KN Magazine: Reviews
This Is How it Ends by Eva Dolan / Review by Grace Miller
THIS IS HOW IT ENDS
By Eva Dolan
Bloomsbury
$27.00
ISBN 978-1635570526
Publication Date: March 13, 2018
Book of the Day
Eva Dolan’s This Is How It Ends(Bloomsbury) submerges its readers not only in the dark world of murder but also the dark side of gentrification. Though the novel is packed with tension and intrigue, it’s the characters who take center stage. Dolan’s masterful storytelling will have you guessing, second-guessing, even triple-guessing everything you think you know until the very end.
Ella Riordan’s community activism has made her a local celebrity as well as a victim of negative attention from everyone ranging from internet trolls to the police. That’s why when a dead body shows up in a condemned apartment building Ella’s trying to save, her friend and mentor Molly convinces her to forego calling the cops and hide the body instead. Molly doesn’t hesitate to believe Ella when she says she acted in self-defense—until another resident reveals he heard Ella arguing with the man the night he died. As the story hurtles toward the forceful ending the title promises, both Ella and Molly flip and flop between trusting and suspicious, honest and deceitful.
What makes this story far more than your average whodunit is the masterful way Dolan is constantly subverting her readers’ suspicions and beliefs. Told from the alternating perspectives of both Molly and Ella beginning the night of the deadly party, Ella’s story goes back in time while Molly’s storyline moves forward. Each chapter reveals another twist that reshapes the meaning and context of what came before it. These revelations, not just the actions, are what drive the story forward and escalate the stakes. Though this manipulation of time—similar to what Mary Kubica does in The Good Girl—is becoming common in crime fiction, Eva Dolan uses this manipulation to continuously keep readers on the edge of their seats, considering and reconsidering just who they are rooting for in the narrative.
By the time the ending comes, the stakes have risen astronomically. This Is How It Ends will stick with readers for days after they’ve finished the book, making readers wonder just how far is too far to go when accomplishing a worthy goal.
Many thanks to Tara Kennedy and Bloomsbury for providing Killer Nashville with the advance review copy.
The Innocents by David Putnam / Review by Britany Menken
THE INNOCENTS
By David Putnam
Oceanview Publishing
$26.95
ISBN 978-1608092574
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Book of the Day
Bruno Johnson, high priority deputy and ladies’ man brings an intelligible vigor to David Putnam’s latest crime novel, The Innocents. Armed with a deep-seated understanding of the human condition, Deputy Johnson catches criminals by the book despite the temptation of vengeance. In addition to well-written characters chalk full of morality, Putnam’s police jargon puts the reader right smack dab in the midst of police station rigmarole. His true-blue dialogue pays heavy respect to Putnam’s actual time on the force. The Innocentsis just a taste of Bruno Johnson’s deputy days including a trilogy and four completed stand-alone novels. Putnam’s inspired life and imagination have created a character complex enough to continue his journey for many more books. In The Innocents, on the other hand, this coal colored Casanova will have more to worry about than drug cartels when a woman turns up with a screaming baby girl at his doorstep.
Regarded highly by his notable past, Deputy Johnson puts himself in compromising positions every day. The beginning of the book spares no exception as we find him tangled with a red-headed beauty in the shower. While neither were resisting arrest, a knock on the door put the steamy shower to a halt for that knock was the sound of Bruno Johnson’s new life as a father. A ghost from his past dubbed him with the responsibility of being a daddy to a screaming purple-faced baby girl. With the pressures of fatherhood and being a new member of the violent crimes team of Los Angeles, Bruno will have to pull more than just a rabbit out of his hat. Johnson quickly learns of his new assignment by the new head of command, Lieutenant Robby Wicks. As brass as his .45 Combat Commander, Wicks isn’t afraid to flaunt his decorated past while simultaneously ripping you a new one.
Assigned a solo undercover mission, Bruno is tasked with the inside job of arresting one of their own. The culprit? A small fry Mexican man named Blue. From first glance, Blue seems like your average trigger-happy cop who isn’t afraid to push beyond the limits that as the story progresses, the reader learns of his true intentions and lack of compassion for his fellow man. In one day Bruno hit the trifecta of problems from crooked cops to bouncing babies and special undercover assignments. What more could be added to his plate? Que a mysterious woman from another crime division. Is he weary of her enough to stay away or will her physical and mental attractiveness break through that tough manly exterior?
With enough drama to start a crime show, The Innocents is a fun, quick read with a little peek into the world of Bruno Johnson. With other successful crime books under his belt, David Putnam’s real feel take on the life of a deputy flow and moves like silk across the page. The stark and straightforward writing of Putnam coincides wonderfully with all the characters he’s created in the world of Deputy Johnson and his fellow team members. Putnam’s skill at making you hate and love the right characters is showcased in this fast-paced crime novel from the villainous Blue whose true intentions include thieving a hefty amount of cash to Deputy Johnson, who no matter how hard the crooked cops try to bring him down even by framing his father, stays true to the law and what’s just. I highly suggest picking up your copy of The Innocents which comes out February 6th. In the meantime, I strongly urge the reader to check out other Bruno Johnson crime novels. With enough police jargon, maybe you’ll be able to join the force as well.
Many thanks to David Abolafia and Oceanview Publishing for providing Killer Nashville with the advance review copy.
Britany Menken is a lover of the arts with a Creative Writing degree from Tusculum College. A firm advocate of reading and writing, Britany spends her days working on her own novels as well as helping others do the same. Born in Maryville TN, she also enjoys morning trips to the mountains for writing sessions and spending more time with her cat than humans.
