Surveillance - Reece Hirsch

First line: "The day that Bruen & Associates opened for business was one of the best days of Chris Bruen's life–until the first client walked through the door."

In Reece Hirsch's third book featuring protagonist, Chris Bruen, the privacy lawyer is launching his own business with his significant other, computer forensics specialist Zoey Doucet. What should be a monumental day in both characters' lives turns into the stuff nightmares are made of.

The clients most likely to hire Bruen aren't the type to walk in off the street, but just after opening the doors at Howard Street in San Francisco on the very first day of business, just such a client arrives:

Chris was instantly skeptical that this would amount to anything. One of the occupational hazards of being a privacy lawyer was that you occasionally had to field calls from random paranoids who found your name linked to the world 'privacy' in their Google search results. Sometimes the issues were legitimate, but more often the matter was better addressed by an adjustment in medication or adding another layer of aluminum foil to a hat lining.

Ian Ayres is a former hacker who now owns a penetration-testing and ethical-hacking service. His extreme paranoia–he wants to talk to Bruen outside his office–immediately puts Bruen on alert. Ayres explains that while doing a penetration testing job for a communications company he discovered a government agency downloading terabytes worth of call metadata. When he reported his findings to the client, they acted as though they never hired him and accused him of hacking their system. The contract Ayres had even vanished. Ayres is certain it isn't the NSA; he says he knows how they work. Instead, he theorizes that he's uncovered a secret agency no one is supposed to know about. And now people are after him.

Bruen is unsure whether he believes Ayres or not, but he knows for certain this isn't the type of case his firm handles. So he offers to give Ayres some recommendations. But when they return to the office, Bruen finds his entire staff–save Zoey–have been murdered. Now this secret agency isn't just after Ayres, Bruen is in their cross-hairs as well.

As the two men waste no time getting out of the office and on the run from their pursuers, Bruen calls Zoey, who had been out of the office for coffee, and advises her to go into hiding with an old hacker acquaintance of hers.  The three set off in their respective directions, none of them knowing this is only the beginning of a terrifying ordeal, a modern-day David and Goliath. But do they have a sling shot mighty enough to bring down this unidentifiable Goliath of a government organization?

In the current climate of Edward Snowden, personal privacy and national security debates–a climate that also created a significant debate around Apple's refusal to help unlock an accused terrorist's phone–Surveillance is timely and more than a little disturbing. Hirsch will have readers thinking about their Google searches, phone calls, Skype chats, even library loans–or conversations in their cars, "It occurred to him that an operative with a laser microphone could eavesdrop on his conversation by using the sound vibrations on the car window glass." They're also likely to be far more cognizant of security cameras than they've been before. The reach of the government agencies and their current technologies is complex and significant. And the belief that you aren't doing anything wrong won't be a comfort during this thriller:

'So maybe it's kind of a variation on the Heisenberg principle. Maybe the NSA isn't trying to spy on its citizens so much as it's trying to keep them in line. Maybe the point of observation is to change behavior.'

Hirsch keeps the pace moving quick and fluidly. Short chapters and high intensity suspense propel the plot.  The crafty imagery compliments the subject matter well:

He felt like one of those smartphones that's a couple of generations behind the latest model. It still works, but the battery doesn't hold a charge the way it use to, the software's a bit glitchy–it'll never function again the way it did when it was new.

And Hirsch also manages to sneak some wit into the dark depths of this technological thriller. The Amish way of life may look a little more appealing at the end of Surveillance. Stock up on the tinfoil, folks, the eyes and ears are everywhere.

Surveillance is available in paperback (ISBN: 978-1503933231) from Thomas & Mercer. It's also available as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 978-1511365994) narrated by David de Vries from Brilliance Audio.

   

Five on Friday - Shannon Kirk

Happy Friday all! I hope your week has been great and you're anticipating some good reading for the weekend. I'm thoroughly enjoying Ace Atkins' new Quinn Colson novel, so that's where you'll find me this weekend.

If you'd like to try your luck at winning some books, you could:

• head over to Criminal Element where they have their Top Cop sweepstakes still going on (until Tuesday) for a load of good crime loot.
• mosey over to Friday Reads where they are giving away Luckiest Girl Alive and In a Dark, Dark Wood.
• fly over to Beth Fish Reads where she's holding a contest for the 10th anniversary of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson (I actually put my name in the hat for this one in hopes I can win it for my nephew!)
• wander into Lisa's Book Critiques where she'll have her weekly giveaway...it's a mystery right now because I'm writing this before she posts it. ;-)

Good luck if you enter any of the contests.

Now on to our fun Friday content! I'm excited to welcome Shannon Kirk to the blog for the first time. Last month, Shannon released her debut novel, Method 15/33. The novel actually started off as a novella and was a 2013 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition finalist. She expanded the novella and has a debut that is getting great buzz!

But writing is just one small facet of Shannon Kirk. Shannon is also a practicing attorney and an adjunct college professor. She likes to create sea-glass sculptures and paint. (I really want to see one of her sculptures!)  And she found time to participate in Five on Friday today. Please help me welcome her to the blog!

When I was a kid, my favorite thing to get in my trick-or-treat bag was: Hands down, candy corn. And today, I pilfer my son’s trick-or-treat bag for the little bags of candy corn, even though it would be far more efficient for me to go down to the store and buy a whole giant bag. But my favorite candy otherwise when I was a kid were Pepto pink wintergreen mints, those round ones you get at the drug store, that my Nana Hanson kept hidden in a hutch.

My five favorite movies of all time are:
1. The English Patient
2. Silence of the Lambs
3. The Notebook
4. The One I Love
5. Sixth Sense
Love and horror, that’s what I’m all about.

The one food I absolutely will not eat is Mushrooms. Mushrooms have been scientifically proven to be a demonic fungus that fell off the devil’s back when he was in the Garden of Eden—and they’ve proliferated since then. All mushrooms, every single variety, are so vile, they should be banned not only from consumption, but from the entire planet. All space missions should have one purpose: transport mushrooms to discard into deep space. Disgusting.

The most beautiful place I’ve ever visited is Butchart Gardens in British Columbia. This is a botanical garden that is absolutely mind-blowing in beautiful color. There is one part where you come upon a valley, you’re standing high on a walking bridge, of sorts. When I looked into the valley and saw the array of primary colors, deep reds, true blues, all shades of green, lemon yellows, tears really did come to my eyes. I felt I was getting a glimpse of Heaven. I’ve never seen anything like it. And no description of mine would ever do it justice, you just have to experience the view. Incidentally, I have another book coming out in 2017 called Heavens—it’s literary fiction, not a thriller. You may notice, if you read it, that the main character equates botanical gardens with Heaven—or rather, her personal peace.

