"Taken by Evil", by Melinda Woodhall

Bridget Bishop FBI Mystery book #2

This is another exciting page-turner. “Taken by Evil” is a story that grabs from the outset and doesn’t let you go till you flipped the last page. Ms. Woodhall is an excellent storyteller that loves to plunge her players into hot water and give her readers a race against time before another gruesome murder is committed. Criminal psychologist and ex-profiler Bridget Bishop is one again asked to assist the Bureau’s behavioral Analysis to unravel the motive behind a series of brutal murders linked to a charismatic guru.

After reading 18 books, I earn the right to be called a faithful fan and I assure you I plan to stay so for a long time. The story in this latest is very engaging and is played out by well-defined characters. Of course Melinda Woodhall added a second nail-biting drama to give us a buzz. No fear keeping track of the two, they are distinct and well-penned. The narrative is lively and the engaging pacing keeps the entertainment active. I was fulling absorbed from the moment I open the book. Well-done, well-said.

Thank you Melinda.

I received a free copy of this book and I leave a voluntary review, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

"Last Night with Tokyo Rose", by Alexa Kang

Nisei War series, book #1

In a few words:

Being a Nisei, a son of Japanese immigrants, the USA was not a friendly place to be in 1941 when Japan and the US were on the brink of war. All Tom Sakai wanted was nothing but a good life and a decent job. In search of his place in the world, he leaves Seattle for Manila where he met Fumiko, a Nisei from Los Angeles. They fall in love and together they began a new life...till Pearl Harbor....Now stranded in occupied territory, their survival hinged on whether they stood with the land of rising sun or the land of the free.

My thoughts:

I thought this novel was a war story with some historical facts set in the Pacific theater. I am a huge fan of historical fiction this one left me highly disappointed. Half the book is dedicated to Tom’s childhood and growing up as a Nisei. It was a long and tiresome intro. The pacing is so slow it almost put me to sleep. Later on when things got somewhat moving, the melancholic scenes and Tom reminiscing on his past left me in constant suspense I wanted so much to see what he had to face in the present ; after all wasn’t he in occupied territory where danger lurked everywhere and no one could be trusted. Tom did found out the hard way and was a witness to cruelty multiple times...scenes got hot and exciting but by then the ending was near...far too late to say I had been grabbed by the drama. The story had lost me long before....

On the up side:

The style is filled with emotional conflict and moral dilemmas. It also touches some racism, injustice and has a tad of romance without explicit sexually. The scenarios both played out in the US in the Philippines are believable and showed both sides of the conflicts.

I may not have liked this story at the fullest but it may please you. So this is only my opinion....give this novel a try if you wish.

I would like to thank the Book Whisperer for bringing this book to my attention.

"Sunburst", by Susan May Warren

Sky King Ranch Book# 2

In this second installment Ranger Kingston heads to Nigeria with a team of fellow former Navy Seal to save a group of hostages. Among whom, are his brother Colt and Noemi Sutton, an aid worker he had met years earlier. Things do not go smoothly when a 15 year old girl is recaptured after a short escape. Determined to save everyone, Ranger along with Noemi navigate rough terrain to rescue the girl and make their escape.

My thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this story globe-trotting romance where the only solution to make a final escape from Nigeria is to pose as husband and wife. All through the story we see two love birds refusing to acknowledge their deep love for each one that has been germinating since the first day they met years ago while on a holiday trip in Key West. They pussyfoot around and pussyfoot around all the time. I just wanted to shake both of them to go on with it.

The story moves along in flashbacks or memories then suddenly change to the present. This switch back on forth did not always register well and I seemed thrown out of kilter and needed to reread some times. I did not fully enjoy this story although we do have a lot of action to keep us interested especially when the trio were dodging bullets trying not to fall back in the hands of their pursuers.
Finally homestead, Ranger and Noemi still couldn’t evade who ever were after them and the chase continued....oh boy. Yes, like the previous novel it ends on a cliff hanger....what is next....The novel also includes a lot of Christian values and beliefs and it may not gel with everyone but again ignore this if you do not approve.

On a high note, the Nigerian culture is well said and done. The traditional wedding in Nigeria is lively and colourfully and is told with all the traditions and some pidgin to place us in middle of the excitement. I loved this part.

I received this book through the Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review.

"The Darkness in the Light", by Daniel Kalla

A Psychological/medical thriller

“I’m not trying to kill myself” How many times have I heard those words?

“You’re not suicidal” “You just don’t want to extend your life any longer than necessary”

Patients are dying- are the suicides related to a new antidepressant or is there something more sinister going on.

During the Covid crisis, Dr. David Spears communicates by video conference with his patients in Utgiagvik, a small village in the Arctic most have emotional problems and desperate needs his help. Till Brianna, a young mother, committed suicide and her daughter almost died with her. Brianna was on a new anti-depressant he has been prescribing to his patients, she was not the only one to die while taking this medication. Was this drug responsible? Dr. Spears determined to find out, heads out to the remote village....What will he find out once there....and what will happen to him.....

