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:

  

  

The Promise - Robert Crais

First line: "The woman stood in the far corner of the dimly lit room, hiding in shadows like a fish in gray water."

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike join forces with Robert Crais' Suspect hero team of Scott James and Maggie for The Promise, which is packed with action and suspense, as well as love and devotion.

Cole is hired by Meryl Lawrence to find her colleague Amy Breslyn.  Breslyn took an abrupt leave of absence and just disappeared, vanished. According to Lawrence, Breslyn also walked off with over $400,000 from their company, and she wants to find her co-worker before the powers that be discover the missing money. Lawrence says she feels responsible because she believes Breslyn took off with a crooked mystery man she met online; She claims she pressured Breslyn into online dating after her son was killed overseas by a suicide bomber.

Lawrence encourages Cole to track down a young man named Thomas Lerner, a close friend of Breslyn's son. When Cole shows up at the address Lawrence gives him for Lerner, all hell breaks loose, but none of it connected to anyone named Thomas Lerner. What is at the house is a dead body and serious bomb munitions. Elvis Cole suddenly finds himself in the midst of a major crime investigation as well as his own missing person's case that is racking up more questions than answers. And when the heat rises, he calls in the reinforcements.

The Promise took a while to hit the bookstores, but now that it's here, I can say with certainty it was worth the wait.  This complex plot contains all the hallmarks of a great Crais novel: humor, social issues, passion, crack dialogue and top-notch characters. Relationships maintain a central focus of the series; Elvis and Joe's relationship continues to grow, but it takes more of a backseat role in The Promise, allowing Crais to explore Scott and Maggie's pack bonds further as well as Amy Breslyn's relationship with her son. Plus, it seems there may possibly be a new romantic connection blooming for the series.

In addition to the themes surrounding relationships, there is a strong idea of hidden identities. People aren't necessarily who they seem and situations aren't what they seem, which of course works to ramp up the suspense, but it also illustrates a depth of character for several people. One of those folks is Jon Stone. There aren't a lot of the familiar faces in this novel, but Jon Stone returns in arguably his best outing yet. If you didn't love Stone before The Promise, I dare you not to after this one.

And of course the title theme, promises. Promises carry a lot of weight and obligation with them. Those with the strongest character wield their promises carefully, honestly and unceasingly.

Crais has a history of wonderful female characters, but The Promise may include the cream of the crop. I was especially taken with Amy Breslyn's character.  She's described as "small, round, and dumpy...she'd never been a looker." Despite not having a stereotypical hero exterior, this smart, single mother stole the show for me. I don't expect to see her back in anything beyond a possible cameo but I sure wouldn't complain if she did reemerge in later books.

And of course Maggie. Crais' treatment of Maggie's role in The Promise is reverential. And it's his attention to the small details, like the green tennis ball, that make his depiction of her so superb. Early in the novel, Crais creates mirroring scenes of handler and dog experiencing PTSD dreams. In Maggie's dream, she experiences memories through scent and is haunted by the emotions those scents conjure up. Just as Scott cries out in his terror dreams, Maggie does too. Crais uses that opportunity to provide subtle background from Suspect, but it serves an even greater role in illustrating the strong devotion and connection Maggie has with her "pack."  Dog lovers should all appreciate the care Crais takes in his development of this magnificent character.

All around The Promise is a winner of a novel. I've said this before and I'll say it again, I love this series--Crais' writing in general--and if the quality continues to stay at this level, I don't mind the wait between books. I'm happy to savor the exceptional story, and enjoy the experience. It's much more filling than mounds of junk.

The Promise is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780399161490) from Putnam and as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781455853359), narrated by Luke Daniels and MacLeod Andrews (holy cow, power team) from Brilliance Audio.

   

  

Night is the Hunter - Steven Gore

First line: "Ray McMullin, standing waist deep in chest waders, leaning hard into the current, his rod bent against the steelhead's run, wasn't a fisherman."

Steven Gore's third Harlan Donnally novel is steeped in explosive issues, and Gore's approach indicates he isn't shying away from blasting one or two off in the course of this plot. Whether you've read either of the previous two Harlan Donnally's or not, you'll want to pick up Night is the Hunter.

Two decades ago, Judge Ray McMullin cut his teeth on a gangland murder case. It was the first and last capital case he presided over, but he proved to the world that he was capable of "pulling the trigger." When Israel Dominguez was found guilty of of first degree murder, McMullin sentenced him to death. Now the execution date is nearing with no realistic appeal options left, and McMullin is questioning his decision while Dominguez continues to profess his innocence.

McMullin, still convinced Dominguez is ultimately guilty, asks ex-cop Donnally to look into the twenty-year-old crime in an effort to reassure himself he made the right call on the death sentence.  Investigating the case takes Donnally into the battle lands of the Norteño and the Sureño gangs where he uncovers disturbing evidence in Dominguez case and discovers clues to a murder that's a lot more personal.

The first land mine of an issue, and probably the most obvious from the plot description, is that of capital punishment. Gore explores it from several different angles, flushing out the shades of gray in a controversy many paint as black or white. Sneaking in around the edges of this main theme comes questions of the prison system as well as police discrimination. An especially powerful scene occurs early in the novel when Donnally encounters an ex-gang member. While he's talking to the former Norteño member a pair of active duty officers stop to check out what's going on. One of the cop's comments upset Donnally:

"Donnally felt a flush of annoyance at the cop's descent into crook slang. By accommodating himself to the lawlessness it implied, it legitimized the criminal way of life. It made it seem that the criminal world was the entire world, not the badlands, and that the police weren't representatives of the law, but only of power. Using the language of the gangsters made the police department into just another gang."

Gore does not portray the entire profession in this light, but he doesn't deny the existence of this mentality either.

Whether readers end up agreeing with depiction of the legal system, Gore offers a tremendous amount to consider in timely, rich and controversial themes. Excellent fodder for book discussion groups.

Additionally Night is the Hunter provides readers with a slew of fascinating characters. Donnally's interaction with his father in a subplot of the novel leaves readers with an Escher-ist feeling--what exactly am I seeing here? what is real?--and Judge McMullin elicits strong empathy. The attorney who represented Israel Dominguez, Paul Ordloff, is complex and artfully developed. But most of all, Donnally humanizes--without excusing--the gangs and the people associated with them. His portrayal  of these feuding factions is one of the novel's greatest strengths.

Finally, Night is the Hunter is an addictive, fast-paced, engaging read. It's a thriller. The plot is tight, it offers excellent twists and it keeps the reader braced for what's around the next page. This one's a must for crime fans.

Night is the Hunter is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 978-0062025098) from William Morrow. My review is a part of the TLC Book Tour for the novel. You can find a complete list of blogs reviewing the book as part of the tour and see what others have to say about it at the TLC website. You can learn more about Steven Gore at his website and follow his Facebook page.

