Why Mermaids Sing: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery Review

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(More customer reviews)I enjoyed the first two books in this series and found this one even better than the others. (It's not necessary to read them in order, although it can help with some background elements.)
Sebastian St. Cyr, Lord Devlin, already weary from recent experiences with death and secrets in his past, as well as seeing action as a soldier, is asked by his friend, a magistrate, to aid in what looks like a series of shocking murder-mutilations involving a banker's son and now the son of a lord. When someone threatens him in order to stop him from asking questions, Devlin digs in, determined to solve the mystery and stop the killer.
Woven deftly into the hunt for the killer is Devlin's personal life. In a lighter vein of this relatively grim tale, there is his need for a valet who will understand the ungentlemanly pursuit of murderers and the occasional need for suits of ordinary clothes that will let Devlin move through parts of society closed to the aristocracy. There is also the complications involved in his steadfast love of Kat Boleyn, an actress who refuses to marry him because it would ruin his position in society--and because of her secret past as a spy for the French, something that has been found out by the wrong people who are putting pressure on her. And there is Devlin's uneasy relationship with his father.
These elements never stall the pace of the mystery. Devlin is relentless in his pursuit of answers. The mystery is nicely complex, involving an incident in the past and connections that are not immediately apparent. There is plenty of action, plots, intrigue, red-herrings, curious situations, broken taboos, deadly secrets and desperate moves. The historical details are also there, subtly in the background: the illegal boxing matches, the high society parties and husband-hunting, the press-gangs, the clubs, the gaming hells.
The characters are all interesting and complex. The mystery and action good. The setting enjoyable. It is a perfect historical mystery, as far as I'm concerned. I hope there are many more to come in this series.


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It's September 1811, and someone is killing the wealthy young sons of London's most prominent families. Partially butchered, with strange objects stuffed into their mouths, their bodies are found dumped in public places at dawn. When the grisly remains of Alfred, Lord Stanton's eldest son are discovered in the Old Palace Yard beside the House of Lords, the local magistrate turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help. Ranging from the gritty world of Thames-side docks to the luxurious drawing rooms of Mayfair, Sebastian finds himself confronting his most puzzling--and disturbing--case yet. With the help of his trusted allies--young servant Tom, Irish doctor Paul Gibson, and his lover Kat Boleyn--Sebastian struggles to decipher a cryptic set of clues that link the scion of a banking family to the son of a humble Kentish vicar. For as one killing follows another, Sebastian discovers he is confronting a murderer with both a method and a purpose to his ritualized killings, and that the key to it all may lie in the enigmatic stanzas of a haunting poem...and in a secret so dangerous that men are willing to sacrifice their own children to keep the truth from becoming known.

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Savage Run Review

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(More customer reviews)C. J. Box has more than lived up to his high promise of his debut novel "Open Season," This time out, the writing is more polished, graceful and the plotting is more tightly controlled. I also hereby award the author "The Best First Line Prize of 2002" I was hooked after this: "On the third day of their honeymoon, infamous environmental activist Stewie Woods and his new bride, Annabel Bellotti, were spiking trees in the forest when a cow exploded and blew them up. Until then, their marriage had been happy."
Hard to resist, right?
Joe Pickett is called in as game warden for a sighted "livestock slaughter." At the time, no one knew any humans were involved. This is not the story of golden haired environmentalists vs. evil developers. There is good, bad and sometimes just plain silly on both sides. But Joe gradually becomes aware that some seemingly unconnected deaths of major environmentalists have links with his cow explosion. The action is fast, the violence sudden and graphic and has a gratifying climax. I felt guilty about feeling satisfied, but I just couldn't help it.
The characterizations are extremely sharp. Though Joe has a very low opinion of his abilities, you have to listen how other people judge and estimate him to get a balanced idea of his true worth. Someone compared him to a Jimmy Stewart character and I think the comparison is apt. His wife Marybeth (the consensus is she's a "babe") is anything but a dim presence. She is Joe's other self, and sometimes the wiser one. The author handles the Wyoming scenery and ambiance like a master. You feel as if he has stepped on every foot of ground.
An excellent read, and I await my next meeting with Joe Pickett with pleasure.