Holy moly what an exciting read one that will resonate to those who are suffering from depression where meds and therapy are prescribed to help them. In this novel a spin turns this medical thriller into a mystery where something is uncovered far more sinister that battling demons. Mr. Kalla is an expert in buildup and perfectly pacing his words to shock us with tidbits of clues but of course he keeps us on our toes till the very last chapter were we have twists after twists. I never guessed the outcome. Excellent writing filled with interesting clinical details on antidepressant. A bit of originality given to a narration which changes point of view mid-way, although it seemed curious and slightly confusing at first, all turned out to be very effective in the long run.

“The Darkness in the Light” is a gripping and heartbreaking read vividly said to draw us in to the remote world of the Arctic where drugs and tragic clusters of suicide do ravages in small and tight knit towns.

What a compelling story: well said and well-done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing this riveting medical mystery.

"Moscow" by Ty Patterson

Zeb Carter Thriller book #9

No doubts Ty Patterson writes action-packed thrillers. His Zeb Carter series always gives us a thrill ride with a bit of fear and a lot of bangs where we see the characters dart and dash bullets and face enemies at every corners. In book #9, Zeb and his team’s mission sends them to Moscow to rescue a well-known Russian journalist who had planned to publish the biggest scoop that not only will boost her career but would be a game changer.

Mr. Patterson integrates the current events with the invasion of Ukraine in his story and gives his characters no respite from the opening page till the conclusion. Along the way as a reader I was fast out of breath following the gang dodging the different Russia law enforcement personal that were after them. It seemed most were quite incompetent...Zeb team always got out with minor injuries but the “bad guys” got killed or badly injured. Yes of course, Zeb and his merry men and women save the day and got out of Dodge (Moscow) with the journalist and her editor just in time....awe.

Although I admit the action is well-done and the characters are well defined the story has the same old beat. You see things coming, little surprise here for this long-time fan. I guess after reading so many books I have become somewhat blazé. Time for Mr. Patterson to give us a twist in his next story one we don`t see coming.

“Moscow” is not my favourite story but in spite of this, I definitely will continue being a faithful fan.

"Damn Lucky", by Kevin Maurer

One Man’s Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History

This is a well-crafted biography of “Lucky” Luckadoo ‘s experiences during WW11 as a bomber pilot flying over Nazi-occupied France and Germany in 1943. Drawing from extensive interviews with 99 years old Lucky at the time of the writing, journalist Kevin Maurer recounts each mission in cinematic details and the emotional toll it took by the air war.

Lucky and his team Eight Air Force 100th Bomb Group conducted high-altitude bombing. 25 missions must be completed before their tour of duty ended. Statistics shown chances of survival were 1 in 10. They actually lived on borrowed time. Lucky’s Group known as the “Bloody Hundredth” suffered high casualties. Of the 40 men from his flying class that served in the 100th Bomb Group, only four completed a tour. They experienced terrible things and saw terrible things happen. Lucky was grateful to have survived.

This firsthand account not only uncovers astonishing feats of bravery it also represents an incredible portrait of a young man’s coming-of-age during the world’s most devastating war.

Mr. Mauner delivers an account with style; his words are clear, loud and lively. This engaging read is well-thought out, well-written and flows well. I loved passing time with this incredibly precise memory.

On a side note (not included in this book):

March 2022, John “Lucky” Luckadoo, the last survivor of WW11 bombing group celebrated his 100th birthday.

I wish to express my thanks to St-Martin Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

"Gone Daddy Gone" by Cheryl Bradshaw

Sloane Monroe book #7

I have been reading this series out of sync and never felt lost not knowing what had happened previously, each story stands on its own and can be enjoy for its values.

This is a crime suspense story that opens with a bang, college student Shelby McCoy is shot and killed.” My dad will find you. You’ll pay”, were her final words.

Shelby is the daughter of Sloane’s’ boyfriend, Cade. He is in law enforcement and she is a P.I. they both have a slew of enemies that may want revenge. Who could have done this? Adding to the drama the family soon discovered that Shelby has a secret life.....

This is a pretty good story one can zipped through it in no time. The obstacles these two are facing looking for the responsible without falling victims themselves made one exciting read. We have more victims falling prey to the killer but why are they targeted and for what reasons are their relatives and friends on the killer hit list. The answer is only revealed through hints towards the end. I found it hard to guess the whodunit and was surprised when the answer came.

Although some may find how the story progresses to be somewhat absurd I think it is a fun read. The narrative is simple and dialogue clean. The story is not overly complicated rather smooth sailing from start to finish. The characters played out the role as expected and are loveable enough.

Next time I want to spend a leisurely time with a book I may choose one of Cheryl Bradshaw novels once more.