Review of Up at Butternut Lake by Mary McNear

 Rating - 4

 After ten years away, Allie Beckett has returned to her family's cabin beside tranquil Butternut Lake, where as a teenager she spent so many carefree days. She's promised her five-year-old son, Wyatt, they will be happy there. She's promised herself this is the place to begin again after her husband's death in Afghanistan.

Allie and her son are embraced by the townsfolk, and her reunions with old acquaintances—her friend Jax, now a young mother of three with one more on the way, and Caroline, the owner of the local coffee shop—are joyous ones. And then there are newcomers like Walker Ford, who mostly keeps to himself—until he takes a shine to Wyatt . . . and to Allie. (Amazon Desc.)

McNear easily draws the reader in with likable characters, a beautiful setting, and an interesting plot. The romance between Allie and Walker is hot and problematic given the past issues both must overcome. The glimpse we see into Jax's life and Caroline's, leaves the reader wanting to know more about this interesting little town and the people who live there.

Review of Silenced by Allison Brennan

Rating - 4

 A number of known prostitutes--with scores of high profile clients--are turning up dead all over D.C. Is this the work of a depraved killer? Or the result of an inside job? Lucy's investigation will take her into an underground network of prostitutes, the chambers of the country's most powerful players, and her own dark past to confront an unknown enemy who's always one step ahead of her. With the help of her P.I. boyfriend Sean Rogan, Lucy must find and protect the only witness who can identify the killer and end the conspiracy, but can the witness be trusted? Lucy will risk everything to expose the truth and ensure justice is served, even if that means putting herself in the line of fire ... (Desc. from Amazon)

The Lucy Kincaid series is my favorite of Brennan's numerous series. The characters of Lucy and Sean are nuanced and finely drawn. Each book in the series explores their characters more deeply. As a writer, Brennan is a master of complex plot twists. Once started, her books are hard to put down.

Review of Stargazey Point by Shelley Noble

Rating = 3

 Documentary filmmaker Abbie Sinclair is deeply damaged after her latest project ended in tragedy. Luckily for her, her best friend stateside has a few elderly relatives who are happy to host Abbie in their crumbling seaside mansion while she figures out what comes next. Cabot Reynolds the Third is a man who gave up a promising career as an architect to return to the down and out South Carolina beach town of Stargazey Point to restore his uncle's carousel and, hopefully, breathe new life into the town before its natives are forced to sell out to developers. The elderly Crispin siblings are Stargazey Point's old money, but their funds are quickly disappearing. The three have fallen to selling off their belongings to pay off their taxes. Despite their troubles Abbie finds a home with Millie, Marnie, and Beau, and before long she finds that she doesn't have to jet around the world to keep up with the deeds of her over-achieving, do-gooder family members, there's plenty of good to be done right in Stargazey Point. (Desc. yourotherleft, 9/13

Stargazey Point was an enjoyable read with likable characters. There were several sub-plots with just enough suspense to hold my attention from start to finish.

Review of The Final Cut by Catherine Coulter, J. T. Ellison

Rating: 4

 Scotland Yard’s new chief inspector Nicholas Drummond is on the first flight to New York when he learns his colleague, Elaine York, the "“minder of the Crown Jewels for the “Jewel of the Lion” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was found murdered. Then the centerpiece of the exhibit, the infamous Koh-i-Noor Diamond, is stolen from the Queen Mother’s crown. Drummond, American-born but raised in the UK, is a dark, dangerous, fast-rising star in the Yard who never backs down. And this case is no exception. Working with FBI special-agent Michaela "Mike" Caine, they determine that the thief is an international art thief known as "The Fox". The Fox will stop at nothing to deliver the Koh-i-Noor to the man who believes in its deadly prophecy. (Desc. from Amazon).

I haven't read anything by Catherine Coulter for many years. After reading Final Cut, I realize I've been missing out! Taut suspense, action, and great characters combine to form a highly entertaining read.

