Black Dog by Stephen Booth

The Peak District in England's Derbyshire usually faces only minor crime, such as stealing from tourist cars.  But that all changes when fifteen year old Laura Vernon, daughter of the area's wealthiest family, goes missing.  The police gear up for a major search, but the search turns into a murder investigation when her body is discovered.

Ben Cooper is the force's up and coming detective; a home town man familiar with the area and the people who live there.  His almost assured promotion to Sargent is put in danger by the arrival of Diane Fry, a driven detective who comes to area determined to make her way up the police ranks as quickly as possible.  The two detectives are teamed together but do not care for each other at all. 

As the investigation progresses, a multitude of suspects emerge.  There is the Vernon's gardener, a young man recently fired by Vernon and seen talking with Laura shortly before her disappearance.  The elderly man who found the shoe that led to the body's discovery, Harry Dickinson, is one of a trio of men who have no love for the Vernons and harbor a grudge against the family.  Graham Vernon has business associates who share secrets with him that they might kill to protect.  There is a local boyfriend who the family wouldn't have approved of, had they known about him.  All these suspects have Cooper and Fry spinning as they attempt to determine who killed Laura Vernon.

This is the first of the Cooper and Fry series, which currently numbers thirteen novels.  It won the Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel and was a finalist for the Anthony Award for Best First Mystery.  The interplay between Cooper and Fry and the British setting are interesting, and the crime story is revealed at a pace that keeps the reader turning the pages.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.

The Rathbones by Janice Clark

The Rathbones are whalers.  No more needs to be said, they are made for whaling, and whaling is their life.  The patriarch, Moses, can sense a whale swimming deep.  He mans his ships with his own sons, taking wife and wife to fill his boats.  No one can touch the skill of the Rathbones, and it brings them wealth.

But years go by and the world turns, changing.  The whales are gone, and the Rathbones have dwindled.  Was it because the whales swam elsewhere?  Was it because the Rathbone men brought the golden sisters of the Starks to live in their mansion, and loving them so much, ignored the sea?  Was it because they abandoned the old ways?

Now, Mercy Rathbone is the only one left, she and her mother who waits endlessly for her father.  She has an uncle, Mordecai who lives in the attic, studying ancient tomes and learning the lore of sailing.  When a night of secrets breaks open, Mordecai and Mercy flee the Rathbone mansion, to sail in search of her father and to discover the truth of their family heritage.

Janice Clark has written a haunting, mystical, lilting novel of the whaling era and the men and women who made up a way of life.  The characters are original and the reader won't forget them.  As Mercy and Mordecai sail in search of their family's secrets, the reader is drawn along with them, eager to hear more about this family and how it lived.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction, and those who would learn about a way of life now extinct.

Backlash by Lynda La Plante

Police pull over a van being driven erratically in the London borough of Hackney.  Inside they find a woman's body and take the driver in for questioning.  He realizes that he is definitely going down for the murder and starts to brag about other murders he has committed.  He drops hints that one of his former victims may have been the station's most celebrated cold case; the kidnapping of a thirteen year old girl five years before. 

Before more details can be extracted, the murderer, Oates, changes his mind and recants everything he has said.  But the police inspector in charge, DCI Mike Lewis, believes the confessions and starts an inquiry into the possible other murders.  His Chief Inspector, James Langdon, was the DCI in charge of the young girl's disappearance, and his ability to solve the case has been a nagging issue for him.  Langdon is out on sick leave, but insists on being kept up to date on progress.  He also brings in his best detective, DCI Anna Travis, to concentrate on the girl's case while the other case inquiries proceed.  While there is some tension between Lewis and Travis, they soon realize that they need to work together as more and more layers of Oates crimes becomes apparent.  They soon realize that this is no common murderer, but a serial killer who has victims going back several years to his credit.

This is the eighth Anna Travis novel written by Lynda La Plante.  It is an engrossing police procedural, both pointing out the detailed investigation involved, and the constraints the police must work under.  Bits of evidence that seem to point to guilt can be turned around as proof of innocence or police harassment that can free a suspect.  The investigation is fascinating, and the interplay between the officers involved realistic.  The murder suspect and the way his mind and actions are revealed layer by layer are extremely well done.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

The Preservationist by Justin Kramon

It's fall, and new students have arrived on campuses across the nation, each ready to start a new chapter in their life.  This is a time for making new friends, for learning to make your own decisions about how you'll spend your time and studies, for finding a new group and attempting to fit in, maybe for a new love. 

