Camilla Lackberg - The Ice Princess

8. The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg (2009)
(Originally Published as: Isprinsessan) (2003)
The Patrik Hedstrom Series Book 1
Length: 394 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 26 January 2015
Finished: 28 January 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 August 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Camilla Lackberg is a new author for me.

After struggling biographer Erica Falck's parents pass away, she returns to her hometown of Fjallbacka, Sweden to attend their funeral. What she finds is a town in crisis; and a community on the brink of inexplicable tragedy. The apparent suicide of her childhood best friend Alexandra is the catalyst.

Erica actually discovers the frozen body of her one-time friend in an ice-cold bath with her wrists slashed. At first glance, it does appear that Alex took her own life - yet Erica is still confused. The friendship between herself and Alex may have drifted apart as they reached adulthood, but surely, Alex would never have become so desperate as to commit suicide, would she?

At the behest of Alex's parents, Erica tentatively agrees to write about her childhood friend. She conceives of writing a book about the beautiful but remote Alex, one which will strive to answer questions about their shared past and lost friendship. As Erica's interest slowly develops into an obsession, her investigation only stirs up even more unanswerable questions...

Meanwhile, local detective Patrick Hedstrom is following his own suspicions about the case. But it's only when Erica and Patrik start working together that the truth begins to emerge about this small town with a deeply disturbing past. And it seems that even after all this time, what is hidden still has the power to cause immeasurable pain and tragedy...to everyone.

I must say that I absolutely loved reading this book. I thought this story was beautifully written and I felt that I got a true taste of Sweden through Ms. Lackberg's writing style. The plot was dramatic, well-developed and it kept me guessing about who were possible suspects right through to the end. In my opinion, Camilla Lackberg is an extraordinary writer and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author sometime very soon. I would give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Lawrence Sanders - The Sixth Commandment

7. The Sixth Commandment by Lawrence Sanders (1978)
The Commandment Series Book 1
Length: 312 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 22 January 2015
Finished: 24 January 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 14 August 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

The Bingham Foundation is a corporation that assesses the grant applications of scientific researchers. Samuel Todd is the corporation's field investigator, tasked with finding out all he can about Gordon Telford Thorndecker, Nobel Prize-winning doctor and resident darling of Coburn, New York. The good doctor Thorndecker is the head of a combined research facility and rest home for the elderly, affluent, and infirm in Coburn, and has recently applied for a million-dollar research grant.

Dr. Thorndecker has impeccable scientific credentials; his project - to investigate the "cellular clock" that controls the normal life span of human beings - seems entirely credible and worthy of support; and despite the rumors and occasional rabid gossip-monger - the whole town of Coburn is rooting for its most famous resident. 

Samuel Todd's mission is basically to get background information about the eminent Dr. Thorndecker. Deep background information: Samuel has to "assess the intangibles, things known only to the applicant's priest, psychiatrist and/or mistress. As a suspicious romantic, Samuel is too young to have seen it all, but too old to expect the best of this world. 

But is it possible that his suspicions are getting the better of him? It's perhaps in the way the residents of Coburn stare past his shoulder while praising Dr. Thorndecker to the skies; or what he learns about the doctor's seductive young wife, Julie, and her not-so-secretive activities; or perhaps when he discovers that a patient at the rest home was buried rather suddenly in the dead of night, deceased, according to the death certificate, of simple heart failure. Whatever the cause, Samuel Todd is already mightily suspicious of this case, and his feelings only grow worse after he arrives at his hotel on a stormy night, and discovers a typed two-lined message waiting for him at the desk. The note is short, cryptic, and straight to the point: "Thorndecker Kills."

I really enjoyed this book and must say that I found it to be very indicative of Lawrence Sanders' work - incredibly suspenseful and quite dramatic. Mr. Sanders is perhaps one of my many favorite authors, and I have read quite a few of his books, although the first book from the Commandment Series that I've read. I would certainly give The Sixth Commandment by Lawrence Sanders a very strong A!

A! - (90-95%)
    
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Dennis Lehane - Moonlight Mile

5. Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane (2010)
The Kenzie and Gennaro Series Book 6
Length: 324 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 15 January 2015
Finished: 16 January 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 22 August 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed Mystic River by the same author in the past.

Twelve years ago, private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro were brought in to investigate the disappearance of four-year-old Amanda McCready. The toddler had suddenly vanished from her Boston neighborhood late one night, and her family feared the worst. Desperate pleas for help from the child's aunt had led them to take on the case - one of the toughest of their careers - and despite risking everything, the pair finally found the little girl. Against their better judgement, the investigators had to return little Amanda to the custody of her neglectful mother and a broken home.

Now Amanda is sixteen - and gone again. A stellar student, brilliant but aloof, she had seemed destined to escape her troubled upbringing. Yet Amanda's aunt is once again knocking at Patrick Kenzie's door, once more fearing the worst for the little girl who has blossomed into a striking, clever young woman - a woman who apparently hasn't been seen in weeks.