The #1 item on my bucket list right now is: This has been my #1 bucket list item for some years now. It’s pretty specific and totally impossible, so please know I know it’s demented, but truth is, this is my #1 bucket list wish….Someday, I’d like to attend La Boheme at Milan’s La Scala, wearing a blood-red Valentino gown—as in, total full-on, floor-length, red-carpet-worthy GOWN. My escort could be either Jakob Dylan or Ray LaMontagne, I can be flexible on this detail. I prefer the latter, but the former is quite fine too. After the opera, we will share a plate of fried zucchini flowers and two bottles of a perfect Chianti (a version you can only get in Italy) in a tiny restaurant hidden somewhere amongst the tangle of cobblestone alleys of Milan’s fashion district. Perhaps sometime after midnight, my song-writing date will whip out his guitar and sing me something acoustic. That’s the #1 bucket list item, and I’m pretty sure I’ll have to wait for the delusions that come upon dying for me to experience it.

Is it any wonder Shannon is having success with her writing? This is quite possibly the greatest bucket list response to date in my opinion. Too fun! Plus, I am SO in agreement on mushrooms! You can ask my niece who use to taunt me with the plastic mushrooms from her kitchen play set when she was little. ;-)

Thanks so much to Shannon for hanging out with us today. You can learn more about Shannon and her writing at her website. And you can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter.

And thanks to all of you for stopping by to share in the fun. Have a great weekend and Happy Reading!

Five on Friday - Anne A. Wilson

I don't know about you all, but this week has just gotten away from me. So I'm going to forego all the usual chit chat and get right to our delightful guest today for Five on Friday.

This week, Anne A. Wilson debuted her first novel (well, at least her first published novel), Hover this week. A Navy Academy grad, a former Navy helicopter pilot--including a stint with search and rescue--and now a co-owner of Camelback Coaching--a triathlon coaching company, this woman is no slouch! Her debut novel is a romantic suspense story about a female Navy helicopter pilot, so Anne is following that advice to write what you know.

Please help me welcome this multi-talented, freshly minted published author to the blog! Anne A. Wilson.

A skill I’ve always wanted to have, but don’t is: Does bowling count? Because I cannot do this. Believe me, I’ve tried. Like really tried. My uncle—who averaged something like 205 or 210 in league play—used to give me lessons even, and yet, I can count on one hand the times I’ve bowled over 100. People are nice. “Oh, you’re just having an off night.” No one realizes, though, that I bowl on a treadmill of “off nights.” It happens every . . . single . . . time. I suck every . . . single . . . time. I mean, I was a helicopter pilot, for god’s sake! You’d think I could figure this out! Yes, I definitely have a complex about this.

My idea of the perfect ice cream sundae includes: Vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, and chocolate syrup. When I attended the Naval Academy, we ate in King Hall, which seats 4,000 midshipmen at one time. On every table, for each of three meals every day, you would find certain staples. For whatever reason, chocolate syrup and peanut butter were always on the table, right next to the salt and pepper. So dessert was often a glop of peanut butter topped with chocolate syrup. If they served ice cream on a particular day, that was a bonus. You added it to the peanut butter and chocolate syrup combo and voilà! An ice cream sundae!

If I won the lottery tomorrow, the first thing I would do would be: Buy my son a medieval suit of armor. Every year, we go to the Renaissance Festival, and this is what he wants. He asks for it every Christmas. Every birthday. Year after year after year, armor is always on the list. And these days, a suit of armor runs $2,500 and up. So, yeah . . . lottery.

When I’m feeling under the weather, I…. Am grumpy. Impatient. I withdraw to the bedroom, tuck myself in bed, sulk, and feel sorry for myself. But then, when I realize my husband and kids are taking great pains to avoid me, it also strikes me that it’s quiet. And I’m alone. And I’m not rushing off to the next appointment, or just not rushing, in general. My stack of to-be-read books is right there on the night stand. . . . I then thank the cosmos for small favors, open up a novel, and lose myself.

The #1 item on my bucket list right now is: Shoot, shoot, shoot! I am so bad at this question. I’m not a bucket list person because I think the unchecked items on the list create a startlingly efficient way to sow the seeds of regret. “I should have gone on that African safari before my knees went bad.” “I should have taken the kids to the Grand Canyon before they left home for college.” I think not having a bucket list is a self-defense mechanism for me, so I won’t end up on a couch some day with a therapist!

In the meantime, if there’s something I want to do, but can’t seem to do it now, I ask myself why. What’s standing in your way right now, Anne, that you can’t do this? Usually, it’s a case of rearranging priorities. If it’s that trip to Africa and a lack of funds is what’s keeping me stateside, then how to I go about changing that? Can I take the money I spend at Starbucks every week (an exorbitant amount for me), and put it in a travel jar? Or, could I pursue the trip with a charity group, where if I donate my time and effort, some of the expenses might be covered? Could I forego my gym membership and save money that way?

If I’m actively pursuing something, and it doesn’t work out, I think it softens or even eliminates that kick-in-the-gut type of regret. But if it’s just this dream, blowing out there in the wind, and I’m not doing anything to actively pursue it, then not achieving that dream could lead to . . . the dark side. And I sort of don’t want to go there.

What a cool outlook on the bucket list. I love it. And who knew a suit of armor...$2500! Thanks for being such a great sport with our Five on Friday questions, Anne. This was fabulous. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.

You can find out more about Anne on her website. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a super weekend and happy reading!

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.

Those Who Wish Me Dead - Michael Koryta

First line: "On the last day of Jace Wilson's life, the thirteen-year-old stood on a quarry ledge staring at cool, still water and finally understood something his mother had told him years before: Trouble might come for you when you showed fear, but trouble doubled-down when you lied about it."

For Michael Kortya's tenth novel, he takes to the mountains of Montana with Ethan Serbin, a wilderness survival instructor. Ethan and his wife, Allison have made their home in these mountains. Each summer Ethan takes on a small group of at-risk boys for his survival camp, but this year there's a special challenge.

Jace Wilson is a young boy who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time; he witnessed a gruesome murder and now the killers are after him. In an attempted to keep the young boy safe, he's being placed in witness protection under a new identity. Jamie Bennett, a former US Marshall and present private contractor, wants Ethan to accept Jace into the summer camp under his new identity. She doesn't believe she can keep him safe and thinks hiding in the mountains is the best option. The catch, however, is Ethan and Allison cannot know which boy in the group is Jace.

Ethan accepts Jace, but when the killers find their way to the mountains, Montana will never be the same.

Further exploring his obvious love and respect of nature, Kortya brings the beauty of Montana and the rage of the environment alive in this red-hot adventure, giving the setting it's own character role. By mixing the conflict of man (the killers) with the conflict of nature (a raging forest fire), he's able to elevate his plot with a rich, heart-pounding complexity that is dependent on this setting.

A sub-plot weaves its way into the novel through Hannah Faber, a fire-fighter trying to escape her  haunting past in a secluded lookout tower. While Faber could likely have been a whole story in herself, she simultaneously helps make Jace's escape attempt believable and flushes out his character, a terrified child.

Koryta's villains--brothers--are as fascinating a duo as his protagonist. As Allison describes them, "They speak strangely...not accents but just they way they talk. Like they're alone in the world. Like it was built here for the two of them and they're the lords over it." Their lack of empathy is chilling but their bond to each other is so strong it's almost visible.

