The Hit by David Baldacci

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Judi

David Baldacci’s latest thriller The Hit, featuring Will Robie (The Innocent is the first in this series) is a fast-paced, action packed story with plot twists and surprises at every turn. Robie, a CIA assassin, is asked to hunt down and eliminate a fellow agent Jessica Reel. Reel has killed two CIA employees and it appears she has turned on the US. But are things as they initially appear? As Robie gets more involved in the case, and more mysteries and murders are revealed, he begins to doubt the reasons for the mission he has been assigned. He uncovers a plot that could have far-reaching effects on the world and must race to prevent a global catastrophe, all the while searching for a rogue agent. Complex and compelling characters, conspiracies and an intricate plot make this a fascinating and memorable story.

Suspect by Robert Crais

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Judi

In his new crime thriller, Suspect, Robert Crais introduces two characters who are traumatized and in need of a partner. Scott James is a police detective who was involved in a shoot out that left him severely wounded and his partner dead. Maggie is a German Shepherd and a marine bomb dog who was injured in the line of duty when her handler was killed by a bomber in Afghanistan. They become partners when Scott is accepted into the canine unit of the LAPD. Each comes to rely on the other as they cope with nagging injuries and PTSD and have to learn to trust each other. As Scott goes through the canine unit training, he also is investigating his own shooting and trying to determine who killed his partner. He encounters corruption, greed and murder and he and Maggie must learn to protect each other in order to survive. This is a gripping, fast-paced mystery with well-drawn characters and a complex plot. The connection between Scott and Maggie is touching and their eventual dependence on each other provides a poignant aspect to the story–a tale that grips the reader from the first page! Hopefully there will be more stories about Scott and Maggie as they work together.

Ghostman by Roger Hobbs

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Judi

Ghostman is the first novel for author Roger Hobbs, and he is off to an amazing start! This riveting crime novel takes place in the shadowy underworld of Atlantic City. The main character–sometimes called Jack–is a criminal who lives off the grid, hiding behind disguises, with no one who knows his real identity and with only a few people able to contact him. One of those is Marcus, a man who orchestrates robberies involving millions of dollars. Jack is indebted to Marcus for a bungled robbery several years before, and Marcus asks Jack to go to Atlantic City and recover millions of dollars stolen in another botched robbery of a casino. Jack must contend with a FBI investigation and a local drug lord, and must rely on all of his abilities to survive this case. The Atlantic City story alternates with Jack’s memory of the robbery in Kuala Lumpur that went awry. This is a riveting, fast-paced, gritty novel with a unique, complex main character and a plot filled with twists and turns.

Breaking Point by C.J. Box

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Judi

C. J. Box’s complex and likeable character Joe Pickett returns in this latest novel by Box, Breaking Point. Pickett is a Wyoming Game warden, responsible for a huge area in the state, a job which regularly takes him away from his family and places him in danger often, but is a job that he loves as well. In this latest addition to the series, Pickett becomes involved in a dispute between a landowner and the EPA, which escalates into a manhunt, wild fire and government interference in local responsibilities. Box has written another fast-paced thriller, with perfect character development and a sense of place and community in and around the small town of Saddlestring, Wyoming. Joe Pickett is a character we come to care about in this series–an honest family man trying to do a responsible and fair job for his family, for his community and as a game warden and often finding himself in the middle of situations that he neither wants to be involved in or that he has created. Start this award-winning mystery series at the beginning with Open Season.

The Survivor by Greg Hurwitz

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Judi

If you are looking for non-stop action and a riveting story line, try The Survivor by Greg Hurwitz. In this fast-paced novel, we meet Nate Overbay–an Iraq war veteran, distanced from his wife and daughter, suffering from PTSD and newly diagnosed with ALS. Seeing no reason to continue living, Nate goes to the ledge of a building to step off to his death (thoughtfully arranging to land in a dumpster so that no one is forced to clean up his remains) when, through a window behind him, he hears gunshots being fired. He sees masked robbers shooting customers and bank employees and when the criminals have their backs to him, he sneaks through the window and becomes a hero, killing 5 of the gunmen as a 6th man escapes. The media hails his heroic actions but Nate is concerned about a comment that the 6th man said to him as he ran out–that Nate would be made to “suffer in ways he never imagined” for his interference. Nate and his family are then hunted by a Ukrainian mobster, whose henchmen have no qualms about committing horrific crimes and killing in cold blood to get to Nate. The plot twists and the action keep the reader glued to the pages–this is a wonderfully written thriller. The character development make this more than just an action-packed story–characters are well-developed and the relationships between Nate, his wife and daughter are believable and touching. Nate has everything to lose and is faced with difficult choices in order to save the lives of his family. Poignant, funny at times, suspenseful and terrifying, this is a thriller you won’t want to put down.