Review of Sleepwalker by Karen Robards

Rating = 3 

While house-sitting for her Uncle Nicco, policewoman Micayla Lange catches Jason Davis in the act of stealing money from her uncle's locked safe. When they both find incriminating photos that implicate Nicco in the murder of a city councilman, Mick and Jason hurtle into a race for their lives (LT Desc.). This was an exciting, suspenseful novel through most of the story, but the ending fell flat. The suspense builds and builds and then everything is easily resolved in the last few pages.

Review of Headed for Trouble by Suzanne Brockmann

Rating - 3 1/2 

Headed for Trouble is a compilation of short stories featuring many of the characters from previous Troubleshooters stories. Brockmann includes a timeline showing where each story fits within the list of Troubleshooter novels. It's a fun book to read if you've been a Troubleshooter fan all along. It catches you up on the lives of some of your favorite Troubleshooter characters, after the novel in which they first appeared.

Review of The Great Escape by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Rating - 4 

Phillips reintroduces Lucy Jorik, the U.S. president's adopted daughter from her previous novel, Call Me Irresistible. Lucy has always felt the pressure to be perfect, but when she runs out on the perfect man, Ted Beaudine, on the day of her wedding, she knows that she wants something else. Throwing caution to the wind, she accepts a ride on the back of a motorcycle from a menacing-looking stranger nicknamed "Panda." Lucy isn't quite ready to face her family, and the rest of the world, again, and her growing attraction to the grizzled biker just makes it easier to keep her real life on hold. After a secret about Panda comes out, however, Lucy realizes that escaping her too-perfect life will be harder than it seemed.

This is trademark SEP: Familiar, quirky characters, humor, romance and hot sex. The beginning is a little slow, but once it gets going, it's hard to put down. I hate for SEP books to end because I don't want to let go of the characters! I hope she writes fast...I can't wait for her next novel.

Review of The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber

Rating - 3

Jo Marie Rose first arrives in Cedar Cove seeking a sense of peace and a fresh start. Coping with the death of her husband, she purchases the newly christened Rose Harbor Inn and sets out to begin her life anew. Yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine.

In this first book in the Cedar Cove- Rose Harbor series, Macomber links the stories of Jo Marie and her first two guests...Abby and Josh...through the common themes of love, loss, forgiveness and second chances. Macomber's books are gentle and satisfying with quirky characters, humor and romance. I look forward to reading the next book in the Rose Harbor series.

Review of SEALed with a Kiss by Mary Margaret Daughtridge

Rating - 3 1/2



Jax Graham is a member of an elite military team, but when it comes to taking care of his four-year-old son after his ex-wife dies. Family therapist Pickett Sessoms knows just how to help a rough, tough Navy SEAL deal with a scared and lonely little boy. When Jax and his young son Tyler get trapped by a hurricane, Pickett takes them in against her better judgment. Jax figures Pickett's high maintenance, just like all the women he knows, and she figures he's not commitment material. But when an outing turns deadly, Pickett discovers what it means to be a SEAL, and Jax discovers that even a hero needs help sometimes... (Desc. from LT).
This was an entertaining and romantic story, with humor and plenty of sexual tension.

Review of Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockmann

Rating - 3

 Navy SEAL Izzy Zanella and his estranged wife, Eden Gillman, are set on saving her brother even if that means reconciling with each other to prove to a court that they can give better care to the young teenage boy. Just as their hearts begin to mend, the makeshift family gets caught up in saving another youth from a crime ring in Las Vegas and ends up with a group of dangerous men on their trail.

It's sad to see the end of the Trouboeshooters series. This was probably not the best of the series, but it had Brockmann's characteristic suspense, romance and the brotherhood of the SEALs. I look forward to reading whatever Brockmann comes up with next.

