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.

The Turk Who Loved Apples by Matt Gross

Matt Gross began his travel writing career right out of college when he took a job that required him to move to Vietnam for a year to work as an English teacher.  He found he loved living in a foreign country, figuring out the best way to maneuver the streets and find food and friends.  He wrote a few articles and soon found himself with a marvelous offer.  He became the Frugal Traveler for New York Times for several years.  This required him to pick up at a moment’s notice and travel all over the world, identifying ways that his readers could travel economically.  After that job ended, he found other jobs that continued to pay him to travel and document his adventures for those who enjoyed reading about travel or needed guidance for their own trips. 

While the book contains elements of traditional travel writing with lists of various places and experiences and sights he encountered there, the thrust of the book is more of a memoir, how travel changed him and how he came to view travel over the years.  It is more an explanation of what traveling is than a blueprint of how to handle travel.  Some of the interesting chapters included traveling with family which gave the story of his courtship and marriage as well as the family relationships that he enriched with travel and one on prostitutes and other stranger individuals he encountered over the years.  He talks about the difference between a traveler and a tourist, about how one reconciles the immense poverty and misery encountered in foreign lands with the wealth we are surrounded with, and how his goal as his travels progressed was to get lost to recapture that new to him feeling of a new city or country.   

Matt Gross has written an engaging look at the world of travel writers.  For those who enjoy this genre of writing, The Turk Who Loved Apples is a perfect addition to their travel writing library along with books by Bill Byson, Paul Theroux, Bruce Chatwin, Mark Twain and other travel writers.  He is obviously a well read individual who enjoys Zola and William Vollman (a Booksie favorite), as well as an enthusiastic foodie who seeks out regional food and delights in trying anything.  This book is recommended for memoir and travel writing readers and will be a wonderful addition to anyone’s reading list who is curious about the world and how other people live. 

The Boo by Pat Conroy

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As  most readers know, Pat Conroy spent his formative years after high school at The Citadel, a military college in Charleston, SC.  The Boo is Conroy's first book, recently re-edited by him.  It is a memoir of that time, but especially of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nugent Courvoisie, the Commandant Of Cadets, nicknamed 'The Boo' by the cadets he oversaw.

Courvoisie was in charge of cadet behavior, and he was feared and respected in equal measures by those young men.  Although those who broke the rules lived in fear until caught by him, he was also capable of great kindness and sometimes even leniency to those in his care.  He thought of the cadets as lambs and he was their shepherd.  He had to be tough to get them through the perils of Citadel life, which would either crush a young man's spirit or toughen him up and give him self-respect for life.

The Boo is a series of vignettes about various infractions that The Boo discovered and the punishments given out.  There are many written explanations in the cadets' own voices, explaining their behavior and asking for forgiveness.  Although punishment was almost always sure, the men were in awe of The Boo and they recognized that he cared deeply for them.  Many spent years afterwards asking for his advice, knowing that he would always be there for a cadet who needed help, no matter how many years had passed.  He was enormously popular with the cadet corp, and when the administration decided to strip him of his job, it was an incredibly unpopular decision.

Pat Conroy is one of America's national treasures, an author whose every book serves to identify and explain the male psyche to the world.  In particular, he has a particular skill in explaining those men with military backgrounds, and those who grew up with alpha fathers and who spent their lives trying to be a success for these men.  The Boo is his first book, and it is raw, but what is noticeable above all is the raw talent that would make Conroy a beloved author.  This book is recommended for Conroy fans, fans of Southern literature, and those interested in what makes a man. 

The Thinking Woman's Guide To Real Magic

Nora Fischer's life is not going well.  She is stuck on her doctoral thesis and her advisor is making hints about a probation.  Her boyfriend has come home, not to propose as she thought, but to announce he's marrying someone else.  Distraught and fed up with life, she wanders off on a mountain walk and inadvertently falls through a door into another world.

As Nora walks, she comes upon a gorgeous country estate.  The owner, a beautiful, sophisticated woman who reminds Nora of those 60's women like Jackie O, seems delighted to find Nora trespassing and insists she stays for a party that night.  Somehow, that party stretches into weeks, and before Nora knows it, she has fallen in love with the woman's son and they are married.  However things are not what they seem.  For she has fallen in with fairies and the enchantment she is under falls apart when she sees her husband for what he is, and he tries to kill her.

Escaping by the wiles of a magician she had met, she realizes what had happened to her.  The magician is an man of vast age, charismatic and known throughout the land as the greatest magician ever, but he has his faults.  He is often remote, surly at times and not one to suffer fools gladly.  Then there are the rumors about how his own marriage ended, and the rumors aren't good.  Nora comes into his household as a servant but slowly begins to become his student and learn magic herself.  When the chance to go back to her own world opens up, which world will Nora choose?

Emily Croy Barker has written an engaging, charming fantasy.  It is full of dangers and romance, evil and good, battles and spells and alliances.  Who could resist a world where hungry ice demons can be warded off with poetry or where one starts to learn magic by putting back shattered plates?  Nora is a believable heroine and the reader will fall in love with her, while the magician, Aruendiel is a man any woman would love to meet.  This book is recommended for fantasy lovers and those English majors who suspect that there is more to life than books.

Early Decision by Lacy Crawford

Anne is the 'application whisperer'.  Her specialty is shepherding high school senior through the college application process and there are plenty of parents willing to pay handsomely to make sure their child gets into one of the Ivy League schools.  These are the helicopter parents, who have been overseeing their child's extracurricular activities and schoolwork for over a decade with the singular goal of making sure their application will be ones of those accepted at the school of their choice.

This year's crop of seniors is no different.  There is Sadie, whose whole life has revolved around service to others, a goal her parents have pushed aggressively.  The family spends weekends and vacations serving others around the globe, although the parents can't quite seem to work actually spending time with Sadie one on one into their schedules.  There is Alexis, the rare child who is so stellar that she could get in anywhere, but her anxious parents just can't believe she can make it without professional grooming.  Hunter is a nice boy, not a straight A student but one rung down, whose dreams vary from what his parents regard as acceptable.   William wants to study drama, but his parents insist on a profession that is safer and more likely to lead to financial success.  Cristina is the one who makes it all worthwhile, a Hispanic student who would have no chance at college despite her amazing mind and grades, without the help of someone like Anne to find the financial resources she will need.

