OBEDIENCE by Will Lavender: Students taking Logic and Reasoning 204 at Winchester University have been handed a strange assignment. They must, using logic, solve the hypothetical kidnapping of a girl named Polly. Each week they will be given a new set of clues and if, at the end of the six-week semester, the class has not solved the case, Polly will be murdered – hypothetically, of course. The assignment begins to bleed into their daily lives, consuming the students. They begin to see clues all around them and some even begin to believe that the case may be more than just some classroom assignment. With the clock ticking, can they really solve the case and maybe prevent a real-life murder? Will Lavender’s electrifying debut is brilliantly constructed. The clues are all there for you, the reader, to figure it out, but I guarantee that you won’t. Simply genius. 03/08 Becky Lejeune 

OBIT by Anne Emery:  This is the second part of a planned trilogy featuring Canadian criminal lawyer Monty Collins and Father Brennan Burke.  In 2006's Sign of the Cross, Collins clears the priest of murder charges and now sets out to explore the history of Burke’s father with the IRA.  Brennan, along with Monty, is scheduled to officiate at the wedding of his niece in New York.  Before they leave Halifax, Brennan's brother Patrick sends him a cryptic obituary that appeared in a New York paper.  Their father, Declan Burke, who fled Ireland 40 years earlier, understands it as a threat to his life, and sure enough, Declan is shot and wounded at the wedding.  Monty is having his own marital problems while the Brennan family is being torn apart as they search for the truth about Declan’s past.  Well written and leaves you ready for the promised third part. 12/07 Jack Quick

OBLIVION by Peter Abrahams: Very different and very interesting story about a private detective, Nick Petrov, son of a former KGB agent. Petrov came to fame for solving a serial killer case which was turned into a movie starring Armand Assante, which lent a touch of realism to the novel in a rather unique way. He is hired to find a missing girl but has health issues that affect his memory, turning a good mystery into something much more complex. Very well done. 06/05

ODD MOM OUT by Jane Porter: This former romance-turned-chick-lit writer switch hits for another solid hit in her newest effort after Flirting with Forty.  Marta Zimmer, the "odd mom", has had her heart broken and sworn off men.  Determined to be a mom anyway, she goes the sperm donor route, and creates a very comfortable life for herself and her precocious 9 year old daughter in Manhattan.  But her mom is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and an opportunity arises to set up the Seattle office of the advertising agency she works for out in Seattle near her mom, she jumps on it.  But the agency is bought out and the west coast office closed shortly thereafter.  Determined to not uproot her daughter again, Marta starts up her own company and finds success, but also loneliness.  She doesn't fit in well with the wealthy suburban moms whose days are filled with nail appointments, the country club and the PTA, but her two best friends from high school, very successful working women, convince her that she can make friends if she tries.  Instead, she meets a man, the first man she's had any interest in since her daughter was born.  But the daughter and the career come first, can Marta make it work?  Odd Mom Out is a fun read, perfect for whiling away a lazy Indian summer afternoon. (I live in south Florida, lucky for me Indian Summer lasts most of the year!) My only negative comment is that if a character is saying "fuck off" then she should say it, not have it represented like this: "F___ off".  That was just adolescent, disingenuous, and the greatest sin of all for any writer - distracting.  09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

O’FEAR by Peter Corris:  Australian "enquiry agent" Cliff Hardy's old friend, the shady Kevin O'Fearna, is awaiting trial when Hardy learns the last words of another friend Barnes Todd were “O’Fear”, Kevin’s nickname and hence the title.  Todd is a trucking entrepreneur, photographer and painter and has left a note with his lawyer engaging Hardy to look into any accident that might befall him.  Todd’s widow agrees and O’Fearna persuades Hardy to put up his bail, but is stabbed before his release.  Hardy is being tailed and Todd’s widow’s house in ransacked.  Is this all about Barnes Todd’s art or is there something else?  Another well-paced outing for what I suspect is Australia’s premier Private Eye. 10/07 Jack Quick 

OFF THE CHART by James W. Hall: With this one, you may need a scorecard to keep up with the body count. Thorn has a brief fling with Anne Joy, daughter of a Kentucky pirate wannabe family, who has come to the Keys after her parents are murdered in a drug running dispute. Years later her brother Vic, who has become a “land pirate” of sorts, decides he wants Thorn’s land and doesn’t respond well to Thorn’s refusal to sell. Vic then proceeds to kidnap the nine-year-old daughter of Thorn's best friend which eventually leads Thorn into all out war against Vic, whose complement of U.S. helicopters and a small army of cutthroat international pirates are not nearly an even match for an enraged Thorn. In addition to pirates on land and sea, murder and mayhem, there are few juicy sex scenes and beautiful descriptions of Key West flora and fauna. What else could you ask for in a book, except perhaps a sequel fairly soon. 07/06 Jack Quick

Office of Innocence by Thomas Keneally: After side trips into history-writing and biography with The Great Shame and American Scoundrel, Mr. Keneally has again turned his hand back to fiction with Office of Innocence which should be nominated for several major awards by the end of the year. 
       Keneally's story-telling often involves an ordinary man placed in extraordinary circumstances.  In To Asmara, it was a journalist heading to battlelines in Eritrea and in Flying Hero Class (my personal favorite and a book ahead of its time) it was the manager of a troupe of indigenous dancers caught up in an air hi-jacking.  Schlinder's List, involving similar issues, became better known because of the movie that was made from it.
       In Office of Innocence, the ordinary man is Frank Darragh, a young Australian priest caught up in the turmoil of the Second World War as the Japanese march ever southward through Asia, towards Darwin and Northern Australia. 
       Frank is a simple man, from a rural family and has not had a lot of experience with life or any great yearning for such experience.  In other words, he was prime seminary fodder.   Mr. Keneally's ear as a story teller seems to ring true when he has more jaundiced seminarians translating "Memento homo quia cines es, et ad cinerem reverteris" into "Remember, squirt, that thou are dirt, and unto dirt thou shalt revert."  Frank's innocence is bemused but not distracted by such by-play.
       During his initial assignment as a parish priest, Father Frank finds hearing confessions rewarding and it becomes his forte.  While his contemporaries and seniors are hardened to the routine sins they must hear over and over again, Frank responds to those on the other side of the screen and quickly becomes the most popular confessor in the area. 
       His lack of worldliness presents problems for Frank as he confronts the loneliness and selfishness that reach extreme levels under the stresses of wartime.  It also presents problems for his superiors who fear scandal and wish that he would spend more time learning the "business" of the church.     
       At the heart of the story is the testing of Father Darragh's faith and his innocence by a variety of parishioners and others - a dying woman in a non-traditional relationship, a trade union rabble-rouser, the lonely wife of a prisoner of war and an aggressive American military policeman.  Frank's background simply does not equip him to understand such people, but his desire to help is such that he must get involved.  The core issue is whether he will gain understanding at the cost of his faith.
       There is also a late-developing murder mystery contained within the story, the resolution of which costs Father Frank his position and his reputation, but gains him a new knowledge of himself and how he may play a meaningful role in the world.
       This is another fine book from an extraordinary author.  ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

OFFICER DOWN by Theresa Schwegel: This first novel is a police procedural of the best kind - Samantha Mack is a police officer with a future.  She drinks too much, picks the wrong men, and appears to have accidentally killed her partner.  When the department wants to resolve it quickly and just call it an accident, Smack, as she is affectionately known, just can't live with that.  She can't let a little thing like suspension from the force and investigation by Internal Affairs deter her from finding out exactly what happened.  Lots of good twists and a terrific ending make this debut a winner.  11/05

OFFICER DOWN by Theresa Schwegel: Samantha "Smack" Mack, a chain-smoking, hard-drinking Chicago police officer, and her partner and ex-lover, Fred, storm a pitch-dark tenement house. Smack wakes up later with a nasty concussion, but Fred, shot during the attempted arrest, never does. Police officials decree that Smack's "friendly fire" killed Fred, but she's sure there were others in the room with them that night. Smack realizes that the only way to clear her name is to capture the child molester they had gone into the house to arrest, and she will have to do it alone, since all the bureaucracy is against her. Schwegel's fast-paced action turns out an impressive, gripping first novel. 01/06 Jack Quick

The Old Buzzard Had It Coming by Donis Casey: This first mystery introduces Alafair Tucker, farm wife, mother of nine, and, now, detective.  Set in Oklahoma in 1912, this story is filled with historic details of daily life, along with romance and mystery. When Harley Day, the town drunk, is found murdered, no one mourns, particularly the family that he abused. When Alafair learns of her daughter's romance with the oldest Day son, she worries that the two young people could know more than they're saying about the death.  If she has to solve the mystery in order to clear the way for the romance, she'll do that. Alafair Tucker is a wise, kind woman who knows enough about the people in her community to be a capable detective.  With such a large family, hopefully there will be a number of stories to bring Alafair back again and again. 09/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