Disclosure: I do some contractual work for one of the owners of TLC Blog Tours. My work with them does not obligate me to a specific kind of review. The reviews are still my own opinions and reflect only my thoughts on the novels. If you care to read more, you can find more information on my Disclosure page.

The Sound of Broken Glass - Deborah Crombie

First line: "It had been years since she'd been in an English church."

The Sound of Broken Glass marks Deborah Crombie's fifteenth go round with Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James.

Detective Superintendent Kincaid is on leave to take care of the couple's young foster daughter, Charlotte, who is having difficulties adjusting to her new life. Attempts at pre-school have failed miserably and the British copper is starting to worry about how he'll be able to leave the tot and get back to work.

Detective Inspector James, meanwhile, is heading up the murder investigation of a barrister. After a verbal altercation in a Crystal Palace pub, he's found bound, gagged, naked and dead in a nearby seedy hotel where he's been a regular customer on the register as "Mr. Smith."

As Gemma and her Detective Sergeant Melody Talbot dig deeper into the life of the barrister, they find a rather unlikeable individual. And before they can find a solid suspect, another barrister is found murdered in the same fashion.

Gemma and Melody employ some unorthodox approaches to this case that continues to lead them further into a labyrinth of secrets and deceptions, where each new clue only seems to create more questions.

Despite this being the fifteenth book of the series, newcomers can still easily pick up The Sound of Broken Glass and appreciate the strengths of Crombie's writing and the appeal of this series. The crime that the plot builds on does not need background from previous books, even though there are some returning characters.


That being said, one of the strongest elements of this novel--and the series--is the interpersonal elements of Kincaid, James, and their family, as well as Talbot and Kincaid's partner Doug Cullen. New readers will have no trouble grasping each person's fit into the complete puzzle, but the depth of their characters is likely to entice newbies to track down earlier books in the series to see everyone's progression to the present.

Readers familiar with the series will appreciate Crombie's skill of creating empathetic characters when they encounter those that are new and/or less familiar. She may be looking for a way to weave some new faces into recurring roles, or at least readers will hope so. These are characters that will steal hearts and possibly break hearts. But even characters with roles so small that we never see them--a French shopkeeper that Gemma merely quotes--provide a special flare to the book.

Enticing readers to connect with her characters is a fine way to keep  engagement with the story high, but Crombie also weaves a grand mystery. In this contribution to the series, she effectively uses flashback to build suspense and intrigue. Readers will want to discover the final solution, but that desire is intensified because they care about the outcome for the characters, not just their own curiosity.

Finally, Crombie makes special use of her setting, weaving England's history into her characters' history and then into the present. The various layers and symbols blend together for a fascinating education wrapped up in entertainment.

Whether new to the series or a long-time fan, The Sound of Broken Glass is sure to please. And Crombie's resolution indicates she has no plan to let up on the quality. These law enforcement agents can rest assured of job security. Crime fans rejoice!

The Sound of Broken Glass is now available in trade paperback (ISBN: 9780061990649) from William Morrow. And unabridged audio version (ISBN: 9780062249746), narrated by Gerard Doyle, is available for download through Audible.

My review of The Sound of Broken Glass is part of the TLC Book Tour. You can see what other readers have to say about the book, by visiting the TLC website to see the complete tour.

Disclosure: I do some contractual work for one of the owners of TLC Blog Tours. My work does not involve this tour or any other tour I would agree to be a part of here at the blog. Nor does my work with them obligate me to a specific kind of review. The reviews are still my own opinions and reflect only my thoughts on the novels. If you care to read more, you can find more information on my Disclosure page.

Saints of the Shadow Bible - Ian Rankin

My review of Ian Rankin's Saints of the Shadow Bible first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. It is appearing here today with their permission.

First line: "'Where are we going?'"

John Rebus is out of retirement and back on the force in Ian Rankin’s nineteenth novel featuring the beloved Scottish police officer. Demoted to Detective Sergeant, Rebus finds more than an old rank popping up in his life.

A change in the double jeopardy laws provokes the re-opening of a 30-year-old murder case tied to Rebus’ former unit, “The Saints of the Shadow Bible.” Malcolm Fox is investigating the possible cover-up in the case, and Rebus soon finds himself pulled between his loyalty to the Saints and uncovering the truth.

Meanwhile, Rebus is investigating a suspicious car accident that may have ties to the Scottish Independence Movement and the death of a high-ranking politician. When his research leads him back to one of the former Saints, Rebus is more determined than ever to unearth the truth of both his current case and the old one.

Despite the longevity of this series, Rankin shows no signs of losing steam with John Rebus. He maintains a freshness while staying true to his character. Rebus’ sense of humor, devotion to his job and sense of isolation consistently enhance his character and provide a peek into the psyche of the man. In Saints of the Shadow Bible, his interaction with Malcolm Fox works to build empathy for both characters, and readers discover a side of Fox not seen before.

Rankin’s gift with dialogue, his wit and raw examination of human nature continue to intensify, resulting in a resonant reading experience for both seasoned series devotees and new Rebus recruits.

Saints of the Shadow Bible is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780316224550) from Little, Brown. It is also available as an unabridged Hatchette Audio CD (ISBN: 9781478981732) narrated by James Macpherson.

Police - Jo Nesbø

My review of the audiobook of Police first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. It is appearing here today with their permission.

First line: "It was asleep in there, behind the door."

John Lee returns as the voice of Harry Hole for Jo Nesbø’s newest installment of his beloved detective’s series. Harry resigned his shield and is no longer a part of the police department, but he’s back in Oslo teaching at the police college. When a demented killer begins targeting police officers—killing them at the scene of a crime the officer failed to solve--the Oslo Police are on high alert, and Harry Hole returns as a “consultant” to help capture the madman.

John Lee’s approach to Harry Hole expresses the intensity and urgency of the plot while still maintaining the cool, detached persona of the weathered detective. Lee also manages to exude the depth of Hole’s emotions, whether they be the love for his family or the distain for his suspects, without betraying the protective mask Hole displays to the world.

Police, like most installments in this series, employs multiple key plot twists. Lee’s narration works to augment the suspense without inadvertently providing signals that clue the reader. This is especially vital because of Nesbø’s unpredictability. He’s never been one to shy away from killing a main character, so with a plot that involves a serial cop killer, maintaining that mystery is key.

The combination of Nesbø’s writing and Lee’s reading paints a dark, chilling atmosphere, and Police is at equal measures haunting and hopeful.

Because Police reveals spoilers from Phantom, book 9 in the series, those wishing to read earlier books would be advised to do so before Police.

Police is available on unabridged audio (ISBN: 9780804163880) from Random House Audio. It's a longer audiobook at 14 discs (about 17 hours). It is also available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780307960498) from Knopf.

