Web of Deceit - Katherine Howell

My review of Katherine Howell's Web of Deceit first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it today with their permission. Hope you enjoy!

First line: "In the ambulance's passenger seat, paramedic Alex Churchill checked his mobile."

In the sixth novel of her Ella Marconi mystery series--the first published in the United States--Katherine Howell performs an intricate juggling act with three alternating storylines. Paramedics Jane Koutoufides and Alex Churchill race to the scene when a man crashes his car into a telephone pole. The driver, Marko Meixner, appears fine physically but is convinced someone is following him and he's in grave danger. Left with no option but to leave Meixner in a waiting area of the crowded hospital, the paramedics next encounter their victim under a train, dead.

Detective Ella Marconi and her colleagues are tasked with determining whether Meixner's death is a murder or a suicide. Marconi is convinced he was pushed and has several potential suspects, but her cost-cutting supervisor believes Meixner was psychologically unstable and took his own life. If Marconi can't establish solid proof quickly, her boss will reallocate the team's manpower to clearing cold cases.

Meanwhile, Koutoufides is dealing with the jealous wife of her ex-husband who is becoming increasingly violent, going so far as to fabricate a serious assault complaint against Koutoufides to her employer. And Churchill's teenage daughter is acting out at home and school until one night when Churchill is on night shift she runs away.

Howell skillfully keeps all of these plot balls in the air, maintaining an engagingly quick pace, high suspense and well-concealed twists. One of the threads' conclusions feels a bit forced compared to the other satisfyingly smart outcomes, but the slight bobble doesn't diminish the overall enjoyment of this riveting, coordinated performance.

Web of Deceit is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781250053961) from Minotaur. You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or the following retailers:

 

  

Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo) - C. Joseph Greaves

Happy February! My review of C. Joseph Greaves' Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo) first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it today with their permission. Hope you enjoy.

First line: "'Six is the point.'"

Following-up his first historical novel, Hard Twisted, C. Joseph Greaves gives readers a front row seat to one of the greatest courtroom dramas in U.S. history: the battle between gangster Charles "Lucky" Luciano and the special prosecutor determined to bring him down, Thomas Dewey.

Greaves has meticulously blurred the lines between fact and fiction in this novel that reads with the momentum of a legal thriller and throws back the curtain on political shenanigans. Braiding the plot together with the perspectives of Tom and Lucky as well as the talented defense attorney George Levy and the prosecution's star witness, Cokey Flo Brown, Greaves delves into the compulsory prostitution trial of the notorious mob boss. While building the background of each character takes time, the result is a robust view of a highly dysfunctional case.

In an especially effective approach, Greaves opts to tell only Cokey Flo's story from the first person perspective, lending the drug-addled con woman credibility and empathy while casting greater suspicion on both defendant and prosecutor. Still, Greaves doesn't let the reader forget Flo's motivations or her checkered history. There are no white hats in this New York courtroom.

The trial transcript and character dialogue work to create the unsavory atmosphere of New York's mob network as well as the Depression-era scarcity. And the fastidious research enables Greaves to seamlessly meld the four lives into one engrossing story.

Whether readers have an interest in the time period, gangster fiction or historical novels, they will find plenty to captivate them in Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo).

Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo) is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781620407851) from Bloomsbury. You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or the following retailers:

  

  

The Good News About What's Bad for You...The Bad News About What's Good for You - Jeff Wilser

My review of Jeff Wilser's non-fiction book The Good News About What's Bad For You...The Bad News About What's Good For You first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it here today with their permission.

First line: "Eat more bacon."

Red meat, alcohol, stress, video games, the news bills them all as terrible, sometimes even life-threatening. But Jeff Wilser, author of The Maxims of Manhood, digs further into the information on all these vices and more. The Good News About What's Bad for You looks beyond the titillating headlines to the big picture, then scales that image down to a couple of pages per topic, highlighting the overall results in layman's terms. The outcomes aren't necessarily as alarm-worthy as the press might want readers to believe.

Turn the book over and Wilser sets his sights on The Bad News About What's Good for You. Conversely, kale, juice cleanses, retirement and yoga may not be all they're cracked up to be.

Using a conversational tone ripe with plenty of humor, Wilser encourages readers to feel less guilt, consider the relative risk versus the absolute risk--if something increases risk 500% but the risk is initially only 0.000001, chances are still minuscule it will ever happen--and beware the trap of alarming titles used for the sole purpose of shock.

