Book#4, in the Gemini series
Beth and Meghan Peterson are at it again this time on their most baffling case, finding who is behind the attacks on a billionaire’s daughter.
Each book in this series is not very long around 200 pages thank goodness for that since there are endless action and more twists you can imagine thrown our way. Indeed the twins are good and are great side kick to Zeb Carter (the Warriors). These two have never lost a case they took on…no wonder they are superwomen. Angie the daughter is a hand full, a tantrum throwing heiress hard to control but Beth and Meghan can handle her and along the way find themselves in a gruesome game but they are not called the Wrecking Team for nothing and reading this story we find out why…
If you like unbelievable action, great characters, exciting and well-written plot doubled with never ending suspense, a developing cast of loveable characters including the amazing supporting staff, not forgetting the bad guys at their best, you will not be disappointed with the Gemini series. Each series written by Ty Patterson is interlaced so we have recurring characters helping each other in a game filled with snappy action with twists and sharp turns.
This fast paced action thriller is captivating to no end….loved it
“Last Call” is creative tale about two octogenarians who discover that even if there is snow on the roof there is still fire in the chimney…falling in love has no end date. Indeed love is love at any age.
The story features Harvey Franklin and Sarah Silverman two people with different background and views who met in a central Park dog park and immediately bonded over their love for poodles. But life became complicated as their meeting moved on. Harvey a long time widow had come to term with the loss of his wife but Sarah`s husband of 50 years has Alzheimer and she made him a promise to be at his side till his last breath and never place him in a long care institution.
You can imagine how conflicted Sarah became about her relationship with Harvey and how Harvey reacted wanting to help her. This beautiful story of late love and passionate love affair of two polar opposites has triggered a multitude of emotions at time I smiled and other time tears ran down my cheeks and other I just shook my head. This is a well-written story with a clear message of acceptance very needed today. It is also uplifting to see at this stage of life love can be found even if there are no smooth roads to obtain it. Mr. Adler has as usual vividly painted every move, provides funny and terribly sad sequences and given us a very captivating story so realistic it hard to believe this is a simple story.
Thank you Mr. Adler for the wonderful and smooth narrative that helped visualized and feel every move Sarah and Harvey experienced…With a last comment I would suggest getting a dog if you are lonely and want to meet someone……awe…:)
Book# 2, in Reykjavik Wartime Mystery
Against the backdrop of occupied Iceland with the American GI replacing the British Tommies “The Shadow Killer” will have Flovent, of the Icelandic CID paired with Thorson, an Icelandic-Canadian, investigating the murder of a travelling salesman killed in the head by a bullet from a Colt 45 and what remained of his forehead has a swastika dabbed in blood. But this case becomes more complicated when the dead man was misidentified and another travelling salesman may have been the suspected target.
The plot has two line of inquiry and we have a lot of interrogations going on with the detectives hectoring witnesses and suspects, maybe a little too much. The center theme is the “Situation” where young Icelandic women were forgetting their morals with young soldiers- here it is explored through Vera. The second theme explored is the interest of the Nazis as a super race a theory tested by Felix’s father on young Icelanders. These characters are important players in this mystery. As the story unfolds Flovent and Thorson are pulled further down the rabbit hole and the more their finding point to someone with military experience, the more turbulent their investigations become. This mystery veers one way then jolts in the opposite direction over and over again but the problem is that it takes for over to get going. To various strands are woven together and much territory covered before the case is solved. Interesting by the end if you have the patience to hang on.
Book#1, The Clifton Chronicles
If I would have listened to some reviewers I wouldn’t have touched this book but I did not and I am happy I have ignored all those so so reviews. In fact, I simply loved this story and found that Mr. Archer delivered a page-turning saga filled with twists and enough of a surprise at the end that I added book #2 to my library already. I am so curious to see what comes next.