While arranging the lives of others, Anne lets her own life stay on hold.  She left graduate school, not sure where she was headed and why she was there.  Her boyfriend, older by more than a decade, has commitment issues and the relationship seems stalled.  How can Anne know what to do for everyone else and be so unsure of her own way?

Lacy Crawford has written a novel that will strike fear into the hearts of every parent.  Once parents are sure their children are healthy and doing well, the drums start beating about getting into college so that they can be successful in life.  Everyone I know is caught up in this game to varying degrees, and willing to make sacrifices to increase the odds of getting into a 'good' college.  It is believable that parents so invested in their children's lives would hire someone like Anne to make sure that their children are launched successfully.  Whether this is a path one should pursue or whether children should be left to their devices is one of the questions this novel raises.  This book is recommended for parents facing this dilemma as well as those interested in modern life for families.

Gallows View by Peter Robinson

Chief Inspector Alan Banks has just moved North from London for a quieter life.  Crime in Eastvale, in the Yorkshire district, isn't as brutal or common as in his former job, leaving more room for his marriage and family.  But things have been heating up lately in Eastvale.

First, there is the Peeping Tom.  Blonde women have been his target, and several have caught him spying on them as they change clothes and get ready for bed.  Then there are a series of break-ins.  Those seem like teenage crimes, with vandalism thrown in along with the robberies.  Finally, Eastvale has seen a murder.  An elderly woman apparently opened her door at night to the wrong person and ended up dead.  Banks has his work cut out for him.

Then there are the family complications.  He and Sandra have a strong marriage, one that can accommodate his hectic work life and his sudden enthusiasms.  His latest passion is opera, but no one else in the family can stand the music that he plays constantly.  A more serious issue is the lovely psychologist the department has hired to consult on the Peeping Tom crimes.  There is an immediate attraction between her and Banks, and he isn't sure how to handle it.

Gallows View is the first Inspector Alan Banks mystery in Peter Robinson's long running series.  Readers will recognize him from the BBC series about his cases, and will enjoy reading how the entire series got started.  The crimes are run of the mill, until they suddenly come together in a stunning climax.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

The Execution Of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth Silver

Ten years ago Noa P. Singleton committed a murder. Her current location is Death Row, mere months before her scheduled date of execution. Noa was a bright woman, who was salutatorian of her high school class, and offered scholarships to college. Although she was raised by a single mother who was more interested in men and her own well-being than Noa, she seemed well on the way to making a successful life for herself.

Then something went awry. Noa dropped out of college after one semester and has spent her life in meaningless jobs. At her trial, she didn't say a word in her own defense, and she has never talked about her crime or its victim, Sarah Dixon. Now, she receives a visit. Oliver is a newly minted lawyer, and he is determined to save Noa, if only she will tell him what really happened.

Noa isn't fooled. Oliver is there only as the catspaw of Marlene Dixon, Sarah's mother and the woman totally determined to see Noa dead. Her testimony at Noa's trial was probably the main reason Noa got the death penalty. Now Marlene is holding out the promise of filing a clemency motion with the governor to save Noa's life, if only Noa will talk.

Elizabeth Silver has created a memorable battle of wills between two strong women. Noa is a character the reader will long remember; her story slowly revealed giving the details of what really happened the day two young women lost their lives. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

Human Remains by Elizabeth Haynes

They are everywhere, in large cities and small villages.  They are women, men, young, old, black, white, rich or poor.  The unseen ones.  The people who for whatever reason are all alone in the world.  If they have families, they are out of touch with them.  They walk through life as if they don't exist.  Those who work with them occasionally pass a comment but they aren't included in office parties.  They don't have clubs or nights on the town.  Instead, they go home to silent houses where they spend their time waiting for that night and the next day to pass, just as all the days before have passed.

But in Annabel's town, a killer has noticed the unseen.  Annabel is a police analyst, and she is the person who notices that there have been too many unexplained cases of people who have died in their homes and not been found for quite some time.  There is no one to miss them; those who barely notice them have assumed the person has moved when they stop appearing at work or in the shops.  Most of the cases have been put down to natural causes, but that is the killer's delight.  He manages to target and victimize these individuals without laying a finger on them.  He gains their trust and talks them into dying; just refusing food and water until they pass away.

But now the killer is upping the ante.  He is determined to gain the recognition he so richly deserves and he finds that his past actions no longer satisfy him.  How will he change to gain even more excitement from the deaths that surround him?

Elizabeth Haynes has written a chilling mystery that will have the reader afraid to put down the book, afraid to stop before they know what is being done and how it will all turn out.  The killer is a new kind of criminal, more horrific for his calm demeanor as he wrecks havoc around himself.  This book is recommended for mystery readers who enjoy psychological suspense.

The Prodigal by Michael Hurley

Aidan Sharpe is one of the best lawyers in Raleigh.  When opposing counsel walk in and see him behind the defendant's desk, their hearts sink, as Sharpe has the ability to make juries see things as he does and rarely loses a case.  He is the primary practicing partner at one of the most respected law firms, and is highly compensated.  Life is his for the taking.

But things are not going as well as they seem.  His marriage fell apart a few years ago and he has been hesitant to form another relationship.  Trials are too easy these days and he is starting to phone it in.  His drinking is getting out of control.  Then comes the ultimate moment; one moment when a bad choice takes away everything he has worked for all these years.

Stunned, he flees to Ocracoke Island, the most remote island on the North Carolina Outer Banks.  It takes a lot to live on Ocracoke, and those who manage to survive there are not too quick to worry about other people's sins or judge them too quickly.  Aiden moves in with the priest who has watched over the island for years and starts to rebuild his life.  He spends his days now doing manual labor at the local boatyard, his friends a collection of other individuals who are also looking for a way to survive.