Haunted by their memories of the past - and determined to do something to settle their consciences - Patrick and Angela revisit the case that has troubled them the most and which, even after all this time, has stayed with them. Their exhaustive investigation leads them into the darkest depths of the criminal underworld - a world of identity thieves, methamphetamine dealers, a mentally unstable crime boss and his equally demented wife, a priceless, thousand-year-old cross, and a happily homicidal Russian gangster. This is a world where motives and allegiances constantly shift and where the slightest mistake can prove, or most likely will prove, fatal.

In their desperate fight to confront the past and find Amanda McCready, Patrick and Angela will be forced to question if it's possible to do the wrong thing and still be right or to do the right thing and still be wrong. As they face an evil that reaches beyond broken families and broken dreams, they discover that the sins of yesterday don't always stay buried and the crimes of today are the ones that could end their lives.

Mareena had chosen this book for me at our August Library Book Sale jaunt because she knew how much I had enjoyed reading Mystic River by Dennis Lehane. In my opinion, this particular book just wasn't for me. While I certainly found it to be well-written, fast-paced and jam-packed with drama and action, I must say that the Russian Mob is really too much for me. I'm sure that there are some readers who enjoy reading that type of story; however, I am definitely not one of them. I would give this book a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tami Hoag - Deeper Than the Dead

119. Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag (2009)
The Oak Knoll Series Book 1
Length: 542 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 9 December 2014
Finished: 11 December 2014
Where did it come from? From my mailman's wife who was getting rid of some books.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 September 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Tami Hoag is a new author for me.

California, 1985 - Four children - running through the woods behind their middle school - literally stumble upon a gruesome discovery. Partially buried in a shallow grave and covered by wet leaves is the body of a young woman, her eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken for her students as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn't realize is that this discovery will also effectively mark the end of innocence for the entire community of Oak Knoll, as the ties that bind both friends and families are tested by the secrets uncovered in the wake of an apparent serial killer's escalating activity.

FBI investigator Vince Leone, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is tasked with interpreting those recently revealed secrets. He's using a new technique known as profiling - to develop a theory of the case; a strategy that pulls him ever deeper into the lives of the four children, and brings him closer to the young teacher whose own interest in recent events becomes as intense as his own.

As each new victim is found and the media scrutiny of the investigation intensifies around them, both Investigator Leone and Ms. Navarre wonder if those who suffer the most are the victims themselves - or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is actually a cunning, calculating psychopath; capable of such horrific brutality.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The plot was very exciting and dramatic; jam-packed with action, and filled with enough twists and turns to grab my attention right from the beginning. I was completely engrossed by the story and found that it just wouldn't let me go.

Despite having one or two books by Tami Hoag on my bookshelf already - although I don't think I could tell you where either book actually is at the moment - Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag is the first book that I've read by this author. I would give Deeper Than the Dead a definite A+! and will certainly keep my eyes open for more thrillers by Ms. Hoag to read in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes - What Lies Beneath

112. What Lies Beneath by Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes (2002)
Harlequin Feature Anthology: September 2002 - (The Road to Hidden Harbor/Remember Me/Primal Fear)
Length: 378 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 24 November 2014
Finished: 25 November 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 22 November 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes are new authors for me.

She climbed back in her car, shoving her hair away from her face. "I'm going to find you, Michael O'Flannery," she murmured. "I'm going to find your ghost and everything I can about you. Just watch me."

Twenty years ago, an extremely talented and rising poet disappeared without a trace in the woods of Maine. Over the years rumors about his mysterious disappearance abounded, from the mundane to the fantastic; but nothing was ever proven. Now English professor Molly Ferrell has come to Hidden Harbor, Maine to write his story, and to find out what really happened to Michael O'Flannery.

She opened her eyes and stared at him. "Nathan?" His name came out in a husky whisper.
"I'm here."
She touched her hand to his. "Help me. Please help me."
"Do we know each other, Jill?"
She didn't answer, just closed her eyes and seemed to fade into a semiconscious state.

Dr. Nathan Duncan is curious about the mysterious young woman who just came into his emergency room as a patient. He's inexplicably drawn to her and is sure that he's met her somewhere before, but isn't sure where. Running from her jealous husband, Jill Jacobs is determined to hide her true identity. But can she keep the man she once loved in the dark forever? 

The woman began to run, dropping the bucket of shells she'd been collecting. As she drew closer to the body, she slowed. Her hand went to her mouth to stifle the scream as she saw the terrible damage that had been done by sharp, vicious teeth. For a long moment she stared at the body, and then she turned away and ran, retracing her steps to the beach cottage she owned on Pirate Harbor and the telephone that would bring the sheriff.

A badly mutilated body washes up on the Florida shore. Was this a victim of another shark attack...or something else entirely? Marine biologist Libby Phillips isn't quite sure. What she does know for certain is that modern-day pirate - and suspect - Chad Watson is distracting her from her work in more ways than one.

I must say that I enjoyed this book very much. In my opinion, all the stories contained in this anthology were very well-written, and as examples of the romantic suspense genre, each story was really quite good. The first story - The Road to Hidden Harbor by Anne Stuart - was the story that interested me right away, and was why I asked Mareena if I could read this book first. 

