Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
E.C. Sheedy
Kensington Brava, Oct 2007, $14.00
ISBN: 9780758215635
Over two decades ago Phyllis Worth rescued nine years old April from the dark eyed man who hid her in an unlighted basement. Phyllis raised the frightened April as her own. Now Phyllis is missing fleeing for her life without a moment’s notice. She left behind a quickly scratched note warning April to hide as the dark eyed man seeks her.
April still fears her bogeyman, but needs to insure Phyllis is safe. She turns to Joe Worth to find Phyllis and keep both females safe. Joe wants to say no to sad eyes as Phyllis is his biological mother, who deserted him years ago. However, he cannot leave April at the mercy of a deranged serial killer who wants to use Phyllis to get to his intended target; besides which he has instant heat that she reciprocally makes hotter.
The dark eyed killer who in many ways remains in the shadows of a nightmarish memory steals the show of a superb erotic romantic suspense thriller. E.C. Sheedy uses the family link to bring the lead couple together, but plays down the soap opera in order to provide a strong complex mystery. The lead couple is a fascinating likable pairing as he needs prove to himself that he is worthy of her trust by keeping her safe more so than completing her request to save his mother. Readers will kiss the day away reading this exciting tense one sitting romantic mystery.
Harriet Klausner
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Creation In Death-J.D. Robb
Creation In Death
J.D. Robb
Putnam, Nov 2007, $25.95
ISBN: 9780399154362
In March 2060, NYPSD Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas watches an action movie with her husband Roarke when an official call comes in from Commander Whitney. He tells her to go to a crime scene without providing her any information as to why he ordered her to do this on her day off. When she arrives at the location and examines the corpse, she knows why her superior provided her with nothing.
Eve realizes that Whitney wanted her to verify independently his theory that “the Groom” a serial killer who putotures his victims to death and then carves into their bodies how long they lasted under torture. Dallas believes this is the same culprit who she failed to catch nine years ago. He killed four women back then and many others in other states and countries, but apparently he is back in NYC. Eve vows to cage this animal.
Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb is at the top of her game in CREATION IN DEATH, the latest exciting entry in her futuristic police procedural series. Even though the tale occurs only five plus decades from now, the audience easily accepts the future ambience as tidbits are blended into the fine story line. This is a terrific cat and mouse thriller with the determined Eve assuming she is the hungry cat on the prowl while her opponent is a master tiger tamer.
Harriet Klausner
J.D. Robb
Putnam, Nov 2007, $25.95
ISBN: 9780399154362
In March 2060, NYPSD Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas watches an action movie with her husband Roarke when an official call comes in from Commander Whitney. He tells her to go to a crime scene without providing her any information as to why he ordered her to do this on her day off. When she arrives at the location and examines the corpse, she knows why her superior provided her with nothing.
Eve realizes that Whitney wanted her to verify independently his theory that “the Groom” a serial killer who putotures his victims to death and then carves into their bodies how long they lasted under torture. Dallas believes this is the same culprit who she failed to catch nine years ago. He killed four women back then and many others in other states and countries, but apparently he is back in NYC. Eve vows to cage this animal.
Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb is at the top of her game in CREATION IN DEATH, the latest exciting entry in her futuristic police procedural series. Even though the tale occurs only five plus decades from now, the audience easily accepts the future ambience as tidbits are blended into the fine story line. This is a terrific cat and mouse thriller with the determined Eve assuming she is the hungry cat on the prowl while her opponent is a master tiger tamer.
Harriet Klausner
Monday, September 10, 2007
Paying the Piper-Simon Wood
Paying the Piper
Simon Wood
Leisure, Nov 2007, $7.99
ISBN 9780843959802
Eight years ago the Piper kidnapped preadolescent Nicholas Rooker demanding two million dollars in ransom from his wealthy father, a successful bay area realtor. The serial abductor began calling San Francisco Independent reporter Scott Fleetwood leaving clues for the cops to track. However, by the time the police realized that the caller was a fake, the Piper changed is MO of retuning the kids unharmed once remittance occurred; this time he killed Nicholas.
In the present, after a hiatus the Piper abducts one of Scott’s children, Sammy. He feels Scott owes him more than just the money he lost; he blames the reporter for his killing Nicholas, the first time he committed murder. Nicholas’ father Charles Rooker puts up the ransom money hoping that this time the FBI, led by Agent Shiels, captures his son’s killer. The cat and mouse game has just begun on the streets of San Francisco with the Piper warning Scott to play by his rules because of ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN.
Although an action-packed thriller that never slows down even when the cast climbs the hills, the story line belongs to the four male protagonists who make up a macabre square with each feeling strong degrees of guilt over what happened to Nicholas. Fascinatingly the Piper regrets having had to murder Nicholas although he holds Scott culpable; Scott feels the same way and to a degree so does Charles and even Shiels. PAYING THE PIPER is a terrific thriller as the quartet knows that they all fall down on this one.
Harriet Klausner
Simon Wood
Leisure, Nov 2007, $7.99
ISBN 9780843959802
Eight years ago the Piper kidnapped preadolescent Nicholas Rooker demanding two million dollars in ransom from his wealthy father, a successful bay area realtor. The serial abductor began calling San Francisco Independent reporter Scott Fleetwood leaving clues for the cops to track. However, by the time the police realized that the caller was a fake, the Piper changed is MO of retuning the kids unharmed once remittance occurred; this time he killed Nicholas.
In the present, after a hiatus the Piper abducts one of Scott’s children, Sammy. He feels Scott owes him more than just the money he lost; he blames the reporter for his killing Nicholas, the first time he committed murder. Nicholas’ father Charles Rooker puts up the ransom money hoping that this time the FBI, led by Agent Shiels, captures his son’s killer. The cat and mouse game has just begun on the streets of San Francisco with the Piper warning Scott to play by his rules because of ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN.
Although an action-packed thriller that never slows down even when the cast climbs the hills, the story line belongs to the four male protagonists who make up a macabre square with each feeling strong degrees of guilt over what happened to Nicholas. Fascinatingly the Piper regrets having had to murder Nicholas although he holds Scott culpable; Scott feels the same way and to a degree so does Charles and even Shiels. PAYING THE PIPER is a terrific thriller as the quartet knows that they all fall down on this one.
Harriet Klausner
Touched By Fire-Catherine Spangler
Touched By Fire
Catherine Spangler
Berkley, Oct 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 9780425217955
In Texas, the evil Belian has killed dozens of innocent humans. His explosives are everywhere yet he leaves no evidence enabling the Sentinels to stop his killing spree. Sentinel Luke is frustrated by not preventing more deaths, but continues on his Harley seeking to stop this crafty confident malevolent mass murderer.
Luke meets Marla, a conductor, who he believes is the key to stopping the Belian. He knows she is his perfect match so he invades her home and kidnaps her, taking her to his house where he learns to his incredulousness she is a thirty years old virgin. Marla fears sex giving witnessed her sister’s rape over a decade ago. Still there is something about this man that has Marla fearing and wanting him. As he explains the Belian evil to her, she senses the killer is nearby waiting for her. When the Belian mentally links to Marla, Luke knows a showdown is coming. If he could only persuade his soulmate that sex can not only be enjoyed especially between those in love, but is the most powerful tool for a conductor to track a Belian.
The stand alone sequel to TOUCHED BY DARKNESS (Luke as a character in that tale) is an electrifying paranormal romantic thriller. The lead couple suffers from tragedies; Marla obviously from her sister's rape and Luke from his mother's death making him family head. Those traumas make their relationship much more interesting as they must overcome their respective pasts to have a remote chance at defeating the seemingly invisible Belian. Sub-genre fans will be touched by Catherine Spangler’s entertaining Sentinel saga.
Harriet Klausner
Catherine Spangler
Berkley, Oct 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 9780425217955
In Texas, the evil Belian has killed dozens of innocent humans. His explosives are everywhere yet he leaves no evidence enabling the Sentinels to stop his killing spree. Sentinel Luke is frustrated by not preventing more deaths, but continues on his Harley seeking to stop this crafty confident malevolent mass murderer.
Luke meets Marla, a conductor, who he believes is the key to stopping the Belian. He knows she is his perfect match so he invades her home and kidnaps her, taking her to his house where he learns to his incredulousness she is a thirty years old virgin. Marla fears sex giving witnessed her sister’s rape over a decade ago. Still there is something about this man that has Marla fearing and wanting him. As he explains the Belian evil to her, she senses the killer is nearby waiting for her. When the Belian mentally links to Marla, Luke knows a showdown is coming. If he could only persuade his soulmate that sex can not only be enjoyed especially between those in love, but is the most powerful tool for a conductor to track a Belian.
The stand alone sequel to TOUCHED BY DARKNESS (Luke as a character in that tale) is an electrifying paranormal romantic thriller. The lead couple suffers from tragedies; Marla obviously from her sister's rape and Luke from his mother's death making him family head. Those traumas make their relationship much more interesting as they must overcome their respective pasts to have a remote chance at defeating the seemingly invisible Belian. Sub-genre fans will be touched by Catherine Spangler’s entertaining Sentinel saga.
Harriet Klausner
Unmanned-Lois Greiman
Unmanned
Lois Greiman
Dell, Nov 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 9780440243625
After almost being killed by two different men, Los Angeles psychologist Dr. Christina McMullan is obsessed with safety; she always sets her alarm system and is extremely wary of strangers especially males. When she meets Will Swanson at a gas station, they talk while he cleans her windshield. He explains he is a carpenter and she says she needs a new garage before she drives away. When he appears at her home, he explains her dimwitted secretary gave him her address; although not frightened, Christina still talks with Will outside not allowing him into her house.
Suddenly, a shot rings out and Will falls to the ground dead. Christina’s boyfriend LAPD Detective Rivera arrives at the homicide scene in an official capacity. During his investigation he learns that Will is an alias and that Texas law enforcement officials believe he was a hit man. Christina does not have a clue as to who or why someone wants to kill her, but when her brother Pete comes to town, she thinks that the culprit might have been after her sibling, who looks somewhat like Will did. From no suspects there is instantly a myriad of individuals with motives as Pete owes $20,000 in gambling debts to those who accept remittance one cold way or another.
The dynamo heroine leaps from or is pushed into one dangerous incident after another, but she keeps her cools so she can react to avoid physical injury or death. The romantic interludes between the cop and the shrink are scorching even though they do nothing more than kiss, talk or leer. However, the key to this terrific often amusing whodunit is that the readers are unsure who the killer is and the motive though it bears repeating that the heroine’s Peter Pan complex brother seems the most likely cause.
Harriet Klausner
Lois Greiman
Dell, Nov 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 9780440243625
After almost being killed by two different men, Los Angeles psychologist Dr. Christina McMullan is obsessed with safety; she always sets her alarm system and is extremely wary of strangers especially males. When she meets Will Swanson at a gas station, they talk while he cleans her windshield. He explains he is a carpenter and she says she needs a new garage before she drives away. When he appears at her home, he explains her dimwitted secretary gave him her address; although not frightened, Christina still talks with Will outside not allowing him into her house.
Suddenly, a shot rings out and Will falls to the ground dead. Christina’s boyfriend LAPD Detective Rivera arrives at the homicide scene in an official capacity. During his investigation he learns that Will is an alias and that Texas law enforcement officials believe he was a hit man. Christina does not have a clue as to who or why someone wants to kill her, but when her brother Pete comes to town, she thinks that the culprit might have been after her sibling, who looks somewhat like Will did. From no suspects there is instantly a myriad of individuals with motives as Pete owes $20,000 in gambling debts to those who accept remittance one cold way or another.
The dynamo heroine leaps from or is pushed into one dangerous incident after another, but she keeps her cools so she can react to avoid physical injury or death. The romantic interludes between the cop and the shrink are scorching even though they do nothing more than kiss, talk or leer. However, the key to this terrific often amusing whodunit is that the readers are unsure who the killer is and the motive though it bears repeating that the heroine’s Peter Pan complex brother seems the most likely cause.
Harriet Klausner
A Prayer for the Damned-Peter Tremayne
A Prayer for the Damned
Peter Tremayne
St. Martin’s, Nov 2007, $24.95
ISBN: 9780312348335
In 668 AD in the Five Kingdoms (ancient Ireland), Abbot Ultan is acting as the emissary for Bishop Segene, the Abbot of Ard Macha. He travels the country seeking to sell the concept that Segene would be lead abbot. Both men adhere to the strict laws of a sub-group of Rome State who believe the church holy cannot marry; they each believes it is their calling from God to do whatever it takes to insure others follow their religion as well including bribes, coercion and force.
Ultan and his retinue head to Cashel in the Kingdom of Muman where King Colgu’s sibling Sister Fidelma is about to take the vows to make her marriage of a year and a day to Brother Eadulf permanent. The abbot arrives to voice his strong objection to two church officials marrying. Before he can make his displeasure known, someone murders Ultan. The wedding ceremony is postponed while the bride and groom investigate the homicide in which one f the kings of the Five Kingdoms is the prime suspect.
Readers who love Middle Ages whodunits will want to read A PRAYER FOR THE DAMNED (as well the previous Sister Fidelma tale) as this series is one of the best being written today. The freshness in Sister Fidelma’s latest inquiry is her doubts as to whether she should be releases from her vows as a religeuse. The power struggle between Rome’s edicts and the Irish church leaders are meticulously examined even as this serves as a key element to the exciting descriptive plot. Readers gain plenty of insight into seventh century religious and secular politics in Ireland yet the beauty of Peter Tremayne’s skill is he does this while entertaining his fans.