Killer Nashville Interview with Alan Bradley
Alan Bradley is the New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning Flavia de Luce mystery series. His first novel, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie received the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award, the Agatha Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, the Arthur Ellis Award, the Macavity Award and the Spotted Owl Award. Recently, Mr. Bradley took a bit of time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for Killer Nashville. The author discusses his protagonist and the unique choices made in creating her, his writing process, and offers advice to those who—like Bradley—began their writing careers a little later in the game. Thanks to Liz Gatterer for conducting this interview.
Enjoy!
A Killer Nashville Interview with
ALAN BRADLEY
KN: When I first looked at the press release for The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place and saw that the story was about a 12-year-old girl, I assumed this was a children’s book, or a middle-grade book and was intrigued that was not how it was categorized. Who do you write your books for?
I write my books for people who are interested in the same kind of things I’m interested in. I dote on curiosities and wonder, and I have been accused of possessing a magpie mind. Fortunately, there are vast numbers of readers of all ages who share my enthusiasms.I have heard of a four-year-old girl who insists upon having the books read aloud to her, then acting them out with herself as Flavia, her father as Dogger, and her mother as Mrs. Mullet.
KN: I must admit, I am a new Flavia fan. I enjoyed The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place so much I have now binge read/listened to the entire series from the beginning. By the way, the narrator, Jayne Entwistle is just fantastic! There is an incredible amount of information in each book. How long does it take to research one of your books? Do you squirrel away factoids for use “at some point” or is it a more focused practice?
Yes, Jayne is incredible. I recently had the opportunity of speaking to her “live” during an internet broadcast. I think we were both in tears of laughter and recognition!
Some of the facts in the Flavia books are titbits I’ve been saving up for years, while others come to light during research. Because I’m a great fan of ancient and outdated reference books, it’s often harder to decide what to leave out than what to put in. In general, it takes about nine months to a year to write each book, a substantial amount of which is research. It’s not always easy to find out, for instance, what the weather was like in England at a certain hour of a certain day in 1952, or whether the 10:32 from Waterloo ran on Sundays in November.
KN: I have read at first you thought this would be a six-book series, and then a ten-book series. Well, The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place is book 9… Is book 10 in the works? Will that be the end of the series? (Please say no) Are there any plans for your next series?
In spite of reports to the contrary, I’m presently working on a tenth book. Beyond that? I don’t know. I’m sure my lovely publishers would be happy to continue, but, as Sherlock once so wisely remarked, “It is a capital mistake to theorize in advance of the facts.”
KN: Although the character of Flavia de Luce has certainly developed over the series, she has not really aged. She was 11 in Book 1: The Sweetness at the Bottomof the Pie and now in Book 9: The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place she is 12. It has been quite a year for the young girl! Is Flavia destined to be a pre-adolescent forever?
Flavia at 18, for instance, would be a completely different person than she is now, and perhaps not half so interesting. At any rate, there’s still much to be told about her present circumstances, and I’ve never been one for rushing things.
KN: As an author that really began to write in earnest after retirement and who published an award-winning novel after 70, what advice or words of encouragement (or words of warning) would you give to others who are just beginning their writing later in the game?
First of all, my heartiest congratulations to anyone who manages to get published at 60 and beyond! At that age, it seems unlikely that you’ll be changed: your life will be, but you won’t.
My best advice would be, as has been said so many times before, never give up. I was once told that real success takes ten years, but in my case, it took fifteen. To summarize: apply bottom to chair, write, and keep writing.
As Philip Van Doren Stern (author of the book that inspired the film “It’s a Wonderful Life”) once said, “The only thing that’s important is the manuscript. All the rest is just bubbles on the horse-piss.
Many thanks to Alan Bradley for taking time to answer our questions and to Sharon Propson from Random House Publishing for facilitating this interview.
S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett / Review by Elise Reed
S.T.A.G.S.
By M.A. Bennett
Delacorte Press
$18.99
ISBN 978-0525578468
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Book of the Day
S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett is a fantastic new YA novel. It has everything that a reader could want: An exclusive boarding school in England, the privileged class (the ones you really love to hate) and of course, the heroine–the poor scholarship student who really just wants to show everyone that she is just as good as they are. But, there is a twist to this tale, one that makes is so much more delicious...
Greer MacDonald is new to St. Aidan the Great boarding school, better known as just S.T.A.G.S. She is an outsider. She is not one of the snobby blue-bloods that boast multigenerational ties to S.T.A.G.S. And she doesn't' want to be... well, not really. But when she receives an invitation to spend the weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt for some with several of the most wealthy and popular students–she feels like she has made a breakthrough. But, it's not her social life that hangs in the balance at this get-a-way.
The is a really well-written book. The premise may not be completely unprecedented, but it is one of those stories that even if you have a good idea about where things may lead-it's the journey that makes it worthwhile. The world that the S.T.A.G.S. students inhabit is so far removed from the life of the average American teenager (even one that has attending boarding school) that it's like a fairytale. A very demented fairytale. Greer is well developed and could hold her own amongst most of the adolescent protagonist in the genre. She is a bit of Katniss and a bit of Bella. And Henry... he is every girl's dream and nightmare rolled into one. This is a great stand-alone book but could lead to a series.
End Game by David Baldacci / Review by Danny Lindsey
END GAME
By David Baldacci
Grand Central Publishing
$29.00
ISBN 978-1455586608
Publication Date: November 14, 2017
Book of the Day
David Baldacci’s latest, the 5th in the Will Robie series (End Game, Grand Central Publishing, 2018) is as fast-moving and lethal as his readers have come to expect. Robie is reunited with his sometime adversary, sometime partner, and sometime lover, fellow assassin Jessica Reel in this thriller, set in rural Colorado.