Julia, Sam and Marcus have all arrived at the college town, each bringing with them hopes and dreams as well as the baggage of their past lives.  Each is a bit introverted, preferring their own company to that of the frantic parties and socializing that many freshman fall into.  Julia and Marcus are both students, each with a musical background.  Sam is something different.  About to turn forty, he drifts from college town to college town, always searching for what he missed in his youth, and for a woman who can make him whole.

Both men fall in love with Julia.  She is torn between them, and a rivalry develops.  Marcus is sure Sam is bad news, and Sam is determined to keep Marcus from compromising his relationship with Julia.  Things are tense and the atmosphere is not helped by a series of attacks on women on the campus.  Both men accuse the other of being the rapist, and both try to get Julia to stop seeing the other.  Is this a common rivalry or is one man correct in his assessment of the other as a threat?

Justin Kramon has written a taut, compelling thriller.  The reader is introduced to the characters and then slowly incidents and bits of past history are revealed that make one wonder if their thoughts about each person are correct.  By the end of the book, the reader is determined to discover who is doing what, and who can be trusted, if anyone.  The themes are self-forgiveness for past mistakes, and learning to trust your own decisions.  This book is recommended for thriller lovers who won't be disappointed in this believable step into a nightmare. 

Nemesis by Bill Pronzini

Jake Runyon is carrying most of the weight at the San Francisco detective agency these days.   Tamara is the office person who does the computer research.  Bill, the agency's founder, is only working once in a while.  Kerry, his wife, is recuperating and he is taking care of her while she does so. 

Verity Daniels comes into the agency with a big problem.  Newly wealthy due to an inheritance, she has only lived in San Francisco a few months.  She reports that she is being extorted by a man who calls and threatens her harm if she doesn't pay him money.  Verity has no idea who it could be, or what they think they have on her.  Runyon begins the case, putting traps on her phone and covering her on an attempt to deliver the money.  No calls are coming in, or at least none that show up on the recorders and the drop-off is a no-show.  Verity seems more interested in Jake than in her danger and things just aren't adding up.

When Jake decides to back off, Verity is incensed.  She files an assault case against him and then a civil case against the agency.  When she is murdered a few days later, the obvious suspect is Jake, who is arrested.  Bill must return to work and try to find out what Verity's game was, and who could have wanted to kill her.

Bill Pronzini has been writing about Bill, better known as 'The Nameless Detective' for many years, and this is the latest in the series.  Fans will be quick to obtain and read this novel, as the cast of characters are old friends.  Those who have not yet been introduced to Pronzini's detectives have a treat in store.  Pronzini has written thirty-five Nameless novels, mostly alone but some in collaboration with his wife, mystery writer Marcia Muller, and other collaborators.  He is a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master and no one writes better about the life of a private investigator.  This book is recommended for mystery fans.

On The Horizon October 9, 2013

This week's listing of new books that have managed to get in the door is skewed.  I won a gift certificate on Amazon so ordered several new books there.  Here's the list:

1.  How Should A Person Be?, Sheila Heti, purchased
2.  Mason's Retreat, Christopher Tilghman, purchased
3.  Civilization, Niall Ferguson, purchased
4.  The Right-Hand Shore, Christopher Tilghman, purchased
5.  Tides Of War, Stella Tillyard, purchased
6.  The Girl With A Clock For A Heart, Peter Swanson, sent by publisher
7.  In And Out, Mat Coward, paperbackswap
8.  Over And Under, Mat Coward, paperbackswap
9.  Up And Down, Mat Coward paperbackswap
10.  The Tale Of The Wulks, V.K. Green, sent by author
11.  The Absence Of Mercy, John Burley, sent by publisher
12.  Inferno, Dan Brown, sent by publisher
13.  Police, Jo Nesbo, sent by Vine review program on Amazon
14.  Prodigal Son, Debra Mullins, sent by publisher

Close To The Bone by Stuart MacBride

Things are chaotic in DS Logan McRae's Aberdeen, Scotland home.  Rival drug gangs are fighting over product and territory and the local crime lord wants McRae to mediate.  He has a new chief, DI Steele, who rides him day and night and makes the most outlandish requests.  There is a movie being filmed about witches in the city, and someone seems to be taking it way too seriously by imitating the scenes in the book.  Unfortunately, those scenes include murdering those the book's protagonist considers to be witches.  McRae's girlfriend is still in the hospital from his last case, and his apartment is still uninhabitable.  Finally, someone is leaving small bundles of tied bones around his temporary home.