OLD SCHOOL BONES by Randall Peffer:  Nice concept but somewhat clumsily executed.  A young black student dies in mid-winter at a New England prep school.  Is it suicide or a racially motivated crime?  The girl’s faculty advisor, Awasha Patterson, is racked with guilt because she turned the young woman away the night she died.  There are rumors of secret societies allegedly banned years ago after a hazing death, but which may have simply went “underground.”  Patterson will not rest until she gets to the bottom of the matter, even if it kills her.  I had problems with the book jumping from scene to scene with minimal transitions making it difficult to stay within the plot.  Not nearly as well done, in my opinion as Peffer’s 2005 Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues. 08/08 Jack Quick

ON CHESIL BEACH by Ian McEwan:  This novella centers around the wedding night of a young couple in the early 1960's.  Unlike their freewheeling, sexually permissive counterparts that were the hallmark of that decade, these two are both shy and sexually inexperienced.  However, this is not a book about sex, but rather how one incident, one night, can cataclysmically change lives.  McEwan gives us just enough background on each of them to see how and why they reach this point, but nonetheless it is still a heartbreaker.  Beautifully written, this compelling yet simple story has the hallmark of a classic. 06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ON EDGE by Barbara Fister: Konstantin Slovo is a vacationing Chicago cop who gets caught up in the events of the coastal town of Brimsport,. Maine. Initially rousted as a potential suspect in a recent child abduction, Slovo is freed when the local police chief discovers he is a cop. Slove ends up staying in town and makes friends with the chief’s daughter Ruth, who along with Slovo’s Doctor Chakravarty, fill him in on the town’s history of child molestation and abuse. Not the most pleasant subject matter, but well written and while you probably won’t want to invite Slovo to your next dinner party, he is the one you want on your side when things get tough. Well done and recommended. 01/07 Jack Quick

ON, OFF by Colleen McCullough: It is fall, 1965, and the torso of a young woman has been discovered in a storage refrigerator at the Hughlings Jackson Center for Neurological Research, aka the Hug. Detective Carmine Delmonico is convinced that the perp is a member of the Hug faculty. When the body is identified as that of a missing girl from a local high school, Delmonico discovers that this was not an isolated event -- there has been a string of missing teenage girls in the area, all matching the same description. Suddenly, Delmonico is up against a shrewd and manipulative serial killer; a killer who is able to move about seemingly undetected. While this was an intriguing read, I had hoped for more details specific to the time period in which the book takes place. With the exception of the lack of DNA testing, this could have been any modern mystery. I expected McCullough, who is best known for her historical fiction, to have made more of an effort to clearly outline the time period in which the book took place. I think that the lack of support for the setting diminishes the overall effect of the story.  09/06 Becky LeJeune

ON STRIKE FOR CHRISTMAS by Sheila Roberts: If you’re sick and tired of sugary Christmas stories, this is the one for you. What happens when the women of Holly decide that their efforts at holiday time aren’t appreciated, and turn Christmas preparation over to their husbands? It’s a funny, warm story of a woman’s comments that snowball. Joy Robertson adores all the parties and fun of the holidays, but her husband is a Scrooge who just wants to be left alone. She tells her knitting group that she should go on strike. Suddenly, her friends are on board, and their husbands are in the line of fire. Even the newspaper shows interest in whether or not the men can handle the Christmas cards, cookies, pageants and parties. If John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas struck you as ho-hum, but you don’t want sweetness and light, try Roberts’ story of a women’s campaign for appreciation. 12/07 Lesa Holstine

ON THE ROPES by Tom Schreck:  There’s a new superhero in town – Double D - Duffy Dombrowski, mild-mannered social worker by day, Elvis aficionado, boxer, and beer drinker by night.  Whatever you want to say about Duffy, he does care for his clients and his pledge to take care of the Muslim basset hound and find the missing daughter of one Walanda, a schizophrenic, crack-addicted prostitute, who is murdered, leads him into all manner of peril and evil doings.  Thank goodness Duffy survives because he’s the kind of Robin Hood, supported by a band of drunken friends, whom you want to follow in further adventures. 09/07 Jack Quick 

ONCE… by James Herbert:  Four months ago, Thom Kindred would have considered himself a healthy young man. That was before the twenty-seven year old suffered an unexplained stroke. After months of physical therapy, Thom decides to leave London and return to his childhood home, Castle Bracken, to recuperate. Thom and his mother, Bethan, lived in a small cottage on the estate until Thom was ten. It has been seventeen years since Thom left for boarding school, seventeen years since his mother died and Sir Russell began sponsoring his education. Upon his return, Thom realizes that things are not as they once were at Castle Bracken. Sir Russell is nearing his own death and the estate has been allowed to fall into disrepair. Something dangerous lurks amongst the halls of Castle Bracken, and something magical has long awaited Thom’s return. Herbert combines both fantasy and horror elements in this very adult fairy tale.  12/07 Becky Lejeune

ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY by Jennifer Rardin: On her last assignment as a Helsinger – a team of elite CIA agents charged with killing vampires – Jasmine Parks lost her fiancé, her sister-in-law, and her best friend in one fell swoop. Now, she suffers from frequent blackouts and has managed to disconnect herself emotionally from almost everyone around her. She’s also discovered that she can sense vampires. Vayle, one of the Company’s most respected and important operatives has requested that Jaz be assigned as his partner, and the Company willingly agrees. Part of his request is due to her new-found talent as a Sensitive, another is due to the fact that she has a death wish that makes her a reckless but effective agent. The two have been sent to spy on a well-known plastic surgeon who is suspected of having terrorist links. While on assignment, they discover that Vayle, or possibly even Jaz, has been targeted. By whom, they aren’t quite sure, but this person – or vampire – is quite possibly one of their very own. Rardin’s debut is compelling to be sure, but seems a bit uneven in the beginning. The story runs straight ahead with the action, but the explanations lag a bit behind giving the reader the sense that they missed something. Thankfully, the story does balance out shortly thereafter. Jaz is a quirky, sometimes goofy, and certainly damaged character and Vayle, the smoldering Romanian vampire, is equally absorbing. I’m interested to see just where Rardin takes this series. Overall, a great read – one that adds Rardin to the ranks of such authors as Kim Harrison and an earlier Laurel K. Hamilton. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

ONCE WERE COPS by Ken Bruen: Michael O'Shea is an Irish Guard sent to work with the New York Police Department on a sort of exchange program.  Shea, as he likes to be called, blackmailed his superior to include him in the program and that's just your first inkling that this cop is not one of the good guys.  Shea is, in fact, a sociopath and a serial killer who is paired up with his NYPD counterpart, a rough street cop nicknamed Kebar.  Kebar is under investigation by Internal Affairs with good reason, and things take a violent turn for the worse when these two butt heads with the mob.  The writing is noir at its best; sparse and brilliant, and the characters both dark and yet somehow poetic.  Graphic, violent and full of despair, this brief book is a hard-boiled triumph.  11/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ONE BAD APPLE by Sheila Connelly:  The first Orchard Mystery has everything a cozy mystery should have – a likable heroine, a dislikable victim, a charming small town setting, and a puzzling mystery.  When Meg Corey moved to Granford, Massachusetts, she planned to renovate the house she owned with her mother, sell it, and move on with her life.  Instead, she found a 200 year old house with character, plumbing problems, and her ex-boyfriend’s corpse in her septic tank.  Suddenly, she’s a murder suspect with just a few friends in town, and a stakeholder in the town redevelopment project.  Cozy lovers should appreciate this story that has a little more depth, and more character development than many mysteries. 08/08 Lesa Holstine

ONE FOOT IN THE BLACK by Kurt Kamm:  This is somewhat of a “factional coming of age” account of a wild land firefighter.  Greg Kowalski is the son of an abusive firefighter in Saginaw, Michigan.  As soon as he is old enough he flees to California to become a seasonal firefighter with CDF.  In 48 hours he loses both his father to a fire in Saginaw and his mentor and captain to a wildfire they are fighting.  Extremely detailed but interesting, the book takes you inside Kowalski’s training and shows how the profession creates bonds that can be even stronger than family.  A first rate debut. 08/08 Jack Quick 

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost: It’s been four years since the events of Frost’s debut Night Huntress title, Halfway to the Grave. Cat has agreed to work for Homeland Security tracking down and eliminating evil vamps, but she can’t help pining for the man that got away – or the vamp that she let go, in this case. She did it to protect him from her new employers, so she knows that it was for the best, and she’s finally going to attempt to move on. Unfortunately for her, someone has placed a significant bounty on her head and Bones has decided that they’ve been apart long enough. It seems he’d rather stay where he can keep a close eye on her and protect her, especially when his own sire decides that he would like the Red Reaper (the vamp nickname for Cat) for his very own. Course Cat’s boss and coworkers are none too pleased about the new setup, until they realize just what an asset Bones can be. Frost toes the line between the newly minted urban fantasy genre and paranormal romance. The book contains enough steamy sex to earn itself a place firmly in the romance genre, but in my opinion the series will still appeal to readers who aren’t normally too big into the romance aspect. 05/08 Becky Lejeune

One for the Money by Janet Evanovitch: and the rest of that series, I read them all in 2 weeks, then read them again!  Her main character is a sexy, smart and sassy 35 year old single with an eccentric bent apparently inherited from her grandmother.  Every character is a treasure.  These books are laugh out loud funny!  Read them in order please...  Two for the Money; Three to Get Deadly; Four to Score; High Five; Hot Six; Seven Up

One Hot Summer by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera:  One Hot Summer is one hot beach read!  Happily married Margarita seems to have it all; a wonderful, wealthy husband who adores her, a beautiful son, good friends, a dream job as a partner in a big Miami law firm.  But when her husband starts pressuring her to give up her job to have another baby and her college boyfriend blows into town, cracks start showing in that perfect life.  This is a new direction for Ms. Garcia-Aguilera, author of the Lupe Solano mystery series, but she pulls it off beautifully, with grace and much good humor.  

