Perla by Caroline De Robertis

Sometimes, to hide your sadness, you have to cut yourself in two. That way you can bury half of yourself, the unspeakable half, and leave the rest to face to the world. I can tell you the first time I did this. I was fourteen years old, standing in a bathroom stall holding the last note I would ever receive from my friend Romina, a note consisting of a single question in furious capital letters.

We had been in class together for years, but did not grow close until we were thirteen, when Romina began to have her experience. That was her own word for it, experience, spoken in a hallowed tone that gave it an aura of great mystery.

“An experience,” I repeated blankly, the first time I heard of it.

“Come over tonight, I’ll show you,” Romina said.

Title: Perla

Author: Caroline De Robertis
ISBN: 9780307599599
Publisher: Knopf/2012
Pages: 256

Perla Correa is the daughter of a naval officer who has been responsible for the disappearance of thousands of innocent people in Argentina. Right from her childhood, Perla knows never to mention her father's work/career in front of her friends and classmates.  Perla is aware that the mothers of her friends march in the Plaza de Mayo, wearing white scarves in memory of the missing family members. She does not know why or how those people went missing. 

When an unlikely visitor, in the form of a stinking corpse, appears in her living room, Perla's is jolted out of her seemingly easy life. This wretched ghostly person was one of the 30, 000 victims of the "Process", the military dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. This person was thrown into the sea from an airplane. He is somehow connected to her past. 

All this makes Perla question her father's role in the junta and she is devastated by the truth. In this coming of age novel, the bonds between parent and child is tackled very beautifully. The revolution is in that background all the time and how Perla evolves out of it the crux. 

The language is lyrical and does not jar even when the author is talking about the excesses of the junta. She has made good use of metaphors and symbols which enhance our reading pleasure. Historically, I found the novel very informative.

Musing Monday: My thoughts about Blue Collar Eulogies by Michael Meyerhofer

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about something related to reading/books each week…...

I am going to muse about another book of poetry this week. 

Blue Collar Eulogies by Michael Meyerhofer

In this book of poetry, Meyerhofer has taken everyday observations and connected those in a very compelling way. One is taken by surprise by the turnings in his poetry. His poems seem to jump from one thought to another without that disjointed awkwardness. The poems speak of his experiences and he is not squeamish about the raw feelings or emotions. 

The language and tone are simply amazing and right from the beginning to the end, the reader is never ever let down. The nuances are so well brought out that one is left with the feeling of wanting more and more of his poetry. 

Meyerhofer has covered a whole range of topics and the depth is retained throughout. For example, take the following......

"The Crayon Not Taken."

On the way to your grandmother's,
you told them about the stupid boy in class
who forgot what color pumpkins were,
and because you always played by the rules,
now you are wealthy and married.

I, on the other hand, have lived
in the back seat of a '99 Cavalier in late July
when heat melts the life from the seeds
and, because it has no place else to go,
it wrestles through the soil for air.

Musing Monday: ten poems to say goodbye by Roger Housden

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about something related to reading/books each week…...

As most know, I am a poet and avid reader of poetry. I can read all kinds of poetry. Today I will discuss a poetry book where the author has taken ten poems by well known poets. Reading these poems help us letting go. That is what Roger Housdon has detailed here.


ten poems to say goodbye by Roger Housden covers 10 poems by well known poets which are steeped in spirituality. 

Each of the ten poems is followed by an essay where he analyses the poem, explaining its importance and meaning. The poems tell us how to go about saying goodbye. With our mind, heart and soul. 
My favourite poems in the book are "The Lost Hotels of Paris" by Jack Gilbert  and "How It Will Happen, When" by Dorianne Laux.   There are poems by Ellen Bass, Gerald Stern, Rilke, and few others which make such a pleasurable read. The explanation by Housdon at the end of each poem takes us to another world.

I quote from the closing lines of Jack Gilbert's poem:

". . . We see the memory
of when they were, once upon a time.
And that too is more than enough."

If that isn't goodbye then what is?

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Catching up with my 2013 Reviews....

Musing Mondays: Unintended Consequences by Marti Green

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about something related to reading/books each week…...

I am highlighting the following book this week.

Unintended Consequences by Marti Green

Nineteen years ago, George Calhoun was arrested for murdering his daughter after a body was found burnt beyond recognition in the woods. His wife testified against him and he was convicted by the jury. All his appeals are exhausted now and his execution is few weeks away. 

