Don't Look Back - Gregg Hurwitz

My review of Gregg Hurwitz's Don't Look Back first appeared as a starred review in Shelf Awareness for Readers. It is appearing here today with their permission.

First line: "Terror came as a vibration, a plucked-wire note more felt than heard, primary to the deadening heat, to the flick of unseen insects against her face, to the oppressive night humidity that pressed into her pores."

If there’s a dip in Mexican tourism this year, fingers might point at Gregg Hurwitz (Tell No Lies) and his chilling new standalone thriller. Hurwitz’s most recent novels terrorize his everyman characters in the midst of civilization, but Don’t Look Back drops Eve Hardaway, a nurse and single mother, into the jungles of southern Mexico.

What’s supposed to be a fun vacation turns into an unfathomable nightmare when Eve wanders from her tour group, stumbling on an isolated house. She observes the inhabitant throwing machetes at a human-shaped target. The sight is frightening enough, but it doesn’t begin to compare with the horrors about to rain down from the life-threatening trip-wire she’s innocently triggered.

Hurwitz has a history of creating smart, driven female characters, but they usually take a supporting role. Don’t Look Back puts a woman firmly in the protagonist’s seat. Eve’s fears and doubts, her motivations and emotions all ring true for a struggling American parent.

The Mexican setting takes on a character-like role in the novel as well. From the unforgiving weather to the punishing terrain, Hurwitz brings readers up close and personal with the sights, sounds, smells and even the creepy-crawly sensations of the jungle’s occupants: sweeper ants, termites and bats, oh my!

Non-stop action in a darkly exotic land keeps the adrenalin pumping from beginning to end. In one of his darkest books yet, Hurwitz pokes a stick in a hornet’s nest of American fears to excite and entertain. Just don’t read it on the plane to Mexico.

Don't Look Back is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780312626839) from St. Martin's Press and as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 978-1455882465), narrated by Cassandra Campbell and Scott Brick, from Brilliance Audio.

Roosevelt's Beast - Louis Bayard

First line: "After all these years, his best friend is malaria."

Using Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt's famed 1914 exploration of the River of Doubt in Brazil as his foundation, Louis Bayard shifts his imagination into overdrive and creates a thrilling adventure that would make today's action heroes envious.

The Roosevelt-Rondon expedition was moving slowly down the South American river. Their rations were running low and disease was running high. Due to dangerous rapids and currents in the water, the group would often have to carry the boats on land until they passed the hazardous areas. During one of these forays, Teddy and Kermit are kidnapped by the Cinta Larga, a Amazonian tribe.

Communication would have been impossible for the Roosevelt's among this strange group of people were it not for a young woman named Luz. Luz spoke Portuguese--as did Kermit; she wasn't born into the Cinta Larga tribe, but rather was absorbed by them when her family perished in the jungle. 

Teddy and Kermit are determined that they will not remain with the Cinta Larga, nor will they die at their hands. Luz informs them both that the tribe will release them if they perform a special task on their behalf. They must find and kill the Beast, the monster that has been tormenting the tribe. It has killed man and animal alike, gutting its prey and yet leaving no tracks.

Left with no alternative, the Roosevelts--sick and malnourished--set off with two rifles, Luz and Luz's young son Thiago in search of the elusive Beast.

Reading a new novel by Louis Bayard is akin to a midnight ride on Santa's sleigh: it's magical, breath-taking and unforgettable. He gives you a view of the world you can't get anywhere else. Roosevelt's Beast continues his string of exceptional stories and incredible worlds.

Kermit Roosevelt is the "hero" of this story. The reader learns through his eyes and experiences. The expedition was not one he had any interest in joining--he had just become engaged and was wrapped up in wedding planning--but he was pressured to go along by his mother who worried about Teddy. Despite being an accomplished, talented young man in his own right, Kermit perpetually lived in the shadow of his presidential father. He's complex and troubled. Bayard uses this condition of his hero to re-create, re-shape and give voice to an engaging, compassionate and flawed adventurer.

Equally fascinating is the voice that Teddy then has in the novel as experienced through Kermit's eyes. The hodge-podge mixture of greatness and humor, yet vulnerability. Kermit's a son who looks up to his father, yet has to take care of him and protect him at the same time.

Bayard's firm understanding and knowledge of, not only the trip itself, but the entire Roosevelt family, is obvious in his approach to the historical elements as well as his manipulation of them. He brings the Amazonian world to life on his pages, leaving the reader swatting at bugs and hearing the whining call of the spider monkeys.

Roosevelt's Beast is multi-layered and definitely a book meant for re-reading. Forget all of technology's flashy special effects and enhancements, Bayard uses good old-fashioned imagination and creativity to haunt, engage, grip, tickle and entertain. It doesn't get more effective--or more magical--than that.

Roosevelt's Beast releases to the world in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-8050-9070-3) this Tuesday. It is also available as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 978-1629234489), narrated by John Pruden from Dreamscape Audio.

Tomorrow Louis Bayard returns to the Five on Friday seat, so be sure to check back. In the meantime, enjoy his mock book trailer:

The Lost Girls of Rome - Donato Carrisi

My review of The Lost Girls of Rome first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. It is appearing here today with their permission.

First line: "The corpse opened his eyes."

Like a spider spinning a web, Donato Carrisi (The Whisperer) has intricately and stunningly crafted his sophomore thriller. The Lost Girls of Rome is a standalone novel featuring Sandra Vega, a widowed, 29-year-old forensic photographer who is convinced her husband was murdered after she discovers image clues he left in an antique camera.

In her search for answers, Vega follows the clues into the midst of a carefully kept, centuries-old Vatican secret: a group of priests, penitenzieri, investigating the worst confessed sins of humans. One penitenziere has gone rogue, however, and is giving victims opportunities for revenge. Like her husband before her, Vega’s discovery could lead straight to her death if the priest is not found and stopped.

A penitenziere explains to Vega, “There is a place where the world of light meets the world of darkness. It is there that everything happens: in the land of shadows…” This is the atmosphere Carrisi has created for The Lost Girls of Rome. There are hidden terrors, optical illusions and flickers of hope. He expertly weaves various crimes together, making the plot complex but coherent and deceivingly strong. As he connects the various strands of his web, the final product is a striking work of art.