THE ONE MINUTE ASSASSIN by Troy Cook:  Someone is killing the candidates for California governor – and that may not be such a bad thing.  The race includes such stereotypical candidates as a rap star named Two-Bits and a former movie star named Arnold “The Mountain” Schwarzkov.  The frontrunners are a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical giant, a former child actor, and Mayor Eleanor Black, who is a member of a Kennedy-like dynasty.  Her brother John is the anti-politician of the family, and spends his time hunting down dead beat dads until Eleanor is almost killed and he's forced into the ring. Throw into the mix two bumbling assassins (reminiscent of Tim Dorsey’s excellent series) and you get a macabre mixture of murder and dirty politics.  After Cook’s terrific, utterly original debut, 47 Rules for Highly Effective Bank Robbers, this sophomore effort is a bit of a disappointment. Although much of the humor is just plain silly, John Black is a very likeable protagonist and the plot is engaging, making this a very entertaining read.  09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission. 

THE ONE MINUTE ASSASSIN by Troy Cook: Think dumb and dumber in the world of assassination. Ex-football player Dennis “Nail” Nalen and his erstwhile partner Barry Jones have been hired by Richard “Tricky Dick” Steel to eliminate Steel’s competition in the race for Governor of California. Steel is a lobbyist for Pfester Pharmaceuticals that has two members of the Russian Mafia on its Board of Directors. His primary opponent is Eleanor Black, mayor of Los Angeles, whose mother is a senator and is known as the barracuda. John Black, Eleanor’s brother, is a PI who specializes in child molestation cases but gets involved when his sister is the target of an assassination attempt. Black calls upon his Crocodile Dundee look alike partner to use all of their quirky and unconventional talents to find out who is trying to put his sister out of commission. In spite of the stereotyped characters, the pace is good and the plot is marvelously twisty. Recommended. 09/07 Jack Quick 

ONE MISSISSIPPI by Mark Childress: It's the early '70s and Daniel Musgrove's father moves the family from Indiana to rural Mississippi. Daniel starts the 11th grade with a new best friend, Tim. When they double date for the junior prom, the teens have an accident on the way home and cause the prom queen to fall off her bike and hit her head. The prom queen of the newly integrated high school is black, but the injury leaves her believing that she is white. When I read Crazy In Alabama, I thought it was an unauthorized biography of my family. With One Mississippi, I realize my younger brother is Daniel. Childress captures the essence of growing up in the South during this era better than anyone. The only other book to come close was Bleachers by John Grisham. So if you grew up in this era as I did, this is a must read. If not, it's still a damn good one. 08/06 Jack Quick

ONE SHOT by Lee Child: Nine books now and each one is better than before. This time Reacher is called in to help solve an Indiana sniper case. The accused, James Barr, claims they have arrested the wrong man and tells them to get Jack Reacher. Reacher hears about the case on television, knows the accused, and comes to Indiana with astounding news. Is Barr guilty? Can Reacher help? How about the fact that the DA’s daughter is Barr’s attorney? Reacher is no friend of Barr’s. In fact he has evidence that could seal Barr’s fate. But did they arrest the right man? Russians in Indiana? There are unresolved issues down to the last two pages and no slow downs or pauses in between. Again, in my opinion, the best Reacher yet. Recommended. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

ONE SHOT By Lee Child: Another great entry from Lee Child in the Jack Reacher series. Ex-MP Major Jack Reacher is sunning his butt on on a Florida beach with a Norwegian dancer when he sees a tale on TV about an Indiana sniper named James Barr.  Reacher heads to Indiana post haste to bury Barr. It turns out that this guy did this before, and because of politics, Reacher had to reluctantly walk away.  Now he's determined to wax this guy.  Meanwhile, a young defense attorney, who happens to be the prosecutors daughter, enlists Reacher's help as an investigator (something he does very well.)  The police have a bulletproof case, but the more Reacher looks, the less he likes it.  Eventually, Reacher knows that those aren't the winds that prevail and he reluctantly becomes an advocate for the defense. He gets set up for a beat down in a local bar, which he avoids in typical Reacher fashion, and then realizes that this ain't the usual sit/rep. One of the great things about these books is that Child maintains Reacher's "invisible" status - a guy who can float loose in a post 9/11 world, a virtual impossibility by today's standards. But he still manages to do it, and create major mayhem along the way.  This one's really good. Waiting on the next one breathlessly.  A four star good read.  05/06 DOC

ONE SMALL VICTORY by Maryann Miller:  Drugs killed her son even though he wasn’t a user.  Unfortunately his friend, the driver of the car, was high and as a consequence Michael Jasik is dead.  His mother vows revenge and also to protect her two younger children.  So the small town Texas single mom becomes a CI – a Confidential Informant, whose activities are known only to Chief Gonzales.  Her son and daughter notice Jenny is behaving strangely and report that to their father, who suddenly decides it is better if he has custody of the kids.  Jenny is obsessed enough to make it all work, although not without sacrifice.  While the war on drugs may not be winnable, there are occasionally small victories.  Not bad. 08/08 Jack Quick 

ONE SMALL VICTORY by Maryann Miller:  Young Michael Jasik is killed in a car accident at the hands of his drug abusing friend, Brad Brennan. His mother, Jenny, a single mom, is destroyed by the news. When she learns that her son's death was influenced by Brad's drug addiction, she has to take action. She storms into the local police station and demands to be put on the undercover drug enforcement task force that she heard about on the news. Police Lieutenant Steve Morrity is leading the task force. While civilians aren't typically involved in this type of police work, Morrity knows Jenny will take action on her own if she isn't selected. So, after a grueling physical test, Jenny passes and becomes an undercover informant. She is forced to hide this from her two surviving children, Scott and Alicia. They notice a change in her behavior and contact their father, who has never really been a part of their lives. Jenny risks her life, and the custody of her children for this mission. I commend Jenny's character for her strength, and the fearless acts she performed in an effort to bring down a big time drug pusher. ONE SMALL VICTORY is an amazing, heart pounding, emotional tale about one mother's love of her children, and the steps she takes to protect them from harm. 09/08 Jennifer Lawrence  

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus:  Thoroughly engrossing fictionalized account of a true historical incident.  The Chief of the Cheyenne tried to reach an agreement with President Ulysses S. Grant in an effort to promote peace and integrate the Cheyenne into Christianity; in a secret deal, the U.S. government would trade 1000 white women for 1000 horses.  It didn't get though Congress, but it did ignite the imagination of this author!  He found his women, all volunteers, in a variety of places; prostitutes, imprisoned women granted their freedom for this, and women from hospitals for the mentally ill.  One of the latter is the voice of this novel that is told in the form of her journal.

Only Child by Andrew Vachss:  The newest title in the series finds Burke back where he belongs, in New York - with Max, Mama, the Mole and all the regulars in this realistic portrait of the seamier side of filmmaking.  Burke is hired by a member of the Mafia to investigate the murder of his teenage daughter, and has to depend on her friends for help.  Some great characters (that I hope will be back again) and flawless description in a story that is so dark and twisted I couldn't put it down until I turned the last page.  

Open & Shut by David Rosenfelt:  This legal thriller is one of the best debut novels I've read in a while.  I love finding new authors, and last week this book literally dropped into my hands.  It immediately caught my eye, so I read the flyleaf and was hooked: 

"I hate DNA more than I hate opera. I hate it more than I hate meaningless touchdowns by the underdog that cover the spread when I'm betting the favorite....I hate DNA because it's boring, because I will never understand it, and because it almost always works against me." 

A legal thriller, humor and sports talk; what more could a girl want?  I flew through this book in a few hours, alternating between sitting on the edge of my seat and laughing my head off.  This is a legal thriller with enough twists to keep you guessing, and enough humor to keep you laughing, always a terrific combination. The mélange of the outrageous lead character Andy Carpenter, a self-deprecating lawyer with chutzpah, his strong female P.I., and even his whiny wife and her super-rich dad, stir up a terrific story.  

Andy's father, a former District Attorney, asks him to handle a convicted death row murderer's appeal - one that he himself put away.  The overwhelming evidence just seems too perfect, and Andy takes it on.   Lots of interesting developments along the way, but it's really the characters and the humor that will hold you spellbound.  The good news is that this is the initial entry of a series; there are more Andy Carpenter books to come. You can read the first chapter online.

Open Season by C. J. Box: Well written suspense set in the wilds of Wyoming.  First of a series featuring game warden Joe Pickett, a good guy who screws up occasionally, but gets the job done.

