse of police power regarding his case when he decides to flee. But he is apprehended near the airport. Liptons luggage is searched and a very personal and bloody item of Marcias clothing is found. According to Lipton, he and Marcia become romantically involved after the lecture. He claims that the lingerie was a memento.   Casey Jordan, a former student of Liptons, is driven by success. She takes on the news-making cases to further her career. When Lipton hires her to defend him, Casey sees her opportunity to really make an impact. But all through the trial, she is uneasy with some of the evidence and with Liptons attitude toward the grizzly murder. Finally the trial is over. The verdict is about to be read when Lipton leans toward Casey and whispers in her ear: "I...." Casey now questions all her fervor about law.   What I have described so far only covers the first half of the book. Tim Green is no Grisham, but he has written an engaging legal thriller. Green has learned how to tie up all the loose strings. In fact, my favorite line of dialogue comes from the epilogue. Greens epilogue makes a perfect ending to this novel. This is a skill that some more seasoned writers have not mastered as well.
L, V, S


Letters for Emily by Cameron Steve Wright

"My garden has taught me that every living thing must die.  I have watched it happen now for scores of years - I only wish that I could have a few more summers in my garden with Emily."  These are the words of Harry Whitney. Alzheimer's disease has rotted his mind and his body is following suit. Harry is dying. He doesn't blame people for laughing at him when he becomes forgetful, nor for pitying him as he suffers dementia. Harry just hopes that his friends and family will remember him as he was before the disease struck, instead of remembering him as an old and querulous man.  He has several grand kids but he loves Emily best. She lives close by and her mom, Laura, brings Emily over for visits regularly. Emily's parents, Laura and Bob, have their own problems. Bob has moved out and there appears to be little hope for reconciliation.  Harry enjoyed writing stories and poems before his mind became addled. Now he writes as much as he can during his few daily moments of lucidity.  After Harry's death, Bob and Laura search through Harry's house for important documents. Their search is unsuccessful but they do find a book filled with Harry's poems. These poems at first appear senseless but Emily and Laura quickly discover a hidden message in the first poem. The secret messages allude to hidden files on Harry's computer. Each file is a letter to Emily and each letter also illustrates a principle. Will these messages bring back happiness to Emily's parents? Letters for Emily is a wonderful book. Camron Wright's simple and sensitive novel is filled with charity and