A few potential questions arise from weaker points in the plot, including an early inquiry into a prominent character, but the foundation of the story still remains strong. Donato Carrisi’s written web is enticingly beautiful and will seductively trap readers immediately upon entering.

The Lost Girls of Rome is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780316246798) from Mulholland Books.

The Heavens Rise - Christopher Rice

My review of Christopher Rice's novel The Heaven's Rise first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. It's appearing here now with their permission.

First line: "I'm not sure how long it was down there."

Niquette Delongpre, her mother and her father go missing under mysterious circumstances one night. Authorities discover the remains of a car accident, but the human remains are nowhere to found. Soon after Marshall Ferriot violently throws himself out a window and winds up in a coma.

No one makes a connection between the events because no one knows about Niquette and Marshall’s secret rendezvous that resulted in their exposure to a strange parasite released from the swamps outside New Orleans. But when Marshall regains consciousness, he sets off on a revenge mission and much more than the teens’ brief fling is about to be exposed.

In a slight departure from his previous crime novels, Christopher Rice delves into the paranormal world in his new thriller. While realists may struggle with some of the supernatural elements of the novel, the depth of character, chilling atmosphere and moral dilemma are all marks of a superb story.

Niquette’s best friend Ben Broyard and her boyfriend Anthem Landry, left behind with her disappearance, forge a bond through their shared grief. Rice’s depiction of this friendship is gripping. The teens grow into men with a deep and compassionate understanding and acceptance of each other. The authenticity of this relationship forges a bond with the reader, investing in their story, maybe even more so than Niquette’s.

A native of New Orleans, Rice envelopes the reader in a Louisiana that may seem familiar but is a bit more terrifying. Just in time for Halloween, Christopher Rice’s The Heavens Rise is the perfect mix of spooky and memorable.

The Heavens Rise is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781476716084) from Gallery Books. 

The Right Hand - Derek Haas

I apologize. I thought I had posted this review earlier, but looking back I see I did not. My review of Derek Haas' The Right Hand appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers back in December. I'm reposting here with their permission.

First line: "He smelled wood burning, and also flesh, like a pig roasting on a spit, and only then did he realize he was on fire."

When the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, it can deny all accountability. Austin Clay is that right hand doing what the U.S. Government doesn’t want to acknowledge. His mission in The Right Hand is to recover a field operative captured by the Russians, but against his handler’s permission Clay alters the assignment and attempts to rescue an innocent young Hungarian nanny AND the captured field operative. Unbeknownst to him, more than just the Russians are set to battle Clay—to the death—in order to stop him.

Derek Haas’ background in film writing (Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma) comes out in his visual panoply of action sequences that keep The Right Hand’s pace swift and intensity high. The sometimes-convenient circumstances, like a fully functioning motorcycle at an uninhabited dacha, are easy to overlook when the plot quickly propels the reader onto the next scene with well-placed plot twists and engaging characters.

Austin Clay is a refreshing addition to the world of literary spies. He’s a compassionate, complex character who makes mistakes and yet still succeeds in his field. Michael Adams, the newly appointed chief of EurOps, provides a strong counterpoint to Clay’s action-driven character. Adams is a strategist; he excels with data and codes and planning. The dynamics between these two characters illustrate a rich diversity in Haas’ world of espionage.

With any luck, The Right Hand is just the beginning of Austin Clay’s existence. Thriller fans will anxiously await his return.

The Right Hand is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780316198462) from  Mulholland Books. It is also available as an audiobook narrated by Kevin Stillwell from Hatchett Audio.

The Things That Keep Us Here - Carla Buckley

First line: "It was quiet coming home from the funeral."

In a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, Ann Brooks faces the greatest challenge of her life--or so she thinks. Her husband Peter, a University wildlife researcher, decides their attempts at keeping their marriage together are not working and he's going to leave. This tragedy quickly seems insignificant when Peter discovers that a pandemic has hit the United States.

In order to survive, Peter moves back home, and the Brooks family learns just how far they will go to survive this horrifying nightmare.

I've mentioned this to people several times now, but when I finished reading THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE, I decided I'm saving all my money in order to buy solar panels for my home! Carla Buckley created a scenario so realistic, readers can't help but mentally inventory their own lives to figure out just how--or even if--they would survive the pandemic themselves. And that is just in relation to food stores and energy. If that isn't the sign of an effective story-teller, I'm not sure what is.

Then Buckley throws in ethical questions and situations. No win challenges where her characters are forced to choose. As readers we're often at the advantage of having a lot of extra information over the characters and we can always see the "right" choice when we're separated from the situation. Buckley writes her novel in such a way that it's no more a simple choice for the reader than it is for the character. She will challenge you to think about what choice you would make and in the end, there is no "right" choice, just choices with different outcomes.

The other major strength of THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE is Buckley's creation of empathetic characters, which is in turn essential for connecting with the situation. As readers are able to see themselves as Ann or Peter, the Brooks' predicament becomes that much more real...and terrifying.

THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE also dances with some societal issues and astute readers may come away with some uneasy feelings about the kind of societies we have built in modern America. How would this plot differ in places as close as Canada or Mexico? Or in Third World countries that lack the money and resources America has. Readers can't escape with book without seeing their own spheres in a whole new light.

I'm a little late in the game getting to THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE. The upside of that, Carla Buckley's next book is out in December. Rest assured, it won't take me as long to read that one!

THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE is available in hardcover from Delacorte Press (ISBN: 9780440245094), in trade paperback from Bantam (ISBN: 9780440246046) and on unabridged audio from Random House Audio, narrated by Kimberly Farr and Abby Craden (ISBN: 9780307715470).

THE SURVIVOR - Gregg Hurwitz

My review of Gregg Hurwitz's THE SURVIVOR appeared yesterday in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am re-posting it here with their permission. Shelf Awareness for Readers is a free email newsletter about what's new in great reading. You can sign up to receive it at the bottom of my blog. Plus you'll be entered in the current contest which is for a copy of Lee Child's A WANTED MAN.  O.k. on to my review:

First line: "From this height the cars looked like dominoes, the pedestrians like roving dots."

