The Seventh Messenger-Carol Costa

The Seventh Messenger


Carol Costa

Anaphora Literary Press, Jun 13 2011, $15.00

www.anaphoraliterarywordpress.com

ISBN: 9781463561024



Naomi was born in the House of David religious community in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Now, as an adult, with her always emotionally distant mom dying, she has returned to learn whether the founder Benjamin Franklin Purnell was her father. She demands Benjamin’s widow Mary to tell her the truth with no omissions or deceptions.



Mary begins her story back five decades ago to the turn of the century when Benjamin said the Spirit of the Lord told him that he was the Seventh Messenger while their convicted leader of the Holy Rollers Michael Mills was false. He became King Benjamin and she Queen Mary of the House of David religious commune. In 1903 they moved to Benton Harbor where they created a place to live, an amusement park, an orchestra, a zoo, and a baseball team with a park, etc. Sex was prohibited even between married couples. The only exception to the rule was King David and his Inner Circle of girls under the age of sixteen who needed purification. One Inner Circle girl became pregnant and planned to destroy the reign of King Benjamin.



This is an exciting insightful novelization of the creation and twenty plus years (up to the trial and death of Benjamin) of the House Of David. Mary is a terrific narrator who understood her late husband’s strengths as a charismatic leader who got people to believe and his serpent in Eden endeavors as she tells Naomi what happened to him and her mom hoping to bring some sunshine into the younger woman’s life. Character driven to include the commune, Carol Costa provides a deep twentieth century historical in which Mary’s salvation of the ruins of Eden and the City of David, still thrives.



Harriet Klausner

Two Testaments-Elizabeth Musser

Two Testaments


Elizabeth Musser

David C. Cook, Jun 1 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9780781404990



In 1962, twenty-two year old Gabriella Madison remains in Castelnau, France as part of the Franco-American exchange program at the Church of Saint Joseph. She continues her work helping School Director Mother Griolet with forty-three orphans, mostly collateral damage by the Algerian War for Independence.



Her biggest struggle is that she fears for her boyfriend teacher M. David Hoffmann who has left for Marseilles on his way to Algeria to help refugees. The Mediterranean African country is on the verge of exploding as tensions (there and in France) is stratospheric. Gabriella also struggles to show Christian kindness to Anne-Marie Duchemin, David’s former girlfriend who has come to Castelnau. While she waits for David’s return Anne Marie helps with the orphans too while hoping her ex will choose her over the American. However, both rivals soon fear neither will win the David sweepstake as David is trapped inside the Algerian war for independence.



The reprint of the second Secrets of the Cross historical Christian thriller is a great tale of a young woman who still questions her faith but, proving there are no atheists in the foxhole, prays for God to protect David and the orphans. Gabriella has matured as she shows tolerance to all people regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. Using the Algerian War of Independence, Elizabeth Musser provides a timely story of faith on the home front during a violent period.



Harriet Klausner

Relentless Pursuit-Kathy Herman

Relentless Pursuit


Kathy Herman

David C. Cook, May 1 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9780781403429



Sax Henry fled his family home to escape his abusive father when he was seventeen years old. He married three times but though his wives were kind they each told him he had to face the guilt that he left behind his mom and sis to deal with the patriarch. Finally, almost three decades later, knowing his mom is dead he has begun to search for the little girl in the photo he has always carried with him. Clues lead him to Les Barbes, Louisiana where he must persuade Adele Woodmore to help him locate his Shelby as his sister once worked for her.



At the same time, people are hospitalized at Hargrove Medical Center due to cyanide poisoning; a four years old child and the parents of Chance Durand are dead. Saint Catherine Parish Sheriff Jude Prejean learns the source is tampered bottled water sold at Marcotte’s market food bar.



The third Secrets of Roux River Bayou (see Dangerous Mercy and False Pretenses) continues to follow the stories of residents through the two prime subplots. The poisoning impacts everyone as the sheriff and police chief investigate, Zoe B’s Cajun Eatery struggles with the impact and the funeral of the toddler attended by many locals and readers. The Sax segue is a warm tale of redemption and forgiveness as he seeks internal peace. Kathy Herman provides a strong, plausible (everyone will check the bottom of their plastics) and exciting inspirational thriller.



Harriet Klausner

Flowertown-S. G. Redling

Flowertown


S. G. Redling

Thomas & Mercer, Jun 19 2012, $14.95

ISBN: 9781612183022



Six years ago, Feno Chemical spilled an experimental lethal pesticide in rural Penn County, Iowa. Many residents of what was then Dalesbrook died and not long afterward the army barricaded the survivors inside a containment zone. Medicine is provided to those quarantined to combat the deadly toxin; the flowery odor of the meds has led to the PennCo Containment Area being derogatorily called Flowertown.



Raging Ellie Cauley is sick of brown water and dwindling supplies. Her best friend Bing believes there is an avarice conspiracy to exploit what is going on in Flowertown, but Ellie is uninterested as she only wants to stay high and make love with her Army sergeant boyfriend Guy. However, she cannot ignore what is happening when people die in a bomb blast and vanish via an underground railroad. Ellie finds evidence that supports Bing’s contention, but is unsure whether Guy is her friend and ally or a mole spying on her and the other quarantined. As she begins to uncover what the outside plans for the Flowertown imprisoned, she remains hesitant as to what she should do even as her rage explodes and she finally takes a stand.