There is Father Marcus, who was shipped to Ocracoke for his deviations from church theology and his personal issues.  Ibrahim is fleeing from his past, but the best ship worker Ocracoke has seen in years.  Bobbi is fleeing a bad marriage and her addiction to alcohol and men.  Molly is a tugboat captain, determined to make it in a man's world.  Sarah is, well no one is sure what Sarah is.  She washed up on shore nude several years ago.  Father Marcus watches over her, but she remains a remote figure who speaks to few and is closer to fewer. 

Together this group of individuals learn to support each other and work towards finding redemption.  That redemption may come from a surprising source.  They discover a sailboat floating as scavenged goods; it has apparently been floating in the ocean for several years.  It is an amazing boat, obviously an ancient one built with care and love.  Is it the mystical Prodigal that is the source of so many legends over the years and can it help this group find themselves as they attempt to win a race that means everything?  The race is small against large, islanders against those with money and power, a race to prove that character means something even in boat races.

Michael Hurley has written a fascinating look at the issue of flaws and redemption.  Ocracoke Island is the perfect setting for the characters to find themselves; the land itself has to rediscover and reclaim itself all the time as the ocean attempts to overwhelm it.  Readers from the South will be especially pleased to read about this North Carolina treasure.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction and those interested in the chance to start anew, regardless of what has come before.  Hurley lives in Raleigh, NC, and is quickly on the way to becoming another North Carolina treasure. 

Sworn Sword by James Aitcheson

The year is 1069, the location England, three years after the Battle of Hastings.  The Normans won possession of the kingdom that day, but even three years later, not all the land is subdued.  Tancred a Dinant, a sworn sword, or knight, pledged to a lord, fought at Hastings.  He saw the carnage there and the slaughter of all the men that occurred that day as the English usurper, Harold Godwineson, was defeated and killed.

Tancred is sworn to Robert de Commines, and has been for more than fifteen years.  Robert found him in Normandy where he had fled a monastery at age thirteen.  He pledged his life and sword to Lord Robert that day, and has fought at his side ever since.  He followed Robert to England and plans to stay with him forever.  But fate has different plans. 

The English are rising up in the North, desperate to throw off the Norman yoke.  They are led by yet another English king.  The two forces meet in Durham and Lord Robert is killed.  Shocked and disillusioned, Tancred is not sure what to do with the rest of his life.  When he is injured and sheltered by another Norman lord, Malet, he agrees to serve him.  Malet gives him an assignment; to shepherd his wife and daughter to London to safety. 

Along with his knight friends, Tancred sets out to escort the women.  They barely make it out of town before the opposing forces take the city where Malet is in charge.  Although Tancred wants to return and fight the English, he is sworn to his task.  While fulfilling it, he learns a secret; a secret that reeks of betrayal and could change the course of history.  How will Tancred reconcile his calling as a knight with his torn loyalties?

James Aitcheson has written a stirring historical novel.  It is strong in its depiction of the life of a knight and how battles were fought in this early period.  Life was finely balanced in those days, and the loyalties a man chose were often enough to either make his fortune or cause his death.  The history is well researched, and the reader readily identifies with Tancred and his band of knights.  This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction.

A Conspiracy Of Faith by Jossi Adler Olsen

Things are much the same in Department Q in the Copenhagen Police Department.  Detective Carl Morck is still the grumpy policeman shuffled off to the basement and given cold cases to solve; cases no one expects he can make progress on.  His assistants are the same ragtag bunch of misfits.  Hafez Assad, hired as a janitor and an immigrant whose papers wouldn't stand much scrutiny, is overqualified for his job and sees connections no one else does.  Rose, a policewoman so hard to get along with that she has been given to Carl, does what she does, mostly nothing with occasional flashes of brilliance.

The latest case couldn't be much colder.  Department Q is given a message.  Apparently it was found in a bottle.  The bottle drifted to Scotland, where someone found it and put it on a shelf.  Years later, the message was taken out and it was determined to be a plea for help from someone who claimed to have been kidnapped.  This message, at least a decade old, is now Carl's job to decipher and decide if a crime has been committed.

Thus opens one of the most challenging cases the department has ever seen.  As they work on the case, they determine that indeed a kidnapping had taken place.  Two children, one a brilliant young man, had been kidnapped.  The gifted man had written the note.  Only one returned home.  The crime was never reported.  Even worse, as the case is unraveled, it soon becomes apparent that this was not a solo crime.

There is a serial killer working in the murky underground.  He targets fundamentalist religious families, who typically have large families.  His plan of attack is to kidnap two of the children then demand a ransom.  Once the ransom is paid, he kills one child and returns the other, saying that he will know if the crime is reported and will return to kill more of the children.  The terrified families tell their friends that the missing child has broken religious laws and has been excommunicated and sent away.  The killer has struck over and over through the years and it is up to Carl, Assad and Rose to stop him.

Jossi Adler Olsen exploded on the crime scene several years ago with this series.  Readers are quickly entranced with the characters and the mysteries that twist and turn, but eventually are solved by Department Q's unconventional methods.  This third mystery is another stellar contribution to the rapidly expanding field of Nordic noir.  A Conspiracy Of Faith is recommended for mystery readers.

Luther, The Calling by Neil Cross

Luther is the kind of detective you definitely want on your side if a crime has been committed.  He is brilliant, intense, totally dedicated and he won't give up until the criminal has been brought to justice.  These same qualities make the people around him nervous.  His wife, Zoe, worries about his health and stress levels and the marriage isn't good these days.  His commander worries about what Luther will do to bring justice and which day he steps over the line might be his last. 

London needs Luther's skills badly in the newest case.  A man is targeting perfect families.  He wants a child of his own and is convinced a child from a perfect family is the best bet.  There are a series of home invasions where he takes the child and leaves the entire family behind dead.  His latest target is an eleven year old child, Mia.  He has her but as the net tightens around him, he threatens to kill her rather than lose his freedom.  Can Luther and the rest of the squad find her before time runs out?