The Blue Man has gone missing. In addition to his position as their immediate supervisor, and the one who passes on assignments to them, he is a senior national asset, one that cannot be permitted to end up in the wrong hands. In spite of the fact that both Robie’s and Reel’s forte` is not in the realm of finding missing persons, they are dispatched to Colorado to find Roger Walton, aka Blue Man.
What they find is a haven for every sort of misfit imaginable. White Supremacists, prepper enclaves, and vanilla-flavored New Age communes dot the local landscape. It isn’t immediately evident that any of these splinter groups either were involved or have knowledge of Blue Man’s disappearance, but it is very evident that wars between and among the various groups could erupt at any moment.
Outsiders are not particularly welcome; insiders are not always either. Gunfire and murder are the order of the day, and Robie and Reel have no trouble finding their usual level of mayhem. Either Baldacci has thrown in a generous dose of social commentary, or the existence and prevalence of hate- and anti-government groups is understated and under-reported.
No Robie and Reel novel would be complete without the sexual tension between the two of them that readers of the four previous Robie novels are accustomed to. Add to that a second level of the same, and even an old flame of Blue Man’s from his early years and you have two of the components of vintage Baldacci – blood and sex. Who could ask for anything more?
A purist might argue about shallow plots, thin storylines, or not-quite believable characters. A fan of fast-paced adventure thrillers would reply “it’s the telling of the tale, man, don’t be so picky.” So would I.
Danny Lindsey keeps trying to retire. After a 20-year Army career and a 25-year second one in the private sector, he’s finally settled down. His current gig is as the Veteran Employment Services Manager for a Huntsville, A.L. based non-profit, Still Serving Veterans. Both full careers were characterized by numerous writing assignments, from war plans to operating policies and procedures, then on to white papers, analyses of alternatives and competitive contract and grant proposals. Now his writing consists of blogs for the website www.ssv.org, podcasts for the local NPR affiliate, and a half dozen Pulitzer-worthy, albeit unpublished novels.
Update: Danny won the 2017 Killer Nashville Claymore Award with his manuscript Serial Justice – so he will not be unpublished for long!
The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley / Review by Liz Gatterer
THE GRAVE'S A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE
By Alan Bradley
Delecorte Press
$26.00
ISBN 978-0345539991
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Book of the Day
Flavia de Luce is the absolutely spellbinding, precocious, 12-year-old, British, sleuth that has stolen my heart. She may have even roosted Hermione Granger from the position of "the girl I most wish I could have been". I began to read The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley, which is actually the ninth book in the series, and was hooked. I subsequently purchased the first 8 books and have binge read/listened my way through all of them in less than a week. These are not quick reads, mind you, but sometimes sleepless nights and take-out dinners for the family are the prices one must pay to satisfy an obsession (and possibly I needed something with a little more "sweetness" as I had just finished re-reading It by Stephen King). But, back to Flavia.
Flavia is the youngest daughter of the recently deceased Laurence de Luce. Having lost her mother as an infant and now in mourning for her beloved father, she has decided life is no longer worth living and has plans to end it all while on a boat trip with her loathsome older sisters and Dogger, the families' faithful factotum. But she is brought out of her malaise when she, literally, fishes a corpse out of the river. Absently trailing her fingers in the water she hooks her fingers into the mouth of the floating remains and in her absolutely practical and unflustered way, she simply informs Dogger that "we'd best make for the pier." With Dogger off to fetch the police and her sister evacuating the contents of her stomach, Flavia begins her examination of the body. Without the slightest qualm, she searches the body and collects what evidence she can, (obviously she cannot conduct a PROPER post-mortem on the river bank!) and then with her endless knowledge of poisons, she deduces the likely cause of death. The eyeballs smell of apples, so it must be cyanide, of course. And that is just the beginning...
What first intrigued me about the series was that it is not categorized as a children's book or Young Adult and yet the protagonist is a young girl living in 1950's England. What I discovered was a cleverly conceived character that is a combination of Hermione Granger, Sherlock Holmes, Temperance Brennen (the television version) and a bit of Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Bradley's style of writing is quick-witted, fact-laden and extremely fun to read. Although a Canadian that had actually never stepped foot in England until after he had won the Crime Writer's Debut Dagger Award for the first Flavia de Luce novel, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, he perfectly captures what is, to me at least, that quintessentially British cadence that authors like Lewis Carrol or Terry Pratchett are known for. I can see why this isn't necessarily a "kid's" book, although it speaks to the kid in me. Overall it is a wonderful series for most ages.
The Firemaker by Peter May / Review by Danny Lindsey
The Firemaker
By Peter May
Quercus
$15.99
ISBN 978-1681440897
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
Book of the Day
The Firemakeris a lot of book packed into one story. Peter May uses the two protagonists’ backgrounds, tenets and cultural biases as point/counterpoint to demonstrate daily life in Beijing as China begins leapfrogging into the 21st century. With a setting which includes a visiting pathologist from the United States, on a 6-week lecture tour as a part of her recovery from a domestic disaster and a newly promoted police detective who has never considered questioning his superiors, the story revolves around a series of seemingly connected murders.
Almost immediately the murders take a back seat to the sexual tension between Dr. Margaret Campbell, the visiting forensic pathologist, and Li, newly appointed Deputy Section Chief. With the murder investigation as a backdrop, the hate/grudging professional admiration/like/love relationship between the two unfolds as the main story, always with the cultural differences presented as the primary row of hurdles.
