In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child - Kim Cross

In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child - Kim Cross

Publication Date:  Oct. 3, 2023

She read

 This is the true crime story of the kidnapping and murder of twelve year old Polly Klass in Petaluma, CA. A stranger broke into Polly’s house while she was having two friends visit on a sleepover and took her at knifepoint. This book is being published as we approach the thirtieth anniversary of the disappearance of the girl who became known as “America’s Child” during the 65 day search for her.  

This read like a thriller, albeit one with a lot of information on the background of agents, technicians, and techniques used both in this case and in other infamous and not so famous cases. Despite a lot of material, the narrative flowed, making this a fast, engrossing, and heartbreaking read. Cross treated all of those involved with respect and empathy; emphasis here was on the victim(s) and the investigators rather than the perpetrator.  As the daughter-in-law of Case Agent Eddie Freyer, Cross had unique access to personnel, interviews, transcripts, and other documents that allowed for impeccable research. 

This was a significant case influencing the future of investigations into childhood abductions, using and refining new technology, as well as learning from things that worked and things that could be improved upon. The Polly Klass case is still taught in classes around the world and lessons learned have helped in finding many missing children. It has also helped strengthen the methods used in other criminal investigations. Technology that we take for granted today, such as digitally transmitting a missing person flyer far and wide was first used to try to find Polly.  Another contribution from this tragedy was the founding of the Polly Klass Foundation and the KlassKids Foundation, still in existence today and helping in finding missing children and preventing crimes against children. 

For those who enjoy true crime books, this is an excellent read.  

Thanks to #Netgalley and @grandcentralpub for the ARC.

*****

Wrecker - Carl Hiaasen

 Wrecker - Carl Hiaasen

Publication Date:  September 26, 2023

She read

This is one of Hiaasen’s middle grade/young adult books; I will read anything by this author.    I am way past “young adult”, yet I think this may be my favorite of his books. Maybe it was the Key West setting (one of our beloved places to get away to for a few days), or the iguana droppings I am constantly cleaning off our dock, or Hiiaasen’s ever present environmental messages, or the history infused into the story, but I thoroughly enjoyed this read.  

Set during the time of Covid, it features fifteen year old Valdez Jones VII, nicknamed “Wrecker” because he is the eighth generation descendent of a 19th century diver who sought salvage from sunken ships.  When he and his friend, Mimi, discover criminal activity in Key West, he gets involuntarily involved with it.  Together, they save themselves and help put some crooks behind bars. 

This is a fun adventure story interspersed with interesting history and, of course, environmental concerns. Sometimes Hiaasen’s writing can be a bit over the top, but I thought this one wasn’t at all.  Some non Floridans may think it a bit crazy at times, but believe me as a south Floridian, it’s all feasible. 

Although I am familiar with Key West and have roamed through the cemetery there, I learned quite a bit from this book, especially about the early non tolerance and pervasive presence of the Ku Klux Klan in this laid back community.  I also wasn’t aware, touched on in this story and through further research on my own,  that because the water was so much cleaner during the Covid cruise ship ban, sixty two percent of the voters supported a local referendum to restrict the size and capacity of cruisers that visit its ports.  The Florida Senate, in 2021, passed a bill that voided the referendum and it was signed by the governor.  So much for the will of the people.

I’d love to see a series featuring these two beguiling teenagers.  

*****

Dead on Target - M.C. Beaton; R.W. Green

 Dead on Target - M.C. Beaton; R.W. Green

Publication Date:  September 19, 2023

She read

This is the 34th in the series;  it is the first I have read. I think it worked well as a stand alone. The creator aof the Agatha Raisin series, M .C. Beaton has passed away but the baton of continuing the series has been taken up by R.W. Green who was a friend of and collaborator with Beaton. 

In this installment, Agatha, attending a town fair,  discovers the body of a local landowner who only moments earlier had told her he wanted to discuss something with her.  Was it an accident as the result of an archery exhibition that was part of the fair or was it murder?  Her nemesis, DCI Wilkes, wants to charge Agatha with the crime.  Of course, despite being warned away by Wilkes, Agatha investigates. There are a a number of suspects with nefarious motives.  There is also romance for Agatha, but with which one of her suitors?  