Nate Overbay is a professional crisis responder with the Los Angeles Police Department. But his job doesn’t help him when he’s the one in crisis. His wife and daughter left, he’s tested positive for Lou Gerig’s disease and Nate feels he has nothing left. So he’s decided to commit suicide. Fate decided otherwise.

Just as Nate’s about to take a nose-dive off a building, a gang of gunmen erupt inside the bank. Deciding he’s going to die one way or the other, Nate charges in taking the gunmen by surprise. But becoming the hero just put Nate’s family in grave danger. The suicide will have to wait.

Gregg Hurwitz (You’re Next) consistently creates explosive openings to his thrillers. The Survivor is his most forceful yet. Using a combination of fast-action sequences and passionately charged circumstances, Hurwitz will ignite readers’ heart rates with an extra jolt of adrenaline.

While Nate experiences extraordinary circumstances, he is also a character readers will easily relate to: daily struggles of his job, relating to a teenage daughter, paying the bills, coping with divorce. And the characters’ painfully realistic relationships keep the momentum of the book in overdrive.

The Survivor is more than a tightly woven, fast-moving plot. Hurwitz sagaciously examines tough interpersonal issues as well as current social issues, like soldiers coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And in the midst of heavy subject matter, Hurwitz is funny. His dialogue is sharp and witty.

Readers who are already fans of Hurwitz will not be disappointed. Readers who have not yet discovered Hurwitz should pick up The Survivor.

The Survivor is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780312625511) from St. Martin's Press and on unabridged audio (ISBN: 9781455882502), narrated by Scott Brick, from Brilliance Audio.

15 SECONDS - Andrew Gross

First line: "It had all gotten a little blurry for Amanda, behind the wheel of her beat-up, eight-year-old Mazda:

Her recollection of what she'd been doing only twenty minutes before."

Dr. Henry Steadman is embarking on a day he believes will be wonderfully memorable: playing golf at an elite course with a college buddy during the day, speaking at a Doctors Without Borders conference in the evening. Steadman's day winds up memorable, but for all the wrong reasons - starting with his being pulled over by a cop. What starts out as a typical traffic stop escalates, and before Steadman can be on his way, an unknown driver pulls up to the police officer's car, shoots the officer and drives off. With no one around, it appears Steadman has killed the cop. He panics and takes off after the shooter. When that's unsuccessful, he returns to the scene of the crime to explain, only to be shot at by police officers who have already determined his guilt. Steadman resolves to prove his innocence. What he doesn't realize is that his memorable day has only just begun.

When starting a thriller by Andrew Gross, readers have to immediately feel sorry for the protagonist. Gross is about to put the poor soul through more hell in 300 pages than the average person would experience in a dozen lifetimes. This, of course, works to keep the momentum of the plot moving swiftly. The shorter, two-to-five-page chapters also work to keep the book's movement quick.

In 15 Seconds, Gross has parallel plots running through the first half of the book; plots that are seemingly unrelated, so suspense is building as the perspective bounces back and forth, and the reader attempts to discern just how the plots will intersect.

15 Seconds will require skeptical readers to loosen up their grips on reality and the dialogue has a tendency to be overly dramatic and repetitive during high action scenes, but fans of plot-focused thrillers will likely find this a satisfying summer read.

My review appears as part of the TLC blog tour for 15 Seconds. To see additional reviews of 15 Seconds, visit the TLC website.

15 Seconds is available from William Morrow in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0061655975) and on unabridged audio (ISBN: 9780062241481) from Harper Audio, narrated by Christian Hoff. Reading groups interested in 15 Seconds can find a guide here. You can follow Andrew on Facebook or Twitter and learn more at his website.

PLAYING DEAD - Julia Heaberlin

First line: "Despite its name, Ponder, Texas, pop. 1,101, isn't a very good place to think."

When Tommie McCloud, prodigal daughter, returns home to Texas for the funeral of her father, she finds more than sympathy waiting for her. She finds a letter from a stranger in Chicago, Illinois. The stranger believes Tommie may be her daughter, kidnapped over thirty years ago.

The woman Tommie always believed to be her mother has been trapped inside her own head for years now, suffering from early-onset dementia. If Tommie is going to unearth the truth about her family tree, she is going to have to investigate for herself.  At some point in life  we probably all have fantasies that we're actually living a lie. We aren't really who we think we are. But for Tommie discovering the Chicago stranger is the wife of a convicted killer is only the beginning of her trip through a labyrinth of nightmares and lies.  Will discovering the truth ultimately destroy her or set her free?

PLAYING DEAD has just earned a ticket to the top of my favorite debuts of 2012 list. While the plot concept is not a new one (how many really are?) the puzzling structure, compelling characters, rich atmosphere and dazzling imagery all add up to a stimulating page-turner of a thriller.

The novel is told in first person from the perspective of Tommie, a character composite of contradictions. Tommie was a champion rodeo roper and a classical music student when both paths were cut off by a overzealous steer.

"I would describe myself as temporarily off-course ever since eight hundred pounds of steer stomped on my wrist fourteen years ago in a rodeo arena in Lubbock, Texas, knocking me from the pedestal of my saddle into mortality."

Tommie is simultaneously courageous and independent while also vulnerable and reliant. In other words, she's real. Julia Heaberlin surrounds Tommie with a supporting cast as dynamic as her protagonist: the eccentric younger sister who, despite a substantial wealth, lives in a double-wide trailer, decorated in spray-paint swirls; a hard-ass, security contractor ex-boyfriend who exudes Texas machismo, which is ironically dependent on a heart relatively the size of, well, Texas; a seemingly crazy mobster's wife; a reporter who doesn't really act like a reporter and a journalist who fits the stereotype almost to a T.

