Book Review - 1222 - Anne Holtz

 

Title:  1222

Author: Anne Holtz

Review:      If you have ever heard the expression “a locked door mystery” and wondered what they were talking about, look no further than 1222.  Here you have a Norwegian writer in her prime, with a great hero, a solid crime, and just enough red herring side characters to keep you guessing to the end.  Who done it, and more importantly, who keeps doing it.

In a locked door mystery you have a controlled environment wherein the crime, investigators, and villain are all contained and cannot escape.  A cruise ship would be a great example.  The question that remains is can your hero find the killer before the villain finds them.  And so the tension mounts all the way to the final showdown.

A medically retired police investigator is snowed in at a mountain resort after a train accident with the rest of her fellow passengers.  Bitterly stuck in her wheelchair she desires to just be left alone, but the deaths keep coming and she does not have any choice.  Of course as any group of strangers who are marooned together the paranoia escalates. Can she diffuse this powder keg before it blows, or will all be lost before the murderer can be found?

My favorite part is the confinement of the investigator.  While the others have free run of the entire hotel, she is confined to the main floor lobby and other rooms (I guess Norway does not have the same handicap accessible regulations that we do).  Also given she is retired she has no authority to question anyone.  The whole mystery is solved apart from the actual crimes; it is solved through observation and deduction alone.  And given that we the reader are also apart from the crime, the same clues are available to us to solve the crime too.

It’s amazing what we can learn form our environments if we to just listen.  We all spend too much time trying to be heard and we rarely hear others.  While we may never be Dr. Lightman, we would save ourselves a lot of heartache and misery if we just start paying attention to others.  

A great mystery and a fantastic example of the style.  Read this book.

Publisher:  Published by Salomonsson Agency (first published June 6th 2008)

ISBN: 9781848876071

Copyright: 2008

Pages: 300

Quick Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Why Did I Read this Book:  Anne Holt is a master of the genre.

Where I Obtained the Book:  My local library.

Synopsis:  1222 is the story of how a small group of people find themselves stuck in a hotel during an apocalyptic snow storm. Following a dramatic train derailment at Finse, the conflict between the survivors escalates while a furious hurricane threatens the unprotected village. Nobody is there to help, and there is no way out of the inferno for the survivors hiding out. On the first night at the hotel, a man is found shot and murdered. The victim is Cato Hammer, a priest known nation-wide for his ability – and desire – to get in the papers. Hanne Wilhelmsen, retired Inspector at the Oslo Police, is drawn into a race against time, a murderer, and the worst storm in the Norwegian alps on record. She loses the first round. Soon, another one of God’s servants is murdered, when an icicle cuts through his body…

 

Author Biography:  Anne Holt was born in Larvik, grew up in Lillestrøm and Tromsø, and moved to Oslo in 1978. She graduated with a law degree from the University of Bergen in 1986, and went on to work for The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) and then the Oslo Police Department, earning her right to practice as a lawyer in Norway. In 1990 she returned to NRK, where she worked one year as a journalist and anchor woman for the news program Dagsrevyen.

Holt started her own law practice in 1994, and served as Minister of Justice in Cabinet Jagland for a short period from November 25, 1996 to February 4, 1997.

In 1993 Holt made her debut as a novelist with the crime novel Blind gudinne, featuring the lesbian police officer Hanne Wilhelmsen. The two novels Løvens gap (1997) and Uten ekko (2000) are co-authored with former state secretary Berit Reiss-Andersen.

Holt is one of the most successful crime novelists in Norway. She has been published in 25 countries.

Other Reviews:

Euro Crime

The Guardian UK

The Independent UK

Mystery Writers Tour coming April 12-19th

Book Review - The Truth About Us - Dalene Flannigan

 

Title:  The Truth About US

Author: Dalene Flannigan

Review:  This book surprised me, I guess I didn’t know what to expect and WOW…BANG…the author nailed a topic that is near and dear to everyone’s heart…..Secrets we keep.  What secrets do you keep from those you love and those who tell you everything?  Well this one is big and it has the power to destroy lives and those you love…would you tell someone then?  What will it cost you if you do?  You may never know until you tell that secret.