Agatha is quite the character….middle aged, competent, humorous, straightforward, and quite vain! The story was an entertaining, engrossing, fast read.  I enjoyed meeting the various colorful characters who inhabit the Cotswolds town of Carsley

There are many Agatha Raisin fans out there.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries with characters who are a force to be reckoned with and haven’t met her yet, I suggest you do. 

Thanks to @Netgalley and @Stmartinspress @minotaur_books for the ARC.

The Doctor's Widow - Daniel Hurst

 The Doctor's Widow - Daniel Hurst

Publication Date:  Aug. 23, 2023

She read

This is Book #2 in The Doctor’s Wife series.  In the first book, Fern murdered her cheating husband, Dr. Drew Devlin and framed his lover, Alice,  for the crime.  Having enlisted Alice’s husband to help her, she also killed him, making it look like a suicide.  Now she is happily spending Drew’s very large life insurance policy money and a new man has entered her life.  But, is he truly who he says he is?  Or will he be her downfall?

I enjoyed the first book in this series; I thought it clever and entertaining.   This one, a true sequel, not as much. I did like the chapters written from alternating POVs, learning the inner thoughts of all the main characters.  While Fern wasn’t all that likable in the prior story, she was presented as even shallower and more one dimensional in this one.  Some of the motivations of the characters were a bit incredulous.  Despite this, I couldn’t put the book down.  The ending set up a third installment in this series.  I’m not sure I care enough to pick it up unless there is a really original plot twist…which is what I am hoping for!  

Thanks to #netgalley and #bookouture for the ARC. 

One Last Kill - Robert Dugoni

 One Last Kill - Robert Dugoni

Publication Date:  Oct. 6, 2023

She read

When a local newspaper is about to print a series of stories about the 25 year old unsolved Route 99 murders, Seattle Chief of Police wants to solve the case before the department is embarrassed.  That task is given to one woman cold case Detective Tracy Crosswhite. Assigned to help her is her nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco. As she feared, the publicity given to the murders results in a new killing by the long dormant perpetrator. As she follows the clues, they lead back to the department as well as City Hall.   

I have a few go- to can’t miss series that I follow and one of them features prolific writer Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite. This is the tenth book in the series.  It is also the third of a trilogy within that series.  However, it reads well as a standalone. There is one problem with this series…whenever a new one is available, everything else in my life stops as I compulsively read it from cover to cover.

Well plotted, with great characterizations, twists, turns, red herrings, and a dual timeline, this is yet another worthy addition to the series.  References to real life cases such as the Green River killer and Ted Bundy added authenticity to this fictional investigation. Although I thought it fairly easy to guess the killer’s identity at one point in the book, that did not take away from my enjoyment of it. Some may find the ending frustrating, other will find it quite realistic. For those who enjoy mysteries, crime thrillers, or police procedurals, especially those featuring a strong, capable female, I highly recommend this book and all the ones that came before it.  I can’t wait for the next one. If you are not familiar with Robert Dugoni’s works, do acquaint become acquainted with them.

Thanks to #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for the ARC. 

*****

Murder in an Italian Village - Michael Falco

 Murder in an Italian Village - Michael Falco

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

She read

Bria and Carlo moved to Positano to open a B and B.  When Carlo is killed in a plane crash, Bria is left alone with her young son, Marco and dog, Bravo, to realize the dream.  Just before the grand opening, Bria discovers a dead body in one of the bedrooms.  Although the local police, led by the handsome Luca are handling the case, Bria takes it upon herself to run her own investigation which puts her intimidating, wealthy mother-in-law under suspicion. 

I enjoy cozy mysteries set in Italy.  Instead of the UK version where you have tea and biscuits, here you have really good coffee and treats like biscotti along with colorful, charming, and amusing characters.  Falco captured well the beauty of the Amalfi coast as well as the local society and culture.  I liked the use of Italian phrases.  Some were translated within the story, as well as a dictionary provided at the end of the book. The writing a  bit slow and wordy at times, yet it was a good beginning of what is to be a new series.  I look forward to the next one.

Since I chose this book based on its setting, just a personal note…..Falco adds some after thoughts about the beauty of the Amalfi coast and what he says is true.  Long after a visit there, it will remain with you.  We spent two weeks in nearby Atrani once in an apartment with a balcony that jutted out over the sea.  That trip and the allure of the area will be with me forever.  I loved going back for a visit via this book.  