Open Season by Linda Howard:  Exceedingly simple story; no words longer than three syllables and not too many of those; sticky sweet romance/suspense genre.  I read it because the main character was a librarian and it is a best seller.  Complete and utter fluff.  

Open Season on Lawyers by Taffy Cannon:  A serial killer is on the loose, killing the sleaziest lawyers in town.  You're not sure who to root for in this clever, fast paced thriller.

THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE by Julie Buxbaum: Emily Haxby is a successful young Manhattan attorney. It appears as though she has it all—a successful job, a handsome, wonderful boyfriend, Andrew. But before Andrew has the chance to propose to her, she ends the relationship. Her life begins to fall apart—she’s assigned to work on a law suit she doesn’t believe in, working side by side with an attorney that is known to be overly friendly and her active, loving, Grandpa Jack is suffering from the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. Emily begins on a journey, aided by her close friends, to find herself and soon discovers what is important in life. We begin to learn the motivation for Emily’s choices. This debut novel was comical, but also incredibly raw and emotional. The author’s writing style is right on—she uses the perfect language to describe an emotion, or a setting, which makes the reader feel that they are part of the book. 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence

THE ORCHID SHROUD by Michelle Wan: Mara, Julien and the entire cast return in this follow up to last summer’s Deadly Slipper. While renovating the de Bonford estate, two workers discover the desiccated remains of a baby boy, hidden in the wall. In an attempt to protect the family name from subsequent media fallout, Christophe de Bonford enlists Mara’s help to find out who the child is and clear the de Bonford name. Meanwhile, animals and villagers are being savagely attacked by what is described as a giant beast. On the outset, Wan presents the beauty and tranquility of the Dordogne region. As she draws readers in, however, she scratches away at this façade to reveal the darkness that lurks in the corners of this sleepy French region. Some readers may cringe at the seemingly gimmicky nature of this series but I find that Wan’s titles toe the line of being a true “cozy” mystery. By combining history, mythology and orchidology, Wan is able to create original and interesting stories without falling into the “cute” trap that so many series fall prey to. 09/06 Becky LeJeune

ORDINARY HEROES by Scott Turow: Moving away from legal thrillers (Reversible Errors) and nonfiction (Ultimate Punishment), Turow has penned a searing story of World War II interwoven with personal family drama that is simply mesmerizing. Stewart Dubinsky is not especially close to his father David Dubin, even their names are different, yet his death prompts Stewart to try and find out more about this enigmatic man. He uncovers some startling information: that his father was engaged to another woman before his mother, and that he was court-martialed during the Battle of the Bulge. Dubinsky decides to write a family history, starts digging and uncovers a manuscript his father wrote about his war experiences that is alternately moving and horrifying, vindicating and vilifying and shines light on a side of his father, and mother, that he never knew. While some of the historical facts presented are not one hundred percent accurate, the emotional wallop of the book more than justifies the literary license and should secure its place in the canon of WWII literature. Ordinary Heroes is an extraordinary, unforgettable novel, which Turow notes was inspired by his own father's military experiences. 11/05 Copyright © 2005 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission. 

THE OTHER SIDE OF SILENCE by Bill Pronzini:  Rick Fallon is a corporate security office.  His marriage became brittle when he lost his son, Timmy.  It eventually came apart and he decides to take two weeks vacation in California’s Mohave Desert to get his life back together.  Three days into the trip he finds Casey Dunbar, who's tried and failed to kill herself after months of fruitlessly searching for her young son, who's been abducted by her ex-husband.  Fallon realizes that while there is no hope for his son, perhaps there is for young Kevin Spicer, Casey’s eight and one half year old son.  There’s plenty of action in the resulting search-and-rescue.  Pronzini once again shows why he is a Grand Master, with his ability to create strong characters, compelling plots, and excitement.  Definitely recommended.  10/08 Jack Quick    

OTHERS by James Herbert: Nicholas Dismas has been given a second chance to save his soul. This time around, he’s been cursed with deformities and handicaps. He also has no knowledge of his past life or the choice spot in hell his exploits once earned him. In this life, Nick, a private investigator, must make the right choice or suffer eternal consequences. Shelly Ripstone has hired Nick to find a missing person. Not just any missing person, her son. The problem is, Shelly’s son was pronounced dead at the time of his birth eighteen years ago. Recently, Shelly has been told by a psychic that her son is in fact alive and in desperate need of her help. Nick is ready to refuse the case immediately, but something urges him to move forward with the investigation. This brutally shocking and disturbing case will test Nick like no other. Herbert, one of the best in the horror business, brings to life a truly grotesque cast of characters. Probably the most frightening part of this gruesome book is the author’s note at the end, which states that the idea for this story stemmed from actual events in a London hospital.  10/07 Becky Lejeune

Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson: As with his earlier books, Snow Falling on Cedars and East of the Mountains, Mr. Guterson has set his most recent tale in the Pacific Northwest. His portrayal of a depressed logging community is brutally honest, but without judgment. Just as the forests have been logged out without any thought of future consequences, so too have the people of North Fork been depleted of something vital and beautiful.
    His story revolves around a young woman, living minimally in a campground and eking out a living by picking mushrooms in the forest. As Guterson is wont to do, she is described in detail, down to her sniffles. On one of her forays, she believes that she has a vision of the Virgin Mary who speaks to her and asks her to build a church on the site. A religious flash mob ensues, to the chagrin of the lumber company which owns the property and the Catholic church in the person of Father Butler who is sent to evaluate the "miracle."
    The honesty and accuracy of Mr. Guterson's descriptions are one of the strengths of his writing here. However, this honesty seems to dictate a lack of feeling for or commitment to his characters and the forces moving them. That distance interfered with my becoming totally involved in his story.
    This is a very good book, but I think that a little more feeling would have made it something more special.  ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

Out of Mind by Catherine Sampson: Camerawoman Melanie Jacobs, an employee of the Corporation, disappeared one evening while participating in a hazardous environment training course. When journalist Robin Ballantyne decides to investigate, as part of a series on missing persons, she finds her work blocked by their mutual employer, the Corporation, as well as by people who knew Melanie. As she neglects her children, her policeman boyfriend, and her other work, Robin is sucked deeper and deeper into Melanie’s story. Out of Mind is a slow-paced story, drawn out as Robin questions herself, her motives, the disappearance, and other people. This is a story for those interested in character struggles, rather than fast-paced plots. 09/05  ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

OUT OF MIND by Catherine Sampson: Robin Ballantyne returns to work at Britain’s largest news corporation and immediately raises hackles with a new documentary series on unsolved missing persons cases. Melanie Jacobs, an experienced combat photographer, has disappeared in Britain and it is obvious no one wants Robin to follow-up. Minding new twins and maintaining a fragile relationship with her policeman gentleman friend add to Robin’s challenges. In the end, solving the mystery becomes a matter of life and death. Before that we are treated to quite a rambling adventure, which seems to involve most of Britain’s adult population. Although I have encountered stronger plotting the descriptive writing is good and the suspense element is maintained throughout the book. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

THE OUTSIDE MAN by Richard North Patterson: The outside man is society lawyer Adam Shaw. First he is a Yankee and second he is in the South, which makes him a Damn Yankee. Then he finds the dead body of his best friend’s wealthy wife, and the friend is missing. No one other than Shaw really wants to open this can of worms, and the further it goes, even Shaw begins to have doubts. Patterson’s books all seem to have an underlying social theme that sometimes can get in the way of the story, but they are still good reads. 07/06 Jack Quick

The Outside World by Tova Mirvis:  This captivating novel is really a comparative cultural study of Modern Orthodox and Ultra Orthodox Jews.  Over the last century most Jews have slowly shed their strict laws, with modernization as the goal.  But then the tide started turning back, and over the past couple of decades younger people seem to be going back to the older, stricter ways.  Mirvis does a masterful job of illustrating their differences. Tzippy is 22 years old and unmarried, a very worrisome situation in the Ultra Orthodox world she lives in.  Bryan was raised Modern Orthodox, and after he graduates from high school, he spends a year studying at a Yeshiva in Israel before he heads off to Columbia University, his father's alma mater.  But during his time in Israel, he has a spiritual awakening, changes his name to his Hebrew name, Baruch, and dons the black hat and clothes of the Ultra Orthodox.  His only goal in life is to immerse himself in the study of the Torah, which causes his family to feel bewildered and inadequate.  Meanwhile, Tzippy decides to escape the constant matchmaking of her community and insists on spending a year in Israel herself.  And so they become a match made in heaven, or in this case, Israel.  Mirvis obviously knows her subject and this is a very enlightening and engaging book. 05/04

THE OXFORD MURDERS by Guillermo Martinez: An unusual read. An Argentinean math student is studying at Oxford when his landlady is murdered. His hero, an Oxford don who has written a text on logical series, receives a note with a symbol. Another murder is committed – another note. The don fears that the killer may be testing him, thanks to a chapter in his book on serial murders. The police work is not very convincing and unless you are a math nut (I am) this one is probably not for you. 08/06 Jack Quick

