"Quebec", by Ty Patterson

Zeb Carter Book #17

The story in a few words:

Canadian Icebreaker “Resolute” vanishes in the Northwest Passage as a violent separatist attack erupts in Quebec City, are the two events connected?...

At the time of the crisis Zeb Carter and his team were in Quebec training with JTF2, Canada’s elite covert counterterror unit. All bets are off when violence against allied is made….Zeb and his crew will stop at nothing to help.

My thoughts:

Mr. Patterson is well known for his over-the-top action, the many surprising twits and his team with special skills. He has a pattern that works well and all his books follow this to a tee. The plot is well thought of, gripping and of course stressful leaving us on the edge of our seat from start to finish…. we also travel the world, this time he located his story on my home turf….

More than usual I had to set aside my believes and forget the little mistakes that slipped in but I admit it was hard. Quebec is a huge province so when Cities and streets were mentioned I was more attentive, even more critical.

This story is a good one even it follows the same old beat and Zeb and his team always manage to get out without a scratch.

This latest is not one of my favourites but I admit Ty knows how to pen a story to please thrill seekers.

Thank you Ty keep the good work.

"Lost in Yellowstone", by Nicole Maggi

 A National Park Mystery #2

Set against the beauty and danger of Yellowstone National Park this story follows Special Agent Emme Helliwell of the national Park Service while on a gruesome case of a sneaker-clad foot ejected from a geyser and uncovering what led this person to such a grisly end……The case draws Emme into the orbit of a private school for at risk-teens where radical backcountry excursions are part of the curriculum. Park Ranger, Holden Thrush, Emme’s ex-boyfriend, will assist her with the investigation.

“A foot in a geyser. A school in the wild. A truth no one saw coming.”

My expertise as an armchair sleuth was not very helpful, I kept guessing from start to finish and what a finish Ms. Maggi had in store for her readers. I didn’t have the slightest idea the whodunit was this person…. maybe you will, good luck.

I loved how Emme and Holden went about their investigation into the wilderness school and how the interacted with the teens and their councilors. The cast was wonderfully entertaining. How Emme confronted her personal issues including the unresolved tension with Holden was particularly sweet…..

In whole, this story is a gripping and an engaging one said in a prose that is effortless and very dynamic. The imagery leaves you with the beauty and dangers of Yellowstone. Maybe a chill or two…

This story is well-said and well done and one I enjoyed quite a bit.

My thanks to Oceanview Publishing for this ARC

"The Hired Man", by Sandra Dallas

Set in 1937 in Colorado, during The Dust Bowl era, this story captured the harsh realities of the time. Folks barely remember a time when the clouds were filled with rain instead of dirt and when the fields were green instead of brown. People were starving and no work was found…. women had to bear the brunt of their husbands’ frustration and the hunger of their children.

Young Martha Helen Kessler and her family were luckier than most, they had plenty on their farm and never hesitated to help others. So when Otis Hobbs, a drifter, showed up at the Kessler’s door during a vicious storm, Martha’s mother insisted they take him in…
…
When Frankie, Martha’s best friend was found murdered…. suspicion, jealousy and prejudice grip the neighbourhood……

Enjoy.

My thoughts:

The story moves very slowly to capture the harsh realities of life. The emotional impact is strong with themes of domestic violence, prejudice and the search for justice and to let Martha Helen face numerous challenges and learn valuable lessons about life. Mid-way, the tempo picks up and you find yourself in the middle of a murder mystery.

So many complex social issues are faced within the plot in ways that are not only historical accurate but said with care. I like the mix of the everyday life with mystery elements making this plot engaging and is easy to lose yourself in the story.

It is a good story I enjoyed quite a bit.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press for this Arc which I received via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it