It took me one day to read the first two stories in the anthology - The Road to Hidden Harbor by Anne Stuart and Remember Me by Joanna Wayne. Both stories were great - although in my personal opinion, perhaps more focused on the romantic subplots, rather than the mysteries. Primal Fear by Caroline Burnes was also quite enjoyable. It was a quick read for me, and I appreciated that the romantic subplot was less pronounced in this final story. 

Overall, I would say that What Lies Beneath by Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes deserves an A! This was certainly a great anthology to showcase the work of three of the top romantic suspense authors within the genre: Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes.

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Karen Robards - The Senator's Wife

109. The Senator's Wife by Karen Robards (1998)
Length: 388 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 11 November 2014
Finished: 14 November 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 September 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed The Midnight Hour by the same author in the past.

Ronnie Honneker likes the idea of being Senator Lewis Honneker's wife much more than she actually likes being married to him. She may prefer the status of her marriage: the power, the prestige, the wealth, the comforts and beautiful things that such a marriage provides, but for Ronnie it is also an acutely lonely marriage. For she is the second wife. Married to the Honorable Lewis Honneker, a man twice her age who is wealthy, successful, and revered by the voters in his home state of Mississippi.

What the public doesn't know is that this pillar of the community is actually quite fond of engaging in casual indiscretions. Now he is running for re-election and his lovely young wife is expected to stand beside him. Though she is publicly scorned as the woman who broke up the senator's first marriage, Ronnie does her best to promote her husband's re-election campaign. Yet her husband is not the man she thought he was, and although long accustomed to it, Ronnie despises the strain of the campaign trail - especially the constant facade and total lack of privacy.

The glamorous political life can't make up for the emptiness deep in her heart, a dark space which she fears will never be filled. Until political strategist Tom Quinlan enters the picture. Hired to soften Ronnie's public image, Tom prides himself on his work, never mixing business with pleasure. Solid, quietly handsome, the quintessential southern boy-next-door, he is called in to enhance Senator Honneker's campaign and he takes his job very seriously.

To him, Ronnie is a job. Certainly a challenging one; but remaking Mrs. Honneker's public image is nothing more than a routine assignment to Tom Quinlan. Ronnie Honneker is perhaps one of Tom's most challenging assignments - she is difficult to direct, and can definitely test any man's patience. So why does he find himself unable to stop thinking about her? Her flowing auburn hair, her long, perfectly muscled legs, those inviting chocolate-brown eyes? Tom has never allowed himself to surrender to such feelings...until now. 

Ronnie never expected to find love again; and certainly not with a man like Tom Quinlan. However, as much as she may try, she just can't ignore the desire that Tom ignites in her or the newly-awakened passions that he inflames within her - feelings she'd once thought were gone forever. And she knows that the tempers flaring between them are just a cover for their barely contained passions. Together they discover that love and politics make uneasy bedfellows as they must contend with their developing attraction to each other, a swarm of snooping reporters, and a public which is growing increasingly suspicious of their relationship.

Yet when the senator is found murdered and Ronnie is accused of the crime, only Tom believes she is innocent. Now the two must work together to uncover the senator's sordid secrets; as the Honorable Lewis Honneker died while in the midst of a particularly sticky scandal. But as the stakes rise, they learn that they must watch their backs. And follow their hearts.

While I certainly enjoyed the plot of this story; in my personal opinion, there was an overly heavy focus on the romance of the plot. Whereas I perhaps would have appreciated fewer graphic sexually explicit scenes in the story - I prefer for the romantic scenes to be left up to the reader's imagination more often, I suppose - I really enjoyed the mysterious part of the plot. Overall, I would give The Senator's Wife by Karen Robards a B+! 

I think that I have at least two more of Ms. Robards' books on my bookshelf that I'd be interested in searching out and reading sometime in the future, but for right now it's not imperative to me.  

B+! - (89-94%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Brian McGilloway - Gallows Lane

105. Gallows Lane by Brian McGilloway (2008)
The Inspector Benedict Devlin Series Book 2
Length: 340 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 30 October 2014
Finished: 31 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 August 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Brian McGilloway is a new author for me.  

It's summertime in the Irish borderlands, and the Donegal summer dawns surprisingly hot for Garda Inspector Benedict Devlin. Inspector Devlin returns to the border separating Donegal from the North of Ireland, waiting for a notorious ex-con named James Kerr to return home on early release. He claims to have found God while in prison, but Superintendent Costello - the superintendent of police, isn't taking any chances with the born-again Christian's fount of newfound grace. Inspector Devlin's orders are to escort him to the northern side of the border and make absolutely certain that he stays out of the superintendent's jurisdiction.

When a young woman is found beaten to death at a building site in what appears to be a sexually-motivated killing, Benedict is distracted from his assignment of keeping tabs on James Kerr. Inspector Devlin's investigation into the murder soon leads him to a local bodybuilder and steroid addict. But as the body count increases, with each murder more gruesome than the last, the born-again ex-convict is found nailed to a tree - crucified.

