"The Physician of Nineveh", by Glenn Cooper

If you like sweeping historical fiction with a dash of fantasy, a bit of romance and some mystery elements, this book is for you.

“The Physician of Nineveh “offers a premise both intriguing and somewhat absurd and give us the thrill of buried mysteries rather than hard science or action.

We have the story of a royal physician, Mannu-ki-Ashur, from the 7Th century BCE who time-cross into modern-day London in search of a cure for his dying love. In London he walks into Dr. Kate Mayne life, an Assyriologist expert in the secrets of ancient Mesopotamia, claiming to be from Niveneh.

The story goes back and forth between the two-time lines and is easy to follow. The written style is smooth and is richly imagined and laced with ancient secrets and a touch of the impossible. As for the time travel element, it’s simply a convenient device for effect. I didn’t think I would be so taken with this story but I simply loved it. I was easily transported to another time, another world and into a strange but charming story.

In a few words:

Absolutely an enchanting and magical story I enjoyed very much.

Well-said and well-done

My thanks to Book Whisperer and Netgalleys for this ARC

"6:40 to Montreal", by Eva Jurczyk

Agatha Christie, meet Eva Jurczyk.

Agatha, a writer with a huge inspiration block needs to step back from her daily life: away from her husband and son and meet a friend in Montreal. She boarded the 6:40 Via Rail passenger train on time. Now on her way to what is expected a 5 hours ride but the weather had other intent…a raging snow storm soon engulfed the travellers. Unlucky, the train breaks down pushing Agatha’s plans in question.…. Then the unthinkable happens, a passenger is found dead….setting chaos in motion throughout the car.

I think the whole premise was ridiculous and unbelievable. The way the man was murdered and how the aftermath developed was insane. We have multiple characters: the car attendant responsibilities are to provide service and attend to passengers’ comfort Dorcas was at total lost when the train and communication stopped. Finch was the poor soul who was bitten by a spider and died, Jeff an elderly man was stupid enough to leave the security of the train by breaking a window (windows have latches) to wander in an unknown field in a snow storm ( no sane Canadian would do that). Then you have a mother and son so messed up it was laughable. To put the sherry on the Sunday, a woman with an axe to grind against Agatha had her day….

15 hours later they made it to Kingston 289 km from destination… boy I will pass on a train ride next time I plan to go to Toronto or back from there.

The flow worked pretty well and kept a steady pace. Although a weird story, it was interesting enough to have kept me captive till the very last page. But to spoil a story give it an iffy ending. It was time to close the book…

I have strong feeling about the characters…none were appealing…Ms Jurczyk populates her narrative with flat characters ….point final.

This is not Agatha Christie “Murder on the Orient Express” far from it.

I received this ARC from Poisoned Penn Press via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.

"Nobodies", by Warren Adler and Shannon McKenna

This is a gritty noir crime thriller of deception, revenge and redemption penned by a most prolific authors I had the pleasure to discover a long time ago. “Nobodies” is my 21th book. Unfortunately, Mr. Adler passed away some time back leaving his unfinished manuscript in the hands of Adler Entertainment Trust. Ms. McKenna was tasked to bring it to life by adding her personal touch and did honour to the master by giving us an awesome thriller.

Set in the shadows of New York City, the story has Henry Cody hiding under an assumed name plotting revenge against the people who ruined his life while Amber Wright, a career con artist with a shady past cross’s path with him… their fates are tied …….

Told from different character perspectives and shifting timeframes this story has a cinematic flair to it and is shrewdly done. I admit at first, I was totally lost and thought I wouldn’t enjoy it but lo and behold I found myself suck into the dark world of organized crime and from that point on I had a hard time setting this book aside. The tense atmosphere is masterfully crafted and is filled with murkiness, suspense and many plot twists. We have a perfect balance between the intense action and how the characters pondered the moment. Surprising the story is believable…. even with the tad of humour injected from time to time.

Love them or hate them the characters are richly developed and compelling. This tale of two fugitives who risk everything to take down the corrupt while outrunning their past and save themselves is entertaining and should please most.

My thanks to Book Whisperer for this ARC which I received via Netgalley

"O' Deadly Night " by Vicki Delany

Year-Round Christmas Mystery book # 8

A cozy mystery

The story in a few words:

Mrs. D’Angelo is the center of all gossip and is determined to introduce herself to the new arrivals across from her house but soon she noticed strange things about them …. Then, strangely Mabel D’ Angelo disappears. Merry Wilkinson a long-time friend is worried and admits something might be terribly wrong……

My thoughts:

In a steady pace the story moseys along and we see Merry sleuthing doing what she does best searching for clues and finally figuring out what happened, where Marbel was, why this occurred and who was behind this kidnapping. Mabel was not alone where she was found….a body was lying at the bottom of the basement….murder, suspense and mystery… the why, the who, the what….

Cute little mystery well said and well done but easy to figure who might be the killer ..

I received this ARC from Crooked Lane Books via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I

"Leverage", by Amran Gowani

Money talks

Mr. Gowani took his experiences as a Wall Street analyst to pen a high finance thriller with all the shenanigans that comes with it. Through the eyes of Ali Jafar, a Pakistani, we see what happens when a trusted hedge fund manager looses $300 millions for his company and the reaction that came from his boss. In this thriller Al is given $300 million with a challenge to double it within three months or become the fall guy for insider trading investigation that was going on at the firm……

Money talks

I like how Ali was propelled into success but also drawn into a complex word of blackmail and mistrust. The plot is tense without being overly taxing or straining plausibility too far. It also give us an insight of racist and sexist world of finances…maybe not…..The stereotypes financiers are well described….but will I look (speak) at my advisor the same way without thinking of Ali and what when on in this thriller? If what is said could in any shape and form be possible….no wonder the stock market is so volatile…..

Money talks

This story keeps a good pacing throughout; it is mainly said to keep us attentive till the very last word The writing style is witty with dark humour and lots of suspense.….but I have a but here, I found too much pop culture references and Al tends to masturbate a lot…why did we need to know this….

This is not a typical story I would pick up but strange as it may be the finance lingo was an added experience I will benefit from.

“Leverage” gives us a good story but it is will not please everyone.

I received this ARC from Atria Books via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it

"A Fool Indeed", by Dean Conan

The Fool’s Gold Chronicles book #2

Charles Fuller, one-time ladies’ man is newly married to Meghan, he loves her dearly and also wants to make success of his newly stated business. But Charles (Charlie Mo) is on the hunt for a man who stole a great amount of money and at the same time needed to fend off a ruthless gangster who wants eagerly to become a business partner…Charlie has a full plate and in “A Fool Indeed” trouble raises its ugly face …..

My thoughts:

Not much to this small book the plot line genre goes back to the 1990’s and centers on some aspects and depictions of Black culture and life where profanity, gratuitous sex and violence is in full display. Although I didn’t find it to be over the top most of the time it is nevertheless filled with partying, money and loose women with exotic names: Ice cream Carmen, Deadly Dominique…and on and on.

This story is somewhat entertaining but apart from being a total escapism I think I would have been better to pass time with a story more engaging and better written.

Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice you surely a fool indeed

I received this book from the first reviewer program for my thoughts.