Then the murders start.  The first is a derelict who is necklaced--fitted with a tire over his head trapping his arms and then set alight.  This scene is straight out of the movie.  A local teenager, who is off her meds, is missing, and she is convinced she is the true witch finder.  Is she responsible for the murder?  As the cases progress, more murders occur and time is running out for McRae.  Can he solve the cases before he is targeted himself?

Close To The Bone is the eighth Logan McRae novel, and fans will rejoice that he has returned.  Those who start with this book will be fine, except for one thing:  as soon as I turned the last page, I went out and bought the first three.  The dialect and conversation between McRae and those he works with and encounters are sterling.  McRae is a gritty hero with a good heart who works against time and those twists of fate that seem to occur regularly to solve the crimes that threaten his city.   Fans of Reginald Hill will be reminded of his Dalziel and Pascoe series, except no one would ever accuse McRae of being bookish like Pascoe.  This book is highly recommended for mystery readers.

America's Greatest Blunder by Burton Pines

In this well-researched and page-turning history of World War I, Burton Pines traces America's involvement in the war and the consequences of their decision to enter.  As most know, the war after several years had grown to a stalemate and trench warfare was the result.  Periodically, one side or the other would mount huge offenses to overrun the other side's trenches and force their army into the open but these offenses invariably failed at the expense of thousands of lives on each side.

America remained neutral for the first few years.  There was, Pines argues, no real American incentive to enter as the United States never faced any danger from the war and had no reason to enter.  Then slowly, as Woodrow Wilson moved further into his presidency, the tide shifted and America came to see itself as more aligned with France and Britain.  This perception was created by extensive British propaganda, by America's increasing financial ties with Britain and France, and by one of the most effective American propaganda campaigns to be seen.

Finally, the momentum tipped and America entered the war.  Although American troops never played a deciding role due to the amount of time it took to create a standing army and the logistical support necessary to put it overseas, the mere fact of one side getting millions of replacement troops while Germany had no way to compensate for their lost soldiers created a situation that ended the stalemate.  When new offensives were put in place by Germany in anticipation and failed, and Britain managed to force Germany from their defenses, the war was soon over.

The peace that resulted was, it was argued, a calamity that laid the groundwork for World War II and the Cold War that came after that.  The Treaty of Versailles was punitive in the extreme, forcing Germany to accept all blame, taking territory and natural resources and forcing exorbitant reparations on Germany.  Although the U.S. tried to mediate the terms, France and Britain were determined to force the German government to accept every demand they made.  This laid the groundwork for a weak German administration that fell prey to the appeal of fringe elements such as the Nazi Party.

Burton Pines has written a convincing, well-researched history that manages at the same time to be very understandable to the lay reader.  He has a varied background that makes him an excellent person to write such a book.  After majoring in history and teaching it in college, he moved to Time magazine where he was a reporter and later an editor.  He then spent more than a decade in Washington where he supervised a group of policy experts.  This book is recommended for readers interested in history and how decisions can have far-reaching consequences.

Billy Moon by Douglas Lain

Billy Moon follows the life of a grown-up Christopher Robin Milne, better known as the little boy in the Winnie the Pooh books.  While his father made him famous with the books, as Christopher grew to an adult, he found himself disconnected from life and the expectations others had of him.  They didn't see him as he was in reality; they saw the little boy from the books and expected him to be the same.  When he was a small child, he called himself Billy Moon.  As a man, he was married and ran a bookstore.  This quote from the book demonstrates his remoteness from the life he led:

"Christopher had received scores of fan letters since he's opened the bookshop.  Six-year-olds wrote him to ask about his bear.  Adults who'd read his father's books when they were young wrote to ask the same questions.  Everyone wanted pretty much the same thing, and Christopher couldn't give any answers.  He didn't know how to find the Hundred Acre Wood, and he didn't know where childhood went to over the years, or why it was so difficult to feel real joy.  He threw almost all of the letters away because they weren't for him at all, but were rally addressed to a boy Christopher's father had made up."

