Review: Tin God by Stacy Green

Tin God

By Stacy Green

Delta Crossroads #1

 

Tin God:  Idol worshippers in Biblical times often prayed to idols made of metal. Christians–worshippers of the one true God–believed these to be false gods, an idol who’s worshipped by those too ignorant to understand.

The set up
Jaymee Ballard has had a pretty tough life already to be only 25 years old. Yet she's resolved to find her daughter who she was forced to give up seven years ago in what she now knows was an illegal adoption. Her luck seems to continue south when she discovers her friend and employer, Rebecca Newton, murdered in her home. It's even more troubling as friend, Lana, was murdered in a similar way four years ago...and both women looked so much alike it was remarkable. Nick Samuels, Lana's husband, doesn't think it's a coincidence, either.



The mystery
First Lana is murdered, then Rebecca and the only common link aside from their similar appearance is Jaymee. Nick is convinced that the secrets Jaymee refuses to share with him are critical to solving the murders and she's too frightened of the repercussions to say much more. It's clear that her baby's adoption is key but can't be the only thing driving the killer. Lana and Rebecca's connection to Jaymee doesn't explain their murders...and those that follow.


The suspects
There are enough lowlifes in this story to keep you brain zinging as well as a ton of secrets to knock you off balance. There's Jaymee's cruel and hypocritical father, Rebecca's aloof husband, and a smarmy pastor just to name a few.


What works
Everything about this story works like a beautifully composed symphony, with the crescendos in the right place and in perfect tempo. The hot, humid Mississippi setting made it even more intriguing. This mystery meanders around the town and it's characters who live duplicitous lives, twisting and turning through the truths, lies and secrets, which reveal themselves at just the right moments. Underlying the mystery is the slowly developed relationship between Jaymee and Nick that sneaks up on you just like it did them, in tandem with the pace of the story. Clues unfold naturally, leading to the tension-filled climax.


Bottom line
This story is masterfully written with the right attention paid to the elements that create a good mystery. The characters are well developed with motivations and behaviors carefully woven in the fabric of the plot. The romance was not too much nor too little, just enough to add another level of interest. There are more than a few surprises and twists but you were set up to receive them given the players. I loved this story that kept me more than a little off balance and unwilling to put it down.

 

Born in Indiana and raised in Iowa, Stacy Green earned degrees in journalism and sociology from Drake University. After a successful advertising career, Stacy became a proud stay-at-home mom to her miracle child. Now a full-time author, Stacy juggles her time between her demanding characters and supportive family. She loves reading, cooking, and the occasional gardening excursion. Stacy lives in Marion, Iowa with her husband Rob, their daughter Grace, and the family’s three obnoxious but lovable canine children.

Connect with Stacy: Facebook/Twitter/Goodreads



Review: A Fresh Set of Eyes by Liz Strange

A Fresh Set of Eyes

By Liz Strange

David Lloyd Investigations #2

Things have changed for David Lloyd since his last case left him recovering from a gunshot wound and showered with the respect and admiration of law enforcement for bringing down a major crime ring (see my review of the first book). His relationship with his partner couldn't be better now that Jamie was living openly as a gay man and acknowledged David to his family and coworkers. All was looking pretty great until his next client walked in the door with a complex and somewhat futile assignment.

The set up

Ten years ago, three young teenagers were given life sentences for the brutal murders of two young boys. The mother of one of the convicted, Sandra Klassen, hired David to reinvestigate the case to find evidence that would exonerate her son. The notoriety David received from the last case convinced her that he was up to the job. Talk about pressure.

The issues

Although it's been ten years, the memory of the case is still fresh for many who were involved or impacted because they believed the teens were wrongly convicted. While David finds plenty to support that point of view, one he shares, it's all pretty circumstantial and he's going to also need to find out the identity of the real murderer. But, not everyone is willing to cooperate, including the murdered children's mother, and there were a lot of lies told the first go round.

What I liked about the story

This is one of those procedural style mysteries that you get caught up in as the investigation progresses. You get to use your own deductive reasoning as David solidly works the investigation, providing a lot of clues to work through simultaneously and independently. Some of the characters were murky and others who seemed to be an open book had more angles. An added bonus is his relationship with Jamie. Their evolution as an openly gay couple made such a difference for them and the impact on family, friends and co-workers was sensitively portrayed without overdramatizing the reactions. David is pretty special and Jamie is a hottie.

