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Table of Contents

Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs

T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton

The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs

The Falls by Ian Rankin

Fleshmarket Alley by Ian Rankin

Author Spotlight: Alexander McCall Smith

The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency

The Sunday Philosophy Club

Israeli assassins and terrorists fight it out in The Messenger by Daniel Silva

The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason

Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs

A biker war is brewing in Quebec, and Tempe Brennon is right in the middle of it after unearthing three skeletons from the backyard of a biker headquarters. When nine-year-old Emily Toussaint is gunned down on her way to ballet class, and one of the skeletons might possibly be a teenage girl from North Carolina, Tempe swears she will do all she can to put the callous murders away. With lots of explanations and in depth detail about the bizarre world of biker gangs, Reichs gives her readers almost more information than is really needed. With an expertise few writers in this genre can match, Ms. Reichs always is at her best in the laboratory or in the field digging up bones. These books resound with real-world experience. That being said, this is my fifth Kathy Reichs book, and every single one features the same exact plot device of a “friend” or “relative” coming to stay with her and getting involved in the current case. Why is that? It makes me want to pull my hair out. Ms. Reichs, you got to use a different plot device, I’m begging you! This time the relative is nephew Kit who just happens to be fascinated with motorcycles while Tempe is investigating bikers. Hmm. Meanwhile her “will she or won’t she” relationship with dreamy detective Ryan is in trouble when Ryan is suddenly arrested for being a dirty cop. Overall this book is readable, but not great. *** By C.C. Moore

The latest thriller by Koontz opens with animal rescuer Amy Redwing stopping at an abusive home. We are slowly introduced to Amy through scene and dialogue--Koontz is a writer at the top of his craft here. Amy's devoted to rescuing, both humans and canines, and the reader is pulled into her world with sly persuasion. When she rescues a Golden Retriever though, Amy risks everything because she is soon the target of relentless and escalating violence.

Some readers found Amy too self-righteous. Others just got bored of all the "dog-talk". I though the novel was a bit slow but work overall until the ending...which falls flat.

The 20th installment in Grafton's series is a hands down winner. Critics are raving, and fans are cheering. In this novel, Millhone, a P.I. is faced with true evil and a battle of wits with a foe that truly gives meaning to the word "sociopath". Millhone doesn't know all this though when she calmly begins to take care of her elderly neighbor Gus Vronsky, whose been injured in a fall. When a homecare aid, Rojas, is hired, Millhone begins to suspect that Rojas is not all that she seems. The reader though is quite aware of Rojas's depths of evil since the book's point of view switches back and forth between Rojas and Millhone very effectively heightening tension! This book is not so much a mystery, as a thriller, as a cat and mouse game ensues that will leave the reader breathless. By C.C. Moore ****1/2

The Falls by Ian Rankin

Dark, gritty, and amazingly real, Rankin knows how to create a police procedural. John Rebus is the kind of character that comes along only now and then in fiction—the kind that you just know has to be a real. He might not be the first hard-drinking, rogue cop in history, but nothing about him feels derivative or cliché. The Falls starts with missing university student, Philippa Balfour. Rebus is fairly sure she is dead but how and when are the questions. Then a tiny doll is found by a waterfall by her parent’s house outside Edinburgh, and then a cryptic message sent by the mysterious “Quizmaster”—was Phillipa the victim of a serial killer? Like layers in an onion, Rebus and his partner Siobhan unravel the mysteries surrounding the missing student. Rankin doesn’t take any cheesy shortcuts, nor does he substitute flash for plot. If you enjoy police mysteries, don’t miss out on Rankin! This man is a master of this genre. ****1/2

Fleshmarket Alley by Ian Rankin

Another intricate, complicated mystery for Edinburgh cop, John Rebus. John starts this one sort of on the outs with his superiors hoping to push him into retirement. Rebus is just stubborn enough to hang around anyway, following the clues of a murdered asylum seeker through the dangerous “projects” of Edinburgh. Siobhan, meanwhile, is pulled into looking for a missing girl whose sister was raped and then committed suicide. The distraught parents come to Siobhan for help, and soon she finds herself searching for the murderer of the dead rapist as well. How these stories pull together is delicate balance that only Rankin could manage. Definitely a thinking person’s mystery and a bit slower than some of his others. ****

The Messenger by Daniel Silva

Thriller of the year!!! The second novel with Gabriel Allon, Israeli Agent/Artist, on the trail of a deadly al-Queda terrorist whose purpose is to destroy the Pope and St. Peter's Basilica in one devastating attack… and time is of the essence. Gabriel is the man who tracked and killed six of the Munich Olympics Assassins under the direct orders of Golda and has since been called upon to seek out the most deadly of the world's enemies. The pace of this 480 page thriller is so fast you will have trouble putting the book down. Daniel Silva has a wonderful gift for bringing current events and history together to create a scenario which is not so far removed from possibility. He does this with great dignity and passion and never insults the reader's intelligence.

In this story the exposure of the Saudi connection to the ever growing threat in the world is Gabriel Allon’s objective. A page turner you will not want to miss. Prince of Fire was the first of these novels with Allon and he has a newly published The Secret Servant (Gabriel Allon) out in hardback. I cannot wait to read these also... By Pat Moore ****1/2

(Note: Though the link above is for the hardback, the paperback of this book is available as well.)

THE RULE OF FOUR by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason

High praise from the New York Times prompted me to read this wonderful story. These two writers, best friends from childhood, created an odyssey of friendship, finding their niche in a world of academia, they have created a tantalizing story.