Review of If I Should Die by Allison Brennan

Rating - 4

While helping their friends stop malicious vandals targeting their new resort, aspiring FBI agent Lucy Kincaid and her P.I. boyfriend, Sean Rogan, stumble upon a dead body, which then disappears, leading them into the middle of a violent conspiracy.

Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres and I enjoy reading Brennan's stories about the Rogan and Kincaid families. They sre suspenseful, romantic and fast-paced. What's not to like?

Review of Love Anthony by Lisa Genova

Rating - 4

 Olivia Donatelli moved to Nantucket after her autistic son died and she and her husband separated. Olivia is hoping to find answers and gain perspective on why he died. Beth Ellis gave up her editing job in New York City to marry Jimmy and move to Nantucket. Now after 14 years of marriage and three children, she discovers that Jimmy is cheating on her. Two women, each dealing with grief and life changes, have a chance encounter and that brief connection will change their lives forever.

Lisa Genova holds a PhD from Harvard in Neurscience. Her books combine a great story with explanations about the science behind certain mental conditions using language that her readers can understand. In this novel, autism is the issue underlying the story and after reading it, people will gain a new perspective on the disease that 1 in 88 children in the United States have. Genova has a gift for writing strong characters and bringing the reader right into the story. I highly recommend this book.

Review of Vanity Fare by Megan Caldwell

Rating - 4

 Molly Hagan's husband left her for a younger woman and now she finds out his business has just gone bankrupt. So now she has to find a way to support herself and her 6 year old son with no support from her ex-husband. Through a former colleague, she finds a job copywriting for a new bakery just opening up. Molly finds herself experiencing all of the ups and downs and "politics" in the business world, but she loves what she's doing and maybe has found romance in the process.

Vanity Fare is entertaining and funny and romantic. The premise of the new bakery is that it is opening near the New York Public Library, so the owner is trying to combine the idea of food and books. Molly suggests that each item in the bakery should be named after a famous book. In fact, the name of the bakery  is "Vanity Fare", a take off on the book of the same name.One of my favorite parts of the book were the food descriptions that opened each chapter in the book, such as "Portrait of a Ladyfinger" or "Tender is the Bite". At the end of the book, there are recipes for each of the bakery items. Molly is a strong character and faces her new life with trepidation and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Review of Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Rating - 4

 Isabel Favor is a life-style coach whose life is falling apart. Her accountant has run off with her money, her reputation is in tatters and her fiance has just dumped her for an older woman. Isabel needs to escape so she heads for Tuscany determined to find a little perspective - breathing room - and start over. Instead she ends up in a hotel room with Hollywood bad boy Lorenzo Gage. He makes his living killing people...on the screen at least. Ren's reputation is blacker than black. But when you're everyone's favourite villain, it goes with the territory. Isabel's always prided herself on her neatly ordered life. But look where being good has got her. Maybe it's time to live a little...? (Amazon desc.)

This is trademark Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Lots of romance, humor and colorful secondary characters. Highly entertaining.

Review of Kiss Me, Kill Me by Allison Brennan

Rating - 4

Sean Rogan, a private investigator and Lucy Kincaide are investigating a missing girl case. FBI agent Suzanne Madeaux, working with the NYPD, is investigating a serial killer case, dubbed the "Cinderella Killer" because the murderer takes one shoe from each victim. Soon, Sean and Lucy meet up with Suzanne when they realize that the missing girl was somehow involved with the most recent victim. Sean, Lucy and Suzanne realize that they must learn to trust each other if they are going to solve the case before there's another victim.

This 2nd book in the Lucy Kincaide case is suspenseful with plenty of action and romance. It was hard to put down. Recommended for lovers of the romantic suspense genre.

Review of Broken by Karin Slaughter

Rating - 4

When Special Agent Will Trent arrives in Grant County, he finds a police department determined to protect its own and far too many unanswered questions about a prisoner’s death. He doesn’t understand why Officer Lena Adams is hiding secrets from him. He doesn’t understand her role in the death of Grant County’s popular police chief. He doesn’t understand why that man’s widow, Dr.Sara Linton, needs him now more than ever to help her crack this case.

