Category: S

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Lucas Davenport, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013, S, SERIES

2013.43 REVIEW – Shadow Prey by John Sandford

Tara

Shadow Prey
by John Sandford

Copyright: 1990
Pages: 342
Rating: 3/5
Read: Oct. 8 – Oct. 16, 2013
Challenge: Off the Shelf Challenge; RIP VIII; 2013 Sequel Challenge
Yearly count: 43
Format: Print
Source: Personal copy

Blurb:  A slumlord and a welfare supervisor butchered in Minneapolis . . . a rising political star executed in Manhattan . . . an influential judge taken in Oklahoma City . . . All the homicides have the same grisly method — the victim’s throat is slashed with an Indian ceremonial knife – and in every case the twisted trail leads back through the Minnesota Native American community to an embodiment of primal evil known as Shadow Love. Once unleashed, Shadow Love’s need to kill cannot be checked, even by those who think they control him. Soon he will be stalking Lucas Davenport — and the woman he loves…

Never get involved with a cop: Lieutenant Lucas Davenport has been warning women for years, but now he finds himself on dangerous ground with a policewoman named Lily Rothenburg, on assignment from New York to help investigate the murders. Both have previous commitments, but neither can stop, and as their affair grows more intense, so too does the mayhem surrounding them, until the combined passion and violence threaten to spin out of control and engulf them both. Together, Lucas and Lily must stalk the drugged-out, desperate world of the city’s meanest streets to flush out Shadow Love — not knowing they are now the objects of his deadliest desires….

Review: This is the second book in the Lucas Davenport series.

Last year I read and reviewed the first book, Rules of Prey. I gushed and gushed about how wonderful that book was. For whatever reason, I never picked this one up (and it’s been sitting on my shelves for a long time).

Unfortunately … this one wasn’t as great as the first book. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was terrible, but it definitely wasn’t wonderful. I had a really hard time getting into the actual storyline. And that really made it difficult to push through. But I never thought about abandoning it, I was going to finish it (even if it did take me forever…). I also had a problem with Lucas’ womanizing in this installment. I knew that Lucas was a womanizer after reading the first book, but it was really bad this time around. I suppose it’s because he has a new baby girl, Sarah, with Jennifer and he had supposedly offered marriage numerous times to her (she keeps denying him), and yet he hops into bed almost immediately with his partner from New York. And he pretty much tells Lily and Jennifer that he just can’t help it. I don’t know, it bothered me. It just didn’t ring true to me.

Overall, I’m not going to be giving up on this series just yet. Mr. Sandford’s writing is really good. I think I just really had a problem with the storyline in this one. It just didn’t work for me.

Not a bad book, but not one I would highly recommend.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2013, Review Book, S

2013.31 REVIEW – Torn Apart by Marta Sprout

Tara

Torn Apart: The Abduction of Gillian Curtis
by Marta Sprout

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 327
Rating: 4/5
Read: July 13 – July 21, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 31
Format: Print
Source: Author for review

Blurb: On a night she’ll never forget, sixteen-year-old Gillian Curtis stumbles into the middle of her father’s fraudulent and lucrative scheme that puts millions of lives at stake in the biggest health insurance scam in US history – and he will kill anyone who gets in his way – including her.

Within seconds of running away Gillie finds herself kidnapped by Walter Lovett, who ironically shows her more kindness than her own father. Clearly he has no intention of hurting her – it’s her dad, Dr. Curtis, who’s the real target. Walter’s wife died becomes of him.

When her dad’s hired guns show up to take on Walter they get more than they bargained for from this retired Green Beret. With his formidable skills, Walter jumps into action and puts it all on the line to protect Gillie. Only a few steps aead of a bullet, they careen through city streets and the dark wooded hills of New Hampshire in a race to expose the truth before it’s too late and face the one man she hates the most – her father.

