RebeccasReads

Burned

This arresting Norwegian thriller is a fun and fast but intriguing read.   In his debut novel, "Burned," Thomas Enger introduces physically scarred and emotionally damaged Juul Henning, an investigative crime reporter for internet newspaper 123News.  Hesitantly returning to work after a long absence following a fire which left his face badly burned, his young son dead, and his marriage dissolved, Juul has much trepidation facing old colleagues and old routines in the workplace.  Unsure if he still has the impetus to succeed, he quickly finds himself thick into the investigation of what appears to be a radical Muslim ritual death of a young white woman.  He is unfortunately paired to work with Iver Gunderson, the handsome and revered reporter who happens to be ex-wife Nora’s new lover.  Conflicting work style and personal jealousy heighten the tension.
The unclear “honor killing” echoing Sharia law draws attention to the Muslim community, but the unlikely victim and the implausible motive of the crime seem to draw Henning in other directions.  With tips from a resurrected source and good old fashioned gumshoe reporting, he sets out to solve the crime. The reader is provided with surprising and often incredulous twists and turns.

Like Larrson’s "Blomkvist," Juul Henning is a reporter with a troubling past out to unravel the unsolvable case.  Also a bit of a loner, he attempts to maintain journalistic integrity and avoid pulp reporting. Driven by past damage, each is set on a quest.  Both explore social issues as the basis of their stories. Enger regrettably does not develop his locale with rich description of Norway as Larrson did Stockholm, nor does he develop the tension within the complicated relationships of his major characters.  It may seem a bit unfair to compare the authors, but the obvious similarities help create that association.  With that said, Henning is really a very heartbreaking but likeable character.  He has to deal with personal demons but we root for him to succeed, to take that step closer to recovery.  He has the potential to become a recurring central character in more books to come.


Burned
Thomas Enger
Atria (2010)
ISBN 9781451616453
Reviewed by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads (1/12)

The Tesla Formula

I just finished reading “The Tesla Formula” and I must say…great book; kudos to author Nicolas Kublicki. The book’s main character, Patrick Carlton, reminds me of the main character in Clive Cussler’s books and I would say that Kublicki has definitely brought action / adventure / intrigue / espionage novels to a whole new level.

Some of you may be familiar with the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla who, for starters, brought us alternating current (AC) which is used in everyday life around the world. To put it succinctly, Tesla was a genius.

Tesla, the holder of 272 patents in 25 countries died quietly in a New York hotel room sometime during the night of January 7, 1943. His nephew, Sava Kosanovic, found him the following morning and also discovered that his uncle’s scientific papers had been gone through and that a black folder labeled “Government” was missing. Kosanovic immediately contacted the FBI who came and removed all of Tesla’s documents, papers and notes.

In 1943 our country was thoroughly embroiled in WWII and the FBI, seeking any kind of edge possible, ordered Special Agent in Charge P.E. Foxworth to review thousands of pages of Tesla’s papers. Amazingly enough Foxworth found something and it was such a significant discovery that Foxworth would only reveal it in person to the nation’s president: Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, FDR was in Casablanca meeting with Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. That didn’t stop Foxworth though; he boarded a military plane bound for Morocco but somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean the plane exploded and the secret was lost forever. Or was it?

The book’s introduction is true; the story itself is fictional however, with events from this day and age and with the author’s consistent use of real world facts and quotes “The Tesla Formula” reads like a non-fiction book. And if you want to know how it ends I suggest you get your own copy…

As for the writing… Kublicki does a phenomenal job. I daresay his words will hold readers riveted and keep them sitting on the edge of their seats; an amazingly interesting and realistic story without becoming over embellished. A solid five star read…


The Tesla Formula
Nicolas Kublicki
Rellihan Satterlee (2011)
ISBN 9780984935208
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (1/12)

Thorns on Roses

Tom Jeffries is a former member of Special Forces but now is a private investigator working freelance for a large law firm in Florida.  After saving one of the law partner’s daughters from a gang of thugs he has an ally of sorts within the firm.

When Tom’s best friend’s daughter is raped and murdered he takes the law into his own hands.  As a cop in Dallas, his own sister had been murdered and her killers allowed to go free on a technicality.  He vows this won’t happen again.

As Tom begins his plan, he calls in the debt from the law partner.  This sets off concern and Tom is “assigned” a lawyer to keep an eye on him and make sure he does nothing to embarrass the firm.  This lawyer is one of the toughest litigators in the firm, smart and beautiful.  She begins to follow Tom to try and learn about him but soon finds that she is falling for him.

While she suspects what he is doing she doesn’t completely want to know.  He falls for her and doesn’t want to lose her because of his mission.

The plot is well fleshed out and the storyline is superb in "Thorns on Roses."   I truly enjoyed meeting the characters and seeing them come to life.  There were a few hokey lines here and there but they almost served as comic relief.  The love twist was well written without being too sappy or crude; very well balanced.

This is a very enjoyable book and I look forward to reading more from the author, Randy Rawls.