The Oxygen Murder by Camille Minichino: This is the eighth and latest in Minichino’s Periodic Table mysteries, featuring Gloria Lamerino, a retired physicist. On a vacation trip to New York City with her husband, Matt, and their best friends, Gloria finds a dying woman in the apartment of Matt’s niece. Lori and the dead woman were working on a documentary film about ozone, which immediately peaks Gloria’s interest. Was the murder work related, or did the deceased have other secrets that caused her death? Gloria is out of her element in New York, so she’s dependent on Matt’s relationship with another policeman, and Lori’s knowledge of New York. Once again, Minichino finds ways to educate the reader while telling an intriguing story. 09/06 Lesa Holstine

PAINKILLER by Will Staeger:  First novel from an ESPN Television Network producer rambles a bit but is not badly written.  A semiretired local CIA operative in the Caribbean is involved in something which may or may not be related to events in China which cause a young analyst in Washington forecast an invasion of Taiwan, possibly by North Korean troops. Throw in a touch of voodoo, self-serving higher ups and the usual politicos and you have a pretty convincing yarn. Written in short chapters alternating between the enigmatic W. Cooper in the BVI and ambitious Julie Laramie in Virginia, you will see the connection before they do.  Book reads much longer than it is because for the most part it is two books until well past the half way mark.  Recommend and look forward to more from Mr. Staeger. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

A PALE HORSE by Charles Todd:  Hmm. To start with, Charles Todd is really a mother and son writing team.  She lives in Delaware.  He lives in North Carolina.  The book is decidedly British, with much of the action occurring not in the London we know but in Berkshire, specifically where cottages once built to house lepers stand in the shadow of a great white horse cut into the chalk hillside.  The action occurs during that lull after the Great War and before the Great Depression.  The protag, Inspector Ian Rutledge, is a World War I vet who regularly listens and often talks to Hamish, a ghostly character whose acquaintance he made in the trenches in France during the war.  I am so glad I didn’t pay any attention to the above because this is one great book.  A police procedural with a puzzle that keeps you turning page after page.  Now I have learned this is the tenth outing for Inspector Rutledge so I have nine more treats in store.  Awesome. 04/08 Jack Quick  

A PALE HORSE by Charles Todd: Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge handles a complicated case of guilt in the latest book in this post-WWI series. When a group of schoolboys finds a body in the ruins of an abbey, their guilt and fear of the devil allow them to let their schoolmaster to become a suspect. It’s only when Rutledge shows up, looking for a missing man for the War Office, that the boys admit to their discovery. Even so, Rutledge doesn’t have answers, because no one will claim or identify the man. Todd’s latest mystery is an intriguing story of the past haunting the present. Although it’s set in 1920, the story is timeless. 04/08 Lesa Holstine

PANIC by Jeff Abbott: This fast paced thriller is based on a simple yet terrifying premise - what if everything you thought to be true about yourself and your family, your reality, turned out to be totally fabricated?  That's what happens to Evan Casher, a young, up-and-coming documentary film maker.  He receives a panicky phone call from his mother, urging him home under mysterious circumstances.  His new girlfriend slips out of his apartment without him realizing it, and his life as he once knew it begins to unravel, and fast.  Enter the mysterious and dangerous Jargo - friend or foe yet to be determined.  Ditto the CIA.  And Casher's father appears to be missing on top of all the other duplicity.  The pages fly by, rife with international intrigue and a whirling cast of players who seem to be changing sides by the minute.  Casher has no one to trust as the bodies start falling and the truth finally wins out.  What a wild ride... 08/05

PANIC by Jeff Abbott: Evan Casher is a successful documentary filmmaker in Austin, Texas, when his mother telephones him to come home immediately. Upon arrival, he finds her murdered and is almost killed himself. Thus starts an adventure where nothing is at it seems. A group of spies called the Deep is after him. His girlfriend is one of them. The CIA is involved. Is the CIA contact on his side or is he aligned with Jargo, a cunning, brutally efficient point man who believes that Casher has a computer file containing secret information about the organization’s contacts. Why does Jargo think he has the file? Where is it? Was Casher’s mother really a Deep operative? What about his father? Where is he and what connection does he have with Jargo? It was enough to make me panic, even if Evan didn’t. Well done, with a final twist that will leave you breathless. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

PAPER WOMAN by Suzanne Adair: Adair wastes no time plunging her heroine into danger in her debut historical novel. At thirty-three, Sophie Barton has already buried two husbands, raised a daughter, and operated her father’s printing press. She wants more out of life than the small town of Alton, Georgia can offer. However, Sophie didn’t plan to identify her father’s corpse. Nor did she think that excitement meant fleeing from British soldiers and rebels since both groups were intent on discovering what messages she received from rebel forces. Sophie, who was neutral during the American War of Independence, was suddenly caught up between those opposing forces. As she fled toward Florida with a small group of friends, they fought off bandits and Spanish assassins, while rescuing escaped slaves. Sophie Barton is a strong, independent woman, caught up in the events in the southern theater of the war. Adair combines romance, history, suspense and adventure in this fascinating story about a little-known aspect of our history. Paper Woman is the first in a series. I’m looking forward to the next novel, The Blacksmith’s Daughter. If it measures up to the first one, it will be a compelling story of our history. 11/06 Lesa Holstine

Paranoia by Joseph Finder: I haven't been this excited about a book in a long time; Joseph Finder has taken the ordinary-guy-in-extraordinary-circumstances thriller to a new level. Adam Cassidy is a worker drone, but manages to use his computer skills to one-up his company by throwing an executive style $78,000 party for a retiring dock worker, and sticking them with the bill - or so he thinks. But he gets caught and much to his surprise, being fired isn't an option. He is offered a choice - certain jail time, or the chance to infiltrate a competing company and pass along their secrets. Under intensive tutelage, Adam manages to work his way into a position as assistant to the competing CEO, thus avoiding the prison stint. But his new boss treats him like a son, and he finds himself with a deep moral dilemma - should he pull out, and even scarier, can he? The tension mounts almost unbearably as Adam is caught in the middle, making Paranoia impossible to put down. The technical stuff is handled masterfully - it's obvious Finder knows what he's talking about, but he isn't the least bit condescending, and the writing is clear and concise and gives the reader enough information to make the story work without getting bogged down in details, which is a really tough ratio to find. Perfect pacing, and even more impressively, a perfect ending, should put Finder at the forefront of the thriller genre. 01/04. 

PARANOIA by Joseph Finder: Adam Cassidy becomes an unwilling industrial espionage agent for Wyatt Telecom and its slick and relentless CEO Nick Wyatt. Cassidy is placed at competitor Trion Systems where he becomes personal assistant to Trion founder Jock Goddard. Adam comes to admire Jock and certainly is deliriously happy with all the trappings of his new position but he can’t get away from the demands of his former employers, or can he. The ending is a shocker. May well be Finder’s best yet. 03/06 Jack Quick

PATHS NOT TAKEN by Simon R. Green: This latest novel in Green’s Nightside series brings back John Taylor, a private investigator with a gift for finding things. This time, he’s determined to find the origin of the Nightside, because he’s been told his mother created it. The Nightside is the sick, magical city within London where it is always 3 am at night. Taylor has to convince Old Father Time, who controls time travel, to send him back in time. Along the way, he picks up a fascinating companion, Tommy Oblivion, who is an existential detective. This character adds an interesting element of humor to the story. Together with Tommy, and Taylor’s regular sidekick, Shotgun Suzie, they set out to travel back to the creation of the Nightside, with some interesting stops along the way. As always, Green includes mythology, history, the Bible, and fascinating stories in his fantasy. Once you’ve picked up one of the novels of the Nightside, you might find yourself hooked. Paths Not Taken is another intriguing book in the series. 09/07 Lesa Holstine

PATRIOT ACTS by Greg Rucka:  Love your country.  Fear your government.  Know your enemy.  Although bodyguard Atticus Kodiak is ready to settle down it is not to be.  He is almost killed in an ambush that does take the life of one of his closest friends.  Afterwards he and Drama, now known as Alena, try to break away from The Ten - a group of cold-blooded killers operating around the globe.  A conspiracy that reaches high into the U.S. government will not allow this, so the two set to work to clear their names and avoid death in a desperate chase around the world.  This is possibly the best ever Kodiak book. 01/08 Jack Quick

PAY THE PIPER: A Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple: A young adult book that doesn't quite read like one; PAY THE PIPER offers a protagonist who is an adolescent girl with smarts. This short book is strongly written, well told by a mother and son team who combine their writing and music skills to tell an old tale.

Callie MacCallan knows that something is just odd about the appearance of big-name band the Brass Rats, in her town. For one thing, her parents loved the band when they were young and the band members don't seem to have aged. And this isn't exactly a major concert venue. When she overhears and sees some odd things, she wonders just who will believe her. When all the children in town disappear Halloween night - except for Callie who had to stay home, trying to write this very tough story for her school newspaper (they gave her the press credentials to cover the concert) - she knows that what she saw wasn't to be ignored.

Interspersed with Callie's story, is the story of the otherworldly band, especially lead singer Peter Gingras, an exiled prince of Faerie. He made some very bad mistakes in his youth (centuries past), and he owes the price, which is normally silver and gold. But a misunderstanding with the tour promoter leaves him with the other option - payment in souls, and thus the band takes the children of the town to pay Peter's debt. And it's the smart kid who finds a way out that works for pretty much everyone. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Andi Shechter.