Review:  I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I really didn’t know what to expect from this book, but it sure wasn’t what I got from it! Let me just say that you will love, love, love Gillie’s character. She is fun, spunky, and honest. I mean, who would actually like being kidnapped? I have to say that her kidnapper, Walter, was not your typical kidnapper, but still … she was kidnapped and it was like a big adventure to her! It was hilarious in the first few pages when all that initial action happened.

Overall I felt as if this was a very good book. Anyone who reads my blog consistently knows that I am huge on character development. It is very important to me and definitely has a direct impact on my feelings on a particular book. Luckily, this book’s characters are all so awesome! Obviously we know Gillie and Walter the best, but even Lyn, Kip, and Deter felt so very real to me. Ms. Sprout definitely knows how to develop her characters, no doubt about that.

The storyline was interesting. Healthcare is obviously a big debate in America right now, and although this book didn’t necessarily revolve around that particular issue (the story really concentrated more on Walter and Gillie fighting for a change), it is a big part of this story. I honestly think that it helped the book seem so much more relevant. Walter was a good man, but he was a changed man because of what he experienced when his wife got sick. And so many people in this world get sick each and every day, and so many people do not get the healthcare that they truly need … yeah, it definitely makes this story very relevant.

The writing was good and strong. The action was non-stop and exciting. The characters were well-developed. There was some much-needed comic relief when you wouldn’t expect it (Deter’s orange flip-flops come to mind). Overall a very good book and it definitely makes me look forward to Torn Apart 2: Finding Ryan, which will hopefully give the reader some answers in regards to Deter’s story.

Highly recommended.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Grant County, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013, S, SERIES

2013.29 REVIEW – Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter

Tara

Blindsighted
by Karin Slaughter

Copyright: 2001
Pages: 376
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 25-July 6, 2013
Challenge: Off the Shelf 2013
Yearly count: 29
Format: Print
Source: Personal copy

Blurb: A small Georgia town erupts in panic when a young college professor is found brutally mutilated in the local diner. But it’s only when town pediatrician and coroner Sara Linton does the autopsy that the full extent of the killer’s twisted work becomes clear.

Sara’s ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, leads the investigation – a trail of terror that grows increasingly macabre when another local woman is found crucified a few days later. But he’s got more than a sadistic serial killer on his hands, for the county’s sole female detective, Lena Adams – the first victim’s sister – wants to serve her own justice.

But it is Sara who holds the key to finding the killer. A secret from her past could unmask the brilliantly malevolent psychopath … or mean her death.

Review: For whatever reason I have never started this series. It’s definitely a series that I’ve wanted to give a go for quite some time … and now I can say that I’m very glad that I started it (even if the last thing I need is another series!)

Overall I thought that this book had a very good storyline. I really liked how everything unfolded as the book went on. And while I had guessed who the killer was about halfway through (there are some pretty obvious clues), it was still interesting to see how Sara and Jeffrey solved the case.

So let me talk about the characters now. Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I am huge on character development. It’s a must for me. And it’s probably why I read so many books that are part of a series … you really get to know the characters when they are featured in numerous books. But I have to say that I really liked Sara’s character. Here you have a woman who has a dark secret in her past. A terrible thing happened to her and she’s done nothing but try to move on from it. But she really hasn’t dealt with it, actually, she’s just tried to put it out of her mind and only her family knows about it. That’s really a sad way to live, but understandable at the same time. I was just shocked that she had been married to Jeffrey and never felt the courage to open up to him. I can’t imagine keeping such a part of your life from your spouse. But then again, having never experienced that kind of pain, who knows how someone would really react. Either way, I really enjoyed seeing how Sara and Jeffrey interacted. You can tell that there’s still a lot of feelings on both sides, but who knows if they will ever really work out as a couple. Whatever happens, I’m interested in seeing how it works for them.

