Wherever Nina Lies Review

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(More customer reviews)It's been two long years since Ellie's older sister Nina has disappeared. Pretty much everyone has given up any hope that Nina will return, but not Ellie. Ellie can't bear to think Nina, her sister whom she loves and idolizes, could be dead. Ellie desperately wants to find Nina, and when she stumbles upon a portrait of her, drawn by Nina, she's certain she's found her clue. With the help of a hot and mysterious stranger named Sean, Ellie sets off on a seemingly wild-goose chase for the whereabouts of her sister. But Ellie isn't prepared for what she learns along the way, regarding her sister and her new love interest Sean. In this suspenseful and fast-paced debut, readers will be swept along with Ellie as she journeys and finds love, lies, and the strength of sisterhood.
I was immensely impressed with this solid debut novel. Weingarten shows a mastery of her skill with words, especially when manipulating the plot. Ellie's cross-country escapade was filled with humor and lust yet also disappointment, anticipation for the next clue, confusion, and danger. I like how the story strings the reader along nicely and then twists nearly completely around. In the back of my mind, I think I expected part of the outcome of Ellie's journey, but I was still shocked when it actually happened. I also really liked the development of both Ellie's and Nina's characters. Ellie is easy to relate to, especially in her sisterly affection, friendship dilemmas, and thoughts of self-preservation, and this increases the reader's sympathy for her as well as interest in her story. The reader gets to know Nina mainly through Ellie's memories and thoughts of her sister, and it creates an image of a wild yet thoughtful girl anyone can love. Some of the minor details of this novel, though, were not as well executed as the plot and development of the major characters. There were some details that never completely added up. Also, Ellie's relationship with her best friend Amanda seemed strange at times, and their problems seemed to magically disappear at the end of the novel. Other than these few aspects, Wherever Nina Lies was an extremely well-written and enjoyable story.
Wherever Nina Lies is very impressive for a first novel, and I hope Weingarten plans to write more novels especially if they're as good as this one. Readers will see this novel as a hybrid between two fantastic novels, How to Be Bad and The Year My Sister Got Lucky, and will not be disappointed in this fantastic story of mystery, romance, suspense, and, most of all, sisterhood.

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Murder in the Place of Anubis (Lord Meren Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)The first in this series of novels has Lord Meren investigating a murder in the sacred Place of Anubis. For those unfamiliar with Egyptian religion, Anubis was the God of Embalming. Bodies were embalmed, a long and laborious process, before being entombed. Egyptians believed that without the proper spells, amulets, and procedures after death, a soul, or ka would not enter the afterlife.
This being known, it is unthinkable that someone would kill in the Place of Anubis. This person must have been most desperate and bold in order to do so. Meren discovers there is no lack of suspects. The man was disliked by his collegues and his family alike. Suspects are going fast, however, two of them are murdered before the true nature of the crime is discovered. At the heart of these crimes is an unholy greed that could consume Meren and his son Kysen before they discover the truth.

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Last Rituals: A Novel of Suspense Review