PAYING THE PIPER by Simon Wood:  Wow!  Eight years ago reporter Scott Fleetwood was interjected into the case of the serial kidnapper called the Piper.  At the time, Scott thinks he is dealing with that person, but instead, he and the FBI are fooled by a wannabe.  The confusion leads to the real Piper taking his first life, that of the only child of wealthy real estate mogul Charles Rooker.  Now the Piper is back and wants revenge.  To start, he has kidnapped one of Fleetwood’s twin sons, and demanded $2 million ransom.  But is it really money he wants, or Fleetwood’s help in tracking down the man whose imitation created the earlier problems.  Its every parent’s nightmare and it affects everyone, Fleetwood, the FBI agent who was originally on the case, Rooker, the wannabe Piper, and of course the Piper himself.  Hard to believe this is Wood’s sophomore effort.  Delightfully twisty and an amazing climax. 03/08 Jack Quick  

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger: I loved this beautifully written book about a family and a place - Minnesota and the North Dakota Badlands.  Every character comes to life through the narration of 11-year-old Reuben Land, who suffers from asthma. I fell in love with his sister Swede, a 9-year-old writer of enchanting cowboy poetry with exquisite meter.  But older brother Davy kills two boys that have been attacking this family and pays a steep price for it, sending them out on the road and into what surely must be some of most beautiful land in America.  But it's Reuben's father, Jeremiah Land, conduit of miracles, who holds them all together.  Suspend your disbelief and plunge headlong into the inspirational world of the Land family; you will not forget them.

Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke: Robicheaux is still going strong and sober in his fifteenth adventure (after Crusader's Cross), only this time it’s personal. During the dark days in Miami, Robicheaux witnessed the execution of his friend Dallas Klein during an armored car robbery. Fast forward many years to New Iberia, Louisiana, where a young girl with everything to live for commits suicide, a homeless man is killed in a suspicious hit and run, and another young woman – Dallas’s daughter, Trish – is caught passing a hundred dollar bill with the telltale dye mark of stolen funds. Robicheaux hooks up with his former partner, PI Clete Purcel, who does a little private investigating and somehow ends up involved with Trish. While Robicheaux is obsessing over his cases and seriously butting heads with the politically ambitious district attorney, he also manages to unsnarl the mess and get the bad guys with his own inimitable style, while just briefly touching on the horror of Hurricane Katrina. With his superbly written prose and intricate plotting, Burke's latest is sure to please his legion of fans. 07/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission. 

PEGASUS DESCENDING by James Lee Burke: Dave Robicheaux can’t escape the past.  Years ago when he "was still going steady with Jim Beam straight up and a beer back" a friend, Dallas Klein, was killed in an armored car robbery that Dave witnessed but was too drunk to stop.  Now Dallas’ daughter Trish, a grifter and con artist, shows up in New Iberia apparently intent on getting revenge on the mobsters who caused her father’s death, mobsters who coincidentally now live in New Iberia.  If possible, Burke continues to get better.  Not only is the story riveting and the prose as elegant as ever, but he breaks the mood from time to time with outrageously funny moments and characters before ratcheting the tension up another notch.  For instance, there is “Calamity Jane” AKA Betsy Mossbacher, an FBI agent originally from Chugwater, Wyoming, who deserves her own series.  She begins by crashing her vehicle into a New Iberia police cruiser, insults the chief and generally acts more like the proverbial bull in the china shop than a heifer.  Mixed in with the serious stuff are incidents like the 911 call from a meth addict who was outraged when his dealer showed up without the drugs the caller had paid for, thereby committing fraud, and according to the caller, added insult to injury by robbing him at gunpoint of seventy-eight dollars and his stash.  It just doesn’t get any better. 07/06 Jack Quick

PELHAM FELL HERE by Ed Lynskey:  Wow!  If you are a Lee Child fan, then plan on grabbing this one to keep you going between Jack Reacher adventures.  Frank Johnson has been around the block more than once.  Like Reacher, Johnson is a former Military Policemen and now works as a PI and part-time gunsmith.  When his cousin Cody Chapman is gunned down with a twelve-gauge shotgun, Johnson starts looking for answers.  Before he gets them, two deputy sheriffs ambush and try to kill him.  Two on one aren’t sufficient odds as he survives, but only by killing the deputies.  Now he is both the hunted and the hunter.  Thank goodness he survives, with a little help from his friends, because we want to see more of this guy. 06/08 Jack Quick  

PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks: The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March and Year of Wonders, takes readers back through the history of one book, the Sarajevo Haggadah, to tell a story of racism, discrimination, and hatred, but sometimes the courage of individuals. Hanna Heath, a book conservator, is asked to restore the invaluable manuscript. Intrigued by the work, Hanna longs to know why an insect wing, a white hair, and a wine stain are in it. Those remnants allows the author to trace the Haggadah’s history, back through Sarajevo, Vienna, Venice, and Spain. The book bears silent witness to religious intolerance, back from the Nazis to the Inquisition and earlier periods. Time after time, though, individuals rise up to save the Haggadah, and, in doing so, save something in the human spirit. Even Hanna is forced to fight to preserve the book, in a fascinating story. 04/08 Lesa Holstine

THE PEOPLE WHO WALK IN DARKNESS by Stuart Kaminsky:  Kaminsky continues his methodology of having the Moscow version of the 87^th Precinct work on three cases simultaneously.  This time, however, all three are interrelated, and Chief Insp. Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov only has nine days in which to solve them.  He and Emil Karpo (The Vampire) are off to Siberia to investigate the death of a Canadian geologist who died in a Siberian diamond mine rumored to be haunted by ghosts.  His son Josef and his partner Zelach are sent to look into the torture-murder of two black South Africans whose bodies were found seated in a cemetery and Sasha Tkach and Elena Timofeyeva are looking into the murder of a Moscow prostitute found dead in the most expensive private care on a train from Kiev to Moscow.  The stakes are high – Rostnikov’s continued employment is at stake, and the time is short.  One the best yet from an MWA Grand Master. 10/08 Jack Quick   

PERFECT KILLER by Lewis Perdue: Project Enduring Valor has for seventy years sought the ultimate warrior drug – one that would turn ordinary soldiers into ruthless killers. Dr. Bradford Stone, "legendary Marine recon operative turned healer and scientist," is contacted by a woman from his past with a baffling mystery. Why would a black civil rights attorney in Mississippi want to save a convicted white racist murderer on death row? What is the connection to Project Enduring Valor and who will be the next president of the United States? Add in a female sniper, a love interest, a massive conspiracy and the richness of the Mississippi Delta and you get a very exciting novel. 01/07 Jack Quick

Perfect Match by Jodi Piccoult:  A legal thriller from a master storyteller.  Nina Frost is a driven D.A. who specializes in convicting child molesters.  Her world is turned upside down when her 5 year old son is sexually abused, the chief suspect a Priest.  Nina knows all too well how the legal system fails children, so she takes the law into her own hands with devastating results.  This is a very emotional, very intense story that is extremely well done.

THE PERFECT VICTIM by James McKimmey:  Al Jackson was mostly talk but the townspeople of Willow Creek didn’t know that.  So when the beloved town beauty ends up dead, murdered in her room above the Willow Creek coffee shop, and Al Jackson is the only stranger in town, its not hard to see why the folks of Willow Creek suspected Al, particularly since he had been coming on to her in the Coffee Shop.  Published in 1957, this is a quick and easy read, about small town life and whether justice can be had.  The clerk at the used bookstore said this one was “so old and so thin,” she would only charge me a quarter.  Not bad for a Dell First Edition and paperback classic. 03/08 Jack Quick 

PERFECTION by Walter Satterthwait: What kind of serial killer targets overweight women in order to bring them to “perfection?” In St. Anselm, Florida, a small gulf coast city, police detective Sophia Tregaskis and Sgt. James Fallon are in charge of this strange case. They have to battle departmental politics, an FBI profiler and a hurricane to solve the baffling case. Satterthwait’s thriller is intriguing and fast-paced with a shocking ending. 02/06 Lesa Holstine

PERMANENCE by Karl Schroeder: Schroeder’s Sun of Suns was on the less sciency side of SF, but Permanence is pretty much full-bore, spaceships-aliens-and-nanobots, convention-attending, total-nerd Science Fiction. And it is awesome. The setup here is that there is a big galactic civilization, with some planets orbiting actual stars and others farther out that orbit brown dwarfs—they give out enough heat to support life, but not enough to power the faster-than-light starships that connect the inner worlds. SO, there are these enormous ships called cyclers that travel (below light speed) between the outer worlds and pass on supplies and passengers, keeping the society connected and thriving. The only problem is that now the inner worlds have the fast ships, there are fewer and fewer cyclers, and the outer worlds are getting cut off. There’s a lot more to it, a whole political thing and a rebellion and so on, but that’s all mostly a MacGuffin—the main point of the story is more about the search for (and attempt to understand) other advanced alien civilizations, and whether any civilization can survive without annihilating itself or everyone else. I love books that have an interesting take on aliens (Vernor Vinge is another author who does this especially well) and I really recommend this book even though I suspect the hardcore SF aspect will put a lot of people off. Seriously, get over it and read this - it will make you think. 03/07 Jenne Bergstrom