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The Moonstone (Oxford World's Classics) Review

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(More customer reviews)As many reviewers have noted, T.S. Eliot called `The Moonstone' "the first and greatest English detective novel." Is the novel worthy of such praise? We shall see...
The story begins with a brief prologue describing how the famous yellow diamond was captured during a military campaign in India by a British officer in 1799. The action moves quickly to 1848 England, where, according to the British officer's will, the diamond has been given to one of the soldier's young relatives, Rachel Verinder. Yet only hours after the diamond arrives at the Verinder estate, it disappears. Was it stolen by a relative? A servant? And who are these three Indian men who keep hanging around the estate?
`The Moonstone' is told from the point of view of several characters. The first portion of the tale is told by Gabriel Betteredge, house steward of the Verinder estate, who has been working for the family practically his entire life. Although over 200 pages, Betteredge's account holds the reader's interest as he introduces the main players and the crime itself. The next account, by distant Verinder relative Miss Clack, is humorous and somewhat important, but far too long (nearly 100 pages) for its relevance to the story. But after Miss Clack's account, things really take off at breakneck speed.
Readers who latch onto the T.S. Eliot quote expecting a modern detective tale will be sorely disappointed. You aren't going to see anything resembling Jeffrey Deaver, James Patterson, Sue Grafton, or even Mary Higgins Clark. You also won't see Mickey Spillane, Dashiel Hammett, or Raymond Chandler. Nor will you see Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, or Martha Grimes. You won't even see Arthur Conan Doyle. But you WILL see the novel that influenced them all.
You'll also see something else. Something that modern mystery/detective writers have for the most part lost. Characters. Oh sure, modern writers have characters, but for the most part, the reader only learns enough about the character to forward the plot. In our time, plot is King. When `The Moonstone' was published (1868), one of the novel's attractions was its characters. Collins has painted each of these characters so well that the reader feels that they know not only how they look, but their mannerisms, their movements, how they think, and their view of the world they live in. That type of character development is seriously lacking today, not from all writers, but from far too many.
Of course, the down side is that Colllins also took over 500 pages to develop those characters. Is the book too long? For most modern readers, the answer is yes. I believe it all has to do with your expectation. Put modern mystery/detective stories out of your head. Then read `The Moonstone' as you would any other novel. Get lost in the atmosphere and the characters. Immerse yourself. Most of all, enjoy. Reading `The Moonstone' is like eating at a fine restaurant after months of fast food. When it's over, you just want to sit back in your favorite chair and say, "It's nice to know that the finer things are still available." Yes they are. Treat yourself to this gourmet book.
522 pages

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The Likeness: A Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)There will be no spoilers in this review.
As in her first novel, In the Woods, Tana French has created another sensuous, lyrical, haunting, suspenseful story. Although it is considered a mystery, it is much much more than that. It is a story of identity in all its literal and metaphorical forms. It is a social commentary (but never sententious) and it is also about fear and flight and love.
Cassie Maddox and Sam O'Neill are detectives from In the Woods. Although Operation Vestal (from In the Woods) is mentioned several times, these books can be read in any sequence without ruining it for the reader. The setting is again Dublin, Ireland.
Cassie is the star attraction of this story as she goes undercover to live with four liberal arts doctoral candidates whose housemate, Lexie Madison, is found dead from a stabbing in an abandoned cottage. Lexie Madison looks exactly like Cassie, and the name is her last undercover alias, which adds to the mystery. The housemates will be told that she survived the stabbing.
It isn't necessary to give too many plot details. What is more important is the response from reading. This is a generous, gorgeous, thoughtful, poetic story. The tone is almost elegiac at times, especially during her descriptive paragraphs, and the author's use of the extended metaphor is prolific and often profound. At the end of the novel, I looked up hawthorn (the tree, flower, bush) on Wikipedia and had a chill run up and down my spine. Her descriptions, turns of phrase, elegant passages and graceful unfolding keep me fastened and fascinated. What I love about Tana French is that her novels are both character-driven AND plot-driven. She does not sacrifice one for the other. With most mysteries, I only read them once. But The Likeness can be read again just for the aesthetics. Also, there is no deus ex machina here. The story is excellently paced with a well-timed delivery of its climax.
Tana French is no lightweight, but she makes the story accessible to anyone who enjoys reading. She has that gift to appeal to a variety of readers-- even readers who look for largely escape mysteries. But this is not escape reading; it is the kind of reading that makes you ponder. It is philosophical and it echoes. It has shadows, swirls, hollows, heart,humanity, tension, suspense, whispers, hawthorn, hawthorn, hawthorn...
I look forward to the third book that Tana French is working on, with Frank Mackey (from The Likeness) as the main protagonist.