Not content with a murder investigation nudging a growing personal relationship along in spite of the instincts of his main characters, May ups the game by introducing a high-level plot to derail progress on solving the crime. From antagonists to something more akin to an un-admitted item, Li and Campbell work ever more closely as danger both to themselves and others builds.
The Firemakeris a remarkably detailed picture of daily life in Beijing, with all of its Big Brother rules and rewarded propensity to report all activities which may fall out of the ordinary. It portrays a moment in transition from a totally closed and repressive society toward a more open approach. Where one sleeps is still noted and reported, but one’s ability to overcome the stigma of individual choice is becoming possible. May accurately describes the changes through the telling of his story.
If a look into Chinese culture is your quest, look no further. If you like a good romance, it’s right here. And if you can’t resist a whodunit, yes, the murders do get solved. It’s messy, it’s unexpected, and it’s all a part of an extremely well-written book.
Danny Lindsey keeps trying to retire. After a 20-year Army career and a 25-year second one in the private sector, he’s finally settled down. His current gig is as the Veteran Employment Services Manager for a Huntsville, A.L. based non-profit, Still Serving Veterans. Both full careers were characterized by numerous writing assignments, from war plans to operating policies and procedures, then on to white papers, analyses of alternatives and competitive contract and grant proposals. Now his writing consists of blogs for the website www.ssv.org, podcasts for the local NPR affiliate, and a half dozen Pulitzer-worthy, albeit unpublished novels.
Update: Danny won the 2017 Killer Nashville Claymore Award with his manuscript Serial Justice – so he will not be unpublished for long!
The Hapsburg Variation by Bill Rapp / Review by Jim Biggs
The Hapsburg Variation
By Bill Rapp
Coffetown Press
$15.95
ISBN 978-1603816434
Publication Date: December 1, 2017
Book of the Day
CIA agent, Karl Baier is stationed in Vienna with his wife in the spring of 1955. Austria is preparing to sign the State Treaty which will return Austria’s independence and end the post-war occupation–a situation not everyone wants to see ended. When a wealthy Austrian is found dead, Baier is called in to investigate. In an attempt to halt his investigation, Baier’s wife is kidnapped, but this only adds fuel to he fire.
The Hapsburg Variation the second book in the Cold War Series by Bill Rapp, a history professor turned diplomat. Growing up during the height of the Cold War, I find this type of book fascinating. It is spy vs. spy with plenty of twists and turns that it's no wonder Baier begins to feel as though he cannot trust anyone–even those back in the States. For a history buff, this is a wonderful book. There is a lot of information and it takes a certain reader to really appreciate it all. I highly recommend the whole series.
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan / Review by M.J. Corner
Anatomy of a Scandal
By Sarah Vaughan
Atria
$26.00
ISBN 978-1501172168
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
Book of the Day
charming, and successful. She has two perfect children and the perfect house. Everything is perfect–until the evening her husband comes home and says the words that strike terror in the heart of any wife, "we have to talk".
Barrister Kate Woodcroft's life is not perfect. She is divorced with no children. She lives alone. And she has just lost another case. Everything is falling apart–unit the afternoon when her clerk walks into her office and says the words that make any attorney's pulse race, "I've got just the case you need".
Anatomy of a Scandal is the latest novel by Sarah Vaughan. With the world being rocked almost daily by the revelation of sexual assaults committed by powerful men, this is a most timely read. It is, on the surface, the story of a politician being accused of a heinous crime, an ambitious lawyer willing to do almost anything to win the case that will make her career and a wife desperate not to let anything destroy her family. But there is more. This novel is about trust and doubt, sex and power, entitlement and social structure.
Written from the alternating points of view of the main characters, each chapter adds a new layer to the drama. Vaughn's experience as a political correspondent shows in her understanding of the subtleties of British Parliment. She is a very talented writer. I found myself questioning my own position on this turbulent subject. I highly recommend this book to... just about everyone.
Strong to the Bone by Jon Land / Review by Samantha Traci
Strong to the Bone
By Jon Land
Forge Books
$26.99
ISBN 978-0765384645
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Book of the Day
Caitlin Strong, much to her superiors’ chagrin, is like a boulder rolling downhill when she latches on to the scent of a new case. In Strong to the Bone, the indefatigable Texas Ranger is at it again; this time in a whirlwind set of events that stretch not only across the state of Texas, but from 1944 to present day in a maelstrom that includes Nazis, J. Edgar Hoover, weapons of mass destruction, and more.
The story begins in 1944, just post-World War II. We meet Texas Ranger Earl Strong, Caitlin’s grandfather, and see the beginning of his hunt for an escaped Nazi POW from a prison camp in Hearne, Texas. The story leapfrogs from there back and forth between 1944 and present day, between Earl Strong’s timeline and his granddaughter’s. The present-day timeline also includes storylines involving Caitlin’s boyfriend and his son’s run-in with modern-day white supremacists, a less-than-ethical pharmaceutical executive, and Caitlin’s personal fight with some long-repressed demons.
If it sounds like a plot that covers a lot of ground, it most definitely is; yet Land manages to weave his seemingly incongruous storylines together into a narrative that flows seamlessly and comes out at a frenetic pace. It’s worth noting that the quick pace often leaves little time for exposition or character backstory, but as this is the ninth in the Caitlin Strong series, one can reasonably assume the reader would get more details by reading this novel’s predecessors. Taken as a standalone book the plot is still easy to follow and ends with satisfying finality. The historical notes in the story add another layer of interest and are sure to send the reader off on more than one Google adventure to ferret out the truth at the heart of the fiction.