While the police force investigates the murder of a young woman pulled from a frigid lake, Trent investigates the police force, putting pressure on Adams just when she’s already about to crack. Caught between two complicated and determined women, trying to understand Linton’s passionate distrust of Adams, the facts surrounding Chief Tolliver’s death, and the complexities of this insular town, Trent will unleash a case filled with explosive secrets—and encounter a thin blue line that could be murderous if crossed.

Karin Slaughter is one of my favorite suspense authors. Her characters are well-drawn and there are lots of twists and turns to her plots. Many of her novels are part of a series and the characters in the novels often show up in other series. Each book offers a little more back-story of the main characters, which helps the reader understand the characters better. If you are a reader of suspense novels, pick up Karin Slaughter.

Review of Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn

Rating - 4

 Private Investigators Chet (a dog) and Bernie are hired to find a missing showdog named Princess and her owner who have been kidnapped. Also missing is local newspaper reporter and very good friend, Suzie Sanchez. As Chet and Bernie dig further into the case, there seems to be a lot more going on than a missing showdog.
Quinn's Chet and Bernie books are great. The two work together and always manage to solve their quirky cases. In typical PI fashion, Bernie never has any money and tends to drink a little too much, but Chet is really the main character and is also the narrator of the story. Quinn does a great job of writing the books through Chet's eyes and that's what makes them so humorous. Highly recommended.

Review of Sacred Evil by Heather Graham

Rating - 4

The details of the crime scene are no coincidence. The body—a promising starlet—has been battered, bloodied and then discarded between two of Manhattan's oldest graveyards.

One look and Detective Jude Crosby recognizes the tableau:
A re–creation of Jack the Ripper's gruesome work. But he also sees something beyond the actions of a mere copycat. Something more dangerous…and unexplainable.
As the city seethes with suspicion, Jude calls on Whitney Tremont, a member of the country's preeminent paranormal investigating team, to put the speculation to rest. Yet when Whitney and Jude delve deeper, what they discover is more shocking than either could have predicted, and twice as sinister…(retrieved from Amazon.com).
While an enjoyable read, this 3rd book in the Krewe of Hunters series gets bogged down by the amount of historical information provided about Jack the Ripper. It's still very suspenseful and keeps you guessing until the very end of the book. (Krewe of Hunters, Bk. 3).

Review of Phantom Evil by Heather Graham

Rating - 4

Jackson Crow, a former member of the government's Behavioral Sciences Unit in Washington, D.C., leads a covert group investigating a reputedly haunted New Orleans house. When Regina Holloway, the wife of a popular Louisiana state senator takes a fatal fall from the balcony of the couple's French Quarter mansion, her death is officially ruled a suicide, but could ghosts have been involved? Angela Hawkins, a Virginia police officer with the ability to detect paranormal activity, partners with Jackson professionally and romantically as she assists his team in discovering the truth behind Regina's death. (PW, Amazon.com)

Graham writes taught romantic suspense novels, often with a paranormal theme. This one doesn't disappoint. I listened to this one and the reader put me off a bit, but the story was good enough to keep going. (Bk. 1, Krewe of Hunters series).

Review of Heart of Evil by Heather Graham

Rating - 4

Outside of New Orleans, Donegal Plantation is known for its unsurpassed dining, captivating atmosphere, haunting legends …and now a corpse swinging from the marble angel that marks the Donegal vault. The corpse is discovered in nearly the same position as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch killed in a skirmish just before the Civil War.
Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare, —often inexplicable, —intuition. Among the "Krewe of Hunters" is an old flame, Jake Mallory, a gifted musician with talent stretching far beyond the realm of the physical.The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried —even in death (desc. by Amazon.com)….

This is a great series if you like romance, murder, and ghosts. Very entertaining and suspenseful. This is Bk. 2 in the Krewe of Hunters series.