This is fasted paced and well written, I kept turning the pages until the end.  I’ve known people like the characters in this book and I think the author really hit the nail on the head with a few of them.  Friendship is one thing, love is another and crazy is a completely different topic altogether.  Put those three all in the mix and things happen.  Good, bad or indifferent….things happen.

I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author.  By the way I was surprised this was self-published...it read like a well edited, professionally published work.

Publisher:  Published November 5th 2011

ISBN: B00642CEB6

Copyright: 2011

Pages: Kindle Edition (230 pages)

Quick Review: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Where I Obtained the Book:  Sent by author for review.

Synopsis:  What happens when the past catches up to the present and the truth surfaces? Three women, roommates back in college, find their lives forever altered when one of them feels compelled to confess the secret sin of their past.

And whose truth is it?

'The Truth About Us' weaves the past and the present in a page-turner that explores the shifting quality of truth, and the cost of secrets.

 

Author Biography:  Dalene Flannigan is the author of two novels, The Truth About Us and What Katie Read.

Her full length plays include, A Mournful Rustling – winner of the Playwrights of Spring New Play Award and Rescuing Elephants.

She has written, Unheard Voices—an award-winning video on Hard-of-Hearing issues, and, Let’s Make it Clear...Clear Communication and Hearing Loss—winner of the Barbara Jordan Media Award.

She lives in Toronto and is working on a new novel.

Other Reviews:

 Nose in a Book

Jess Resides Here

Self-publishing Review

Book Review - The Drop - Michael Connelly

Title:  The Drop 

Author: MichaelConnelly 

Review: I got started with Connelly after reading the Lincoln Lawyer when the movie came out; great book by the way.  So this past year I have been reading his backlist consisting of intertwining characters over 25 books.  The main character through the majority of the works, including The Drop, has been Harry Bosch, grizzled detective in the LAPD. 

The Drop refers to the LAPD notification that Harry only has so many years before he will be forced out in retirement, which is distressing to us the reader, because what will we do for our LA crime fix then?  What you need the history for is to understand that Harry has upset a few people over the years mainly because he goes after the truth regardless where the chips may fall.  There isn’t any compromise, at least on his part.  Consequently there is a lot of politics going on behind the scenes on whether he should be forced out sooner. 

Everything comes to a head when his nemesis’ son turns up dead, and he requests Harry specifically to investigate.  He asks for Harry for the one reason he hates him; either everyone counts or nobody counts.  That is, Harry will investigate this death until the truth is known, regardless of what that truth is, regardless who the victim is, or whose son he is, regardless of his personal preferences. 

It is that motto which is put to the test, everybody counts or nobody counts.  This book makes me reflect on my own values.  Hopefully I am never in the life or death situations of Harry Bosch, but I do know I am confronted by challenges to my character everyday of my life.  It is a battle we must all face to become a congruent, honest person; to become someone who matters to the others in our life.  This book is as good as any case study about human character I ever read in college, and a lot more entertaining too. 

Do yourself a favor and start reading one of modern day’s greatest detectives.  If the book totals intimidate you then pick up the Lincoln Lawyer (now a four book series in the same universe) to get the taste.  You will be mainlining the Bosch soon after.

Thanks to T Stevens for this review. 

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co. 
Copyright: 2011 
Pages: 388 
ISBN: 978-0-316-06941-0 
Quick Review:  4.5 Stars out of 5. 
Why I Read it: After reading The Lincoln Lawyer (because of the movie) I decided to read Connelly’s entire backlist and with The Drop I am officially caught up. 
Where I Obtained the Book: My local library 

Synopsis: Harry Bosch has been given three years before he must retire from the LAPD, and he wants cases more fiercely than ever. In one morning, he gets two.

DNA from a 1989 rape and murder matches a 29-year-old convicted rapist. Was he an eight-year-old killer or has something gone terribly wrong in the new Regional Crime Lab? The latter possibility could compromise all of the lab's DNA cases currently in court.