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(More customer reviews)Last Rituals: Icelandic Novel of Secret Symbols, Medieval Witchcraft and Modern Murder by internationally acclaimed author Yrsa Sigurdardottir and translated into English by Bernard Scudder will thrill readers with the finely written mystery and more intimate look at a glimpse of Iceland as the background, a country that intrigues but often remains mysterious. The author combines an obscure part of history with dark psychological details while also creating a realistic and sometimes humorous backdrop in the characters investigating this unusual case.
Thora Gutmundsdottir, a divorced mother who started her own legal partnership receives a phone call from Germany from the Amelia Guntlieb who had been given her name by one of Thora's former professors. Amelia's son was murdered in Iceland and the family needs assistance. The Guntliebs do not feel the local police investigated their son's case thoroughly. Amelia proposes that Thora work with Matthew Reich, a man who spent 5 years with the Munich CID. Although Matthew has the investigative skills needed, he does not know the Icelandic language well enough to ask questions and mix with the locals well enough to get real answers. Certain shocking details of Harald's murder are just too mysterious, eerie and gruesome to believe the murder is connected to a drug deal gone bad. Does someone have a personal vendetta against Harald? After initial reservations, Thora accepts the case and Matthew hands over a dossier detailing many of the particulars of Harald's life. Do the details of his murder relate to his studies of history or to some dark hidden aspect of his personal life? Are the gruesome details a measure of the killer's rage or a clue to the identity of some mysterious group? What does the strange symbol mean? Harald had gone to Iceland to study Medieval history. In particular, his research compared Icelandic witchcraft with witch burnings, execution and torture in Medieval Germany. Whereas women were often the target of witch burnings in Germany, in Iceland, the majority of witches executed were men. Does this difference have any bearing on Harald's research in Iceland? As the investigation narrows, the two discover Harald began to develop strange practices while in Iceland. An investigation into Harald's personal life in Iceland as well as in Germany unearths more and more secrets. Thora and Matthew's investigation takes them through the history of Iceland in many forms and the author gives the reader a fascinating view of both historical and modern Iceland. The more clues they find, the more mysterious the murder appears and the two are no longer sure whom they can trust.
Yrsa Sigurdardottir creates the perfect balance between realistic characterization and a darker multi-faceted mystery that intrigues the reader as it unfolds. As the details of Thora's family life interfere with her investigation, the reader sees a glimpse of her as whole person ---one who cares for her children as only a devoted mother can but also as a person whose life has endowed her with a delightful sense of humor and a sense of compassion that underlies her investigation. The developing relationship between Thora and Matthew provides delightful humorous twists to accompany the terrifying secrets and relationships they uncover. The mystery itself grabs the reader's attention from the very beginning and heightens with each successive revelation of clues. Suspenseful twists and turns lead to a climax where all the pieces carefully prepared from the very beginning fall together and yet still surprise the reader in unexpected and unforgettable new ways.
Yrsa Sigurdardottir's novel will appeal a wide variety of readers with an interest in Iceland from those with a mere curiosity for this unique country all the way to those with a more thorough knowledge from travel or studies of Icelandic literature. The author interweaves well known aspects of her native land such as the Icelandic horses, lava fields and various landmarks with a humorous look at the pronunciation of the Icelandic language and local driving customs into the plot and interchanges of the characters themselves. Those curious for a closer more in depth look at Iceland will appreciate the author's look at the effects of a small population, the history of Icelandic law and religion and the results of globalization on the daily life of local residents. At all times, the author integrates these details so closely into characters and the structure of the novel so that the pace of the mystery unfolds fluidly with a touch of humor and heightening of the mystery.
Scholars quite familiar with Medieval Norse manuscript history and literature will be thrilled to discover the realism in Yrsa Sigurdardottir's portrayal of the intricacies of Icelandic manuscript history. The author details this history through Thora's investigations of Harald's actions and relationships so readers unfamiliar with this aspect of Icelandic history easily follow the unfolding mystery. The author creates the best of two worlds ---- the reader follows a realistic portrayal of Iceland's unique place in Medieval history and literature without being weighed down by a pedantic academic treatise but her attention to precision makes Last Rituals a more intriguing read than some of the missing codex, manuscript, symbol novels in current vogue. Yrsa Sigurdardottir's careful attention to detail and its seamless integration into the very heart of her writing style make Last Rituals one of the best recent novels in the genre.

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At a university in Reykjavík, the body of a young German student is discovered, his eyes cut out and strange symbols carved into his chest. Police waste no time in making an arrest, but the victim's family isn't convinced that the right man is in custody. They ask Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, an attorney and single mother of two, to investigate. It isn't long before Thóra and her associate, Matthew Reich, uncover the deceased student's obsession with Iceland's grisly history of torture, execution, and witch hunts. But there are very contemporary horrors hidden in the long, cold shadow of dark traditions. And for two suddenly endangered investigators, nothing is quite what it seems . . . and no one can be trusted.

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Darwin's Blade Review

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(More customer reviews)I must say, I'm stunned at the volume of negative reviews of this book posted here. I, too, am a huge Dan Simmons fan, and I think this is the best book he's ever written.
First off, Darwin Minor is a great character. Practically emotionally shut down by horrific events in his past (which I won't reveal for those of you who plan to read the book), he has found a measure of comfort in the writings of Marcus Aurelius, the second century Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. One could do worse. For me, it's refreshing to see a modern hero whose life is built on SOME foundation (even if, as a Christian, I think its a wrong one), rather than the typical post-modern alienated protagonist who has no access to any tradition.
Second, this is a very funny book. I found myself laughing out loud in a number of spots. Like Jonathan Franzen said in a recent interview, I don't trust a writer who isn't funny. Simmons' depiction of antagonist Dallas Trace, a thinly disguised representation of noted legal blowhard Gerry Spence, besides being hilarious, makes me want to be sure I never get on Simmons' bad side.
Third, Sydney Olson, the female lead, is also a terrific character. Tough, intellegent, beautiful--and, here's the real kicker--believable. A modern woman, but not hide-bound by feminist claptrap. Yes, perhaps larger-than-life, but isn't that what we want in our heroes and heroines?
Fourth sprinkled throughout are a number of wonderful minor characters, especially W.W.D. DuBois, the brilliant and sardonic black lawyer. Also great are the Larry (it's "Lawrence") 'n' Trudy comedy team, who pose as accident investigators but in reality, we come to see, are perfect foils for the protagonist.
Fifth, there's a deep sadness that leaks through the edges of this novel. I don't know if it's intentional or not--maybe it's simply a product of Mr. Simmons' own somewhat austere and problematic philosophical orientation--but it gives the story a gritty texture that only enhances its appeal.
OK, the story's not entirely without problems. I could make no sense of the equations relating to one of the accident investigations. And there was too much detail for most readers regarding firearms, ballistics, the effects of wind on bullet speeds and trajecteries, etc. But I don't recall anyone getting too hacked off at Michael Crichton when he pulled out that fractal crap in Jurassic Park, and nobody seems to complain about the anal-retentive qualities of Mr. Foucault or Mr. Pynchon or Mr. Eco.
I have a theory about what the diehard Simmons' groupies don't like about this book. It's a little cartoonish. Their Literary Genius is having a little bit of fun. Also, many of the naysayers seem to have little familiarity with this genre; their critical remarks often take book and author to task for not writing another Carrion Comfort or Hyperion.
I for one would love to see a whole series of Darwin Minor books. He's one of the sharpest blades out there.

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The World Beneath Review

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(More customer reviews)Body dysmorphic, both prematurely cynical and angst-riddled, Sophie daily endures the mindless chatter of her mother, Sandy, appalled by the prospect of genetically flabby arms in her own future. Sandy and Rich split shortly after her birth fifteen years ago, their environmental activism on behalf of Tasmania's Franklin River collapsing under the inertia of cohabitation. Now Rich has reappeared, suggesting a backpacking trip in Tasmania so father and daughter can bridge the years he has been absent from Sophie's life. Australian author Kennedy is fully armed in this provocative novel of disillusioned youth and mid-life attack of conscience, an emo goth teen on the cusp of understanding too much about parents' imperfections and a boy/man clinging to the temporary glory of a cause, their careful self-constructions shattered by breath-stopping reality.
While Sandy attends a Goddess workshop, forever struggling to recapture the euphoria of the Franklin River experience, a vague dissatisfaction hobbles the day-to-day rewards of existence, overwhelmed as she is with the burden of single parenthood, her body buffeted by gravity's siren song and Sophie's critical lamentation: "That's what having a baby did to your body... like balloons that had been stretched to the limit...then gradually left to deflate again... like overripe fruit." But not to worry, for Rich fares no better, his responses inconsistent, from his original impression ("She looked like one of those Bratz dolls.") to the more confessional "He wonders why, of everything, her tenderness is the very worst thing." His observant daughter quickly assesses the nature of a man on the wrong side of time with a habit of inflating global adventures, but inarticulate in the matter of fathers and daughters.
This is Sophie's journey, her faux sophistication crumbling under the weight of expectations and the false bravado that has prompted an instinctive rejection of Sandy's generous motherly overtures. It is a burden too heavy for a child, even a tough little cookie like Sophie. Ironically, it is Rich's flaws that unravel Sophie's steely endurance, inspiring a deep longing for Sandy's inane comforts that creeps treasonously into her heart while alone with Rich: "Now she watched him, that stranger. That Polaroid father." This is heady territory, especially when the language of the heart is wielded with such authority and cutting wit as Kennedy displays. This writer takes no prisoners, instinctively cognizant that anything less than the brutal truth would undermine her characters' movement toward one another.
Shifting between the 70s nostalgia that has inhibited Sandy and Rich's emotional maturity and the physically rigorous trek that forces errant father and questing daughter to find common purpose- and possibly forgiveness, Kennedy's Australia is accessible through Rich's camera lens and the eyes of a teenager awed by nature's beauty, tangentially aware of the technological and social alterations of man's indigent stewardship in the age of me. A painful indictment to be sure, but one couched in the revelatory experience of love unmasked, the bonds of motherhood intact. Shaken, Sophie rises from the ashes of certain disappointment to break the chains of fear that have temporarily stalled her growth. Scathing, precise and utterly transformative, Kennedy chronicles the troubled territory of child and parent with the indomitable humor and compassion of one who knows. Luan Gaines/2011.