I did find myself wondering why Ethan and Allison were informed about Jace's presence at all or if they were to be informed why they were then kept in the dark about his exact identity, but that question was quickly lost in the intensity of the story.

Those Who Wish Me Dead is further evidence of Koryta's versatility and strength as a writer. While elements, like nature, are becoming trademark in his work, he's consistently raising the bar in his character development, plot construction, pacing and suspense. Much like the fire that rages through the Montana mountains of this novel, Koryta is blazing a trail that doesn't stay safely on one straight path. Where he'll go next is a mystery, but one as exciting as the stories he tells.

Those Who Wish Me Dead is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780316122559) from Little, Brown and as a downloadable, unabridged audiobook narrated by Robert Petkoff from Hachette Audio.

The Boy in the Woods - Carter Wilson

First line: "It was 1981 and we were twenty minutes away from the rest of our lives."

Tommy Devereaux is a successful thriller writer. His books have consistently featured female villains and his newest novel, The Blood of the Young, is more non-fiction than anyone realizes. His first chapter is the true story of Tommy's youth.

While out in the woods with his buddies Mark and Jason one day, Tommy encounters Elizabeth, a teen girl they've never met before. She shows up with Rade, a neighborhood boy several years younger than fourteen-year-old Tommy and his pals. Elizabeth entices the boys over and brutally murders Rade. The boys help to bury Rade and they never see Elizabeth again. Until the teaser for Tommy's book, The Blood of the Young, comes out thirty years later.

When Elizabeth re-enters Tommy's life and threatens to reveal his involvement in Rade's murder unless he writes his new book the way she wants the story told, his life is suddenly and horrifically turned up-side-down. He's now living the horror stories he's always written.

The Boy in the Woods is an intense, twisty plot full of red herrings and suspense. The female villain is a terrifying sociopath readers will delight in despising. And I found myself engrossed simply to understand her motivation. I feel that's the intention of author Carter Wilson, so readers can understand why Tommy chooses to write female villains throughout his career: it is a constant drive to understand the horror he experienced as a kid. It's something so foreign to him that he craves to understand it. And that's what will keep readers connected to the story.

A smaller but still very powerful element of the novel is the effect of Rade's disappearance. His body is never discovered and his family never has any answers about what happened to him.  Wilson's portrayal of Rade's father is unsettling in its authenticity.

Finally the presentation of the way this horrific act affects each of the three boys adds a layer of complexity to the novel. Each child witnessed the same murder, yet their reactions and subsequent development into adults differs so drastically. This is a book rich in character study.

The Boy in the Woods has a fast pace and a suspenseful soundtrack. Readers will be torn in their desire to turn pages fast but simultaneously proceed with caution because there's no telling what might happen next. Wilson doesn't shy away from his violence, but he also isn't gratuitous. Elizabeth is a deranged sociopath and he doesn't tiptoe around that, but he also doesn't luxuriate in graphic details. That said, those who avoid violence to children will probably want to skip this one due to Rade's murder. It happens on the page and is realistically disturbing.

The Boy in the Woods is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0727883858) from Severn House.

Five on Friday - Louis Bayard

Happy Friday and Happy Pi Day everyone! I'm working on prep for Left Coast Crime next week and getting very excited to see a lot of my book-loving friends soon. Are any of you planning to attend?

I will be moderating a panel called "Social Media: Getting the Word out in Today's Digital Age."  It's Friday at 4 if you will be there and are so inclined to attend. We're going to try to touch on some current issues in the major social media platforms. There's another panel opposite us with Craig Johnson and Cara Black that I'd probably choose over ours, so if you're not there, I won't be offended, really! ;-)

If you haven't seen this yet, I'm sure all you Harry Bosch fans will be happy.

For my audiobook-loving friends, you definitely want to check out this contest over at Criminal Element. I'm listening to The Cairo Affair right now and can tell you it's excellent! I'm sure the other three are great as well!

Friday Reads has some dark international crime to give away this week. And me, I have Louis Bayard! Well, I have Louis' Five on Friday interview.

I did some brainstorming and came up with a new final question so we can have some great authors revisit us for Five on Friday. Don't worry, I'm still recruiting new faces, but this will enable you to get to know some of our favorite faces even better. And since Lou is definitely one of my most favorites, it's fitting that we welcome him back first. If you missed my review of his new book Roosevelt's Beast, be sure to check that out as well. I'm sure you'll see that on my end of the year favorites list.

And without any further ado, let me turn this show over to the star!

1. As hard as I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to master: skating. Roller or ice. I held out hope that my two boys would succeed where I had failed, but they turned out to be just as oafish as me. We’re a family that respects solid ground. (But I’m crazy in awe of Olympic skaters.) 


2. My favorite smell is: the smell of an old paperback. Which is cheating, I know, because each paperback has its own smell. The one I remember best was the old, dog-eared copy of “Gone with the Wind” I read as a kid. A sweet rich piney smell I could never get enough of.


3. If I had to perform in a talent show, I would do: my Ethel Merman impersonation. A long time ago, a friend and I put together a show called “Ethel Merman Sings the Music of Boy George.” Today, I would probably have to confine myself to Late Ethel, sliding crazily between notes.


4. I have nearly been driven to road rage when I’ve witnessed a driver doing: I’m big on etiquette, so if I let a driver cut in front of me, I fully expect a thank-you wave. And if I don’t get it, I begin to plot a vast array of diabolical paybacks, all of which climax with the driver sputtering out his last breaths on a hot pavement: “Why? Why?” “’Cause you didn’t thank me, punk.” Cue Sergio Leone music.


5. If you had been born with a warning label, what would it read? “Don’t leave unattended. On second thought, do. Feed with chocolate.” 

When you stop laughing I encourage you to go check out Lou's Facebook page, his Twitter account and his website. And if you haven't read his books yet, put everything else away and go find one!! I've read them in print and listened to audios and I've loved every last word. And if you're in the DC area, I want to encourage you to go see Lou and tell him hi for me at One More Page Books on March 27th. I was going to make a trip to DC, but since I'll just be getting back from Monterey, it's not going to work out. Jenn Lawrence, I'm looking at you, girl! One of these days, I'm determined to meet this man in person!

It is such an honor to not only have this amazing writer here on the blog, but for him to return. What a treasure! My thanks to Louis Bayard. And to all of you for tolerating my fan girl behavior this Friday. Hope your weekend is great.

Happy Reading!

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:

Five on Friday - Orest Stelmach

Happy Friday my friends! I hope you have had a good week and are looking forward to your weekend.

I don't have much in the odds and ends bag for this week so I want to go straight to my special, special guest this week for Five on Friday. I'm thrilled and honored that Orest Stelmach graciously agreed to take the hot seat.

