Rant

Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey
by Chuck Palahniuk
Doubleday
ISBN: 978-0-385-51787-4
$24.95 319 pages

I am having a really rough time writing a review for this one. I could sum the review up in 2 words or 20 pages. The 2 words are: Mind Blowing, this is one book that I will keep and add to my collection. Words just really cannot describe how I felt reading this. I have never read anything by Chuck Palahniuk and really had never heard of him until requesting this one for review, needless to say I am adding him to my favorite author list, and will be dishing out some major bucks to get all of his earlier books. (lol)

Will try to have the review up by this weekend, even if it is the two words above MIND BLOWING as this was one mind blowing experience and my head is still spinning and the wheels in my brain are ever so constantly turning.

As you can see the cover art is intriguing and enticing which originally drew me to read the blurb in the catalog before requesting this one for review.

Simple Genius

Simple Genius

By David Baldacci
ISBN-10: 0446580341
ISBN-13: 978-0446580342
Washington Political Thriller, 432 pages


The setting is Washington, D.C. and Virginia, and it all begins when Michelle Maxwell who is struggling with emotional problems and finds herself in the midst of a barroom brawl and ends up being arrested and put in jail. Michelle agrees to seek therapy in a psychiatric private clinic. Michelle has some demons that haunt her and she must seek help before it is to late, or before someone ends up dead.

Sean King is Michelle’s partner, they both are former Secret Service Agents, and as Sean watches Michelle’s decline he is in need of some very needed extra funds which he is lacking. Sean accepts an assignment from an old girlfriend at her Investigation Agency and takes on the new assignment which is to investigate a mysterious death in Virginia. His assignment takes him to a place called Babbage Town where he investigates the shooting near the CIA training center. As the investigation continues Sean begins to discover more accidents and apparent suicides that have taken place.

Michelle checks out of the psychiatric facility and teams up with Sean in Virginia. As the story continues to unfold Sean and Michelle are up against major corruption and must save an innocent girl before time runs out and they must expose the corruption that is occurring at the CIA training camp before it is to late. Will they be able to save Viggie, and will they unlock the hidden dangerous secrets that seem to be locked in her memory? What is this major corruption? Is our nation safe?

David Baldacci’s characters are finely tuned and are well developed, compelling and memorable. He has a gripping plot and incorporates twists and turns that will shock you. Baldacci has done a wonderful job in creating a thriller that is thought provoking and he manages to wrap everything up effortlessly so it all comes together. Reviewing this title was a great pleasure and is a highly recommended read.

Anatomy of Fear by Jonathan Santlofer

Anatomy of Fear
By Jonathan Santlofer
ISBN: 978-0-06-088197-9 $24.95
William Morrow
An Imprint of Harper Collins
10 East 53rd St., New York, NY 10022
www.HarperCollins.com


As an added bonus be sure to check out the video trailer starring the author Jonathan Santlofer and his artwork:
http://www.jonathansantlofer.com/anatomyvideo.html
(also on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaL97PkP1hs)
Also check out the HarperCollins sweepstakes where the winner gets their portrait sketched by Jonathan Santlofer:
http://www.harpercollins.com/features/anatomyoffear/

The setting is New York and Terri Russo a detective for the NYPD is called to the scene of a murder where she discovers a sketch of the victim alongside the body. Russo is aided in her investigation by Nate Rodriguez, the police sketch artist.

Nate’s father was an undercover narc for the NYPD, Nate still very much disturbed by his fathers death, has managed to avoid doing any on the scene police work. All this is about to change as Nate is drawn into the case, and maybe even further than he could have imagined. Nate begins piecing together the face of the killer and he himself then becomes a target.

The killer also sketches people, his victims, and he uses his abilities to turn the investigation in a different direction. You will find this story erupts with some explosive twists, so hold on for a heart pounding ride.

Jonathan Santlofer is also an artist and has his works displayed in several locations including museums. He received his Masters of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. Santlofer began writing in 1989 after a gallery fire claimed five years of his works. Anatomy of Fear contains both of his talents; his artwork enhances the strong compelling and intriguing plot, each complementing the other.