Fans of the BBC America TV series, Luther, will be thrilled to see that Neil Cross has brought his creation to the printed page.  The reader is taken inside the police investigation and the nerve-ratcheting suspense that a major investigation creates.  They are also taken into Luther's life and learn what it is to be the best in a job that is slowly ruining everything you love.  The pace is heart stopping and the reader can't help but cheer on this tormented man who is the best at what he does.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

Domestic Affairs by Bridget Siegel

Olivia Greenley can't believe her luck.  Her good friend, Jacob, campaign manager for Presidential candidate Landon Taylor, has recommended her to be the new chief fundraiser.  It is Olivia's dream job.  Taylor is her perfect candidate; a man who is in politics to make things right and whose campaign she would be honored to work on.  She is overjoyed when she is hired, especially at the knowledge that she is the youngest chief fundraiser around.

As the campaign progresses, Olivia spends hours each day on the job.  She moves from fundraising event to event, hobnobbing with the rich and famous.  Her job is to convince them to lend their support in whatever fashion they can.  For some, that is hosting an event and committing to raising at least two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.  For others, it is loaning the campaign private jets or picking up tabs for luxury hotels and amazing meals.  Above all else, it is her job to convince everyone she meets to give money, tons and tons of money.

The weeks fly by and the campaign progresses.  Olivia discovers the truth of political campaigns; the staffers are paid almost nothing and expected to work pretty much around the clock.  Dream candidates don't seem quite so dreamy when you spend all your time with them and learn their secrets and personality flaws.  Still, one can't give up the perfect job, can one?

Bridget Siegel has written an entertaining political insider's view of a campaign.  She is a veteran of several campaigns herself such as Kerry-Edwards, Obama-Biden, Hilary Clinton and others.  She raises the questions of whether American politics demands too much of the candidates and if it is possible to remain pure in politics.  Is the entire system flawed?  This book is recommended for those readers interested in politics and what the electoral system does to the participants. 

Mr. Monk Helps Himself by Hy Conrad

Fans of the TV show Monk will be thrilled to read another of his adventures in Hy Conrad's latest novel, Mr. Monk Helps Himself.  In this one, Monk's assistant, Natalie, has decided its time to make a name for herself.  She is about to take the private investigator's exam and when she gets her license, she and Monk will form a partnership where they will be peers instead of him always calling the shots.

But events get in the way.  One of Natalie's heroes, self-help guru Miranda Bigley, commits suicide publicly in front of her audience.  Natalie is sure it can't really be suicide, since that is opposed to everything Miranda taught, but everyone else thinks Natalie just can't face the truth.  Monk won't help her as he is involved in a case with the police.  A clown has been killed.  Clowns are high on Monk's list of his top one hundred phobias, so he is determined not to engage, but the police are adamant.  Monk determines the clown was involved in some dirty dealings that probably led to his death, but continues to try to avoid the scene or anything having to do with the victim.

Hy Conrad has written an engaging, lively mystery that falls on the cozy end of the mystery genre, one of the reasons the TV show enjoyed its huge success.  Monk's obsessions and foibles are front and center, and readers will enjoy the interplay in the relationship between him and Natalie.  The mysteries are satisfactorily solved, with the logic so plain to Monk and so hidden from others.  Hy Conrad was one of the original writers on the TV series, staying all eight years of the show's run and serving as coexecutive producer for the last two.  No one could write a more valid Monk mystery than Conrad.  This book is recommended for mystery readers and fans of the TV show.

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver

When Pandora goes to pick up her brother, Edison, for a visit, she doesn't recognize him when she sees him at the airport. Edison has put on several hundred pounds since she saw him and is obese. Pandora knew he was down on his luck; that's the purpose of this visit, to give him time to regroup as well as time for them to catch up. But she had no idea about the weight gain or the changes in Edison's personality that the weight had made.

Edison is a jazz pianist, or as Pandora finds out, was a jazz pianist. Her husband, Fletcher, is not happy with the visit. He makes high end furniture and is a food fanatic; one of those people who watches every bite he puts in his mouth and is prone to fad diets; gluten free this week, a raw diet next week. He is totally repulsed by Edison, even more as Edison cooks huge meals, uses up all the food in the house and expects handouts. After two months, Fletcher puts down his foot. Pandora must put Edison back on the plane to New York if she wants to maintain their marriage.

But Pandora sees someone in need, someone who needs her more than Fletcher and her two stepchildren. She makes a deal with Edison. She will move in with him into an apartment and together they will go on diets. She estimates that it will take Edison a year to lose the extra weight and is willing to keep up this lifestyle for that period of time.

Lionel Shriver has linked into the issues that we all have surrounding weight. The obese are easy targets, and sometimes feel that they are the last minority group it is safe to discriminate against. She also covers the issues of body image, family relationships, and what one will do for a family member. She covers all the diets and the realization by one who loses a great deal of weight that it is an accomplishment, but not one that can make a life. Readers will find this a thought-provoking read that will make them examine their own attitudes about weight and self-image. This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction and those interested in family relationships.

Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins

In Battleborn, Claire Vaye Watkins shares the West with readers.  This is not the West of glitz and glamour.  It is the West of the desert, of unrequited longings, of lives that just don't seem to go anywhere.  It is the West where people must be strong to survive, but survival doesn't always mean successful.

There are ten stories.  The locales differ, but all have ties to the West, especially the desert.  There is a story about two brothers who are caught up in the Gold Rush.  Another is about a man who manages a brothel in Nevada, and the boy who comes there every day while he waits to see if his friend who is lost in the desert is rescued.  Two sisters fight the residual effects of their mother's suicide, trying to carve out lives for themselves that rise above her despair.  Three friends visit Virginia City as they decide what their friendship means and if it will endure.