George has always denied murdering his daughter but without any proof or support he never had a chance to defend himself. He has remained silent except for saying he was innocent.

Dani Trumball is an attorney for the Help Innocent Prisoners Project. She is contacted by George Calhoun to save him. There is no time and his execution is six weeks away. She wants to believe that he is innocent. Forensic evidence never pointed out that it was his daughter.  NO DNA test was done. But whose body was it if not Angelina, his daughter? What really happened to his daughter. George Calhoun tells Dani an incredible story. This makes Dani determined to verify it and save him, if possible.

The story is so real and believable. Dani is in a dilemma. She has a sick son and there is not much time to find out all the truth. But her husband is very supportive and it makes her determined to take this case.

George Calhoun remained silent for nineteen years. What really happened to his daughter? What was his compulsions? Why did his wife testify against him? Why did his lawyer not insist for a DNA test? Why did the judge consider his wife's testimony enough to indict him? The novel answers all these and much more. It also speaks eloquence about a father who can go to any length for his daughter. Even to the extent of being considered her murderer. 

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I am trying to catch up with my 2013 reviews....

A Criminal Defense by Steven Gore

"What kind of idiot pleads to a life sentence? The smart move would've been to roll the dice. You never know what a San Francisco jury will do?"

Posted for The Friday 56, which is hosted by Freda's Voice

Title: A Criminal Defense
Author: Steven Gore
ISBN: 9780062025074
Publisher: Harper, Mass Market Paperback/2013
Pages: 352

Mark Hamlin, is found murdered gruesomely. He had the reputation of being a corrupt lawyer who intimidated witnesses, suborned perjury, laundered money and destroyed evidence.The way he is murdered, it is difficult to say if he was a victim of murder or of a sexual encounter gone bad. Former detective Harlan Donnally is assigned the case. As Donnally investigates, he finds himself drawn into unknown mystery. He starts to  ponder over the deceits of Hamlin. Then the reader is shown the inner workings of, the justice system which is somehow filled with intricate lies and betrayals. 

The beginning is good. In the middle it dragged quite a lot. There were too many red herrings. But the novel holds interest towards the end. 

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I am trying to catch up with my 2013 reviews....

The Meaning of Me by Emmett Wheatfall

As I take to toil in hand
The finer points of pen
Deeper I delve
Into the meaning of me

Wherein

I shall call to it
And it shall come
The meaning of me
It shall come

Emmett Wheatfall

Title: The Meaning of Me 
Author: Emmett Wheatfall
ISBN: 9780983723141
Publisher: Reflections Publishing House/2012
Pages: 98

With a cover as poetic as this, one can only expect the best of poetry. Emmett Wheatfall does not disappoint us on any account. I could connect to his poetry despite being in another part of the world, having different cultural values.

His world becomes ours because the journey he takes to find the meaning of me, is what we are seeking too....in the way of life, race, religion and the metaphysical. Somehow it all blends in with the physical world that we live in.

The poems are simple enough but with depth of meaning. In the despair, one can still find pleasure. That is what he teaches us. Beyond Me reached out to me. 

I have read this book of poetry many a times and will continue to do so. Thanks to Emmett Wheatfall for sending this book of poetry to me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am trying to catch up with my 2013 reviews....

Snapper by Brian Kimberling

We caught up as I drove. Shane was pursuing a master's degree in library science. He hated it. He wanted to work with books, but was compelled instead to study "information architecture" and all manner of new technology.

"One of the professors called the phone book a database with limited search functionality the other day. With a straight face. That's when I decided to take a break."

Title: Snapper
Author:  Brian Kimberling
ISBN: 9780307908056
Publisher:  Pantheon/2013
Pages: 224

Nathan Lochmueller is a professional bird watcher. He is sometimes perched on trees, 50 feet above the ground to watch the birds. He ventured into this by default. He gets paid just enough to get by. He meets quirky birds as well as quirky people. In between all this, we learn about his on and off girl friend, Lola.

There are 13 interconnected stories which make it into a novel. I loved Nathan and his weird ways, his thoughts and his recollections. Indiana woods comes alive for the reader. It made a surprisingly good read. I recommend it for all bird lovers/watchers and all others who are neither!!

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I am trying to catch up with my 2013 reviews....

