A Book A Week

"We are all just leaves on a tree and it's nearly September and autumn is coming."

Frieda Klein is no stranger to darkness. As a gifted psychoanalyst and frequent collaborator with the police, she has seen her fair share of troubled minds and gruesome crime scenes. But now she finds herself in the middle of something much worse. The decomposing body of an ex-police officer has been discovered beneath the floor boards of her home. Freida knows there is only one person capable of such a heinous crime. Authorities believe that Dean Reeve, a serial killer who latched onto Frieda, is dead. With the discovery this ex-cop who was investigating Reeve's murders one thing is certain. Dean Reeve is very much alive and still hunting.

With the investigation into Reeve at a standstill, a new criminal emerges.  Like Reeve, they have taken a particular interest in Frieda and the people who are close to her. First, Frieda's niece disappears for a weekend. She returns completely unharmed, but unable to remember the details of her absence. A photo of the niece from those days shows her on a bare mattress in a nondescript room, completely incapacitated. When another friend is beaten in his apartment, Frieda is certain that someone is trying to send her a message. She knows this person is not Reeve. Reeve isn't as crude as this criminal, but this copycat may be even more dangerous.

This is the seventh and penultimate novel in the series written by the duo Nicci French. Having never read any of the previous novels, I'll admit to being a bit lost at the start. There are quite a few characters in the opening scenes, and I wasn't immediately certain of who they were or their importance to the story. The opening chapters contain more dialogue than action. The characters, it seemed, were coming to terms with not only the revelation that Reeve is not dead, but also with the events of the previous book. This combined with my lack of knowledge about the series' overarching narrative made the opening of this novel difficult to get into.

Fortunately, the book reveals more about the characters and their relationships/motives as it advances. I'm happy that I persisted through the opening portion because Sunday Silence ended up being a chilling thriller that I could not stop reading. Like Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, Dean Reeve is the "big bad" of the novel with a presence that is felt more through his absence than his actions. Even as Frieda faces the threat of the copycat killer, the momentum of the book is building to something larger that will presumably culminate in the final novel in the series. I've never been a fan of crime novels that end in a dangling cliff-hanger. Despite the promise of bigger things to come, Sunday Silence provides a satisfying conclusion to the events that unfold in its pages. With this book under my belt, I'm eager to backtrack and read the previous novels before the finale drops later this year.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
This review is part of a TLC Book Tour.

(2018, 5)

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Despite a diminishing quality in his plentiful output, James Patterson's Alex Cross series has remained an annual reminder of all the reasons I became a fan of his writing in the first place. With Cross the Line, the twenty-fourth installment in the series, I'm reminded again of why I keep coming back for more. Patterson's short chapters make for a quick pace, and his characters, when given the proper time to develop, are the relatable kind of people that you can't help but root for. All in all, the Alex Cross series continues to be one that I consistently look forward to reading each year.

The novel begins with a lone gunman speeding through the streets of D.C. on a motorcycle. He shoots victims in other cars in a response to their traffic violations. Just as the news of these murders begins to surface, the DCPD takes a huge blow when their chief of detectives is gunned down outside of a grocery store. Alex Cross and his wife Bree quickly arrive on the scene. Alex worked closely with the chief, and the chief was Bree's mentor. Naturally they are both emotional about his death. More so, they are bound and determined to bring his killer to justice.

Just as the investigation begins, an even higher priority takes precedence. A commercial-level meth lab has been shot up leaving all those who worked in it dead. Worse, it appears to be the work of professional killers. When another lab is targeted a few days later, Alex becomes certain that someone has started an all out war. As always, he must balance the pressures of family life (his son is beginning college and his daughter is becoming a bonafide track superstar) while facing three high-profile investigations.

After a somewhat disappointing previous book, Cross the Line is a return to form for Patterson. While his plot is full of twists and turns and three seemingly disparate cases, they are unified by Alex's unwavering commitment to solve them and even deeper connections that are revealed as the story advances. I always turn to the Alex Cross series for the breakneck pace and thrills, but it his Patterson's focus on Alex and his family that keeps me coming back for more. It is always a joy to see how Alex's personal life has developed over the course of the series. Cross the Line continues that development and strikes a perfect balance between the mystery and character focus. Count me in for the next installment!

"Sometimes fantasies are paths to realities."

Walter Isaacson is no stranger to telling the stories of genius. Through his writing about such great minds as Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs, Isaacson has gained an understanding of the qualities that these men have mastered. In particular, he notes that the merging of arts and science seem to hold the key in these peoples' success. In his latest book, Isaacson details the life and accomplishments of a man of unparalleled genius, Leonardo da Vinci.

Because da Vinci kept meticulous notes in his notebooks, Isaacson had a wealth of first-hand information about him. As such, the book is a dense portrait of the life of of Leonardo. At around 600 pages and full of illustrations and photographs, the book is quite the undertaking for both the author and the reader. For those willing to spend the time reading it, however, the book is an extremely insightful and rewarding experience. I came away from it with a much greater understanding and respect for the variety of crafts and disciplines that Leonardo mastered.

Isaacson gives Leonardo's masterpieces plenty of page time, but focuses more on the works that we often don't know about. Perfectionism combined with an unyielding curiosity caused many of Leonardo's projects to either remain unfinished or be completely abandoned in favor of something different. Beyond his art of paintings, sculptures and theatrical productions, Leonardo spent considerable time studying engineering, anatomy, and other sciences. This wide variety of disciplines caused his art to inform his science and his science to inform his art, a combination that only further cements his genius. In the end, Isaacson argues that the unfinished ventures of Leonardo provide a clearer picture to the magnitude of his genius.

While I certainly was curious about all of Leonardo's creative endeavors, it was his personal life that kept me invested into this book. Isaacson writes of Leonardo's outsider status and mentality. As an illegitimate child and unabashed homosexual, he never really escaped this perception of himself. Even when his acclaim as an artist placed him in the company of royalty and affluence, Leonardo couldn't shake this mentality. Frankly, he was more interested in investing time in his studies than gaining the approval of others.

As I've already mentioned, Leonardo da Vinci is a thick book that will require a good investment of time to properly read it. Fortunately Walter Isaacson presents the story more as a narrative than a textbook. This was a wonderful change of pace from my normal reading habits. If you are looking for non-fiction that doesn't feel like the typical history book, Leonardo da Vinci is a perfect start. I came away fascinated by the achievements and riveted by Leonardo's humanity.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 3)

"Look out for the chalk men."

I've seen The Chalk Man featured on several "most anticipated" lists, and every blogger who has reviewed the novel has been enthusiastic in their praise of it. When the publisher provided me a copy of the novel to read and review, I was eager to see what all of the hype was about. I wasn't prepared for the story that I was about to read. I wasn't prepared for the sleepless nights and unproductive days I would spend glued to the pages of the novel. This will, no doubt, be one of the must-read thrillers of the year. Just know, you'll have no power in putting it down until you finish. Consider yourself warned.

In 1986, twelve-year-old Eddie and his gang of friends are at the local fair. The waltzer ride malfunctions, sending a car with two girls flying into the pathway. Eddie is one of the first people on the scene along with an odd-looking man dressed in all black with white skin and extremely light hair. At the time, both males are hailed as heroes. The man, it turns out, has just moved to town to be a teacher at the school. As time progresses, Eddie and his friends develop a secret code to communicate with each other. They leave little stick figures drawn in chalk for the others to find. The codes start innocent enough, but the kids could never have imagined what would happen if their secret messages could be used by someone else...someone with intentions that are purely evil.

The year is 2016, and Eddie finds himself living in the same house and same town that he grew up in. He watched as his father battled and ultimately succumbed to Alzheimer's. His mother, finally free from the burden of caring for her ill husband, remarried and began traveling. Eddie stayed behind. One day, he receives a letter containing a stick figure drawn in chalk, a haunting relic from his childhood. Eddie thought the tragedies associated with the chalk figures were long behind him. When he learns that each of his former friends received similar letters, he knows those days are back. He must face the realities of secrets he tried to bury years ago.

The Chalk Man is a novel that instantly drew me in and kept me enthralled until the very last page. C.J. Tudor writes chapters that alternate between past and present. I'm not normally a fan of this narrative device, but Tudor uses it to maximum effect here. The juxtaposition between the child and adult versions of the characters brings a greater depth to them, allowing the reader to experience their growth over a longer period of time. Switching between time periods also allows Tudor to end each chapter on a mini cliffhanger. She deftly pulls the reader deeper and deeper into her eerie story, winding the tension and expectation a bit tighter with each page. Beyond the thriller beats, Tudor weaves in larger themes of love, friendship, and a tense debate of science vs. religion. The Chalk Man concludes with revelations that are sensational, tragic, and utterly satisfying to the marvelous story that precedes it. We may only be two weeks in, but The Chalk Man may be one of the best thrillers of the year!