One of the most chilling stories is the first, called "Ghosts, Cowboys".  It tells the story of George Spahn, a farmer from Pennsylvania who came to California and bought a farm that was used by many of the famous Western movies as a movie set.  After it fell out of favor, Spahn let a group of hippies who followed a leader called Charles Manson move in.  The rest of the story is well known, the crimes the Manson family committed iconic features of the seventies.  Paul Watkins was Claire Vaye Watkins's biological father, although she was raised by an adopted family.  He was also one of Manson's main followers his role recruiting teenage girls to join the cult.  The knowledge of what he did influenced her life, as it would any of us.

Readers will long remember the stories in this novel.  Watkins writes fiercely, telling the story of those who dare to have the strength to survive and the mechanisms they employ to do so.  She also tells the stories of those who fall by the wayside, not able to overcome the blows of fate that come their way.  This book is recommended for readers who enjoy short stories, and those who are interested in fresh new voices that will be influential for many years to come.

Fiji by Lance and James Morcan

The year is 1848, and a ship is making its way to the land of Fiji.  On board are two missionaries, Susannah Drake and her father, determined to bring the word of God to the Fiji natives.  Nathan Johnson is also on board bound for Fiji, but his purpose is not to save the natives but to trick them into trading him goods that will make him immensely rich.  Nathan has had to make his own way in the world and he has learned to look out for number one.  He is attracted to Susannah, but her father finds him crass and shelters his daughter from Nathan.

When the ship arrives in Momi Bay, the missionaries move into the mission house built by the missionaries they are replacing, while Nathan goes to the tribe's village to strike a deal.  He is pleased to get the terms he wants, trading muskets to the natives in return for sea slugs, a delicacy he plans to sell in China for a large profit.  While dealing with the natives, he finds himself trapped in the village when the Qopa tribes' enemies, the Outcasts, attack.  The Outcasts are just that, escaped slaves and those who have committed crimes against the tribe.  They are headed by Rambuka, a son of the Qopa chieftain who was shunned for attempting to kill his brother so that he could become the chief one day.

With Nathan's help and that of his muskets, the Qopa managed to repel the Outcasts, but not without losses.  The chief is killed, and the new chief, Joeli, vows revenge on his half-brother, Rambuka.  Nathan is also injured and as he is nursed back to health by Susannah, his feelings for her, and hers for him, grow, although neither is willing to admit to their love.  Suddenly, tragedy strikes again.  Rambuka stages a raid and kidnaps Susannah.  He has already kidnapped many tribal women and a band of Qopa and Nathan are determined to track them down and rescue the women.  Can they find their women before they are killed by the Outcasts?

Lance and James Morcan have written a stirring adventure.  Their research into the customs of the Fiji culture are evident.  There is cannibalism, firewalking, shark calling, amazing hairstyles, and tribal warfare techniques.  The clash of the native and English cultures is strange at first, but the men of each culture come to appreciate each other.  This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction and those interested in how the island cultures handled life.

Love And Lament by John Milliken Thompson

Life is difficult in rural North Carolina in the years between the Civil War and the first World War.  People worked hard and didn’t have the material things that are taken for granted in modern life.  Families were large and people didn’t travel that much so family reigned supreme.  But change was coming.  These were the years that electricity started to be used, that cars started to jostle horses for dominance on the roads.  Indoor plumbing was another major step forward, and the economy was moving from that of agriculture to commerce and industry.  

 

John Milliken Thompson’s Love And Lament details the life of the Hartsoe family in the Piedmont region of North Carolina in these years.  The Hartsoes were one of the major families in the region; it’s men Civil War heroes.  Cicero Hartsoe came back to Haw County and ran a store.  He and his wife had nine children.  Life was hard but family was a recompense from God for the difficulties encountered.   
 

But the Hartsoe family seemed marked out for tragedy.  Mary Bet, the youngest, watches hopelessly as one by one, all her brothers and sisters are taken.  Some die from diseases that would be easily cured today, some in accidents.  By the time she is twenty, Mary Bet finds herself alone in the world, her only surviving parent in a hospital for life while she is left to make her way in the world. 
 

Mary Bet is an interesting character.  Although haunted by her family history, she manages to carve out a life for herself.  She moves and finds a job, living in boarding houses and then with roommates.  As the years go on, she is unsure if she will ever have another family, one of her own.  But regardless, she moves on and finds value in the life she is given to live. 
 

This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction.  It is difficult for most people to imagine how different life in our country was just a hundred years ago, how isolated people were due to the difficulty of transportation and how reliant on family and friends each individual was.  For women to carve out a separate life for themselves in this environment was a definite show of character.  The reader will remember Mary Bet Hartsoe long after the last page is turned.

River Thieves by Michael Crummey

The year is 1810 and life in Newfoundland is not easy.  It is populated by the fishermen and trappers who have settled there, and by the native Americans whose land it was before they came.  One of the most prominent families are the Peytons.  Peyton Senior has trapped and fished for many years.  He left his family life in England behind to make a life in this new country.  His son, John, is now grown and taking over the family businesses.  They also have a housekeeper, Cassie, who came as John's tutor and stayed after he grew up.

The British military is concerned about relations with the Native Americans.  There have been incidents on both sides; the Indians stealing items from the frontiersmen to discourage them, and retaliation that leads to violence.  The government decides to try to contact the remaining Indians and try to create a relationship with them.  In order to do so, they need the help of the men who are involved in the strife between the two groups. 

The novel details the lonely, difficult life each group leads while trying to survive in a bleak environment.  Communication is strained, and the results are more incidents as each group tries to emerge as the stronger.  A group of trappers mount an expedition into Indian territory and bring back a female captive.  What occurs on the expedition and the government's response to it will have far-reaching consequences.

Michael Crummey has written a fascinating historical fiction about life in a part of the North American continent many don't know that much about.  River Thieves is his first novel and is a winner of the Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award.  It was also a finalist for the Giller Prize, The Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Books In Canada First Novel Award.  Readers will learn about Newfoundland and the people who settled there from England and France.  This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction.