The bottom line

This is an interesting story, inspired by the West Memphis Three. There are a lot of characters to weed out and that made it even more enjoyable, especially as I was able to figure out whodunit before the end. I like these characters, the light element of romance, the strong elements of unconventional family and relationships, and the meaty and interesting case that anchor the story. I'm hoping this series continues and if you like thorny murder/crime investigations, I highly recommend you read both books.

About the author

Liz was born and raised in Kingston, Ontario where she still resides with her family and a menagerie of pets. When not working, writing or spending time with her family she enjoys reading, watching scary movies, spicy food and hitting the gym.

 Liz is a self-confessed sci-fi nerd, loving Star Trek, X-Files, and Torchwood. She also loves anything to do with mythology, history and anthropology, and has a long-standing fascination with ancient Greece and Easter Island.

She has been an avid reader from childhood, and has always been attracted to stories that deal with the darker side of human nature, mysteries, crime, and things that go bump in the night. Her true (and undying) love for vampires was born when she got her hands on a copy of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot.

Liz loves to hear from her readers and will answer any questions sent her way. 
And yes this is her real name!

Review: Tell No One by Harlan Coben

 

Tell No One

By Harlan Coben

 

I’m a fan of Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series and decided that I’d start this book without reading the synopsis. It was selected as the book for group discussion in one of my groups and was highly touted. The book was that much more exciting because I didn’t know what it was about and read the prologue with no clue as to where it was going. Here’s what I’ll say about it so you can have a similar experience if you choose. 
 

I had a really tough time putting this book down for interruptions (sleep, errands, meals, etc.) because it was pretty unpredictable, a staple of Coben’s stories. You think you know who the good guys are, only to be disappointed at a later juncture. Even the good guys are presented with moral dilemmas where they make dicey choices and you question your own self as to whether you would have done things differently. Here you have a man whose done nothing but the right things expected of him and in the space of 24 hours is consorting with people and doing things he would never have considered as an option the day before.


The story kept me off balance the entire time and the twist at the end really caught me off guard, just when I believed I had everything sorted out. If you like tension, action, mystery and strange suspense and a little bit of romance, you’ll like this book. I certainly did.


(This book was also developed into a French film by the same name and was a smash hit in France.  An American/Hollywood remake is reportedly in the works.)

Reviews of Huntress Moon and Blood Moon

 

 

Huntress Moon

By Alexandra Sokoloff

The Huntress/FBI #1

 

 

FBI Special Agent Matt Roarke has one of his agents undercover, closing in on a major criminal organization, when he witnesses his agent being killed before his eyes on a busy street in San Francisco. He questions whether it is accidental, especially after having seen a mysterious woman at the scene. After further investigation, he finds other supposed accidents and murders that included this woman being on scene. Roarke finds himself on a multi-state journey to track this woman and figure out whether he's got a potential female serial killer in his sights.

I really enjoyed this story as it involves two pursuits, tracking this mysterious woman and determining if these accidents are really crimes and how the victims are connected. We also get to see part of the story from this woman's point of view, which makes it even more intriguing. There are a few twists and an air of mysticism as Roarke seems to have unusual instincts and connections. He's an interesting character, along with his partner, Damien Eppes.

The story is so well paced and I loved how details slowly unfolded, each new reveal adding a layer of complexity along with the resolutions. I'm reluctant to say much more as it could spoil others' reading experiences. It's well written and I'm in for the next book. I highly recommend adding this to your bookshelves.

Purchase from Amazon

Blood Moon

By Alexandra Sokoloff

The Huntress/FBI #2

 

I don't recommend reading this before you read the first book, even though the major events are summarized adequately. You just won't understand the character dynamics.

The story from the first book continues, with The Huntress still at large and FBI agents Matthew Roarke and Damien Epps continuing their quest to find her. They're somewhat sidetracked when there are signs that The Reaper, the unknown person who massacred three families in California 25 years ago, may have resurfaced.