The Redeemer - Jo Nesbø

I'm on a little bit of an audiobook role here as I play catch-up with reviews. My review of The Redeemer was part of last week's audiobook-focused Shelf Awareness issue. It is appearing here now with their permission.

First line: "She was fourteen years old and sure that if she shut her eyes tight and concentrated she could see the stars through the roof."

In the United States, several narrators have read Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole series. The Redeemer, book six in the series, is the first time John Lee gives voice to the damaged Oslo police detective. His narration, however, sounds as though he’s known the series intimately from the start.

While Lee’s style may sound abrupt at first, the rhythm quickly blends into the story and becomes an afterthought as listeners find themselves caught up in the action of the investigation.

Detective Hole is after the killer of a Salvation Army worker. Despite the murder happening in a crowded street, no one can identify the shooter; even worse, he’s not finished. Harry must find him and prevent him from killing again.

Hole’s role is a challenge in the various layers Nesbø created throughout the series, but Lee has a firm grip on the strata. Hole’s paradoxical characteristics of compassion and apathy blend seamlessly in Lee’s calm, laid back approach to the detective. And while the action of the plot is fast and intense, Lee keeps the pace in line with Hole’s character.

Nesbø works a very dark sense of humor into this series, which is not lost on Lee. His depiction of Hole with an unloaded weapon in a standoff with the murderer is both suspenseful and humorous.

Nesbø fans accustomed to Robin Sachs’ previous narrations may find the change a bit jolting, but John Lee has given voice to an exceptional interpretation of The Redeemer.

The Redeemer is available as an unabridged audio (ISBN: 9780307917546) from Random House Audio. It is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780307595850) from Knopf (translated by Don Bartlett).

The Missing File - D.A. Mishani

First line: "Across the desk from him sat a mother."

Every parent's nightmare...a child gone missing. Police Detective Avraham "Avi" Avraham is on duty when a mother comes into the Israeli police station to report Ofer, her sixteen-year-old son, missing. He left for school but never arrived. Avi asks her if she knows why there are no detective novels in Hebrew.

"Because we don't have crimes like that. We don't have serial killers; we don't have kidnappings; and there aren't many rapists out there attacking women on the streets. Here, when a crime is committed, it's usually the neighbor, the uncle, the grandfather, and there's no need for a complex investigation to find the criminal and clear up the mystery."

Avi sends the mother home telling her Ofer is probably just being a teenager and will show up before the night is out. But when Ofer's mother and uncle show up in the police station again the following day, Avi realizes Ofer is not just being a typical teenager, and this time, Israel does indeed have a mystery to be solved.

The Missing File is D.A. Mishani's debut novel and the beginning to a series featuring Avraham Avraham. His background as a literary scholar, specializing in detective literature, shows in his strong plot, complete with layers of conflict and plenty of red herrings. Mishani also delves into the psychological with this police procedural, wading into the murky waters of truth.

While the setting is Israel, where there has apparently been no call for detective novels in the past, the setting doesn't play a huge role in this book. The focus is squarely on the investigation and the characters.

Fans of the traditional crime novel will appreciate Mishani's respect of the genre, and all readers will appreciate his complex characters. While there may be differing opinions about the novel's conclusion, it will be difficult to argue that Mishani doesn't make the reader think...and then think again.

The Missing File is an intriguing detective novel and an impressive debut. I'm already looking forward to the next in the series.

The Missing File is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0062195371) from HarperLuxe.

Gods and Beasts - Denise Mina

My review of Gods and Beasts appeared last week in Shelf Awareness for Readers. If you missed it there, I'm re-printing it here with their permission.

First line: "Martin Pavel heard it all as if through a pillow; the faint whine of ambulances, the helicopter murmur overhead, the muffled shouts of men in bulky uniforms, paramedics and cops shouting urgent instructions to each other--GET THAT TAPE, MOVE THEM BACK."

A week before Christmas an armed man charges into a Glasgow post office as Martin Pavel stands in line to mail home gifts to his family. Before he actually understands what is going on, the older man in front of him hands Martin his grandson and voluntarily helps the masked gunman.

As the gunman is leaving the building he shoots the old man dead leaving many unanswered questions for Martin and the investigating officer, DS Alex Morrow.

Gods and Beasts, the third in Denise Mina’s Alex Morrow series, is as much the story of Morrow’s search for truth as it is Martin’s search for truth. It is steeped in mystery, going beyond just the identity of the murderer. The reason behind the socially conscious man’s assistance in the robbery and the mystery surrounding Martin Pavel add a richness and complexity to her plot. Meanwhile, the tone of the novel creates a mysterious atmosphere to heighten the intrigue.

Mina has created a circus-like cast of characters, all with oddities that make them fascinating and engaging. And each possesses hidden layers, which beckon readers to look at them closer and more deeply.

As Martin explains, the title originates with Aristotle, “Those who live outside the city walls, and are self-sufficient, are either Gods or Beasts.” So the ultimate mystery is uncovering which category each character falls into.

Readers new to Denise Mina or only new to the Alex Morrow series can easily pick up Gods and Beasts without reading the previous two books. However, they should be forewarned that reading Gods and Beasts will likely lead to a Mina addiction.

Gods and Beasts is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780316188524) from Reagan Arthur Books. An unabridged audio version (ISBN: 9781619699182) will be available from AudioGo in May; there is also a Hachette Audio version available now through Audible.

Standing In Another Man's Grave - Ian Rankin

I originally reviewed Standing in Another Man's Grave for Shelf Awareness in January. You can see that starred (yay) review here. However, instead of just reposting that review, I wanted to elaborate a bit more than I'm able to in Shelf Awareness, so it's a little different this time....

First line: "He'd made sure he wasn't standing too near the open grave."

Five years after retiring, John Rebus is working with the Serious Crime Review Unit. Rebus is clearly unhappy behind a desk; he's a detective at heart and having that taken away from him by forced retirement has left him with a hole in his life.

Meanwhile, the Scottish police have changed the retirement standards due to the loss of too much experience and the expense of the pensions. So Rebus is considering the option of applying to rejoin the force.

In the midst of the internal conflict for Rebus, Nina Hazlitt shows up at the SCRU looking for the former director DI Magrath. Since Magrath retired several years back, Rebus meets with Hazlitt. She had shared her theories with Magrath about a serial kidnapper targeting woman along the A9 highway and now another woman has gone missing in similar circumstances. Hazlitt took up a crusade on her theory because she believes the first victim was her daughter Sally.

Rebus agrees to take a look at the various disappearances which leads him directly to the new case and its investigative team including his friend Siobhan Clarke. Rebus begins to see some truth in Hazlitt's theory and the more he digs, the more he's convinced she's right--at least mostly right. But his maverick ways are ruffling feathers and he may "get the boot" from the investigation before he can "get his guy."