For me the most stunning element of PLAYING DEAD is Heaberlin's atmosphere. She doesn't use setting as a character per se, but rather the setting is very much a part of each of her characters. Heaberlin has a special talent for helping her readers feel it as much as her characters do:

"I've been told that growing up in Ponder must have been an idyllic childhood, picket fence and all. I tell those people I'm more familiar with barbed wire and have the scars on my belly to prove it."

About that same place she says,

"But home is also endless rolling land, shimmering heat, sweet memories that thrum in the air with the cicadas. Home pulls at me like a magnet. Even when my body is hundreds of miles away, my soul stays behind, clinging to the live oak by the cement pond where I learned to dog paddle."

When Tommie leaves the land she knows best, Heaberlin helps her readers experience the urban setting as Tommie does:

"I stepped out of the hotel onto the pedestrian traffic on Michigan Avenue, which was vibrating with aggression to the ranch girl like me. A bike messenger cursed and swerved when I stepped into his path; a grinning homeless person punched me, hard, on the arm; a swinging briefcase rapped one of my knuckles, all before I reached a café a couple of blocks from the hotel. The businessman with the briefcase kept on walking and barking into his headset. In Texas, I would have would up with an apology and maybe even a date."

Just as the setting threads its fingers into the creation of Heaberlin's characters, so does her sarcastic, sometimes caustic humor. She's able to find the humor in some of the darkest elements of the plot, some of the most serious characters of the story, even some of the most beautiful elements of the setting:

"We passed lush, rolling lawns, every blade of grass the same color and height, as if a band of Oompa Loompas used a paintbrush and manicure scissors each morning to maintain perfection."

"'No. Supposably, it's a fact.' The word supposably always set my teeth on edge. It was a Texas colloquialism used by a quarter of the state. It's probably in the dictionary now a few skips ahead of Sarah Palin's refudiate."

"'When you have five hours,' she said, 'I'll tell you how I have about three-fourths of an ounce of Tom Cruise's blood running in my veins.' She grinned. 'Enough to brag about at parties but not enough to drop Jesus for Scientology.'"

Heaberlin obviously loves language and knows how to use it - to entertain, to awe, to frighten, to connect. PLAYING DEAD is a debut you aren't going to want to miss. I see a very bright future for Julia Heaberlin.

PLAYING DEAD is available in trade paperback from Ballantine Books (ISBN: 9780345527011) and also on audio from AudioGo, narrated by Madeleine Lambert.

My review of PLAYING DEAD is part of the TLC blog tour and they were nice enough to provide a copy for me to give away to a lucky reader. So, if you'd like a chance to win this one, tell me in the comments one thing you'd miss most about where you live if you had to leave. 

The contest is open to anyone with a mailing address (no P.O. boxes) in the US or Canada. I'll take entries through Friday. Good luck.

And congratulations to Jen (who has a great name) and blogs at Crazy for Books. She won GONE GIRL from last week's contest.

Happy Reading!

LOCKDOWN - Sean Black

First line: "Nobody guards the dead."

American Ryan Lock served in the special close protection unit of the British Military. Now he's putting his skills to use in the U.S. as a body guard. In LOCKDOWN he's the head of security for a large pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, dealing with regular protests from animal rights activists. On Christmas Eve, the pharmaceutical company CEO agrees to meet with the leader of the protest and agrees to some of their demands. In a press conference outside the building the celebration turns deadly as the protest leader and others are shot by snipers from a neighboring rooftop.

The murders look appear to be the work of animal rights activists who missed their target. Instead of hitting the evil CEO, they took out their own spokesman. But Lock isn't buying it, especially after he winds up in the hospital from a shot-gun rigged door. During his convalescence, Ryan and his good friend Ty start digging into who is really behind the Christmas Eve blood bath.

LOCKDOWN is the first book in Sean Black's Ryan Lock series and I'm very excited that I don't have to wait a year for the next book - one of the benefits of discovering a series late. This is a fun action-adventure novel with a little bit of everything in it. You can't argue that Lock's a real character when he's knocked out in the first 20 pages. And the shaved head with stitches isn't going to win him People's Sexist Man contest. But he's smart and funny and determined; I think I'm smitten. Lock is never about show; he's about doing the job and doing it right.

Sean Black is equally generous to his female characters. Lock's journalist on again-off again girl friend is an independent, no-nonsense gal. But the female I enjoyed the most in this particular book was the terrorist. There are simply no stereotypes to her character. I wouldn't recommend messing with Sean Black's women.

Black also does a superb job of including the relationship between Lock and Carrie Delaney so that it enhances the novel instead of taking the plot off in unrelated directions. But it's Lock's relationship with Ty Johnson that has the greatest impact on the book for me. Their sharp banter is priceless and the unspoken between them adds just as much to each's character.

The plot is fast-paced. This is a text-book thriller in that sense, but Sean Black puts a unique stamp on the genre in many other ways. The first sentence of the book should tell you that much.

LOCKDOWN is available in the US in ebook format for both the Nook and the Kindle.  If you'd prefer it in print, you can get a print copy through Book Depository (free shipping) or you can check here at Better World Books where they have listings from independent sellers.

THE TECHNOLOGISTS - Matthew Pearl

First line: "Its proud lines intermittently visible through the early morning fog, the Light of the East might have been the most carefree ship that ever floated into Boston."

In Boston, 1868, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is preparing to graduate its first ever class of seniors. The esteemed MIT of 2012 is not the same institution of 1868. In 1868 MIT is struggling to prove its worth next to the time-honored traditions of Harvard and the taboos connected with "technology." The unions are opposed to "Tech" because they fear the resulting loss of jobs if engineers, chemists, physicists, architects discover new and efficient ways to do the work physical labor has always provided. The traditionalists of Harvard see Tech as unworthy because of the lack of humanities and lack of God. And as is human nature, everyone fears what is new and unknown. So the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has to prove itself at every turn.