Gerrard Hand was a young revolutionary student in Paris.  In 1968, he writes to Chris (as Christopher chose to be named) and asked him to come to France.  Chris isn't sure why, but makes the journey.  He arrives just in time to be caught up in the student revolution of 1968, where schools, factories and government offices are taken over by the students, who wish to create a more liberated world.  Chris gets caught up in the revolution, almost by accident, and it allows him to define the difference between reality and expectation in his own life.

This is Douglas Lain's debut novel, and readers will find it to be an exploration of the world and how we perceive it.  It explores the dichotomy between dreaming and lucidity, between liberation and the confines of expectations, between being free or just thinking about it.  This book is recommended for readers of speculative fiction.

100 Ghosts by Doogie Horner

100 Ghosts by Doogie Horner is a whimsical look at ghosts in cartoon format; the perfect book for fall as Halloween is just around the corner.  Each page introduces the reader to another ghost; on one is the picture of the ghost while the facing page has the description or name.

Some of my favorites were a ghost as a lamp, an undercover cop, Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Brown, but in actuality, each page reveals a new take on ghosts that will have the reader smile or chuckle.  This book is recommended for everyone; children will love it while adults will get enjoyment also. 

Sea Change by S.M. Wheeler

Lilly is born to wealthy parents who reject her due a birth defect.  Alone and unloved, she flees to the beach that surrounds her house and there discovers her only friend, the kraken, Octavius.  From Octavius, she learns the meaning of friendship and love.

When Octavius is captured, Lilly sets forth on a quest to save him.  But this is not a magical fairy tale; it is instead a dark, haunting tale reminiscent of the bleakest of the Grimm fairy tales.  Lilly discovers who has Octavius; a circus master.  He agrees to set him free if she can bring him a magical coat of illusions.  This starts a chain of impossible tasks and an introduction to a myriad of strange folks.  There is the tailor, who wants the body of her undead husband who was captured by a witch.  The witch has been tricked of her skin, and wants it back.  It is held by two bandits. Lilly, or Lyle as she becomes known as on the trail, lives with the bandits as their servant, never sure which act or look might send them into a murderous rage.

But there are compensations also.  Lilly becomes strong with all the physical labor.  She learns who to trust and who never to trust.  She befriends an individual named Horace who has never known friendship before.  When she completes her quest, she learns the hardest lesson of all.  Sometimes even your best does not guarantee a happy ending.

S.M. Wheeler has written an amazing debut novel.  The reader will fall in love on the first page with the languorous, haunting language.  Lilly/Lyle is a character that one cannot help but cheer for as she/he navigates the various difficulties it takes to complete her quest.  There are magical beings; witches, animals turned into humans, automata soldiers, kraken who are more human than the humans who capture it.  This is one of the best fantasy novels of 2013; a true tour-de-force.  This book is recommended for fantasy readers.

On The Horizon--A New Weekly Feature At Booksie's Blog

One thing that book bloggers learn early--there are almost an infinite number of books that are yearning to be read and reviewed!  I get tons of books every week.  I buy a lot, work with many publishers, and get invitations from authors. I'm a Vine reviewer for Amazon and a reviewer for Curled Up With A Good Book.   I have way too many books, and don't accept everything I'm offered.  One of my firm rules is that I will eventually read and review everything I accept.  But that can take a while due to the sheer number of books rolling in.  Regardless of my intentions, I can't really read more than a dozen or so books a month.

So, I've decided to start a new feature.  Every week or so, I'll list the books that I've gotten that are joining the review pile.  Then I'll write the review as normal once I've had a chance to read the book.  That way, authors who have been kind enough to share their books with me but are patiently waiting for a review will at least get their books featured and my readers will know that the book has passed the first level of review with me--that of being accepted from the many that I'm offered.  Without further ado, here's the books that came in this week:

1.  Growing The Money Tree by John Svazic.  Sent by author.
2.  A Permanent Member Of The Family by Russell Banks.  Sent by publisher.
3.  The House Of Journalists by Tim Finch.  An Amazon Vine reviewer book.
4.  The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice.  Sent by publisher.
5.  The Book Of Night Women by Marlon James.  Paperback Swap book.
6.  The Whole Golden World by Kristine Riggle.  Sent by publisher.
7.  Stone Cold Red Hot by Cath Staincliffe.  Paperback Swap book.
8.  The Peppered Moth by Margaret Drabble.  Paperback Swap book.
9.  Transgressions by Sarah Dunant.  Paperback Swap book.
10  A Glass Of Blessings by Barbara Pym.  Purchased on Kindle.
11.  The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner.  Purchased on Kindle.
12.  The Wettest Country In The World by Matt Bondurant.  Purchased on Kindle.
13.  Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride.  Purchased on Kindle.
13.  Dying Light by Stuart MacBride.  Purchased on Kindle.
14.  Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride.  Purchased on Kindle.