Standing in Another Man's Grave was dedicated to Jackie Leven, Rankin's good friend who died unexpectedly from cancer in 2011. The title is derived from a mondegreen (mis-heard lyrics) of Leven's song "Standing in Another Man's Rain." Rankin had thought for years that the song was Rain, not Grave. And he carries that title into the themes and symbolism of the novel.

In addition, the novel is divided into six parts, and Rankin opens each part with tie-in lyrics from a Leven song, lyrics that not only enrich the part but set the part's tone, like:

"A man disappears down bar steps
With a piece of wounded sky..."

or

"I see the dead men shuffling in their bones
Young girls laughing on their mobile phones..."

Tone and atmosphere permeate the entire novel; from the start, Rebus is attending the funeral of a friend, who died unexpectedly from cancer. A sense of futility or hollowness begins. There is no rhyme or reason. Good people die for no explainable reason. And as much as we grasp for a rationale, it just isn't there. It's simply the way the universe plays out. The presence of characters like Rebus and Clarke give us hope that some good can be possible, some justice served, even when we can't have logic.

This being my first experience with Rankin, I can't compare it for you to his previous works, I can simply tell you that I was bowled over. The complexity of the plot and the themes kept my brain working in overtime, while the beauty of the language and imagery stimulated my senses:

"The past had its grip on her and wasn't letting go. He worked with the past, too, but he could always put it back in a box and have it delivered to a storeroom or warehouse."

Rankin's humor compliments Rebus and his frustration with bureaucracy. The pacing and plot twists keep the momentum of the story quick. At the conclusion, I cheered over the way Rankin tied in the end with the beginning--coming full circle--and I realized I'd been holding my breath. I could once again breathe. But that breathless experience is what reading good books is all about.

Rebus is making his way back where he belongs, which allowed me to finally connect with him. There may not always be logic to the way the world works, but that doesn't mean the results are always going to be bad!

Standing in Another Man's Grave is available from Reagan Arthur Books in hardcover (ISBN: 978-031622458) and from Hachette Audio as an unabridged audio (ISBN: 9781619693814), narrated by James Macpherson. If anyone listens to the audio version, I'd love to hear what you think! You can also check out Ian Rankin's Five on Friday from last month and the recap I did of his Milwaukee event, which includes more information on the background for this book.

No Mark Upon Her - Deborah Crombie

First line: "A glance at the sky made her swear aloud."

Duncan Kincaid is enjoying some holiday time with his family, preparing for an extended family leave of absence, when Denis Childs summons the Scotland Yard superintendent to a murder scene. It doesn't take long for Kincaid to uncover why Childs insisted he look into the case.

A young woman is reported missing by her ex-husband; she hasn't been seen since the previous evening when she set out to row on the Thames in her Filippi. Once an Olympic hopeful, Becca Meredith set her eyes on the possibility of a comeback and had been rowing each night at dusk. To have a serious chance at that dream, however, it would mean leaving her position as a high-ranking detective with the Met and focusing entirely on her training.

Becca never has a chance to make that decision; she's found dead in the water the next day by a K-9 Search and Rescue Team. While Childs would like nothing better than Kincaid to declare the death an accident, an apparent attempt on the life of one of the Search and Rescue team members makes that possibility seem less and less likely. And when Kincaid uncovers a controversy Becca was involved in at the Met, a whole new can of worms is opened, spilling out new suspects in her murder.

Deborah Crombie continues her long-running Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series with No Mark Upon Her, the fourteenth installment. However, this is my starting point in the series and I had no problems jumping right into the lives of this newlywed couple of UK law enforcement agents. Crombie does an excellent job of balancing the personal and professional lives of the protagonists so that the reader is as invested in them as people as they are in the suspense of the crime.

Another major strength of No Mark Upon Her is Crombie's female characters. Crombie shows how a strong, smart, gifted woman can also be a compassionate mother, a devoted wife or a true friend. She illustrates the foibles as well as the perfections and the results are characters we can identify with and empathize with. Mirroring these wonderful women are men defying stereotype: the nurturing father, the struggling war veteran, the awkward new homeowner, the supportive ex-husband. These people could be living next door to you.

Long-time series readers will likely pick up on nuances with the Kincaid/James couple that newbie readers miss, but it doesn't diminish the enjoyment of No Mark Upon Her. This is a book that will captivate new and veteran Crombie fans alike. The plot is well-constructed with a fascinating look at both the sport of rowing and the K-9 Search and Rescue programs. The layers of the victim's life provide plenty of believable suspects for her murder, keeping the suspense high and the momentum moving.

Crombie won a convert with No Mark Upon Her. I'll certainly be indulging in more Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James.

No Mark Upon Her is available from William Morrow in both hardcover (ISBN: 9780061990618) and now paperback (ISBN: 9780061990625). It is also available from Harper Audio as an unabridged audio (ISBN: 9780062208927) narrated by Gerard Doyle.

My review of No Mark Upon Her kicks off the TLC blog tour for new paperback version of No Mark Upon Her. You can check out what other readers on the tour had to say about the novel by visiting the TLC site. You can connect with Deborah Crombie at her website, on Facebook, Twitter or even blogging with the gals at Jungle Red Writers. And if you missed Debs' Five on Friday here at Jen's Book Thoughts, be sure to check it out...she shares her favorite car and a photo from her trip here to Cleveland for the 2012 Bouchercon!

The Sentry - Robert Crais

First line: "Monday, 4:28 A.M., the narrow French Quarter room was smoky with cheap candles that smelled of honey."

Joe Pike's only mistake was stopping to put air in the tires of his Jeep. Had he bypassed the gas station that day, his life would be completely different. Instead Joe noticed a couple of gang bangers assaulting a sandwich shop owner and went over to his defense. Joe promises the owner's niece that he will make sure the bangers don't return. So when the shop is vandalized with animal entrails and goat heads, Joe sets out on a mission. That mission is heightened when the owner and his niece disappear. It soon becomes clear that the sandwich shop owner and his niece aren't what they appeared to be, but Joe made a promise and regardless of appearances, he will keep his promise.

I approach each new Robert Crais book with trepidation. My biggest fear is the book that loses momentum in the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. THE SENTRY is not that book. The plot is explosive out of the gate; it kept me engaged for the entire 300 pages. Half of me wanted to turn the pages quickly; the plot demanded it of me. And the other half of me wanted to savor each page as Joe Pike's layers continued to be peeled away and his relationship to Elvis Cole took on new depth and meaning. Crais shares with the reader:

"Not the likeliest of pairings, Pike being so quiet and remote, Cole being one of those people who thought he was funny, but they were more alike than most people knew."