In the midst of MIT's struggles for recognition, a catastrophe sieges the Boston harbor. On a fog-filled night, ships coming into and going out of the harbor suddenly find their compasses have all gone haywire, spinning bizarrely out of control. The result is massive destruction as ships crash into each other and the piers. At first it is written off as a freak of nature phenomenon. But when that event is followed up by an incredible melting of glass throughout the business district, a police investigation sets out to uncover what or who is causing all the mayhem. The Boston Police Department opt to recruit the head of Harvard's science department in their investigation, and the Board at Tech decides to stay completely out of the case to avoid any bad publicity. But a group of Tech seniors and the first female Tech student - dubbing themselves "The Technologists" - decide they have to disregard the mandate and probe into these strange and devastating events. The future of MIT could depend on their success, but someone is determined to stop them one way or another.

THE TECHNOLOGISTS embodies all the characteristics of great historical fiction as well as great thriller writing. The authenticity of the time period comes through in the setting as well as mannerisms of the characters. The strength of the research is evident in the detail, while still leaving enough to the fictional plot.

The storyline includes several well placed twists, and despite its almost 470 pages, the pace is swift and the plot is tight.  As Pearl adroitly blends the historical novel with the thriller, so does he blend themes of man and nature. He challenges perceptions in much the same way MIT did at its birth:

"That is technology - our way to become closer to being like the animals."

"I believe the scientific arts represent the mind of God better than any other human endeavor."

And most poignantly, Pearl shows the double-edged sword of technology. Through the tragedies of Boston as well as flashbacks to the Civil War, he exposes the evils that are equally possible.

The characters are the true gems of this novel, however.  Pearl's "Technologists" each have their own role, blending unique qualities with some stereotypes. But before you jump to conclusions about my use of the word stereotypes, let me further expound that the blending makes the characters rich, humorous and convincing.  His inclusion of Miss Ellen Swallow is especially significant. Swallow is brilliantly depicted, but she also serves to reflect the ingenuity of MIT at the time as well as adding a vital element to the dynamics of the relationships among the "Technologists."

THE TECHNOLOGISTS wasn't written, it was crafted - and beautifully so. Like the architects and the engineers he writes about, Matthew Pearl constructed a treasure. This is a novel to re-read at least several times to absorb all the layers and subtleties.  THE TECHNOLOGISTS is enlightening, it's entertaining and it's story-telling at its best.

THE TECHNOLOGISTS is available now in hardcover (ISBN: 9781400066575) from Random House and for my audiobook fans, it's is also available in unabridged audio (ISBN: 9780739344309) from Random House Audio, narrated by Stephen Hoye.

My review today is part of the TLC book blog tour. You can check out the other blogs who have reviewed THE TECHNOLOGISTS and see what they have to say about it.

I also encourage you to read Matthew Pearl's short story, "The Lady in the Basement," about Ellen Swallow - taking place prior to THE TECHNOLOGISTS - that he published in five parts at the Five Chapters site. Because I found myself constantly running to Google to check on historical elements of the book, I also especially liked this article Pearl wrote about research he did on MIT pranks. Yes, I've been a tad bit consumed by this book. If you enjoy it half as much as I have, you'll get your money's worth and then some.

But, I'll foot the bill for someone here to read it. Well, actually, I'm not footing the bill on this one. But, I do have a copy to give away to a lucky reader (sorry US/Canada residents only on this one). For your entry in the giveaway, just tell me in the comments one technological invention you're very happy you do not have to live without. I'll pick a winner from the entries on March 9th. Good luck...and happy reading!

HELPLESS - Daniel Palmer

First line: Love can make you do surprising things.

The bitter divorce is not a foreign concept in the United States. And Tom Hawkins deals with that bitterness from his ex-wife Kelly. He could tolerate the cold shoulder from her if she wasn’t poisoning their daughter Jill’s view of him as well.

Tom coaches Jill’s soccer team and makes extra efforts to overcome Kelly’s negativity, but there’s still a chasm that exists between he and Jill. It’s that chasm that wreaks havoc on Jill’s ability to trust Tom when Kelly is murdered and Tom is accused of inappropriate behavior with his soccer players. When evidence starts to surface proving the accusations, Tom has to race time to protect Jill and find out who is working to destroy his life.

Daniel Palmer proved his thriller-writing chops with his debut novel, DELIRIOUS. Now back for Round Number Two, he’s honing those skills and the readers reap the benefits. HELPLESS is a fast-paced, timely novel that will have parents checking their children’s cell phone daily, if not hourly. Building on his foundation of suspense-writing, he moves away from the techno-thriller and into our everyday lives. We don’t wonder if technology like that can exist. We’ve read about sexting in our newspapers and heard related crimes on the TV news shows. Tom’s experience seems less like a conspiracy and more like a terrifying reality.

The greatest growth I see in Palmer’s writing between DELIRIOUS and HELPLESS is his character development. This may be in part due to the circumstances he’s created for his characters in this second go round, but the depth of Tom’s character intermingled with his struggling father-daughter relationship creates an empathetic protagonist. And likewise, Palmer does an exceptional job of illustrating the conflicted teen-age girl. His uncanny representation of all of the teens in this novel would lead you to think there are several living in his house with him. That’s not the case, so the fact that he’s done so well with them is a credit to his skill.

If I highly recommend this novel, I must also give it a warning. If you pick it up, you’ll be HELPLESS to put it down.

HELPLESS is available today in hardcover (ISBN: 9780758246653 ) from Kensington and on audio (ISBN: 9781611063516) from Brilliance, narrated by Phil Gigante.

THE NIGHTMARE THIEF - Meg Gardiner

My next in a line of reviews I covered for Shelf Awareness. This one did not appear in the newsletter and is appearing here with their permission.

First line: "The young trader stumbled from the trees like a scarecrow running on legs of straw."

Jo Beckett and Gabe Quintana are investigating a possible murder scene when they find themselves caught in the middle of an elaborate kidnapping scheme. The twenty-one-year-old daughter of a wealthy hedge fund manager and five of her friends are abducted in the midst of an “urban reality game.” A car accident allows the group to escape from their captors in the midst of the Sierras. But the kidnappers are still out there hunting them down. Jo and Gabe have to use their know-how to evade these psychopaths, travel the terrain and bear the elements, so hopefully they can bring their charges to safety.