Increasingly torn between his young family and the rigors of his job, Benedict is determined to apprehend the killer - or killers - before they strike again, even as the carnage begins to jeopardize those he cares about most. Taking its title from the name of the road down which condemned Donegal criminals were once led, Gallows Lane is a virtuoso piece of writing from crime fiction's most exciting new talent. It is a sharp, modern thriller, a stunning second installment in Brian McGilloway's Inspector Benedict Devlin Series; and a heart-stopping follow-up to his acclaimed debut Borderlands.

I really enjoyed reading this book; I immediately liked the character of Inspector Benedict Devlin, he seemed like such a nice person. I also enjoyed the various mentions of the towns in Ireland, it really brought back some wonderful memories for me. If I had one issue with Mr. McGilloway's story, it would be that there were so many characters involved, that I had just the slightest trouble keeping all their names straight in my mind. However, that might be because of my own personal reading concentration. Overall, I would give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Gillian Galbraith - Blood in the Water: An Alice Rice Mystery

91. Blood in the Water: An Alice Rice Mystery by Gillian Galbraith (2007)
The Alice Rice Mysteries Series Book 1
Length: 194 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 22 September 2014
Finished: 24 September 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 August 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Gillian Galbraith is a new author for me.  

At thirty-five years old, Alice Rice is a police detective with the Edinburgh Police Department. She is smart, savvy and eminently capable at her job. When she first entered the police department, Alice was a fresh-faced optimist, convinced that she could make a difference in the world. These days, while she remains optimistic, that feeling has dimmed somewhat in the face of all she has seen, leaving her severely disillusioned and very lonely. 

Amid her own personal and private battle, Alice must solve several grisly murders of professional people in Edinburgh. As the body count begins to rise, she races against time and matches wits with an implacable, faceless killer; someone who is targeting the affluent area of New Town, and who seems determined to make certain members of Edinburgh's professional elite pay dearly for what they've done.

Blood in the Water is Gillian Galbraith's debut novel and what a debut it was! This story was very well-written, and I really liked the character of Alice Rice. The plot was surprisingly refreshing and very Scottish. When I was younger, I often visited Edinburgh and reading this book just brought back such good memories of my travels. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and give Blood in the Water by Gillian Galbraith an A+! I certainly will keep my eyes open for more books to read by this author.

A+! - (96-100%)
       
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Scott Turow - Presumed Innocent

90. Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow (1987)
The Kindle County Legal Thrillers Series Book 1
Length: 421 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 19 September 2014
Finished: 22 September 2014
Where did it come from? From my mailman's wife who was getting rid of some books.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 September 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Scott Turow is a new author for me. 

Kindle County's chief deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich, has recently been asked to investigate the murder of one of his colleagues, Carolyn Polhemus. The only thing that his boss, the chief prosecuting attorney, Raymond Horgan, doesn't know is that Carolyn and Rusty were having an affair at the time of her death. Since Prosecutor Horgan is in the midst of a vicious re-election campaign, his opponent - Nico Della Guardia would like nothing more than to find proof that Raymond Horgan is somehow unfit to be Kindle County's chief prosecutor.

As he nears forty, both Rusty's marriage and his career seem stalled; almost stagnant. His wife Barbara seems so uncaring and cold - actively avoiding Rusty as much as she can. Subsequently, he focuses all his attention and energies on his son Nathaniel, and his desperate, unhappy love for Carolyn. Rusty's investigation fuels his fantasies of what might have been between Carolyn and himself, although he makes very little progress in finding the killer.

Citing the slowness of the murder investigation, and using the fact that the Prosecutor apparently can't find the murderer of someone who worked in his office, Nico gains more popularity in the polls. Claiming that Kindle County deserves a change in its office, he handily wins the election. He then sets his sights on prosecuting Carolyn Polhemus' murderer - in the case of the People versus Rozat K. Sabich - who is known as the chief deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich.

Now, Rusty is put on trial, facing possible conviction for the most terrible of all crimes. This is a stunning portrayal of one man's all-too-human, all-consuming fatal attraction for a passionate woman who is not his wife, and the story of how his obsession ultimately endangers everything he loves and values - eventually putting everything on trial - including his own life.

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow reveals a shocking world of betrayal and murder, as well as the hidden depths of the human heart. It's a story that will alternately hold you spellbound and will haunt you...long after you have turned the final page and reached its shattering conclusion.

I must say that this is actually the first book by Scott Turow that I've ever read, although I do have several more on my bookshelf. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I was absolutely dying to know how the story turned out. Although this was somewhat heavy reading for me in parts - with such a strong focus on politics and a very detailed look at the intricacies of the prosecutor's office - I still enjoyed the story immensely and give the book a definite A+!

I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. Mareena reminded me that I had actually received the book fairly recently, after we noticed that the 1990 movie adaptation starring Harrison Ford and Brian Dennehy was on television several days ago.