I don’t think I could ever have imagined a pediatrician also being a local coroner. The two just don’t mix for me. But for some reason, I really think it works. I think it provides a good balance for Sara’s character – she gets to have the easy, but busy, office work while at the same time gets the challenges of doing autopsies and solving murders … sounds like a good balance, right? I know it sounds funny, but I actually really liked it for some reason! Maybe I’m just that macabre, ha!

There is one thing that I was a little confused about. There was a whole lot of emphasis on the restaurant owner and his employee, and then all of a sudden that whole storyline disappeared. I didn’t ever feel like there was any conclusion to that part of the story. I know it wasn’t the main storyline, obviously, but I just felt as if things were left hanging in some way. It’s hard for me to really describe my feelings on that, but like I said, something didn’t feel wrapped up in regards to those characters.

Overall, a very good first book in what I hope will be a very good series. Highly recommended.

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2013, Review Book, S

2013.23 REVIEW – Domestic Affairs by Bridget Siegel

Tara

Domestic Affairs
by Bridget Siegel

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 310
Read: May 21-June 1, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 23
Format: Print
Source: FSB Associates for review

Domestic AffairsBlurb: When twenty-something political fund-raiser Olivia Greenley gets tapped to work on the presidential campaign of Georgia governor Landon Taylor, it’s her dream job. Her best friend in the world is the campaign manager, and Taylor is a decent, charismatic idealist, with a real chance to be a great leader. Sacrificing her sleep, comfort, friends, family, and income for a year to make the world a better place is the right call, but what happens when both Campaign Lesson #1, No Kissing the Boss, and Lesson #2, Loyalty Above All, go down in flames before the first primary?

Bridget Siegel, veteran of the John Edwards and Obama campaigns, vividly captures the idealism and chaos, as well as the emotional heat and corruption, of the candidate’s bubble. What becomes of Olivia’s best friends when she must keep from them the biggest secret of her life? Is the candidate a true romantic or a political hypocrite? How far can she go to justify her happiness? Told with savvy, humor, and delicious inside-the-Beltway detail, Domestic Affairs is a page-turning tale of love on the campaign trail – and its consequences – from a consummate Beltway insider.

Review: I received a copy of this book for review from Anna at FSB Associates in exchange for an honest review.

When I was first pitched this book I was definitely intrigued. I like political type books. I was a little unsure about the romance portion of it, though. However, I can say that it really added to the intrigue of the overall book. I suppose if I was to classify this book it would definitely be chick-lit, which is not normally my genre of choice, but it worked for me with this book.

I was a little surprised at how naive a character Olivia seemed at times. I guess I would have expected someone working a presidential campaign would have a little more common sense at times. But I suppose it would be like me trying to work a campaign – I would be in over my head! Overall though, and especially with the ending, I was definitely a big fan of Olivia’s character.

I had to seriously wonder if this book was modeled after the Edwards campaign a little bit. Siegel apparently worked on that campaign, and with everything that came out after the campaign ended … well, I can’t help but wonder a little bit 🙂

Overall, I felt like this was a solidly written, engrossing story. The characters were well-developed. It’s definitely a fun read that I would highly recommend … and not just to political fans … I think everyone could find something to like with this book.

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2013, Review Book, S, TLC Book Tours

2013.21 REVIEW – Deadly Harvest by Michael Stanley

Tara

Deadly Harvest
by Michael Stanley

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 469
Read: May 1-13, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 21
Format: Print
Source: TLC Book Tours

Deadly HarvestBlurb: A young girl goes missing after getting into a car with a mysterious man. Soon after, a second girl disappears, and her devastated father, Witness, sets out to seek revenge.

As the trail grows cold, Samantha – a new detective (and the only woman) with the Botswana police force – is reminded of a childhood friend who had gone missing, and she devotes herself to keeping the first case open. She suspects that the girl was killed for muti, the traditional African medicine usually derived from plants and sometimes animals. But recent evidence shows that human parts are being incorporated into certain potions to conjure up a supposedly more potent formula. Detective Kubu joins forces with Samantha to take the investigation to the next level.