Whew!  So if you are an author waiting for a review, take heart.  I will get to you, but there are so many great books in the world that it may take a while. 

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

The year is 1988, and Joe Coutts and his buddies are doing what most 13 year old boys do during summer vacation.  They hang out together talking about girls and sports, they go swimming, they help their relatives and they watch the adults around them, curious about what adults do and what might be expected of them in a few short years.  Joe's father is a tribal judge on the reservation, and his mother work is validating the claims of Indian background that are presented.

One Sunday afternoon, everything changes.  Joe's mother goes to her office to retrieve a file and doesn't come home when expected.  When she manages to get home, it is obvious that she has been beaten and raped.  Joe's world falls apart.  His father, who Joe had admired, he now sees as weak, unable to protect his mother or wreak revenge on her attacker.  His mother goes from the warm, loving fount of his security to a woman holed up in bedroom, not speaking for days on end. 

As the days go by, it becomes clear to everyone around who committed this heinous act.  But due to confusion about whether the rape occurred on Indian land, state land or federal land, the jurisdiction is unclear and the criminal is not arrested.  Now Joe's family must deal with the fact that the man still walks among them, and that they might see him any day, any time they go out in public.  Joe feels impelled to correct the situation, and as the summer draws to a close, his childhood also flees and he joins the world of men, where actions are final and change one forever.

Louise Erdrich has written a compelling novel that outlines the issues still facing the Native Americans.  Small details catch at the reader's attention, such as the joy that is felt when a real grocery store opens and Native Americans can go grocery shopping like any other American.  This book won the National Book Award for fiction.  Readers will be caught up in Joe's life and his struggle to understand adult life and whether it means something different if you are a Native American.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction, and those interested in understanding more about the Native American culture.

The Cutting Season by Attica Locke

Everything is changing at Belle Vie, Louisiana.  A historical state site, it is a restored plantation and demonstrates life as it was lived in the antebellum South, complete with mansion, slave quarters, and all that went with maintaining the Southern planter's lifestyle.  Caren Gray is the manager of Belle Vie and lives there full-time with her daughter.  The plantation now has daily shows, and is a popular site for weddings and debutante balls.  Caren actually grew up on Belle Vie land.  Her mother was the cook for many decades and Caren can trace her relationship with Belle Vie back to her ancestors who lived there as slaves.

But all is changing.  A woman's body has been found on the land, and she was murdered.  Who killed this woman, a migrant worker who worked for Groveland?   Groveland is the large agricultural company that rents the Belle Vie land and grows sugar cane there.  There are rumors that the Claney family which has owned Belle Vie since the Civil War are thinking about selling out and closing it down. 

Caren gets caught up in the investigation when one of her workers is suspected of the murder.  Caren's life is also changing, and she isn't sure what she will be doing in the future. Her daughter's father is back in the picture, and their relationship is uncertain.  There are still embers in her former relationship with one of the Clancy brothers.  There is also a new man who she meets as she races to solve the murder before someone else is killed.

Attica Locke has written a tense, compelling mystery.  The atmosphere is moody and dark, the actions clothed in the mysteries of the past.  The changes in the plantation echo the changes Caren is undergoing in her life, and neither will be settled until she reconciles with the past of her family's relationship with the land.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

The Yard by Alex Grecian

The year is 1889 and Scotland Yard is just becoming organized as the crime fighting organization it is known as today.   The London Police are reeling from the loss of public confidence due to their lack in solving the Jack The Ripper case, and the new Murder Squad at the Yard is meant to solve the loss of confidence and decrease the crime rate.

Since the squad is new, so are the detectives making up the first group to be singled out as murder specialists.  There is Inspector Day, fresh to London from a more rural part of the country.  Hammersmith started life in a coal mining community and was determined to break away from the life his entire family knew as coal miners.  Blacker is not sure what he wants, but knows he is good at detecting.  Dr. Kingsley is the Yard's first medical examiner and is excited about a crime detection method he has just been introduced to--fingerprints.  Colonel Sir Edward Bradford is the head of the Yard, and has been given the job to develop it into the type of crime fighting unit London can be proud of.