A+! - (96-100%)
              
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Nancy Bush - Hush

87. Hush by Nancy Bush (2011)
Length: 426 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 12 September 2014
Finished: 15 September 2014
Where did it come from? From my mailman's wife who was getting rid of some books.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 September 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Nancy Bush is a new author for me.  

In the summer before their senior year, Coby Rendell and her classmates take a beach trip together. While this group were technically friends, they didn't necessarily consider themselves the best of friends; the teenagers' fathers had all been friends since high school, and were always hopeful that their children would have equally strong friendships with each other. So it was that around a campfire one foggy June night, Coby, Rhiannon, Yvette and the others find themselves sharing their darkest secrets; just before a tragic accident shatters the bond between them...

Twelve years later Coby attends a birthday party reunion that ends in horror when Yvette's sister's lifeless body is found in the hot tub. Soon other tale-tellers from that original group meet with similar fates - unfortunate 'accidents' that are shrinking their number one by one. Someone seems to be taking the saying: "Cross your heart and hope to die," dead seriously...

Increasingly conflicted by her growing feelings for the investigating detective, Danner Lockwood, Coby races to unravel a mystery buried deep in the past. But someone is watching her every move - someone who is prepared to kill again and again to protect a shocking truth...

This was the first book by Nancy Bush that I've ever read. Actually, I'm not quite sure how to grade this book, overall. It was certainly very well-written, I just found that there were so many characters that I had trouble keeping all the names straight. 

I thought that the mystery was incredibly convoluted and I had some difficulty getting into the flow of the story. The book was enjoyable in parts, but I had certain niggling issues about the plot that never completely resolved themselves in my mind. I may read another book by this author in the future, but I give Hush by Nancy Bush a B+! I'd be curious to see how others who have read this book found it - did you enjoy the story, or did it not quite live up to your expectations?

B+! - (89-94%)
             
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Barbara Vine - The House of Stairs

78. The House of Stairs by Barbara Vine (1988)
Length: 282 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery 
Started: 18 August 2014
Finished: 20 August 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 August 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Who is the sad, reflective narrator and what mysterious illness does she suffer from? What is the strange hold that the tall, dark woman named Bell has over her, and whatever happened at the carefully described House of Stairs in London that sent Bell to prison? The answers are gradually revealed as the intricate knots of this mystery are untied. 

The narrator of the story is a middle-aged novelist named Elizabeth Vetch who, ever since she learned of her grim heritage at age fourteen, has lived under the threat of inheriting the fatal disease known as Huntington's chorea, which she refers to as "the terror and the bore." Years before, during the late '60s and early '70s, she and Bell and several other vibrant people lived in the House of Stairs, owned by Elizabeth's recently widowed, newly Bohemian aunt Cosette. The story begins with Elizabeth's chance sighting of Bell; someone whom Elizabeth hasn't seen in fourteen years. 

Remembering their past friendship, Elizabeth feels compelled to understand her own reawakened emotions, as well as the events that initiated her and Bell's parting and caused both Cosette and Elizabeth untold pain. Despite "all the terrible things" that passed between them, Elizabeth makes overtures to rekindle their friendship, with terrifying results...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; although, the story being told entirely in flashbacks was slightly confusing to me. I was so eager to know what happened, that being pulled into a flashback scene was at times a little annoying. I still would give The House of Stairs by Barbara Vine - who is actually Ruth Rendell - an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)    

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Karen Young - Kiss and Kill

72. Kiss and Kill by Karen Young (2000)
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 5 August 2014
Finished: 6 August 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 28 May 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Karen Young is a new author for me.

For the past twenty years, Anne Atwood has lived a storybook lifestyle under the glare of Washington's political spotlight. As the wife of a prominent and charismatic United States senator from Texas, she's considered one of the capitol's premier hostesses, entertaining in their posh homes and raising their lovely daughter. Then comes the devastating plane crash that leaves Anne a widow - and brings a sinister stranger out of the shadows, determined to collect an old debt.

In order to uncover the stalker's identity, Anne must delve into her husband's past - and she discovers that some secrets are deadly. Desperate to protect herself and her daughter, Anne seeks help from journalist Ian McKay, a man whose own reputation is tainted by tragedy and scandal. Unwilling to trust him, yet with nowhere else to turn, she fears for her life - and her sanity - because ever so slowly, the truth is coming out...

The entire country knows her husband's name; and someone knows his darkest secret. And as Anne Atwood's picture-perfect life unravels, she begins to realize that for the past two decades of marriage, she has unwittingly been living a lie - one that might ultimately kill her.

As I've said before, Karen Young is a new author for me and Kiss and Kill is the first book of hers that I've read. Mareena had gotten this book as a 'just because' gift for me in May of 2013, and it only took me a little over a year to actually read it! Anyway, I thought that this book was well-written and had an intriguing plot - although, in my opinion, it was just the slightest bit simplistic. Overall though, I give Kiss and Kill by Karen Young an A! and would certainly recommend this book to other readers.