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Fever Dream Review

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(More customer reviews)After pre-ordering the book on kindle, I read the book in one sitting. I must say that Preston-Child are showing some love back to Prendergast series after the last couple of mis-haps ( yes, wheel of darkness quite ruined the series for me ). This book gets basic elements right and tells a compelling story set in the heart of American south.
In my humble opinion, there are three sets of Pendergast series. The first three belong to the great series, namely, Relic, Reliquary and Cabinet of curiosities. The second set is the "Diogenes" series ( Brimstone, Dance of death and Book of the dead ), which are quite good reads, but could get repetitive. The third set is purely commercial breaks between solo projects of each authors ( Still life..,Wheel of darkness and recent Cemetery dance ).
This book signals the return to form for the authors. Recurring characters are kept to a minimum and story is fast paced with thriller elements. Sherlockian style is quite visible here more than any other novels. Also the books seems to leave quite loose ends of the story for continuation in another book, but is not quite unwelcome. We would love another great story by the authors.
One nagging doubt for me is if the authors are getting themselves into a corner with Pendergast. Since the last 4-5 books dealt with similar theme around Pendergast's family, the series is getting quite contrite. A change of scenery may be good. Also, the pre-climax action sequence of the book is vaguely familiar to a recent book by one of the authors and if you were reading them back to back, similarities are hard to mess ( leverage the research, is not a bad idea, but might have been too soon ! ).
In summary, Fever Dream is quite worth the wait and signals a renewed comeback for our favorite FBI agent and loyal lieutenant. Go for it !

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Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery) Review

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(More customer reviews)From the publisher: "While Pecan Springs bustles back to life in the warmth of spring, one woman's life is tragically brought to an end. China Bayles happens upon a burning house trailer and hears a woman screaming for help. The evidence leaves no doubt that it's arson homicide. Jessica Nelson, an intern-reporter at the local paper, is assigned to cover the story. But she's gotten herself too deeply involved. When Jessica disappears, China is determined to find her, before she becomes headlines herself."
I'm a fan of the China Bayles mysteries and always enjoy visiting China's herb shop, Thyme & Seasons, in the fictional town of Pecan Springs with its cast of eclectic residents. In this book, I like how Albert develops China as a parent as her stepson Brian gets older and she adjusts to the new challenges of raising her 11-year-old niece, Caitlin, as well as the development of other characters such as that of China's friend Donna as she deals with the return of her irresponsible sister who causes trouble when she returns to the family farm. Another story line introduced is that of the engagement of police chief Sheila Dawson to Sheriff Blackie Blackwell, and their realization that one of them will need to step down from his or her position in order for a marriage to work which will make for an interesting topic in future books.
Overall I did like this book and appreciated that it did hold my interest from beginning to end and left me anticipating the next one in the series.


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Another herbal treat from national bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert. While Pecan Springs bustles back to life in the warmth of spring, one woman's life is tragically brought to an end. China Bayles happens upon a burning house trailer and hears a woman screaming for help. The evidence leaves no doubt that it's arson homicide. Jessica Nelson, an intern-reporter at the local paper, is assigned to cover the story. But she's gotten herself too deeply involved. When Jessica disappears, China is determined to find her, before she becomes headlines herself.