Thorns on Roses
Randy Rawls
L&L Dreamspell (2011)
ISBN 9781603183758
Reviewed by Melissa Koltes for RebeccasReads (3/12)

Murder under the Microscope

   “There was a dead body in my office.
     It wasn’t mine, and I didn’t put it there.
     I found it when I got called in for a frozen section at the ungodly hour of five o’clock in the morning.
     Hurrying into the office, I tripped and damn near brained myself on the corner of my desk.  The desk lamp fell over on me.  That, plus my hangover, nearly did me in.
     I picked up the lamp and switched it on.
     On the floor lay the body of a woman in tight white pants and a red tank top.  Long, black hair fell over her face, obscuring it, but there was no doubt in my mind who it was.  My first instinct was to run right back home and crawl under the covers.”  (p.1)

These are the words of Dr. Toni Day, a pathologist at Perrine Memorial Hospital in Twin Falls, Idaho.  A month prior to the incident above, a new doctor had been brought in to fill in for another physician who was out for medical reasons.  This doctor, Dr. Sally Shore, has other plans besides simply doing her job.  She has it out for Toni and tries to ruin her reputation.  Little did Toni know what was about to lie ahead of her.

Written in a short paragraph and short chapter style,“Murder under the Microscope” is a very fast-paced read that will hold your attention.  I found the main characters to be quite intriguing.  I really enjoy medical mysteries, and “Murder under the Microscope” was no exception.  The author, Jane Bennett Munro, M.D., like the main character Toni, is a pathologist.  This fact lends quite a bit of credibility to the novel and I enjoyed the inside look into the day-to-day life of a person in this profession.  This “realness” definitely added to the story in a positive way and it would have been very difficult for an “outsider” to this profession to write this book in such a believable and compelling manner.

If you are a fan of medical mysteries, I recommend putting Munro’s “Murder under the Microscope” on your reading list.  This is Munro’s first novel, but I expect that we will be seeing more books from her in the years to come.


Murder under the Microscope
Jane Bennett Munro
iUniverse (2011)
ISBN 9781450298629
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (2/12)

The Lost Angel: A Novel

International best-selling author, Javier Sierra, is a native of Madrid, Spain and his work has been translated into thirty-five languages. The crux of his novels centers on religion and spirituality --- with his latest release, "The Lost Angel," being no exception to this rule.

What if mankind had discovered a way to open up a line of communication directly to God? Sounds farfetched, but that premise is what drives the latest historical/spiritual thriller by Javier Sierra. Dr. John Dee lived under the reign of England’s Queen Elizabeth in the 1500’s and was lauded for his scientific knowledge as well as his mastery over the occult arts. Among his many controversial writings, Dee claimed to have opened up a pathway into the world of angels. The question that surrounds all of this is: “What in the world could any human say that would be even mildly interesting to God?”

Dr. Dee possessed stones, known as adamants that were allegedly a gift of the angels. These stones that were forged in heaven may still exist today and that fact will drive certain parties to extreme limits to possess them --- the U.S. Government being no exception. Julia Alvarez, a Spanish historian, is searching for her missing husband, Martin Faber. Faber is a climatologist and former NSA operative and he may be in possession of these aforementioned adamants. These stones have biblical significance as they were supposed to have been originally stolen from Eden and God himself attempted to destroy them --- along with most of mankind --- with the Great Flood.

With stories existing world-wide about the search for Noah’s Ark, Alvarez and Faber both realize that their missions will lead them to an area around Mt. Ararat that alleges to house the remains of Noah’s Ark. This in and of itself would be a discovery of global proportions, but the rival teams seeking this artifact are more interested by what might still remain inside Noah’s Ark!

Julia learns that the Bible foretold of a third Fall from Grace, found within the writings of the Book of Enoch. Julia and her group find Faber and his alleged captors and join together in their search. They are matched by the intensity of the U.S. Government and a secret agency answering only to the President who seeks to claim the adamants before they bring about this biblically forecast disaster that could mark the end of life on earth as we know it.

The U.S. mission --- known as Operation Elijah --- are in a race against the clock as predictions of the adamants calling forth global extinction appear to be a frightening reality. Who will find and possess the adamants? What will happen once they are found? Is this effort all in vain and is mankind simply doomed to live out biblical prophecy? The pages keep turning in this quick-moving thriller that never lets up. Javier Sierra is well-researched (as evidenced by the lengthy glossary of terms at the end of the novel) and knows how to keep the intensity level at high right up until the last page is turned.


The Lost Angel: A Novel
Javier Sierra
Atria Books (2011)
ISBN 9781451632798
Reviewed by Ray Palen for RebeccasReads (12/11)

Half Past Dawn

Richard Doetsch has turned his career as a real estate executive on its ear, and as his hobby is writing terrific historical-based thrillers which has now propelled him to the upper echelons of this genre.  With two of his prior novels already being optioned for major motion pictures, his latest release "Half Past Dawn"is a stand-alone thriller that pulls out all stops and continues his successful streak of addictive novels.

Jack Keeler’s world slowly comes to life at half-past dawn one morning and he finds himself placed within a situation that he cannot explain.  He gazes in the mirror to find a seriously wounded face, a poorly stitched up shoulder wound and an intricately designed tattoo of indecipherable script covering his forearm.