Suzy's Case by Andy Siegel

Me, I’m guilty of the charge. Unethical Conduct.

At least I admit it.

My lawyer arrives no time too soon, because you never want to be seen standing in the vicinity of this building on Friday mornings, the day when the Disciplinary Committee conducts hearings stemming from serious unethical conduct alleged by the client. The purpose of the committee is to protect the public by ensuring attorney adherence to the ethical standards codified in the Rules of Professional Conduct, “The Rules.” That’s why I insisted on meeting my attorney near the corner.

Title: Suzy's Case
Author: Andy Siegel
ISBN: 9781451658781
Publisher: Scribner/2012
Pages: 352

Tug Tyler is a New York City personal injury and medical malpractice attorney. He gets a case as a referral and told that it is a loser. When he meets Suzy and her mother June, he knows he cannot give up on the six year girl. She has severe brain damage and spastic conditions. These are the result of sickle  cell anemia. It all began with something going wrong in a hospital six years ago. Suzy now has a brain of a two year old. Her mother is determined to win the case against the hospital.

Tug Tyler does not give up. He takes up the bigwigs. He is unethical at times, for bigger causes. He knows June needs to win the case in order to take care of Suzy for a very long time. Tug is load mouthed, obnoxious at times but he knows how to fight with dirty people. Those people who have big money and political connections.

There is a bit of suspense and the legal aspect made it a great reading. There is lot of twists and turns. The subject matter is serious. But the quirky way of handling it is done well. I quite liked Tug and look forward to read more novels involving him.

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I am trying to catch up with my 2013 reviews....