Santlofer has a steady flow of action and suspense with enough twists and turns to leave you with anticipation. The characters are distinctive and interesting with qualities that make them believable. The scenes are written with such a compelling impact that is gripping and makes this a genuine page turner to the end.

A guaranteed 5 star read.

Pattern of Vengeance A Maria Sanchez Thriller by C. Hyytinen

Pattern of Vengeance

A Maria Sanchez Thriller

By C. Hyytinen

Echelon Press Publishing

9735 Country Meadows Lane 1-DLaurel, MD 20723

www.echelonpress.com

ISBN: 978-1-59080-520-6 $12.99

April 2007 286 pages

The setting begins in Minneapolis and then moves between LA, Minneapolis, as well as some scenes set in Florida. Agent Stan Bauer has been murdered and believed to have been a Mafia hit. Detective Maria Sanchez is on the case. Her partner is Tom Powders who is nearing retirement and he has been acting very odd lately, Maria is not sure what he is up too, but begins to speculate as the story continues. They believe there is a leak in the department and no one can be trusted. Special Investigator Joe Morgan is Maria’s husband of ten wonderful years.
Chief Sandra LaSalle is the new chief having moved from New York only a year ago, she is a petite redhead in her fifties and is not very well liked and has earned some names since arriving as the new Chief in Minneapolis. Due to the nature of the crimes being committed, the possibility of a leak within the department LaSalle has made the decision to assign the case to Sanchez and partners her with Morgan.

Maria was once married to Jack Sanchez known as The River Rat and was the father to her daughter Tess. He was also father to a boy named Tony, whose mother died and Maria and Joe adopted him, after all he and Tess are brother and sister. Tess is in college and is twenty years old, Tony is a teenager about sixteen. It is nearly Christmas and Tess has finished with finals and comes home to stay for a month, which is just in time as the case heats up for her parents. Will they finally be able to put an end to all the mafia’s crimes? Will anyone else die as a result of this investigation? Will the person responsible for leaking the information to Marco be discovered in time?

LaSalle brings in Etina Altmark a Russian from New York to go undercover as a runaway, she is twenty eight but looks as if she is only fifteen. Hyytinen has a way of leaving you on the edge of your seat, she has incorporated vivid details and accounts throughout the story, making this one that you have to read from front to back non-stop. The chapters are short and each chapter leaves an inevitable hook at the end leaving you with the desire to read one more and then another. The author has superbly written scenes with impact, with a steady flow of action and suspense. This story is so relentless, gripping and intriguing and a genuine page turner. The characters are so finely tuned, believable and real, you find yourself cheering them on, hoping for the best, and feel these are people you have known for quite some time. You will find yourself thinking of the characters long after finishing the book. The story erupts with explosive twists and delivers a powerful ending that will leave you breathless. This is a must read, I will warn there is mature themes including language, but I have no hesitation in saying I highly recommend reading The Maria Sanchez Thrillers. If looking for an explosive read you will not want to miss this one.

It has been a great pleasure to read and review Pattern of Vengeance and I truly cannot wait to read the first in the Maria Sanchez Thrillers, and look forward to all her new releases.

Lost Echoes by Joe R. Lansdale

Lost Echoes
By Joe R. Lansdale
Crime thriller
ISBN: 978-0-307-27544-8 $13.95
Vintage Books
A Division of Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.RandomHouse.com

Lost Echoes is a story about a man named Harry Wilkes, who at the tender age of six came down with the mumps and developed a severe ear infection which affected his brain. Harry’s mind would fill with images of past crimes and he could see the events taking place as well as see the faces of the people involved in the crimes. Harry eventually develops a taste for alcohol as it helps him to suppress the images as well as the sounds contained within his mind.

Harry is in a bar one evening when he notices three men taking a drunk out through the back. Harry knows what is getting ready to happen and decides to step in. The drunk is Tad Peters and immediately he and Harry become friends. Soon after Kayla, Harry’s first love comes back into his life, now a police officer she is determined to find her fathers’ killers. With Harry’s ability he soon figures out that the men responsible for Kayla’s fathers’ death are connected to other unsolved murders.

Joe R. Lansdale has penned several novels in the genres of suspense, horror and westerns. He has won many awards throughout his career. He currently resides in Texas with his wife and children.