He also does not find his wife, Mia, where she should be in bed beside him.  Mia is an FBI agent and as he limps towards his phone to call her he is met with the shock of his life.  The daily paper features a front-page story exclaiming that New York City District Attorney Jack Keeler is dead.  The article is accompanied by a photo of a mangled guard-rail, highway covered in skid marks and the bridge that Jack and Mia’s car supposedly tumbled off of.

When Jack’s friend and mentor, Frank Archer, stops by he is met by a frantic Jack who shows him the newspaper story. Together, Jack and Frank attempt to jog Jack’s memory of the prior evening and piece together the short-term amnesia filled moments that are just out of Keeler’s reach.  With Mia being a CIA agent and Jack a prominent D.A., the list of those who might want to harm them is endless.  Where to begin?

Jack and Frank begin their own private investigation under the radar of authorities and taking full advantage of the fact that everyone thinks Jack is dead.  As more and more memories become clear to him, Jack starts filling in the missing pieces of the previous night and at one point confronts the man whose actions caused their near-fatal car crash.

The only problem is that, once Jack kills this mysterious villain, he rifles through his jacket to find an ID along with a badge claiming the stranger to be one Steven Gallagher, FBI agent.  What have Jack and Mia gotten themselves into?

Jack’s world is further turned upside down when he receives a phone call from Mia’s alleged kidnappers.  The frightening thing is that the voice on the other end of the phone belongs to Nowaji Cristos --- a convicted terrorist that Jack prosecuted.  Unfortunately for Jack, knowing the identity of his enemy does not help him in this case as he watched as Cristos was executed via lethal injection the previous year.  Cristos at one point says to Jack: ‘Nothing is as it seems.  Remember this, death is not always final, not always permanent; death is never the end.’

I advise all readers of this twisting Pandora’s Box of a novel to keep that quote in mind as a very real quandary is laid out.  Is Jack dealing with a villain who can indeed cheat death or is he himself suffering from a mass delusion brought on by a brain tumor he has been battling?  Once this realization is proposed nothing is truly as it seems and "Half Past Dawn"  will take you into situations you will not see coming.  A fine job by Richard Doetsch as he once again has written a fast-paced thriller sprinkled with international intrigue and historical mysteries that keep things hopping until the very last page.

Half Past Dawn
Richard Doetsch
Atria Books (2011)
ISBN 9781439183977
Reviewed by Ray Palen for RebeccasReads (11/11)

Currents of Deceit

Recently I was asked to review “Currents of Deceit” by author Ronald Perkins. After reading the provided synopsis I immediately agreed as “Currents of Deceit” sounded like it would be a good book to say the least. When my copy arrived I scanned the front and back before sitting down with it a day or so later.

The premise of “Currents of Deceit” is as follows: Scott Simmons, a marine biologist who hails from a small town in Indiana now works with the Florida Fisheries Commissions and lives in Key West. Once a week Scott visits the local fish market to examine the freshly caught ocean fish looking for harmful parasites or anything else that might cause these fish to be unfit for human consumption. The vendors are never happy to see Scott because they know if he finds any sort of contamination he has the legal authority to stop their sales.

Linda Stevens, a marine biochemist and Scott’s girlfriend decides to run some tests on Scott’s latest samples and look for POPs: Persistent Organic Pollutants. Neither of them expects her to find anything; they both know she’s just killing time while waiting for Scott to finish his own tests. However, when her tests are done the results are…sobering. Linda has definitely found high concentrations of PCBs in Scott’s deep water fish samples. PCBs are polychlorinated biphenyls; things like pesticides that don’t degrade quickly and don’t stay in one area. Needless to say both Scott and Linda are horrified by her discovery and they quickly work on finding experts to verify their findings and help them figure out what they need to do from this point.

I’m not going to give away any more of the book; suffice it to say that “Currents of Deceit” is a great book and well worth reading. While “Currents of Deceit” is a fictional story, in today’s world of seemingly endless oil and other contaminant spills, this book hits home hard.

Kudos to Perkins for a fast-paced, well-written and interesting book. The plot / storyline is realistic; the characters are believable and the message contained within “Currents of Deceit” is one that we all need to hear.

Currents of Deceit
Ronald Perkins
Independent Publisher Services (2011)
ISBN 9781450724791
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (11/11)

Sleeper’s Run

“Most people ignore the homeless man stumbling along the boardwalk.  The few that notice him do so with usual disdain.  But to the most observant, it soon becomes clear that there’s something out of place about this man.  His tall body looks strong and athletic, instead of the usual emaciated bag of bones one can find perched on a street corner asking for spare change.  The man’s wrinkled shirt and jeans aren’t ill-fitting donations, but quite stylish; just like his watch and shoes.”  (p.1)

This man turns out to be Eric Caine, who has been reported missing for eight days after a car accident.  He is a veteran suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Shortly after he is found, he has an encounter with a gentleman in a bar that will change his life forever.  The employment offer he receives from this meeting has him eventually relocate to Venezuela, his former homeland.  From here, the action begins as he discovers he is being tailed.