Meg Gardiner brings her entire crew together in The Nightmare Thief. Evan Delaney and Jo Beckett team up to investigate the suspicious death of a lawyer. Amy Tang, Ferd and Mr. Peebles all join in the hunt when Jo and Gabe fail to return from the crime scene. Gardiner stays true to her regular crew, but the real stars come in the form of the twenty-something set. Their dialogue, behaviors, attitudes elicit strong emotion from the reader.

The action is constant from beginning to end. Sudden twists keep the novel from an entirely straight, forward momentum. Some twists are possibly predictable, while others will catch the reader off guard. All contribute to a strong, cohesive plot.

For those who love the exhilaration of high speed action and suspense, The Nightmare Thief is sure to get your heart pumping.

I also had a chance to listen to this book on audio, narrated by Susan Ericksen who really does a great job with this series. She's able to elicit the depth of relationship between the characters without over-dramatizing. And likewise, she illustrations the action elements of the novel without going over the top and making them unbelievable. But above all else, she makes me love Ferd. Her characterization of Ferd uses stereotype expertly to bring the eccentric character to life.

The Nightmare Thief is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-052595221) from Dutton and on audiobook (ISBN:  978-1441820099) from Brilliance Audio.

SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT - John Verdon

First line: "He stood in front of the mirror and smiled with deep satisfaction at his own smiling reflection."

Retired NYC police detective Dave Gurney is battling boredom when he's called on once again to investigate a crime that police are not having luck solving. A young woman, from a very wealthy family, was beheaded on her wedding day. The suspected murderer escaped out a window and hasn't been found. Gurney agrees to commit to two weeks of investigation, knowing his wife is opposed to his becoming involved at all. And it doesn't take long for Gurney to discover that all the players in this game, including the victim, are more than a little off-center.

John Verdon's first novel, THINK OF A NUMBER, was one of my favorite reads of 2010. And all the qualities that made his debut wonderful are present in his sophomore novel, SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT. Those familiar with THINK OF A NUMBER will recognize his still of dual perspectives. While both written in the third person limited, one takes the perspective of the protagonist while the other looks through the eyes of the antagonist. The latter perspective allowing only enough of a picture to intensify the suspense of the novel.

The plot deals with a challenging, complex series of mysteries. The motive for the murder is a mystery, as is the escape of the murderer. As Gurney investigates the individuals tied to the victim, more mysteries arise, weaving a deadly web of motives and means.

Beyond his intriguing plot components, Verdon's created richly, dysfunctional characters. Gurney and his wife struggle to find a life together after retiring to the country. Madeleine Gurney points out that they are in the same geographic location without being together. However, if Gurney turns his back on the puzzles and challenges of police work, as Madeleine would prefer, he finds little satisfaction in life. Their struggles add an extra dimension to the novel.

Verdon has a gift when it comes to creating alluring antagonists. Readers are drawn to the evident evil by the both the mystery and the intellect. Verdon's antagonists are quite cerebral and it's fascinating to delve into the thoughts and rationales of these monsters. Readers will be hard pressed to empathize with the antagonist, but may likely see recognizable sparks or glimmers of familiarity. For after all, how many of us are truly without any evil at all?

SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT offers readers a multitude of challenges. There is a puzzling who-done-it mystery, myriad examples of conflict inviting examination of one's views and beliefs, and Verdon also challenges his reader to step out of the comfort zone, to feel and experience through his imagery:

"A blood-soaked room would slam him in the face. Later, stripped and sanitized, the same room would lay a cold hand on his heart, reminding him that at the center of the universe there was a boundless emptiness. A vacuum with a temperature of absolute zero."

While at times there were details that could have been left out without harm to the story, examples such as this leave impressions that don't easily clear from the brain.

SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT delivers an exciting, challenging and fulfilling reading experience. Verdon has written another smashing crime novel. You don't want to miss it.

SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT is available from Crown Publishers in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-307-71789-4) and on audiobook from Random House Audio, narrated by Scott Brick. My review is part of the SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT blog tour with TLC Book Tours. You can see the entire tour with links to other reviews of the book here.

As part of the blog tour, I am fortunate to be able to give away a copy of SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT to one lucky reader in the US or Canada. So, if you're as excited about this book as I hope you are, enter to win a copy. I'll take entries through next Wednesday, August 3rd. Just complete the form below for your chance to win. Good luck!

YOU'RE NEXT - Gregg Hurwitz

One of the books I have been pushing on everyone who asks...and some who don't...is Gregg Hurwitz's new thriller YOU'RE NEXT. I reviewed this one for Shelf Awareness and am reposting it here with their permission. This book will most definitely be on my favorite reads list for 2011. It's incredible. Hope you enjoy.

First line: "The four-year-old boy stirs in the backseat of the station wagon, his body little more than a bump beneath the blanket draped over him, his hip sore where the seat belt's buckle presses into it."

Gregg Hurwitz, author of The Crime Writer and They’re Watching, takes his fast-paced, action-packed writing to a new level in You’re Next. Alternating between past and present, Hurwitz reveals the history of Michael, whose father abandoned him on a playground at the age of four. Michael fights for everything he achieves by adulthood, so when that life is threatened, he won’t go down without a fight.

Readers may not notice immediately, but Hurwitz’s creative manipulation of sentence structure and language works to build the novel’s tone, its pacing and even its characters. Hurwitz is acutely aware how much the simplest of details can alter a plot, so he stealthily makes every last one count.

In the end, however, authentic character relationships charge this electrifying thriller. The themes and plot are built on the relationships, and the characters are defined by their relationships. It’s Hurwitz’s ability to illustrate the potency of these human connections that will make readers laugh, cry and stay up far past their bed times.

You’re Next is Gregg Hurwitz’s finest work to date. His passion shines through in tight plotting, witty dialogue, and emotional imagery. Hurwitz goes beyond current issues and examines the very heart of human issues. He is not just a writer for those who appreciate crime fiction or thriller novels, he’s an artist for those who appreciate superior writing.

Step right up and experience the phenomenon that is Gregg Hurwitz. You’re next.

You're Next is available in hardcover cover St. Martin's Press (ISBN: 978-0312534912) and on audio from Brilliance Audio (ISBN: 978-1-4233-8097-9), narrated by Scott Brick.