Lansdale writes scenes with high impact and vivid details and accounts. He incorporates the correct intrusive amount of twists and turns that leave you breathless and drawing you into the heart of the story. The characters are so believable and you feel as if you have known them for quite some time, he is descriptive and adds that human touch to his characters.

An indubious 5 star read.

The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross

The Blue Zone
by Andrew Gross
Fiction 352 pages
William Morrow an Imprint of Harper Collins
www.harpercollins.com
ISBN: 978-0-06-114340-3 $25.95
www.andrewgrossbooks.com


Would you want to know your family secrets, and what skeletons lie hidden in the closet? Would you really want to know the truth if it would destroy everything you believed? What would you do if you learned your life had been a lie?

Kate Raab receives a devastating phone call from her mom, now the questions of family secrets and skeletons in the closet, and the truth enter her mind like a whirlwind. The words she heard “your father has been arrested, come quickly” made no sense to her at all. There must be some mistake, her father had no connections to the Mercado family and he didn’t know anyone from Columbia, or did he? What lies ahead for Kate when the family secrets begin to unravel?

Kate soon discovers that her life has been a lie. Her family is placed into protective custody, but Kate refuses, and her contact with her family is limited as a result. Kate marries a year later and is working on regaining some normalcy to her life. She feels as if she is being watched, and is consumed by paranoia after her best friend is shot while they are leaving work. After all Kate is certain that she was the intended target, not her best friend. Kate’s world is beginning to come apart.

Kate learns that her father has disappeared from the Witness Protection Program. Agents begin questioning her about her father, now she begins to think and is determined to find her family and learn the truth once and for all. Kate is surrounded by agents and wonders if they can even be trusted. Can she trust anyone? Her mind is consumed with possibilities that no one including her father and even her husband can be trusted. She decides to find out the truth and finds herself entangled in a deadly web, and is confronted with a truth that is more painful than she could ever imagined possible.

The Blue Zone is the term that the agents use when people in the Witness Protection Program come up missing. Kate has her own definition of the Blue Zone and believes that we all live within our own Blue Zone. Andrew Gross is the co-author of five bestselling thrillers with James Patterson. The Blue Zone is Gross’s solo debut. I look forward to reading all his novels to come in the future.

Andrew Gross delivers an ingenious and intricately layered plot, while still creating convincing personal journeys for his characters. The Blue Zone delivers a tantalizing and intriguing story packed with shocking twists that will keep you guessing and begging for more.

The Blue Zone is a definite 5 stars and is highly recommended!

The Naming Of The Dead by Ian Rankin

The Naming Of The Dead
By Ian Rankin
Crime fiction 452 pages
ISBN: 978-0-316-05757-8
Little, Brown and Company
Hachette Book Group
237 Park Ave., New York, NY 10169
www.HachetteBookGroupUSA.com
www.ianrankin.net

The setting is Edinburg, Scotland, the year is 2005. And the story begins as everyone is watching for the upcoming G8 summit. Reinforcements are called in from all over the country as a few hundred thousand demonstrators have come to protest poverty aimed at the World leaders. Detective Inspector John Rebus is originally to stay on the sidelines away from the scene, but as luck would have it a routine murder investigation turns up with a clue that throws him right in the middle of things.

Rebus and his partner Clarke are on the case and due to the clues they are turning up believe they may have a serial killer. All the while tensions are running high between Rebus and Special Branch Commander Steelforth. The investigation leads to many questions of suicide or murder. Crime fiction enthusiasts will not want to miss this one.

This is an astounding 5 stars!

Ian Rankin was born in the Kingdom of Fife and graduated from the University of Edinburg. The first of his Rebus novels, “Knots & Crosses” was published in 1987. Rankin is the UK’s number one best-selling crime writer and lives in Edinburg with his wife and their two sons.
Naming of The Dead won the Worldbooks Crime Thriller of the Year Award. Ian Rankin has developed an intriguing plot that is loaded with twists and turns, and has created some very witty and memorable characters. Looking for a great read that holds your attention through to the end, that is difficult to put down and is a real page turner, then this is a must read, especially for the crime fiction enthusiasts every where.