Thanks to #netgalley and #KensingtonBooks and #KensingtonCozies for the ARC.

Wandering Through Life - Donna Leon

 Wandering Through Life - Donna Leon

Publication Date: September 19, 2023

She read; he will read

I do not typically read memoirs.  However, I LOVE Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti police procedurals/mysteries set in Venice.  I have read all thirty two of them. Naturally, I just had to read her memoir. 

Written in her 80th year, and told through a series of vignettes, Leon recalls her very colorful history in the United States, teaching in Iran, China, and Saudi Arabia, and settling in Italy.  A short book, I’m not going to try to detail the various accounts as I couldn’t possibly do them justice. Just know that she writes with humor and warmth about her quirky family (aren’t they all?), friends, and life in her adopted countries.  

As in her novels, there are wonderful characterizations and sharp observations of life that are right on target. 

Even if you have never read any of her books, you may well enjoy these slices of Leon’s life, specific to her, but also many that can be generalized to others. 

On a personal level, I was particularly amused by the letter she has had to write for the Questura in Venice to hand to visitors who stop there wanting to see Brunetti and his colorful associates.  I have to admit that the last time I was in Venice I spent an afternoon on my own Brunetti tour, visiting  places that were scenes in the various novels and some of his favorite haunts.  I didn’t invade the Questura, but stood on a nearby bridge for photos and, of course, stopped for a coffee and tramezzini.  

Thanks to #netgalley and #groveatlantic #atlanticmonthlypress for the ARC.

*****

Perfectly Nice Neighbors - Kia Abdullah

 Perfectly Nice Neighbors - Kia Abdullah

Publication Date: September 12, 2023

She read

The Khatun family moves to Bleinheim in search of a better neighborhood for their teenage son, Zain.  When Salma observes her neighbor, Tom, removing an anti-racist banner placed outside by Zain, she places it in her window.  The next morning, the window has been painted over.  From there, the tensions between neighbors escalates with dangerous, life-altering implications.  

This is a well written exploration of prejudice, intolerance, the dangers of social media, the need for revenge. There are so many themes relevant for our times. 

Composed of three parts, I found the first part to be very unsettling due to the oft time crazed behaviors of the adults.  I enjoyed Part 2 the most and I think that Part 3 will be a catalyst for much contemplation among readers of this book.  I think this would be a good choice for a book club and quite revealing in the discussions that would ensue.  

Thanks to #netgalley #peguingroup #putnam #GPPutnamsons for the ARC.

****

The Upside-Down Book of Sloths -Elizabeth Shreeve, Illustrated by Isabella Grott

 The Upside-Down Book of Sloths -Elizabeth Shreeve, Illustrated by Isabella Grott

Publication Date:  September 5, 2023

She read

What is it about sloths that makes them so adorable? I was enchanted by them when we visited Costa Rica; when I saw this offering on Netgalley, I couldn’t resist it.  

This is a beautifully illustrated book that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about sloths.  They have inhabited the Americas for 40 million years and the narrative switches back and forth between sloths of today and those of prehistoric times.  It is fascinating to learn about their size, habitat, habits, how they survive. It surprised me to learn that they once had a presence in what is now the United States and there are some that were aquatic!  I loved their physical comparison to a baked potato!

I think this would work best for families to read together or for middle grade students.

Thanks to #netgalley and #WWNorton and #nortonyoungreaders for the ARC.

*****

The Long Call - Ann Cleeves

 The Long Call - Ann Cleeves

She read

This is the first in the Two Rivers series. I have wanted to read this book for almost two years…ever since I read the second in the series.  Unfortunately, I got to read the third one before finally going back and reading this one.  However, I think all three of them work well as stand alones.  

The Long Call introduces Detective Matthew Venn and his associates, Constable Ross May and DS Jen Rafferty.  When a dead body is discovered on the beach, Matthew finds that the case is associated with the community center run by his husband, Jonathan and also may be tied to the religious group his family belonged to but from whom he has been ostracized.  

I enjoyed this introduction to the characters I know well from the other two books in the series.  All three of these books are well written, with strong character development.  Cleeves will have you guessing throughout.   Stressing characters and plot rather than action, this is another engrossing read that I didn’t want to put down. 