Orest published his debut, The Boy from Reactor 4, in 2013 and this Tuesday his follow-up, The Boy Who Stole From the Dead, is being released. Is that title not great?! You will, of course, hear more about this fabulously-titled book here soon, but I wanted to tell you about something special Orest has done with both books. He's adopted a charity, Chernobyl Children International, to help with profits from his books. You can read all about the charity and his generous contributions to them on his website.


To get a feel for Orest's writing, you can check out some of his essays here. But I especially want to point my animal-loving friends to "Ten-Foot Tall Kitty." When I first read this, I knew Orest Stelmach was a special person. So, I am over the moon excited that he's here today. In addition, with the current unrest in the Ukraine going on, I think you'll especially appreciate Orest's contribution the series!

Now let me quit my yammering and let him take the reigns:

1. When I was a kid, my favorite thing to get in my trick-or-treat bag was: A Milky Way bar. I medicated with sugar (and fats and other carbs) as a child. I was also eager to move to some other part of the solar system where I could be a kid instead of a vessel for my parents’ dreams. “At work, rest, or play, Milky Way. Milky Way.”

2. If I could only listen to one music artist/band for the rest of time, I would choose: Vivaldi. I listen to rock’n roll fifty percent of the time and classical musical the other fifty percent of the time. I would rather listen to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in a continuous loop than any rock artist’s repertoire. It is the aural equivalent of a year in my native New England and stirs an infinite number of memories, many of them imaginary.

3. My five favorite movies of all time are:

1. Sideways. Yes, I write suspense and this is a comedy, but I love spending time with these characters. We are very close friends, these characters and I – they just don’t know it. Sure, they keep saying the same things over and over again, but the wine in my glass changes frequently.
2. Vertigo. Hitchcock remains one of my primary inspirations. This is my “go-to” film when I make pancakes on Sunday morning. I like to do my mise en place to the sound of Bernard Herrmann’s haunting prelude. When I hear the cop on the roof shout “Give me your hand,” I know the prelude is over. I run from the kitchen to the family room, hit the previous scene button, and start the introductory scene all over again. I do that until I grow tired of it – the running back and forth, that is.
3. The Fugitive. My wife and I bought a small cottage on Cape Cod several years ago. The former owner’s name? Richard Kimball. That coincidence played no role in my insistence that the house was good value. None whatsoever.
4. The French Connection. There’s a scene early in the first act where Gene Hackman walks into the Copacabana nightclub. He’s just a cop surrounded by the city’s finest players, but the way he smiles, lifts his eyebrows, and presses the flesh, you’d think he’s the prince of Gotham City. I watch that scene at least nine times in a row the night before every public speaking appearance. Then, as I rise to the podium to speak the next day, I tell myself I’m at the Copacabana, and my name is Popeye Doyle.
5. The Talented Mr. Ripley. When Ms. Blanchett meets Ms. Paltrow at the piazza and implores her to marry Dickie, and tells her that that nothing, absolutely nothing untoward happened that would prevent her from doing so, her subsequent exit is my single favorite moment of acting ever. Ms. Blanchett smiles, blushes, extends her hand, pulls it back, and twists and turns with such excruciating unease, it’s hard to believe she wasn’t trying to resolve a real conflict with Ms. Paltrow. Awkwardness never looked so good.

4. The most beautiful place I’ve ever visited is: Florence. I was captain of my high school basketball team, but when I made the team as a junior my coach couldn’t pronounce my name. Instead of Orest, he called me Orence. I wish I’d known back then that I was only two consonants short of heaven all that time.

5. The #1 item on my bucket list right now is: To wake up in Kyiv, Ukraine tomorrow morning in the middle of the current protests against the government. The books that I’m working on now – the Nadia Tesla thriller series – concern a Ukrainian-American woman and a boy from Ukraine (Chornobyl to be exact). I chose such ethnic backgrounds because they mirror my own, which has been a source of increased fascination for me. My deceased father was a Ukrainian immigrant, as is my mother, and they raised my brother and me in an insular Ukrainian-American community in Hartford. Ukraine was a repressed satellite of the Soviet Union when we were growing up. Back then, a free Ukraine was unimaginable. To see that freedom gradually erode because of corruption and deference to Russia has been a painful process. My books deal with the historical relationship between Ukraine and Russia that are at the core of the current conflict. I wish I were there right now. 

What a great combination of humor and heart. That's why I enjoy this series so much. I love this little glimpse of Orest and I hope it will encourage all of you to know him a bit better as well. If you have the chance to meet up with him in person, I encourage you to do so. And of course, I encourage you to check out his books as well! You can catch up with Orest virtually on Twitter as well as his website.  And I also want to mention his Tumblr blog because he posts some amazing pictures of the Ukraine and other things related to his books.

Many, many thanks to Orest and to everyone for stopping by today. Have a most wonderful weekend and happy reading!

The Deepest Secret - Carla Buckley

First line: "Birthdays are supposed to be happy occasions, so Eve plans a party."

In Carla Buckley's third novel, she proves that her writing prowess is real, lasting. She wowed readers with the intensity and passion of her first two novels, now in The Deepest Secret, she rises to the next level.

Eve is the mother of an XP child. No we're not talking about the off-spring of a Windows operating system, this is a rare genetic disease called xeroderma pigmentosum. Someone with this disorder doesn't have the necessary enzyme to protect against UV rays, so the person can't be exposed to the sun or any device that emits UV. Most people suffering from this disorder don't make it 20. 

Tyler is Eve's XP child. He lives most of his life locked in his room with the window boarded up. He attends school via computer and can come out at night once the sun has gone down. Tyler likes to roam his neighborhood at night taking pictures.

Melissa is Tyler's sixteen-year-old sister and Eve's eldest child. She battles with being the "perfect" child, meaning she has the enzyme Tyler doesn't. Melissa is far from perfect and she's acutely aware of how lopsidedly her mother's attention focuses on her brother.

David is Eve's husband. He works in Washington D.C. while his family lives in Columbus, Ohio. He commutes back and forth on the weekends when he's able, but Eve is adamant that they can't relocate the family. It's taken too much to create the safe environment they have for Tyler in their present house. Not only adaptations to their home, but educating and helping their neighbors to change as well. She can't do that all over again and risk something happening to Tyler in the process. The long-distance family is stress enough, but add the tremendous issue of Tyler's XP and David's floundering, questioning his marriage, his life.

Most of this doesn't sound at all like a crime novel, and at this level it isn't. The intricate workings of the family and their relationships is a story in and of itself. This life alone would be enough for any human, but Buckley throws a wrench in Eve's meticulously scheduled and organized life. She throws a murder into the mix. 

As Tyler roams his neighborhood at night, he uncovers the secrets that lie within the homes of those living there. He photographs the secrets and studies them. Everyone has secrets, some are just more devastating than others...

The secrets may be buried in this novel, but the suspense and mystery woven throughout keep the intensity level soaring. The urge to know the truth is overwhelming, not because the mystery and secrets exist, but because Buckley convinces us we genuinely CARE about these people. The players in this tragedy could be any of us. And Buckley's choice of the name "Eve" for her mother character reinforces that. Eve who is mother to all of us. 