The Good News About What's Bad for You...The Bad News About What's Good for You will require an open mind. Even Wilser has a tendency to express skepticism at research contradicting his own beliefs. But the over-arching theme of moderation is vital and Wilser's delivery is comically entertaining.

The short segments keep the book moving swiftly and the collective information is fascinating. Studies are still out, but it's probably safe to say this book is good for us all.

The Good News About What's Bad For You...The Bad News About What's Good For You is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781250063809) from Flatiron Books.

  

  

House of the Rising Sun - James Lee Burke

My review of James Lee Burke's House of the Rising Sun first appeared as a starred review in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it today with their permission. Hope you enjoy...boy this is a good one!

First line: "The sun had just crested on the horizon like a misplaced planet, swollen and molten and red, lighting a landscape that seemed sculpted out of clay and soft stone and marked by the fossilized tracks of animals with no names, when a tall barefoot man wearing little more than rags dropped his horse's reins and eased himself off the horse's back and worked his way down an embankment into a riverbed chained with pools of water that glimmered as brightly as blood in the sunrise."

Whether modern day Louisiana or early twentieth century Texas, the worlds James Lee Burke (Wayfaring Stranger) creates crackle on his pages. The vivid sights, sounds and smells envelope readers experiencing the tormented lives of his troubled characters. House of the Rising Sun continues that exemplary standard for fiction with a captivating tale of family, faith, betrayal and redemption.

In this forth book of Hackberry Holland's story, the former Texas Ranger is searching for his estranged son, Ishmael, in Mexico when he wanders into the middle of an arms deal. Hack destroys the munitions but discovers a gem encrusted "cup" among the arsenal, which he tucks away and carries back to Texas.

Powerful businessman Arnold Beckman believes the artifact is rightfully his and will stop at nothing to take it back, including kidnapping war hero Ishmael who is recovering from serious leg injuries sustained at the Battle of Marne. Hack must fight his personal demons and outsmart the deadly Beckman in order to save his son.

Brimming with delectably evil villains and heroes whose white hats have grown dingy from the dirt they've rolled in, House of the Rising Sun is a masterstroke in Burke's exceptional body of work. He balances the characters' introspection with suspenseful action, keeping the momentum of the novel quick and engaging; packs insightful thoughts on humanity into colorful quips; and, despite the bleakness of the plot, interjects hilarious scenes like Hack learning to drive a motorcar.

Everyone should experience the beauty of James Lee Burke's fiction at least once. House of the Rising Sun is a perfect opportunity to do so.

House of the Rising Sun is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780062319197) from Simon & Schuster and as an unabridged audio (ISBN: 9781442385702), narrated by Will Patton, from Simon & Schuster Audio.

   

   

The Secret Life of Anna Blanc - Jennifer Kincheloe

My review of Jennifer Kincheloe's debut The Secret Life of Anna Blanc first appeared as a starred review in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it today with their permission. I hope you enjoy...

First line: "Anna Blanc wore a six-inch hairpiece made from the tresses of a yak."

When a smart, sheltered socialite schemes her way into the gritty 1907 world of the Los Angeles Police Department, the result is a humorously delightful historical mystery.

Anna Blanc is determined to free herself from the smothering rules of her bank executive father. No beau is good enough for Christopher Blanc, and he insists a chaperone be with Anna wherever she goes, ensuring she doesn't do anything to tarnish her reputation. Anna wants out from under this tyranny. She wants to right wrongs like the characters in the novels she reads covertly. So when an opening for a police matron with the LAPD is advertised in the newspaper, Anna resorts to bribery--and the alias Anna Holmes--in order to fulfill her dream.

Anna learns quickly that her fictional stories are nothing like actual police work. She's utterly unprepared for the realities of her new job; nonetheless she's determined to find a rapist and stop a murderer. But to do this she must keep both of her worlds separate. When they ultimately collide, the result is catastrophic.

Jennifer Kincheloe has astutely balanced Anna's intelligence with the ignorance of an outsider. Her privileged upbringing and society's stringent mores leave her naïve to "street sense" and prone to hilarious mishaps and awkward interactions. Instead of coming across as a bumbling idiot, though, Anna's logic and reason make her endearing and admirable. Her moxie leaves the reader cheering through tears of laughter.