A! - (90-95%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Lois Paxton - The Man Who Died Twice

61. The Man Who Died Twice by Lois Paxton (1968)
Length: 159 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 17 June 2014
Finished: 18 June 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 5 November 2000
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Lois Paxton is a new author for me.

Shortly after her beloved husband is killed in car crash, Charlotte Mason begins to realize that someone is trying to kill her. Since she is unable to go to the police, Charlotte turns to the only two men who she believes can help her: Martin, the taciturn accountant who handled Harry Mason's business affairs, and Philip, the pleasant young man who lives upstairs.

While neither man trusted the other, Charlotte trusted both of them - until something happened that led her to suspect that one of them might be a cold-blooded killer. The question was, which one? And why?

Lois Paxton is actually one of three pseudonyms that Lois Dorothea Low (née Pilkington), wrote under. She was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1916. She worked briefly in insurance and then became a literary agent. She was also a fairly prolific novelist who wrote for a period of 21 years, from 1962 to 1983. Ms. Paxton is technically classified as a romance novelist; although I prefer to call her a Gothic romance novelist.

According to her bibliography, Lois Dorothea Low began her writing career in 1962 with Isle For a Stranger, written under the pseudonym Dorothy Mackie Low - she wrote a total of seven novels under that particular name; under the pseudonym Lois Paxton, she wrote four books starting in 1968 with The Man Who Died Twice. As Zoë Cass, she wrote three books starting with Island of the Seven Hills in 1974. In 1983, she contributed to the Woman's Weekly Fiction Series Omnibus Vol. 6 No 3, along with fellow authors Juliet Armstrong, Margaret Redfern and Briony Tedgle.

She actually was elected the fifth Chairman of the Romance Novelists' Association from 1969 to 1971; as well as a former Vice President of the organization. She died on 8 November 2002. She was 86 years old.

I must say that I enjoyed reading The Man Who Died Twice by Lois Paxton - actually much more than I expected that I would. I'm certain that the writing style would be considered rather dated these days, but overall, I still liked it. I never actually lived in London, but visited there quite often when I was younger, so many of the places mentioned were familiar to me. I haven't read that many books by Lois Paxton in the past, but I do have at least one more book by this author, hidden away on my bookshelf. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Mary Higgins Clark - All Through the Night: A Suspense Story

49. All Through the Night: A Suspense Story by Mary Higgins Clark (1998)
The Alvirah and Willy Meehan Series Book 2
Length: 170 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 23 April 2014
Finished: 25 April 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and had read and enjoyed Mount Vernon Love Story: A Novel of George and Martha Washington by the same author in the past.

A young unmarried woman leaves her newborn baby on the rectory doorstep of a church on Manhattan's Upper West Side. At that same moment, inside the church, a young man is in the process of stealing a treasured artifact - a chalice adorned with a single star-shaped diamond. Both the infant and the chalice subsequently disappear.

Seven years later, a few weeks before Christmas - lottery winner turned amateur sleuth - Alvirah Meehan and her husband Willy, are busy helping Willy's sister Cordelia - a nun who runs a thrift store that doubles as an after-school shelter for the neighborhood kids - prepare for the upcoming Christmas pageant. However, the shelter's future is threatened when the city condemns the building for that use. Then it is further jeopardized when the nearby brownstone to which the shelter was to be moved turns out to have been willed to a young couple who were already tenants in the building.

Convinced that something suspicious is going on, Alvirah refuses to believe that the will is genuine. She sets out to prove the couple are con artists. Soon she is involved with the mystery of the stolen chalice and child. 

While this was certainly a good story and I enjoyed reading it; I'm not entirely sure what grade to give it. In my opinion, the mystery was perhaps a little simplistic, and the plot seemed slightly hurried - at least to me. I would have preferred it if this story had been slightly longer, so that the plot could be better developed and the characters better drawn and more believable. Overall, I give this book a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Daphne du Maurier - The Scapegoat: Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Volume 2

26. Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Volume 2: The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier (1957)
The Reader's Digest Condensed Books Series Volume 2: 1957 - (The Scapegoat/The Last Angry Man/The Muses Are Heard/The Fruit Tramp/The Enemy Below)
Length: 148 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 19 March 2014
Finished: 24 March 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 3 March 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. I also love to read Reader's Digest Condensed Books from time to time.

"Someone jolted my elbow as I drank and said, 'Je vous demande pardon,' and as I moved to give him space he turned and stared at me and I at him, and I realized, with a strange sense of shock and fear and nausea all combined, that his face and voice were known to me too well.

I was looking at myself."

Totally by chance, two men - one English, one French - meet in a provincial railway station. Their physical resemblance to each other is truly uncanny, and they spend the evening talking and drinking - until at last John, the Englishman, falls into a drunken stupor. When he awakens the next morning, he discovers that his mysterious French companion is gone, having stolen his identity. 

John is completely at a loss, and so, has no other choice but to take the Frenchman's place. He becomes Jean - the master of a chateau, owner of a failing business, head of a large and bitterly fractious family, and keeper of too many secrets. 