Agent Roarke is such a complex character. He has a special sensitivity and connection not only to The Huntress but other strong forces (good and evil) and it makes him vulnerable and more interesting. His relationship with Agent Epps, so symbiotic in the first book, is tested here as Roarke at times seems to lose his objectivity. The tension was constant throughout the investigation not only between these two but also from the parallels of the two cases. I thought The Huntress was daunting but The Reaper was absolutely frightening.

I was just as intrigued by this story as I was with the first. Most of it is set in San Francisco, which was vividly brought to life through the exceptional writing skills of Sokoloff. I've visited the city at least seven times and felt areas like Haight-Ashbury were captured with such precision I was transported back there for a time. This is an extraordinary story with enigmatic characters that I find incomparable and writing that is almost lyrical in its prose. I can't wait for the next book because the story continues. Roarke and The Huntress aren't done yet.

Purchase from Amazon

 

 

 

 

Review: The Perfect Ghost by Linda Barnes

The Perfect Ghost

By Linda Barnes

Mystery

 

The set up
Em Moore is one half of the ghost writing team of T.E. Blakemoore. She and her writing partner, Teddy Blake are working on the autobiography of a legendary actor and director, Garrett Malcolm. Teddy was just killed in a car accident and the emotionally and socially inept Em is left to finish the project.

The issues
Em is very close to being labeled an agoraphobic (fear of public places) and suffers from panic attacks. Teddy was the interviewer and she did the writing. Everyone (her publisher, Garrett) is concerned about her ability to finish the project without Teddy.

The mystery
Teddy may have discovered some information he wasn't supposed to know about the complex world of Garrett Malcolm. Was his crash really an accident and who might have something to hide?

What works
The story is told through Em's voice so events are captured through her lens but you can also see them differently not matter what her perspective. This is a really skillful piece of writing where the first person narrative permits you to actually experience alternate points of view because of Em's naïveté. Characters initially seem flat and one dimensional but later begin to take on vibrancy and color. I didn't know where the story was going and though sometimes it was a bumpy journey it was compelling.

Anything special
The story is told using three formats: Em's musings to the dead Teddy, almost as if she were writing in her journal; Teddy's interviews with the people in Garrett's world as background for the book; and the police report updates to the chief by the detective investigating Teddy's accident.

What didn't work
The beginning was a bit bumpy for me because of the story format. I didn't know who anyone was, where the story was beginning, etc. BUT! If you hang in there, the payoff is huge. 

Bottom line
This was one of the more fascinating stories I've read in a while. While the format slowed me down in the beginning, it really ended up being a brilliant device to tell this story. The ending was incredible and could only be pulled off in how it was delivered. It's a humdinger. This is my first book by Linda Barnes and it's definitely not my last. A fine piece of writing.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Review: A Cold Dark Place by Gregg Olsen

A Cold Dark Place

By Gregg Olsen

Book #1 in the Emily Kenyon series

Mystery/Suspense

The Seeds Of Evil... In a secluded farm house in the Pacific Northwest, a family has been slaughtered--and a teenage son has disappeared. Single mother and cop, Emily Kenyon spearheads a dark hunt for a killer. But Emily's teenage daughter Jenna is one step ahead of her... Are Planted In... Jenna knows the boy suspected of murdering his family and wants to help him--perhaps too much. Then within days of the first murder, another family is butchered, this time in Iowa. And on the heels of this brutal slaying, another follows in Salt Lake City. Eerie similarities link the crime scenes. But an even darker connection threatens to claim even more victims... A Cold Dark Place As Emily fits the puzzle pieces together, she realizes the danger surrounding her daughter is worse than she'd imagined. Now in a desperate race to save Jenna, Emily must match wits with the most cunning, diabolical killer she's faced yet in her career--a killer who's just placed her and her daughter at the top of his list...

The author, Gregg Olsen, is renowned for his true crime novels and I cannot wait to get to them; I don’t question his writing skills in that genre. However, his hand at this work of fiction fell really short for me.

The major problem with this book is with the characterizations and it starts with the main character, Emily Kenyon. She doesn’t seem to have strong relationships with anyone (ex-husband, ex-boyfriend, boss, co-worker) but the underlying reasons of how they got that way were never really addressed and of course they pivot without explanation later in the story. Getting who Emily is was critical to believing and understanding the course of the investigation. When you can’t get a grip on the main character (who does something completely foul in the middle of story), it’s really difficult to relate to her and invest in the rest of the story.