Then Bosch and his partner are called to a death scene fraught with internal politics. Councilman Irvin Irving's son jumped or was pushed from a window at the Chateau Marmont. Irving, Bosch's longtime nemesis, has demanded that Harry handle the investigation.

Relentlessly pursuing both cases, Bosch makes two chilling discoveries: a killer operating unknown in the city for as many as three decades, and a political conspiracy that goes back into the dark history of the police department.

Author Biography: Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.

After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.

After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with 18 more novels.

Connelly's books have been translated in 35 languages and have won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), and Premio Bancarella Award (Italy).

Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael was one of the creators, writers, and consulting producers of Level 9, a TV show about a task force fighting cyber crime, that ran on UPN in the Fall of 2000.

Michael lives with his family in Florida.

Other Reviews: 

NY Times

USA Today Books

Washington Post

FYI:

Book Review - Not This TIme - Vicki Hinze

 

Title:  Not This Time

Author: Vicki Hinze

Review:  I hadn’t read the two leading up to this book and so I was a bit lost in the beginning.  The characters have known each other awhile and so I felt like the new guy on the block trying to break into a group of really close friends.  Eventually I figured out what was going on and I was able to enjoy the story without wondering who was talking and what they had to do with the plot.  I will tell you that I liked the book well enough that if I ever have the time I will go back and read the others in order.

The story started out strong and then back peddled for a bit before getting going again.  This book is not overly religious, the characters talk to God and talk about him throughout the story.  I didn’t find this strange or something that took away from the plot.  I found it refreshing in the fact that the characters realized they couldn’t do everything they needed to do alone.  Pray is a wonderful thing that allows us to have someone else shoulder part of our burden.

The mystery was interesting, but without the background of the other books I still felt lost at times.  The ending was a predictable and so that was a disappointment.  But I liked the characters and will be interested in reading their next adventure together.

Publisher:  Published February 21st 2012 by The DoubledayReligious Publishing Group

ISBN: 9781601422071

Copyright: 2012

Pages: 336

Quick Review: 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Why I Read It:  This looked interesting from the books offered on Blogging for Books.

Where I Obtained the Book:  Sent by Blogging for Books

Synopsis:  Small town scandal. International terrorist attack. Who among them is the traitor?

 Sara and Beth have built a multi-million dollar business together, but their once solid friendship is now strained. Beth is leery of Sara’s husband, and when he is kidnapped, authorities consider Beth their prime suspect.

 Then, their small town of Seagrove Village is rocked by an act of terrorism, and Beth doesn’t know who to trust. Someone she knows is linked to the attack, but who? Is there a connection to Crossroads Crisis Center? In the midst of the confusion and fear, Beth finds herself attracted to a man from her past. She knows she shouldn’t fall in love with him, but she can’t resist or even explain their bond. As her world unravels around her, she wonders, is it possible to be beyond redemption?

 

Author Biography:  Vicki is the award-winning author of 25 novels, 4 nonfiction books and hundreds of articles. She's recognized as an author and as an educator by Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.

Vicki mentors nearly 2000 other writers through her Writers' Zone (formerly Aids for Writers) program and has for over 10 years.

Currently she's writing faith-affirming thrillers and inspirational romantic suspense. Her latest releases are DEADLY TIES and FORGET ME NOT, the first two books in her Crossroads Crisis Center series. Book 3, NOT THIS TIME, will be published in February 2012, and her first stand-alone novella, DIES IRAE (DAY OF WRATH) will be published September 1, 2012.

Other Reviews:

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FYI

Not This Time by Vicki Hinze Thriller Novel Book... by cosproductions

Book Review - The TurboCharged Mind: Eliminate Bad Habits with Hypnosis - Dian Griesel Ph.D. (Author), Tom Griesel (Contributor)

 

Title:  The TurboCharged Mind: Eliminate Bad Habits with Hypnosis

Author: Dian Griesel Ph.D. (Author), Tom Griesel (Contributor)

Review:   If you want to change your life this book has some great ideas in how to do that.  I’m very stressed most of the time, which is funny since most people I work with think I’m laid back and patient.  Five children, a neurotic dog and a husband all bring along their own stress adding to mine.  I try to relax and yet fail more times than not.  Maybe hypnosis is what I need?  I would like to learn to de-stress it is starting to cause other problems in my life, digestive, mental, physical and others.  I’m going to try some of the self-hypnosis exercises and see how it goes.