Meanwhile, Witness is convinced that his daughter, too, was murdered for muti – for a potion to ensure an election victory for opposition leader Marumo. On the night of Marumo’s win, Witness waits outside the politician’s home and murders him before fleeing town. Now Kubu and Samantha have yet another murder investigation on their hands, and the search of Marumo’s home yields a sample of muti that confirms their worst fears: the formula includes traces of human DNA and remains.

Kubu and Samantha are thrust into a harrowing race to stop a serial killer or killers – and those who would pay for their special, lethal muti.

Review: I don’t really know where to start with this review.So I guess I should start with the one thing that is weighing heavily on my mind about this book. As a mother, I was absolutely appalled that the police just ignored the fact that they had children going missing. They didn’t have enough workers to start a search … they would begin looking on Monday. SAY WHAT!?! I was absolutely disgusted by that. In the United States when a child goes missing it is a very big deal – as it should be. The whole idea that the police would start looking in a “few days” for a child who has gone missing was a little beyond comprehension in my opinion. I don’t know if that is how things are done in other countries, but I had a very big issue with it – it bothered me a lot.

I was definitely glad when Samantha entered the picture and started actually paying attention to the fact that young girls were going missing and no one was doing anything about it. It was a definitely relief for me that someone in the book cared! I think that’s probably part of the reason why I really liked her character. I can’t imagine trying to be a woman detective in Africa! I was glad that she had the backing of Kubu – he really stepped outside the comfort zone of most detectives to be of assistance to her. And Kubu, oh what a character he is! Smart and likeable, a great combination for sure! I think I saw my favorite side of him while we were getting insight into his personal life, between him and his wife adopting Nono and the visits to his parents’ house on Sunday, we really get to see a softer side to Kubu. I really enjoyed his character.

At the heart of this book is the idea of muti – a very special “potion” of sorts that will give power to those who use it. It’s made by witch doctors and while most witch doctors use animal parts in their muti, some of the very bad witch doctors actually use human parts. When you read the author’s note at the end of the book we are told that this actually does happen. Can you imagine that? I sure had trouble wrapping my head around the fact that this is something that actually happens in parts of the world – very scary!

I think that the character development in this book was really amazing. All the characters were fleshed out nicely. I enjoyed this book, a lot more than I had anticipated, actually. I felt as if it was a great story. I didn’t even know who the witch doctor was until it was revealed at the end – it wasn’t even anyone that I had on my radar! This is the fourth book in the Detective Kubu series, but it stands very well on its own. Personally I have never read a book set in Africa. Part of the reason I accepted this book for review was because of the setting alone. I knew it would be out of my comfort zone and I thoroughly enjoyed the setting.

Overall I’m glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book, and I definitely will be on the lookout for more Detective Kubu books! I would definitely recommend this book.

Connect with Michael Stanley:

Michael StanleyWebsite

Facebook

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**This review is posted in conjunction with the TLC Book Tours blog tour. I received a copy of this book to review in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no monetary compensation and the opinions expressed here are my own.

tlc logoPlease be sure to check out the other stops on the tour:

Tuesday, April 30th: The Year in Books
Wednesday, May 1st: Between the Covers
Thursday, May 2nd: Helen’s Book Blog
Monday, May 6th: 50 Books Project
Tuesday, May 7th: Traveling With T
Thursday, May 9th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Monday, May 13th: Joyfully Retired
Tuesday, May 14th: Wordsmithonia
Wednesday, May 15th: 5 Minutes For Books
Thursday, May 16th: My Bookish Ways
Monday, May 20th: Tales of a Book Addict

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2013, Review Book, S

2013.17 REVIEW – Evidence of Life by Barbara Taylor Sissel

Tara

Evidence of Life
by Barbara Taylor Sissel

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 304
Read: March 29 – April 4, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 17
Format: Print
Source: Publicist for blog tour

20130331-102247.jpgBlurb:

On the last ordinary day of her life, Abby Bennett feels like the luckiest woman alive. But everyone knows that luck doesn’t last forever…

As her husband, Nick, and daughter, Lindsey, embark on a weekend camping trip to the Texas Hill Country, Abby looks forward to having some quiet time to herself. She braids Lindsey’s hair, reminds Nick to drive safely and kisses them both goodbye. For a brief moment, Abby thinks she has it all—a perfect marriage, a perfect life—until a devastating storm rips through the region, and her family vanishes without a trace.