Land excels at writing characters with personalities that jump off the page. Perhaps that’s fitting for a novel set in Texas and featuring the larger-than-life Texas Rangers; all the characters - good, evil, and morally ambiguous - have distinct, memorable personalities that help the reader keep it all straight when people, places, and bullets are all flying past. At the outset of the novel, in a scene that involves Caitlin commandeering a firetruck and using its hose to blast rioters out of her way, the reader is introduced to Caitlin’s “ask forgiveness later,” reactionary personality. It’s a theme that follows throughout the story and provides a hint of the action to come. The writing is not quite hard-boiled, a thriller that provides enough action to satisfy. Fans of David Baldacci or Lee Child will be at home with Land’s style.
Caitlin Strong stands out, not as a stereotypical “strong” female character, but because she’s simply a strong character, period. Her gender is unremarkable, both to the plot itself and to the other characters she meets. She’s simply a tough, no-nonsense Texas Ranger who kicks some ass when necessary. Even though this novel spends half its time in the past, Strong to the Bone tackles topics and issues extremely relevant to present day while stacking some gritty action on top of a surprise twist of an ending.
Sam is the co-founder and editor of progressandtea.com, a labor of love and exercise for sanity in these politically charged times. Drawing from her background in journalism, she currently works in higher education publishing by day but is hard at work on her first novel by night. When not working with words, she can be found indulging her passion for burlesque, a hobby that provides plenty of colorful experiences for her writing!
The Undertaker's Daughter by Sara Blaedel / Review by Bree Goodchild
The Undertaker's Daughter
By Sara Blaedel
Grand Central Publishing
$26.00
ISBN 978-1455541119
Publish Date: February 2, 2018
Book of the Day
"She couldn't read his face, but it might have surprised him that the undertaker's daughter was a beanpole: six feet tall without a hint of feminine form."
The clearest memory that Ilka Nichols Jensen had of her father was when she was seven years old. At the race tracks, where she rode a horse for the first time. A young Ilka knew her father would be proud, but soon realized he'd left, to gamble...again. But he didn't come home this time. Instead, Ilka and her mother were left in Copenhagen, Denmark with a funeral home and a steady debt. Paul Jensen was a bonified gambler and absentee father. Everyone in town knew. Now, almost four decades after his disappearance, Ilka and her mother receive the news that he has passed away. Leaving in his will a funeral home in Racine, Wisconsin (a Danish community) as part of Ilka's inheritance.
Now a middle-aged woman, school photographer, and recently widowed Ilka, the novel's heroine, is in a vulnerable position. Her mother, Karin, believes her daughter will disappear into the fray of deceit, debt, and misery that rules the undertaker business. Regardless, Ilka is willing to take the risk; her chance at saving the last connection to the father she wrote to for years but never replied. Was this his answer?
Ilka Nichols Jensen, Artie Sorvino (makeup artist of the deceased and business partner to Paul Jensen), along with Sister Eileen, Officer Thomas, Karin Jensen and her partner Hanne, and Ilka's father Paul Jensen. All these characters create a world that takes the reader into the hidden crevices of the funeral business. Well researched and beautifully depicted the author brings the smells, tastes, and sounds of Racine, Wisconsin to life in this short mystery novel, The Undertaker's Daughter. Produced by Hachette Book Group, Sara Blaedel's new story focuses on people who take the part of a spectator rather than a detective. An offbeat storyline compared to Blaedel's usual crime-driven works, like Detective Louise Rick, recognized as an international bestseller series within the genre of Scandinavian crime fiction.
"The mood of the funeral service moved her deeply, and now she felt closer to her father...she realized it was too early for her to go home, with so many facts that didn't add up, so much left unsaid, so many things still a mystery to her."
Although the majority of the novel is well translated from its original Danish language, there are parts of dialogue and scene transitions that appear awkward. Such as moments when Ilka notices the people around her are mumbling, doing odd tasks, or when it's difficult to follow along with the heroine's train of thought between her past memories and present predicaments. Besides those few bumps, I was otherwise impressed with how I picked up the story one minute and all too soon found myself at the ending cliffhanger. Looking forward to where Blaedel will take me with her next installment of the Ilka Nichols Jensen mystery series!
Bree Goodchild is a recent graduate of Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville with a BA in English and Theatre Arts. She currently lives in Washington state with her beagle mix, Molly. A fan of a wide genre of books and authors, most recently Temple Grandin, Ira Glass, Terry Moore, Sebastian Barry, and Zora Neale Hurston.
The Take by Christopher Reich / Review by Jim Biggs
THE TAKE
By Christopher Reich
Mulholland Books
$28.00
ISBN 978-0316342353
Publication Date: January 16, 2018
Book of the Day
Who better to catch a thief than another thief? Simon Riske has played both sides of the game and has the skills (as well as connections) to hunt down a former acquaintance who has stolen a large amount of cash from a Saudi Arabian princ–as well a letter that could turn that could upset the balance of power in the western world. I love a good spy vs. spy novel!
Christopher Reich's latest novel, The Take is a high-speed thriller with an all the bells and whistles.Well written, with characters that are unexpectedly novel yet still fit the bill. Yes, there is a sexy Russian assassin, but she is not Natasha Fatale (and for you youngsters that don't get the reference, Google it). I actually read this one through in one go and I hope there are more to come.