Now if you want to lose weight then this book and their first would be good for you…this one they do hit hard on weight loss and positive self-image.  Disease prevention through healthy living and stress reduction, also are mentioned.  We do spend a fortune going to see Doctors and using the drugs they prescribe, maybe a bit of a lifestyle change and that could change also.  I’ve never been hypnotized, but maybe it really works…I only now need to give it a try…what have I got to lose?

Check out this book if you need a positive change in your life…its short and to the point.

Published:  Business School of Happiness Inc. (January 19, 2012)

ISBN: 978-1936705054

Copyright: 2012

Pages: 122

Quick Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Where I Obtained the Book:  Sent by the publisher for review.

Synopsis:  Use Hypnosis and the Power of Your Mind to: * ATTRACT LOVE AND BETTER RELATIONSHIPS * LIVE IN A LEAN, SHAPELY BODY * IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH * ACHIEVE GREATER SUCCESS * END THOSE STUBBORN BAD HABITS AND BEHAVIORS FOREVER WITH EASE The TurboCharged Mind: Eliminate Bad Habits with Hypnosis offers a rare, fascinating and potentially life-changing opportunity to harness the innate power already within your mind, heart and body. This dynamic energy force already exists within you and just needs to be directed to work for your ultimate benefit. This self-improvement and personal development method is based on specific hypnosis techniques that are safe, comfortable and proven effective for breaking through self-imposed barriers. The TurboCharged Mind explains how you can: * Use hypnosis to eliminate actions and thoughts that are preventing you from achieving success or happiness in any area. * Re-channel doubts and fears into constructive pathways and replace negativity with untapped potent mental energies. * Attract love and better relationships, improve your appearance by losing weight and excess body fat, quit smoking permanently, enjoy restful sleep, experience greater overall health, reduce stress, improve success and prosperity—all while increasing your inner sense of comfort and relaxation throughout the day, no matter what challenges life throws your way. This book is the ultimate companion to the acclaimed book, TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust. The TurboCharged Mind expands “Step 8: Seeing the Prize.” It explains in simple language how readers can learn to access personal power that is just waiting to be tapped to not only get lean and in awesome shape, fast and easy, but also accomplish any goal with much greater ease when natural self-hypnosis, which can be easily learned by anyone, is incorporated into the process. About the Authors: Dian Griesel, Ph.D. developed the TurboCharged™ brand of hypnosis and has successfully utilized it for more than twenty-five years. Serial entrepreneurs, Dian and Tom Griesel, are co-authors and co-producers of the TurboCharged™ series of books and hypnosis downloads. This sister/brother team has been called the “New First Family of Health.” They have been written about extensively in media outlets worldwide and have been guests on numerous television shows and national radio programs.

 