As Crais shares more of Joe in the novels, those who have followed the series find that to be true. And that fact is developed further in each subsequent book. That being said, it should also be mentioned that "developing" Joe's character doesn't mean changing Joe's character. The strong, solemn warrior is as present as ever:

"'You are making a mistake. You think you're talking to some pretty-boy Mexican, but you are talking to La Eme. We are two hundred thousand strong. You should wait like I say. You don't want to go to war with us.'

Pike waited him out, letting the pressure of his silence build. When Azzara finally spoke again his voice showed a strain Pike found curious.

'Are we clear on this? Do you get it?'

Pike said nothing.

'Do. You. Get. It?'

'You don't understand.'

'What? What don't I understand?'

'War is what I do.'"

Crais' dialogue is immaculate. The tone of the scene comes through; the development of the characters is stronger than any direct description could be. And not one dialogue tag is necessary to accomplish that.

Likewise his prose echos for the reader as though Crais is reading it off into the canyon behind Cole's A-frame house:

"Then the cat growled, somewhere to his right and below on the slope. It started low, and spiraled louder like a terrible war cry until it filled the canyon with an anguished wail as if the cat was in pain. Cole thought it was the cat. He was pretty sure it was the cat."

Joe and Elvis will always remain Crais' focus in this series - just imagine if he'd have killed Joe in THE MONKEY'S RAINCOAT like he originally planned - but as Crais once mentioned, he creates every character as if it could have its own book. Daniel, the antagonist in THE SENTRY, is just such a character. Despite being the villain, I wanted to know more about Daniel and would read a book Crais wrote just about him. Crais doesn't save all the good stuff for the good guys.

I do admit that I missed Carol Starkey. She doesn't make any appearance this go round. But I suppose it's hard to pack all the brilliant dialogue, strong emotion, superb character development, heart-pounding plot AND Carol Starkey into every book.

Raymond Chandler is quoted as saying, "When a book, any sort of book, reaches a certain intensity of artistic performance it becomes literature. That intensity may be a matter of style, situation, character, emotional tone, or idea, or half a dozen other things. It may also be a perfection of control over the movement of a story similar to the control a great pitcher has over the ball.” THE SENTRY is evidence that Crais has surpassed that level of intensity. Don't miss THE SENTRY.

THE SENTRY is available January 11th from G.P. Putnam's Sons (ISBN: 978-0-399-15707-3). It will also be available on audiobook from Brilliance Audio (ISBN: 978-1-423-37558-6).

TROGLODYTES - Ed Lynskey

FIRST LINE: "'Watch this.'"

Private Investigator Frank Johnson is being hounded by the IRS for taxes he needs to pay when a job comes along requiring him to track a missing person...in Turkey. He isn't very keen on the idea, but the client was referred to him by his lawyer associate, Robert Gatlin, and of course there's the issue of the taxes that need to be paid. So Frank sets off for Turkey to try to locate the American diplomat, Sylvester Mercedes, who walked out of his hotel one Sunday morning never to be seen again. Frank manages to uncover several dead ends when an employee at the hotel is murdered. Evidence suggests that the murder could be connected to Mercedes, but can Frank prove it. And just where did Mercedes go?

TROGLODYTES is the fourth book in Lynskey's Frank Johnson series. Johnson is the epitome of the classic PI: recovering alcoholic, divorced, and for the most part a loner. He plays by his rules and tries to buck anyone who attempts to force their own rules on him.

The Turkish setting adds an exotic air to this novel, but the actual troglodyte tunnels play a rather small role in the novel. I think I would have liked for that to be developed more, but mostly because of my own fascination with them.

Because of the setting, Lynskey is able to bring in additional unique characters that add flavor to the novel. Omar, the hotel owner, has a drawer full of Lugers and wears many hats in his hotel, including dishwasher. He also has quite an eye for the ladies. His wife Karin is an attractive spitfire of a woman who would prefer not to have to bother with the hotel, but is forced into service by circumstance. And Selami the taksi driver teams up with Johnson to try to find Mercedes.

The last quarter of the novel seemed to pick up pace considerably, but throughout the novel, Lynskey uses vivid language and smart dialogue. The Iraqi war grumbles in the backdrop of the plot as Johnson copes with his feelings about it in relation to his own veteran status.

While I did have a little background on Johnson, having read the second book in the series, THE BLUE CHEER, TROGLODYTES is one a reader could easily pick up with no background on Johnson. So, for a quick trip to Turkey, coupled with murder and mystery, try TROGLODYTES by Ed Lynskey.

TROGLODYTES is available now in trade paper from Mundania Press (ISBN: 978-1-59426-721-5).

THE LONG FALL - Walter Mosely

First line: "'I'm sorry, Mr. um?..." the skinny receptionist said.

Leonid McGill is trying to go straight, or at least straighter than he's been most of his life. These days he's working as a P.I. His most recent case involves locating four men given only the street names they donned in their youth. After he's located all the men and they start turning up dead, LT, as his friends like to call him, receives a visit from a stranger trying to kill HIM. So, Leonid starts tracking backwards. The man who hired him was using a false name and when Leonid finds him, the man is dead. All his leads turn into dead ends, but if he doesn't find out what's going on, he may very well be the next dead end, himself.

THE LONG FALL is the first book in Walter Mosley's new Leonid McGill series, and he's off to a smashing start with this one. McGill is a former boxer who was also involved in a very shady occupation. However, he's decided to "go straight" as a P.I. McGill is also father to three children, of which only one is his biological child. And his marriage is essentially dead, but he remains in the union. The depth of McGill's character makes understanding him as much a part of the mystery as the crimes of the plot are.

The plot of THE LONG FALL weaves several storylines together, all directly connected to McGill. In addition to finding out who is killing the men he located, McGill is trying to prevent his son Twill from making a grave mistake that, while intended for the best of reasons, would forever alter Twill's life.

The language of Mosley's prose is the greatest of the strengths in this novel. The way that he blends the beauty of language with the rough, harshness of the characters, the crimes, the streets of New York, it mimics the dynamics of his protagonist. One of my favorite examples of this is early on in the novel when Leonid is talking about boxing:

" Throwing a punch is the yang of a boxer's life. The yin is being able to avoid getting hit."

Not only is that a wonderful metaphor, but it sets the tone for the whole novel: black and white, male and female, good and bad, rich and poor. Mosely is examining the intricacies of their relationships. Yes, they create a good deal of gray, but the gray comes from the blending of those extreme opposites.

THE LONG FALL is a perfect example of how a writer can continue to write, continue to grow, and continue to do all of it well. Walter Mosely has done just that, and I look forward to the next outing with Leonid McGill.

I listened to THE LONG FALL on audio, read by Mirron Willis. Willis did a fantastic job with this narration, bringing out the distinct characteristics of all the characters. His tone and pacing seemed to match the character and plot that Mosley has created. Penguin did a nice job of matching the reader with the book on this project.