Suspenseful and gripping, The Scapegoat tells the story of John's attempts to evade the suspicion of the family, the servants, and the various mistresses of his doppelganger; even as he tries to unravel the frustrating mystery of the enigmatic person who dominates all who live in the chateau.

First of all, let me say right away that this story was very well-written. Daphne du Maurier is nothing if not a captivating author. That being said, in my own opinion, this wasn't necessarily Ms. Du Maurier's best work. I found that the story, while certainly enjoyable, was still rather far-fetched in places. I also found the plot slightly frustrating - although, I would still give The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier a very strong A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Michael Collins - Lost Souls

17. Lost Souls by Michael Collins (2003)
Length: 261 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 15 February 2014
Finished: 17 February 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 12 February 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Michael Collins is a new author for me.

Among the acts of petty vandalism and various teenage pranks played on Halloween night, a true tragedy is discovered. A local police officer finds the body of a little girl, dressed as an angel, concealed in a pile of autumn leaves. With the streets full of trick-or-treating children, it looks like she might have been the victim of a hit-and-run. But how did a three-year-old child come to be hiding there alone in the dark, dressed in her flimsy costume? And why were the child's feet bare?

As the investigation proceeds and the media's spotlight intensifies, a much more ominous story unfolds. It's the typical story the media thrives on -  a ghastly crime, a bungled cover-up, and tantalizing rumors of an innocence defiled. While the mayor and chief of police conspire to divert attention from the primary suspect - a local high school football hero whom they hope will take their town all the way to the state championship - it is left to the man who discovered the child's body to find the truth beneath the cover-up.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I found the lead character very sympathetic - I felt so sorry for him, and the position that he found himself in. The plot was very intricate, and had me wondering who could have committed the crime right from the beginning. I will say that the mystery left me with several unanswered questions in my mind, and that left me slightly perplexed. Overall though, I give Lost Souls by Michael Collins an A! - it really was very good.

A! - (90-95%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Laura Caldwell - The Rome Affair

13. The Rome Affair by Laura Caldwell (2006)
Length: 378 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 30 January 2014
Finished: 31 January 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 27 January 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Laura Caldwell is a new author for me.

Rachel Blakely lives a truly charmed life. She is a successful architectural software salesperson, married to an equally successful plastic surgeon on the fast track for promotion. Their life together seems blessed - until Rachel learns that Nick was unfaithful to her. Understandably shattered by this knowledge, Rachel is hurt and angered by Nick's betrayal. 

However, over time, Rachel is committed to giving her marriage a second chance. Then a business trip to sun-drenched Rome with her best girlfriend Kit leads to a passionate night with a stranger - a one-night stand meant to signify the end of a painful chapter in her life.

Rachel returns home determined to put the past behind her and start fresh. At first, life seems golden again. Nick is more loving than ever, and following his promotion to senior partner in a prestigious plastic surgery practice, the couple is welcomed into Chicago high society - where beautiful people live beautiful lives. But every golden life hides its dark side...that sends Rachel's life spiraling into a nightmare.

It's certainly clear everyone is guilty of something. But whose secrets will lead to murder?

I absolutely loved this book! In my opinion, it was a beautifully written book with a completely engrossing plot. I was captured from the first page and found the story to be filled with gripping cliffhangers that held my attention right to the end. I give this book an A+! The Rome Affair by Laura Caldwell was the first book that I've ever read by this author, but it most certainly will not be the last.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tilly Bagshawe - Sidney Sheldon's Angel of the Dark

9. Sidney Sheldon's Angel of the Dark by Tilly Bagshawe (2012)
Length: 293 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 23 January 2014
Finished: 25 January 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 June 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by Sidney Sheldon in the past, although Tilly Bagshawe is a new author for me.

It was his first major murder case - and one of the bloodiest and most violent crimes LAPD detective Danny McGuire would ever encounter. Andrew Jakes, an elderly multimillonaire art dealer, had been brutally murdered in his Hollywood home, his lifeless body tied to his naked young wife. Raped and beaten, the lovely Angela Jakes had barely survived the attack herself. Gazing into her fathomless, soulful eyes, Danny swore that he would find the psychopath responsible for such a barbarous act. However, the investigation didn't turn up a single solid lead, and within days of her release from hospital, the stunning young widow - Danny's only witness - had vanished.

For a decade, Danny McGuire could not forget the sweet face of Angela Jakes and the terrible crime that had shattered her life; his obsession with her had nearly cost him his sanity. Now living in France - thousands of miles from the past - Danny has a new life, a new job with Interpol, and a ravishing new wife - he's happier than he's ever been...until he meets Andrew Jakes' estranged son, Matt Daley.

Curious about his father's murder, Matt has been digging into the cold case - and he has made some shocking discoveries. Three killings nearly identical to his father's have taken place across the globe. The victims were elderly, newlywed millionaires, their young wives assaulted. And in each case the widow, the sole beneficiary of the will, donated her newfound wealth to children's charities and subsequently disappeared. Could it be true - could Andrew Jakes' murderer have struck again? If so, Danny knows he must tread carefully or risk losing everything for good.