Author Biography:  Dian Griesel, Ph.D., 50 chronologically, 18 metabolically, is a long-recognized health spokesperson. A dynamic and in-demand commentator since the 1980’s, Dian has made guest appearances on thousands of television and radio shows. She has been interviewed for articles in countless magazines, newspapers and other outlets discussing all aspects of health, wellness, stress management, diet, obesity and exercise. Dian is a lifetime member of the International Association of Counselors and Therapists as well as the National Guild of Hypnotists. She has served on the Board of the New York Chapter of the American Heart Association. A serial entrepreneur, Dian has founded several businesses. Throughout the 1980s, Dian was co-partner of Spotlite Marketing, a division of Spotlite Entertainment. She marketed corporate sponsorship deals for Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Yakov Smirnoff and many other top-tier acts. A prolific writer, in addition to co-authoring and co-developing the TurboCharged® franchise, Dian is the author several other books covering a plethora of topics. Many more are in the works. Tom Griesel, 57 chronologically, yet metabolically 17, lives his dream life as a health, wellness and rapid fat loss advisor to corporate officers, celebrities, athletes and individuals, alike. He is a Reiki Master who has practiced Transcendental Meditation for over 20 years. Tom has been a guest on both television and radio programs hundreds of times, has consulted and lectured extensively, and has written and published and/or been interviewed thousands of times by magazines, newspapers, websites and blogs around the world. Tom himself is the symbol of youth and a living example of health. He is a wonderful chef as well as one of the few fitness personalities who can actually demonstrate many impressive physical feats including, for example, doing 100+ push-ups in record time along with an impressive number of pull-ups as well. In addition to co-developing the TurboCharged® franchise, Tom co-founded The Business School of Happiness, a wellness and lifestyle publishing company. In his earlier years, he founded a health products business. In the mid-1990s, Tom was co-founder of a boutique investment banking firm that financed pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other high-tech companies which he ran successfully for twelve years.

Other Reviews:
The Investors Relation Group

Monday in our mailbox

What's in your mailbox?  These were all sent for review.  What did you read this week?
FOUR D is a first book from the trilogy. It is a puzzle book. As storyline progress all characters will be interconnected... 
Four D consists of four chapters: “Space”, “Four Rooms”, “The Principle of Luidgi”, and “Guest”.
“Space” is a story about disappearances. The characters lives in a world of disappearing people and objects, which might or might not be important. In such a flexible reality, one should not get used to or attached to anything. However, the main character falls in love and finds a best friend despite all risks. To top it all off, he is visited by Space—the power that stands behind all the disappearances.
“Four Rooms” is a story about a young woman called Elise. Elise had always been a prisoner of her own mind. But at some point everything took a turn. She had to make a stand when she found herself at a life changing situation in a dark room with four doors. She has to open all doors and enter every room with its own mystery and secrets and has to do it immediately. Going through the four rooms is a challenge Elise has to complete to find something she needs so badly – the truth. 
“The Principle of Luidgi” is a story about Luidgi. Luidgi has everything: a beautiful girlfriend, a good job, a lovely apartment, trusted friends but instead of being happy and grateful he’s sick and tired of it all. Luidgi decide to change everything despite all costs. 
“Guest” is a story about the character who wants to meet the Guest. Finally one day he makes decision to do “it” and Guest arrives. Now all his questions are about to be answered, but is it really what he wants? 
These tense mysterious stories with incredibly engaging plots will not leave any reader feeling indifferent.

Small town scandal. International terrorist attack. Who among them is the traitor?

Sara and Beth have built a multi-million dollar business together, but their once solid friendship is now strained. Beth is leery of Sara’s husband, and when he is kidnapped, authorities consider Beth their prime suspect. 

Then, their small town of Seagrove Village is rocked by an act of terrorism, and Beth doesn’t know who to trust. Someone she knows is linked to the attack, but who? Is there a connection to Crossroads Crisis Center? In the midst of the confusion and fear, Beth finds herself attracted to a man from her past. She knows she shouldn’t fall in love with him, but she can’t resist or even explain their bond. As her world unravels around her, she wonders, is it possible to be beyond redemption?
The critically acclaimed author of "Good-bye and Amen, Leeway Cottage," and "More Than You Know" returns with a sharply perceptive and emotionally resonant novel about the power of knowing things about others, the consequences of rumor, and the unexpected price of friendship.
""Have we met?""

Answer: a right hook Because Bryony Morgan pulls no punches. Even when she's very pregnant and facing down the father of her unborn child. She fell for wealthy hotelier Rafael de Luca when he courted her for her beachfront real estate. Then he disappeared. Now, she's in New York for answers--and she won't accept a brush-off.

But selective amnesia after a crash has Rafael puzzled. How could he ever forget a combustible beauty like Bryony? Solution: return to the island where they met, and relive the unforgettable nights in question--until he remembers everything...