THE LONG FALL is available from Riverhead Books in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1594488580) and from Penguin Audio in unabridged audio book (ISBN: 978-0143144205). A softcover format should be available next month.

212 - Alafair Burke

First line: "Tanya Abbott noticed the quiver in her index finger as it pressed the three silver buttons in the rain - 9...1...1."

When a classmate directs Megan Gunther to a campus gossip website, she discovers that someone is leaving what she perceives to be threatening messages to her. The anonymous person has posted her schedule, right down to her exercise class. But the police tell Megan and her parents there isn't anything they can do. Empty threats are posted on websites like this one all the time. But these threats don't seem to be empty when Megan ends up dead and her roommate seriously injured.

Meanwhile, real estate agent/high-priced call girl Katie Battle is found tortured to death after leaving for a date/job with a seemingly harmless man. So, when Ellie Hatcher and partner, J.J. Rogan, find a connection between the two women, they start trying to put the pieces together. However, the pieces don't seem to fit right, and then a new piece is thrown into the puzzle when connections to a wealthy New York businessman and a high profile trial judge are unearthed and Megan's injured roommate disappears. Are these pieces all from the same puzzle? And if so, how do they go together? If not, where do they belong?

After a short hiatus, my favorite female crime fighter is back at work, protecting the streets of New York City in Alafair Burke's sixth novel, 212. The title of this book stems from the New York City area code as well as the name of the building where all the book's action originates.

Ellie Hatcher is back with a vengeance. A vengeance that lands her butt squarely in jail. Smart, independent Ellie Hatcher proves to the world everyday that she's far more than a pretty face. She can "bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan." She juggles her job, her older brother Jess, Assistant District Attorney Max Donovan, even her mother back in Wichita. And while she may not be as hip as her brother would like, she still manages to do it all with panache.

Burke's work is the epitome of art imitating life. Her plot lines are "ripped from the headlines;" the characters and dialogue are infused with pop culture; and she brings to life the New York City she so loves. 212 has no shortage of Burke's signature wit, which often comes out in her crisp, commanding dialogue. Ellie's exchanges with both her brother Jess and her partner J.J. could walk off the pages they are so believable. Burke's strengths are numerous, but her dialogue is quite possibly my favorite. In this short excerpt between Ellie and J.J., the reader not only learns about each character, but also the easy relationship that exists between the two of them:

"'Well, being his pal didn't save me from a jail cell. Maybe next time you can be the one who does our time.'

'Nah,' he said, holding open the precinct door for her to exit. 'I'm way too pretty for central holding on some chippy contempt rap. Someone like me goes down, it's got to be major. I would need some serious federal corrections facility - golf course, croquet...'

'Rogan, you were raised in Brooklyn. Do you even know what croquet is?'

'I know it involves a round thing called a ball, which means it's yet another sport a brother could dominate if we only gave it a shot.'

'When you're done, you think you might get around to letting me in?' Ellie tugged on the Crown Vic's locked passenger handle to make her point."

In that exchange, Burke uses the word "said" once. And yet the identity of either speaker is never in question. Dialogue is clear, it's sharp, it's witty. When a reader believes the dialogue, he/she believes the characters delivering it. For my money, no one does this better than Alafair Burke.

The complexity of 212's plot is carefully balanced. Burke peals back layer after layer, creating numerous unexpected twists throughout the book. But the twists never go over the top, nor do they become too numerous for belief. Instead the keep the reader gripped to the pages. I tried to slowly savor this book, but the plot simply wouldn't let me.

In addition, the plot of 212, like each of Burke's previous novels, reflects current events. But more than that, it examines some hefty "why" questions that are floating around these current events as well. And whenever Burke addresses a "why" question in her writing, she illustrates that the answer to that question is never a basic one, like so many people want to make it out to be. Afterall, it's humanity she's addressing, and humanity is certainly never basic. In 212, Burke takes a 348 page back swing allowing her to masterfully stroke her theme straight down the fairway and sink a hole-in-one on the final page. It's a monumental ending, one that won't quickly leave your thoughts.

I waited over a year for Ellie Hatcher to return to action, and 212 was worth every minute of that wait.

212 will be available March 23, 2010 from Harper (ISBN: 978-0-06-156122-1). And Alafair will be out and about promoting it. You can check her schedule here to see if she will be near you. Or if you'd like to get a signed copy of 212, I'm sure most of the bookstores would be happy to accomodate a mail order for you.

THE GENTLEMAN'S HOUR - Don Winslow

First Line: "Kansas. 'See flatter than.'"

THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR is Don Winslow's follow-up to THE DAWN PATROL. Named for the block of surfing time in the day directly after "The Dawn Patrol," THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR finds Boone Daniels investigating the circumstances of the murder of his surfing hero, Kelly Kuhio. The only problem with this situation is the fact that Boone is investigating on behalf of the young man who has admitted to killing Kelly. The other members of The Dawn Patrol turn their backs on Boone when they learn what he is doing. The only exception is Sunny who is no longer in Southern California; she's on the professional surf tour.

The detective who normally prefers to be inactive whenever possible, Boone is also juggling a second case for one of his friends who normally surfs The Gentlemen's Hour, Dan Nichols. Nichols has hired Boone to follow his wife and find out if she is cheating on Nichols. Boone hates these kinds of cases, but accepts to help a friend. His choice may end up leading Boone straight to jail.

THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR is presently not available in the United States. From the information I've garnered, this book will not be available in the U.S. until summer of 2011. However, I was fortunate enough to have a friend, thank you le0pard13, who purchased a U.K. version of the novel, which is presently available. He shared his copy with me, and I was able to luxuriate in 328 pages of Winslow goodness.

Don Winslow is notorious for the sharp wit in his writing. He can be writing about the darkest, ugliest aspects of human nature and manage to pop something out that just makes you laugh, even though you're on the verge of heart-wrenching tears. And the reason you laugh is because the quip is so blatantly and starkly true. While THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR doesn't quite take you to the heart-wrenching tears - crying is not permitted in the gentlemen's hour, after all - it does explore, as THE DAWN PATROL did, the complexities and sensitivities of friendship and its bonds.

As in THE DAWN PATROL, the action of the plot is symbolized through the ocean:

"Never turn your back on a wave.

Never turn your back on the absence of a wave, either, because the second you do, a real thundercrusher will rise out of nowhere and smack you down. The ocean may look like one thing on the surface, but there's always something different happening underneath. That something could start a thousand miles away and then be headed toward you and you'll never know about it until it happens."

At the onset of THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR, the ocean is flat and still. No surfing takes place, just lolling and philosophizing. The ocean, like life, is all powerful. You can't control it even when it's still, but you can learn to understand it. Boone understands the ocean; it's the rest of life he still needs to be educated in. He's learning bit by bit and he's trying to do what he knows is right, regardless of how hard that may be. That struggle to do right is what makes Boone a character readers can relate to. His missteps and machismo are what make him a character readers find humor in. The whole package is what makes him the protagonist of a outstanding P.I. novel.

THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR cut a lot of the fat from THE DAWN PATROL for a tighter plot, but it maintains Winslow's depth and humor. The return of Petra and the loss of Sunny throws explosive dynamics into The Dawn Patrol's chemistry. And the added layer of The Gentleman's Hour builds dimension in the surfing community of Southern California. And of course, the Pacific once again takes on the dual role of character and setting.

While the ocean may not look like it's doing much in THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR, Winslow is making a huge splash with the return of "Boone freaking Daniels" and his surfing crew: "Dave the Love and War God, Johnny Absolutely Banzai, High Rolling Tide, and Hang Tough Twelve," not to mention "Loco Ono." If you enjoyed THE DAWN PATROL, you will love THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR. If you haven't read THE DAWN PATROL, now's the time. This is a series most effectively read in order. Pick up THE DAWN PATROL before THE GENTLEMEN'S HOUR'S release in 2011.

And if you can't wait until 2011, THE GENTLEMAN'S HOUR is available now in the U.K. through William Heinemann (ISBN: 978-0-4340-1925-0).

Two By Bruen

I recently finished CALIBRE and THE DRAMATIST on audio, both by Ken Bruen and both read by Michael Deehy, so I'm going to review them together in this post.


CALIBRE first line: "Shit from shinola. You have to hand it to the god-damned Yanks, they have great verbals, man."

CALIBRE is Bruen's sixth Inspector Brant novel. Brant is a member of the Southeast London Police Squad, and in this installment of the series, he's after a killer who is taking cues from Jim Thompson's THE KILLER INSIDE ME. The murderer targets people with poor manners and kills them in such a way that it's impossible to declare them murders because the actual cause of death is always questionable. While he's trying to track down this killer, Brant is also trying to become England's Joseph Wambaugh by writing his own crime fiction novel. However, he can't write. Point of view effectively alternates between the murderer's first person monologues and third person limited.

THE DRAMATIST first line: Lemsip and Greek yoghurt. That was my daily fare, the Lemsip for a flu I thought I had.

THE DRAMATIST is Bruen's fourth Jack Taylor novel. Taylor is a sometimes P.I./former Guard in Galway, Ireland. Bruen's alcoholic Taylor is living a clean and sober life in THE DRAMATIST when his former drug dealer summons him to the prison where he's incarcerated. The drug dealer's sister died apparently by accident, but the drug dealer doesn't believe it to be an accident; he wants Taylor to investigate and find the person responsible. When Taylor begins investigating he finds a scary similarity to another "apparent accident," the presence of a book by John Millington Synge.

I opted to review these together because, despite their unique characters, plots and settings, they share a recipe for excellence. Bruen, in both novels, takes the reader through an experience riddled with crime, darkness, and wretchedness. Yet in both novels he elicited genuine laughter from me. His dark humor is as striking as his heart-wrenching despair.

Bruen is a minimalist. Every word, every sentence counts; he sculpts elaborate, detailed universes with the most basic of tools and is unmatched in his craft. He also has a very distinct style and sound. There is a short, sharp sound to Bruen's writing and that works to reinforce the tone of the novels.

Brant is an unlikeable protagonist, but smart as a whip. And while you wait patiently for someone to pull one over on Brant, you still grin when he cleverly outwits those around him. Taylor, in THE DRAMATIST, has a tendency to evoke pity from the reader. He's created the life he now lives, but you find yourself rooting for him to succeed in his efforts to turn his life around, yet at every turn he's met with overwhelming obstacles. For a character-lover such as myself, Brant and Taylor are dreams come true. They're complex characters that can't be forced into stereotypes or traditional protagonist roles so you're challenged as a reader to develop a new kind of relationship with these characters. The challenge doesn't come with identifying flaws in these characters, but rather in looking past the flaws to discover why they are so magnetic.

Ken Bruen crafts works of art and binds them between two covers. In my case, Michael Deehy interpreted the works of art vocally in the form of the audiobook. It actually took me awhile to discern that it was in fact the same person reading both books. That is how deep-rooted he was in each of the characters. I felt he did an outstanding job with both narrations. The only thing I had to watch for was my love of Irish brogue. It had a tendency to lull me because I find it almost transfixing. I highly recommend both book as well as both audiobook versions.

CALIBRE was published in the U.S. by St. Martin's Minotaur in 2006 (ISBN: 978-0-3123-4144-2) and on unabridged audio by BBC Audiobooks America (ISBN: 978-0-7927-4073-5), also in 2006.

THE DRAMATIST was published in the U.S. by St. Martin's Minotaur in 2006 (ISBN: 978-0-3123-1647-1) and on unabridged audio by BBC Audiobooks America in 2006 (ISBN: 978-0-7927-3911-1).

TRIGGER CITY - Sean Chercover

FIRST LINE: "Facts are not truth."

Ray Dudgeon has returned to Chicago but is still suffering from physical injuries as well as some mental/emotional trauma. He has a shoulder in need of surgery and can't get through the night without vivid nightmares. The money situation isn't great and he's looking for a buyer for his Shelby. So, when retired Colonel Isaac Richmond offers Ray a job investigating the murder of his daughter, a murder that the Chicago Police have sufficiently closed, he has a difficult time passing up the job.

Joan Richmond was murdered by a colleague, Steven Zhang, who subsequently committed suicide. These facts are not in question. Richmond, however, wants to hire Ray to find the "truth of Joan's death." When Ray begins to investigate the life and death of Joan Richmond, he finds some oddities. And as he agitates those oddities, disturbing elements begin to appear. And suddenly a routine investigation has turned into a shapeless evil Ray can't identify but has to battle, not only for his own safety but the safety of all those around him.

TRIGGER CITY is the second Ray Dudgeon novel from Sean Chercover and it is explosive! The plot of this novel not only kept me engaged but caught me completely off guard on more than one occasion. The twists were exquisitely placed and utterly believable. Plots like TRIGGER CITY'S convince the most stringent "Doubting Thomas" of government conspiracies. The pace of the novel is quick and intense. At times Chercover would let up slightly for the reader to catch his/her breath, but not for long.

Ray Dudgeon takes on a new dimension in TRIGGER CITY, and for me, he truly came alive. Dudgeon is a hard-ass Chicago P.I., but he's also human and his vulnerability was more translucent in this novel. Ray taking on the role of mentor to Vince helps to bring some of that vulnerability to the forefront but so does Ray's relationship to the deceased Joan Richmond.

For the most part TRIGGER CITY is a dark, dramatic novel, but every so often Chercover comes out with a great line. The dry humor catches you off guard and that makes it all the more funny. He also peppers the plot with music references, and I found those songs playing in my head long after I'd stopped reading.