There are, as always, plenty of crime to be solved.  The Murder Squad only has twelve detectives, and one of them has been murdered.  Such a murder makes the men determined to do whatever it takes to catch the killer.  But this isn't the only death they have to work on.  Bearded men are being killed off, and shaved before their throats are cut.  Children disappear from their families, sometimes to live on the streets, but sometimes for more chilling lives as victims. 

Alex Grecian has written a compelling crime novel that mixes history and heart-stopping thrills.  It is fascinating for those who follow crime to read about the start of one of the world's most pre-eminent crime fighting organizations, and the start of modern crime detection methods.  Each of the detectives in the novel have fully developed characters and the reader is pulled along to the end where all the disparate threads of various investigations are pulled together into a satisfactory ending.  This book is recommended for readers of historical mysteries.

Lineup by Liad Shoham

A brutal rape occurs in the northern part of Tel Aviv.  The young woman who is raped is a reluctant reporter, but her parents convince her to notify the police about what has occurred.  Detective Eli Nahum is assigned to the case and is determined to find the rapist.

The victim's father watches outside her apartment, and is rewarded with finding a man skulking around the area at night.  He takes a picture and follows him home, sure that he has found his daughter's assailant.  After confronting her with the picture and getting a reluctant identification, he calls Nahum and turns in the man, Ziv Nevo.

Nevo was in the area, but not as a rapist.  A year ago, he had been fine with a job he enjoyed and a marriage with a small son he adored.  But a series of bad decisions had taken away his job, his marriage and his son, and he is left destitute and unable to find work.  He reaches out to a former friend in the Army, and finds some work, but soon is wrapped up in the clutches of the Israeli mob.  Now Nevo is in fear of his life as both the police and the mob are sure he is someone they need to put away for a long time.

Liad Shoham is one of Israel's leading crime writers, and an attorney.  American readers who haven't had a chance to sample Israeli crime writing will be interested to read this novel, his fifth bestseller.  The plot is intricate, and the characters are finely drawn.  In addition to Nevo and Nahum, there are portraits of a crime reporter looking for a big break, a prosecuting attorney who knows something is wrong although she doesn't know what, the head of the Israeli mob, the editor of the local newspaper, and the other police Nehum works with.  All the threads are woven together into a garment sure to please the reader.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

One evening Li Lan's father comes to her with a strange question.  He asked if she would like to become a ghost bride.  A ghost bride was a living woman married to a man who had already died.  The family of Lim Tian Ching had inquired of her father if he and Li Lan would be amenable to this request.  The Lim family was quite wealthy and Li Lan would have no material worries if she agreed.

But, she had no desire for such an inhuman mating.  Indeed, she had fallen in love with Tian Ching's cousin, Tian Bai, and he had been promised to her earlier before Ching had died.  The family now wanted to cancel that engagement and marry her to the dead man they missed so much as a son. 

Soon, Ching began haunting Li Lan's dreams, showing her the palaces and feasts she would have as his wife.  Scared, she got medicine from a medium, but one night when she was more terrified than normal, took too large a dose and her spirit slipped out of her physical body.

Li Lan goes to the Plains of the Dead, to try to determine how to get back into her body and how to ward off her unwelcome suitor.  While there, she tiptoes between those who would help her such as her own deceased relatives, and those that wished to do her harm.  Will she manage to get back into her body before demons claim her?  Can she ward off Ching and find happiness with her first promised mate, Tian Bai?

This is the debut novel by Yangsze Choo, and she shows promise of an intriguing career.  The writing is dreamy, captured in the mists of Chinese beliefs and superstitions.  The reader is caught up in Li Lan's quest, and cheers for her to gain what she most wants in life, someone to love who can love her back.  This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction and those interested in literary fiction.

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo

Life is different for Inspector Harry Hole, but he is trying.  He has a new boss, as his old boss has been transferred to a quieter location than the Oslo murder division.  The new boss is spit and polish, by the book, and that means either he or Harry will need to change, and change isn't something one associates with Harry.  Harry is also trying sobriety, and that is also something the verdict is out on.

But one thing never changes and that is crime.  It becomes clear that there is a paid assassin operating in Oslo.  The strange thing is that he seems to be targeting Salvation Army officials, who seem an unlikely target for organized crime.  The bodies start to mount, and it becomes clear that this is a Croatian assassin, trained in the wars that tore his country apart.  A war where he got his nickname 'The Redeemer' for his agility and ability to kill the Croatian enemies in the brutal civil war that tore his country apart. 

This is a worthy opponent for Inspector Hole.  He tracks the killer, barely missing him over and over, while he tries to unravel the motives behind the crimes.  There is also a new woman in Harry's life, and perhaps this one will be the one to calm his soul and bring him happiness.  Can Harry find the assassin before he kills again?

This is the sixth of the ten Harry Hole novels by Jo Nesbo.  Fans of the series will be fascinated as always by the intricate plotting and the ways that Harry maneuvers in his job despite his personal failings.  The pace is jolting, and Nesbo spares no one in his storytelling.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers whether they have read prior Nesbo novels or not.  Those who pick up this book are in for a compelling read that will leave them breathless and satisfied.

Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan M. Boyer

Things are heating up in Liz Talbot's life.  After her grandmother's murder, she moved back to the small South Carolina island where her family has lived for decades, and decides to pursue her private investigator career from her home town.  Her new case promises to be challenging.  When she opens her door, her first instinct is shock.  Standing on her porch is Marilyn Monroe, or at least it seems that way.

Calista McQueen not only looks like Marilyn, she shares disturbing similarities to her life.  She was born at the exact date and time as Marilyn, her mother named her Norma Jeane, and she spent her childhood in foster homes.  Her second marriage was to a ballplayer, Joe.  Now Calista is worried that she will be murdered on the anniversary of Marilyn's death, and wants Liz to help her escape what she fears is her fate.

There are plenty of suspects.  There are her birth mother and her mother's best friend, the women who made it their lives' work to remake Calista into the spitting image of Marilyn.  Her first husband has been searching for her for years since she moved away.  Liz isn't happy about the current people surrounding Calista either.  There is a yoga instructor who is in and out of the house, a doctor who seems much too interested in his patient, and a housekeeper with ties to the island but who no one knows much about.  Strange things are occurring as the anniversary gets closer, and Liz is determined to find out who is behind them.

Liz's personal life is heating up also.  Her partner, Nate, has finally realized that they should be partners in life as well as business.  In the meantime, Matt, her ex, has decided to try to win her back.  Nate is her dream but comes at a price as he wants to move her off the island and back to 'civilization'.  Who will she choose?

Susan Boyer has written an engaging mystery that will have readers reaching for a glass of sweet iced tea as they relax on their porches.  Liz is the typical Southern belle, which means her charming exterior masks a steel interior and a determination to win whatever contest she engages in.  The mystery is intriguing, and the denouement is surprising.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

The Old Rectory by Julia Ibbotson

As Julia Ibbotson and her husband took stock once the children were gone, they decided that they wanted a change.  They decided what they really wanted as their lifestyle was to move to a more rural setting in England, one where they could be close to the land and its rhythms, where life was slower and easier to savor.  After an extensive search, they found what they thought was the perfect house.  A former rectory, it had been built in the late 1800's and offered the space and location they wanted.

The Old Rectory details the Ibbotson's acquisition and renovation of their dream house.  As one might expect, the house had significant flaws that had to be fixed; dampness and mold as well as antiquated wiring.  The couple wanted to not only modernize the house, but restore it to its original Georgian style.  They also wanted to restore the grounds to their former glory.

Julia is a woman who adores cooking, and each chapter details various traditional English dishes appropriate to the season in which the chapter is written.  The reader will learn how to make such dishes as the traditional English roast, lamb with mint jelly, lots of various fruit puddings, and other wonderful meals. 

As the couple worked on the house, they also became part of village life.  Soon they were involved in various village functions such as choirs, craft classes, a walking group and a group that went on outings.  They made new friends who shared their love of English culture and thought it worth fighting for. 

Ibbotson has written a charming account of how life can be changed as one moves into the later stages of one's life.  The renovation and research into the house's history are interesting, and the recipes are enticing.  American readers need to take extra care with details such as oven temperature and measurements and be sure they have correctly translated the measurements into their American equivalents.  This book is recommended for readers who enjoy cooking as well as those interested in history or how to enrich one's life after the work of raising children is over.