Fans who relish an exciting cautionary conspiracy thriller in which it is nearly impossible to figure out what is going on inside and outside the fence will want to read until S.G. Redling’s first published work. The suspenseful storyline grips the audience starting with the eerie front cover and never loses that hook until the final confrontation. The cast seems plausible as paranoia, self-pity and anger are prime traits of the residents while the premise also works reminding readers of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. Flowertown is a taut tale.



Harriet Klausner

The Family Corleone-Ed Falco

The Family Corleone


Ed Falco

Grand Central, May 8 2012

ISBN: 9780446574624



The Great Depression has left most people ruined. However, one of the most thriving market businesses is fuelled by the Prohibition that has led to crime families making a fortune selling bootlegged liquor. However, the social experiment since the end of WWI has been repealed by 1933. The crime families will compete for control of other illegal activities as their government sponsored great profit maker comes to an end.



In New York, Don Vito Corleone worries about his children’s future. His three youngest kids (Michael, Fredo, and Connie) attend school while his adopted son Tom Hagen goes to college, but alienates lunatic Luca Brasi. However, Vito is upset with his oldest offspring seventeen year old Sonny. He wants Sonny to become a businessman, but his son prefers the old fashioned violent way to affirm he is next in line to run the family business. The Don knows his son is too ragingly violent to head the family though he lectures him to know when to use your heart instead of always your gun or fists. Meanwhile in the boroughs, Corleone’s enemy Giuseppe Mariposa teams up with Emilio Barzini and Phillip Tattaglia to destroy the family.



This is an engaging Godfather entry that takes place when Vito is a relatively young Don with small children and a volatile teen. The key is that the personalities that make up Mario Puzo’s saga remain consistent as for instance Vito uses the Teddy Roosevelt mantra to “speak softly and carry a big stick…” Fans will appreciate Ed Falco’s strong entry, which hopefully leads to more 1930s prequels.



Harriet Klausner

The Other Romanian-Anne Argula

The Other Romanian


Anne Argula

Caravel/Pleasure Boat Studios, Jun 15 2012, $16.00

www.pleasureboatstudio.com

ISBN: 9781929355853



Seattle Police Detective Sergeant Beckman calls the number he finds written on a Copper Gate matchbook cover possessed by a murdered John Doe without any ID. Former Spokane cop turned private investigator Quinn answers the call. The cop asks her to ID the corpse; she does not recognize him nor know how he got her number. At the Copper Gate, Quinn chats with the bartender and receives a text message from Bruno that states: “Stefano must die.” She does not know either man.



Shelly Lavender, wife of missing and presumed dead famous Hollywood screenwriter Alex Krapp, asks Quinn to investigate what happened to her husband who vanished while biking two years ago. She explains an unknown person sent Krapp’s last cassettes to her; she chose Quinn because she knows the sleuth loved Krapp whom she met when he hired her (see KRAPP'S LAST CASSETTE). Quinn listens to the cassettes until a clue leads to a young female biker Krapp met on the road. Soon the missing person’s case, the strange Bruno calls, Beckman’s homicide investigation, and a Hitler 18 Karat bookmark has Quinn wondering whether she should become a full time writer.



Quinn's fourth fabulous mystery (see WALLA WALLA SUITE and HOMICIDE, MY OWN) is an excellent thriller filled with twists that keep readers wondering what next as nothing is quite like it seems. The heroine has a need to know re Krapp though she wishes that wasn’t so while the Bruno scenario just will not go away. With Beckman encouraging her to get involved and help on his case while assisting her with the calls, readers will appreciate Quinn’s adventures as she is caught in the crosshairs by The Other Romanian.



Harriet Klausner

The Bird Saviors-William J. Cobb

The Bird Saviors


William J. Cobb

Unbridled, Jun 12 2012, $25.95

ISBN: 9781609530709



Ruby Cole knows the world has gone wrong when the government pays hunters to kill birds she loves to count. They rationalize the kills on a deadly flu fever blamed on birds, but do nothing about dust storms, fires and deadly felonious activity. Her Colorado no longer has room for a Moon Bird or for that matter her.



Meanwhile her dad “Lord God” the disabled Forsaken Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints preacher gives his daughter Ruby Cole two untenable choices. She must give up her baby Lila or marry Page a man her dad’s age who has two wives because Lord God received a heavenly vision. Deciding to not honor her martinet father, Ruby selects a third option when she decides to run away with Lila. Her seemingly isolated act of defiance turns into a butterfly effect on Widower Ward Costello and other people involved in aviary population and criminal activity.



The Bird Saviors is a fascinating low-key character driven thriller starring a young woman who decides to take a chance on living instead of dying a slow domestic death. The storyline starts slow as the world around Pueblo and the key cast are established during a difficult recession. Once done, chaos theory takes effect as one thing leads to another in a world that seems to have gone mad. Readers will enjoy Ruby’s impact as she becomes a bird savior while searching for a good happy life for her and her baby.



Harriet Klausner