The Deepest Secret alternates perspectives and Buckley gives us intimate thought-snippets from all of the characters. The approach is especially effective because it prevents the reader from taking sides without all the facts. No one is right OR wrong--and yet everyone is both right AND wrong; they're only human. 

Buckley writes with a flow and beauty that are uniquely hers. Her dialogue is natural; her teens are as authentic as the twenty-something actress-wannabe or the elderly widower. While the novel weighs in at over 400 pages, Buckley employs a sparseness to her writing that allows the reader to bring their own experiences, emotions and ideas to this reading adventure. Buckley beckons her reader, "come on! We're all in this together." And we go. We go willingly, excitedly. And we're changed forever.

The Deepest Secret is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780345535245) from Bantam Books. There is also an unabridged audiobook version (ISBN: 978-0804192019), narrated by Kirsten Potter, available from Random House Audio.

And as just a final note, if you're one of my fellow Northeast Ohioans, Carla will be at the Berea Public Library tomorrow night at 7 p.m. You can come out and meet the woman who wrote this astounding book. 

My review kicks off the TLC Book Tour for The Deepest Secret. You can follow along with the tour and see what others bloggers are saying as well.  


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. 

Conquest - John Connolly & Jennifer Ridyard

First line: "In the beginning was the wormhole."

In my continued quest to cover crime genre books for younger readers as well as adults, I picked up the newest U.S. publication from John Connolly and his partner, Jennifer Ridyard. Not only did I find a book that is great for older young adults, but I was transported (possibly through the wormhole?) back to my own youth, the last time I enjoyed a sci-fi adventure like this. I let go of reality's gravitational pull and entered the world of Conquest, the first book in the Chronicles of the Invaders series.

Conquest opens on a very different Earth than our own. It has been invaded and is now controlled by an advanced life form not unlike humans, the Illyri. Across the planet a human organization known as The Resistance is battling to take back control of Earth. 

Meanwhile, within the ranks of the Illyri, there is unrest. The species is divided into the Military and the Diplomatic Corps who are constantly battling each other for the upper hand. 

Syl Hellais is the first Illyri born on Earth. She's also the daughter of Governor Andrus, the Illyri Military leader on Earth. When Syl and her friend Ani slip out of the castle in disguise on Syl's 16th birthday, they have no idea that it's a turning point in both of their lives. The girls encounter two human brothers, Paul and Steven, just before a bomb explodes on the Royal Mile. The brothers help the girls escape the scene unharmed and both Syl and Ani believe the encounter to be the end of their connection to the human boys.

But fate had other plans. Paul and Steven are both members of The Resistance. So they are prime targets to be framed for the bombing when they witness secret activity conducted by the Illyri Diplomatic Corps. The brothers are hauled in by the Securitat--the law enforcement group within the Diplomatic Corps--and sentenced to hang by Grand Consul Gradus, who has conveniently arrived on Earth to inform Governor Andrus of the Illyri President's death. This is essentially the end of Andrus' leadership and he finds himself powerless to undo the death sentence on the two boys.

Since Andrus is powerless to help Paul and Steven, Syl and Ani agree they will have to do it. And thus begins their life-altering odyssey.

While Conquest technically takes place on the same planet we inhabit, Connolly and Ridyard still managed to build an entirely new world in which to tell their story. The blending of Earth's geography and history with fictional technology, species, and governance gives the book a mystical element, almost a shift in dimension.

And through the enjoyment of this fantastical world come strong universal themes dealing with differences, conflict and ethics.

The differences in species can easily be translated to any kind of difference: race, religion, ethnicity. The lack of understanding and the unwillingness to try is the greatest enemy.

The conflict occurring between species and within species is symbolic of every range of human conflict from wars between nations to spats between individuals. The repeated message of taking the high road and doing the right thing instead of the easy thing reverberates through levels of the plot.

Technology plays a large role in the novel, so the ethical use also comes into play. As does the ethics of power and hierarchy.

Finally, a big part of Conquest is the idea of identity and one's true self.

Conquest is an exciting, action-packed adventure. The plot, populated with intensely memorable characters--both good and bad--will keep readers engaged for its well over 400 pages. The disappointment of the end will be mollified by the fact this is only Book 1 in the series; there is more to come. The added bonus is the rich and multiple layers of the story as well as the universal relevance of its themes.

If you have an older young adult around, I do recommend Conquest, quite highly. But I also recommend that if you're going to get them a copy, buy it early so you can read it yourself first...or buy your own copy as well. This is most definitely a book that can be enjoyed by all.

Conquest is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781476757124) from Emily Bestler/Atria Books and as an unabridged audio (ISBN: 9781442369078) narrated by Nicola Barber from Simon & Schuster Audio. Below is an audio excerpt for your listening pleasure!

Five of Friday - Patrick Lee

You probably thought the Five on Fridays were over, didn't you? I'm slowly getting my act together and amassing some new content. I'm pretty excited about what we have coming down the pike and I'm still working on more (albeit kinda slowly).

Before we forge on today, though, a few odds and ends. First, can I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day? I hope your day is filled with many sweet treats, warm hugs and much, much love.

Left Coast Crime is drawing nearer. Are you headed out to Monterey this year?  Before I head out there, though, Carla Buckley is going to be here in the Cleveland area. So if you're one of my local pals, mark your calendar for March 4th and head to the Berea library for her event. You need to register, but it's free.

You can still catch the pilot episode of Bosch, the TV show that is of course based on Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series.

How about some contests? Winning something would make your Valentine's Day pretty sweet, wouldn't it?

Simon and Schuster Audio have this one going on. O.k., yes, it's romance audiobooks, but if you don't want them yourself maybe you could gift them to someone else who does. I'm kind of fond of the idea of the iPad mini myself.

Criminal Element has a chance for you to win your way to Bouchercon.

I can't tell you for sure what she'll have, but Lesa's contests start each Friday, so be sure to stop in over at her blog and see what fun she's cooked up for this week.

And finally, Friday Reads has a pair of crime books that may strike your fancy. Stop by their Facebook page and celebrate reading while you enter to win!

And I think that's it for my odds and ends this week. So, let's get to the main attraction.


Patrick Lee is a young man who until now has written slightly more in the sci-fi realm. But next week he kicks off a new thriller series featuring a retired special forces agent named Sam Dryden. Even the title implies lots of movement...RUNNER comes out Tuesday.  Patrick lives up in Michigan, so he's probably doing some running to keep warm these days. Are we ever going to get a break?

Before all the book release hoopla starts, though, Patrick takes the Five on Friday hot seat. So help me welcome Patrick to the blog and to Five on Friday!

1. My favorite place to read is my couch, sitting at one end with my feet up. Preferably in the summer, with the windows open.  A close second is reading just before falling asleep. It's interesting to actually feel your comprehension dropping off a cliff as your brain starts to pack it in for the night. You suddenly find yourself bogged down in some sentence, unable to make sense of it. The next day, you pick up the book and find that sentence, and it's something like, "It was raining when they arrived."

