Thursday Night Widows-Claudia Pineiro, Miranda France

Thursday Night Widows

Claudia Pineiro, Miranda France

Bitter Lemon, Jan 2010, $14.95

ISBN: 9781904738411

 

As Argentina falls apart due to an economic collapse of incredible proportions just after 9/11, the country seems on the verge of anarchy with no place that is safe.  That is except for the well to do living in gated communities that insulate them from what is going on outside except for the TV news and their outside employment.

 

In the Buenos Aires gated community Cascade Heights, four men (El Tano Scaglia, Martín Urovich Gustavo Masotta and Ronie Guevara) have dinner together every Thursday night.  However, this time is different as three lie dead in the swimming pool at the most affluent Scaglia home; only Guevara who left early remains alive.  How could this happen especially to someone as influential and powerful as El Tano is on the minds of their family members as all assume a horrific electrical accident occurred.  However, Virginia Guevara though curious and shocked fears for her Ronie who behaves strangely since the incident and she believes he knows something more.

 

This is an interesting look at a Argentina in which the upper class behaved like Nero fiddling away while the country collapsed.  The story line is mostly told through Virginia’s eyes as a successful realtor to the wealthy.  Although insightful with a strong cast who warn readers to beware of growing exponential gaps between the affluent and the middle class, the mystery of the pool takes a back seat to the discerning look at the gilded life behind the gated community.

 

Harriet Klausner

Dixie Divas-Virginia Brown

Dixie Divas

Virginia Brown

Bell Bridge, Jun 2009, $14.95

ISBN: 9780982175651

 

In Cherryhill, Mississippi, the infamous Dixie Divas are twelve BFFs who understand the keys to life are mixing chocolate with alcohol.  One of them fiftyish Eureka “Trinket” Truevine has recently returned home after divorcing Percival to take care of her elderly parents and her slightly older buddy Elisabeth “Bitty” Truevine Hollander who recently dumped her fourth spouse Senator Philip.  That is until Bitty lines up numero five.

 

Bitty is pushing the annual historical houses tour sponsored by the Holly Springs Historical register committee.  She wants reclusive Sherman Sanders to participate so she accompanied by the “giant” Trinket visits him at his 1832 constructed home with a bribe of a pot of chicken and dumplings.  Because his mule stole the chicken, Bitty brings a new patch by herself.  However, he is not home; but her ex husband is only he is dead with blood seemingly everywhere.   The cops think Bitty is the prime suspect for several reasons, but the Dixie Divas know better; so not trusting the rednecks to find the real culprit, the dirty dozen investigate.

 

This is an entertaining regional amateur sleuth  mystery starring steel magnolia middle aged women.  Their inquiry causes mass mayhem to the residents of the two Mississippi towns especially the police and Sanders and mass hysteria for the audience who will enjoy every zany mistaken move they make.  Fast-paced with a pot of chicken and dumplings and a slice of apple pie, fans will enjoy this jocular Mississippi mud pie whodunit.

 

Harriet Klausner

The Rook-Steven James

The Rook

Steven James

Onyx, Dec 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780451412812

 

In San Diego, FBI Special Agents Patrick Bowers and Lien-hua Jiang investigate several suspicious fires in conjunction with the San Diego metro Arson Strike team (MAST).  The latest at a naval research center is a change in M.O. but the agents believe the work is by the same perpetrator who does not act like a terrorist, a thrill seeker, or covering a crime until the last one was committed.

 

A geo-spatial profiler with a great success record, Pat begins to theorize that the earlier arsons were practice for something in the lab.  The two Feds soon connect dots from the fire to an abduction, an apparent suicide that looks suspiciously more like a homicide and something called Project Rukh.  Behind the scenes is a grandmaster playing everyone including Bowers, his rebellious stepdaughter Tessa, Jiang, and others like a virtuosos moving pawns to do Shade’s bidding.

 

The sequel to the Pawn is a terrific FBI police procedural with a strong cast including a nasty brilliant villain who makes every move like a chess grandmaster.  Tessa helps personalize Pat as each mourns the loss of her mom, his wife one year ago.  With some humor adding to the fun of a strong thriller filled with a myriad of story lines that at times feel as if several chess games were going on at once until they converge, fans will relish the exciting action-packed yet character driven the Rook as Pat explains the true importance of profiling to the audience.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

Blood Revenge-David Thor

Blood Revenge

David Thor

Cosacinco Press, Oct 2009, $23.95

ISBN: 9780982487709

http://www.cosacincopress.com

 

In 1974 on Xiamen Island Tan and Jan Yi welcome the ruling Communist Party to their home where they plot to remove their opposition to returning China and back to the glory days of the Maoist revolution.  When their two children, fourteen year old Ellen and her older brother Ren almost die in their cleansing, they send them to American where they attend the Leyden Academy in Yakima.

