​​​Genre: Legal Thriller

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Phillip Margolin’s legal thriller, Violent Crimes: An Amanda Jaffe Novel, kept me up a good part of the night as I tried to put all of the pieces together. Margolin gives us several murders, questionable business practices, a son who admits to killing his father...but probably didn’t, and an innocent ex-military man being set up to take the fall for several murders.

The protagonist in this series, attorney Amanda Jaffe, fights every battle with a quest for the truth and fights enemies on several fronts in order to defend her client. In Violent Crimes she works with her investigator to defend two men whom she believes to be innocent and finds possible conflicts of interests along the way. 

This book is relevant to today’s politics and makes one wonder how far people will go to accrue immense wealth. I found it a bit overly convoluted at times, but the author did a good job bringing it all together as the book progressed. Although he threw in little glimpses of Amanda’s private life, I would like to have seen a bit more. It would have served to soften the book a bit and given the reader a break from all of the murder and mayhem.

That being said, Margolin is a master of murder and mayhem, and this novel does showcase what he does best. As always, villains are frightening, his heroes are fearless and his book fulfills the promise of an exciting few days of page turning.

- Beverly
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Publisher - Harper
Date of Publication - ​​​​February 9, 2016

​​​Genre: Thriller

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Stephen Frey’s novels often encompass the military world and/or the financial world, and Ultimate Power does both. On the day that Andrew Falcon Jr. becomes the youngest hedge fund manager to become partner at his Wall Street investment bank, his niece is kidnapped. The price to get her back is information about his firm, and what he finds out horrifies him.

Meanwhile we meet the President, Katrina Hilton, and are privy to her liberal-leaning plans for the country. Several high ranking military leaders will do anything to thwart those plans, and a rogue faction forms to manipulate the American people. Throw in a mob boss on the run and presidential protection that goes beyond the Secret Service, and you have one of Stephen Frey’s non-stop thrillers.

The story-line got a little nerve wracking as it seemed to hit home with today’s political climate. In fact, Frey added an author’s note at the end explaining his need to change a locale in the book because, although it was written before an event that shocked our nation, it was too similar and would perhaps make a sensitive situation even worse.

Although many of the characters were a bit shallow and unappealing, I did like Andrew and enjoyed watching him fight his way through this untenable situation.  Frey’s thrillers tend to be a bit convoluted, and there were times I had to look back and check out who was who, but on the whole I can recommend this as a book worth reading.

- Beverly
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Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - ​​​February 13, 2018

​​​Genre: Mystery

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This was my first Chris Patchell book, but it won’t be my last. Vow of Silence was one of those books that I couldn’t put down. It was a bit confusing at first because each chapter is told through the eyes of different characters, but once I became familiar with the main ones, and their individual stories, I became totally invested in the book.

I liked the fact that, as in real life, no character was all good or all bad. Jill Shannon has a tragic backstory (unfortunately I didn’t read the first book in this series), and her dark secrets might just be the end of her. Conner Manning, her fiancé, is caught up in his father’s political ambitions, and that could have repercussions for them all.

Detective David Shaw is trying to find out who murdered reporter Joe Gaines and somehow ends up on Jill’s doorstep. Joe might have been working on a secret exposé that got him killed, or it could have been his drug involvement or a jealous husband. Detective Shaw is determined to solve this murder, even while he is skipping over a major problem in his own home.

The story is a good one and most of the characters are strong. Though there were a few loose ends, it kept my interest until the last page, and I look forward to the next in Patchell’s series.

- Beverly


Publisher - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2 edition
Date of Publication - January 17, 2018

​​​Genre: Political Thriller

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I have carefully avoided political thrillers taking place in Washington this year, but I decided to listen to a recommendation and give this one a chance. I never read a Marc Rainer novel before, and Death Votes Last: a Jeff Trask Crime Drama is the fifth in this series, so I was hesitant. I needn’t have been, because the book stood well on its own.

In an uncomfortable twist of fate, the senate in Rainer’s book is split 50/50, and that isn’t good enough for some politicians who want to ensure a win for every point on there agenda. The plan seemed easy enough...drug one of the senators right before he gets in his car, slip a bottle of pills in his pocket, and wait for him to get pulled over for erratic driving. This would take him out of the running in the next election, and a candidate more sympathetic to their cause could take his place.

When the senator loses control of his car and ends up dead, the equation changes and suddenly federal prosecutor Jeff Trask is looking at a possible murder. Suddenly there is more than one murder to solve, and complicating everything is the fact that the trial must take place in the political hotbed that is Washington, D.C.

Author Rainer does a good job involving his readers in the goings on during a trial, and I enjoyed seeing things through the prosecutor's eyes. Some of the happenings were too close to “ripped from the headlines” happenings for me to be entirely comfortable, but I recommend this book highly to anyone with an interest in political thrillers.

- Beverly 


Publisher - Gatekeeper Press
Date of Publication - ​​​November 10, 2017

​​Genre: Mystery

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In order to train for her new (and high paying) job, Isobel Avery had to memorize the taste and smell of all relevant poisonous and psychoactive substances so she could detect them in food and beverages. Izzy is a poison taster for the rich and famous.  The job is a dangerous one, but the money is good, and paying off her ex-husband’s debts isn’t easy.

Her first client, Connor, did not prove to be easy, and the fact that her cover was to play his girlfriend was not a pleasant thought. During their first meeting he told her to deal with his stylist and get a makeover so she will fit the role. His attractiveness was a plus, but his condescending manner cancelled out any hope she had of a pleasant experience. Interestingly enough, her first case turns out to be not so much a case as ...well, I am not going to give away any more of the story except to say that you can expect a loan shark, a murder attempt, a little romance and a few good laughs.

Author Fields did a good job making Izzy easy to root for, and I found this light read entertaining for the most part. The heroine is a fairly good puzzle solver, and even though she gets into some rather insane jams, she shows her intelligence every now and again as we follow her antics.

Eat, Pray, Die will definitely take you through a long airplane ride or a day at the beach.

- Beverly


Publisher - JFP Press
Date of Publication - ​​July 3, 2016

​​Genre: Thriller

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David Bell’s book, Somebody I Used To Know, pulled me in on page one. While the premise is implausible, there was something about the story line that kept me going. The writing is somewhat simplistic, but that didn’t detract from the plot. I did start losing patience with it about three quarters of the way through though and found the ending disappointingly predictable.

It begins with Nick Hansen noticing a young woman who resembles his college girlfriend, Marissa Minor, while he shops at his local grocery store. Marissa died in a fire twenty years before and this young woman with her face and mannerisms takes him by surprise. She rushes off when he approaches her, and is found dead in her hotel room the following morning with Nick’s name and phone number on a scrap of paper in her pocket.

When Nick becomes a person of interest in this young woman’s (Emily) murder, he enlists the help of several friends as he begins an investigation to clear himself and find out why Emily was looking for him, and why she ran away. While Nick is an engaging protagonist, his obsession with the long gone Marissa seems odd, and his on again, off again relationship with Heather (a college friend of his and Marissa’s) seems too contrived. 

Bell brings in an aging dog and an adorable stepson to add to Nick’s appeal, and the reader can’t help but liking him as he blunders into one predicament after another. While the book has its flaws, I did enjoy it and recommend it as a fun vacation read.

- Beverly​

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Publisher - Berkley
Date of Publication - ​​​July 7, 2015

​Genre: Legal Thriller

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Most legal thrillers are written from the prospective of the attorney, and it is refreshing to read J. D. Trafford’s novel through the eyes of the judge. Good Intentions introduces us to Judge Jim Thompson just as his world seems to be coming apart. He has been following in the footsteps of his mentor, Judge Meyer, and is working with children and their families, trying to fairly determine if foster care is the correct solution for the children who come before him. A recent decision that turns tragic jeopardizes his job at the same time that he finds Meyer’s murdered body.

I must say, I have read a great deal of legal thrillers and find it odd that so many lawyers  (and now a judge) spend most of their time trying to solve crime rather than defend or adjudicate. In Good Intention, Judge Thompson is determined to find out who killed his mentor. While digging through Meyer’s belongings, he comes across several pictures that seem out of place and a bank account earmarked for Thompson that contains millions of dollars. Trying to save Judge Meyer’s reputation while in the midst of trying to salvage his own gets complicated, and Thompson is no longer sure who he can trust.

Trafford is a compelling writer, and his stories always keep the reader interested. He is a lawyer by trade, and I feel he does a stronger job representing lawyers as displayed in his last book, Little Boy Lost. In that novel, attorney Justin Glass felt three dimensional throughout, where as in this latest novel there are times when Judge Thompson falls a little flat. The story is a good one though, and he does a good job showing the various sides of foster children cases.

This is a good choice for Trafford fans as well as legal thriller thriller enthusiasts looking for a slightly different point of view.

