​​​Genre: Thriller

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Chris Bauer did not shy away from fictionalizing the headlines in his book, Jane’s Baby, and at times I found it difficult to read for that reason. It is a well written book with well portrayed characters, and the issue at its heart is a difficult one. Norma McCorvey is the real life Roe in Roe vs. Wade, and the Supreme Court decision came too late for her. She had a daughter whom she gave up for adoption.

In this fictional account, a radical religious group uses blackmail to learn the identity of the child, and attempts to stack the Supreme Court in order to change what they find offensive. Through murder, arson and sleight of hand, they are determined to win their battle over abortion versus right to choose, and Judge Drury, a bounty hunter who deals with Tourette’s syndrome, is just as determined to stop them.

Bauer has a deft hand with characterization, and I enjoy watching his cast at work. The female antagonist in the story is frighteningly amoral, Drury’s k-9 partners are always there for him and his side-kick, an alcoholic little person adds a bit of levity to a rather grim story. The Native American Supreme Court Justice is another interesting character to follow as the plot unfolds and danger follows her.

This story deals with this controversial topic in a round-about way and will give the reader something to think about long after the last page is read.

- Beverly​

Publisher - Intrigue Publishing LLC
Date of Publication - ​​June 1, 2018

​​Genre: Cozy Mystery

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In An Affair to Dismember by Elise Sax, Gladie Burger doesn’t have the best of luck when it comes to relationships, so when Grandma Zelda insists that Gladie share her house and matchmaking business, Gladie isn’t particularly hopeful. She decides to give it a try though, and settles in with Zelda in the small town of Cannes, California. Things start off exactly as one would imagine, and Gladie feels she might have made a mistake in moving in with her Grandma.

Of course the requisite murder quickly draws Gladie and the reader into a Cozy Mystery filled with plot twists and interesting characters. Even though Randy Terns’ death isn’t initially classified as murder, things just don’t seem right. The Terns family is definitely odd, and possibly evil, so Gladie is intrigued. Even though the good looking police chief advises her to stay away, she is bound and determined to figure out the truth.

Sax does a good job bringing humor into her mystery as she mixes a little romance in with the action. I loved Grandma Zelda and found her advice at the beginning of each chapter charming. Her personality and relationship with her stretch-pants wearing granddaughter doesn’t always match her Jimmy Choo shoes, but that is what makes this story charming.

At times I found Gladie acted a bit more clueless than I would have expected, but on the whole I thought she was an interesting character for this genre of book. The author did a good job on the mystery part too, throwing in clues that were meaningless along with those that led the way to a satisfying conclusion.

- Beverly ​

Publisher - Amazon Digital Services LLC
Date of Publication - ​January 16, 2017

​​Genre: Mystery

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The Three Beths has an interesting mystery featuring the disappearance of women named Beth. The primary character, Mariah Dunning, spends her every waking moment trying to figure out where her mother, Beth Dunning, is, and why she would leave her husband and daughter. Since Police Detective Broussard is convinced that Mariah’s dad killed his wife, Mariah is even more determined to get to the truth and clear her dad’s name.

Her quest brings her in contact with quite a few shady characters and she searches for connections that she might never find. There are probably three or four too many characters for my comfort, and most of them are too one dimensional for my liking. While I enjoy an exciting plot, it is the characterization that generally draws me into a story. I enjoy rooting for the good guys, and found that part of this story weak. While the bad guys have reasons to be bad at times and the good guys aren’t always good (or likable ), none of them invites me to become fully invested in their stories.

There is no question that Abbott knows how to fashion a plot that will have his readers trying to figure out what is going on until the very last page, and I kept wanting to go back to the story whenever I had to put the book down to do something else. It is fast moving and entertaining, and I look forward to searching out some of his other books for my summer collection.

- Beverly​

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​Publisher - Grand Central Publishing
Date of Publication - October 23, 2018

​Genre: Fiction

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Jodi Picoult’s talent as a storyteller has no rivals, and it lies completely in her ability to portray her characters. Each character in her novels is so multi-dimensional that the reader can’t help but believe they are reading about people they have spent time with in the past. Her storylines bring in current themes, and she generally shows all sides of the issue she is highlighting.

A Spark of Light takes on the abortion issue, and she is obviously attempting to humanize both sides of one of the most emotional topics that face us today. A women’s health center is attacked by a gunman, George, who opens fire and takes everyone inside hostage. We soon learn why George has taken this unthinkable step, and while we don’t agree with him, we do sympathize with his misguided emotions. He is a father who will do anything for his daughter.

Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, is a father too, and his daughter, Wren, is one of the hostages, along with the doctor, a nurse, a young woman who aborted her child and a pro-life protester disguised as a patient. The story counts backwards through the hours of the encounter, and it is told through the viewpoint of everyone involved. As we get to know the characters and their motivations, we realize that everyone seems to be doing what he/she believes is necessary.

I enjoyed the book, even though I found it a bit confusing to follow at times. Although Picoult does an admirable job juggling the many characters and the odd timeline, there were times I had to jump back and get my bearings before continuing. She does try to give light to both sides of the issue, but I think I picked up which way she leans. 

If you are a Jodi Picoult fan, this is one for your library, and if you have never read any of her books, I urge you to find a nice chair and a box of tissues and get started.

- Beverly


Publisher - Ballantine Books
Date of Publication - October 2, 2018

​Genre: Thriller

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James Scott Bell introduces us to good people facing an impossible situation in his thriller, Your Son is Alive. When Dylan and Erin Reece’s son was kidnapped fifteen years ago, their world, and eventually their marriage, came to an end. The passing of time doesn’t dull the hurt, but Dylan is determined to try to find happiness again when a note is slipped under his door. Your son is alive is written in crayon, and Dylan must find out if this is a sick joke or a miraculous truth.

Strange things continue to happen to Dylan and Erin as they work together to find out whether their son is truly alive, and Bell makes the reader care for these characters as we go on this search with them. This easy-to-like book takes us on a roller coaster ride with each chapter leaving us wanting to turn another page.

The chapters alternate viewpoints between Dylan, Erin and occasionally the “bad guy,” and I always find that method keeps me invested in the story. Every time I think I have something figured out, Bell adds a new twist to the mix. I enjoy the music and movie references that he throws in, and the memories that Dylan and Erin have about their five years with their son Kyle are relatable enough to capture any parent’s attention.

Bell writes without sexual scenes, vulgar language or gratuitous violence, and I found that a refreshing change of pace. Your Son is Alive is a great addition to anyone’s thriller collection.

- Beverly
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Publisher - Amazon Digital Services LLC
Date of Publication - ​April 28, 2018

​Genre: Thriller

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David Rosenfelt’s protagonist in Black and Blue, Doug Brock, is a New Jersey state police officer. This is the third book in the series that features Brock, who was shot in the line of duty and is suffering from amnesia. He lost about ten years of his immediate past memory after the shooting and has gained approximately fifty percent of it back as of this novel.

This thriller begins when Doug and his partner Nate are presented with a cold case murder that took place right before Doug’s shooting. A wealthy businessman, Walter Brookings was killed, and the murderer was never apprehended. Someone recently shot attorney Alex Randowsky in the same manner, with the same weapon, and the connection puts these two partners in the middle of the case. Doug worked the original case but, unfortunately,  remembers very little. He worries that Danny Phelan, a suspect he dismissed in Brookings'  murder might actually be responsible for both shootings. When he starts receiving notes from the perpetrator and another man is murdered in the same way, he realizes just how personal this whole thing is getting.

It is no secret that I am a fan of Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series, so finding out that Andy is Phelan’s attorney made my day. I love how characters cross over series and was entertained at the meeting of these two witty protagonists. Both series are written in a similar style, heavy on characterization with humor lightening some otherwise heavy situations. I stopped reading serial killer novels several years ago, but there was no way I would pass up a Rosenfelt contribution. As is the author’s style, there are a great deal of twists and turns before we get to the unexpected ending.

Black and Blue can definitely stand on its own, but if you haven’t read the first two books in this series (Blackout and Fade to Black) you might want to start with them.

- Beverly
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Publisher - Minotaur Books
Date of Publication - ​March 26, 2019

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​Genre: Thriller

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Mofina captured me again with his latest thriller, Missing Daughter. There have been quite a few novels about missing children published in the last few years, and that is not a topic that I find comfortable. Since I am a fan of this author, I decided to give this one a try and wasn’t disappointed.

When Maddie Lane disappears from her bed one night, her family is devastated. Her parents, Ryan and Karen, are questioning themselves and those around them, while her brother Tyler feels responsible for not being there to save his sister. As always, Mofina’s development of his characters add tremendous depth to the story. Even the secondary characters have interesting backstories that keep the reader wondering about who could be involved.

The plot is well developed and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. Mofina throws in clues that foster theories...a nearby halfway house for convicts...a teenage boy who admits being by her window...a collection of secretly taken pictures of Maddie...but nothing seems to pan out. Time goes by and it is difficult not to lose hope, but we ultimately do get answers as the author wraps up his story.

Missing Daughter can’t help but tear at you heart, but it is truly worth adding to your library.

- Beverly

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Publisher - MIRA
Date of Publication - ​February 19, 2019

​Genre: Legal Thriller

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During the last few years the opioid crisis has filled the pages of many newspapers, magazines and books. Who is to blame? Why is the use of heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl, etc.,  on the rise? Are doctors prescribing too many pain killers? J. D. Trafford approaches this topic with a vengeance in his latest novel, Without Precedent.

Corporate attorney Matthew Daley is one of the most successful defenders of pharmaceutical companies in the country. His latest success comes at the same time his sister Allison dies of a heroin overdose, rendering the offer of a promotion bittersweet. His return home before her funeral sets his life in a whole new direction.

Taking a stand for his sister, he takes on a multibillion dollar pharmaceutical company represented by a team of New York corporate attorneys, trying to prove that their drug was the first step in his sister’s heroin addiction. Trafford’s knowledge of this issue, whether by research or experience, draws the reader in, and his likable protagonist keeps us interested.

I found myself disliking "Big Pharma" even more than I thought I did, when I read about their relationship with the physicians who prescribe their products. I realize that the description of these corporate bigwigs was fictional yet I can’t help but believe that there is a ring of truth in the author’s words.

As much as I liked Matthew, I did think some of the other characters were a bit weak. His alcoholic mother could have been much more interesting if her backstory had been developed. His father was superficially presented too, even though there seemed a great deal to develop there. I kept waiting to find out more about his brother, Jackson, and friend, Sherman, who helped build his ragtag team. Imagine the fun Trafford could have had building the character of Jackson, a liberal redneck.

The story itself was compelling though, and the reader can’t help but cheer for this New York lawyer who returns to fight a hometown battle. I have reviewed several of Trafford’s novels, and liked them all enough to anxiously await his next one.

- Beverly
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​Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - March 12, 2019

​Genre: Psychological Thriller

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In 1985 Jonathan Kellerman introduced us to Alex Delaware in the novel When the Bough Breaks. Thirty-four books later we are still being entertained with tales of this forensic psychologist and his police detective buddy Milo Sturgis. Alex, whose beginning years were spent enmeshed in child psychology, plays the role of detective as well as psychologist in these well written books. Instead of the typical tough guy detective persona, Alex uses a gentler approach in crime solving.

He contrasts well with Milo, who is a big, lumbering detective who happens to be gay. In 1985, when Milo was introduced, a gay character was not as easily accepted as today, and I loved the fact that Kellerman gave him such a pivotal role in the series. He is one of fiction’s more interesting side-kicks and often comes to Alex’s aid. There are other characters that wind their way through Delaware’s novels, but these two definitely take center stage.

The Wedding Guest: An Alex Delaware Novel begins with a dead body found at a wedding. Guests on either side seem to recognize the dead young woman, and Milo calls for Alex’s help. Alex find’s something familiar about the method used in the murder, and so begins the hunt for clues. The author does a good job keeping us guessing while feeding us clues that keep us involved. Kellerman's novels are set in the Los Angeles area, and I enjoy his references to places in the area.

This mixture of police procedural and psychological thriller can definitely be read as a stand alone, but if you haven’t read this series before I suggest that you begin to rectify that mistake now by grabbing book number one.

- Beverly

Publisher - Ballantine Books
Date of Publication - February 5, 2019

​Genre: Mystery

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Tracy Whiting has introduced us to a very interesting character in Havilah Gaie, and I found The 13th Fellow (#1 The Havilah Gaie Series) a very enjoyable Cozy Mystery. Havilah is an American professor in France, an attractive academic who speaks several languages and is known for her many achievements.  She is shocked when her colleague, Lathan “Kit” Beirnes is found murdered, and dismayed that she might have been on the phone with him when the murder occurred. She is apprised of the situation when two policemen come to her door in Paris. This is her first encounter with Thierry Gasquet, a special agent for the French National Police, who is sent to protect her.

The author is very descriptive in her writing and allows the reader to smell, taste and hear France as the story progresses. She captured my senses from the first description of a Paris street and the “dog poo” she was forced to walk around. I remember avoiding just such a mess when trying to navigate my way around a street in Paris a few years ago. While there were times that the descriptions became a bit too much, on the whole they brought the story to life for me.

I also enjoyed Whiting's use of French interspersed throughout, although I can see where it might be frustrating for a reader with no background in the language. Context clues should certainly alleviate any confusion though, and it was fun trying to revisit my high school French.

Whiting does a good job with her characterization too, and I found more depth to Havilah than most Cozy Mystery heroines. She is obviously intelligent and allows the book a refreshing lack of “ditziness” that many of these mysteries feature. Of course there is suspense and romance to keep the reader interested, and if you are looking for a better than average Cozy Mystery, this would be a good choice.

- Beverly

Publisher - booksBnimble African-American Mysteries
Date of Publication - May 20, 2015