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The Lost Art of Gratitude: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel (Isabel Dalhousie Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)You have to believe that author Alexander McCall Smith has a special fondness for his main character in "The Sunday Philosophy Club" series, Isabel Dalhousie, for he has created for her a seamlessly agreeable life. She is intelligent, well-educated, well-to-do and beautiful. She has a handsome, sensitive and younger fiance, who has fathered her beautiful and well-behaved son. Isabel loves her "job" as a moral philosopher and editor of a scholarly journal and lives in a historic mansion in Edinburgh, a city that fits her like a glove.
So without the frisson and stress, how does "The Lost Art of Gratitude" (and others in the series) grab the reader's attention and hold it? It may well be that the very stresslessness of living is what makes her story so interesting and enjoyable to the reader. You know that nothing terrible will ever really happen to Isabel and to the ones she loves. Who doesn't fantasize about a world where we are surrounded by beauty and intelligence that will never end? Where babies don't ever have to have their diapers changed nor do they ever get colic or throw tantrums. Where your SO, in addition to being beautiful/handsome and talented, respects you and intuitively connects with your every thought and impulse. And is always yin to your yang.
McCall Smith does provide a few gray clouds for his heroine in "The Lost Art..." in the form of a couple of Isabel's old adversaries--Minty Aucterlonie and Christopher Dove, but they have both been vanquished by Isabel in the past, and there is no doubt that she will prevail against them again.
Ultimately, the greatest pleasure from the book for this reader, was the time and space that Isabel Dalhousie is given to ruminate about the human condition and the interactions of people in ordinary day-to-day situations. This isn't peace in the Middle East or the answer to world poverty, but it is important reflection on how we behave toward each other as residents of shared communities. Hypocrisy and greed are two of the main identified enemies for Isabel, but all human folly is grist for her consideration. Respect and charity are always her goals.
McCall Smith's paragon does have interesting flaws--she is overly considerate and reasonable and therefore unable, at times, to correctly read the baser actions of others. These misunderstandings and her occasional outright cluelessness give the story needed zing and interest.
"The Lost Art of Gratitude" is another gentle and sweet installment in a series that you have to hope will hold McCall Smith's interest and enterprise for many years to come.


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The Significant Seven (Jack Doyle Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Significant Seven provides a fine Jack Doyle mystery and is set in 2002, when seven friends get together for horse racing - and hit the jackpot. When their leader convinces them to use some of their largess to buy race horses - where they get lucky again - trouble reaches years later into 2009, when members of the group are being murdered. A fine murder mystery evolves, recommended for any mystery collection!


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The Inner Circle: A Mystery Review

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THE INNER CIRCLE is Mari Jungstedt's third book featuring Inspector Anders Knutas and Johan Berg, the television journalist, on Gotland, an island province of Sweden. A team of archeologists and students are working on the foundations of a Viking settlement from 1000 years ago. They are an intense group, excited about their finds, until one of the group disappears. A short time later her body is found, displayed in a manner that suggests a ritual killing. Soon there are other disappearances and more bodies killed and mutilated in the same manner. As Knutas and his team work to solve the killings, they realize that there is an increasingly strident controversy that places the residents of Gotland at loggerheads with those who want to protect its history and its ancient settlements. Myth and mythology are not buried far in the past; pagan gods and dark practices are not far removed from life in the 21st century. Anyone who has enjoyed the first two books in the series, UNSEEN and UNSPOKEN are likely to enjoy this story as well. Anders, Johan, and many of the characters from the previous books figure in this story as well.

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Death Watch (Detective Shaw Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)I read a load of Mystery books. I prefer the British series mostly l think as l am orginally from London. I wish l could put my finger on what sets some of the best writers apart from others. What l do know that is that you can tell almost instantly that some one has it or doesn't. Jim Kelly has it. His new series (this is the second one. Death wore White is the first), has two very interesting main characters, DI Shaw and DS Valentine. One is the up and coming star the other looking for redeption. I would compare his talent to the like of Elizabeth George and P.D. James. Clear writing and clever plots. I personally prefer to read series books in order so l'd recommend Death Wore White first but both books are complete within themselves. I sure hope this is just the beginning of a long set.

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The Redeemed: A Jenny Cooper Mystery Review