 You might imagine the Collision that catapulted magical creatures to Earth would make every moment miraculous. But jobs were just as dull, and life could be just as boring. Traffic still stunk, only now with dragon Flyways above highways, the stink was worse than ever. Jackson Belle Bee Elders (Bee for short) is a promising Magical Sciences major who ends up smack in the middle of the Southern home town she tried to escape. Her lofty dreams of adventure only land her under fluorescent lights as she turfs creatures to temp jobs for Beveled Star Magical Staffing (B.S. for short). But everything changes when the cautious temp meets a friend who will dramatically alter her holiday weekend and her life. Nevermind that the friend is a wolf working for a despicable djinn who might use him to destroy the planet and everyone in it. Nevermind that the wolf can talk, but no human except Bee can hear him. Bee has a lot of secrets—some she knows about, and some she doesn’t. Fizzing with wit and adventure, Temp is a tale for anyone who has ever fantasized about a more magical life.

 Use Hypnosis and the Power of Your Mind to: * ATTRACT LOVE AND BETTER RELATIONSHIPS * LIVE IN A LEAN, SHAPELY BODY * IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH * ACHIEVE GREATER SUCCESS * END THOSE STUBBORN BAD HABITS AND BEHAVIORS FOREVER WITH EASE The TurboCharged Mind: Eliminate Bad Habits with Hypnosis offers a rare, fascinating and potentially life-changing opportunity to harness the innate power already within your mind, heart and body. This dynamic energy force already exists within you and just needs to be directed to work for your ultimate benefit. This self-improvement and personal development method is based on specific hypnosis techniques that are safe, comfortable and proven effective for breaking through self-imposed barriers. The TurboCharged Mind explains how you can: * Use hypnosis to eliminate actions and thoughts that are preventing you from achieving success or happiness in any area. * Re-channel doubts and fears into constructive pathways and replace negativity with untapped potent mental energies. * Attract love and better relationships, improve your appearance by losing weight and excess body fat, quit smoking permanently, enjoy restful sleep, experience greater overall health, reduce stress, improve success and prosperity—all while increasing your inner sense of comfort and relaxation throughout the day, no matter what challenges life throws your way. This book is the ultimate companion to the acclaimed book, TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust. The TurboCharged Mind expands “Step 8: Seeing the Prize.” It explains in simple language how readers can learn to access personal power that is just waiting to be tapped to not only get lean and in awesome shape, fast and easy, but also accomplish any goal with much greater ease when natural self-hypnosis, which can be easily learned by anyone, is incorporated into the process. About the Authors: Dian Griesel, Ph.D. developed the TurboCharged™ brand of hypnosis and has successfully utilized it for more than twenty-five years. Serial entrepreneurs, Dian and Tom Griesel, are co-authors and co-producers of the TurboCharged™ series of books and hypnosis downloads. This sister/brother team has been called the “New First Family of Health.” They have been written about extensively in media outlets worldwide and have been guests on numerous television shows and national radio programs.

Book Review - Scammer - Anthony Newman

Title:  Scammer

Author:  Anthony Newman

Review: I really do not know what to think about this book.  Normally an author creates a character that people can identify with and relate to.  However, in this book I couldn't identify with any character and I found them to have no redeeming qualities. After the first few pages I found myself wondering if the author's intention was to create an extremely unlikeable character. Jeff, the lead character, not only created a Ponzi scheme but also took money from an Arab terrorist groups, "Right Wing Militia" groups, the mob, and other enemies of the United States.  He creates a lifestyle by stealing from the ruthless characters of the world and uses middle class investors to keep his company going.

 Jeff had several unlikeable friends, one being Sal. Sal talks about women as if they are sexual objects and makes sure to use them as such.  He's crude when describing the way he would use the women, which once again made me question the author's intentions for creating a book with so many unlikable and unsavory characters.

 Jeff is a huge dirt bag and I kept hoping the more I read I would find some things that would allow me to connect with the author's lead character.  Instead I only hoped Jeff would die at the end of the book in a very slow and painful way.  Everything Jeff did was for only himself and he really never thought of the effects his decision had on others and loved ones.