2. The last movie I saw was Captain Phillips. There's a moment in this movie, seconds after the action reaches its climax, when Tom Hanks conveys horror in a way I've honestly never seen it done in a film before. It's one of those things you keep coming back to, hours or even days after you've seen the movie. The entire scene, in that moment, seems designed to isolate that one thing, horror itself, like a single variable in an equation. All the music stops, and the action stops, and there's nothing for the character to do but sit there and be emotionally destroyed by what has just happened around him.

3. If I had to be stranded on a desert island with only one other person, it would be Greg Farnsworth, author of How To Build A Satellite Phone Out Of Coconuts, Sand and Saltwater. But if, by luck, I already had a copy of the book with me, then the person I'd choose to be stuck with would be Adriana Lima. And it would take me years to remember I had the book.

4. The most famous person I ever met was Stan Winston. I saw him at a restaurant in L.A., and one of the people I was with knew him really well, so I got to meet him and talk to him for a couple minutes. The way I remember it, my side of the conversation amounted to, "Oh my god... Predator... Aliens... T2..." He was really nice, though. It was a surreal moment, running into the person who'd built some of the coolest things I'd seen in movies, all my life.

5. The #1 item on my bucket list:  One of my favorite nonfiction books is A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson, which centers on his attempted hike of the Appalachian Trail.  Though it's not going to happen anytime in the next few years, I'd love to hike the Trail at some point, preferably the whole thing in one go.

I'm sure Patrick will be planning that bucket list check mark for a time when the temps are a bit warmer. And I know exactly what Patrick's talking about with Captain Phillips. That movie was quite haunting well after I left the theater.

Many thanks to Patrick for taking time with us today. Be sure to check out Runner. You can find out more on his website. And Patrick's also on Facebook and Twitter.

I wish you all a good weekend, hopefully filled with some great books! Happy Reading!

Yesterday's Echo - Matt Coyle

First line: "The first time I saw her, she made me remember and she made me forget."

Matt Coyle makes his debut with former cop and current restaurant manager, Rick Cahill. While a police officer in Santa Barbara, Cahill is accused of murdering his wife. He was released but never cleared as a "person of interest" in the case. Now he's working with his college buddy Turk Muldoon at Muldoon's La Jolla restaurant.

Even trying to keep his head down and his nose clean, Cahill can't avoid trouble. It seeks him out in the form of a beautiful reporter named Melody Malana. After meeting one night in the restaurant, Cahill is unable to refuse her plea for help when she returns after hours with visible bruises. But the stakes go much higher than rescuing a damsel in distress when Melody's felon ex-husband is found dead in her hotel room along with evidence that Cahill had been there.

Corrupt cops, a former Vegas casino owner, and high ranking politicians are all tied up in the secrets surrounding the murder. Cahill has to figure out how to keep from being the scapegoat or this time could mean his life.

Yesterday's Echo is a solid first novel from Matt Coyle. Cahill encompasses many of the traditional P.I. characteristics, but he also has a more modern dimension, emotionally. His connections with friends, former girlfriends, even his dog, show a vulnerability that makes his struggle with the loss of his wife authentic and impactful.

Coyle throws a good mix of shady characters into the plot, several of whom end up surprisingly complex. The plot twists and red herrings keep the pace moving swiftly. And readers will find a scenic view of his Southern California setting.

Peppered throughout the novel are little writing gems. One of which is the book's title. Much the way Michael Koryta's Sorrow's Anthem hit me when the title's meaning was revealed, "yesterday's echo" is double-take worthy. It's thought-provoking and lasting...echoing, if you will.

PI and police procedural fans, Matt Coyle is a writer you'll want to watch. He's carving a place for himself in the genre and I'm excited to see where he goes from here.

Yesterday's Echo is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1608090761) from Oceanview Publishing. It's also available as a Brilliance unabridged audio (ISBN: 978-1469277462) narrated by Nick Podehl.

The Qualities of Wood - Mary Vensel White

First line: "In the small, congested airport, Vivian didn't recognize her husband."

Vivian Gardiner has left her job in the city to spend a year in the rural home of her husband's late grandmother, Betty Gardiner. The house needs to be readied for sale, so while Vivian goes through the belongings left behind, her husband will be working on his second mystery novel.

The night Vivian arrives in her new temporary home, the police find a young girl dead in the forested area behind the Gardiner property. The death haunts Vivian as she works on the house and learns more and more about this "quaint" little town and the people who populate it. She may just find a few surprising skeletons in the house's nooks and crannies.

The Qualities of Wood is a book I've been wanting to read for awhile now and finally snatched my chance over Thanksgiving weekend. Right now it is available as an ebook; it was first published by the HarperCollins imprint Authonomy as an ebook exclusive but will be available in print this summer.

I'm tempted to say I fell in love with this book from the very beginning as I joined Vivian on her journey to small town U.S.A. Vivian had some reservations but the whole scene looked beautiful and inviting to me, my idea of heaven. I probably would prefer no suspicious deaths in my back yard, but otherwise...

Mary Vensel White has created a lush atmosphere in her debut novel, enveloping her reader in the sights and sounds of Vivian's foreign world. The dusty old house with bizarre wallpaper, the tall grass in desperate need of a cutting and the country road, slowly being paved over the course of the summer, these snapshots fit together like images in a flip book--each still photo a vital piece in the movement of the story.

And the characters are as quirky and fascinating as any you might find in a crowded subway car, illustrating the complexities of the often-stigmatized backwoods folk.  From Vivian's new gal-pal Katherine to the eerie neighbor Mr. Stokes to the dead girl's mother Kitty Brodie, everyone has their secrets. And as in many small towns, the stories make their ways around, but more in line with a game of telephone, the stories get distorted as they are passed from one person to the other. No one holds the whole truth and the misconceptions may prove deadly.

The plot is steeped in suspense. It has a slower rhythm. This isn't a thriller, instead the pacing coincides gracefully with the setting and the suspense builds gradually and hauntingly. White also employs plot twists that just may break your heart.

The Qualities of Wood is a striking debut and I'm anxious to see where Mary Vensel White goes from here.

The Qualities of Wood is available now from Authonomy (ISBN: 9780007469505) in all ebook formats. It will be available in trade paperback (ISBN: 978-0007523580) June 17, 2014.

RUNAWAY MAN - David Handler

First line: "I couldn't stop staring at Mr. Classy Guy's shoes."

David Handler may be best known for his Hoagy and Lulu series, but up until The Runaway Man, I hadn't read David's work. Since The Runaway Man kicks off a new Handler series, featuring Benji Golden, I thought it would be the perfect place to start. And I chose the audio, narrated by a favorite of mine, Peter Berkrot. I don't think they could have found a better fit for this narration.

Benji is a private eye who specializes in finding people, especially young people. He works with his mother in their family business that his now deceased father, a former cop, started. Golden Legal Services is just a small business and they struggle against the big corporate firms, so when Peter Seymour of Bates, Winslow, and Seymour comes in with a job that seems slightly askew of the up-and-up Benji and his mother decide to take the case anyway.