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(More customer reviews)First Sentence: Jenny was drinking cordial by the stream at the end of her overgrown garden, watching a school of tiny brown trout flick this way and that, quick as lightning.
District Coroner Jenny Cooper is asked by Father Lucus Starr to look into the death of Eve Donaldson, an ex-porn star who professed to be born again and became a crusader against pornography and as a spokesperson for the Mission Church of God. When Jenny discovers two other recent deaths also have links to the church, she becomes more determined to find the truth; even though there are those who do everything they can to prevent it. In her personal life, it seems the blank spot in the memory of her childhood may not remain blank much longer. The question is whether Jenny will be able to deal with what she finds there.
There are definite strengths and weaknesses here. For me, Hall's strength is in writing the inquest scenes. A good courtroom scene, with its questioning and working to find the truth through verbal exchange, can be as gripping and exciting as any chase down a dark alley. Hall writes these scenes very well. I also find it fascinating to learn the way in which a British court of inquiry works and its scope of power and responsibility.
The story itself, seemed a bit cliché. The powerful politicians, the obstructive lawyers and even the missing memories which cause Cooper's dependence on anti-anxiety drugs become a bit worn out. Yes, there was a good twist at the end, but it didn't provide the dramatic "ah, ha" moment one would hope as it seemed a bit convenient. I, for one, am please that the character's "dark secret" has finally been revealed. I should love to see that be the end of that and Jenny grow into a stronger character. But that's just me.
Altogether, it is a good read with some very strong moments. I am actually curious to see where the series goes from here, which is a recommendation in itself.
THE REDEEMED (Legal Mys-Coroner Jenny Cooper-UK-Cont) - Good
Hall, M.R. - 3rd of series
Simon and Shuster, ©2011, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9781439157121

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"DAD, WHAT HAPPENED TO COUSIN KATY?" "YOU REMEMBER, SMILER. YOU KILLED HER." JENNY COOPER has a lot on her mind. Under fire from her superiors for exposing a high-level government cover-up of the disappearance of two Muslim youths, she is also haunted by the discovery that she may have been responsible for the death of one of her own family members. Her college-age son, her therapist, and her neighbor and sometimes lover all seem to be turning their backs on her, driving Jenny to increasingly give in to the temptation to escape through alcohol and pills. The discovery of a dead man lying outside a Bristol church with the sign of the cross gouged into his flesh looks to her at first like another grisly suicide. But the unexpected arrival of an enigmatic Jesuit priest reveals deeper levels of mystery. Father Lucas Starr, the chaplain of a nearby prison, has come to plead for Jenny's intercession on behalf of one of his parishioners, who confessed to murdering Eva Donaldson, a former adult movie actress turned world-renowned anti-pornography campaigner. Persuaded by him to look at Eva's death afresh, Jenny un-covers a sinister series of connections between Eva and the body at the church. After another tragic death, Jenny's suspicions turn toward a powerful new global phenomenon: the politically ambitious and intoxicatingly charismatic Mission Church of God. Answering to no one but the dead, Jenny's lone quest for justice takes her to the heart of the fight between good and evil, sex and the supernatural, and on a dark inner journey to confront ghosts that have haunted her for a lifetime.

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Sun and Shadow: An Erik Winter Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm rating this book 5 stars just to bring up the abysmal rating given by the only other reviewer so far; it deserves better. I'm an aficionado of Scandinavian detectives (see my manic list elsewhere). Edwardson's books are as enjoyable as any. "Never End" - the sequel to this book - is maybe richer, but "Sun and Shadow" serves as an excellent introduction to the icy world of Winter & company. The plot evolves in several dimensions and casts its own bleak spell. Connoisseurs of crime fiction won't want to miss it.

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All the Colors of Darkness (Inspector Banks Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)Peter Robinson's books are always worth reading. I've enjoyed all of his Inspector Banks mysteries and was looking forward to number 18. Of course all the major characters are back as are the locations in the fictional Yorkshire Dales towns his fans have come to feel so familiar with. This latest entry in the series takes Inspector Banks back to London for much of the story, and Robinson tries some new subject matter, including a homosexual relationship and international terrorism, neither of which comes off very convincingly.
In All the Colors of Darkness an openly gay theatrical figure is found hanging from a tree, and the body of his mysterious lover is found badly mutilated. Robinson uses and acknowledges plot elements and themes from Ian Fleming's 007 novels, Hitchcock's North By Northwest, and even Shakespeare's Othello (Folger Shakespeare Library). Overall it just seemed a little too over-the-top for my taste. Even more disappointing are a tangential plot about thugs in the East Side Estate and an extraneous Al Qaeda attack.
If you are reader of the series, then you will want to read this one and see what happens to the continuing characters. If you are new to the Banks series, I'd say start at the beginning with Gallows View: The First Inspector Banks Mystery or with a better entry in the series (my personal favorite is still In a Dry Season) or even with his standalone thriller The First Cut: A Novel of Suspense.

