AN OBSESSIVE JOURNEY TO FIND ANSWERS — A REVIEW

When Dr. Mike Scanlon is called to serve as an army doctor in Afghanistan, he’s acutely aware of the dangers he’ll face and the hardships it will cause his wife Chloe and newborn baby. And deep inside, he doesn’t think of himself as a warrior, but a healer.

However, in an ironic turn of events, as Mike operates on a wounded soldier in a war-torn country, Chloe dies at home in the suburbs, in an apparent household accident.

In the beginning moments of Don’t Go, we watch Chloe struggling to crawl across the room, aware that she is bleeding out from an accidental self-inflicted stab wound. Just when she is almost at the door, it opens. And then someone closes the door and walks away.

Fast forward to Afghanistan, where Dr. Mike has received the news of his wife’s death. In the following week, he returns home, attends his wife’s funeral, and realizes that his daughter Emily does not know him. In fact, she cries and throws fits whenever he comes near her.

Back and forth between the home and the war front, Mike battles for what matters most to him. His wife’s sister Danielle and her husband Bob, a lawyer, take temporary custody of Emily when Mike returns to the battle. But after he is finally discharged, with an amputated arm lost in battle, he is stunned at what happens next.

Why do Bob and Danielle take drastic actions to keep Emily from Mike? How does the murder of Chloe’s best friend Sara figure into the plot and turn Mike onto an obsessive path that could ultimately be to his detriment?

It was easy to find characters to hate in this story. Both Bob and Danielle were annoying beyond belief, in my opinion. Pompous and self-righteous…I wondered if there was more going on with them. And behind every suburban door, something ominous seemed to lurk. How would Mike finally solve the mysteries and unearth all the secrets? In the end, I thought the story wrapped up too tidily…but by then, I really wanted all the answers. And because I couldn’t stop rapidly turning pages, this one earned five stars from me.

NATASHA ASSERTS HER INDEPENDENCE — A REVIEW

Natasha Chamberlain’s career as a bodyguard is fairly new. In fact, she serendipitously fell into the vocation when her old boss, Jonce Striker (who is now her lover), asked her to guard one of his friends.

Now she is contemplating her first case as an independent bodyguard, but she is not sure that she wants to take on guarding a show dog. However, his owner, Myrtle, somehow persuades her by revealing that someone is threatening Chumley.

Natasha is one of those feisty characters that somehow manages to get into one scrape after another. While the antics add humor to the mix, they also show us the flawed, yet lovable woman she is. The chemistry between Natasha and Striker is so intense it is almost palpable, but when the sparks fly, they are not necessarily the good kind; and as Natasha struggles to assert herself and make her own decisions, Striker, in an effort to protect her, often takes on a controlling attitude.

Sometimes Natasha’s attitude is a bit extreme, but the story is more amusing because of her behavior.

Will Natasha allow Striker to take control of her life and her decisions? If she persists in her independence, will she lose him in her life? And how will the advice of her feminist grandmother guide or distract her? What unexpected danger will present itself at the dog show and reveal the final pieces to the puzzle of the threat against Chumley?

Another delightful tale in a fun series, The Bodyguard and The Show Dog earned five stars.

AN INTERIOR JOURNEY: FAMILY MOMENTS HEAT UP — A REVIEW

In the summer of 1976, during a heatwave that has gripped London, Gretta Riordan’s husband Robert goes off one morning on an errand…and disappears.

The event will bring Gretta and Robert’s grown children back to the homestead. Michael Francis, from his wife and children; Monica, from the countryside where she lives with her second husband Peter and his two children; and unexpectedly, Aoife, the youngest, who has been living in New York for years.

A convergence of the siblings will resurrect old rivalries, secrets, and hostilities. What secret has Aoife been hiding all these years? And why is Monica, the favorite, harboring such ill will for her younger sister, while sporting a “holier-than-thou” attitude? And what has happened to derail Michael’s marriage, even as part of him longs for an escape route?

The characters came alive on the pages, from perpetually loyal, yet flawed Michael and good-girl Monica, to the misunderstood Aoife, who has no trouble challenging the others when they constantly exclude her from almost everything. We come to know each of them as they tell their stories from their perspectives, in the third person narrative.

Who among us can’t relate to the roles siblings play within a family? And have any of us survived our families without realizing that secrets abound in the nooks and crannies?

Set in London, the English countryside, Ireland, and Manhattan, we can see the unfolding of events as the surroundings define and characterize them all.

Reading like a mystery, a confessional, and a family chronicle, Instructions for a Heatwave is Maggie O’Farrell at her best. She shows us the interior journey of a family from its inception, pulling back the cloak of secrecy to reveal the darkest and innermost feelings of them all. I like the fact that the author did not tie up all the loose ends, but brought them to a point at which they seem poised for resolution. Leaving it to the reader’s imagination to fill in the rest. Five stars.

A LOVE LETTER TO BARS, PUBS, & TAVERNS — A REVIEW

 

 

 

Finding a sense of community and camaraderie, a place where “everyone knows your name,” if you will, is the primary theme of Drinking with Men: A Memoir.