Ladykiller by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony

Ladykiller
By Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony
ISBN: 1-933515-05-8 $23.95
Suspense/Thriller 240 pages
Oceanview Publishing

Ladykiller is the debut suspense novel by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony, the husband and wife writing team, and what a unique writing team. They have penned a novel that is a must for crime enthusiast.

The setting is the streets of New York, and the year is 1991. Four women have been murdered from all different walks of life, including a cheerleader, stockbroker, a housewife and a prostitute. Homicide detective Dave Dillion of the NYPD is on the case and must solve these murders or risk losing his job. Dave encounters a beautiful social worker by the name of Megan Morrison, the two join forces in search for the serial killer, and romance ensues.

The press is calling the serial killer “Ladykiller”. The killer has left no clues and no trail behind to follow. The murders always take place in some out of the way place where no witnesses can be found. There are never any signs of the victim being taken against her will and no signs of a struggle with their attacker, and the murders all appear to be personal in nature. Will Dave find the killer before its too late?

Lawrence Light is an award-winning journalist and is currently the Wall Street Editor for Forbes magazine. He graduated from Columbia School of Journalism and is the author of the Karen Glick novels. He currently resides in Manhattan with his wife and co-author Meredith Anthony.
Meredith Anthony has written for a variety of sources including film, television, print and the web. She graduated from St. John’s College and also received a MA from The Johns Hopkins University.

Ladykiller is an intriguing, compelling and suspenseful crime novel packed with enticing twists and turns to keep you on the edge. The authors have created a powerful thriller that tantalizes with a sense of suspense and a steady flow of action. The characters are believable, finely developed and engaging. Ladykiller is superbly crafted with vivid detail that draws you into the story.

An astounding 5 stars!

Bicycle Shop Murder by Robert Burton Robinson

Bicycle Shop Murder

By Robert Burton Robinson

ISBN: 978-1-84685-611-2

Are you looking for adventure, romance and murder? “Bicycle Shop Murder” has all of that. This is the first in the Greg Tenorly mystery series.

The book begins with the death of Sam Spokane, the bicycle shop owner, later in the book it is revealed that he only has a few months to live due to a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer, so why would someone want him dead now?

The setting is Coreyville, Texas, a small town where everyone knows everybody. Greg Tenorly is a divorced music teacher, leads the choir at church, and is a marriage counselor, it all starts when a beautiful red head by the name of Cynthia Blockerman, vice president at First State Bank comes to see Greg. Cynthia is in her late 20’s and is married to Troy Blockerman, she has come to see Greg as her marriage is in trouble, her husband drinks a lot, is abusive and she finds herself in a loveless marriage. Troy’s normal routine is coming home from work, drinking beer and watching TV until he passes out in the living room. Cynthia usually sleeps in the marital bed alone, which is completely fine with her as she is afraid of Troy especially when he has been drinking.

As the story continues, Greg Tenorly finds himself being called up for jury selection and is then picked and called upon to be a juror in the murder trial of Sam Spokane. Little does Greg know what troubles lay ahead for him? The troubles all begin when one Buford Bellowin a high powered attorney in Dallas wants the black man accused of murdering Sam Spokane found innocent. Greg and Cynthia are thrown together and both their lives are in danger, there have already been several other murders relating to the murder trial, a witness for the prosecution has had a terrible accident and died, one of the jurors is murdered, and the wife of the bicycle shop is murdered. Who is committing these murders and why? Who will be the next target?

Greg and Cynthia are starting to piece together the murders and who is committing them, they think maybe a hit man or maybe 2 different hit men, after driving to Dallas to see Buford. On the way back to Coreyville, they discover they are wanted for murder, and they have a killer after them, things are going from bad to worse. Will they be murder victims or will they be found guilty of murder? You will want to find out the answer to all these questions.

Although the book has a few errors and typos, it is very well written. The characters are believable and common people that you fell as if you know them. “Bicycle Shop Murder” has enough action and intrigue to keep you turning the pages. Robert Burton Robinson has done a wonderful job of bringing murder, mayhem and romance all into one book. I am anxiously awaiting the next one in the series.