 

Also in 1974, Lieutenant Suan Moon is conducting biological weapon research in Vladivostok, but still grieving the death of his wife and unborn child, he insures the future of his son Doug in America before killing himself and his project.  However, he died in vain as his government watched him closely and obtained copies of his research while his son attends the Leyden Academy in Yakima.

 

In 2004 the patient plotting of the 1970s begin to prove fruitful.  Three years later while a hurricane bears down the Gulf Coast, Providence Hospital sexagenarian Dr. James Bali receives a frantic call from the Coast Guard in which they are bringing in survivors from an accident not yet investigated including someone taken from an oil platform.  Dr. Bali meets the rescue helicopter only to find a corpse that had been somehow rubberized.  He knows what he is looking at though he prayed he never would see this outside of some horror text book.  Biological warfare has come to Mobile.

 

This is a fast-paced tale with a modern day Manchurian Candidate like spin to the plot.  The story line starts off in low gear as the players and their background are provided, but once Bali meets the survivor and the vulcanized corpses, Blood Revenge never looks back as the plot accelerates to ultra speed.  The race against the terrorist doomsday clock by the lead character and a few other heroes struggling to prevent a horrific calamity make for a super thriller.

 

Harriet Klausner

Blacklands-Belinda Bauer

Blacklands

Belinda Bauer

Simon & Schuster, Jan 5 2010, $23.00

ISBN: 9781439149447

 

Nineteen years ago, eleven years old Billy went to buy cards, but never came home.  A year later a man flashed teen Mason Dingle who reported him to the police.  Avery is a pedophile serial killer working his horrors in the Exmoor region of England.  Caught he takes to police to the graves of his young victims.  He never identified his prey but Billy was assumed to be one of them.

 

Billy’s nephew Steven lives in his Nan’s house with his mom and younger brother in Shipcolt near Exmoor.  It is a house of pain and anguish as Nan looks out the window hoping her Billy comes home.  Billy’s room remains the same as a holy shrine while Nan suffers from guilt for not watching over him more carefully.  Steven wants desperately the loving approval of his aloof mom and distracted grandma so comes up with a plan to achieve it.  He sends a letter to Avery asking him for the location of where Billy is buried hoping the remains will provide closure to the grieving adults.  Avery receives a picture of Exmoor and sees a reflection of Steven.  The convicted killer plots to escape to get to Steven, who has forgotten all about his correspondence as his home life has taken a happy turn.

 

Blacklands explores the impact of a disappearing child on the surviving family members, even those not born at the time of the violent crime that takes away a loved one.  The characters are fully developed including Avery.  Fans anticipate the clash between an aging pedophile still following his impulses and the tweener who though he seeks the approval of his matriarchs is no victim; just ask the bullies he eludes all the time.

 

Harriet Klausner

The Wolf at the Door-Jack Higgins

The Wolf at the Door

Jack Higgins

Putnam, Jan 5 2010, $26.95

ISBN 9780399156120

 

In Quoque, Long island a man waits at a pier for Blake Johnson, security adviser to the POTUS, to dock his vessel the Lively Jane; his mission is to kill the American. The British Prime Minister ordered top operatives Harry Miller and Sean Dillon to attend a U.N. gathering in which Russian Federation Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is speaking.  The President wants Blake who will be at the gala to gauge the Russian delegation.

 

Harry takes a walk in Central Park but is also stalked and attacked.  In London, General Charles Ferguson leaves a late-night meeting of ministers only to see his car with the driver inside explode.   Although all roads lead to Moscow, none of the operatives realize Putin has hired the best assassin in the world Daniel Holley to eliminate the agents who have interfered with the Russian’s plans for world domination; that is except Dillon who fears his most dreaded enemy has surfaced.

 

The latest Sean Dillon and company espionage thriller (see A Darker Place) is a super entry that moves on several subplots before converging for quite a climax.  The story line focuses with back stories on how each chosen victim was targeted, stalked and attacked with an emphasis on Holly who ironically and fascinatingly holds the plot together; as opposed to Dillon and the other heroes.  Jack Higgins proves he remains one of the grandmasters of the international intrigue thriller with this great entry.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

 

Fired Up-Jayne Ann Krentz

Fired Up

Jayne Ann Krentz

Putnam, Dec 29 2009, $265.95

ISBN: 9780399155963

 

Jack Winters, descendant of alchemist Nicholas Winters, who in the 1660s created the Burning Lamp, which increases psychic powers in a person with paranormal skills and gives them a new one br at a horrible cost.  Those with the dominant gene become insane unless they find the Burning Lamp and the female psychic who can work dreamlight produced by that object.  Jack fears he is cursed because he can suddenly induce nightmares in people while he suffers blackouts and sleepwalks.

 

Jack seeks out private investigator Chloe Harper, a high level psi who can work with dream energy.  Through her aunt, she locates the Burning Lamp; the owner is happy to get rid of it as it makes him uneasy.  The organization Nightshade, made up of paranormal criminals want the Burning Lamp too.  While on the run from these thugs, Chloe uses the artifact on Jack who has fallen in love with her; she reciprocates.  While praying use of the map turns him into a safe psi, Nightshade capture Chloe, who believe they possess the perfect way to force her to work for them.