The author leads the reader through her own unique journey with bars, beginning with the impact that a particular railroad car had on her as a teen, and then we saunter along with her in her Deadhead years, a time of youthful excesses in a number of places almost forgettable except for the drinking.

Still very young, she first experiences a pub in Dublin that set the tone for many to follow. And the bars during her college years left their mark on her and would become part of her bar identity for all that followed, from New York to Montreal.

A sense of family and community seemed to dominate the appeal, lending itself to why she chose a particular bar. Sometimes a bar would become hers almost serendipitously…and then would belong to her for years. A sense of being a regular was a guiding force in showing up at a particular bar several nights a week. Finding old friends in new places would also lend that special connection, that celebratory reminiscence that would coalesce and anoint the place…until another would take over as The Bar of Choice at the moment.

I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative voice of the author, as she rambled on, not necessarily in a linear fashion, sharing tidbits about her life and the people in her journey, inhabitants of the bar culture where she took up residence. A quest for family, friends, and a feeling of refuge would heighten the experiences more than the actual drinking. I am familiar with that quest and have enjoyed a few favorite “watering holes” over the years. As I read about the bars in this memoir, I could almost feel them and sense them. The author made them real for me. Five stars.

ROSE MAE’S JOURNEY TOWARD THE TRUTH — A REVIEW

Rose Mae Lolley was a secondary character in Gods in Alabama, and since that book was told in Arlene Fleet’s voice, we don’t really know Rose Mae’s true story.

In Backseat Saints, we are gifted with the versions of Rose Mae. There is the little girl of eight, whose mother has walked out on her. A version that continues into high school. She is full of mouthiness and is a guy magnet. But she picks the bad ones.

As Ro, she is married to Thom Grandee, a mix of good and bad. Because we see so much of the abuse almost immediately, it is impossible to realize the good parts right away. The parts that keep Ro hooked.

But something else is stirring up inside Ro these days, beginning on the day she meets a Gypsy at the airport. It’s the pull of another journey: a journey to find her mother.

Ro’s journey (she has taken on another version now as Ivy Wheeler) carries her from Amarillo, Texas, to Chicago, and then to Fruiton, Alabama, where she grew up. Ultimately she arrives in Berkeley, California.

Will Rose Mae find her mother? And when she does, will she discover the truth of why her mother left? Or will she find something completely different under a blanket of untruths?

The ending of this story crept up on me and I didn’t see this version coming. I could have guessed, but the unfolding drama left me wanting so much more of these characters and their stories. And perhaps more from the characters who were not primary ones in this tale. At the end, I enjoyed reading the author’s truths about how she came to write these characters…and what might lie ahead. Five stars!

FAST-PACED JOURNEY TO CATCH A KILLER — BOOK REVIEW

In this second novel in the series, Glory in Death opens with Lt. Eve Dallas leading another investigation into a murder. The first victim is a well-known Prosecuting Attorney, who was killed in the wrong part of town. Why would she be there in the first place? Chasing the clues, Eve begins to learn more about the woman and her connections, and discovers some possible motives within her own family.

But, as usual, the most obvious suspects are not necessarily the killers, and when two more high profile women are slashed in a similar fashion and apparently with the same weapon, Eve has to dig deeper. And then, as if hiding in plain sight, the right perpetrator is now in Eve’s cross hairs.

Along the way toward the conclusion, the reader is treated to the usual visual images of the futuristic world of 2058. I enjoyed imagining the kind of world that has shuttles to other planets, and the various communication devices that are a regular part of life in those times. And yet, we are also gifted with the beginnings of an interior exploration of the traumatic childhoods of both Eve and Roarke. I hope that future books will reveal more of these inner depths.

As usual, the story is fast-paced with intriguing and sometimes annoying characters, peppered with great dialogue. What gives it a bit more fun is how the author shows us a deeper look into the relationship between Eve and Roarke, and offers a fabulous glimpse of his luxurious homes and lifestyle. An engaging book, with a bit of predictability. I honed in on the killer about 2/3 of the way through. Recommended for fans of the series. Four stars.

A SUSPENSEFUL JOURNEY THROUGH GORGEOUS SETTINGS — A REVIEW

Fia Jennings believes that, after the loss of her job, she will begin to find more bonding time with her teenaged twins. So when her Uncle Martin calls from Provence, asking her to take over his and Aunt Lucie’s Bed & Breakfast while they take a vacation, she sees it as a perfect opportunity. Serendipity, even.

But her husband Grayson is adamant about not taking the trip. He is, in fact, stubbornly resistant. In the end, he does accompany Fia and the kids, but from the moment they set foot in the B & B, he is unavailable. Physically and emotionally. Soon he is traipsing off with a woman named Jeanne-Marie, and flaunting it in Fia’s face.

Meanwhile, Uncle Martin and Aunt Lucie have departed so quickly that Fia is left wondering what is going on? Why has her uncle taken off without leaving instructions, almost as if he is trying to escape something?