Their book grows on you as you read of the harrowing quest which four young students, becoming friends and growing up quickly, as they support each other during their years at Princeton University. Two of them are involved in solving the mysteries presented in a 500 year old book called "Hypnerotomachia". Tom is the son of a man who was defamed for his publication on a portion of the book which he felt contained deeper mysteries. Paul, orphaned as a baby, becomes obsessed with the quest presented in the papers of Tom's father, that there is a further mystery and the key is in the book. As the young men proceed on an intellectual pursuit of clues and puzzles and riddles, and stumble into the thirty year old deceit and theft of valuable documents which would lend credence to Tom's father's thesis. The characters and their friendship evolve with the revelations Paul uncovers, and the subsequent murders and disasters which they must overcome and support each other through. The book is satisfyingly intelligent with marvelous and clever characters and an amazing plot which surpasses in this reviewer's judgment, that of the Da Vinci Code. The plot must be followed step by step to understand and savor the final solutions to the problems which fall into place slowly, just as the lives of the four young men must do in their personal endeavors.

A reader will want to take their time with this book in order to fully enjoy the ironies and insights of this adventure through Princeton, relationships, mystery and mayhem. By Pat Moore (***** Pat's stars) (**1/2 for Amazon reviewers)

Alexander McCall Smith

This writer is recommended to those who like character studies more than bullets flying. Smith takes a gentle, rambling tone with his short books, all the better to savor his simple but profound prose.

website: http://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/

Brief Bio: A professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh, Alexander Smith traveled often to work in Botswana and Swaziland. He retired in 2005 to concentrate on his writing, and has published such diverse works as reference books to children's fiction. His most famous series are set in Botswana (the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency). Alexander Smith is married with two kids and lives in Edinburgh.

Tour Dates: Click Here

The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Bk 1 in series)

Precious Ramotswe is the kind of heroine that most of us like to spend time with. She's wise and trusting in her common sense as she tackles small town sort of mysteries in Botswana. She builds up a loyal clientele by tackling problems like possibly cheating husbands, daughters sneaking out of the house, and a more sinister situation of a missing boy whose hand bones might just be in the witchdoctor's bag. Though the mysteries play out gently, without the usual end of the world suspense that you might find in some mystery books, each one is a brilliant slice into the hearts and lives of the people around Precious. The African scenery is depicted with such a familiar, well-experienced air, and the main character so strong a voice, I was convinced that this had to be written by Precious herself. By Staff ****

The Sunday Philosophy Club (Bk 1 in series)

Isabel Dalhousie edits for Review of Applied Ethics magazine. She also runs a club by the same name. When it's Isabel who witnesses fund manager Mark Fraser's fall from a balcony, she feels she must investigate. She feels that she owes him something because she was the last to see him alive. Not as well received as his African series, these books do get better as they go along. This one is the slowest of the lot with much talk of philosophy and ethics and not a lot of excitement. By Staff ***

Books in the Series:

Bk 2:Friends, Lovers, Chocolate: An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery ****

Bk 3: The Right Attitude to Rain: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel (Isabel Dalhousie Mysteries)****

Bk 4: Friends, Lovers, Chocolate: An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery**** (Aug 21)

To Be Published Soon!

The Appeal by John Grisham (Author)
Release Date: January 29, 2008

7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club)by James Patterson (Author), Maxine Paetro (Author)
Release Date: February 4, 2008

Strangers in Death (In Death)by J.D. Robb (Author)
Release Date: February 19, 2008

Compulsion: An Alex Delaware Novel (Alex Delaware Novels)by Jonathan Kellerman (Author)
Release Date: March 25, 2008

The First Patient by Michael Palmer (Author)
Release Date: February 19, 2008

Dead Timeby Stephen White (Author)
Release Date: March 4, 2008

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

This is a fast-paced and compelling beginning to a fun series. I’ve read a few in the middle but I like getting to know the characters from the first. Riechs does a nice job of introducing everybody, but keeping the mystery going and the tension high. In this novel, Tempe Brennon is hunting a brutal murderer who may or may not be a vicious serial killer. She is determined to prove the links between four local women found dumped in plastic garbage bags, and will put her own life at stack to do so. On the plus side, the forensics don’t get any better than this. Riechs actually holds the job that her alter ego holds and has the degrees to back it up. She can do the lingo, and yet doesn’t lose the novice in to many techno terms. The only negative is that there are sometimes too many coincidences in her mysteries, and sort of tried and true pattern to most of them that you’ll figure out as you read along. By C.C.Moore ****

Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs

As the second book in her series takes off, I can't help but see a similar pattern emerging, especially with the old friend (this time a sister) comes to visit Tempe in Montreal. Still, the mystery really takes off midway when you get a sense that Tempe is going to go up against a creepy cult who might just be doing more than eating organic produce. Sexy Ryan is here for the ride too, and some of the action follows Tempe down to South Carolina where the balmy weather is relief from the bitter cold of Montreal. Another enjoyable, fast paced novel that only now and then verves over into the predictable. I recommend it for light reading (if you can handle to inevitable gross descriptions of body parts). By C.C.Moore ****

Our Rating System is a cumulative collection from not only our own reviewers but critical press and other booklovers. ***** A classic **** A great read *** The kind of book you can leave on a plane or pass to a friend ** Some might like this, but most don't * Universally panned and hated

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