Normally, serial killers are the most well defined characters in a mystery/suspense story. The one here seemed to be pretty clear until we get to the end of the story and nobody is behaving to type. I still don’t understand what happened and why.

This was a convoluted plot with poorly developed characters that in the end didn't make a whole lot of sense. It was hard to predict character's behaviors as I never felt I got to know them, really. The device where the story goes back and forth in time was okay but when we were reading the thoughts of undefined and unidentified characters who never showed up again, it was hard to figure out what was important. If Olsen had spent more time developing the main characters and the serial killer, the story would have worked better. As it was, this was just a mess for me.

I will definitely read the two true crime novels I’ve purchased but I can’t continue this series, even though I bought the next (and last) book. I peeked and found out what I needed to know.

   

Review: Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb

Calculated in Death 

By J. D. Robb 

Book #45 in the In Death series 

On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.

A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn’t seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.

But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait. . . .

Fans of this series will be really happy with this latest installment in the series. It has all the elements that we've come to expect and love about Lt. Eve Dallas and those in her futuristic world. There's the ongoing romance with her mega rich and gorgeous husband, the witty and hilarious rapport with her steady but delightful partner, Peabody, and a case with a slate of suspects that's awfully fun to watch Dallas unravel. Many of the other characters we enjoy are part of the story in meaningful ways and this one ranks in my top ten in the series.

If you have any interest in starting this series, it's best served up in order. One of the most compelling aspects of the stories is the incredible character development. Each book represents about one month of elapsed time in the series so don't let the number of books to date stop you. I got so hooked (when there were about 35 books) I read them straight through in about three months. Warning...they are that addictive

It's hard to niche these books into one genre. I read them for the mystery/suspense. Many consider them romantic suspense and some even Sci-Fi (that's a weaker argument). Whatever the genre, the stories are great, the characters well drawn and developed, the romance steamy and Eve Dallas a force to be reckoned with. You can't lose and this book is classic In Death.

M/M Review: Missing Daughter, Shattered Family by Liz Strange

Missing Daughter, Shattered Family 

By Liz Strange 

Book #1 in the David Lloyd Investigations series 

Mystery, Romantic Mystery 

 

When a brutal homophobic attack ended David Lloyd's career as a police officer, his life was changed forever. Five years later David is running his own private detective agency, where a missing person's case comes to his attention. Digging into the circumstances of her disappearance forces David to realize he has not dealt with what happened to him, and that he can no longer deal with his long-time partner's fear of being honest about their relationship. Solving the case might not only bring peace to a shattered family, but could finally put David's own demons to rest.

REVIEW:

David Lloyd was a Toronto police detective until a brutal homophobic assault ended his career and changed his life. It's been five years and he now owns a private detective agency. Marjory Barrowman enlists his help to find her troubled daughter, Stella, who has been missing and not heard from for over two months.

On the surface, discovering what has happened to Stella shouldn't be that difficult given her circumstances. She has a serious drug habit and had a pretty small circle of acquaintances, including her drug buddies. However, David soon finds out that not everyone wants her found and has to struggle through lies, deception and cover ups from just about everyone connected. Meanwhile, he's also in a relationship with Jamie Brennen, a successful prosecuting attorney who hasn't yet come out about his sexuality and that's creating tension.

This is very much an investigation procedural but unencumbered by process and police protocol. David is pretty skilled and takes a lot of risks. The case was interesting and had me shifting emotionally throughout as what began as a belief of the truth kept being dismantled as David continued to explore the case. The search uncovered some real nasty characters and circumstances and unexpected turns of events. Some I saw coming and others took me by surprise. I also liked how his relationship with Jamie was woven throughout the story and not as a disconnected, separate storyline. Both are really well designed characters and I loved their relationship. Their romance was sensitively portrayed and you couldn't help but root for them as they faced obstacles from family and other relationships.

There were occasions where there seemed to be extraneous dialogue that could be implied to have occurred by the reader. It didn't bog down the story or my reading enjoyment but was something I noticed.

I enjoyed the mystery and the journey to solve this case but even more, I loved David and Jamie's developing relationship. This is the first book in the series and I plan to continue it as soon as the author writes the next one.

(I was provided an ARC from the author)