In the weeks ahead, Fia becomes exhausted from overwork and the complete disappearance of her husband and children. She feels like a drudge. So when she goes to the beach one day, accompanied by a handsome Frenchman Christophe, whom she met in the early weeks, she feels relaxed for the first time. But they return to find the B & B has been broken into and tossed. What were the intruders looking for? And why, when her husband returns, does he seem to be searching for something, too?

Discovering the answers will keep Fia focused until she finally stumbles upon Uncle Martin’s secret. But then she has to make a plan, take some risks, and decide who, if anyone, she can trust to help her.

The characters were vivid and real: so much so that I had strong feelings of disgust for Grayson, suspicion of many of the other characters, and annoyance with the teens. A strong reminder of real life and people we encounter along the way.

THE SUMMER OF FRANCE was like a mystery novel, a suspense tale, and a romantic departure to lovely settings. The journey takes the reader through France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Poland. My heart was pounding as I followed Fia’s adventurous voyage toward righting the wrongs of a time long ago. Narrated alternately from Uncle Martin’s and Fia’s perspectives, the story carried us from WWII, and a mistake a young man made, to a woman in the present who is trying to figure out a way to save her family. Captivating and wonderfully engaging, I could not put this book down. Five stars.

A KILLER, A CELTIC RITUAL, & SUSPENSE — A REVIEW

Deep in the woods near a small town in Maine, a killer is on a rampage.  After being thwarted a few months ago when he attempted a Celtic human sacrifice, he is bent on trying again.  His sights are now set on a beautiful innkeeper, Mandy Brown.

 
Danny Sullivan arrives in town to follow up, as his sister Jayne was the intended victim the last time.  He arrives in time to save Mandy from Nathan Hall, the killer.   When Nathan disappears and is not seen or heard from for several months, some believe he has died.  After all, he is ill and suffering from a terminal brain disease.

 
Danny doesn’t believe that Nathan is dead, and tries to elicit help from Mandy, who might know more than she is saying.  Yet despite the intense connection that seems to be developing between Mandy and Danny, and even though she wants Nathan caught, why is she unable to cooperate?  What secrets are preventing her from assisting in the hunt?

 
As people in the small town are disappearing one by one, Danny and others are sure that Nathan is still out there, and is responsible for it all.  What will it take to find him and stop him?  And what does he plan to do with those he is capturing?

 
Just as in the first book, Midnight Exposure, the characters of Midnight Sacrifice drew me in and kept me turning pages, enjoying their journey to finding a killer, even as the romantic connections grew.  The settings were lovely, and I could feel as though I were walking among the characters.  A lovely romantic suspense that I couldn’t put down.  Five stars.

A MYSTERIOUS KILLER BENT ON REVENGE…& MORE — A REVIEW

In San Francisco, a series of sensational killings have rocked the community, bringing the Women’s Murder Club into the mix to search out the clues and find the threads that connect them.

 
Lt. Lindsay Boxer is determined to find the killer, but to do so, she must look into the past to discover what is going on in the present, and to find the motive that will tell her and her friends what is happening.

 
Meanwhile, her long lost father, Marty Boxer, shows up one day, reminding her of the pain of that loss when he left many years before.  While giving him a second chance seems appropriate, will Lindsay later regret this choice?  And how does her father somehow connect to what is happening now?
Is the killer after revenge, or is there more to his story?

 
Like most of the tales in this series, 2nd Chance takes the reader along a suspenseful path to finding the answers…and just when the women think the case is solved, they are thrown a curve.  Will the real killer turn out to be the most unexpected of suspects?

 
How does the theme of second chances reveal much of what is happening?  And what other shocking twists and turns will remind Lindsay and her friends that nothing is certain in life, and that nothing can take the place of the true connections in their lives.  3.5 stars, for a suspenseful yet predictable story.

WHO WILL DIE NEXT? A SUSPENSEFUL JOURNEY — A REVIEW

In this third offering in the Women’s Murder Club series, 3rd Degree starts off with a bang. Literally. Lt. Lindsay Boxer, SF Homicide Detective, is out jogging along, admiring a town house she sees on the street. And then it explodes right in front of her. After calling for help, she rushes in and finds two dead bodies…and a child, whom she rescues.

What happens in the subsequent days will soon be declared a war of sorts. But who is at the hub of this activity? And who will be next on the target list?

Soon Lindsay and her pals–Claire, Cindy, and Jill–are in the thick of things. Someone is sending messages to Cindy at the Chronicle, and the name “August Files” seems significant.

Joe Molinari, the hot FBI Deputy Director is in the mix, too, and the attraction between him and Lindsay is sizzling.

While the troops try to sort things out, and find out what a group of revolutionaries from the 70s has to do with all that’s happening, we get to peek into a developing romance between Lindsay and Joe. But sadness lurks nearby, and one of their own is targeted.

Sweeping across the West–from San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley to Portland, Oregon– and from the 1960s to the present, the story carries the reader along, showing a glimpse of the country, then and now. And reminding us all that terror does not always come from outside our borders.

Somewhat predictable, but definitely a page-turning novel that features the warm and fuzzy connections between the women. 3.5 stars.