I found “Sleeper’s Run” to have an interesting plot and intriguing characters. Mosquera does a good job with character development, most particularly with the main character, Eric Caine.   I was drawn in right away to the story in the opening pages and my interest was held throughout.  I did find some areas of the book to be a little choppy though.  There just seemed to be some hiccups in the smooth flow of the plot.  Other than that minor distraction, “Sleeper’s Run” is a book that fans of suspense and espionage should enjoy.

Sleeper’s Run
Henry Mosquera
Oddity Media LLC (2011)
ISBN 9780615505442
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (11/11)

The Pirates of Aden

“Suddenly, he heard footsteps and grunting above him and felt the blood return to his brain.  He kept his eyes up the hole.  A dark limp body was dropped through the hole just missing Sami.  He looked at the body, the dark fatigues and the dark skin.  It was Ali.  Sami held Ali’s body in his lap, wanting to comfort him but he immediately felt his soaked clothing.  Blood.  Oozing – no pouring- from somewhere in his chest.  The momentary relief Sami had felt was now replaced with fear and guilt.  Why had he agreed to bring Ali with him?  He was too young, too inexperienced.”  (p. 31)

This excerpt comes from the opening scenes of the book when Sami, his nephew Ali, and others are in the process of hijacking the Stebelsky, a cargo ship passing close to the coast of Puntland, Somalia.  This incident onboard the ship links the pirates and Dr. Paul Alban together as they seek treatment at his clinic.  Dr. Alban has a past, which while he has attempted to forget, may just be brought back out and threaten his future.

In “The Pirates of Aden,” Rasic has a fast moving, gripping work.  I was drawn into the story right away and while the subjects involved in the book were not ones that I usually choose to read about, I found that I enjoyed the novel.  I enjoyed the relationships among the characters and the plot twists and turns throughout the book.  This is Rasic’s first novel and overall for a debut novel he did a great job.  I look forward to watching his writing progress in future works.

The Pirates of Aden
Daniel Rasic
Wings Press, Inc (2011)
ISBN 9781613099926
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (10/11)

The Safehouse

Detective Jessica Warren, is a fervent defender of abused women and children.  She is often called to domestic disturbances and tries (often in vain) to help the women put their husbands in jail or at least get them to a shelter and out of danger.  She is a good cop but sometimes her idea of justice is more in lines with vigilantism than judicial.

From time to time, Jessie must take the victims from the shelter to a secure safehouse that no one in the police force knows about.  This is a secret place where the women can feel safe from their abusers but they don’t know that the women that run the safehouse have a talent for helping the problem permanently disappear.

The story was interesting but the writing left much to be desired.  The dialogue felt forced and choppy.  Often the conversations were so unnatural that it became difficult to read.

The reader never discovers any real information about the women that run the safehouse; aside from Cassandra has traveled and was abused.  We never find out how she learned her “skills” or any background information to help with character development. The relationship between Jessica and Joe goes from an uncertainty about having lunch to being in love within two dates; based on the entire premise of the book this seems ridiculous.

While I appreciate that most everyone in the book is trying to help the abused women and not victimize them, it appeared the majority of the characters believe they should decide right and wrong rather than allowing the system they represent run its course.  They destroy evidence, ignore glaring discrepancies, and manipulate crime scenes.  This made it a bit difficult to cheer for the good guys when everyone appears to be a criminal.

" The Safehouse" has the potential to be a truly good book but due to the issues with the writing and the storyline it was just okay.

The Safehouse
T. Thomas Ackerman
Outskirts Press (2011)
ISBN 9781432775247
Reviewed by Melissa Koltes for RebeccasReads (10/11)

Middle Time

Mysteries in English written by Indians are few and far between. Though Indians enjoy the courtroom antics of John Grisham or the techno wonders of Michael Crichton, we have a hard time accepting such works written by our fellow countrymen...or women.

As an aficionado of legal thrillers, I have been on the lookout for legal thrillers written by my countrymen. I thus found out thrillers written by Parameswaran Nair, Dr. L. Prakash and those written by lawyer Aditya Sudarshan. While Parameswaran Nair regaled in Perry Mason pastiches; it was Grisham who inspired Dr. Prakash in his novels. However, a historical legal thriller like the ones popularized by Bruce Alexander or Steven Saylor written by Indian authors never caught my attention… till date. I have been enamored by the works of Lindsey Davis whose protagonist was Marcus Didius Falco, a real life Roman lawyer of the 1st century AD; and by that of  Steven Saylor whose protagonist is the famed Roman lawyer and orator Cicero. I was intrigued on reading about “Middle Time” and I simply had to read this book…simply because it was the first historical legal thriller from India. I had not much expectations from this book and I thought that it would be a simple pastiche of the Saylor- Lindsey Davis novels.