LONG GONE - Alafair Burke

My review of LONG GONE is showing up here a little late because I was fortunate enough to be accepted as a reviewer for the new Shelf Awareness for Consumers and LONG GONE was my first review for them. It appeared in last Tuesday's edition as the Starred Review. I'm thrilled as I definitely felt it was a starred-worthy book. So, now with Shelf Awareness's permission, I am re-printing my review here. I hope you enjoy it.

First line: "Alice Humphrey knew the kiss would ruin everything."

In her first stand alone novel, Alafair Burke, author of 212 and Angel’s Tip, moves out of the law enforcement realm and into the experiences of a privileged young woman trying to make a name for herself without her family’s money or influence. When Alice Humphrey lands the job of her dreams, she quickly and painfully learns that appearances can be deceiving…and deadly.

Burke took a huge risk leaving the safety of an institution she knows intimately and a sub-genre she’s well versed in for a psychological thriller in the world of the arts. But her risk paid off in spades. Burke has continued to expand her skills with each novel and Long Gone is an exceptional exhibit of her overall writing prowess.

Long Gone deftly navigates between alternating points of view: male/female, teen/adult, detective/civilian, privileged/middle class. Every character has a dimension and richness befitting his/her role. The novel also displays one of Burke’s strengths regardless of what book she’s writing, the ability to bring New York City to life on the page.

In the thriller genre, more so than others, plot plays a vital role. Burke didn’t forget; she created a series of events containing social issues wrapped in well-timed plot twists that not only keep the reader on his/her toes, but quickly turning the pages to find the resolution.

Combine crisp dialogue, laced with Burke’s signature wit, lean prose infused with pop culture references and a pace that could earn Burke a citation for excessive speed and the result is Long Gone. Whether you’ve experienced Burke’s work before, Long Gone is a book you won’t want to miss.

Long Gone is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-061-99918-5) from Harper.

If you have not already signed up to receive Shelf Awareness, I encourage you to do so. You can have it delivered right to you in your email on Tuesdays and Fridays. Check it out!

I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE - Laura Lippman

First sentence: "'Iso, time for - ' Eliza Benedict paused at the foot of the stairs."

Eliza Benedict is living a normal, middle-class life with her husband and two daughters. The Benedicts have returned to the United States after living in England, and out of the blue a letter arrives for Eliza jolting her from her happy, normal life. As a teenager, Eliza - Elizabeth - was kidnapped by a man who raped and murdered numerous other girls. But the rapist didn't kill Eliza and eventually she was rescued. The letter that arrives is from the rapist who is in prison awaiting the death penalty. Through his communications, he weasels his way back into Eliza's life and the memories of that time resurface for Eliza, making her face them all over again.

The plot of I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE is absolutely fascinating. The characters are as integral to making this plot work as the events are. Eliza has a submissive personality. Even as an adult she exhibits very submissive behaviors. She tries at times to exert a bit of independence, but that doesn't come naturally for her. Had she been a more dominant personality, the whole chemistry of the "relationship" between captor and captive would have been obliterated. And while there are times you want to scream at her to run away, to tell someone she's a victim, to leave a message, that wouldn't at all fit with her character. Had she fought back even in the slightest, Walter, her kidnapper, would have killed her. It's the chemistry between these two characters that feeds the events of the plot. And that symbiotic relationship between plot and characters makes the overall effect of the novel so much more disturbing.

Walter, as the antagonist in this story, creates an even greater level of complexity. He's desperately searching for love and affection, which is a bit contrary to the typical views of rape. While he is trying to control his environment, his ultimate goal is to convince these kidnapped girls, who he views as "his type," to love him. While there is a definite and obvious sickness to this mentality, there's also a sympathetic element to it. 

Lippman accents the book with section titles corresponding to song titles from the 80s. The titles emphasize not only the time period and the culture, but also the idea of dysfunctional love.

An element of the novel that takes more of a back seat to the main plot is the idea of capital punishment. Walter is awaiting his execution; Barbara is a passionate advocate for Walter, trying to get the death penalty removed from his sentence. On the other side of the coin is Trudy, the mother of one of Walter's victims. Trudy feels that her daughter will not have justice until Walter is executed, and she will do anything she needs to in order to make sure the sentence is carried out, including threaten Eliza's family when she thinks Eliza is plotting to help Walter. Lippman presents this explosive issue in all of its dimension, not as a flat right or wrong situation.

I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE is a dark, hauntingly thought-provoking novel. It challenged me as a reader to see through the eyes of characters I wouldn't normally identify with; forcing me to look beyond how I would act and feel. That's an uncomfortable experience, but one I believe helps a reader to grow. I highly recommend Laura Lippman's I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE.

My review is part of the TLC Book Blog Tour for I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE. You can find a listing of other reviews of the novel at their site here. I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE is available from William Morrow in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-06-170655-4) and also as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 978-0-06-198848-6).

Technorati Tags: Laura Lippman; book review; crime fiction

RUNNING DARK - Jamie Freveletti

FIRST LINE: "Emma Caldridge passed mile thirty-six of the fifty-five-mile Comrades ultramarathon in South Africa when a roadside car bomb exploded."

During the Comrades ultramarathon chemist Emma Caldridge is knocked out and injected. Following the injection, she experiences an explosion of energy enabling her to finish the race in a form more like that of beginning the race. Trying to figure out what entered her blood stream, Emma tests her blood following the race only to find it clean. Meanwhile security consultant Edward Banner is dealing with pirates attacking a cruise ship in the Gulf of Aden. Cameron Sumner is the loan Darkview agent aboard the ship, but the cargo seems to be what the pirates are after. Suspecting the desired cargo is a chemical weapon, Edward calls on Emma to join a dangerous mission to the cruise ship. As long as Sumner is aboard the ship, Emma can't refuse.

RUNNING DARK is Jamie Freveletti's follow-up to her award-winning RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL. The novel combines several of today's greatest threats: terrorists, pirates, and chemical warfare. Freveletti's carefully researched knowledge of the science included in the novel creates a chilling scenario in a world fearful of what may come next.