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Ghostlines Review

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(More customer reviews)Philip Trudeau, who once wrote for a top-flight Melbourne paper, is down and almost out after landing on the wrong side of a story involving some very powerful people. After spending a few years in prison, he now goes through the motions of putting his name to press releases at a minor local paper in Yarraville, an old factory town that's experiencing suburban birth pains. But when he's called out to cover the death of 13-year-old Micheal, killed late at night by a train at a gated crossing, something unexpected happens--Philip finds the story just won't fade away; it keeps coming back to haunt him, no matter how much he drinks, no matter where he goes. And when the boy's death appears to somehow be tied to John Price, an art collector found dead in his own home, Phillip feels an old itch rising--a story he has to chase.
But he's made enemies that haven't forgotten him, and alcohol has dulled his mind to where he can't always be sure just what's real and what's his imagination. He's haunted by a picture he saw in Price's home before he died, a red-haired woman like the one he also glimpsed in the window of Price's home when it was auctioned off after his death. But the picture has disappeared. He'd like to find out more about Nina, the woman he met at the railroad crossing the night Michael died, but she doesn't want to talk to him. And Maureen, his journalism partner at the Melbourne paper, pops back into his life but then she, too, disappears and her phone has been disconnected. As he finally begins to put the pieces together, he discovers once again that the itch of the story may prove hazardous to his health.
Nick Gadd's "Ghostlines" is a rare find. Philip Trudeau is a deeply flawed but fascinating character; the plot is fresh and complex; and the psychological drama plays with the reader's mind as well as Trudeau's. What is real and what is the product of Tudeau's battered brain? Even without the Victoria Premier's Literary Award, "Ghostlines" would be and is a winner!

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Philip Trudeau, a once-respected investigative journalist, has stepped on the wrong toes in this cleverly plotted and tightly structured psychological thriller. With his health and personal life deteriorating, Philip is consigned to a suburban newspaper job where he writes trivial filler to be slotted in among the real estate and restaurant advertisements.When he's sent to cover what appears to be a tragic yet routine death at a level crossing, he is suddenly plunged into a world of political intrigue, business corruption, art theft, and betrayal. Delving deeply into the Australian art world of the 1950s and today, this multilayered mystery packs a strong narrative punch and containsa convincing central character whose own personal story is every bit as compelling as the mystery he inhabits.

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Moon In The Mirror: A Tess Noncoire Adventure Review

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(More customer reviews)If it doesn't rain, it snows--at least that's probably the most apropos adage for this novel based in a Cape Cod winter. Science fiction and fantasy author, fangirl, and Warrior of the Celestial Blade has more than she can handle, including:
* visits by the ghost of her ex-husband, Dillwyn, who is looking more and more suspicious with each visit
* attacks by Lilia David, a Windago widow whose husband Tess killed in the first novel
* invasion by an army of biting garden gnomes who are in actuality orculli trolls
* appearance of Windscribe, one of her Aunt Moonfeather's coven who have been missing for 30 years
* wedding of her Mother to the father of one of her two love interests
* two love interests
Did I mention her book is due and every time she tries to work on it something else happens including problems I haven't mentioned yet?
But Tess does have one ally, the imp Scrap, who forms into the Blade at her command. Okay, he's an imp--and that alliance does come with a few problems of its own, but Scrap is 'mostly' helpful--when he's not off somewhere else, or painting his wounded rear with iodine, or avoiding the houseguest's cat, who he is allergic to and swears the cat is evil and is plotting to take over the world. (How perceptive of him!)
"Moon in the Mirror" is an amusing rollick that just keeps getting more twisted as each problem arises. The book does keep you interested and occasionally confused--but it's well worth it. You can read this book without reading the first in the series, "Hounding the Moon". I haven't--although I think I might have to add it to my shelves.
By the way, P. R. Frost is a pseudonym for Irene Radford, writer of fantasy extraordinaire. I am probably fonder of Radford's original works than the new additions--my own personal bias is away from fiction with a lead character who is too close to the author's own world, but Radford does manage to pull this story off very well.
Special kudos to Ms. Frost/Radford for incorporating the songs of Heather Alexander, one of my favorite Celtic bards, into her novel.