The Boy That Never Was by Karen Perry

A storm is rising. He can feel it in the strange stillness of the air. There is no movement, no flutter of clothing, not a whisper of a breeze along the narrow streets of Tangier.
   Beyond the lines of washing strung between the building, above the tiled roofs, he sees a patch of sky. There is a strange luminous quality to it, a bluish hue and lights that look almost like auroras.
   He stirs a cup of warm milk, blinks, and looks out again on to the changing and other worldly colours of the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This restlessness rumbled about inside me as I walked from room to room, assessing the varying degrees of dilapidation and making a mental list of what needed to be done.

~~~~Page 56, The Boy That Never Was by Karen Perry 


Title: The Boy That Never Was
Author: Karen Perry
ISBN: 9781405912907
Publisher: Penguin Books/2014 (march)
Pages: 314

Harry leaves his sleeping four year old son for a few minutes, to get candles for his wife, Robin's birthday. Meanwhile, an earthquake strikes and Dillon is lost by being buried. Harry and Robin are artists and they leave Tangier after the loss of their son. Robin seems to be quite forgiving towards Harry. But he is unable to get over his guilt. Thee appears to a crack in their relationship. 

Told alternatively in the voices of Harry and Robin, we get to see the loss of their son has affected both but in different ways. Both feel guilty for different reasons. Harry still can't believe that Dillon is no more. Robin has some secrets that she can't share with Harry. The pain, the hurt almost breaks them apart.

Then one day, Harry sees a boy, who looks like Dillon. Before he can react, the boy vanishes. Harry is convinced more than ever, that Dillon is alive. He does not tell Robin but makes it his mission to search for that boy.

When Robin finally comes to know, we find flaws in both of them, with buried secrets and revelations which almost destroys them. It all builds up to a climax which is horrifying for the reader and both Harry and Robin.

With believable characters which are flawed, taut writing, and psychological twists and turns, it makes an excellent family drama. I was surprised by the ending yet I understood the reason for it. All through the novel, one can feel the love that Harry has for Dillon. It is so palpable that it jumps out of the novel.

It is yet to be published and is worth waiting for. I would say, a superb novel......

When the Cookie Crumbles by Virginia Lowell

"Take me to Bon Vivant on Friday, seven p.m." Del kissed the tip of her nose and stepped into the porch.
"Done," Olivia said, following him down the front steps.
"And one more thing." he said.
"Yes?"
"I'll expect to see you dressed as a tavern wench."



Title: When the Cookie Crumbles
Author: Virginia Lowell
ISBN: 9780425251485
Publisher: Berkeley Prime Crime/2012
Pages: 294

Olivia Greyson and Maddie own The Gingerbread House. They bake great cookies. Now they are baking an exact replica of Chatterley Mansion for 250th Birthday Celebration of Chatterley Heights. Paine Chatterley, presumed dead, arrives in town, with his wife, Hermione, to claim his heritage and forbids everyone to visit his mansion. He is not keen to have the celebrations. The Mayor, Karen Evansen, wants the celebrations to go on. She asks Olivia to talk to the Chatterleys. 

Then Paine is found dead in his bathtub. Many of their precious heirlooms are destroyed and Hermione is overwrought. All these cast a shadow over the forthcoming celebrations. Olivia and Maddie, along with their baking, try to look for clues. They find themselves in the midst of unpleasant secrets of the Chatterley family. Olivia has to get into the bottom of all this.

Along with Del, the local police officer, who is also Olivia's boyfriend, they find the killer. The murderer is someone very close and unlikeliest of all. 

This is a good cozy mystery, the characters are very life like. I loved the cookie baking, decorating details. Maddie is a real good friend to Olivia. Elle, Olivia's mother is an interesting character. I loved the interesting stories about cookie cutters. For all cozy mystery lovers out there, I would say, go for it!

Flush by Jane Clifton

"Some days a drop of water can kill you, some days it can save your life.
     In the early hours of Thursday, February 3, 120 millimeters of rain fell on Melbourne. Enough water to flush out a murder.
    The Yeraa and maribyrnong rivers had swollen and in some places had split their sides. Sedate, well behaved Kerford Road beach disappeared beneath heavy turf. Boats flipped and tossed like God's own rubber duckies. Roofs leaked, carports groaned, gutters choked, and parked cars drowned at the roadside. Century old trees in the Botanical Gardens keeled over like drunks, their parched roots suddenly losing their footing in the blistered soil. A city that had craved a good soaking for more than eight years took an unscheduled." 


Title: Flush
Author: Jane Clifton
ISBN: 9780992329549
Publisher: Clan Destine Pres/2013
Pages: 253

Oleg Kransky is the first suspect when his wife Inga Kristensen's body is found washed up on the banks of Maribyrnong River. When police reach his home, he is found with a failed suicide bit and his wife's blood stained cloth are all over the place.

Decca Brand, a psychologist, does not believe that he killed his wife. Oleg had been one of her patients. He had not been very forthcoming yet Decca could sense he loved his wife. Even now, after his arrest, he still does not communicate.

While chasing for answers, Decca and the police detectives find themselves in the midst of gritty going ons in red light area, secret past lives of Oleg, Inga and their so-called friends. From Melbourne to links in Bosnia seem far fetched but when a well known person like Col Jones is found involved, it all unravels.