But I was proved wrong in all respects. The author has created a novel that stands on its own right by all respects. I would call it even remotely inspired by any of the historical mysteries out there. For one thing, instead of placing the entire novel in history itself- the author does something creative and takes the protagonist Lawyer Maya (and along with her the reader) back to the past. Maya is a part and parcel of history and that of the present. Past and present are interwoven in this finely written novel. Maya is enquiring into the mysterious death of her client Thulsi when she catches hold of a very old book. The said book transports Maya back into time to 16th Century AD India. It’s a period of religious bigotry, a time of turbulence, a time of fear…a fear of death. Here Maya meets Achale (who is sort of an alter-ego of Maya). Achale is investigating into the mysterious death of a woman named Thulasi. And the death of Thulasi seems to be connected with the death of Thulsi 500 years down the lane.  What follows is suspenseful narration at its pristine best, culminating in a finish that’s just exhilarating.

I sort of felt like I am reading the courtroom version of “Back To The Future” series. That feel good exhilarating feeling that one gets after seeing the said movie is felt throughout this book. Maya is a gusty heroine, and the blurb informs us that Maya will soon be back in the novel “Brahma's Time.” I sure would be reading the said novel; and I wonder if Maya’s adventure would take us to the future of India????

Middle Time
Priya Vasudevan
Niyogi Books (2011)
ISBN  9788189738709
Reviewed by Narayan Radhakrishnan for RebeccasReads (10/11)

Virion

James R. Templer’s novel, “Virion,” opens with the following thought-provoking passage:  “Like people, viruses come in many sizes and shapes.  Like people, some viruses are harmless; some are menaces; some are deadly.  The root of the word virus means toxin or poison.  There are those among us who are pure poison – whose thoughts are as toxic as cyanide.  And toxic thoughts at some point poison the soul until it is dead and dried up like the shed skin of a snake.  That’s when toxic thoughts turn to poisonous acts; that’s when the thinkers become destroyers – disciples of Satan some might say.  They may be right- after all, a virion is but a disciple of the virus.”  (p.4)

The main character in the book is Alexander who possesses psychic abilities which he uses to help identify criminals.  Through the course of the novel, we learn how he came to have these visions and how he corrals them in his mind and depicts the individuals on paper.  Having these abilities does not come without a price though.  Alexander not only finds himself the target of Virion, but everyone around him is also threatened.

One thing I found interesting is that Templer’s protagonist has a similar background to the author himself, most notably the Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing.  I enjoy when authors give their characters familiar backgrounds, as I know that they are knowledgeable in the areas of which they write and it gives a more real feeling to the book.  Although I don’t know much of the Galveston, TX area it does appear that the author is quite familiar with the locale.  I think that this book would be a very enjoyable read to those who are familiar with or live in that area.  It is always fun to read books set in places that you know well.

The suspenseful novel moves along at a fast pace with never a dull moment.  The 303 pages flew by and I didn’t want the book to end.  “Virion” was filled with an interesting, unique cast of characters who were developed very well.  I thoroughly enjoyed Templer’s mystery and I am hoping he has plans for more in the years to come.

Virion
James R. Templer
Black Rose Writing (2011)
ISBN 9781612960203
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (05/11)

Red, White & Boom

Karl Puttlitz, author of “Red, White & Boom” has quite the unique background.  He holds “…a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering.  He is widely recognized and has received many prestigious awards for his pioneering innovations spanning four decades and utilized in many of the world’s most advanced computers.  His activities have resulted in over forty published inventions and the authoring of numerous articles in scientific journals.  Additionally, the author is a nationally recognized forensic metallurgist having been retained in over 150 litigation matters …” (inside back page of dust jacket)

The main focus of “Red, White & Boom” centers on a Rapid Intervention Team that is sent to Russia to help recover stolen nuclear material.  After reading about his intriguing scientific background I was curious to see how that would translate into a work of fiction.  I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself learning many details about things that I had previously known little to nothing about.  Throughout the novel, Puttlitz goes into great detail when describing certain processes and things.  For instance, near the beginning of the novel there was an analysis performed on some cigarette butts that were retained as evidence.  The reader learns about the different tests run on them (such as looking for nitrosamine, BaP, DahA, and amino acid content) to help identify what kind they are.  This in-depth look at various processes is what makes Puttlitz’s novel a unique work of fiction.

If you are interested in learning more about all things nuclear as well as other elements of science and technology all infused into a fictional suspense novel then I believe that you will enjoy “Red, White and Boom.”  I did find some parts of the book to be predictable; however, I enjoyed the inside look into a world that I wasn’t very familiar with.

Red, White & Boom
Karl Puttlitz
Adventure Street Press (2011)
ISBN 9780984491001
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (07/11)

All Cry Chaos

Henri Poincare has everything, a successful career as an Interpol Agent, a beautiful and successful artist for a wife, a brilliant son, lovely grandchildren, a vineyard to retire to, a case to close.

A brilliant mathematician is blown up by a bomb in his hotel room, while preparing for a presentation at a convention.  The explosion is so exact that only the one room is destroyed.  Who would want to kill a mathematician?