Peter Seymour claims that he has a client that wishes to bequeath a substantial sum to a young man by the name of Bruce Weiner. But Bruce, unbeknownst to his parents and roommate, is missing from his college; Seymour wants Benji to find him. And Benji does find him, only he finds him dead.

Realizing that he led the killer to Bruce, Benji makes his mission to find out who killed Bruce and why. But his mission turns even deadlier before the answers can be unearthed.

Benji Golden is an odd mix of hormones and life experience, which make for a complex character that's two parts fun, one part curiosity and three parts compassion. Berkrot nailed the recipe and had me laughing, eye rolling and tearing up.  

Benji is the stand-out star in this book, but his mother Abby and the office manager Rita (both former exotic dancers) give Benji a run for his money. While Handler sexifies the women, he counters that brilliantly with brains for both babes. Berkrot emphasizes in both women how their intellect and life experiences drive who they are. But they're cagey as well. Life has taught them that their sex appeal is a tool and they're very adept at using it for the best intentions.

And while Benji has hormones raging throughout the novel, he also has restraint. Handler seems to be using Benji as a depiction of man's animal instincts versus his free will. While those elements of his character battle it out, his compassion reigns supreme. Berkrot displays the hierarchy perfectly. Misbalanced, Benji could come across as very unlikable; instead he's a hero.

The humor lends a lightness to the novel, but Handler juggles numerous social issues throughout the plot as well. The complexity results in an engrossing story and the beginning of what looks to be a winning new series. With any luck, Berkrot will remain the voice of this new star in PI novels.

Runaway Man is available on unabridged audio (ISBN: 9781469249483) from Brilliance Audio. It is also available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781250011626) from Minotaur.

The Creeps - John Connolly

First line: "In a small terraced house in the English town of Biddlecombe, a birthday party was underway."

Just in time for Halloween, John Connolly's third book in his Samuel Johnson series is available in the United States. This is my first outing with Samuel and his little dog Boswell, and I was chastised for it in the book's footnotes (yes, really, footnotes--you'll love them!)

"An adventure described in The Infernals, available from all good bookshops and some bad ones. If you haven't read it, please find a copy and turn to the second footnote in Chapter One, which will wag a finger disapprovingly at you for picking up the later books in a series without first reading the earlier ones."

I will pick up The Infernals because I had so much fun with The Creeps! I also plan to push these books into the hands of my niece and nephew. The Creeps--the series--is really great fun for readers of all ages.

Samuel, Boswell and Lucy are attending the grand opening of a new toy shop taking over the long vacated Wreckit & Son's building. But an atmosphere of trouble is brewing everywhere, so what should be a joyous occasion has a foreboding air.

In the sweet shop that is actually a not-so-secret laboratory, the new tea boy is witnessing ghosts. Dan and his Dwarfs have been hired to work as elves at the opening of the Wreckit & Sons toy shop. And the Hilary Mould statue is moving from place to place throughout Biddlecombe. Add to that a voice in the wall of Wreckit & Sons and Crudford scouring the Multiverse for Mrs. Abernathy's atoms and you have the building blocks of an adventure suitable for Hell.

The Creeps is chock full of delightful elements. I mentioned the footnotes but it also has playful chapter titles, illustrations and plenty of smart humor. From metaphors as witty as

"...said Professor Stefan in the tone of a man who has just discovered a large hole in his bucket of patience, and is now considering hitting someone over the head with the bucket,..."

to descriptions as vivid as

"'What we're looking for is a big, black, rotten heart-shaped thingy filled with nastiness.'"

the writing is both intelligent and whimsical. And underneath that whimsy is a fantastic depth of character and plot. With The Creeps, there's no having to choose which element of story you prefer because both are so deftly defined. The ideas of the Multiverse and Hell and the alignment of everything are complex and intriguing. While the relationships aren't confined to humans. They go beyond to all kind of beings, acknowledging the plausibility of compassion and empathy between those who aren't exactly the same.

While October is a perfect time for The Creeps to come out, and it would make a great treat for your favorite ghost or goblin's Halloween bag, it's a fantastically wonderful reading experience any time. And yes, Earth may have "become unmoored from reality" but really, can't we all benefit from a little unmooring from time to time?

The Creeps is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1476757094) from Emily Bestler Books (Atria) and also on unabridged audio (ISBN: 978-1442368705) from Simon and Schuster Audio, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds.

No Safe Ground - Julia Pomeroy

First sentence: "A mud-splattered black Town Car pulled up in front of the Hudson, New York, train station, and a man in a well-cut black suit scrambled out from the rear, unassisted."

Reynolds "Pack" Packard is a tired, old man. He lives in rumpled clothes and a house that is in disarray, falling apart; he even drives a tired old Town Car as a freelance limo driver. His all-around "I don't care" attitude is rocked to the core when a surprise guest shows up in his house, uninvited and aiming his own gun at him.

The guest is Vida, the daughter he abandoned fifteen years ago. She's AWOL from the Army and convinced her friend was murdered by a fellow American soldier in Iraq. But the details are all fuzzy since Vida sustained her own injuries. She's a witness the soldier needs to silence. To be able to defend herself, Vida first needs to find the soldier's identity then prove his crime all while evading the authorities. Enlisting the help of Pack's cousin Millie, the three set off on a deathly adventure.

No Safe Ground is chock full of engaging characters with delicious flaws. Pack is essentially a curmudgeon and the irony of his character as a limo driver will hit close to home with anyone who has encountered a less-than-stellar customer service representative and wondered how in the world they keep their job.

Pomeroy never lets the reader forget that Vida is young and terrified of what she experienced, what she witnessed, terrified of what could happen to her. She's turned to the last person she ever wanted to ask for help, but there's also a nagging part of her that wants to know why Pack left her and her mother. Vida is both authentic and empathetic.

And Millie is my favorite character of the whole book. Millie was once Mitch, a state trooper. After retiring from the force, he donned a red wig, make-up and the name Millie. Pack accepts Mitch as Millie but still struggles with some confusion at times, which is endearing of both characters. Millie is passionate and determined. Millie is also the flip side of Pack: neat, organized, she has it together.

With these three characters, Pomeroy not only crafts a captivating plot, but she explores some themes of family and loyalty. The plot itself starts out a little on the slow side but as it builds, more layers are peeled back, more secrets are revealed and unbeknownst to the reader, he/she has become engrossed and oblivious to time.

Whether you like high-speed action or driving characters, Julia Pomeroy offers up both in No Safe Ground.

No Safe Ground is available in hardcover from Five Star (ISBN: 978-1432826826).

Five on Friday: Matt Coyle

It's Friday! I hope you've enjoyed a wonderful week and are looking forward to a fun weekend. I'm hoping to get a lot of outside work done and spend some time reading on my front porch!

If you haven't been enjoying the wonderful submissions for this year's Get Caught Reading series, I hope you'll check out the Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime soon. We have more wonderful critters coming your way next week, so be sure to check back!

