"Don't Know Jack", by Diane Capri

Hunt for Reacher book #1

In a few words:

Agents Kim Otto and Carlos Gasper are assigned to search for a man named Jack Reacher and tasked with conducting a thorough background investigation but first they have to locate him. They are sent to his last known location: Margrave, Georgia, a small town where Jack was last seen. The off the book undercover assignment is to be completed under the radar. The facts were that no one knew for certain where he was, more likely he didn’t want to be found.

My thoughts:

There is a lot going on in this novel as the two agents try to gather some Intel on Jack. Not to long after reaching Margrave they are drawn into a current conflict and pulled into another mission while trying to stay under the radar. It has a lot of action, more than one body, a bombing and blackmail material. Shuttling back and forth along the US seaboard and a hop to Europe they realize fast enough that the stakes are high.

If you expect Jack Reacher (Lee Child’s character) to show up you will be disappointed, her never does. His name comes up many times and some sightings maybe; maybe not... he is a ghost, maybe not. The two FBI are always looking for him and the story continuously alludes to this mystery man. The narrative throughout is bogged down in minutia and is very choppy: the chapters are short and paragraphs even shorter making this a very fast read. You have to suspend beliefs to enjoy this story it lacks substance and character development. Otto and Gasper are horrible FBI agents; they make snap judgments and assume Reacher is behind all those heinous and horrible crimes. The story is illogical, contrived and poorly written and filled with gaping holes.

IMO: Ms. Capri companion series of books "Hunt for Reacher" is better left on the self.

"The White Rose Network", by Ellie Midwood

Germany 1942-1943

In the face of evil the bravest will shine...thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action.

This is the incredible true story of Sophie Scholl, a rebellious German girl, who risked everything to lead a revolution against Hitler’s regime. Moving to Munich to live with her brother she felt lucky to attend the university. Along with the same thinking students Sophie became sympathetic to the resistance movement that was slowly taken form among the students. Liberty and freedom was the group’s vision and soon The White Rose Network was in action making pamphlets and secretly delivering them and as they reached farther and wider audiences, Sophie became bold and taking risky decisions...till one day it all came crashing down...someone reported Sophie and her brother Hans to the Gestapo.....

What a heartbreaking story that moves between the group’s activities and Sophie and Hans arrests and trials in 1943. The characters are so realistic it feels as they are beside you narrating their experiences. Alexander Schmorell, Hans Scholl, Willi Graf , Christopher Probts (real people) also play outstanding roles in bringing to life scenes that I simply got caught up in. The history and storytelling flows beautifully and meshes with skill. This is a very moving novel of young people risking their lives for the greater good and by far not an easy read. From the start we know most will not survive the war and most will suffer a terrible ending.

Ms. Midwood is one of my favourite historical fiction authors. Her stories are so riveting and well-done it is hard to pass on them. Kudos to you Ellie for bringing us moments in history told in ways that are not only informative but very captivating.

I had the chance to receive this book from Bookouture via Netgalley for an honest and unbiased review.

"Until Leaves fall in Paris" by Sarah Sundin

This book may be published as a Christian Romance but the setting around the World War period makes it more of an historical fiction encased with predictable romance.

1941, the story is partially set inside a Paris book store specializing in English literature despite that at the time Paris was under Nazis hands. The showcase two Americans, Lucie Girard, a former ballerina, living above the Green Leaf Books store decided to leave her profession to buy the store from the Jewish owners who needed to flee. Paul Aubrey, a widowed with a young daughter stayed behind at the request of the US government to gather useful intelligence while keeping his factory open producing German military equipment.

They met at the bookstore where Lucy secretly passed on coded message for the resistance. Being a rich entrepreneur working for the German, Lucy thought Paul was a collaborator and wanted nothing to do with him. But slowly as they became closers their feelings for each other changed and love was in the air..... awe....Their lives took an about turn the day the US entered the war and Sarah and Paul secrets were uncovered by the Gestapo.

In “Until Leaves Fall in Paris”, Sarah Sundin brings the streets of Paris alive with an evocative prose that sets us right in the busy and dangerous streets of Paris. We have several tense moments told without being too graphic. Eventually when our two lovebirds realized they needed to trust each other in order to survive the narrative changed tone and became mellow and harmonious. The plot is unique, well-written and filled with great characters. It is a story that kept my attention till the very last page.

Being a Christian based novel faith is at the forefront although not overly stated. For those not into religious connotations or scriptures you will not be overwhelmed by them. But who wouldn’t pray to the Almighty if the Gestapo were on your tails....Well-done.

I received this book from Revell via Netgalley for an honest and unbiased review