I liked the twists and turns. It kept my interest until the very end. Very fast paced and not easy to put down. It was one of my last reads of 2013 and I am happy about that!

Tomorrow City by Kirk Kjeldsen

"Brendan Lavin woke up with a start to the metallic crash of an empty trash dumspter being slammed to the ground. He looked over at the radio alarm clock, which was blaring some grating Matchbox Twenty song. The time was 6:17 AM, which meant that The alarm had been going off for almost three hours. The bed next to him was empty. Maureen was still at the hospital, working another shift."

Title: Tomorrow City

Author: Kirk Kjeldsen

ISBN: 9789881554215
Publisher: Signal 8 Press/2013

Pages: 197

Brendan Lavin, an ex-con, tries to be straight person doing what he has learnt in prison--baking. However much he tries, he is unable make ends meet. He goes back to his cohorts for a last job. The robbery goes horribly wrong with four fatalities. Now he is a murderer. He has to escape New York City. He steals his cousin's passport and escapes to Shanghai.

Twelve years later, we see him having a flourishing bakery, married to a local woman and has a two year old daughter.  He keeps a low profile as he does not want his conman friends to find him. Somehow without his knowledge, his photograph is published in the public domain and when he learns about it, he is very afraid. Before he can plan to run from Shanghai, his robber friends find him and want payback. They think he turned them in before escaping to Shanghai. They want him to join them for a diamond heist. He is reluctant but he knows that his family will be harmed if he does not go along with them.

The action is full of tension and fast paced. It is an sitting read and very riveting. The action seems to hit hard and streets  of Shanghai come alive. Even with a criminal past, Brendan knows right from wrong. The characters come out vivid. Brendan gains the sympathy of the reader and we want him to go back to his family and his bakery. Those who love dark literature, it is a must read. It is one of the best crime fiction I read in a long time. 

Dead Again by Tracy Cooper-Posey

"He’s going to run into the wall, Sophie thought. Help him. Stop him. But she would never get there in time and even as she was cursing her immobility and the damn stupid leg, she was trying to raise herself, while watching Jack stagger.

Then, thankfully, he tripped a little, enough to throw his balance as he was already effectively blind. One knee went down to the ground. In the slow motion tumble to his left, Sophie thought he’d be okay, bruised dignity and little else. Then she saw it. He was too close to the wall.

And he couldn’t see it.

Too late."

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Title: Dead Again
Author: Tracy Cooper-Posey
ASIN: B009GB154E
Publisher: Tracy Cooper-Poesy/2012
Pages: 270/524 KB

Sophie and Jack are the only survivors of a plane crash. Both have suffered extensive injuries. Despite his injuries, Jack makes everything in his power to make Sophie comfortable. They develop an unusual bond although Jack is very clinical in his caring for Sophie. They are rescued 5 days later. Jack succumbs to his injuries.

Sophie, an aspiring lawyer, gives up on her big dreams and marries and has two kids, settling down in Serenity Falls, a small Montana Rockies town. Now a single mom, she runs a small cafe. There is something vital missing in her life.

Ten years later, Martin comes into her life. He is a drifter with a past. Sophie senses that he holds the key to her happiness. Only he can bridge her present with her past. He knows he must not let Sophie get close to him. 

All kinds of people are after Martin, which puts Sophie directly in the cross-hairs. A deadly crime lords, state governors and district attorneys, they all are hell bent on finding out about Sophie's relationship with Martin. 

This is a romantic suspense and sucks the reader into it right from the beginning. We want to know what is the relationship between Jack and Martin. Sophie is not a simpering kind of person. She knows what she wants and goes for it, fully well knowing the risks. She knows how to deal with the corrupt Chief of Police who is seeking her attention. If anyone wants the explicit romance kind of thing, then it is not for them. But if one seeks a book with feelings, I would say go for it. After a long time, I found a novel which stays in mind long after finishing it. So much so that, I was inspired to write a poem about it. If you want, you can read it here.

BTW, I downloaded it free from Amazon. 

The Book of Someday by Dianne Dixon

"Olivia. The soles of her feet pressed hard against the same wood floor. Feeling the vibration of his every step. As he’s circling, gaining momentum, coming closer to the place where she’s hiding. Fierce jolts rippling through her. Edged on one side with terror, on the other with hope."


Title: The Book of Someday
Author: Dianne Dixon
ISBN: 9781402285721
Pages: 345
Publisher: Sourcebooks Store/2013

The Book of Someday revolves around three women, Livvi, Micah and AnnaLee. Livvi Gray has always been haunted by a recurring nightmare, the terrifying image of a beautiful woman in a shimmering silver dress. It does not go away. Micah is a famous photographer now diagnosed with cancer. AnnaLee is a Long Island housewife. The story is told in parallel for all three of them. They have never met.

Then one day, Livvi comes face-to-face with the stranger from her dream. She cannot rest until she learns more. She goes on a quest, meeting one of the other two protagonists. And it is the moment of truth for both of them. And how the third woman is connected is the crux of the story. 