Bones by Jonathan Kellerman

A teen doing community service at the marsh gets the call.  The caller says there is a body in the marsh, and indeed there is.  Selena Bass, a local musician, whose main gig these days is teaching a genius child of a multi-millionaire.  Milo gets the call and goes to the scene, but calls in his friend, psychologist Alex Delaware.

By the next day, things have gotten worse.  Not only is Selena's body in the marsh, but so are the bodies of three other women.  All killed the same way, all buried facing the east, all missing their right hands.  Someone has found a game to play and is using the marsh as their private playground.

Milo and Alex start to work the case.  They have a new cop working with them, Jack Reed.  Milo teaches him the basics of investigation as well as the politics of getting along and getting things done in a big city police force.  There are plenty of suspects to work on.  There's the environmentalist who seems to regard the marsh as his private property and would prefer if no human beings ever came there to disturb the local birds and environment.  There's a caretaker at the millionaire's house who seems a bit off, a bit worried by a police inquiry.  It turns out that Selena may have been mixed up in some offbeat pursuits of her own.  Can Milo and Alex solve this case before anyone else gets hurt?

This is the 23rd Alex Delaware mystery written by Jonathan Kellerman.  Readers will quickly see why he is considered in the top echelon of mystery writers.  Kellerman's own background as a clinical psychologist makes the medical theories ring true, and he knows how to racket up the suspense as few other authors can.  This book is recommended for mystery fans.

The Time Traveler's Guide To Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer

In this meticulously researched and eminently readable book, historian Ian Mortimer takes the reader on an exhaustive tour of all the facets of life in Elizabethan England.  There are twelve chapters on such topics as the landscape, the people, religion, character, basic essentials, what to sear, traveling, where to stay, what to eat and drink, hygiene, illness and medicine, law and disorder and entertainment.  Following these chapters is an extensive section of notes with further explanations and details of research material.

While the history is sound and well-researched, the reader will be delighted to gain such extensive knowledge in such well-presented, easy to read and understand prose.  The author understands how to keep the reader's interest and each chapter is full of tidbits the reader will take away.  For example, the average man in these times was 5' 7", and even the animals were on this smaller scale with an average sheep being only 45 pounds as opposed to several hundred these days.  Elizabeth loved hunting and animal baiting.  Shakespeare was the son of a glovemaker and grew up in a stinky tannery.  Mortimer covers the historical discoveries, the role that religion played, how people were kept in order, the explorations, the battles and loyalties, and many other topics. 

Ian Mortimer has BA, PhD and DLitt degrees in history from Exeter University and an MA in archive studies from University College London.  He was elected a Fellow Of the Royal Historical Society in 1998, and was awarded the Alexander Prize (2004) by the Royal Historical Society. (book jacket).  His full name is Ian James Forrester Mortimer and is the author of several popular novels based in this time period, including one reviewed here recently, The Roots Of Betrayal. 

This book is recommended to two categories of readers.  History lovers will be pleased with the intricate detail and well-researched material contained here.  Historical fiction readers will be interested to see how well the novels they read match with the everyday reality of life in this time period.  This book is highly recommended for both groups.

Lookaway, Lookaway by Wilton Barnhardt

Duke and Jerene Johnston are the best of the best society has to offer in Charlotte, North Carolina. Duke is a Southern gentleman, a lawyer and former city councilman known for his relation to the famous Civil War general who spared North Carolina from Sherman's March To The Sea. Jerene is an old style Southern lady, the kind who puts on a designer dress and full makeup to go outside to pick up the newspaper and who has iron control of her emotions. She is the head of the Jarvis Trust, an organization set up to safeguard the art her family brought to Charlotte and donated to the museum.

They have four children. Annie is the rebel, a real estate broker who is riding high on the real estate boom. Bo is the first son with all that means in a Southern family; after a successful high school and college career, he has become the pastor of a Presbyterian church in nearby Stallings. Joshua is the gorgeous one, a clothes salesman who doesn't have career aspirations and is gay, although that is never discussed at family gatherings. Jerilyn is the baby of the family, and determined to win her mother's approval, whatever that takes.

Barnhardt sets up this family as what seems from the outside to be a successful group who have it all, then methodically peels aside the family deceptions and oversights to reveal the secrets that have been kept, sometimes for decades. The book is laid out in biographical chapters, one devoted to each character. In it, all secrets are revealed as are the relationships that keep the family going. The writing is humorous, tragic, surprising and magnificent as the family and the Southern society they live in are stripped for all to see.

Wilton Barnhardt is a faculty member in the Creative Writing program at North Carolina State University and knows his material well. Residents of the area will nod their head in recognition of the characters and the culture he depicts. The reader will be entranced, reluctant to get off the wild wonderful ride that he has created. This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction and Southern fiction fans.

Prophecy by R.T. Kaelin

Fans of R.T. Kaelin's novel, Progeny, (count Booksie's Blog among the biggest fans), will be excited to read the second installment in the chronicle of Terrene and the battle between the gods that control it.  The god of Chaos has decided to take over the land, and has gathered several gods to work with him.  Opposing him are the gods who strive for balance.  Both groups use the mortals of Terrene to work out their conflicts.

Key to the battle are the champions of Terrene, the White Lions.  They were instrumental in saving the world the last time the gods collided.  A prophecy says that when needed, the original White Lions and their children, The Progeny, will reunite and fight again.  The characters from the first novel in the series, Nik and Kenders, are back.  In the first book, they found that they were progeny.  In this second one, they begin to come into their legacy and develop the skills and abilities that will help them in the immense battles to come.  They are accompanied by their adoptive brother, Jak, and other characters, such as Sabine and Helene, girls they saved in the last tale, and others who fought with them.

Of course, they have the White Lion at their side.  Broedi, a giant hillsman, was their guide, the man who taught them what they were and started their training.  In this book, we meet some of the other surviving White Lions.  There is Tobias, whose gift is visions of the future, and Wren, who can speak with nature.  We also meet new allies of different races.  Klin is an Acadian, who is a master of the magic strands and becomes Kender's main teacher.  Okollu is a mongrel, a half-man, half-wolf.  His race is part of the Sudashian army committed to winning Terrene for the god of Chaos, but he becomes an ally of the opposing side instead.