All the evidence points to a single killer - a brilliant and ruthless criminal who travels across the globe under a string of assumed identities, always keeping one step ahead of the law. Joining forces, Danny and Matt pursue this intriguing shadow from Los Angeles to London, New York to Italy and the French Riviera, in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse against a formidable opponent. In an investigation filled with promising leads and frustrating dead ends, Danny and Matt match wits with a clever criminal. When another murder fitting the profile occurs, Matt heads to Hong Kong, hoping to get answers from the latest widow - Lisa Baring - and perhaps uncover the hard evidence they need to finally solve the case.

However, Matt becomes besotted with the irresistible beauty, nearly derailing the entire investigation, and Danny wonders if Lisa is truly a victim or something more sinister. When a break in the case sends Danny to Mumbai, he realizes he must act quickly, because the shrewd murderer is poised to kill again. In a fast-paced story, full of mystery, glamour, excitement, and spectacular twists that build to a stunning climax, Sidney Sheldon's Angel of the Dark is quintessential Sidney Sheldon from the first page to the last.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It was certainly quite good - I just wasn't expecting the plot to be as convoluted or as intricate as it turned out. For me, solving this mystery took much more concentration than some other mysteries that I've read recently. I have to give this book an B+! 

Ever since Sidney Sheldon passed away in 2007, Tilly Bagshawe has taken up his mantle so the legacy continues. I absolutely loved Sidney Sheldon as an author, but I have to say that this book was slightly disappointing for me to read. I just wasn't expecting to work so hard to solve such an intricate mystery.

B+! - (89-94%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Domini Taylor - Siege

8. Siege by Domini Taylor (1989)
Length: 218 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 20 January 2014
Finished: 22 January 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 July 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Domini Taylor is a new author for me.

The Kemp family is just your typical dysfunctional family with their own set of personal difficulties, and a motley collection of interests. They rent a fortified farmhouse in the French countryside and decide to spend the summer there. This is so Giles can dabble with his watercolors; Rob can recuperate from his mental breakdown; Step can indulge her passion for history - particularly for the Cathars - and the children can roam free. 

Everything is going well for their little family holiday - or so they think - until a near fatal accident stretches already fraying family relationships to the near breaking point. Meeting hostile villagers and experiencing several inexplicable incidents just adds to the Kemps' rapidly declining enjoyment of their lovely holiday. Having unknowingly triggered a series of events by their very arrival, with secrets held by the farmhouse playing a part, the Kemps walk into a dangerous situation that leads to death, devastation and terror...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - the plot was fast-paced and engaging, the writing was beautiful, and I was intrigued by the mystery so much, that I needed to know who was involved, and why. I give this book an A! and will certainly be keeping an eye open for more books by this author to read. I must say that I have never read any books by this particular author before. Domini Taylor is actually one of seven different pseudonyms used by a prolific British novelist known as Roger Erskine Longrigg, who passed away in February of 2000.

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Margaret Maron - Shooting at Loons

5. Shooting at Loons by Margaret Maron (1994)
The Judge Deborah Knott Mysteries Book 3
Length: 229 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 14 January 2014
Finished: 16 January 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Margaret Maron is a new author for me.

When Judge Deborah Knott is asked to substitute for a hospitalized judge in gracious old Beaufort, North Carolina, she is looking forward to spending a restful week at her cousin's cottage on nearby Harkers Island - relative peace and quiet is Deborah's plan for the entire week.  However, when her first clamming expedition turns up the corpse of a well-known fisherman in the shallow water, peace and quiet quickly flies out the window. Discovering the body puts her right in the middle of the contentious fight between the long-established locals who make their living from the sea and the more recent - and rising - tide of well-to-do "dingbatters": weekenders and land developers who view the coast as their personal playground and gold mine.  

Deborah soon realizes that the centuries-old way of life in this isolated part of the South is just as endangered as loons and sea turtles, and the fisherman's murder is somehow tied to the coming changes. In her time both on the bench as well as off, Deborah has certainly seen her share of change, and she's intensely aware of the rage and fear and greed such changes arouse. 

Even so, sipping her bourbon in the fresh salt air does wonders for Deborah's weary soul, and life at the beach takes a definite upswing when she meets a game warden who's hunting for loon poachers. Yes, in her mind, Deborah's short vacation certainly has proved to be beneficial. Not until a second murder occurs and a lover from her past is implicated does Deborah realize she's up to her own neck in intrigue - and dangerously close to a killer...

To be perfectly honest, I may not have been in the proper mood to read this book to begin with. It was very difficult for me to get into the flow of the story. I had such trouble keeping the characters straight in my mind, that it lessened my enjoyment of the book somewhat. Actually, it was only when the story picked up appreciably - about halfway though, I think - that I began to enjoy it more.

I have one other book by Margaret Maron on my bookshelf, the twelfth book in this series. I may read Winter's Child some time in the future, but I have to give this book - Shooting at Loons - a B!

B! - (80-88%)
   
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight