Evil Intent - Jane Isaac

 Evil Intent - Jane Isaac

She read

This is the fourth in the DCI Helen Lavery series; it is the second I have read and enjoyed. Although part of a series, I think Evil Intent would be fine as a standalone.

In this case, a series of dead bodies of young women with a pentagram carved into their chests is investigated by Helen’s team.  In addition, the half brother of a notorious criminal who was the nemesis of both Helen and, before that, her father, has turned up in town and his son has become a close friend of her son’s.  

This is not only a solid police procedural, but it also focuses on the affects of violence on victim’s families, as well as the impact of policing on an officer’s family.   It moves along at a good pace and I did not want to put it down! 

Helen is a strong, confident female character.  I’ve read too many authors with female leads who have flaws in the their personality make up. Helen is an emotionally mature individual and I look forward to reading the next in this series. Are changes coming?  As the story ends, Helen, who is Acting Detective Superintendent is about to say goodbye to her Assistant Chief Constable who has taken a job with another department.  

*****

Black Cake - Charmaine Wilkerson

 Black Cake - Charmaine Wilkerson

She read

This is a sweeping, multi generational, multi emotionally layered novel.

Beautifully written, I liked unique way of unveiling the story, with their deceased mother leaving a lengthy recording that disclosed years of family secrets. There is so much here; family relationships and regrets, Caribbean culture and diaspora, colonialism,  racism. 

The time frame shifted between then and now, but it was never confusing.

There were a number of characters, some of them with multiple names, but, again, never confusing as all was eventually revealed.   

*****

The Verifiers - Jane Pek

 The Verifiers  - Jane Pek

She read

Publication Date: Feb. 22, 2022

This is a very contemporary story with what I would call “snappy” writing to go along with it.  For me, the mystery was less a focus of the book than the family relationships, cultural stereotypes,  and learning a bit about the internet dating industry and the negatives encountered in our online world (algorithms bots, data mining etc).  Pek has a good sense of humor and although I thought it did drag a bit around the half way point, it was an easy,  enjoyable read. I also thought it a bit of a stretch that Claudia’s two siblings’ work was so closely related to the companies with which she was involved.   

I wonder if this is the beginning of a series?  I would enjoy reading more stories with these characters. 

****

Groundskeeping - Lee Cole

 Groundskeeping - Lee Cole

He and she read

Publication Date:  March 1, 2022

Some describe this as a love story.  Yes, there is a romantic relationship around which the story develops.  But, it is so much more.  Well written, this is an engrossing story, with good insight into the the different Americas that have been ripped apart by the politics of our times.  Through Owen, Cole captures the culture of hard scrabble rural life while also, through Alma,  addressing the horror of escaping religious persecution and war and immigrants building the American dream. Along with this, we have a delayed coming of age novel!   His observations are poignant, real, complex.   What a stunning debut for this author!

I wasn’t thrilled with the writing style; but the story won me over. There were no quotation marks; it felt like I was reading stream of consciousness.

Spoiler alert:  The ending is a bit ambiguous and some might be disappointed with it.  But, if you look at this novel as slice of life, and we have just been give a small taste of it, it kind of fits.

*****

He really liked this book also

Wish You Were Gone - Kieran Scott

 Wish You Were Gone - Kieran Scott

She read

Publication Date: Feb. 22

James Walsh has become a terrible husband.  He is an alcoholic and verbally, borderline physically, abusive to his wife and children.  Emma has had it and is preparing to serve him with divorce papers when he returns home one night, crashes his car through the garage wall and dies.  Something doesn’t sit right with Emma about the accident.  As she investigates James’ life, she learns more and more secrets and shares her concerns with her two best friends who, despite their love for Emma, openly dislike each other. 

The story was riveting…..I couldn’t put it down.  Although told from different POVs and different timelines, it was never confusing.  Although the resolution strained credulity a bit, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.  

****

You Can Run - Rebecca Zanetti

 You Can Run - Rebecca Zanetti

She read

I’m in a minority here, but I guess a romantic thriller isn’t the genre for me.

  

Maybe it is because I have recently read a number of excellent books, but I had a difficult time with this one.  I had to force myself to keep reading, hoping that it would improve.

I thought the writing a bit lightweight. If I am reading a mystery/thriller/police procedural, I enjoy the personal aspects of the characters, but like the mystery to be the main focus. I thought that the author tried too much to also make it a romance. There was too much attention to all the nuances of that. ..what one was wearing, how one felt, what strange feelings,  what a woman looked liked.  And do we really think that the character of Huck would be obsessed  so much about women’s clothes or that they were wearing French perfume or matching jewelry? That with pages of lovemaking were all a bit much for me; I also thought the case was a bit over the top.  And, what ethical FBI agent would work a case where a close relative might be a suspect?  Sorry, but it just was not the book for me.

**

The Blood Tide - Neil Lancaster

 The Blood Tide - Neil Lancaster

She read

Publication Date: Feb. 23, 2022

This is the second in the series; it is the first one I have read. 

 In this novel of  struggle for control of the drug market, the bodies pile up.   D.S. Max Craigie and his team investigate, finding not only gangsters, but crooked police and other law officers. 

I’m not sure if this novel truly qualifies as Tartan Noir, but it is certainly hard boiled, atmospheric, and fast paced. I liked it and look forward to the next in the series. 

Although having read the first in the series probably would have given me further background on these well developed characters, The Blood Tide  worked well as a standalone  

****