The war rages on, with the outcome uncertain.   The forces of good are vastly outnumbered and very late to the game.  The forces of evil have been making their plans for months and are ready for battle.  Each side has advantages and weaknesses.  Alliances are made and broken, loyalties and strategies change daily.  In the midst of war, family relations remain strong and even love finds a way to break through.  Which side has the strongest weapons and the best chance of survival?

Kaelin has successfully moved the story of The White Lions and their Progeny forward in The Prophecy.  The characters are developed more fully while more of the background to the world of Terrene is explored and explained.  The web of connections is intricate and the new characters and races are skillfully introduced.  Under it all, the beat of coming war and disaster is always felt, impelling the storyline forward.  This book is recommended for fantasy fans who will be left waiting impatiently for the third and concluding volume in this series.  This novel is another masterful job by R. T. Kaelin, who is gaining a name as a fantasy author to be aware of. 

Down And Out In Beverly Heels by Kathryn Leigh Scott

A year ago, Meg Barnes had it all.  Veteran of a hit TV series, she had a lovely home in Los Angeles, cars, designer clothes, and a new husband, Paul, she loved immensely.  But what a difference a year makes.  Paul calls her one day and tells her he has been kidnapped and to pay the ransom when she gets instructions.  She sends everything she owns but Paul is not returned.  Then the truth starts to emerge.  Paul is a con man, and he has taken not only all of Meg's money but that of her friends and anyone else he could convince to invest in his real estate schemes.

Meg leaves town, but is now back, trying to get reestablished in her life.  She has no home, no possessions, and is determined to not let anyone else know how desperate she is financially.  She is living in her car, showering at her gym, getting meals by volunteering at Meals on Wheels.  She finally lands a new acting job, and things start to get better in a small way.  The worst part is that those who know her seem to suspect that she was in on Paul's plans and not a victim herself.  Even her lawyer, Sid and his wife Carol, her best friend in LA, seem to be suspicious of what Meg might know.  Sid brings in a FBI agent, Jack Mitchell, who also seems to think Meg is no innocent in what has occurred.

Meg decides that in order to clear her name and get her life back, she needs to find Paul.  There are clues around that she starts to follow, and in turn, she realizes that she is being followed by some shady characters.  Meg and her new friend, Donna, become detectives and try to locate Paul and bring him to justice. Can they find him before everything explodes?

Kathryn Leigh Scott has written a sprightly mystery which would be characterized as a cozy mystery.  She knows the world she writes about, the backlots and acting stages of L.A., having been on the series Dark Shadows herself.  The reader is treated to an inside look at the acting industry as well as the way a resourceful woman can survive without money.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.

Birdman by Mo Hayder

Detective Inspector Jack Caffery has just caught his first murder in his new posting.  A young girl has been found buried on a construction site.  At first, it's believed it might be a medical student's prank gone wrong, as Jack is told the body has been autopsied.  However, this was no professional autopsy but one of butchery.  The corpse is made up heavily just like a doll, and the body was mutilated in addition to the autopsy.

Things get worse.  By the next day, four more bodies are found on the site.  Jack has definite ideas about the killer, but not everyone in the department shares his ideas.  There are those who want this to be an easy case, perhaps a drug deal gone wrong.  Instead, it is what every department fears, a case of tracking down a serial sexual sadist. 

Jack has personal issues to work through in addition to his professional ones.  He is haunted by his childhood and a trauma that occurred then.  He is currently attempting to extradite himself from a romantic relationship that isn't going anywhere, and he also finds himself attracted to a witness in the case.  Can he put aside his personal feelings and catch the killer before he strikes again?

Mo Hayder has written a fascinating murder mystery.  The details are grisly, and this book is not for the fainthearted.  Still, Caffery is a fascinating character, and the unfolding of the mystery will have the reader guessing over and over again as the story winds and twists into surprising locations.  The reader will finish this book ready for more of Caffery's story in later novels.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.

Essential Nourishment by Markia Blossfeldt

 

Essential Nourishment is subtitled Recipes From My Estonian Farm.  The author has written the book to provide healthy recipes but also to educate the reader about the benefits of healthy eating and how to integrate food into a healthy lifestyle.  Some of the author's goals for the book include:

 

• eat more foods that come straight from Mother Earth
• find and choose locally grown and raised food
• cook meals at home with ease
• reduce your intake of factory-made, processed food
• learn to savor naturally sweet foods
• cut back on refined sugar and flour without giving up flavor
• incorporate healthful oils and fats into your diet
• avoid refined and hydrogenated oils
• enjoy plenty of pure water

The book is filled with tons of visually appealing photographs.  Each recipe has a color photograph of the finished dish, and there is artwork sprinkled liberally throughout the text.  The photographs are by Jaan Heinmaa and the original artwork is done by the author.

 

The book begins with lessons in nutrition and lifestyle changes.  There is a chapter called Nutrition And Nourishment that features articles such as The Art Of Reading Food Labels, Balancing Blood Sugar Levels and Proteins, The Dividing Choice.  The next chapter is Lifestyle and includes articles such as Eating Out, Getting Physical and Work And Profession.

 

The recipes section includes recipes for breakfast porridges, vegetable recipes, grain, leafy greens, legumes, soups, baked goods, dressings and spreads, salads, fish, seafood and poultry, fruits, desserts and drinks.  The recipes are simple, easy to construct and most consist of only a few ingredients.  The goal is healthy eating prepared simply enough that one can easily make three meals a day. 

 

This book is recommended to all readers who are interested in a healthier lifestyle.  It gives valuable advice to parents attempting to create a love of natural foods in their children and a way to get both energy and enjoyment from the natural foods of the earth. 