Suspenseful, smart and funny, it doesn't require Sherlock to deduce The Secret Life of Anna Blanc is a crack debut.

The Secret Life of Anna Blanc is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 9781633880801) from Seventh Street Books. You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or the following retailers:

  

  

The End of 2015

I'm still having a hard time believing that this is the final week of 2015. I'm not exactly sure where it went, but looking back through my reading log, I think I spent a lot of it buried in a book.

My final reading numbers for this year were:

115 books read
114 authors (the only author I read twice was Neil Gaiman)
88 authors who were completely new to me

87 books were fiction
28 non-fiction
78 print books
37 audiobooks
26 debuts

67 books were written by male authors
43 were written by female authors
5 were written by male and female writing teams (that number surprised me)

For next year, I'm adding a column onto my reading log for authors outside the United States. I read a number of translated works this year and quite a few non-American authors, but I'm not positive how many in total.

So for my favorites lists this year, I'm going to divide it into two posts. Today I'll cover my favorite debuts, non-fiction and audiobooks. Since they comprised a smaller fraction of my overall reading, I'm making each of these lists 5 books long. It was a challenge to narrow the non-fiction down to 5. I didn't read a ton, but what I read was good! So here we go.

My 2015 Favorite Debuts Are (in no particular order):

The Secret Life of Anna Blanc by Jennifer Kincheloe. I still have to post this review to my blog, but it was a starred review at Shelf Awareness and I chose this book as my co-pick for the November Nerdy Special List. A fun new female protagonist with a lot of gumption. She calls to mind a female Sherlock for some.

The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young. This book is so atmospheric and richly written, I simply lost myself in it. The language is gorgeous and the complexity of the plot makes it an engaging read. I'm looking forward to more from Hester Young.

The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell. Charming is the word that best describes this lovely little memoir. I finished it wanting a penguin of my own. The events of this book made my heart swell, laugh and rejoice. If you need a glimmer of hope, this is the book to pick up.

Wanted by Chris Hoke. A powerful look at our prison system and its residence from the perspective of a prison chaplain. Hoke humanizes those individuals our society feels are worthless monsters. It's a harsh reminder that life isn't that simple. This one isn't a easy, feel-good read because it challenges stereotypes and brings reality up close and personal, but it's written with stunning beauty and amazing compassion.

A Murder of Magpies by Judith Flanders. Flanders isn't technically a debut, but this is her first go at fiction. I listened to this one on audio and it's fun. The perspective of the publishing world adds an entertaining angle to the murder mystery. I hope there's more from Flanders.

I also wanted to make a mention of The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton. I had this one on my favorite debuts list last year, which was in error. I read it early for a Shelf Awareness Max Shelf issue and forgot that its release date was January of 2015. Ooops. So I mention it again this year.

My 2015 Favorite Non-fiction Works Are (again, in no particular order):

Wanted by Chris Hoke. See above for gushing on this title.

A Force for Good by Daniel Goleman. Writing this I discovered that I never posted this review to my blog. Yeesh! This was the most inspiring book I read this year. I've recommended it to many people and believe whole-heartedly in the importance of compassion over greed. I appreciated that this book gave focus to the individual, showing me how I can make a difference. I don't need to have a lot of money or power or influence in order to do so.

Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich. The former U.S. Labor Secretary makes a strong argument for why Capitalism is failing now when it was so successful in the 60s, 70s and 80s. He outlines how the trend toward a shrinking middle class can be reversed and why that's so vital. His insights are eye-opening and he has a strong understanding of what he's professing, so he's able to explain it in layman's terms. You don't need an advanced degree in economics to comprehend these ideas. I'd rank this as the most important book I read this year.

The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson. Now at the other end of the spectrum I offer you some humor. I don't watch TV, so I'm not an Office groupie, but this book was fantastic. It's funny, insightful, inspiring and just overall enjoyable. Wilson's wicked wit wins in The Bassoon King.

The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell. Again, see above for gushing on this title.

Last but certainly never least, my 2015 Favorite Audiobooks Are:

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, narrated by Scott Brick. It's often difficult for me to read books that people recommend to me simply because of time constraints, but I did pick up The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry because several friends raved about it. And they certainly were right to do so. It's a glorious tale and a delightful audiobook. I'm not always Scott Brick's biggest fan on thrillers, but he struck gold in his narration of this book. He truly taps into the soul of this story. If you haven't experienced this one, definitely put it on your list to read or listen to.

Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle. As an audiobook listener, I appreciate the narrations that obviously delve into the heart of the author's work. They connect with the emotions, the atmosphere, the tone. Adrian McKinty has a very distinct tone to his novels and Doyle is without a doubt in tune with it. The darkness is palpable and the element of crime is rich. And the icing on this delectable cake is Doyle's grasp of McKinty's humor. An all-around excellent recording.

Night Life by David C. Taylor, narrated by Keith Szarabjka. The Night Life audiobook shares many of the attributes of Gun Street Girl. The atmosphere is so vital in this novel and Szarabjka is keenly aware of it, bringing it to life as much as the human characters. Szarabjka also excels with the range of dialects he portrays in this novel, which are essential to the setting. This is also another debut and most worthy of your attention, most especially if you're a crime fiction fan.

The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson, narrated by Rainn Wilson. You can see my above entry for gushing on the book itself. As for the audiobook, Wilson is dynamic, funny and puts his acting chops on display as much as any stage or screen performance he's done. His humor is well-timed, as is dramatic inflection. He saves the passion for perfect emphasis. And you realize just how intelligent this man is. Superb recording!

The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein, narrated by Kirby Heyborne. This is the only children's title on my list this year, and unfortunately I didn't fit in the review of it. Heyborne does an exemplary job with the hilarious cast of this book. From a very self-assured Robin Hood to a bit of a bumbling Hercules, this narration is fun and I would have to believe young readers would be just as entertained as I was. Its focus age group is middle grade, so 4th-8th grade, give or take depending on reading ability.


That's just about enough for one day. Please share with me your favorites in any of these categories. It's always fun to hear what others are enjoying. Plus I love to have ideas I can share with other people even if I'm not always able to read them all myself.

I'll share my favorite crime novels and my favorite overall books of 2015 tomorrow. Hope you'll stop back. Happy Reading!

Quote of the Week

If I didn't understand something, she would say, 'Would you like me to repeat the question?' with delicacy and grace, savoring the honeyed tones of her own voice. And that honey blended like wildflowers in a spring meadow with all the adventures and friendships of her mysterious life, in an indefinable accent that was both foreign and familiar, and actually more than familiar, dripping from my ears down into my heart. And I prayed that the Maestra would continue to speak with me like that forever, while I jotted down in my notebook every detail of a life that I hadn't lived, which she was bequeathing to me through her words.
    –Nicola Gardini in Lost Words (trans. by Michael F. Moore)

Woman With a Blue Pencil - Gordon McAlpine

My review of Woman With a Blue Pencil first appeared as a starred review in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it today with their permission. Hope you enjoy...

First line: "On the evening of December 6, 1941, Sam Sumida shifted in his seat at the crowded Rialto Movie House in downtown Los Angeles."

In this refreshingly innovative detective novel, Hammett Unwritten author Gordon McAlpine follows the life of a character cut--via the vicious blue editing pencil--from a novel.

Takumi Sato is a Japanese-American in the Manzanar relocation camp during World War II who has written a novel featuring Sam Sumida, a Japanese-American sleuth investigating his wife's murder. In order for the book to be published, Sato has to agree to change his own name, his protagonist's ethnicity and various other elements of the work. But Sumida has come to life and simply will not die.

Sumida walks into a movie theater on December 6, 1941 to watch The Maltese Falcon and emerges to find his world in complete chaos. No one knows who he is--in fact, there's no evidence he ever even existed--but every one is hostile toward him. With nowhere to go and a million baffling questions, Sumida sets to work unraveling this isolating conundrum.

Woman with a Blue Pencil is the intricate plaiting of excerpts from Sato's novel, The Orchid and the Secret Agent, published as William Thorne; correspondence from Sato's editor, the woman with the blue pencil; and a novella merely labeled The Revised. McAlpine ingeniously blends the three plots to create a multi-dimensional, absorbing mystery, simultaneously bringing out the mortifying miscarriage of justice occurring in the United States. He also takes hilarious, yet subtle, jabs at the tropes of "commercial" fiction.

McAlpine's creative talent is rare and this novel is an exceptional literary treat.

Woman With a Blue Pencil is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 9781633880887) from Seventh Street Books. You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or the following retailers: