Beautiful Assassin
Michael White
Morrow, Mar 30 2010, $24.99
ISBN: 9780061691218
In 1996, reporter Elizabeth Meade muses over her obsession started a decade ago as the Soviet evil empire imploded when she first heard of the Russian sniper Tat’yana Levchencko. Elizabeth searched for clues about the Communist with Hollywood looks and a friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt during WWII. Now in Eastern Colorado she will confront an elderly widow begging to learn the true story of Tat'yana Levchenko.
At first hesitant as she does not want to be another Trotsky, the old woman tells how a poetess, mother, and wife became an empty nest widow avenging sniper Soviet-American heroine before being labeled a Communist spy. In 1942 the Germans without regard to civilians bombed and fired from the air at villagers in the Ukraine. A pilot saw her beloved three year old Masha and killed her. The sniper was born on that day as she joined the army. She became the top sniper and soon was invited to the White House by Eleanor Roosevelt. They became friends as they toured the country together. While Stalin demanded she spy on the Americans, Tat’yana realized these were not soft fat cats as described by Soviet propaganda. The American media began a blitzkrieg accusing her of being Stalin’s pawn. She disappeared until now when a persistent reporter interviews an elderly widow.
This is a superb 1940s drama seen through the eyes of a woman five decades later after she vanished. Her story is one of sadness as she loathed the murdering Nazis killing them, but also detested the Cold War participants who “killed” Tat’yana in their abusive disregard for her which was worse in many ways than the Germans who overtly tried to kill her. Yet she also brings rays of hope that the human spirit can overcome almost anything as she did with her late second husband Walter and someone else even while telling her heartbreaking tale. This is a winner that condemns nations for their expendable deployment of individuals.
Harriet Klausner
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Reckless-Andrew Gross
Reckless
Andrew Gross
Morrow, Mar 30 2010, $25.99
ISBN 9780061655951
Intruders enter the Greenwich, Connecticut home of Wall St. Equities trader Marc Glassman, his wife April and their teenaged children, Evan and Becca. The two adults and Becca are murdered.
Private securities investigator Ty Hauck learns of the killing of his friend April at a time when he is assigned to investigate the questionable dealings of financier Dieter Thibault. Hauck plans to also make discrete inquiries into the murders of the Glassman family. He soon teams up with US Treasury agent Naomi Blum as his two investigations soon tie together, but progress is hampered by someone who seems to be several steps ahead of them.
Before Too Big to Fail became a mantra that still remains a truism; fans would have said this conspiratorial financial thriller was over the top of Wall St. and Big Ben, but no more. Hauck is at his bull dog best while Blum brings out even more obstinacy in the hero as they become the trains that won’t quit. Fans will enjoy their escapades as the enemy has reaches into the highest levels of cross Atlantic governments in which Too Big To Fail remains as strong as before the great recession meltdown. This is a great Hauck tale as he goes private (his cases when he was a police detective in The Dark Tide and Don’t Look Twice) with the economy still open to blackmail.
Andrew Gross
Morrow, Mar 30 2010, $25.99
ISBN 9780061655951
Intruders enter the Greenwich, Connecticut home of Wall St. Equities trader Marc Glassman, his wife April and their teenaged children, Evan and Becca. The two adults and Becca are murdered.
Private securities investigator Ty Hauck learns of the killing of his friend April at a time when he is assigned to investigate the questionable dealings of financier Dieter Thibault. Hauck plans to also make discrete inquiries into the murders of the Glassman family. He soon teams up with US Treasury agent Naomi Blum as his two investigations soon tie together, but progress is hampered by someone who seems to be several steps ahead of them.
Before Too Big to Fail became a mantra that still remains a truism; fans would have said this conspiratorial financial thriller was over the top of Wall St. and Big Ben, but no more. Hauck is at his bull dog best while Blum brings out even more obstinacy in the hero as they become the trains that won’t quit. Fans will enjoy their escapades as the enemy has reaches into the highest levels of cross Atlantic governments in which Too Big To Fail remains as strong as before the great recession meltdown. This is a great Hauck tale as he goes private (his cases when he was a police detective in The Dark Tide and Don’t Look Twice) with the economy still open to blackmail.
Ashes of the Red Heifer-Shannon Baker
Ashes of the Red Heifer
Shannon Baker
L & L Dreamspell, Jan 2010, $17.95
ISBN: 9781603181600
In the Israeli kibbutz, veterinarian researcher Dr. Annie Grant knows the moon above is the same one she sees when she is home in Nebraska yet life is different as represented by sirens in both places denoting diverse scenarios. She is working on a vaccination to end the deadly BA 23 virus that threatens bovine and appears capable of crossing species lines to humans. Annie hopes her efforts will save millions of cattle before the virus crosses over as expected to people; she prays this will be her ticket back into the good graces of her family on the Cornhusker ranch.
However, others have interest in Annie’s work but not to save lives as a bomb interrupts her research at a critical stage. Third Temple Zionists, Muslim fundamentalists, and Rapture Christian converge on Annie as each feels she is God’s chosen one to fulfill an ancient prophecy, but the three groups have different plans for her success or failure. Forced to leave for Jerusalem, Annie and her project friends Hasim and David are kidnapped by fanatics who demand she create the biblically perfect red heifer so the Jews regain God's blessing as his Chosen Ones. Muslims want her dead before she genetically engineers the red heifer and the Rapture Christians declare end of days has begun so the Jews and Muslims must be slaughtered; BA 23 is a heavenly means.
This is an exhilarating apocalyptic thriller that grips the auricle from the moment the bomb explodes at the Kibbutz research center and never slows down as the three prime religious descendents from Abraham converge on a Nebraskan. Caring Annie learns that good intentions is the road to hell as various groups try to use her to foster their agenda while claiming God’s right to do so. Ashes of the Red Heifer is a terrific tale that effortlessly merges genetic engineering with biblical beliefs.
Harriet Klausner
Shannon Baker
L & L Dreamspell, Jan 2010, $17.95
ISBN: 9781603181600
In the Israeli kibbutz, veterinarian researcher Dr. Annie Grant knows the moon above is the same one she sees when she is home in Nebraska yet life is different as represented by sirens in both places denoting diverse scenarios. She is working on a vaccination to end the deadly BA 23 virus that threatens bovine and appears capable of crossing species lines to humans. Annie hopes her efforts will save millions of cattle before the virus crosses over as expected to people; she prays this will be her ticket back into the good graces of her family on the Cornhusker ranch.
However, others have interest in Annie’s work but not to save lives as a bomb interrupts her research at a critical stage. Third Temple Zionists, Muslim fundamentalists, and Rapture Christian converge on Annie as each feels she is God’s chosen one to fulfill an ancient prophecy, but the three groups have different plans for her success or failure. Forced to leave for Jerusalem, Annie and her project friends Hasim and David are kidnapped by fanatics who demand she create the biblically perfect red heifer so the Jews regain God's blessing as his Chosen Ones. Muslims want her dead before she genetically engineers the red heifer and the Rapture Christians declare end of days has begun so the Jews and Muslims must be slaughtered; BA 23 is a heavenly means.
This is an exhilarating apocalyptic thriller that grips the auricle from the moment the bomb explodes at the Kibbutz research center and never slows down as the three prime religious descendents from Abraham converge on a Nebraskan. Caring Annie learns that good intentions is the road to hell as various groups try to use her to foster their agenda while claiming God’s right to do so. Ashes of the Red Heifer is a terrific tale that effortlessly merges genetic engineering with biblical beliefs.
Harriet Klausner
Farm Fresh Murder-Paige Shelton
Farm Fresh Murder
Paige Shelton
Berkley, Apr 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425233870
Becca Robins is making blackberry jam at her farm she shares with Hobbit the dog when her sister calls. Allison manages Bailey’s Farmers Market where Becca sells her jams and jellies. She asks her sibling to come over immediately so Allison does. The police are there as is the corpse of Matt Simonson, who to the shock of the vendors was murdered.
Becca fails to recognize Matt because as Allison explains to her he just started working there. Allison further says that her best friend Abner is the prime suspect because they had a loud public argument, a bouquet made from his flowers is on the dead body and he has vanished. Later Abner calls Becca pleading with her not to investigate, but she refuses to abide by his request. Becca interviews other vendors, which leads to her puting the puzzle pieces together and placing herself in danger from a killer observing her every move.
The first farmer’s Markey Mystery is a fine and riveting amateur sleuth mystery with more suspects than Abner has flowers in a bouquet. Besides a strong heroine who refuse to believe her friend is a killer, the support cast is superb as they bring out what goes on behind the scenes of a Farmer’s Market environ while enhancing the investigation. Putting aside the sub-genre’s recipe of placing the amateur sleuth who is already questionable as a detective in deadly peril, fans will enjoy Farm Fresh Murder as Becca determined and intrepid seeks the killer.
Harriet Klausner
Paige Shelton
Berkley, Apr 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425233870
Becca Robins is making blackberry jam at her farm she shares with Hobbit the dog when her sister calls. Allison manages Bailey’s Farmers Market where Becca sells her jams and jellies. She asks her sibling to come over immediately so Allison does. The police are there as is the corpse of Matt Simonson, who to the shock of the vendors was murdered.
Becca fails to recognize Matt because as Allison explains to her he just started working there. Allison further says that her best friend Abner is the prime suspect because they had a loud public argument, a bouquet made from his flowers is on the dead body and he has vanished. Later Abner calls Becca pleading with her not to investigate, but she refuses to abide by his request. Becca interviews other vendors, which leads to her puting the puzzle pieces together and placing herself in danger from a killer observing her every move.
The first farmer’s Markey Mystery is a fine and riveting amateur sleuth mystery with more suspects than Abner has flowers in a bouquet. Besides a strong heroine who refuse to believe her friend is a killer, the support cast is superb as they bring out what goes on behind the scenes of a Farmer’s Market environ while enhancing the investigation. Putting aside the sub-genre’s recipe of placing the amateur sleuth who is already questionable as a detective in deadly peril, fans will enjoy Farm Fresh Murder as Becca determined and intrepid seeks the killer.
Harriet Klausner
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Holly Blues-Susan Wittig Albert
Holly Blues
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkley, Apr 2010, $24.95
ISBN: 9780425232606
It is Christmas time and the wonderful smells of the Yuletide season spices up Pecan Springs. Although China Bayles runs Thymes and Seasons Herbs and works with her partner Ruby Wilcox catering events with Party Thyme and their Thyme for Tea Shoppe, she looks forward to the holidays. That is until her husband’s former wife Sally Strahorn enters her office. Sally suffers from dissociative identity disorder so is an unfit mother, a liar, and a thief depending on which personality surfaces.
Sally tells China she is broke with no place to go; China knows she should say nothing, but agrees to put her up for now. Sally makes friends with China’s niece, whom she and her currently out of town spouse have adopted. A man calls the shop and then China’s home asking for Sally both times. China confronts Sally, who says he is Jess Myers, her former friend turned stalker. Myers is soon spotted in Pecan Springs as Sally vanishes. China learns that Sally is a person of interest in the hit and run death of her sister Leslie. Preferring to believe that Sally did not murder her sister or another woman killed in the same way, China and Ruby investigate in a case that places them in danger.
A China Bayles amateur sleuth is always special as the key characters change over time. The secondary cast gives the series a sense of continuity while the inquiry feels genuine as the two partners simply ask questions while pretending innocence. Even Sally seems a bit more mature. Although, placing oneself in danger is an amateur sleuth occupational hazard that China has accomplished eighteen or so times, Holly Blue is a terrific whodunit as the case takes personal spins for the heroine.
Harriet Klausner
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkley, Apr 2010, $24.95
ISBN: 9780425232606
It is Christmas time and the wonderful smells of the Yuletide season spices up Pecan Springs. Although China Bayles runs Thymes and Seasons Herbs and works with her partner Ruby Wilcox catering events with Party Thyme and their Thyme for Tea Shoppe, she looks forward to the holidays. That is until her husband’s former wife Sally Strahorn enters her office. Sally suffers from dissociative identity disorder so is an unfit mother, a liar, and a thief depending on which personality surfaces.
Sally tells China she is broke with no place to go; China knows she should say nothing, but agrees to put her up for now. Sally makes friends with China’s niece, whom she and her currently out of town spouse have adopted. A man calls the shop and then China’s home asking for Sally both times. China confronts Sally, who says he is Jess Myers, her former friend turned stalker. Myers is soon spotted in Pecan Springs as Sally vanishes. China learns that Sally is a person of interest in the hit and run death of her sister Leslie. Preferring to believe that Sally did not murder her sister or another woman killed in the same way, China and Ruby investigate in a case that places them in danger.
A China Bayles amateur sleuth is always special as the key characters change over time. The secondary cast gives the series a sense of continuity while the inquiry feels genuine as the two partners simply ask questions while pretending innocence. Even Sally seems a bit more mature. Although, placing oneself in danger is an amateur sleuth occupational hazard that China has accomplished eighteen or so times, Holly Blue is a terrific whodunit as the case takes personal spins for the heroine.
Harriet Klausner
Going, Gone-Laura Crum
Going, Gone
Laura Crum
Perseverance Press, Apr 10 2010, $14.95
ISBN: 9781880284988
Forty-five year old retired horse veterinarian Gail McCarthy is married to a man younger than her. Together they raise their six year old son; home-schooling him. Gail believes the three of them could use a vacation so they paick up their things, take their horses and go to the Sierra Nevada foothills to camp on land belonging to her former boyfriend, Lonny Peterson.
Lonny arrives at their camp to greet them. Accompanying him is another childhood friend of Gail, sheriff's deputy Bret Boncantini. Lonny explains that Bret arrested him for the murders of his girlfriend Lorene Richardson and her brother Cole; they ran livestock auctions. Neither Gail or Bret believe Lonny killed them, but the lead detective believes he did as the female victim was seen fighting with the suspect over her dating her former spouse Kevin Moore and Lonny’s gun was by the body with only his prints on it. Finally a witnesses places Lonny at the crime scene at about the time of the homicides. Bret is limited on what he can do so Gail investigates following a lead that Cole was involved in illegal dealings. However, a calculating killer watches her carefully preparing for one more murder if needed.
The Laura Crum mysteries will obviously be enjoyed by amateur sleuth aficionados, but also by horse lovers. Going, Gone is an entertaining whodunit as several murders including a child occur in front of a pristine stark natural background. Gail stands by her friend and being a civilian can do what Bret as a law enforcement official cannot even as she breaks laws to prove her case. Although the typical amateur sleuth risking their life is an intricate part of the strong plotting, fans will enjoy Going, Gone as there are plenty of viable suspects with Lonny remaining at the head of the class.
Harriet Klausner
Laura Crum
Perseverance Press, Apr 10 2010, $14.95
ISBN: 9781880284988
Forty-five year old retired horse veterinarian Gail McCarthy is married to a man younger than her. Together they raise their six year old son; home-schooling him. Gail believes the three of them could use a vacation so they paick up their things, take their horses and go to the Sierra Nevada foothills to camp on land belonging to her former boyfriend, Lonny Peterson.
Lonny arrives at their camp to greet them. Accompanying him is another childhood friend of Gail, sheriff's deputy Bret Boncantini. Lonny explains that Bret arrested him for the murders of his girlfriend Lorene Richardson and her brother Cole; they ran livestock auctions. Neither Gail or Bret believe Lonny killed them, but the lead detective believes he did as the female victim was seen fighting with the suspect over her dating her former spouse Kevin Moore and Lonny’s gun was by the body with only his prints on it. Finally a witnesses places Lonny at the crime scene at about the time of the homicides. Bret is limited on what he can do so Gail investigates following a lead that Cole was involved in illegal dealings. However, a calculating killer watches her carefully preparing for one more murder if needed.
The Laura Crum mysteries will obviously be enjoyed by amateur sleuth aficionados, but also by horse lovers. Going, Gone is an entertaining whodunit as several murders including a child occur in front of a pristine stark natural background. Gail stands by her friend and being a civilian can do what Bret as a law enforcement official cannot even as she breaks laws to prove her case. Although the typical amateur sleuth risking their life is an intricate part of the strong plotting, fans will enjoy Going, Gone as there are plenty of viable suspects with Lonny remaining at the head of the class.
Harriet Klausner
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Heavenstone Secrets-V.C. Andrews
The Heavenstone Secrets
V.C. Andrews
Pocket, Dec 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9781439154953
The two Heavenstone sisters live with their parents in an old Kentucky mansion. The older sibling Cassie is the perfect Heavenstone as she behaves properly everywhere. The younger sister Semantha is prettier, but somehow pales next to her accomplished older sibling.
It is hard to live up to the perfect definition of her parents when everything frightens you which is what Semantha feels. Her biggest fear is that of Cassie who always orders her around when their parents are not there to see the other side. When mother becomes ill and hospitalized, Cassie takes over her role in the household. She scares Semantha even more as the younger Heavenstone feels like a criminal under interrogation by her sibling and fears what her sister is doing to her and her father even as she conceals something that will be obvious in a few months.
The concept of good seed bad seed has been a round a long time (Bette Davis in Dead Ringer, Whatever happened to Baby Jane? and Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte). However, V.C. Andrews keeps it fresh due to Cassie as the perfect teen Machiavellian manipulator though it helps that her pathetic parents prefer not to dig below the surface. Semantha overkills the victim defense as much of the story line she whimpers about her fear of her sister and just about everything else. Although entertaining as readers will wonder if hormones running wild will bring a backbone to Semantha The Heavenstone Secrets contains no Flowers in the Attic.
Harriet Klausner
V.C. Andrews
Pocket, Dec 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9781439154953
The two Heavenstone sisters live with their parents in an old Kentucky mansion. The older sibling Cassie is the perfect Heavenstone as she behaves properly everywhere. The younger sister Semantha is prettier, but somehow pales next to her accomplished older sibling.
It is hard to live up to the perfect definition of her parents when everything frightens you which is what Semantha feels. Her biggest fear is that of Cassie who always orders her around when their parents are not there to see the other side. When mother becomes ill and hospitalized, Cassie takes over her role in the household. She scares Semantha even more as the younger Heavenstone feels like a criminal under interrogation by her sibling and fears what her sister is doing to her and her father even as she conceals something that will be obvious in a few months.
The concept of good seed bad seed has been a round a long time (Bette Davis in Dead Ringer, Whatever happened to Baby Jane? and Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte). However, V.C. Andrews keeps it fresh due to Cassie as the perfect teen Machiavellian manipulator though it helps that her pathetic parents prefer not to dig below the surface. Semantha overkills the victim defense as much of the story line she whimpers about her fear of her sister and just about everything else. Although entertaining as readers will wonder if hormones running wild will bring a backbone to Semantha The Heavenstone Secrets contains no Flowers in the Attic.
Harriet Klausner
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