The story revolves around the main character Harry Clifton, a boy growing up in the backdrop of docks in Bristol at the start of the 20th century. The story is broadly divided into parts, each dedicated to characters who take the story forward from their point of view: Harry, his mother Maisie, Emma Barrington, Hugo Barrington, Giles Barrington and Old Jack Tar. They all have their secrets, game and deceit. Young Harry has a beautiful singing voice and has the intelligence to further his education but without money he needed connections to gets through his schooling and to Oxford. He had all the help to do so…
The first part of the book is pretty much the every cliché you read about English boarding schools: sadistic prefects, social snobbery, cruel mockery etc. The prose is clear, smooth slipping along from page to page. The dialogue is your everyday lines. The driving force is the plot and the pace picks up fast when Harry gets out of school and so did my interest. The author excels in doling out tiny crumbs of suspense and keeps the tempo up to the last page where it ends with a really excellent cliff-hanger….I am not usually a fan of this kind of ending but here I make an exception….well-done.
This story will appeal to those who love smooth suspense with moderate action.
Also under the title “The Redemption”
Book # 5, in the Hunters series
This story continues the saga that all started with” Eyes of the Predator” where George Mackey with Lyn and Clay played the center roles. Here these poor souls will face their demons and eventually find redemption.
I am at a loss for words this time really what can I positively said when a story did not really appeal to you. Indeed although a lot is going on, no doubt about that, I found this to be rather a redneck story, one that is less thrilling and by far too raw for my taste. Violence at every page, never ending back wood language I must say it really represented what I imagined a hillbilly county to be. Mr. Trust does a great job representing the place and people he writes about whether they are the rednecks or the beautiful people of Pickham County, he indeed paints them vividly. But did this story pulled me in? Yes, in parts, but I got tired of the despicable acts the bad guys did, really too much. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood for this type when I picked up the book.
“Fire and Blood” may not be my favourite but I must note that the tempo is steady throughout, the characters played their roles perfectly and all ended superbly…the bad guys got what they deserved and the good guys also….
I still have mix feelings many days after closing the book, after all what do you say when at first you do not particularly like a book but you come to realize days later that the sequence of events are still vividly imprinted in your mind…isn’t a sign the story made an impact…..and that you did like the book in great parts….but I still sit on the fence with this one and leave it up to you for final judgement….
The saga will continue with book # 6 “The Killing Ground”.
Lexy Baker Cosy Mystery book # 11.5
Grandmas playing sleuths at a retirement home after one of their own is found dead…murdered it seems by a cup cake….
I really don’t know when or where I got this book…it seemed it has been in my library for longer than it should have been….not totally my taste, a bit too simplistic but being short I think barely 50 pages it made for a fast read I didn’t mind adding on my phone.
Grandmas helping detectives I doubt it but they were good at putting their noses where it did not belong and of course these old biddies solved the case for the poor detective that tried very hard to tell them politely to go play… bocce… shuffleboard or any other game old folks may play instead.
Short and rather sweet, by far not literature but this little tiny story was so visual I still picture in my mind how these loveable ladies were dress, how they acted and the ways they acted. Cute and funny.
5th book in the Chicago PI Georgia Davis Thriller Series
With the US establishment in mind Ms. Hellmann penned an exciting fiction that brings her protagonist to hunt down those who were responsible for the assassination of the Resistance leader at a demonstration.
In alternate chapters and with a progressive time frame this suspenseful story tells us how step by step Georgia plunged into the case and how the perpetrator was recruited and managed to pull this terrible act. Lurking behind the scene and between the lines we see the disturbing situation the US faces at the moment where democracy is being chip away by a flimflam leader. The author uses soft words to melt into her novel the present situation. News to me: there is actually a Resistance Group. In this story 42000 members and some have fake profiles in order to infiltrate the group for their own agenda.
This story is suspenseful and well written to provide all the intrigue one wishes for. Georgia is a wonderful PI, she is not afraid of danger, treats and bruises are part of the job. We do have secondary characters in the right-wing wealthy elites, gunman, tough guys and Georgia’s family members who all play their role to a tee. Georgia’s family life is atypical and the story tells us how she manages to share both her professional and private life in a meaningful way. The plot is solid and realistic with no silly or graphic action. The drama moves at a steady pace and held me captive from the moment I opened the first page.
Once again Ms. Hellmann has provided us with a page-turner that flows nicely.