PERSON OF INTEREST by Theresa Schwegel: Another gritty outing from Schwegel. Chicago PD detective Craig McHugh loses his objectivity in pursuing the source of a deadly batch of heroin. He goes undercover in an attempt to infiltrate the Fuxi Spiders Chinese gang. In the process he loses his partner, and is in jeopardy of losing his wife and daughter, his job and his life. Can he pull it all back together or will he be destined to go down the tubes? Not for the faint of heart with descriptions of the world of drugs and gangs and their effect on the rest of society. Above average. 09/08 Jack Quick 

A PERSONAL HISTORY OF THIRST by John Burdett:  No, this is not a treatise on alcoholism.  The title is derived from the name of one of the key characters – Oliver Thirst, whose life and death shaped the lives of ambitious London lawyer James Knight, a defender turned prosecutor; Oliver Thirst, his former client; and Daisy Smith, a wayward American.  Like Gaul, the book is divided into three parts.  In the first part, Daisy is charged with Oliver's murder.  The second part is a flashback to the late 1970s, which establishes and develops the dark triangle.  The third and most compelling and funny part of the novel returns to the present to cover Daisy’s trial, with all its manipulations and ramifications.  Decidedly different and nicely done.  This is the first of four books by Burdett, this one set in England, and three set in the Far East. 08/08 Jack Quick

Persuader by Lee Child: Newest installment in the Jack Reacher series.  The book opens with ex-military police officer Reacher saving a young man from an apparent kidnapping.  But the kidnapping attempt is a set up to get Reacher into the boy's family home, where his father, Zachary Beck, a rug importer (and who knows what else he's importing,) is under investigation by the FBI.  A female agent is missing, there are steroid overloaded bodyguards hanging around the house, and Reacher finds out that an old enemy, Quinn, long thought dead, is alive and involved.   Reacher wants Quinn, and agrees to help the FBI with their investigation.  Intriguing characters, interesting setting  and twisty story make this the best Reacher book yet.  Don't miss it.

PHANTOM PREY by John Sandford:  Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent Lucas Davenport, in his 18^th outing, gets into the local goth scene at the request of his wife.  A wealthy young woman has been kidnapped and presumed murdered.  Her mother is a friend of Weather Davenport, and seeks Lucas’ help through Weather, in trying to gain closure regarding her daughter’s disappearance.  Then there is a second death.  It becomes clear there is a serial killer targeting Goths and anyone else who becomes involved, including Lucas.  Although not the best Davenport, this one will still keep you involved late into the night. 07/08 Jack Quic

PHILIPPINE FEVER by Bruce Cook:  Homeland Security Agent Sam Haine is tracking a cargo container of Chinese AK-47s destined for terrorists in Texas when he finds the American buyer of the weapons dead behind a sex club in the red light district of Manila.  In order to stop the shipment, Sam must first find the killer.  Sam soon finds himself deep into an unsavory stew of CIA covert operations, corrupt politicians, Al Qaeda and the international trafficking of sex slaves.  Fast paced and not for the faint of heart.  07/06 Jack Quick

THE PHILOSOPHER’S APPRENTICE by James Morrow:  This is a tale in three parts, each being equally fascinating and equally mind-boggling. In part one, Mason Ambrose is hired to act as tutor and moral coach to Londa Sabacthani, a young girl living on a private island off of Florida. As it turns out, the girl is actually one of three clones created so that their “mother” can experience every stage of motherhood before she dies. Part two begins ten years after the end of part one. Ambrose and Londa have not spoken in ten years. Londa’s grown, completed her own college education, and has in fact created her own sort-of utopian village using Ambrose’s philosophy teachings to create a better world. Her plan backfires, however, when a group of crazy religious fundamentalists gets wind of some of her varied “works.” In part three, Londa has abandoned her more positive approach to bettering society – she’s also thrown aside Ambrose’s well-meaning warnings in regards to her more extreme plan to exact change on today’s morally ambiguous society. Humorous, tedious, and enlightening are all appropriate ways to describe this book. Morrow is wonderful in his wacky and illustrative prose, but he can also prompt some pretty heavy thoughts despite his mostly light tone. A thought provoking, if somewhat confusing read. 04/08 Becky Lejeune

A PICTURE OF GUILT by Libby Fischer Hellmann: it has been three years since Ellie’s last adventure.  Her thirteen going on twenty-one daughter is still a challenge.  This time it’s the out-takes from one of her videos that puts her squarely between the mob and the FBI during a highly publicized Chicago murder trial.  Johnnie Santoro is found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Mary Jo, in spite of Ellie’s video showing him elsewhere.  Then Mary Jo’s best friend Rhonda tells Ellie she was with Mary Jo the night Mary Jo was killed and Johnny is innocent.  That night Rhonda is killed in a one-car accident with no witnesses.  Ellie decides to tell Johnny’s lawyer anyway, but the lawyer is killed in a botched robbery at his office.  Then Ellie is locked into a video suite and the building set on fire. You’ll have to read the remaining two-thirds yourself.  Recommended. 06/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

PIG ISLAND by Mo Hayder: Journalist Joe Oakes has been recruited by the Psychogenic Healing Ministries to write a story about their community. After years of being labeled devil worshippers, the cult hopes that Oakes can paint a more socially acceptable light on the community. Oakes’s own motivation in agreeing to write the story stems from his past experience with the ministry. One of the many philosophies of the group is the belief that no medical intervention is necessary to heal. When Oakes’s aunt falls victim to Pastor Malachi Dove and his followers, Oakes exposes Dove for the fraud that he is. Now, years later, Oakes’s curiosity has gotten the best of him. Oakes suffers an unfortunate accident while on the island and is rushed to the mainland to recuperate. When he returns, he discovers that every last member of the ministry has been brutally murdered. Anyone who has not read Mo Hayder has been missing out, her shocking and brutal thrillers are maddeningly intense. Pig Island is somewhat reminiscent of Wicker Man but is much more satisfying, even if it is a bit predictable towards the end. 02/07 Becky Lejeune

THE PINES by Robert Dunbar: This cult classic, originally published in a somewhat edited version in 1989, is now back in print, and in full. Pine Barrens, New Jersey is the home of the famous legend of the Jersey Devil. Robert Dunbar, an expert on this American folk tale, weaves an original narrative around this classic New Jersey horror story. Legend has it that in 1735 a woman called Mother Leeds cursed her thirteenth child and swore that his father was the devil. Upon its birth, the child appeared normal but quickly transformed into a terrifying beast. Now, Pine Barrens and the surrounding area are beginning to see an increase in unexplained disappearances and deaths. Athena is not from Pine Barrens. She only moved there after being swept off her feet by Wallace Monroe. After their marriage, he brought her back to the home he grew up in, but died shortly thereafter. Left alone in the dilapidated old farmhouse, Athena does her best to provide for herself and her son. The locals don’t like her and the only help she gets is from her sister-in-law, a woman who could never have kids of her own and now dotes on Athena’s. Athena knows there is something wrong with her son, that he’s not like other children, that the “Piney” blood that runs through him is at least partially responsible. It becomes clear pretty soon, however, that Matthew himself has some strange connection to the recent occurrences in Pine Barrens. A thoroughly satisfying horror read! Dunbar is reported to be working on a sequel to The Pines to be published in 2009. 10/08 Becky Lejeune

PIPSQUEAK by Brian Wiprud: New York taxidermy collector Garth Carson makes his living by restoring stuffed animals and then renting them out for photo shoots and the like. His girl friend Angie is a professional jeweler who does piece work at home for various manufacturers, gem setters and art jewelers, involving cutting tools, torches and exotic metals. Is it any wonder that this seemingly ordinary American couple is threatened by becoming involved in the recovery of one Pipsqueak the Nutty Nut squirrel, star of an old kiddies' cartoon show, which also featured General Buster, Howlie the Wolf, Possum his sidekick, Magic File Drawers and the Milkshake Saloon. If you don’t laugh somewhere during this one, have the relatives call Carson to come pick you up. It’s time to get you stuffed and placed on a shelf along with Howlie, Possum and the infamous Pipsqueak. 06/07 Jack Quick

THE PIRATE’S DAUGHTER by Margaret Cezair-Thompson: It’s 1946 and Errol Flynn has just arrived in Jamaica. Ida Joseph’s father, Levi, is the only taxi driver and justice of the peace in Port Antonio. Both positions lead Flynn directly to him. The two become fast friends and Levi even begins a property search for Flynn after he decides to stay in Jamaica. Thirteen-year-old Ida quickly becomes enamored with the star and finds herself, just three years later, carrying his child. Her infatuation with Flynn never truly dies, and up until his death, she still believed that she could save him from himself. Despite years of hardship that follow the birth of Ida’s daughter, May, fortune finally smiles on them. Baron Karl von Ausberg marries Ida and buys Flynn’s estate on Navy Island. Meanwhile, the political and cultural atmosphere of Jamaica has begun a tumultuous period of change. May leaves the country to attend college, but is drawn back to the island. Neither Ida nor May truly fits into this new Jamaica, the land they still call home, and they are in danger of losing Navy Island as well. Both Ida and May must confront the ultimate questions: who am I and where do I belong? This gorgeous and phenomenal book has been earning well-deserved praise of late. It is a tale of amorous love and belonging, of family drama, political unrest, and cultural discordance as a result of colonialism. The Pirate’s Daughter is an amazing book. 10/07 Becky Lejeune