When Nick and Lindsey are presumed dead, lost in the raging waters, Abby refuses to give up hope. Consumed by grief and clinging to her belief that her family is still alive, she sets out to fine them. But as disturbing clues begin to surface, Abby realizes that the truth may be far more sinister than she imagined. Soon she finds herself caught in a current of lies that threaten to unhinge her and challenge everything she once believed about her marriage and family.

With a voice that resonates with stunning clarity, Barbara Taylor Sissel delivers a taut and chilling mystery about a mother’s love, a wife’s obsession and the invisible fractures that can shatter a family.

Review: I do believe that 2013 is going to go down in the record books as the year I read the most awesome books, ever! Seriously. I just keep reading winner after winner!

So where do I start in the love-fest that will be this review? How about with this – go buy a copy and move it to the top of your to-read pile, ASAP!

For me this book started off and never let up. I was constantly wanting to know exactly what happened to Nick and Lindsey. Were they dead? Did Nick run off and take Lindsey with him? Personally I couldn’t get through the pages quick enough to find out what happened to half of Abby’s family.

Abby … oh, dear Abby. My heart broke for her character. I wanted her to have closure so badly. I know that there are a lot of families out there that never get closure, but I was really hoping that she would get it in the end. You had to pity her a little bit. But at the same time I wanted to shake her out of the funk she got in. I don’t really want to say that her character really got obnoxious, because it’s hard to tell how anyone would react in that situation – everyone grieves differently – but, at the same time it was difficult to believe that she was as naive as she was acting.

But Nick is really the character I want to talk about. I had an issue that we never really got to “know” him. He disappeared within like the first 10 pages and then everything regarding him was from other people’s perspectives, whether it was Abby, Kate, Abby’s mother or Nick’s co-workers. I understood why Ms. Sissel set the book up in the manner she did, but I felt as if Nick really never got to have his own say into what happened in his and Abby’s marriage. It would have been nice to have his perspective on a few things – was Abby really that naive or did she look the other way because it was easiest? I think it would have been interesting to see that perspective of the story. But it didn’t hurt my overall opinion of the book itself, I just think it would have been an interesting direction to have gone in.

But Kate is really the one character I did. not. like. Period. She was shady. And yet she wanted to be Abby’s best friend. She betrayed her. And yet she expected Abby to just forgive her for everything. And Abby did just that. It just irritated me, because I felt as if Kate really took advantage of Abby. I don’t know, there was just something about her that rubbed me wrong I guess.

Overall, the storyline was interesting. While the outcome was somewhat predictable, there was definitely one wild character that came out of left field in my opinion. It definitely added the twist that really helped the book to its exciting finish. The writing was excellent.

I can’t say enough about this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to anyone. It definitely makes me want to read Ms. Sissel’s previous books!

20130411-202756.jpg

**I received a copy of this book to be part of a blog tour. I received no monetary compensation and all opinions expressed are my own.

AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, NetGalley, Read in 2013, Review Book, S

2013.4 REVIEW – Resurrect by David E. Stevens

Tara

Resurrect
by David E. Stevens

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 274
Read: Jan. 8 – 18, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 4
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

ResurrectBlurb:  Preventing his burning fighter from crashing into a neighborhood, Navy Commander Josh Logan ejects…too late. Critically injured, he’s offered a new life and mission – exploit highly classified military technology to stop a global cataclysm. The price? He’ll be dead to everyone he knows.