The reader feels for Livvi, when she was abused by her step mother and an totally disinterested father. Micah is an renowned photographer but she has own demons to kill. She feels that her cancer is her punishment for a misjudgement. AnnaLee is so loving that she can encompass the negativity of other people. She stays in mind long after we finish the novel. 

I was totally pulled into the novel, wanting to know the relationship between the three. When two of them come face-to-face, it is one of the most emotional moments of the story. Suffering of one person, miscalculated decision of another results in destroying life and people. Yet there is enough forgiveness despite the grief. 

I have read the first book by Dianne Dixon, The Language of Secrets. I loved it. I recommend The Book of Someday too.

Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn

Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn

We look like the perfect family, and I'm happy to pretend. 

Father Kimball looks down at his parish. “Welcome my brothers and sisters in Christ, beloved children of God…” 

Beside me, Drew squirms. Gordon’s firm squeeze of his knee stops the squiggling. I take Drew’s hand in mine to keep him still. No one in our small clan has an iron bladder. I slide my eyes in a sidelong glance at Gordon. His jaw is set tight. He won't be happy if Drew gets up in the middle of the sermon. Of course, he’ll be even less happy if Drew wets himself.

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After a very long time, I finished a novel at one go as I couldn't put it down. I read it in 4 hours straight finishing at 3 AM. It is a disturbing novel about domestic violence. Something which is as old as time itself. Domestic violence does not get reported much. People do not come out in the open. The victim feels it is always her fault. That she deserves the beatings and the insults. The children are the worst sufferers. 

Jillian Kane snaps out of it one day and finds herself locked out her home with her children out of bounds. Everyone, including her mom, thinks it is her fault as her husband can do no wrong. One day, she gets an opportunity to meet her children in the park. Taking them along, she runs for their life. With no money, no plan, she only has the determination to protect herself and her children. Along the way she finds some good people helping her. They do not know her but sense that she is in some kind of trouble. 

Finally Gordon catches up with her and takes away the kids. She is charged with kidnapping and cannot meet her children. Her lawyer friend, Connor advises her to fight back in the same dirty manner, as Gordon has done, to get custody of the children. By manipulation and sabotage. And she does. She can do anything to get back her kids. ANYTHING. Even kill.

I had mixed feelings about Jillian. Yes, she is a victim and loves her kids but there are some loose ends. At one point or the other, I did not like her. Gordon is a despicable character. He is manipulative. He hides his cruel facade with a nice demeanour. Yet for all his faults, he loves his children. That is the ONLY redeeming quality. But can a family survive in such an environment? 

I felt that the author was in a hurry to finish the novel. So the end chapter is pretty fast. It could have been elaborated a bit and could have hurried through the middle portion. 

But I highly recommend this novel. Read it for yourself, for your family and friends. AND reach out.....who knows, some one might be needing your help....

The Rome Prophecy by Jon Trace

Title: The Rome Prophecy
Author: Jon Trace
Publisher: Sphere (February 1, 2011)
ISBN: 9780751543018
Pages: 464 

The book opens with  Cassandra – the ancient Greek priestess -- being driven through the streets and accused of treachery and then has her hand cut off in the mouth of truth. As she lies there dying, the book comes back to the present day where a hand is found at the mouth of truth but there is no body to be found. Who does the hand belong to? Where is the body or the person? 

Then a woman is found, covered in blood and roaming the streets with an ancient sword in hand. Italian carabinieri Captain Valentina Morassi is assigned to solve the case. The woman found on the streets  has a multiple personality disorder and Valentina is helped by psychiatrist Louisa Verdetti to unravel the mysterious woman.

Tom is an ex-priest and is involved with Valentina. He helps in solving the mystery using his knowledge of religion. He shares a great chemistry with Valentina.

As the story progresses, we learn about a secret cult that has lived in the catacombs beneath Rome that has gone back for millenniums. It is definitely a fast read if you like books with history, religion and archaeology thrown in a good measure. 

The Rockin' Chair by Steven Manchester

“Grandma?” Evan asked, grabbing her attention.
Elle shook her head, the tears beginning to cascade down her tired face.
“When?” he asked.
Elle reached for his hand. “Last night…right in Grampa’s lap.”
“In the rockin’ chair?” he asked, his voice cracking.
Elle nodded again.
Evan’s eyes filled. “Where else?” he said.

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The Rockin' Chair by Steven Manchester
Published by: The Story Plant
Number of Pages: 242

The Rockin' Chair is not my usual read. But I am glad I read it. It took me into a journey of relationships, love, emotions and family bonding. I could feel for the characters and loved every moment of it. 

Grampa John touches our heart. After his beloved wife Alice dies, he calls for his family to be with him. His son Hank has some issues with him but his daughter in law, Elle has always cared for him and his wife. His three grand children are very fond of him. They all turn up at his farm. To help him heal. And most important, they heal too, basking in his love and wisdom. He helps them all to face life again. By doing that he is at peace with himself too. 