TRIGGER CITY is the epitome of great, modern crime fiction. It has taken its spot in the canon and is required reading in the School of Noir.

One of Chercover's greatest writing strengths, and believe me he has many, is dialogue. Having listened to TRIGGER CITY on audio book, read by Joe Barrett, that gift with dialogue comes through vividly. Never did it sound forced or awkward, just smooth and natural. Barrett's sound, pacing and interpretation were engaging; they brought Chercover's words to life. It is an excellent audio production.

TRIGGER CITY is available from William Morrow in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-06-112869-1), Harper mass market paperback (ISBN: 978-0-06-112870-7) , or from Audible on audio book.

THE DAWN PATROL - Don Winslow

FIRST LINE: "The marine layer wraps a soft silver blanket over the coast."

Boone Daniels is a private investigator by trade, a surfer by choice. He only works when it's absolutely necessary and finances dictate, despite the huge surf preparing to hit the Southern California Pacific Beach, Boone needs to take the case that has arrived at his front door. Petra Hall is a beautiful attorney with a sexy accent and she needs to hire Boone to find a missing prostitute set to testify in an insurance case. However, it doesn't take long for Boone and Petra to discover that much more lies behind that insurance case, enough to warrant murder.

Don Winslow has an amazing knack for writing P.I. fiction. His characters are diverse and quirky and humorous. And the relationships between the characters work to solicit empathy from the reader. At the same time those relationships create conflict for the reader. The tough decisions the characters encounter transfer to the reader. Winslow's antagonists almost drip with "ick" because they are so realistic.

The plot of THE DAWN PATROL exerts the power of the "big wave" set to hit the Pacific Coast. Just when Winslow lets the reader up for air, the next round of action comes roaring in, often catching the reader off guard. But there's no need to worry because being immersed in THE DAWN PATROL is a thrilling experience and well worth the ride.

Winslow's an old hand with the sharp humor. With THE DAWN PATROL however, Winslow drives the reader through a gamut of emotions.

The only minor element I find myself noticing is Winslow's tendency to loosen the plot with maybe more detail than is essential. I felt this in CALIFORNIA FIRE AND LIFE, and I felt it in THE DAWN PATROL, but probably not to the same extent. It's not anything that would ever keep me from reading his books but I do think the plot could have been tighter without sacrificing any of the greatness.

I listened to THE DAWN PATROL on audio book, courtesy of my friend Le0pard13. And it is a great narration, read by Ray Porter from Blackstone Audio. Porter does an exquisite job picking up on the nuances that heighten Winslow's humor as well as his more somber tones. The dialects are well done and consistently well transitioned. There isn't much that can throw a listener off more than a reader who neglects to transition out of a dialect when reading dialogue. In this audio of THE DAWN PATROL it would be crystal clear who was talking even without cues such as "he said"/"she said". This is an outstanding audio.

THE DAWN PATROL is available from Knopf in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0307266200), from Vintage in trade paper (ISBN:978-0307278913), and Blackstone Audio on CD (ISBN: 978-1433214899).

CITY OF DRAGONS - Kelli Stanley

FIRST LINE: "Miranda didn't hear the sound he made when his face hit the sidewalk."

Miranda Corbie is a former prostitute turned female private investigator in 1940 San Francisco when a young man falls dead at her feet in the midst of a Rice Bowl Party. The cops are trying to sweep his murder quietly under the carpet; no one will care about a Japanese boy after all. But Miranda does and she's determined to find out who killed Eddie Takahashi. Meanwhile Helen Winters wants to hire Miranda to find her step-daughter Phyllis, who she believes is responsible for her husband's murder. Phyllis is missing and Helen wants her found and institutionalized. As Miranda uncovers clues in both cases, more questions arise and Miranda's own life is endangered. Life as a young, single, female PI seeking the truth in 1940 San Francisco may turn out to be shorter than Miranda anticipated.

The setting of CITY OF DRAGONS comes alive, taking on a character role, at page one. Stanley evokes every human sense to transport the reader into a pre-war San Francisco.

"A trombone slide squealed from somewhere on Market, but was drowned out by a streetcar clang and the irritated horn of a car before she could figure out the song."

"The fog was creeping down from the Mark Hopkins and the Fairmont and exclusive set on Nob Hill. It flowed sinuously over Stockton and Clay, past the GOLDEN STAR RADIO SIGN, drowning out the yellow neon in a sea of thick white haze, heading for the piers. A foghorn belched, the low hum filling one of the few silences in the heart of Chinatown. Real fog was an event, not just a shapeless cloud of moisture. As alive as the dragons of Chinatown and the ghosts of gold rush San Francisco."

"San Francisco yawned and stretched, waking to Monday morning with a hangover. Chinatown shutters squealed open on rusty hinges, the streets shut off now, self-contained, the cotton-candy smell evaporated, the carnival gone on a dilapidated coach car to smaller, more simple places.

Old women swept chicken bones and popcorn and cigarette butts from foyers. Incense burned, sending curling waves of smoke drifting down to the Bay, to tickle the noses of businessmen on the ferry to Oakland."

In addition to the sense-stimulating imagery, Stanley makes effective use of song references throughout the novel to create a more palpable atmosphere and tone.

Tensions are mounting between Chinese-Americans and Japanese-Americans; corruption is running rampant. And Miranda Corbie is far from the typical private investigator of that era. As a point of contrast, Miranda's office is hidden in the corner of her building next to the famous Pinkertons. Not only is she having to overcome the stigma of being a former prostitute but she also has to battle the gender bias of the time period:

"The boys club. They loved her and hated her, used her and ignored her, tried to forget she existed, tried to keep her where they thought she belonged. One or two hoping he'd be the one."

Miranda's past, has made her wise and hardened to the ways of the world, but not immune to the dangers and the violence of the corner she's chosen to make a life in. She's not helpless, but she also isn't superwoman. She's a real woman on a mission. Beauty assists her, but her past hinders her. All of these complexities contribute to the plot conflicts and almost work to illustrate Miranda as the personification of the city; Stanley blends character, plot and setting so that the lines are almost indistinguishable, lost maybe in San Francisco's fog. No matter where the lines have gone, the melding of the novel elements creates a seamless read; chapters flowing one right after the other.

Readers, too, will find themselves enveloped by a fog, the fog Stanley masterminds in the pages of CITY OF DRAGONS, a fog that carries the reader out of the present and squarely into a time gone by. The "City of Dragons" is deceptive and dazzling and dangerous. Just try to resist its temptations.

CITY OF ANGELS will be available February 2, 2010 from St. Martin's Minotaur (ISBN: 978-0-312-60360-1). And if you're interested in the song references I mentioned in this review, you can see a listing of the music used in CITY OF DRAGONS here.