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 2)

One of the best and worst parts about writing a weekly book blog is the amount of books that I own. Each year, I get countless requests from authors and publishers asking me to read and review their books. Being the bibliophile that I am, I also can't help but enter into book giveaways. Who doesn't like a free book!? The only problem is that several of the books I win or receive for potential review end up lingering on my ever-growing "to be read"(TBR) list. There's simply not enough time to get to every book! One of those unlucky books happens to be Lie to Me by J.T. Ellison. I won a copy last fall from one of my must-read book blogs, A Bookworm's World. In an attempt to put a larger dent in my TBR list, I decided to begin my year by reading it.

Publishers love to proclaim that their book is "The next Gone Girl." Usually this ends up being nothing more than a cheap marketing ploy. I've yet to read one of these novels that has even the slightest similarity to Gone Girl. A thriller by a female author is not enough basis for an adequate comparison. When I saw the blurb at the top of the cover from author Lisa Scottoline declaring, "Fans of GONE GIRL will gobble up this thriller about a marriage from hell," I feared the worst.

To my surprise, Lie to Me truly does warrant comparisons to Gillian Flynn's best-selling novel. Ethan and Sutton Montclair are a married pair of authors living in Tennessee. Ethan writes critically and commercially acclaimed literary fiction while Sutton focuses more on historical romances. Like Gone Girl, the novel opens with the wife missing. Sutton has left a note telling Ethan that she has left and that he shouldn't try to find her. Oddly, she has left her wallet, phone, and computer behind. Ethan knows their marriage has been on the rocks since the unexpected death of their infant son, but he still fears for Sutton's safety. He also knows that in the case of a missing wife, the husband is also the number one suspect.

The first half of Lie to Me is told entirely from Ethan's perspective. Flashbacks of his marriage as well as present day dealings with Sutton's disappearance give the novel an ever-building suspense. My only problem is that neither Sutton or Ethan is particularly likable. They are equally complicit in their toxic relationship. Even when the novel shifts to Sutton's perspective in the second half and we gain a clearer idea of how the events have unfolded, I still didn't care for them.

Thankfully, author J.T. Ellison includes Holly, the lead investigator on the case. Holly is a young officer who has her eyes set on advancing through the field to get a government office job. The next step on that journey would be getting the title of detective. If she can complete the Montclair investigation without any hiccups, she just might receive that title. Holly gives the story a character that readers can latch onto and root for. Without her, the novel would simply be too dark and distant.

Lie to Me works quite well as a domestic drama. Ellison relishes in her deliciously deceitful characters and allows their drama to unfold at the perfect pace. The first half of the book maintains wonderful suspense and keeps the pages turning. When the novel shifts to Sutton's point of view, the book loses a bit of the tension that made the first half so enthralling. By that point, however, I was already invested enough in the story that I had to see it through. While I was a bit disappointed in the ending (the story just ballooned too far out of plausibility for me), I was happy to have made Lie to Me my first read of 2018. It is the first book I've read that justifies any comparison to Gone Girl, so I have no qualm in saying that fans of that book will enjoy this one. Go ahead and add it to your 2018 TBR list. You'll race through it in no time!

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 1)

With the start of a new year comes the annual barrage of best and worst lists. I'm happy to add mine into the ring. Out of the 52 books that I read in 2017, I've chosen 5 as my favorite books of the year. Here they are, listed in no particular order.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

This was one of my most anticipated novels on my TBR list, and it did not disappoint. Through the profound story of an escaped slave, Whitehead crafts a metaphor for the treatment of African American people throughout history. It is a literary masterclass that kept me riveted from start to finish. 

Equally effective as a psychological thriller and character study, Chaon's novel tells the story of one man's decent into madness. The subject matter is dark. The novel is full of sexual and emotional abuse, drug addiction, and mental degradation, but those who can stomach the darkness are in for a real treat. 

A lot of fiction has been written about World War II, but Keirnan's latest novel offers one that is poignant and deeply moving. The story follows Emma, a young baker who has become a beacon of hope for a war-ridden town. Throughout the book, she struggles to surmount her own personal doubts to live up to the expectations of those she loves. It is a story that has haunted me since finishing the last page. 

In my review, I called The Force "the best thriller of the year". I've read countless other thrillers during 2017, but none came close to topping this one. Winslow writes of Denny Malone, a good cop turned bad. His attempt to maintain justice and keep his power within the hierarchy of the NYPD is one that you can't look away from. 

This is a book that almost defies description. It tells the story of a young girl grappling with the loss of her uncle to AIDs. It is a coming of age story that touches upon love, loss, and acceptance of others. Beautifully written and emotionally captivating, Tell the Wolves I'm Home will leave you contemplating the multitude of layers it holds long after you complete it.