With characters so real, and a dog, this novel stays with us long after we finish it. I am definitely going to read more books by this author.....

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Check out the Providence Book Promotions for this novel by clicking here....

Private Games by James Patterson

Private Games by James Patterson


Look at him on his knees, with his back to me and my knife at his throat.

Why, he trembles and shakes as if a stone had just clipped his head. Can you smell it? Fear? It surrounds him with an odor as rank as the air after a bomb explodes.

"Why?" he gasps.

"You've angered me, monster," I snarl at him, feeling a deeper-than-primal rage split my mind and seethe through every cell. "You've helped ruin the games, made them a mockery and an abomination."

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My Views:

Sir Denton Marshall is a member of the London Organizing Committee. He is brutally murdered a few days before the London Olympics. His decapitated head is placed on a previously headless statue of an ancient Greek senator. Peter Knight is called immediately to the place of crime. He is an investigator at the London office of Private International and his company provides security for the LOC. His mother was engaged to Marshall.

A serial killer who calls himself Cronus, named after the Greek God of Time and the son of the ancient rulers of Earth and Sky is the killer. He wants to clean up the modern Olympics. Cronus has a past and he with the help of three Serbian sisters (named Furies by him) are ahead of all the investigative agencies to kill people at their will. Cronus letters to a reporter named Karen Pope telling her of his plans in advance.

Scotland Yard Inspector Elaine Pottersfield (Knight's sister-in-law) along with Knight, have to find Cronus in time to avert more death and destruction at the Games.

Patterson has kept the chapters short and very readable. I liked the pace and the story line. The character development is also good. I do recommend it for fast paced Crime Fiction lovers. 

Moving can be Murder by Susan Santangelo

Moving can be Murder by Susan Santangelo

I had  to say goodbye one more time. But how does say goodbye to 34 years of memories?

"It's just a house, Carol. It's not a person." I could hear My Beloved Husband Jim's voice telling me that over and over again. "It's much too big for just the two of us. We should cash out and move now, before the real estate market gets worse."

He'd finally worn me down.

~~Page 1

The House closing was definitely off.

The dead man was our buyer, Jack Cartwright.

~~Page 64

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Book Blurb:

Empty-nester Carol Andrews would prefer leaving her beautiful antique home in Fairport, Connecticut, "feet first" to selling it and moving on. But her Beloved Husband Jim convinces her that a nearby active adult community is the best fit for them at this time of life.

Their house sells, and Carol returns alone the night before the closing for a "pity party" farewell tour. And discovers the dead body of the buyer in her living room. Wow. Talk about seller's remorse!

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My views:

Carol seems like scatter-brained female much given to emotions. When she goes one last time to her home, she finds the body of the prospective buyer! Needless to say, the sale is put on hold.

Carol's best friend is a suspect in that murder. And Carol decides to find out the truth. She discovers some secrets which Mary Alice, her friend never shared with her. 

Although there is this murder, but the book is full of wit. It makes the reader chuckle many a times. It is a very readable cozy mystery. Susan Santangelo is an author to look out for!!

The Frozen Shroud by Martin Edwards

The Frozen Shroud by Martin Edwards
ISBN: 9781464201073
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press/2013
Pages: 276

Back Cover:

Death has come twice to Ravenbank, a remote community in England’s Lake District, each time on Hallowe’en. Just before the First World War, a young woman’s corpse was found, with a makeshift shroud frozen to her battered face. Her ghost – the Faceless Woman – is said to walk through Ravenbank on Hallowe-en. Five years ago, another woman, Katya Moss, was murdered, and again her face was covered to hide her injuries.

Daniel Kind, a specialist in the history of murder, becomes fascinated by the old cases, and wonders whether the obvious suspects really did commit the crimes. He spends Hallowe’en at a party in Ravenbank – only to find death returning to this beautiful but isolated spot. Once more, the victim is a woman, once more her damaged face is shrouded from view.

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My views:

One of the murder victim is called Shenagh in the instead of Katya Moss, as given in the back cover. This could have been taken care of while editing. 

Shenagh Moss's murder is the second one, the first being Gertrude, who was killed almost 100 years ago and is supposed to roam as a faceless ghost during Halloween. The third murder happens five years after Shenagh is murdered, again at Halloween. This time it is Terri, a very close friend of DCI Hannah Scarlett. All murders have something in common. Their faces are battered and shrouded from view. 

Daniel Kind is a specialist in history of murder and he finds the three murders somewhat related.  Kind and Scarlett's past come to haunt them both. Hannah keep no stones upturned to find the murderer of her best friend Terri. 

This is my first novel by Edwards and certainly not my last. He keeps the reader totally in the story. The descriptions of the background is also done very well. The secondary characters are also interesting, each having a failing or two. My toes curled while I was reading this.