A Merciful Secret by Kendra Elliot / Review by Liz Gatterer
A Merciful Secret
By Kendra Elliot
Montlake Romance
$12.95
ISBN 978-81542047869
Publication Date: January 16, 2018
Book of the Day
FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick works hard to make sure she is prepared for whatever the future may bring, be it a natural disaster, terrorists, or the collapse of modern society. She has spent years squireling away supplies in her TEOTWAWKI cabin hidden deep in the woods of rural Oregon. But no one can be prepared when a 10-year-old girl, covered in blood, appears out of nowhere, desperate for help. Despite her unease about the possible exposure of her sanctuary, Mercy follows the girl to a hidden cabin where the girl's grandmother lies dying from brutal slashes covering her body. Despite Mercy's best efforts, in the end, the only aid Mercy can offer is a hand to hold as the woman succumbs to her injuries. Although this isn't an official FBI case (yet), Mercy is compelled to protect the girl, solve the murder and find out exactly where the mother is.
A Merciful Secret is the third book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series by Kendra Elliot. I really like this series, it is smart and well thought out. Elliot has created in Mercy a strong, smart, and independent female lead, that isn't the typical "cop" type character found in other Romantic Thrillers. She has rough edges and emotional baggage, but she carries it well. She is fiercely independent, with plenty of common sense as well as survival skills. The romance (which is tasteful–not overly done or explicit) between Mercy and Truman has finally broken through to the stage where they both can say "I love you" without it being awkward, but the future of their relationship may be in trouble. It is really hard for Mercy to let herself need someone. And she does need Truman... With good pacing, an interesting backstory and plenty of potential for more in the series, I think this book could appeal to fans outside of the Romantic Thriller genre. Mercy is a bit of Agent Clarice Starling mixed with aspects of Sheriff Walt Longmire.
The next book in the series will be out in June and the series is being developed for television as well–so it's a great time to get caught up!
The Black Painting by Neil Olson / Review by E.J. Boyd
The Black Painting
By Neil Olson
Hanover Square Press
$24.99
ISBN 978-1335953810
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
Book of the Day
The Morse family has skeletons in their closet and ghosts on their wall. Well, they HAD a ghost on their wall. The Black Painting by Neil Olson is the devilishly clever tale of the theft of an original Francisco Goya–specifically, one of the paintings that belonged to the collection known as the Black Paintings, believed to be haunted by demons. The theft occurred over a decade before and marked the beginning of years of tragedy and family discord. Following the death of the grandfather (and original owner of the painting), the family is brought back together. Certain that the thief is among them, a private investigator is secretly hired to solve the mystery.
Neil Olson has created a classic “whodunit” with all of the bells and whistles. A wealthy family plagued with problems, the theft of a priceless work of art and a wisecracking private eye to put all the pieces together. By incorporating the historically infamous collection of haunted artwork by Goya, he introduces a credible supernatural element that is already part of the collective conscious. For those familiar with the Goya legend, this is an irresistible lure.
Fast-paced and completely mesmerizing, The Black Painting is sure to be a favorite with fans of the psychological thriller genre. It is like blending Agatha Christie, Dan Brown and a bit of Stephen King all together. It has been over a decade since Olson’s last novel, The Icon, but it has been well worth the wait.
The Other Side of Everything by Lauren Doyle Owens / Review by Joe Hero
The Other Side of Everything
By Lauren Doyle Owens
Touchstone
$25.00
ISBN 978-1501167799
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
Book of the Day
Here is some excellent work. Crotchety Bernard has been a hermit since his wife's passing. Amy is an artist whose marriage is on the rocks after her second bout with cancer. And Maddie is a fifteen-year-old girl who copes with her mother's leaving her family by cutting herself. What do they have in common other than living in the same Florida neighborhood? The elderly woman next door is murdered, spiraling them all into their own unique drama that Lauren Doyle Owens ultimately intersects in The Other Side of Everything. A second and then a third woman are victimized. Bernard emerges from his hermit's life to reunite with his former friends from the Baby Boomer generation. We begin to understand that out of his seemingly uninteresting past, the malice leading to the current murders may have been spawned. Amy paints pictures to cope with her own physical and emotional losses, but soon their impossible realism lands her under scrutiny from the authorities. And Maddie's new enigmatic boyfriend's demeanor draws suspicions, as well as a homeless Charlie, who may be just a bum down on his luck. Consider the genre, and this one delivers on all expectations. Literary without belabored prose, I wanted to keep reading to find out more about the well-developed characters. Mary Higgins Clark has gained a peer. A great comparison that comes to mind would be Moonlight Becomes You. The punch slightly lacked in originality, but still did not detract from the experience. The Other Side of Everything will be a sound addition to your suspense collection. Who murdered these women and why? Is this suspense-filled drama really Bernard's fault? Why is Amy drawn to paint series about the murders? How can a girl two generations removed from Bernard play a pivotal role? These questions had me eagerly devouring the rich and descriptive story all the way to the end. No lulls in this sound literary suspense. If you're a Mary Higgins Clark fan, you'll want The Other Side of Everything. A serial killing spree intertwining three generations, and done tightly with literary flare besides? I normally tend toward graphic thrillers, and I was absolutely fascinated and intrigued by the characters. You'll enjoy this.Joe served a dozen years in the US Navy as a nuclear reactor operator, worked pharma nanotechnology, and currently works taconite mining in heavy equipment operation. Having dedicated his career path toward writing fiction, he has spent the last four years writing over a dozen novels ranging in genre from military sci-fi, international action thriller, historical fiction/steampunk, and dark Americanized British comedy/drama, to dark suspense and psychological thriller/horror and is currently seeking agent representation.