Harriet Klausner
Peter Tremayne
St. Martin’s, Nov 2007, $24.95
ISBN: 9780312348335
In 668 AD in the Five Kingdoms (ancient Ireland), Abbot Ultan is acting as the emissary for Bishop Segene, the Abbot of Ard Macha. He travels the country seeking to sell the concept that Segene would be lead abbot. Both men adhere to the strict laws of a sub-group of Rome State who believe the church holy cannot marry; they each believes it is their calling from God to do whatever it takes to insure others follow their religion as well including bribes, coercion and force.
Ultan and his retinue head to Cashel in the Kingdom of Muman where King Colgu’s sibling Sister Fidelma is about to take the vows to make her marriage of a year and a day to Brother Eadulf permanent. The abbot arrives to voice his strong objection to two church officials marrying. Before he can make his displeasure known, someone murders Ultan. The wedding ceremony is postponed while the bride and groom investigate the homicide in which one f the kings of the Five Kingdoms is the prime suspect.
Readers who love Middle Ages whodunits will want to read A PRAYER FOR THE DAMNED (as well the previous Sister Fidelma tale) as this series is one of the best being written today. The freshness in Sister Fidelma’s latest inquiry is her doubts as to whether she should be releases from her vows as a religeuse. The power struggle between Rome’s edicts and the Irish church leaders are meticulously examined even as this serves as a key element to the exciting descriptive plot. Readers gain plenty of insight into seventh century religious and secular politics in Ireland yet the beauty of Peter Tremayne’s skill is he does this while entertaining his fans.
Harriet Klausner
Sunday, September 9, 2007
The Chainsaw Ballet-Thomas J. Keevers
The Chainsaw Ballet
Thomas J. Keevers
Five Star, Sep 2007, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594145803
In Chicago, three Serbian immigrants opened up Club Belgrade. They took out million dollar insurance policies on each other. Two of them (Milan Krunic and Uri Simunick) have since been murdered and the survivor Stepan Vasil has received payment, but has not stopped the policy, which seems odd to Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Minnesota Mutual Agent Orson Prescott hires private investigator Mike Duncavan to learn why Stepan has not ended the insurance policy as he has no partners to claim the insurance if he dies. Mike visits Club Belgrade where he meets bartender Eva, who he is attracted to but fears is working 24/7 for her employer. As Mike keeps digging for a motive, he begins to find proof of unsavory illegal practices involving international sex slave sales; an angry Stepan knows the former cop has found evidence that could lead to jail time so he plans to take Duncavan out of circulation with the help of police officers who owe him.
The third hard boiled Duncaven detective tale (see WHAT THE HYENA KNOWS) is an exhilarating investigative thriller starring a fired street cop turned disbarred lawyer turned private sleuth who knows the mean streets of Chicago as well as anyone does. The story line is fast-paced even before Mike makes the scene at the Club Belgrade. Action-packed with confrontations the norm, fans will be hooked wondering why Vasil continues to pay for partnership insurance when his partners are dead.
Harriet Klausner
Thomas J. Keevers
Five Star, Sep 2007, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594145803
In Chicago, three Serbian immigrants opened up Club Belgrade. They took out million dollar insurance policies on each other. Two of them (Milan Krunic and Uri Simunick) have since been murdered and the survivor Stepan Vasil has received payment, but has not stopped the policy, which seems odd to Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Minnesota Mutual Agent Orson Prescott hires private investigator Mike Duncavan to learn why Stepan has not ended the insurance policy as he has no partners to claim the insurance if he dies. Mike visits Club Belgrade where he meets bartender Eva, who he is attracted to but fears is working 24/7 for her employer. As Mike keeps digging for a motive, he begins to find proof of unsavory illegal practices involving international sex slave sales; an angry Stepan knows the former cop has found evidence that could lead to jail time so he plans to take Duncavan out of circulation with the help of police officers who owe him.
The third hard boiled Duncaven detective tale (see WHAT THE HYENA KNOWS) is an exhilarating investigative thriller starring a fired street cop turned disbarred lawyer turned private sleuth who knows the mean streets of Chicago as well as anyone does. The story line is fast-paced even before Mike makes the scene at the Club Belgrade. Action-packed with confrontations the norm, fans will be hooked wondering why Vasil continues to pay for partnership insurance when his partners are dead.
Harriet Klausner
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