THE PLAGUE MAIDEN by Kate Ellis: Detective Inspector Wesley Peterson returns in one of Ellis’ mysteries that combine history and present day crime in a riveting story. While archaeologist Neal Watson digs up a burial ground for plague victims from the 14th century, Wesley digs into more recent crimes. It was thought that a thief murdered Rev. John Shipborne in 1991. He was arrested, found guilty and imprisoned, until a woman came up with an alibi twelve years later. Who killed the minister? Was it the same person who killed a young woman who disappeared a week after the minister’s death, the woman whose body was uncovered by the archaeological team? And who has a grudge against a supermarket chain, the chain that is planning to building on the plague burial grounds? Wesley can be grateful for the help of his supervisor and the rest of the police department, since he’s trying to juggle the cases, his wife’s pregnancy and his son’s illness. In all of her novels, Ellis captures the importance of relationships, friendship and family. Relationships are important in Wesley’s successful solutions to the cases, the successful conclusion of the historical cases, and the success of all of Ellis’ stories. 05/07 Lesa Holstine

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult:  Good mystery set in the oh-so-fascinating Amish country of Pennsylvania.  Well researched and well written.  Can't wait to read The Pact.

PLAY DEAD by David Rosenfelt:  This is the latest in one of my favorite series, and it's fabulous.  All you need to know of the plot is that our hero, Andy Carpenter, millionaire lawyer who picks and chooses his cases based solely on whether or not he cares enough to do the work, takes on a new client who faces execution.  This death row inmate, however, is a golden retriever accused of biting, and the law says biters get put down.  The last minute stay of execution opens another can of worms, as Andy realizes that this golden is also the only witness to a five year old murder.  As implausible a plot as this may sound, due to Rosenfelt's writing skill it works on every level.  You don't have to be a dog lover to enjoy this romp, but I bet you will be one by the time you're done.  Don't miss this laugh out loud funny, twisty mystery.  06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch  

PLAY DEAD by David Rosenfelt:  Probably every shaggy dog joke ever created will work its way into one or more reviews of this, Rosenfelt’s sixth legal thriller featuring independently wealthy Paterson, N.J., lawyer Andy Carpenter.  In this outing Carpenter takes on a death row case involving a defendant accused of attacking his owner.  Owner?  Yogi, a golden retriever, is freed from the animal shelter and joins longtime pet Tara in the Carpenter home. The real action begins when an ordinary street walk turns into a reunion of sorts when Karen Evans recognizes Yogi, AKA Reggie, presumed dead five years earlier after the conviction of Karen's brother, U.S. Customs Inspector Richard Evans, for the murder of his fiancée, Stacy Harriman.  Carpenter realizes this is a case he can really sink his teeth into (sorry I had to) and sets out to free Richard Evans to reunite him with Reggie, ah Yogi.  Anyway its up to the high standards set by Rosenfelt in previous outings. 06/07 Jack Quick

PLAY DIRTY by Sandra Brown: Griff Burkett is probably the most hated man in Dallas.  They take their football seriously there, and the Cowboys star quarterback got caught throwing a game.  He did time in prison and when he gets out, he finds himself ostracized at every turn, not to mention the target of the cop who busted him.  Rodale is convinced he got away with murder, and is terrorizing Burkett and everyone who is involved with him.  Unable to get any sort of job, he's desperate enough to take the one thing he is offered.  Foster Speakman is the CEO of a Southwest Airlines clone, a paraplegic married to a much younger woman.  Speakman offers Burkett a job, of sorts: he wants Burkett to father a child for him, the "natural way."  Mrs. Speakman is amenable, but then things really heat up.  This is romantic suspense at its best; by turns sexy and scary but always thrilling. 08/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLAYING FOR PIZZA by John Grisham: Rick Dockery was only a third string quarterback, but he became the most hated man in Cleveland when he threw away a seventeen point lead in a playoff game for the Browns. Eager to get out of town, and escape a paternity case, he accepted a job as the starting quarterback for the Parma Panthers. That’s Parma, Italy, where he’s one of three Americans on the team. The rest of the team consists of Italians playing for the love of the game, and pizza and beer. Unlike Cleveland Brown fans, who view Rick as a goat, the Panthers see him as their savior, the American quarterback who will lead them to victory in their version of a Super Bowl. Grisham’s latest novel is a funny, warm story, filled with a passion for football, and a passion for life. 10/07 Lesa Holstine

PLAYING GOD by Kate Flora: Flora’s new mystery series introduces a fascinating character, Joe Burgess, “Portland’s meanest cop.” He’s also the best detective on the Portland, Maine police force, so his supervisor allows him to investigate the murder of Dr. Stephen Pleasant, although Burgess hated the man. As Burgess and his team interview friends and family, they discover that no one liked the victim. Burgess said, “This case has everything – unhappy wife, angry ex. Hookers. Drugs. Money problems. Maybe blackmail, and a vic nobody liked, including his patients.” The police discover that Pleasant’s entire life had a mucky undercurrent. He may have been a powerful man, but he manipulated and used everyone. Burgess discovers that anyone close to Pleasant could be dragged into the muck, including himself. Playing God is an excellent title on many levels. And, Kate Flora has created a wonderful character. I hope she brings Joe back soon. 11/06 Lesa Holstine

PLUM LOVIN’ by Janet Evanovich: In my grocery store they have something called “two bite brownies”. As Stephanie’s companion Lula would say, “You need a whole case of them little things to know you’ve had any.” Like Christmas 2002’s Visions of Sugar Plums, this is a "between-the-numbers" 2007 Valentine’s Day Stephanie Plum book that is too long to be a short story, but at 164 pages doesn’t offer the satisfaction of say, a dozen fresh Krispy Kremes or a large order of chili cheese fries. Not content with just two men in her life (Morelli and Ranger) Stephanie hooks up with Diesel to pursue an FTA (Failure To Appear). As the name implies, Diesel is kind of the “whitebread” Ranger with maybe a bit more muscularity. It’s the usual cast of characters and enjoyable if you’re already a fan and if you can get it free from the library like I did. If not, Stephanie playing Cupid for a shy butcher, a desperate vet, an overworked single mom, a 30-something virgin and the marriage-phobic fellow who just happens to be Stephanie's pregnant sister's boyfriend is probably not your cup of tea. 03/07 Jack Quick

PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich: I love the Stephanie Plum books, but these "between the numbers" books haven't thrilled me as much, although this is probably the best of the three so far (Visions of Sugar Plums; Plum Lovin'.)  It's rather like eating the crumbs of Stephanie's favorite Tastee Cakes, but us diehard fans will take what we can get until Fearless Fourteen comes out in June.  So far, these books have been centered around holidays: Christmas, Valentine's Day, and now St. Patrick's Day.  Grandma Mazur takes off with a duffel bag that she found on the street.  It's full of money, and she's convinced she's found the leprechaun's pot of gold and it's hers to keep.  But the "leprechaun" wants his money back, and so do the gangsters he stole it from.  Grandma takes off for Atlantic City, so Stephanie, Lula and Connie take off after her.  Diesel shows up too; he's looking for the leprechaun.  The scene with Lula causing a 'distraction' in the casino was priceless, as anyone who's familiar with that character can imagine. At well under 200 pages, it's a very quick, very enjoyable read that will leave fans hungry for more. 01/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich:  Evanovich brings back her fans’ favorite, Stephanie Plum, in a “between the numbers” story, set around St. Patrick’s Day. What more would a reader want than Lula in a casino in Las Vegas, and Grandma Mazur as a kidnap victim? Even those short descriptions would bring smiles, knowing those are hints of disasters to come. Stephanie’s mother sends her on a search for her grandmother, after she disappears with a large duffel bag. Why would a man who thinks he’s a leprechaun steal a million dollars from a mobster? Of course, Grandma Mazur stole it from the leprechaun, thinking it was her pot of gold on St. Patrick’s Day. Suddenly, Stephanie, Connie, and Lula are on Grandma Mazur’s trail, accompanied by Diesel. Imagine the kind of diversion they can cause in a casino. Laughs are few and far between in the beginning of the story, but by the end of it, readers may be laughing out loud. It can only be summarized as another plum funny story from Evanovich. 01/08 Lesa Holstine

PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich:  Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s objective in this one is her own Grandma Mazur who has found a duffle full of money on the street and taken off for Atlantic City.  Unfortunately, the money was money was stolen from a notorious Trenton mobster.  Stephanie and friend Lulu hot-foot it to Atlantic City to find Grandma and recover the money before Grandma is caught.  Diesel returns and there is a new whack job - Snuggy, an ex-jockey who originally stole the money and is convinced he's a leprec