Yesterday's News by R.G. Belsky / Review by Sharon Marchisello
2019 Silver Falchion Candidate
BOOK OF THE DAY
The manuscript that became Yesterday's News (Oceanview Publishing) was the 2016 winner of Killer Nashville's Claymore Award. It is the first in a new series by R.G. Belsky featuring Clare Carlson, the driven, middle-aged news director for Channel 10.
Clare's career catapulted to stardom when, as a young newspaper reporter, she broke a story about the disappearance of eleven-year-old Lucy Devlin, a poster child who vanished on her way to school one day. Clare's heart-wrenching coverage of the family's tragedy captivated New Yorkers and won her a Pulitzer Prize.
Now, fifteen years later, with the mystery of Lucy's fate still unsolved, Anne Devlin, the grieving mother, thinks she has a new lead about the case, and she requests Clare's help to bring the story back to the front burner. Clare agrees.
Anne has received a puzzling email describing a girl who looked a lot like Lucy on the back of a motorcycle at a biker's convention in New Hampshire around the time of her disappearance. Clare learns that Patrick Devlin, Lucy's father (now estranged from Anne), once had ties with a motorcycle gang that attended the gathering. Claire also learns the bodies of six missing children were unearthed near that location a few years later when ground was broken for a shopping center.
The law enforcement official who supervised the investigation of the children's murders and identified the victims was Elliott Grayson, whose career took off after that event. He is now running for the U.S. Senate and both he and his opponent are willing to do almost anything to win. When Clare interviews Elliott about the case, he dodges her questions and romantic sparks fly.
The more Clare digs, the more lies she uncovers, and the more suspicions gnaw at her. No one is who they seem. And then the reader finds out Clare has a much closer connection to the Lucy Devlin case than she has ever revealed.
R.G. Belsky has an extensive journalism background, and his experience is evident in this fast-paced crime novel. Most recently, he was Managing Editor at NBC News. He resides in New York City and is the author of the award-winning Gil Malloy mystery series, including Blonde Ice, The Kennedy Connection, and Shooting for the Stars.
Sharon Marchisello (sharonmarchisello.com) is the author of Going Home, (Sunbury Press, 2014) a murder mystery inspired by her mother's battle with Alzheimer's. She earned a Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She lives in Peachtree City, GA, with her husband and cat, does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society, and writes a blog about personal finance, Countdown to Financial Fitness https://sharonmarchisello.blogspot.com/.ns.
Need to Know by Karen Cleveland / Review by P.A. De Voe
Need to Know
By Karen Cleveland
Ballantine Books
$26.00
ISBN 978-1524797027
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
Book of the Day
Need to Know, Karen Cleveland’s debut novel, deals with the elemental question of choices a “good” person might make when there are conflicting loyalties: loyalty to one’s family and their perceived needs versus one’s country and its citizens’ safety and security.
In Need to Know, Vivian is a highly stressed woman trying to balance her life’s most critical pieces: love for her husband, the demands of her four young children, and her full-time job as a CIA analyst. Her hectic life is chaotic even before she discovers a secret that threatens to spiral her world out of control. Vivian attempts to manage the situation with a series of patchwork measures—each of which takes her further into a morass of betrayal and danger to everything and everyone she loves.
This is a well-constructed, fast-paced suspense novel. While a reader might question the decisions Vivian, as the protagonist, makes, Karen Cleveland’s ability to build memorable characters and to have them behave consistently throughout her story gives a level of credence to her over-all plotline. Although I must add, the CIA's apparent handling of Russian spies did leave me wondering about that part of the novel. I won’t say more on this latter point, however, so as not to give the story away.
Need to Know is an easy read with a brisk pace and enough twists and turns to satisfy any suspense aficionado.
P.A. De Voe is an anthropologist and Asian specialist who writes historical mysteries and crime stories immersed in the life and times of Imperial China (Hidden, Warned, and Trapped). She’s also published short stories, From Judge Lu’s Ming Dynasty Case Files, in anthologies and online.
Beignets and Broomsticks by J.R. Ripley / Review by Sheila Sobel
BEIGNETS AND BROOMSTICKS
A Maggie Miller Mystery -Book 3
By J.R. Ripley
Severn House Publishers
$28.99
ISBN 978-0727887610
Publication Date: March 1, 2018
Book of the Day
In the third book of the Maggie Miller Mystery series, Beignets and Broomsticks, J.R. Ripley does it again with a Cozy perfect for a relaxing afternoon of guilty pleasure. Murder, mayhem, a surplus of suspects and a cursed espresso machine make for a read as delightful and airy as a plate of fresh beignets.
Halloween, a time for costumes, candy, revelry, and murder? While delivering a warm batch of beignets to the apartment of a regular customer, Nancy, a secretive writer, Maggie stumbles upon her cold, dead body, slumped in a chair, with a cashmere scarf wound tightly around her neck.
Once again Maggie Miller is caught in the middle of murder. Maggie kicks it into high gear as only Maggie can, with an unwanted yoga class, bonding with her nemesis Veronica Vargas, a visit to the Sacred Church of Witchkraft and an exorcism. When Maggie discovers the body of the local treasure hunter, she is like a dog after a dropped beignet, determined to find the truth behind the killings.
And for a little extra flavor, add in the handsome Detective Mark Highsmith and attractive reporter Brad Smith to achieve that special blend of romantic conflict et voilà, you have a satisfying blend of mystery, humor and excitement with a dash of sweetness and light.
Sheila Sobel’s debut novelColor Blindwas the winner of the 2017 Killer Nashville Reader's Choice Award for Best Tween/YA Fiction and Finalist for the 2017 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA Fiction. She was also nominated for the 2016 Allegra Johnson Prize in Novel Writing through the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.