- Beverly


​Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - ​​​June 19, 2018

​Genre: Legal Thriller

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John Dobbyn’s passion for his topics always draw me in, and this book is no exception. The illicit trade of exotic and endangered species of wild animals has always bothered me, and Dobbyn makes it clear that it is a hot button topic for him as well. Hopefully, these facts embroiled in fiction will alert his readers to this despicable practice and lead toward changes in the near future.

The relationship between defense attorneys Michael Knight and Lex Devlin is one that I have enjoyed through this series. Devlin has proven himself a strong mentor for the younger Knight who is a better attorney because of their relationship. Things become personal in Fatal Odds for Knight when Roberto, a jockey and a relative of his, dies in a fixed horse race. As if that isn’t bad enough, Roberto’s brother, Victor, is being accused of murder, and Knight is determined to defend him.

Suddenly, the lawyer is in way over his head, dealing with Puerto Rican crime gangs and threats against his life. He follows Victor to Puerto Rico and the story really picks up pace there. The reader is taken into the rainforest and is given a lesson on animal smuggling that will definitely make one think. When an author can teach me new facts along with entertaining me, I consider his/her book a success.

There are quite a few secondary characters in this book, and I had to focus as I turned each page or I would have lost my way. I don’t want to say too much and give away the plot, but I will say that with help from his friends Knight comes up with quite a scheme to outwit the mafia, gang members, and anyone else who gets in his way. Dobbyn is foremost a storyteller, and this is one story that you won’t want to miss.

- Beverly

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​Publisher - Oceanview Publishing
Date of Publication - ​August 2,2016

​Genre: Mystery

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The allure of small town life always captured me, but from the beginning days of television’s Jessica Fletcher, something mysterious always seems to be brewing there. There's Something About Marty by Wendy Delaney keeps the mystery of small town life alive, even as Prosecutor’s Assistant Charmaine “Char” Digby does her best to solve this one. When wealthy businessman Marty McCutcheon dies at his own birthday celebration, there is no lack of suspects, and Char believes that this was far from a natural death.

His widow has already buried two husbands, his children’s greed is evident, and of course the jilted ex-girlfriend was not a fan. The County Prosecutor is not anxious to take on this case, and we get to see Char in action as she determinedly searches for the killer. My biggest issue with the book was the number of characters that I had to keep track of, but that might have just been my mood at the time.

Her personal life adds a bit of fun to the tale, and her secret relationship with gorgeous Detective Steve Sixkiller is a great distraction from murder and mayhem.  Of course there are as many complications in her love life as there are in her hunt for the murderer, but Char doesn’t give up in either case, and There's Something About Marty did a good job in holding my interest.

- Beverly


Publisher - Sugarbaker Press
Date of Publication - ​​January 28, 2016

​Genre: Legal Thriller 

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Some authors are captivating and some are comfortable, but Adam Mitzner is the perfect blend of both. Every one of his books have me sitting on the edge of my seat as his protagonists go through hoop after hoop before bringing us to a satisfying ending. Somehow he also manages to make sure that the reader is totally invested in his characters as we become more and more involved in their lives. Never Goodbye is a sequel, of sorts, to his last book, Dead Certain. I read, loved and reviewed Dead Certain here last May and was thrilled to find protagonist Ella Broden back in Never Goodbye.

Never Goodbye finds Ella trying to get over events that occurred in Dead Certain after giving up her job as a prosecutor and concentrating more on her dream of being a singer. When another personal tragedy befalls her (it was difficult to imagine so much violent death surrounding one person) she is forced into working with her boyfriend Gabriel (the gorgeous police detective from the previous book) into making sure the guilty party pays.

Mitzner added a second protagonist to this book, Deputy Chief of the Special Victims’ Bureau, Dana Goodwin. Dana, who took over Ella’s previous job, is driven in her career at the expense of her family life and gives us a chance to delve into the life of a new character while experiencing the comfort of revisiting a familiar one.

As always Mitzner’s storyline is both complicated and captivating, inviting his readers to solve a murder while involving us in the lives and loves of these two dynamic women. His ability to build characters gets stronger in each of his novels and leaves the reader wanting to spend a little more time with them when the last page is reached.

Although this book can certainly stand on its own, I recommend grabbing a copy of Dead Certain and reading it first. Events in that book will explain Ella more clearly, and give you insight into some of her current relationships.

- Beverly

Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - ​April 24, 2018