Murder Off the Books by Evelyn David

Murder Off the Books

by Evelyn David

Echelon Press Publishing

ISBN 13: 978-1-59080-522-0 $12.99

A definite 5 star whodunit

Do you enjoy a mystery with suspense and a touch of humor? What about a loveable hound? And how do you like your murder mysteries? With a Whiskey Chaser? If so “Murder Off the Books” is for you, it has it all. This is the first in the Sullivan Investigation Mysteries, and with this writing duet, hopefully many more to follow.

Mac Sullivan is a private eye, and a former DC cop who frequently visits his friend’s funeral home in order to pick up whatever vehicle is available at the time so he can conduct his stake outs with his loveable Irish wolfhound Whiskey. Mac has used vehicles ranging from a hearse to a pest control van which seems to be used frequently by him. Rachel Brenner is 42 and is recently divorced, she meets Mac Sullivan while he is staking out her house and following her to her new position at a funeral home. Mac and his sidekick Whiskey are looking for Rachel’s brother, Dan who is a suspect in the embezzlement of money and the murder of his boss. Rachel joins forces with the attractive Mac Sullivan and his loveable assistant to help prove her brothers innocence. Of course to add a little fun Mac’s wolfhound Whiskey hates cats and as luck would have it Rachel has a cat who also hates dogs.

Rachel finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation when her brother comes up missing and is a primary suspect in his bosses’ murder. Rachel finds herself being able to manage and cope in ways in which she never expected, but before the end of the investigation, Rachel is finding herself in conflict with not only the killers but also with Mac Sullivan. Will Mac Sullivan find the half million that is missing? Will Rachel’s brother Dan be cleared? Or did Dan take the money and kill his boss?

Murder Off the Books has fast paced action, a strong plot throughout; it provides witty believable and memorable characters. And it contains a loveable Irish wolfhound named Whiskey that has a taste for fast-food. This is such an exciting and fun book and the first in the series, I’ll be sure to pick up each one to follow in this series.

This read combines suspense, mystery, and humor and is packed with twist & turns, as well as plenty of surprises along the way. It is a real page turner and demands to be completed. I highly recommend this for everyone, a must read, I honestly can’t wait for the next one. So if you want a whodunit that contains non-stop action and humor look no further.

If Truth Be Told by Lynda Fitzgerald

“If Truth Be Told”

By Lynda Fitzgerald

Five Star, June 2007

ISBN: 1-59414-568-7

“If Truth Be Told” by Lynda Fitzgerald, WOW, I loved this book, this story touched me so deeply, this is an emotional and a great read.

The story is told through the eyes of one of the main characters “Christie”. The setting takes place between Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach, and the story begins in August of 1961. Christie is the youngest of the three O’Kelly sisters, and is 14 years old when she meets the boy of her dreams. His name is Todd, soon to be her step cousin. Her Uncle Jack is marrying Carly, Todd’s mother. After falling for Todd she decides to put away her teddy bear, which from time to time she takes back out of her closet for comfort. After four years of dreaming about her future with Todd, she is devastated from a letter to her aunt and uncle revealing that Todd is married.

The story progresses through eight years; Christie comes home to find that Todd had been to her place looking for her. Todd is determined to win Christie back, but Christie wants no part of being hurt and lied to again. Todd offers to be there for her as a friend due to her uncle’s illness, she does not believe him and calls her uncle, and it is true, he is sick.

They are thrown together time and again due to her uncle’s series of medical conditions. Christie finally gives in due to Todd’s persistence. They become engaged, and then suddenly her uncle dies.

Christie is confused she though he was doing better, and Carly’s behavior and actions around her are very different, almost as if she feels guilty about something. Christie is determined to find out the truth, she does not believe her uncle’s death was natural. So she begins asking questions, prodding for the truth, but is afraid this will be the end to her relationship with the man of her dreams.

The author mixes romance and a touch of mystery. The plot is intriguing, the characters are believable, and the story has vivid details. In my opinion the writing as a whole can have no blemish thrown its way. The story will tug at your heart and will bring tears to your eyes.

A fascinating read, I could not put this one down, highly recommended, a definite 5 star read.