While they play more minor roles in this novel, I especially enjoyed the characters of Alicia Compton and Carol Stromeyer. Alicia's quirkiness and Stromeyers' strength add depth and color to the novel.

There is a noticeable change in the pace about two thirds of the way into the novel. The last third of the novel is densely packed with the largest portion of the action.

Freveletti continues to build a sexual tension between Caldridge and Sumner even though they are separated for the better part of the novel. There were a few characters who could have possibly been left out to tighten up the plot and the time line may have been a little difficult to pull off realistically. But, those factors won't prevent a thriller fan from enjoying the intensity of RUNNING DARK.

RUNNING DARK was released this summer and is available from William Morrow in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-06-168424-1).

Technorati Tags: Jamie Freveletti, book review, thriller

Audiobook Thursday - CAST OF SHADOWS

FIRST LINE: "This wasn't grief Davis felt, staring at her so-still feet pointing at impossible angles to the tight synthetic weave of charcoal carpet."

Davis Moore is a fertility doctor with a thriving practice and a happy family. At work he helps infertile couples bear children through a cloning process. DNA from deceased individuals is used in the process and the children are closely monitored as they mature. When Moore's teenage daughter is brutally raped and murdered, her case is never solved. Her personal effects are returned to Moore and his wife, but the police accidentally left a vial in with her belongings. The vial contains the semen collected from the rape scene. In a fit of desperation, Moore decides to use the DNA from the semen with one of his patients, thereby creating a clone of his daughter's murderer.

CAST OF SHADOWS is the 2005 debut from Kevin Guilfoile and WOW did he give himself a challenge to follow-up and attempt to surpass. CAST OF SHADOWS is everything a great book should be: layered, complex, controversial, challenging, exciting. Guilfoile throws in the controversy of the cloning issue as well as touching on nature versus nurture. Ethics are a strong theme. Where do we draw the line with science? At whose expense is it acceptable to pursue justice? Even faith receives some face time in CAST OF SHADOWS. Guilfoile isn't trying to hand out answers in this thriller but rather pose some hypotheticals about the possible waves of effect. Or maybe a web of effect is a better analogy. The different forces all act independent of one another but still touch the others. It's almost like artwork by Escher; the actual cause is not clear. If any of the factors are removed will the outcome be different?

The characters are well drawn in this novel. The desperation of a grieving father, the determination of a religious fanatic, the conflict of an innocent child caught in the midst of everything. And woven into the complexity is a violent murderer running loose and creating chaos.

Another layer of CAST OF SHADOWS is the virtual world in which the characters have avatars, Shadow World. Shadow World functions as a parallel universe of the actual characters and the avatars, but it also functions as a complex analogy of the clones.

This is a heavy novel daring to explore controversial issues and themes. If you're looking for a warm and fuzzy tale, this would not be the book. If you're looking for one to challenge you as a reader, as a member of society, as a human being. CAST OF SHADOWS is right up your alley.

I listened to CAST OF SHADOWS on audio and it wasn't one of my favorites on audio. However, I'm quite certain I'm in a very small minority on this one, so I don't want to discourage people from trying this audio. CAST OF SHADOWS is narrated by Scott Brick who has a tendency to interpret far more dramatically than what I ever hear in my head. That dramatic, almost breathy, sound is distracting for me. If you are one of Brick's many, many fans, then I'm sure you will enjoy CAST OF SHADOWS on audio. Me, on the other hand, I'm going to read Guilfoile's next in print.

CAST OF SHADOWS is available from Alfred A. Knopf in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1-400-0430-88), from Vintage in trade paper (ISBN 978-1-400-0782-64), from Books on Tape in audio (ISBN 978-1-415-9163-46).

Technorati Tags: Audiobook Thursday, audiobook review, Kevin Guilfoile

THE QUEEN OF PATPONG - Timothy Hallinan

FIRST LINE: "Old cigarette smoke, cheap perfume, sweat."

THE QUEEN OF PATPONG is the fourth book in the Poke Rafferty thriller series, but this is really Rose's story. Rose is Poke's Thai wife and a former prostitute. When a man from Rose's past returns to frighten Rose like nothing has before, she reveals her life story to her family. The revelation convinces Poke that Rose's stranger is back for blood and Poke has to figure out how to defeat him before he destroys Poke's entire family, his entire world.

THE QUEEN OF PATPONG is undoubtedly Hallinan's most amazing effort yet. Rooted in the story of a true Thai child, Rose's story is heart-wrenchingly detailed while Hallinan emphasizes the human element of Bangkok's female prostitutes. Much like the earrings Nana bestows on the young Kwan, to the unknowing, the life can appear rich and glamorous but in reality it slowly and unknowingly harmfully alters those that possess it.

Hallinan's rich metaphors dig deep in THE QUEEN OF PATPONG. He parallels the Raffertys' ordeal with Shakespeare's The Tempest, for which Miaow is preparing to play the role of Ariel in her school play. As is often the case in a Poke Rafferty novel, Miaow enlightens her adoptive parents - and readers - with the insights of the unadulterated views of youth. Her spunk and growing pains offer the novel humor and warmth. And her relationships with her parents develop an overall richness to the entire series. Readers can't help but love this feisty little girl.

Once again the sights, sounds, even the smells of Bangkok come alive through Hallinan's words. Dialogue is impeccable. Characters are compelling. And the action is non-stop. Hallinan is a word engineer of the highest degree. He knows the exact combinations and relationships to construct the strongest, the most effective, the most stunning stories. Never experiencing his work is akin to never knowing the great works of nature - the Grand Canyon - or the amazing works of man - the Sistine Chapel. Sure you can live a life without experiencing them, but you're all the richer for it when you do.

I've been singing the praises of this series for years now. But never have I felt as passionate as I do with THE QUEEN OF PATPONG. The world needs to know Timothy Hallinan and the Poke Rafferty series. It should NOT be going unrecognized any longer.

THE QUEEN OF PATPONG is available in hardcover from William Morrow on August 17, 2010 (ISBN: 978-0-06-167226-2).