Throughout the book we meet Jeff's right hand man Mark, this character was a little bit of a surprise.  He was not only Jeff's voice of reality when things were going crazy but he would appear and disappear constantly.  The author threw everything in this book that he could think of and at one point I thought he might actually have someone throw in the kitchen sink.  The book had affairs,  Government conspiracies, dealings with the mob, killing someone he loved to save himself, torture, rape, murder, bombs and terrorists sleeper cells.  I was so happy to finish this book because I couldn't find any redeeming literary qualities.   I am trying really hard to be nice but the author wrote the most unlikeable characters I have ever read.

FYI: (A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. Ponzi scheme organizers often solicit new investors by promising to invest funds in opportunities claimed to generate high returns with little or no risk. In many Ponzi schemes, the fraudsters focus on attracting new money to make promised payments to earlier-stage investors and to use for personal expenses, instead of engaging in any legitimate investment activity. Taken from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  )

Thank you Heidi for this review.

Publisher: eBookIt.com (January 13, 2012)

ISBN: B006X7PJ8C

Copyright: 2012

Pages: Kindle Copy

Quick Review: 1 stars out of 5

Why I Read It:  Sent by the author for review.

Synopsis:  Jeff Mendelson's world is turned upside down when his Ponzi scheme is discovered by his investors and they seek revenge. He is in a race against time as he and his friend Mark venture off to secure the money he's been hiding in order to secure his future before he is finally caught. Along the way he runs into other shady people who know what he is hiding and want a piece of the action. All types of villains come out of the woodwork as Jeff battles to save himself from his own mistakes and greed. Scammer is a fast paced, suspenseful story, packed with twists and turns in every chapter.

Author Biography:

Anthony Newman has been reading and writing since grade school. He loves telling stories and always dreamed of entertaining others with his writing. He is also very interested in the world of writing and publishing and loves talking with other writers and readers about the craft. In his spare time he loves to spend time with his family and watch Yankee, Giant, Knick and Ranger games as well as good movies and TV. shows.

Other Reviews:

Amazon

FYI:

Link to Chapter One

Book Review - Micro - Michael Crichton and Richard Preston

Title:  Micro 

Author: MichaelCrichton & Richard Preston 

Review: As I was reading this I was thought I saw where this was going but didn’t want to believe it until I got there.  But then; OMIGOD!  He tried to write a thrilling, tension filled version of Honey I Shrunk the Kids!  To be fair Michael Crichton unfortunately died while writing this, and Richard Preston had the task of picking up the pieces and finishing it – without having the ability to discuss the author’s intent.   

So the book tried to be scary or at least thrilling but unfortunately the water had already been muddied by Rick Moranis and company.  That would have been a huge task to overcome to begin with, let alone with the loss of Crichton during the process. 

So we end up with a book that is a little to cartoonishly funny that I was never able to take as seriously as I imagine it was meant to be.  I think he wanted to do for bugs what he did for dinosaurs with Jurassic Park.  I did come away with a new respect for our insect friends and that on a level playing field they would kick our butts all over the place.  This would be an excellent book for the younger crowd, especially those budding entomologists. 


Thanks T Stevens for this review.

Publisher: Harper Collins 
Copyright: 2011 
Pages: 429 
ISBN: 978-0-060-87302-8 
Quick Review: 3 Stars out of 5. 
Why I Read it: Michael Crichton’s last book 
Where I Obtained the Book: My local library 

Synopsis: Three men are found dead in the locked second-floor office of a Honolulu building, with no sign of struggle except for the ultrafine, razor-sharp cuts covering their bodies. The only clue left behind is a tiny bladed robot, nearly invisible to the human eye.

In the lush forests of Oahu, groundbreaking technology has ushered in a revolutionary era of biological prospecting. Trillions of microorganisms, tens of thousands of bacteria species, are being discovered; they are feeding a search for priceless drugs and applications on a scale beyond anything previously imagined.

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, seven graduate students at the forefront of their fields are recruited by a pioneering microbiology start-up. Nanigen MicroTechnologies dispatches the group to a mysterious lab in Hawaii, where they are promised access to tools that will open a whole new scientific frontier.