Creating a counterfeit classified program, his team develops the world’s most powerful weapon, ostensibly to protect humanity. The more he learns, the more he questions the identity of his benefactors and reality itself, as quantum and metaphysics intersect. With no agency claiming his black program, the government closes in and he has one chance to demonstrate the weapon’s real purpose as the clock counts down to the end of humanity.

Review: I first saw this book reviewed on another blog I follow (gosh darn it – why don’t I ever write down where I read these reviews?! UGH!) I was immediately intrigued and saw that it was available on NetGalley. I was approved and let it sit on my Nook for a bit until I started it.

The book starts out with a bang and never really lets up. You can immediately tell that the author is very familiar with what he’s writing about and it makes all the technical wording work much smoother when the author can easily put it into layman’s terms.

Overall I enjoyed this book, but I did have one issue. I really never liked Josh’s character. There was just something off about him. It started with his feelings about starting a family with his wife and just continued when he “came back” in another body and how he began to treat those trying to get close to him. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain without giving away the entire book.

I also have to say that this is the first in a trilogy – I had no idea that it was part of a trilogy until I finished the book with some major questions. Oops! Oh well, it really doesn’t hurt my opinion of the book, just makes me realize I have to keep an eye out for the next book if I want to get closure 🙂

Overall this book, part military, part science-fiction, was a thrilling read that will appeal to a wide variety. And it’s been optioned for a movie – impressive for a debut. Definitely recommended.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Lucas Davenport, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012, S, SERIES

2012.27 REVIEW – Rules of Prey by John Sandford

Tara

Rules of Prey
by John Sandford

Copyright: 1989
Pages: 479
Rating: 5/5
Read: Oct. 18-Oct. 22, 2012
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense 2012; Off the Shelf 2012
Yearly count: 27
Format: Print
Source: Personal copy

Blurb: The killer was mad but brilliant.

He left notes with every woman he killed. Rules of murder: Never have a motive. Never follow a discernible pattern. Never carry a weapon after it has been used… So many rules to his sick, violent games of death.

But Lucas Davenport, the cop who’s out to get him, isn’t playing by the rules.

Review: Looking back, I realized that I have only read two books in this series – both of them more recent installments. And now that I have read the first book in the series all I can do is shake my head and wonder what is the matter with me? I loved this book. Like, love love loved. Seriously. Since having Garrett in May it’s been hard for me to get any kind of rhythm back into my reading. I’ve been reading what I’ve had to read by deadlines I’ve agreed to. But other than that, reading books off of my shelves has been a little hit or miss lately. But this book – this book definitely broke me out of that cycle! I simply couldn’t put it down. When Garrett would take his nap I would pick this book up (when I should have been doing laundry, dishes, work, etc.) and would be upset when he woke up again. Because I wanted to keep reading!

I just have to say that Lucas Davenport is a badass cop. He pretty much does what he wants when he wants to. Some of the things he did in this book, well they would be a little outside the normal boundaries. But I think that that’s what made this book feel so much more real to me. Davenport isn’t necessarily a play-by-the-rules kind of guy. He’s killed five (six?!) men in the line of duty – most cops never even pull their guns. And he didn’t have any remorse about doing what had to be done in order to catch the maddog – even if it was a little outside the lines of legal.

Now I will state that this book was originally released in 1989 – that means that things were a little dated. And seriously – who uses the word prophylactic? I had never even heard that term before! They’re condoms, people! And it wasn’t used just once – no, it was used throughout the entire book. So much so that it was a little overboard at times. Obviously there were no cell phones, no internet, no widespread computer use. (Can you imagine how hard police work must have been before the age of computers?!) It definitely ages the book, but I honestly didn’t even notice most of the time because the writing and storyline were that good.