 

This Arcane Society tale is the first book of the Dreamlight trilogy, which occurs in the present; books two and three will be in the Victorian Era and the far future on Planet harmony respectively.  The story line is fast-paced from the opening three centuries ago as the rivalry between Nicholas and Sebastian Jones heats up and never slows down as Nicholas and Chloe team up.  Fans of this brilliant author will enjoy this romantic suspense as the lead couple is a wonderful pairing and the support cast either quirky or deadly quirky.  Readers will enjoy this strong contemporary and look forward to the talent of the author to take her saga historically and futuristically.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

The Dolphin People-Torsten Krol

The Dolphin People

Torsten Krol

Harper, Nov 17 2009, $13.99

ISBN: 9780061672965

 

In 1943 on the Russian Front, Erich Linden’s father died.  Two years later, now sixteen years old, Erich, his widow mom Helga and his twelve years old brother Zeppi flee the ruined Third Reich for Geneva; there they board the Stromboli and sail to Venezuela where Uncle Klaus waits for them.  He will marry Helga so he can care for her and her two sons while also using them as a front to dodge war crime prosecution for his work at the concentration camps.

 

In Venezuela the Brandt family, as they are now called, flies into the Amazon to their new home, but the plane crashes.  The Yayomi tribe welcomes the lost Brandt family because they believe they are the dolphins wearing human garb prophesied by a tribesman’s dreams.  German anthropologist Gerhard Wentzler who lives with the tribe to study them assists the Brandt brood in their temporary not so easy adaptation.

 

The blood (and other liquids too frequently) flows in this deep dark allegorical historical thriller.  Each of the Brandt family member has their civilization attire torn off along the lines of Carlyle’s Sartor Resartus Clothing theory of man so that the reader can explore deeply their motivations to include growing up too fast, anti-Semitism, and other racial superiority.  Not an easy read, The Dolphin People is a thought provoking Post WW II tale told mostly through the biased filtered lens of Erich as the narrator.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

Deeper than the Dead-Tami Hoag

Deeper than the Dead

Tami Hoag

Dutton, Dec 29 2009, $26.95

ISBN 9780525951308

 

In 1985 in Oak Knoll in Southern California, fifth-grader Tommy Crane and Wendy Morgan run away from the class bully Dennis Farman and his flunkie Cody Roach when the fleeing pair trips over over the head of a dead woman.  The victim was buried in the woody section of Oakwood Park up to her neck; her eyes and mouth glued shut.  Their fifth grade teacher Anne Navarre tries to help the two children cope.

 

Sheriff’s Detective Tony Mendez has just come home from attending an eleven-week profiling class at the FBI Academy.  He points out this is the third victim in two years, but Dennis’ father Chief Deputy Frank Farman says it is only two inside their jurisdiction and insists “signatures” have nothing to do with the case.  Sheriff Cal Dixon points out the differences in the profile between this case and the previous two.  Meanwhile Anne becomes the prime suspect as FBI Agent Vince Leone arrives to lead the investigation.

 

This is an exhilarating serial killer thriller made fresh by using the mid 1980s as the date so that profiling remains voodoo to some old time law enforcement officials.  The story line is fast paced from the moment Tommy trips over the head of the mostly interred victim and never slows down until the climax in a hospital room and a drive on the Interstate.  Although too many threads are left dangling even for a sequel or two, fans will relish Tamu Hoag’s enjoyable Reagan Era police procedural.

 

Harriet Klausner

Impact-Douglas Preston

Impact

Douglas Preston

Forge, Jan 5 2010, $25.99

ISBN 9780765317681

 

College dropout turned waitress and amateur astronomer Abbey Straw believes she and her BFF Jackie saw a meteor crash near the Maine coast where she lives.  The two young females agree to search the nearby barrier islands as Abbey using wave theory believes the meteor struck land.  The plan is to sell the finds on E-Bay.

 

Meanwhile the president’s science adviser Stanton Lockwood III asks former CIA filed operative Wyman Ford to investigate the sudden flooding of radioactive gemstones in Cambodia.  At about the same time Stanton makes his request that seems more like an order to Wyman,on the West Coast, just before he is murdered Professor Jason Freeman sends a classified file containing proof of abnormal gamma ray activity on Mars to mission technician Mark Corso of the National Propulsion Facility.  Soon these three diverse scenarios converge with sixty hours to countdown impact.

 

This is an engaging science fiction thriller that hooks the audience from the moment Wyman begins his inquiry and never slows down as California, Maine and Cambodia hook up.  The story line is fast-paced as fans will welcome the return of Wyman (see Blasphemy), but in many ways the brilliant slacker with her naive innocence makes the tale fresh.

 

Harriet Klausner