Sending out congratulations to Ginny in Virginia (I just love that!). Random Number Generator chose her number as the winner of A Cold and Lonely Place. Thanks to everyone who entered!

If I have any readers in Ontario, be on the lookout folks! There's a collection of crime fiction authors touring your way starting next week. You can see all the details on that at Hilary Davidson's blog. She's one of the group making the rounds up North.

Last night the Edgar® Awards were revealed. Congrats to this year's winners!

This week I learned that this author has a book in the pipeline and this author has a new mystery series book deal. Happy dances all around! 

And finally the May Nerdy Special List is up. Take a look at what I'm recommending for May. I am still working on a few more May releases, but regardless, my choice is a definite don't miss!

Before I get to our feature today, the usual roundup of contests for those who want to win some books:

Lesa has two cozy mysteries related to music.

Friday Reads is super hot with The Mystery Box short story collection, Daniel Palmer's Stolen, and David Morrell's Murder as a Fine Art.

So that's it for my yakking today. Now I want to introduce our feature author for Five on Friday. Matt Coyle is preparing to launch his debut novel, Yesteryday's Echo, into the world on Tuesday. You know I perked up immediately upon hearing that one of his contemporary influences is Robert Crais. Matt hails from Southern California as well. On his road to publication he's paid the bills by working in the restaurant business, selling golf clubs and later selling sports memorabilia.

It is my distinct pleasure to introduce you all to Matt Coyle. I have a feeling you are witnessing the beginning of a great crime fiction career in Mr. Coyle!

Matt and Angus - Are they watching Deadwood?

1. If I could tell my 16-year-old self one piece of advice, knowing what I know now, it would be: Force yourself outside your comfort zone. It's scary and there will be failure, but great success can only be achieved by striving beyond your reach.

2. The best gift I ever received was: My wife teaching herself how to play the song, "Home" on the guitar and signing it to me on our anniversary. It was the song we strode out of the wedding ceremony as a married couple.

3. One thing I have no tolerance for is: People who are oblivious to those around them.

4. When I’m feeling under the weather, I…. Get under a blanket on the couch and watch "Deadwood' episodes from the first to the last.

5. The #1 item on my bucket list right now is: Go to Ireland.

Yes, I heard that collective "Awwwww" after #2! And I have no tolerance for people who are oblivious to those around them either. They make me want to become a recluse!

And don't you love that picture of Matt & Angus? It warms my heart! Many thanks to Matt for making time for us during this very busy week before release day. And thanks to everyone for stopping by. Have a great weekend and HAPPY READING!

Five on Friday - Brad Parks

Beware the Ides of March! But good golly Happy Friday! How did Friday get here so quickly? Where did this week go?

That is not a complaint mind you. I'm happy for Friday to be here, but I have much to do before Left Coast Crime and that's right around the corner! I'm packing the books and related gadgets for collecting fun blog content...hopefully I won't forget things like clothes and shoes. Those might be important.

Very quickly, I want to point out to you that the Friday Reads contest on Facebook this week includes Rob Zombie's THE LORDS OF SALEM and C.J. Box's BREAKING POINT.

Lesa has Leighton Gage's PERFECT HATRED and Deborah Coates' DEEP DOWN in her giveaway this week.

And Criminal Element has a slew of contests going on.

My new issue of Crimespree Magazine arrived this week. In addition to the awesome cover photo (Robert Crais), it includes an interview I did with Alafair and James Lee Burke. So be sure to check that out when you get your copy!

Now it is with great trepidation that I introduce today's Five on Friday guest. Yes, he is presently out on his "Khaki is the New Black" book tour for The Good Cop, which released March 5th. The reports have not come back as to whether he's leaving damage in his wake, but I guess no news is good news?

Seriously, I am very excited to have a great writer and a great friend here today. I met Brad Parks back before the first Carter Ross mystery was published, and I've been thrilled to see Brad and this series doing so well.

Without any further ado, I'll turn the blog over (oh dear God help me) to the multi-talented, award-winning, goofball himself...Brad Parks!

Brad sent this with the caption "Tough Interview"

The best gift I ever received was: I’ve got two children who are healthy and smart and beautiful and fun. It’s a total copout answer, I realize, but it’s also hard to imagine a greater blessing.

One thing I have no tolerance for is: Slow drivers. Which is a problem, because I live in this rural part of Virginia with a lot of farmers in pickup trucks and old people who have nowhere to go and insist on getting there while driving ten miles below the speed limit. People like this are serious impediments to my pursuit of happiness. My blood pressure is spiking just thinking about it. I mean, seriously, it’s the long skinny pedal on the right, you miserable waste of biomass, so why don’t you either use it or get the @$%!^ out of my way! And while we’re talking, you do know that left lane is called the passing lane, not the camping-out-while-going-the-exact-same-speed-as-the-person-next-to-you lane, so why don’t you... Ahem. Sorry. What’s the next question?

A skill I’ve always wanted to have, but don’t is: Playing the piano. Some folks in the crime fiction community may be aware I sing a little bit. But the fact is I can never really take it on the road without accompaniment. A woman can get away with not being able to play—she can just put on a slinky dress and slither all over the piano, ala Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys—but I don’t have that option. I don’t have the hips for it.

If I won the lottery tomorrow, the first thing I would do would be: My wife and I have an ongoing debate about this. I swear to her that if I won the lottery, I would retire to an island where all I’d do is read on the beach, snorkel and, if I was really feeling motivated on a particular day, play golf. I’d never write another word, except for scribbled notes to my accountant that said, “Send more money.” Sadly, my wife’s version—and she knows me better than I know myself—is probably more accurate. She contends that after about two weeks of this I’d be going out of my mind with boredom; and that by the end of the third week, I’d be inventing a story about a guy who wins the lottery, goes to live a life of tranquility on island, only to discover its dark and horrible secret...

The #1 item on my bucket list right now is: Six-pack abs. Go ahead. Laugh it up. Maybe that’s audacious for a man of my advanced age (I was born in 1974, Forbus; and people born in 1974, especially March or earlier in that year, are getting seriously old). But I’ve always wanted them and just sorta, y’know, never got around to it during my 20s. My 30s have turned out to be a little busier than expected as well. So my plan is to give them to myself as a 40th birthday present. Then we’ll see about my secret desire to dunk a basketball... 

See what I get? I give him a nice introduction and he takes a pot shot at my age!

If you have not experienced the Carter Ross series, I encourage you to do so. The audiobooks of the first three in the series are narrated by MacLeod Andrews and he does a fabulous job. I have not heard The Good Cop, which has a new narrator, but when I do I'll let you know!  And of course the audios can't be great if the books themselves aren't, so I highly encourage you to check them out. You can see reviews and some other related posts with Brad on the blog here.

You can connect with Brad at his website, on Facebook or on Twitter. He will also be at Left Coast Crime, so you can give him a hard time....er, I mean, stop and say "hi" if you're attending. Or you can check out one of his other tour events that are going on through April.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Happy Reading!