Overall I want to hit myself upside the head for waiting so long to read this book. I have had it on my shelf since 2007 (and I know that because I actually remember buying it at the grocery story when I was first married). I can’t say enough good things about this book. If you have somehow missed this book, I highly recommend hunting down a copy and giving it a shot.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Lucas Davenport, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012, Review Book, S, SERIES

2012.10 REVIEW – Stolen Prey by John Sandford

Tara

Stolen Prey
by John Sandford

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 402
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 16– April 24, 2012
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2012
Yearly Count: 10
Format: Print
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program

Blurb: Lucas Davenport has seen many terrible murder scenes. This is one of the worst. In the Minnesota town of Wayzata, an entire family has been killed – husband, wife, two kids, dogs. One the wall, in blood: “Were coming.” No apostrophe.

There’s something about the scene that tugs at Lucas’s cop instincts – it looks an awful lot like the kind of scorched-earth retribution he’s seen from Mexican drug gangs. But this is a seriously upscale town, the husband ran a modest software company, the wife dabbled in local politics. None of it seems to fit.

Until it does. And that’s when everybody starts coming to town: the DEA, the Mexican federales, and some independent operators who are decidedly less welcome.

Where it all leads … will take Lucas into the darkest nightmare of his life.

Review: I received this book through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program. It has a publication date of May 15, 2012.

I honestly haven’t read very many of the Lucas Davenport books (even though I have quite a few of them accumulated on my shelves), but I was really excited to see this one offered on LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program. And then I was thrilled when I saw that I had managed to snag a copy. But at the same time, I was a little apprehensive. It’s the 22nd book in a series. A series in which I’ve read maybe two previous books.

But it worked out fine. This book can read as a standalone. I had very little idea as to who the characters he mentioned really were (his wife and daughter, namely), but that didn’t take away from the book whatsoever.

The plotline revolved around Mexican drug dealers, money laundering, murderers, bank fraud. Oh yeah, and murder. It all made it seem very current to today’s world. It was made very interesting when someone ended up being not who they appeared to be.

Overall, I found this book to be very fast paced and enjoyable. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012, S

2012.5 REVIEW – Don’t Scream by Wendy Corsi Staub

Tara

Don’t Scream
by Wendy Corsi Staub

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 476
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 9– Feb. 15, 2012
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense 2012; Off the Shelf 2012 Challenge
Yearly Count: 5
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy

Blurb: In a remote, heavily wooded area near the Berkshires of Massachusetts, Rachel Lorant died on her birthday. But she didn’t die alone. That night, her four sorority sisters make a solemn, trembling pledge. They will never reveal what has just happened in those woods – ever. Instead, they will take their terrible secret to their graves…

Now, ten years later, their secret is coming back to haunt them as each receives a card in the mail from Rachel: “Happy Birthday to Me. xoxo R.” It’s clear that someone knows what happened that night. Someone is stalking them and sending mysterious, chilling gifts that only they can understand – deadly warnings of what is to come. For the sins of the past have come back with a vengeance, and a killer will see that they all pay in blood…

Brynn Costello has never felt such pure fear. She didn’t want any part in what happened so long ago, but now, the mother of two will do anything to stay alive and protect her family – even if it means matching wits with a killer she can’t see … a twisted psychopath who is closer than she thinks and who is saving her death for last…

Review: This book was such a fun read! It was non-stop suspense with lots of twists and turns. When I looked back at my records, I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t read a book my Ms. Staub since 2009 … and all I can do is question what’s wrong with me?

Overall, I would highly recommend this book (and this author in general). The writing was very good. The characters are well-developed and interesting. I found it cool that Brynn and Fiona had remained friends after their college days, even though they were polar opposites!

The who-dun-it part was quite interesting to me. The killer was not at all who I thought it was going to be, which is always a nice surprise. Even though Brynn was pretty much the main character, I liked that the reader gets to hear from the other characters as well, I always find that enjoyable in a book such as this where there are quite a few characters.

I guess I don’t know what else I can say about this book. I liked it. A lot. I would definitely recommend it.