Deep Storm by Lincoln Child

Deep Storm
byLincoln Child
Doubleday
http://www.doubleday.com/
ISBN: 978-0-385-51550-4 $24.95

Do you enjoy a intriguing techno-thriller? Are you a sci-fi fan? The setting is in an Exploratory and Recovery Facility sixty miles off the coast of Greenland and two miles below the Atlantic Ocean. The facility is a cutting-edge research station which is twelve decks high and is surrounded by a titanium dome. The name of the facility is Deep Storm, which was designed to excavate the remains of what was believed to be the ancient civilization of Atlantis, what will they really uncover?

Peter Crane is a former naval physician who has been summoned to the facility in order to contribute his unique expertise in diagnosing rare diseases. Crane is sent to investigate a mysterious disease which is attacking the crew, but first he must agree to the high secrecy before he boards the submarine and is off to the facility. The mysterious disease is affecting the crew/workers both physically and psychologically, the symptoms are diverse, which include nausea, irritability, slurred speech, disorientation, hallucinations and dangerous behaviors. So what began as an archeological dig of the century may end in disaster. As Crane begins to piece all the facts together, the base commander seems to continue to push ahead with the dig in spite of this disease, and to add to everything else that is happening there is someone out to sabotage it all.

Deep Storm is fast paced, suspenseful, and combines techno-thriller, action and adventure packed with espionage, murder, a mysterious disease and pure madness. Lincoln Child has created vivid detail and a suspenseful plot. The characters are well developed and interesting. The story begins a little slow but quickly picks up and you find yourself engaged and not wanting to put this one down. The author provides excellent twist and turns, red-herrings, and a cliff-hanger for an ending, which I am hoping will lead to a sequel as it seems to have left the door open. I have read all of Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston’s books, this was the first Lincoln Child solo that I have read, and I must admit I am hooked.

A highly recommended read, especially for all you sci-fi fans out there, enjoy.

A Dirty Business by Joe Humphrey

A Dirty Business
by Joe Humphrey
Dakarma Publishing, New York, New York
ISBN: 978-0-9787871-0-3 $11.95

Are you a crime novel enthusiast? A Dirty Business is the new debut crime novel written by Joe Humphrey, and a recommended read.

Upon recently returning to his home in New York City from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Kevin Bailey finds himself both broke and with no where to live. Kevin Bailey has a degree in criminal justice and is in dire need of a job, his friend offers a referral, and Kevin gets a position with Frank Givens detective agency. Kevin is thrown into the agency with his new boss being bombarded and up to his neck with cases. Kevin’s boss decides to give him a test case to start with which is an easy assignment involving a New York City socialite. The woman wants someone to dig up the dirt on her son’s fiancée as the woman believes she is only marrying her son for his money. The clients name is Selena Eldritch, her belief and confidence in Kevin is low from the start based on his appearance, but she confides in him anyway.

Kevin is determined to show both his client and his new boss that he has what it takes to get the job done and done well at that. Selena provides Kevin with a photo of her son Edward Eldritch and his fiancée Donna Greenwood. Kevin begins his investigation and starts following Edward in which he finds takes him hours outside of Manhattan. Kevin follows Edward to Cold Spring which is a small historical village where Edward meets with a brunette. Kevin then follows both of them into a local tavern, where he then learns that the brunettes name is Donna Greenwood. So who is the blonde in the photo? Why does Selena believe the blonde to be Donna Greenwood? What painful truths lie ahead?

As Kevin begins to dig deeper into the case he discovers some very intriguing facts. Kevin finds that the blond has been missing for a couple of years and discovers that the police have even deserted the investigation into Norma Vidon’s disappearance. Kevin keeps digging and discovers some weird obsessions in play, and dead bodies begin turning up. What seemed in the beginning to be an easy ordinarily simple assignment has now turned into a complex assignment and enough of one for Kevin to really prove himself. What else with he uncover along this path?

There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout the entirety of the book. If you enjoy a touch of romance, mystery and suspense with your crime, you will love this debut novel. Joe Humphrey has a strong imaginative plot from start to finish, and has witty, memorable characters. A true page turner and a recommended read. I am in anticipation of the next one by Joe Humphrey.