Along the way, the reader learns of a war criminal sitting in the Hague, waiting for his trial.  This man ordered the mass murder of all the men and boys in the village just for being Muslim.  The horror that Henri sees when they discovered the mass grave is fierce and raw.  The criminal almost got away with it but Poincare chased him and ripped him out of the quaint life he had reinvented for himself and put him where he belonged.

However, now that man wants revenge and Henri’s family is his main target.  Poincare is determined to protect his family.  But you can’t protect everyone all the time.  The aftermath leaves him a shell of his former self but hell bent on revenge.

As he plots his moves he begins to find that all the lines in his life have intersected and in order to get any semblance of normalcy back he must figure out who killed the mathematician. 

"All Cry Chaos" is a non-stop, amazingly written book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  The ending was original and clever. There were bits where the explanations got a bit difficult to follow but it was obvious these descriptions were necessary to allow the story to move on.

 I look forward to reading more stories from Leonard Rosen…he has a gift for storytelling.

All Cry Chaos
Leonard Rosen
Permanent Press (2011)
ISBN 9781579622220
Reviewed by Melissa Koltes for RebeccasReads (09/11)

Wired

I just finished reading my copy of “Wired” by author Douglas E. Richards and…wow, what a riveting read! To sum up in one sentence or less…Richards is an amazing writer. “Wired” is an enjoyable yet gripping read that keeps you on the edge of your seat and the book’s characters practically jump out of the story and into your living room. Did I mention that Richards holds a master’s degree in molecular biology? I’ll be honest; having reviewed books by other authors who also hold degrees in the scientific field, I was initially concerned that “Wired” might be dry, long-winded and tedious. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to find that “Wired” was anything but boring and I was extremely impressed to find an author who could incorporate a subject like molecular biology into a fictional tale and wind up with a book as well-written and interesting as “Wired.” As an aside, even though this particular book is not labeled as science fiction, I do believe that Isaac Asimov himself would be complimentary about Richards’ subject and writing technique.

About the book… Kira Miller, one of the main characters in “Wired,” is a brilliant genetic engineer. And by brilliant I mean brilliant. She graduated from high-school at sixteen, received her BS in molecular biology at nineteen and then went on to obtain a Ph.D. in molecular neurobiology from Stanford at the tender age of twenty-three. Kira’s intentions in her field, and with her research, are initially for the betterment of mankind. She learns how to achieve short-term “savant-like” capabilities, and using herself as a test subject, she is able to temporarily increase her brain’s ability to think, reason, and create. However, this advancement is not without a price…

David Desh, the book’s other main character, has left the US Army’s Special Forces division after being forced to watch his team being brutally tortured and murdered while stationed in Iran. Not knowing what to do with himself after he retired; David joined an executive bodyguard service but gets recalled to duty for one final mission: find Kira Miller who has put together a bio-terror plot that threatens the entire planet.

I’m not going to give any more of the story away… If you want to know what happens then I suggest that you read the book – it’s definitely well worth it…

In closing I give “Wired” a five-star rating and place it in the “must read” category.

Wired
Douglas E. Richards
Paragon Press (2011)
ASIN: B005C4XVYG
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (9/11)

You're Next

Young Mike Wingate was abandoned by his father, seemingly for no reason, at the early age of four.  Found by authorities, he is sent into a foster home where he is surrounded by similarly unwanted and broken young souls all seeking love and answers.

During his time there, he befriends a fellow foster child by the name of Shep and these two ‘brothers’ form an interesting bond.  "You're Next" then jumps forward to current day where Mike Wingate owns his own construction company and has built a successful life for his family --- wife Annabel and young daughter, Kat.

Suddenly, strange things begin happening to Mike.  He feels like he is being followed and watched all the time.  He also begins receiving strange phone calls and threatening text messages with eerie quotes like ‘you’re next’.  Who is following Mike and what do they want?  It is these questions, and the inevitable sins of the past taking revenge on the present that drives the rest of the story.

Mike hires a private investigator to not only try to uncover who is after him but also to see if this has any connection to his early childhood abandonment.  Above and beyond this, Mike needs to know who his parents were and why they got rid of him.  After having been subjected to such a horrific incident at an early stage in his life why are there still forces out there looking to terrorize Mike Wingate further?

To complicate matters, Mike’s old foster brother Shep suddenly appears.  He is now an ex-con with a questionable track record.  Mike chooses to believe and trust in him and confides to Shep about the strange things happening to him.  Shep and the P.I. (Hank) are the only people willing and able to help Mike Wingate as some seriously dangerous killers after him for unknown reasons.  Even more disheartening is the fact that local law authorities do not take Mike Wingate seriously or seem to want to help him at all.

The premise established by "You're Next" is intriguing, but not a new one.  The rest of the story plods on with barely any suspense and the ultimate payoff is rather a letdown.  This is surprising because Greg Hurwitz has had a pretty nice career writing thrillers and novels as well as for television (he single-handedly almost saved the recent ABC series “V” when he was brought in to write and co-produce it).  "You're Next" is a mediocre suspense thriller at best.  Here’s hoping Greg Hurwitz’s ‘next’ effort is more in line with his potential.