The Forgotten by David Baldacci

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Judi

forgotten-david-baldacci-paperback-cover-art Special Agent John Puller, Army CID, uses his R and R time to travel to Paradise, Florida after receiving a letter from his elderly aunt, in which she hints of mysterious happenings at night and people not being what they seem. He arrives to find her deceased–is it murder? The local police believe it is an accident, but Puller begins his own investigation. As the story unfolds, Puller uncovers layers of crime, deception and murder beneath the beautiful surface of the tourist town. Discovering a conspiracy that involves human trafficking and slavery, Puller races to save the prisoners as well as himself. Puller is a strong character–brave, smart and brash–the ideal hero who has a strong sense of right and wrong. The Forgotten is a fast-paced, intense, exciting thriller that keeps the reader guessing–characters are not what they appear and plot twists and turns add to the suspense. Baldacci has written another riveting action-filled novel! The first novel by Baldacci featuring the character John Puller is Zero Day.

Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Judi

After his father’s accidental death, Ray Kilbride returns for the funeral and to care for his brother Thomas, mentally ill and with an obsession for maps. Thomas spends all of his time using a map program that allows him to explore the world from his computer. A savant, he is able to memorize each city and its streets, and believes he is working for the CIA to create maps in his memory for use in some future catastrophe. In his exploration of New York City, Thomas sees an image in a window that appears to be a murder. Unwilling to leave home, he asks Ray to investigate the image. Ray and Thomas uncover a deadly conspiracy and must run for their lives. Trust Your Eyes is a fast-paced thriller with non-stop action, plot twists and turns, likeable and unique main characters and lots of suspense–this is a story that will keep you glued to the pages until the end!

Cold Days by Jim Butcher

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Emilyn

I was turned onto the Dresden Files series about six or seven years ago now. Over the course of the series, Harry Dresden has been battered, burned and nearly killed so many times I’ve lost count. He’s made enemies and friends, and he’s gained knowledge and strength. Jim Butcher now has so many balls in the air with this series that even those of us who have read many of the books multiple times still have trouble recalling everything that’s happened.

In Cold Days, Harry finds himself in yet another predicament. He accepted the position of Winter Knight from the Queen of the Winter Court, Mab, because he needed the strength the position provides in Changes in a confrontation with a court of vampires. For his first task, Mab tells Harry he must kill an immortal. Harry has to gather up all his old friends to figure out why he needs to kill an immortal, how he’s going to accomplish it and where this fits in the bigger picture of everything that’s gone wrong in the world in the past books in the series.

This is not a series where a person can jump in and out. It really needs to be read in order, so if you’re interested, pick up Storm Front the next time you’re in the library.

And if you’re waiting for Cold Days or are finished and now awaiting the next Dresden Files book, try The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne.

The Last Plea Bargain by Randy Singer

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Mary

If you are looking for a great legal thriller try Randy Singer’s books. I found that The Last Plea Bargain rivaled any John Grisham book for intriguing plot and interesting characters. High profile courtroom drama is just a part of the excitement of this book. Written by a veteran trial attorney, who is also a part time pastor, Singer brings elements of faith into the story but is not preachy. Jamie Brock has never recovered from the heartache of losing her mother to a murderer 12 years ago. She is waiting anxiously for Antoine Marshall to pay the penalty for this heinous crime. As an assistant DA, Jamie is also deeply involved in prosecuting a powerful attorney whom she believes murdered his wife. As this jailed attorney is waiting for bail many of the other jailed criminals are sabotaging the legal system by not accepting plea bargains and the legal system is becoming overwhelmed with criminals. Who is behind this and why? The Last Plea Bargain won’t disappoint.

Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Judi

This fast-paced and suspense-filled novel begins with an archaeological expedition to a remote area of the Amazon. Artifacts from the Kothga culture are discovered, including a representation of the evil god Mbwun–a half-man, half-reptile creature, and all are crated and shipped to the New York Museum of Natural History. But no one from the expedition lives to tell about their discoveries. Years later, the museum is set to unveil a new exhibit “Superstition”, which includes artifacts from many cultures that represent evil and superstition, including the Mbwun statue. Problems begin at the museum when gristly murders begin taking place. FBI Agent Pendergast and graduate student Margo Green each have theories about the deaths, but are ignored by museum directors. Then on the night of the exhibit opening, terror spreads through the museum. Relic is a gripping page-turner as the heroes are forced to explore remote and dark tunnels underneath the museum and as others battle to escape the monster roaming freely through the museum.

Relic is also the first book in a series of thrillers by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child that revolves around the Sherlock Holmes-like character of FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast. Next in the series is Reliquary.

Low Pressure by Sandra Brown

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Judi

Sandra Brown has created another fast-paced, convincing suspense novel with her latest title Low Pressure. Bellamy Price was 12 years old when, during a picnic, a tornado struck and after the storm cleared, the body of her murdered older sister was discovered. Haunted to her adulthood by her flawed memories of the event , Bellamy has written a novel based on the circumstances around her sister’s murder, in the hopes of finding closure for the incident. Denton Carter was her sister’s boyfriend at the time of the murder and was a suspect at the time. Years later, he is a pilot, and he and Bellamy are brought together and work together to find the truth about the murder and who is the real killer.The story is filled with lots of twists and turns,and Bellamy and Denton must race to find answers before the killer stalking them can catch up. Filled with romance, great characters and lots of suspense, the plot will keep you guessing about the killer until the very end–an exciting suspense novel !!

Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Judi

Having recovered from a serious childhood illness , Olivia Mackenzie is determined to live the rest of her life with her 3 close friends, also survivors of illness, as her only relationships. Her goal is to see her father, who is running a ponzi scheme, put in jail. Olivia unwittingly becomes involved in an FBI sting operation, where she meets agent Grayson Kincaid. After attempts on her life and despite her objections, Kincaid takes on the job of protecting Olivia. Several suspects could be the assailant, and the plot twists and turns lead the reader from one suspect to another. Sweet Talk is a blend of complicated mystery and a satisfying romance, with likeable, complicated, strong characters and a fast-paced plot.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Emilyn

Celaena Sardothien was betrayed by someone close to her, and as the best assassin in Adarlan, she was sentenced to hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier, as good as a death sentence, after being caught. When the crown prince offers her a way out of the salt mines in exchange for being his candidate for champion to the king, she has no choice but to accept or remain in the mines to die. The only possible outcomes: win or return to the mines. The crown prince, Dorian, and his captain of the guards and best friend, Chaol, get to know Celaena. She is a complicated young woman as a very talented assassin, someone who loves beautiful things, an avid reader, and a young person who still sees the world with optimism rather than being jaded by her deadly profession. Throne of Glass is more than just a love story, this complex novel is filled with intrigue, complicated characters, and a bit of magic.

If you enjoyed the intricate plotting, action, and strong female characters of Graceling or The Hunger Games, you’ll enjoy this book.

Game of Thrones

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Judi

Based on the first book–Game of Thrones– in George R.R. Martin’s fantasy saga A Song of Fire and Ice, the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones is an epic story of violence, war, family, treachery and murder. Filled with scheming families, mysterious lands and intrigue at court in the mythical land of Westeros, HBO has created a sweeping fantasy series. The plot is intricate but the DVD set is accompanied by extras that include descriptions of family relationships, the Seven Kingdoms, maps and other information to assist viewers who have not read the book series. Visually stunning and filled with atmosphere, the film sets are detailed and costumes are lavish, with actors that bring the huge cast of characters vividly to life. The series has won many awards, including Golden Globe and Emmy Awards for Best Television series. Watch the series then read the books while you wait for the DVD set of Season 2 to be released. * Explicit sex and violence make this a series for mature audiences.*

Ransom River by Meg Gardiner

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Judi

Rory Mackenzie has returned home to Ransom River and is serving on a jury when two gunmen enter the courtroom and hold the jury, judge and spectators hostage, with a siege that begins a long, nightmarish ordeal for Rory. She is singled out by the gunmen and later accused by police of being an accomplice in their crime. Surrounded by a dysfunctional family and unsure of whom to trust, Rory must race to uncover the reasons for the courtroom violence and to discover why she has been made the target of attacks. Edgar Award-winning author Gardiner has created a taut, complex, fast-paced novel filled with action and suspense–one that will keep you guessing until the end.

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