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A Vile Justice (Mystery of Ancient Egypt) Review

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(More customer reviews)Lt. Bak of the Medjay police has been sent to Abu to investigate a series of murders, spaced ten days apart, each victim higher in importance than the last. Now Bak must discover the slayer before Abu governor Djehuty becomes the next victim. In a strange land, filled with fiercely held secrets, Bak must find the slayer without himself becoming a victim.
Reading a Lt. Bak mystery is a journey through time. You walk beside an intelligent, interesting servant of the Lady Maat, dispenser of justice, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of Ancient Egypt, brought to life through Haney's excellent use of language. I may have realized who the slayer was long before Bak, but it didn't detract from the wonderful story.

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Evil runs rampant through the grand abode of Djehuty, the much despised governor of Abu. Four deaths -- each exactly ten days apart -- have occurred in and around the powerful functionary's premises: an expert swimmer drowned...a spearman accidentally impaled on his own weapon a sergeant of the guard found with a dagger through his breast...a young officer trampled by a horse gone mad. Lieutenant Bak of the Medjay police fears for his own life and for the safety of his men. But the vizier has requested that this deadly puzzle be investigated, and it is Bak's duty to serve. Could this unstaunched violence be the retribution of the gods for a long-past, yet still-remembered tragedy? Bak is not sure who will ultimately be revealed as slayer -- be he human or divine -- when a disturbing cache of dark, well-protected secrets lies open at his feet. But there is one thing of which the dedicated policeman can be certain: if a killer is true to his pattern, another will die this day.

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Blueberry Muffin Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)Hoping to boost their winter economy, Lake Eden Minnesota is holding it's first annual Winter Carnival. Hannah Swensen is delighted about the extra revenue this will bring to her cookie shop. The town is thrilled to have Connie MacIntyre, celebrated TV chef and cookbook author, designing and baking their Winter Carnival cake. But when Connie Mac arrives, she quickly makes enemies with her overbearing personality. Hannah reluctantly agrees to let Connie use her shop to bake the cake, but arrives the next morning to find the cake burned and Connie face down in a tin of Hannah's Blue Blueberry Muffins. With her shop closed off as a crime scene and a very good friend, Connie Mac's personal assistant Janie, the prime suspect, Hannah starts investigating the murder. But can she provide the cookies for the carnival, solve the murder, and find Janie?
This is the third Hannah Swensen mystery, and the series has only gotten stronger. Hannah and her sister Andrea make a great detective team. All the supporting characters are back and used well in the plot. They're really starting to feel like good friends. I especially enjoyed watching the love triangle with dentist Norman and police detective Mike heat up. The mystery itself was very enjoyable. I had a hard time figuring out where this one was going, but the solution made perfect sense. And the climax kept me glued to the book trying to figure out how Hannah would escape with her life. There are 7 more delicious sounding recipes included. Someday I'm going to make them.
My only complaint with the book was that it ended too soon. If you're already a fan of the series, you'll love this book. If you have yet to meet Hannah, start with the first, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, and enjoy this delightful culinary themed mystery series.

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The Anonymous Scribe & the Secret Temple Scroll Review

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(More customer reviews)I was not sure what to expect of this book when I saw it; but I enjoy historical fiction with an intriguing plot, and this certainly is it! The title leads one to believe that it is a mystery, a fantasy or a thriller. It is, in fact, a real page-turner with elements of these other genre deftly woven around the Gospels and the destruction of Pompei and Herculaneum. It is not just "historical fiction". It aims to ask questions about the message of the Gospels and early Christianity through the anonymous scribe - a fictional young man who follows Christ intent on recording his words - so they could be used as evidence against him. I will not spoil the plot by saying anything further. This is a very satisfying read and is appropriate for readers from middle school age (6th grade)to adult, although the younger reader may require an explanation of the history of the period to appreciate it fully.
John I. Rigoli writes as one who knows the Gospels and the history and teachings of Christianity. (The book is dedicated to his brother, Anthony, an Oblate priest.) His characters are not caricatures, but reflections of his own facile and questioning mind: raising issues, asking questions and discerning if there is more to the message of the Gospels than we receive in homilies or sermons every Sunday or see acted out in our daily lives. The anonymous scribe could well be his own alter ego!
I recommend this book highly for Religious Educators, Church groups, Religious Education students from 6th grade and above and anyone else who would like to see the life and teachings of Christ presented anew with interest and respect. With the Holidays soon upon us, it would make an excellent and timely gift. This is a book worthy of a broad audience. Rigoli has done a very fine job in his first effort.

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