You're Next
Greg Hurwitz
St Martins Press (2011)
ISBN 9780312534912
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Rebecca's Reads (7/11)

Exiles: A Novel

In Cary Groner’s debut novel, “Exiles,” recently divorced cardiologist Peter Scanlon picks up and moves with his 17-year old daughter Alex to Kathmandu.  They are traveling across the world so that Peter can volunteer in a free health clinic.  He encounters many disturbing things throughout his stay such as lack of medications, terrible diseases, and instances of sex trafficking.  Throughout the course of their time there, Peter and Alex develop relationships with both the natives and also with other workers from other countries.  There is a lot of exploration and much to learn for both of them.

One storyline in the novel focuses on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. Peter and a Tibetan Buddhist lama discuss their different perspectives on a variety of issues.  It is interesting to see the varying viewpoints.  The author has spent more than fifteen years studying Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and his knowledge of the subject matter is quite apparent in the writing at hand.  

I was surprised after reading “Exiles” that this was Cary Groner’s debut novel since it seemed quite professionally written.  Then, I read on to see that Groner did actually have an extensive writing background in journalism, had a MFA in fiction writing, and also had won numerous awards for his short stories.  His literary experience definitely shows as “Exiles” is a very well-written novel.

I found the characters in “Exiles” to be quite likeable.  The level of compassion that the main character Peter exhibits is quite commendable.  I also liked this glimpse into an area of the world that I previously knew very little about.  Groner’s “Exiles” is full of suspense and adventure, but also an extremely thought-provoking work.

Exiles: A Novel
Cary Groner
Spiegel & Grau (2011)
ISBN 9781400069781
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (08/11)

The Ice Princess

The greatest contribution the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson made to the world was opening the doors for several other Scandinavian authors to enjoy similar international acclaim.  Larsson’s  “Millennium Trilogy” (consisting of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”, “The Girl Who Played With Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest”) are still atop the best-seller’s list worldwide and have been made into a successful series of Swedish films (and soon to be American versions directed by David Fincher).
Along with fellow authors like Hakan Nesser and Henning Mankell, Camilla Lackberg has joined the fray.  Already dubbed “The Swedish Crime Queen”, Ms. Lackberg has turned her career as an economist into best-seller stardom all due to taking a course in creative writing that changed her life.  She has been publishing top-selling fiction in Sweden since 2005 and is now beginning to enjoy similar success in the U.S.  Her novel, "The Ice Princess", was originally released in her home country in 2008 and already has received international acclaim.
What makes her series of novels so popular --- they feature the unique pairing of authoress Erica Falck and her husband, Detective Patrik Hedstrom.  In "The Ice Princess", Ericka is drawn into the alleged suicide of a childhood friend named Alex.  Those who know Alex best insist this is not a suicide but cold-blooded murder (she was found in a bathtub full of blood).  Toxicology reports support that there may have been a poisoning involved and now everyone in Alex’s world is a suspect.
To further complicate matters, Erica has decided to base her next novel on the life of her old friend, Alex.  Having lost touch with her for many years, Erica has a good deal of ground to make up.  As her research begins --- initially speaking with family members, her husband, neighbors and friends --- Erica is able to piece a few things together.  First and foremost, Alex may have been having an affair with a mysterious lover.  Secondly, Alex was pregnant when she died --- and the child is NOT her husband’s.
Simultaneous to Ericka’s quest for the perfect expose/novel, Detective Patrik Hedstrom is heading up his own investigation as part of the local Police Department.  Unfortunately, Patrik has to battle with his head-strong boss who wants a slam-dunk conviction (and a good deal of the credit for having neatly solved the murder case).  When the wrong man is initially apprehended and imprisoned, Patrik must go toe-to-toe with his boss to release this suspect who Patrik knows with confidence is not the murderer.  Now, Patrik must race against his own team to secure enough clues and evidence to lead the way to the true killer.
It is when the paths of Erica and Patrik cross that the action of "The Ice Princess" truly picks up.  Separately, they have had slow and steady success in their respective cases.  Their combined resources, however, prove to be far more formidable.  The pair begins to delve into the dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of the small Swedish town known as Fjallbacka --- and they are not at all prepared for what they will uncover.  Some secrets should remain hidden and darkness inhabits certain residents of this town that may be claiming more than just Alex as a victim of their evil deeds.
What Camilla Lackberg does best is using a great deal of ‘economy’ in her language and this allows for a quick read that permits the reader to instantly enter the world she has created and relate intimately with each of the characters she has depicted.  After devouring "The Ice Princess" I’m confident most readers will want to read more from Camilla Lackberg.  As more of her work becomes available stateside I can only hope that the word of mouth about this talented author takes flight!

The Ice Princess
Camilla Lackberg
Pegasus Books (2011)
ISBN 9781605980928
Reviewed by Ray Palen for RebeccasReads (6/011)

Trader of Secrets

Reviewed by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads (7/11)

This is another installment of Martini’s legal thrillers featuring defense attorney, Paul Madriani, his law partner Harry Hinds, and friend/lover/cohort Joselyn Cole.   As the story opens, Paul’s very faithful and very hulky private investigator Herman Diggs is lying in the hospital critically wounded from an encounter with a hit man with the handle of “Liquida.”  Leaving him to die, the assassin barely escaped with his own life.  Now he is on a vendetta to avenge Madriani, by hunting down and killing his daughter Sarah and then killing him.