As a Senior Auditor for Warner Bros., Sheila oversaw production costs for films including “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” the “Matrix” trilogy, “The Dark Knight” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” After working on 70+ Independent and Studio movies, Sheila stepped away from the film business to complete her first YA novel.
Sheila is a member of International Thriller Writers (ITW), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Children’s Book Writers-LA (CBW-LA) and Women in Film (WIF). She lives in Southern California with her husband, two rescue dogs and one rescue cat.
The Burial Society by Nina Sadowsky / Review by E.J. Boyd
The Burial Society
By Nina Sadowsky
Ballantine Books
$26.00
ISBN 978-0425284377
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Book of the Day
People disappear. Sometimes, they need help to disappear. That is where The Burial Society comes in, a sort of private, international, Witness Protection Plan. Based in Paris, Catherine, (no last name is given, but that may be a story for another time), helps women trapped in abusive relationships find new lives–for a fee. Her current client, Elena, a former Russian supermodel, is desperate to flee her husband, a Russian illegal arms dealer that has literally left his mark on her. Catherine is happy to help and plans to utterly destroy the sadistic bastard to boot–but Elena has one of the most recognizable faces in the world and she may be more difficult to hide than Catherine and her crew had anticipated. To complicate matters, the family of a former client (her one botched mission in America that left the client missing and presumed dead) have turned up in Paris.
Brian Burrows and his children, Natalie and Jake, are trying to make a new start following the disappearance of his wife 3 years ago. But it is not going well. Natalie is an obsessive-compulsive teen with serious impulse control issues. She returns from a fling in Amsterdam to discover the dead body of her father. Jake, who had also been out of town, returns to find his distraught sister and struggles to hold things together until their Uncle Frank (Brian's brother) can make it across the Atlantic to take over. But, Uncle Frank may not be the stabilizing force he was when their mother disappeared. He has his own troubles and with so much going wrong at once–it would be a wonder if anyone could stabilize this family.
The Burial Society by Nina Sadowsky is a non-stop, run-away train, oh-dear-god-what-else-could-go-wrong, kind of thriller that speeds by faster than those wee hours between "I'll just read a few chapters before I go to sleep" and "damn! Is that my alarm going off?" This really is a fun read. Sadowsky's characters are, for the most part, wonderfully tragic, self-centered and self-destructive, yet they each want to so desperately to help each other. They are extreme examples of most anyone going through a crisis, acutely aware of their own pain and tired of feeling helpless, they become obsessed with solving the mystery at the heart of it all–what happened to Mallory Burrows?
The Midnight Line by Lee Child / Review by Clay Stafford
The Midnight Line
By Lee Child
Jack Reacher Series 22
Delacorte Press
$28.99
ISBN 978-0399593482
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
Book of the Day
Character Jack Reacher catches a bus going anywhere and ends up in a little town with a pawnshop. Inside the pawnshop window, he sees a class ring: West Point 2005. The bus leaves town without Reacher.
The ring is small, more than likely formerly belonging to a woman. Being a West Point graduate himself, he feels it his duty/ honor/guilt (we see this throughout the novel) to return the ring to its rightful owner who must have fallen on hard times (to pawn the ring) or been robbed (someone stole the ring). Returning the ring leads Reacher on a suspense-filled adventure in which, we learn, the ring plays an insignificant role in what becomes a full-blown suspense story involving drug trafficking, government corruption, and human dignity.
The Midnight Line is incredibly smooth and easy to read. You’ll sit down and before you know it, you and Reacher are twenty pages down the road. I read those pages while standing, absorbed, in the kitchen, even after the water stopped boiling.
The Midnight Line, which concerns itself with the plight of some ill-fallen veterans and the nationwide opioid crisis, weaves fact brilliantly into fiction. We’ve all heard the shortcomings of the VA hospitals of late, as well as the impact of opioids, which cost $80 billion per year in lost productivity of abusers and kill 100 Americans daily. That’s daily. The Midnight Line is about bringing dignity back to those who have served. I was hooked.
Lee Child is the author of twenty-one New York Times bestsellers, twelve of which have occupied the #1 spot, and two that have been turned into movies (Jack Reacher [2012] and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back [2016]), both starring Tom Cruise.
I highly recommend, not only The Midnight Line, but the entire series. It’s a wonderful example of an anti-hero.
Clay Stafford is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He has sold over 1.5 million hardcover copies of his children’s adaptations and has seen his film work distributed internationally in over 14 languages. Four of his five staged murder mysteries have had Los Angeles premieres. He has reviewed books, plays, and films, writes near-daily book reviews for the Killer Nashville Book of the Day, has been quoted on book jackets, and has edited several PBS companion books associated with national series. Publishers Weekly has named Stafford one of the top 10 Nashville literary leaders playing “an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers” not only in middle-Tennessee, but also extending “beyond the city limits and into the nation’s book culture.” (PW 6/10/13). He is the founder of Killer Nashville (www.KillerNashville.com) and publisher of Killer Nashville Magazine (www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com). He has served on the board of numerous nonprofits. Clay has a B.A. and M.F.A. and has been a professor or lecturer to several major universities. His list of current projects includes the award-winning feature-length documentary “One Of The Miracles: The Inge Meyring Smith Story” (www.OneOfTheMiracles.com) and the music CD “XO” with fellow mystery writer Jeffery Deaver (www.JefferyDeaverXOmusic.com). Previously associated with Universal Studios and PBS, he is currently President / CEO of American Blackguard, Inc. (www.AmericanBlackguard.com), a publishing/film and television/ music/entertainment company near Nashville, Tennessee. More information can be found at www.ClayStafford.com.
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