 

 



The Birthday Present by Barbara Vine

It shouldn't have been a big deal.  Ivor Tesham is young, wealthy and a rising member of his party in England.  Hebe is his married lover, not morally right but a commonplace sin.  Hebe is willing to fulfill Ivor's fantasies, and for his birthday, they set up an elaborate game.  She will be taken from the street by two armed men, bundled into their limo, and delivered bound and gagged to Ivor for the night's games.

But things go horribly wrong.  There is a wreck and Hebe and one of the men are killed, the other man horribly injured.  The press gets the story, but believes that it was a real kidnapping attempt, one on the famous wife of a wealthy man.  Ivor's name never comes up, and he doesn't come forward since he knows it will end his political career.

The story dies down since the participants are dead as far as the press knows.  Ivor starts to feel safe, but there are still people who know.  Like the man who survived and his family.  The girlfriend of the other man.  Hebe's friend who she used to give her alibis to deceive her husband.  As the weeks and then months and years go by, Ivor learns to live with the past, never sure when and where it will rear it's ugly head, taking him and all he has down with a resounding explosion.

Barbara Vine is Ruth Rendell's alternate name, and her mysteries written as Vine tend to be more psychological than her other novels.  There is always an offbeat twist, and she outlines the events in such a way that the strange happenings seem to almost be the only logical outcome.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

The House Of Special Purpose by John Boyne

Georgy Jachmenev is eighty-two, living in England with his wife, Zoya.  They came to England after escaping from Russia in the early nineteen hundreds, after World War I.  Georgy was a simple farmer boy when fate gave him the chance to perform a heroic feat.  As a result, he is chosen as the new companion/protector of the Tsar's son, Alexei.

Times are changing in Russia.  The people are starting to demand change similar to what has occurred in France and other countries with monarchies.  There are rumors that the Romanovs should be the last royal family, that the country should be run by politicians.  As the war drags on and more and more young Russian men are killed, the tension increases.

Life in the royal household is more than Georgy could imagine.  Sumptuous furnishings, wonderful food, and every luxury imaginable.  A wish to one of the royal family is a command to those who serve them.  Georgy is fascinated by this new way of life and by the change in his circumstances.  He owes full allegiance to the family and falls madly in love with the youngest daughter, Anastasia.  Of course, such a love can never come to anything, as she is royalty and he is a commoner.

John Boyne has written an interesting historical fiction.  The reader is given insight into the life of the royals and the way that life changed for everyone as the common folks demanded a change.  This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction.

The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann

The year is 1791, and change is in the air.  In country after country, the population is rising up against the idea of being ruled by the nobility.  Sweden is no different.  King Gustav is popular but some of his political moves are creating dissent.  He has given rights to the common man and while they eagerly accept, those who have been in power due to their birth are definitely opposed.  Soon there are two camps and individuals who never thought much about politics must decide which camp they belong to. 

One is these individuals is Emil Larsson.  He has fought his way up to become a bureaucrat in the Customs Office; a position that offers the potential for outside income.  He is also a man about town, seen frequently in the company of the card players at the town’s premier gaming house, that of Mrs. Sparrow.  When Emil is forced to consider marriage by his boss who wants to see his employees married, he seeks Mrs. Sparrow’s help.  She introduces him to a method of determining his fate he had never heard of; The Octavo.  The Octavo is a set of eight positions that each player must fill with the individuals around himself.  When the players are in place, their decisions and moves will impact the seeker’s fate, and often the fate of others.  Emil’s Octavo soon has him right in the middle of the conflict between the opponents and the supporters of King Gustav. 

The book is full of other interesting characters.  The Uzanne is a woman who is the social arbitrator of Stockholm society.  With her connections, a debutante cannot hope to advance without her approval.  The Uzanne uses a collection of fans to communicate her approval and influence those around her.  Johanna Gray is one of her protégé’s, a young woman who has made her way to Stockholm to seek her fortune and who has extensive knowledge of potions.  There are the fan creators, newly arrived from France, and the man who is the only one the nobility trusts to create their invitations and other printed material.  There are various nobles, some of whom are firmly under the Uzanne’s influence, and others who oppose her.  Which side will win the battle to determine the fate of Stockholm’s government and place in the world going forward?   

Karen Engelmann has created an entrancing collection of characters and a story that will capture the reader.  There are alliances and betrayals, plots and counterplots, gambling, fights for social position, and maneuvering for rewards that would rival any moves made on a battlefield.  The plot is delightfully complex, and the resolution is a satisfying ending that ties together all the disparate threads.  The history behind the Octavo is fascinating, and the slice of life that was Stockholm at this critical time is well-researched and portrayed.  This book is recommended for readers of historical or literary fiction. 

Restrike by Reba White Williams

Cousins Coleman and Dinah Greene came to New York to take the city's art world by storm after their college educations.  Coleman bought an art magazine, ArtSmart, that quickly became known as the place for witty relevant articles about all that was happening in the art world.  Dinah opened a gallery after her marriage to Jonathan, specializing in art prints.  Things seem to be going well.

But trouble has a way of entering paradise.  Coleman's magazine is being targeted by a California upstart that somehow seems to find out all her article ideas and get them to print before she can.  She must have a spy, as unseemly as it is to suspect the staff that helped her build the magazine.  Dinah's galley is in financial trouble, a victim of a poor location and customers who are scarce on the ground. 

Things are also brewing in the art world.  A reclusive billionaire, Heyward Bain, has come to town to start a print museum.  Both Coleman and Dinah get involved with him due to their careers.  It becomes evident that the man Heyward hired to bid on exclusive prints for him, is cheating him as the prints he uncovers turn out to be stolen.  An art dealer no one has heard of is murdered, and then one of Coleman's editors is also killed.  Soon Coleman and Dinah seem to be targeted as well, and it's unclear if their sleuthing is the reason.  Can they uncover the mysteries before they are brought down?

This is the first Coleman and Dinah Greene mystery, and Reba White Williams has created a delightful pair of detectives.  Full of Southern charm, gutsy and resourceful with tons of contacts, this pair can uncover crimes that the police don't have the resources to understand.  The differing lifestyle choices of the cousins and their strong relationship make this book a jewel to read.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.