If you are not familiar with this series, you might recognize Cleeves’ name from her very successful Vera and Shetland books and TV series.  If you like methodical, introspective, well plotted and characterized police procedurals, seek her out. 

Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks for the ARC, even if I did read it long after it was published!

****

Reykjavík: A Crime Story - Ragnar Jónasson; Katrín Jakobsdóttir

 Reykjavík: A Crime Story - Ragnar Jónasson; Katrín Jakobsdóttir

Publication Date: September 5, 2023

She read

In 1956, fourteen year old Lara gave up her summer job on the island of Videy, Iceland and disappeared.  The couple for whom she worked was well connected politically, as well as having some high powered friends.   The detective investigating her disappearance was dissuaded from pursuing the case as he would have liked.  That haunted him until, on the 30th anniversary of her disappearance, an inquisitive reporter is given a clue and initiates his own dangerous investigation.  

In this story, the reader is brought back to the 1980s, the 200th anniversary of Reykjavik and a time before cell phones and internet searches. It is a slow burn; don’t look for fast paced action.  Yet, I couldn’t put it down, wanting to find out the solution.  I do enjoy Nordic noir and this is a nice addition to that body of literature.   

The authors kindly provided a cast of characters in the beginning and a pronunciation guide at the end for all the Icelandic names. I wish I had reviewed the pronunciation guide before reading the book as I realized some of the inflections I used were totally wrong!

Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks for the ARC.

*****

The Raging Storm - Ann Cleeves

 The Raging Storm - Ann Cleeves

Publication Date: Sept. 5, 2023

She read

This is the third in the Two Rivers series.  I read the second one; the first is on my TBR.  This would work well as a standalone.

Jem Rosco, a celebrity in his own right due to his having sailed around the world, returns to Greystone, having rented a local cottage.  Nightly, he tells people in the local pub he is waiting for a visit from someone.  It is autumn, and the weather is unsettled, with frequent storms and dangerous winds.  When Jem’s body is discovered in a dinghy in Scully’s Cove, people wonder about the ominous legend of that location.  DI Matthew Venn, who visited Greystoke as a child,  and his team travel there to investigate, uncovering Jem’s history and secrets of the locals.  When storms isolate the town and another body is found, the danger heightens.   And, what about that religious cult, The Brethren?  Do they have something to do with the murders or are they a red herring?

Well written, with strong character development, Cleeves will have you guessing throughout.  Stressing characters and plot rather than action, this is an engrossing read that I didn’t want to put down. It is atmospheric and a bit claustrophobic due to the small, rather closed community and the constraints of the weather.  

If you are not familiar with this series, you might recognize Cleeves name from her very successful Vera and Shetland books and TV series.  If you like methodical, introspective, well plotted and characterized police procedurals, seek her out.  

Thanks to #netgalley and #Stmartinspress #minotaur for the ARC.

*****

Scenes of the Crime - Jilly Gagnon

 Scenes of the Crime - Jilly Gagnon

Publication Date: September 5, 2023

She read

Fifteen years ago, five friends, Vanessa, Emily, Brittany, Paige, and Lydia,  spent a weekend at Brittany’s family’s  winery on the Oregon coast.  After a wine infused evening, Vanessa disappeared.  Emily always wondered if she had something to do with that disappearance.  When she thinks she sees Vanessa at a local coffee shop, she calls together the other three women for a weekend reunion at the winery to try to figure out just what happened.  Oh, and since she is a writer for television, she is also working on a screenplay about the incident.  

If I had not made a commitment to never have a DNF, this may well have been one for me. I always like to give a book a chance and sometimes am pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, this just didn’t capture my interest and I frequently found myself skimming.  Weaving a script for a screenplay into the story is a clever device, but, somehow, it just didn’t work. It also made it difficult to distinguish between what really happened and what Emily was making up.   It took about half the book for secrets to begin to be revealed.  All of the women were quite unpleasant characters. I certainly wouldn’t want to spend a weekend with any of them and it was difficult to believe that they were supposed to be such good friends at one time.  

There will be an audience for this book; I just wasn’t it. 