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Friends, Lovers, Chocolate: An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery (Isabel Dalhousie Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)Isabel Dalhousie, philosopher and editor of Edinburgh's highly esteemed Review of Applied Ethics, is a single woman in her early forties (of independent means), whose sense of duty and moral obligation to her fellow man keeps her busy pondering what the right thing to do is in almost every aspect of life. These musings cause her to get involved in the lives of others, sometimes finding it necessary later to apologize to one person or another for real or imagined missteps on her part. (One of the more pleasurable aspects in the Sunday Philosophy Club series is the relationship between Isabel and her housekeeper, Grace, with whom she often discusses this or that moral or social issue. In FLC, Grace finally gets Isabel to attend a séance. Quite an accomplishment on her part.)
In this book, Isabel meets Ian (it frustrates Isabel that people often only offer their first names) who has recently had a heart transplant. Ian is having some strange and unnerving experiences, which he attributes to his new heart; and the subject of cellular memory arises. He asks for Isabel's help, and, once again, she's off and running to find the answers to Ian's concerns. In the meantime, an attractive Italian arrives in Edinburgh to pursue Isabel's niece, Cat (she met him at a wedding in Italy). Cat is not interested and tries to get Tomasso and her aunt together.
In addition to her usual escapades, Isabel continues her friendship with handsome young musician, Jamie. Jamie and Cat were once an item. He still loves her, but she has moved on. Isabel battles with her own feelings toward Jamie...feelings that border on love. She finds herself jealous of people or situations that she fears will "take him away" from her.
I greatly admire Alexander McCall Smith's writing talent and what must be a vast store of personal knowledge (he must also do some research in order to impart so many snippets of knowledge along the way). I found myself a little disappointed at the outcome of a couple plotlines in this book, but I also realize that the main thrust of these Sunday Philosopher's Club stories is what goes on in Isabel Dalhousie's mind, the actions she takes as a result, and how her thoughts and actions match up with typical human behavior.
Carolyn Rowe Hill


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Silesian Station Review

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(More customer reviews)"Silesian Station" is a fast-paced account of the Third Reich's march toward all out war in the summer and fall of 1939. Author David Downing's protagonist, John Russell, is an Anglo-American journalist who winds up with a foot in every political camp as he tries to protect his German family from being swept up in the coming onslaught. The plot line in this book is driven forward with an almost breathless narrative that includes many intriguing details of how ordinary Germans were living and coping in the pre-war years of Hitler's Reich.
A lot of first-rate research had to have been done by author Downing to put together the exciting and persuasive story that runs from page one. There are fascinating details about the Silesian border areas where the German invasion of Poland eventually takes place--including credible descriptions of how local Nazi party offiicials dominated social life down to the village level. This inevitably involved the state-sponsored bullying and eventual destruction of Jewish communities and individuals. That persecution and the many other forms of it practiced by the Nazis is threaded carefully throughout this account of espionage and international duplicity by the various governments that employ protagonist Russell in this story.
"Silesian Station" is right up there with the writing of Alan Furst, Philip Kerr and, at times, even William Shirer. An excellent read with few false notes by a gifted writer.

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Mercy Falls (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have enjoyed previous books by this author but this one was a great disappointment.
The story was somewhat slow moving but held my interest and continued to be gripping. I was all set to enjoy the end of a 4 star read. The roll towards the end was exciting.
And then....
The ending was such a rip off. A blatant effort to segue into his next book.
Talk about feeling manipulated!!
Well, I'll pass on that seguel.

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God's Lions: The Secret Chapel Review

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(More customer reviews)I have never read a roller coaster thriller like this before. Well researched and masterfully woven, this novel by John Lyman will glue you to your seat then have you hanging on with your fingernails as you take that unexpected hairpin turn. The struggle between good and evil is not contrived as in many popular thriller novels produced within the past 5-10 years. The manner in which protagonist, Leopold Amodeo (Leo) is presented, leading his band of Lions through the discovery of and confrontation with the antagonist is done with expert craftsmanship. The characters are believeable and vulnerable, not superhuman and all-knowing, which aids in making the novel much more approachable for the reader.
Since I work during the day, I would lay in bed reading at night, grab my husband's arm and with an "oh my gosh..." tell him about the next twist in the plot. From the prologue right though the last chapter this author had my attention. The epilogue left me wishing the book would never end. I can not wait for John's next book to be published!


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