This thriller has a history from a previous novel and unfortunately it doesn’t fully materialize with enough information for a new reader.  We learn that Liquida has killed Sarah’s friend, but not why.  We also learn that he is after Sarah who is under protection at her aunt and uncle’s farm in Ohio.  On an early morning run on the property, he stalks and attacks her,  but thanks to the efforts of her dog, she escapes, but not without making a visual identification.   She is then placed in an FBI safe house.

Paul, Harry and Joselyn are on a quest to end the assassin’s reign of terror and soon find them in the center of an international conspiracy.  Two US scientists are selling information on a combined NASA and the DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) development venture to a ruthless arms merchant.  Not only are they threatening national political security but they are releasing dangerous plans for a weapon of mass destruction. This technology poses untold danger to the entire world.

What was a personal mission to pursue a killer becomes a hunt leading the three on an expedition from Washington to California, onto Thailand, Paris and Mexico.  No longer is this simply a pursuit to bring to an end Liquida’s vengeance on them, but to race against time to stop the “trader of secrets.”

Although I enjoyed this fast-paced thriller, I had hoped that Martini would have revealed more about the back stories of each of the characters earlier in the novel.  The characters I presume have been fully developed in previous books and other than just occasional catch-up paragraphs, a new reader can’t get a good sense of who these people are and why they are in the position they are in. A lot of “why” questions remain unanswered. It makes it very difficult to connect to or have empathy toward anyone.  That does not mean to say one cannot recognize the good guys from the bad and hope for a good outcome for the obvious heroes, but the story would be all the more impacting on the reader if he had built an emotional connection with them.

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Reviewed by Narayan Radhakrishnan for Rebecca's Reads (6/11)

Steve Martini’s “The Guardian of Lies” gave a new dimension to the series character- lawyer Paul Madriani. The local gritty defense attorney suddenly became an international lawyer. His international exploits continued with “The Rule of Nine”…and I believe it has reached its zenith with “Trader of Secrets”. The villain Liqueda is also back in fine form in this novel.

Till now, Liqueda was a professional rival…an evil guy who has to be brought to book by Paul Madriani, the lawyer. But what would happen if Liqueda begins to target Madriani’s near and dear ones. The fight becomes personal, and that’s what happens in “Trader of Secrets.” Following the tension filled moments of “The Rule of Nine”, Sarah Madriani is kept in safe custody away from prying eyes. But Liqueda is close by and soon Sarah falls into his clutches. Attorney Madriani, in the meanwhile is in Paris in search of a NASA Scientist whose name was found in Liqueda’s safe. But they learn he has  been killed and that some NASA secrets might have fallen into wrong hands. Now its upto Madriani to save his daughter and also his country. We know that Madriani would be successful- but how he powers his legalese to good use forms the background of this novel.

Though this is a solid, 100% guaranteed edge of the seat read…. I yearn for a traditional Madriani thriller- the old ones like “Undue Influence”, “Compelling Evidence” etc. scintillating and pulsating criminal legal action in its pristine form.

A grand international legal thriller- but not a courtroom thriller.

Trader of Secrets
Steve Martini
William Morrow, Harper Collins (2011)
ISBN 9780061930232

Diva

Susan Fleet’s “Diva” is set in post-Katrina New Orleans in 2006.  Belinda Scully, a flutist, and as the title accurately describes, a diva, is being stalked.  On October 12, 2006 her manager pulls her into New Orleans Police Detective Frank Renzi’s office claiming that someone tried to run Belinda down with a vehicle.  Belinda tries to brush it off but more and more things keep happening to her.

She has some secrets in her past that she has not made known and is also an extremely superstitious person.  She avoids the number thirteen like the plague.  She will not travel on the 13th, will not stay in a hotel room that has the number 13 in it, etc.  Will she come to terms with the fact that someone is stalking her?

Besides the more upscale music world, Fleet also takes the reader into the trenches as we see the crime and squalor that exists in New Orleans post-Katrina.  Another character in the book, Chantelle, is a 15 year old, who is homeless.  She gets picked up after a convenience store robbery and we get a glimpse of the terrible, intimidating conditions that she is living in.  In “Diva,” these two distinct worlds become intertwined.

This is the first of Fleet’s novels that I have read.  Apparently this is the second book in a series with the main character being New Orleans Police Detective Frank Renzi.  Renzi is a very likeable, well-developed character and an excellent person to center a series on.  In fact, all of Fleet’s characters are well-developed and intriguing in their own right.

Fleet’s “Diva” is a very engaging book and is full of action.  If you enjoy psychological suspense novels, or are interested in the music world, “Diva” would be a wonderful choice to add to your reading list.  I look forward to reading more Frank Renzi novels in the future.

Diva
Susan Fleet
Lulu Press (2011)
ISBN 9781257802807
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (07/11)