Thanks to #netgalley and #Randomhouse #ballantine #Bantam for the arc

**

Malibu Burning - Lee Goldberg

 Malibu Burning - Lee Goldberg

Publication Date:  Sept. 1, 2023

She read

Lee Goldberg has written more than 40 novels. I have read only about half a dozen, but really like his Eve Ronin series which is why I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of what is to become a new series featuring arson investigators Walker and Sharpe. Rather than trying to summarize the story, suffice it to say that it involves a clever con artist who is too good hearted for his own good, raging fires caused by arson, retribution, a bit of Robin Hood mentality, and the afore mentioned two investigators.  Walker, a former US Marshall, is newly teamed with Sharpe, whose nickname is Shar-pei, one of the reasons being his uncanny resemblance to that breed of dog.   Both Walker and Sharpe are unique characters, a bit unconventional, but full of wit and intelligence.   

Despite the plot being a bit over the top, it is a good story.  Some of the dialog in the beginning is a bit cheesy, but it is a fun read, with a measure of humor and vivid descriptions.   I would liken it to a popcorn movie….a fast moving nailbiter to read purely for entertainment….and you just may learn something about fires and firefighting.   Get in on this series from the beginning!

Thanks to #netgalley and #thomas&Mercer for the ARC.

*****

The Hike - Lucy Clarke

 The Hike - Lucy Clarke

Publication Date: Aug. 29, 2023

Liz, Maggie, Helena and Joni are life lifelong friends. Once a year they go on a trip together.  This year, Liz has chosen a dangerous mountainous hike in Norway. None of the women are seasoned trekkers and have no idea what is in store for them.  Before they even start out, they learn of a young woman who disappeared on the trail a year ago….a bad omen. Is there a killer out there?  Why does Liz ignore the warning about an impending storm? What secrets are they hiding from each other?

Told in multiple POVs and two timelines, this is atmospheric and, despite being set in the open air, claustrophobic. It took about half the book for me to really engage with it.  Once the suspense started building, I kept reading “just one more chapter.”  There are some excellent observations of life and marriage expressed.  Some may find the plot predictable.  

Thanks to #netgalley and #penquingroup #GPPutnumsons for the ARC

***

Still Life - Louise Penny

 Still Life - Louise Penny

She read

I don’t know why I put Louise Penny’s books off for so long, but I did.  Fortunately, I have a friend who likes her writing and she started me off with the first book (there are 18!) in the Armand Gamache series.  I don’t know if I would have been disciplined enough to start with book #1 if she had not lent it to me.

Still Life introduces Gamache, his associates, and the small town of Three Pines.  Gamache, from the Surete du Quebec is called to Three Pines when a body of a beloved resident is found dead in the woods.  Could her painting, recently accepted for a local exhibition,  be a clue?

Usually I devour a book; this one I limited to only a certain number of pages a day so I could savor it. It is well written, with strong characters who are interesting and unique.  Yes, it is a bit of a slow burn, but that gives the reader time to become well acquainted with the local residents as well as the police inspectors. Gamache is someone I’m glad I met and cannot wait to read more of this series. 

*****

After That Night - Karin Slaughter

 After That Night - Karin Slaughter

Publication Date: August 22, 2023

She read

Fifteen years ago, now medical examiner Sara Linton was savagely raped, an act that changed her life forever.  

Now, while on call in the ER, she tries to save the life of another young woman also a victim of a brutal attack.  The woman’s dying plea is to find her attacker. Engaged to Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Will Trent, she enlists his and his partner’s assistance in investigating.  In an unnerving reveal, Sara discovers a relationship to her own case and  this leads to exposing a “club” of wealthy doctors who systematically plan the ruthless violation of young women. 

This is a tautly plotted, dark thriller that explores an uncomfortable world of brutality and mysogyny.     Slaughter pulls no punches with her language or descriptions of an uncomfortable topic.   Along with this, she   also displays a good sense of humor.  The story is a tad long, but thoroughly engrossing.  

This is the eleventh in the Will Trent series. I cannot believe it is the first one I have read! It worked well as a standalone, although I liked the protagonists so much, I would like to go back and read more of their history. 

There are quite a few trigger warnings in this book including fairly graphic rape scenes and blatant, brutal treatment of women. Yet, there is the very tender and nurturing relationship between Sara and Will. 

*****

Thanks to #netgalley and #williammorrow for the ARC