But once in the Oahu rain forest, the scientists are thrust into a hostile wilderness that reveals profound and surprising dangers at every turn. Armed only with their knowledge of the natural world, they find themselves prey to a technology of radical and unbridled power. To survive, they must harness the inherent forces of nature itself.

An instant classic, Micro pits nature against technology in vintage Crichton fashion. Completed by visionary science writer Richard Preston, this boundary-pushing thriller melds scientific fact with pulse-pounding fiction to create yet another masterpiece of sophisticated, cutting-edge entertainment.

Author Biography: Michael Crichton was an American author, film producer, film director, and television producer. His books sold over 150 million copies worldwide, and among his best-known works were techno-thriller novels, films and television programs. His works were usually based on the action genre and heavily feature technology. Many of his future history novels had medical or scientific underpinnings, reflecting his medical training and science background.

Mr. Crichton died on November 4, 2008, after a long battle with cancer.

Richard Preston is a journalist and nonfiction writer.

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Book Review - Etiquette for an Apocalypse - Anne Mendel

 

Title:  Etiquette for an Apocalypse

Author: Anne Mendel

Review:    The title of his book struck me funny because how would someone be expected to act after the "End of the World."  What would be the proper etiquette on how to survive in a world that might be almost completely unlivable. Do you still go on dates? Does it matter if women wear make up or does it matter if people shower anymore?

The book introduces us to the Sophie Cohen and her family. Bertrand is Sophie's husband and one of few doctors, Sasha is her 13 year old rebellious daughter, then there is her brilliant brother Mitchell who is autistic, and finally, Lulu her crazy mother who trains show dogs and pretends to live in the past but is, in reality, very aware of what is going on around her.

Anne Mendel created the character Sophie, a mother, who is trying to keep her family alive while dealing with death all around her.  The author depicts Sophie as someone people could identify with and make the reader question "What would I do if I were put in this situation."

The author made me genuinely laugh when Sophie talked about how people prepared or didn't prepare for the end of the world. "The Christan Left-Behinders are now tiptoeing around their own special basement of shame, thinking the righteous ones have been called up. Jewish mothers have spent thousands of years perfecting emergency preparedness, but alas, not for the end of the world. Mormons -- well, they prepared."  The humor in the book was snarky but most of the time it was what was going through Sophie's head but rarely did she verbalize it. 

The author also introduced us to Axe. A gang leader who might be trying to save what is left of the human population still left on earth, Athena Wonder, a Palm\Tarot reader, and Smiley, the man who holds the secret to everyone's survival.  The only problem is Smiley thinks he is King Arthur. He has already killed everyone who knows anything about his "stash" and will kill anyone who tries to take it away. Sophie is left trying to solve the question, "How do you get a man who is crazy to give up his stash?" Why of course! Pretend Sophie can talk to Merlin. 

The author illustrates a group of very colorful characters throughout the book. Gypsies, gay men, doctors, mercenaries, prostitutes and just plain old crazies to keep the reader intrigued.

At the beginning of each chapter the author has quotes from movies, authors, actors, and even Sun Tzu, the author of Art of War. I enjoyed how the author incorporated the quotes to match the chapter for example Chapter 36's quote: "Perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who... have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well. J.K. Rowling"  Perhaps another question I feel the author has the reader pondering, "What would I do if I was put into power without wanting to be there?"

The humor in the book makes it a fun to read even though the topic in general can be, at times, depressing and sad.  Who would've thought someone could make termite soup sound almost edible. The author ends the book with one important question, "If the world was coming to an end in minutes who would you call? Why Wait?"

My answer would be my stock broker.  Just kidding. It would be my family because I would want them to know I loved them no matter how much they drive me crazy in life... and yes I have recently talked to my family.

I gave this book five stars, but I know this book isn't for everyone…so be warned there’s quite a bit of language and violence.

I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Heidi for this review...we love to hear your thoughts.

Publisher:  Expected publication: April 22nd 2012 by Bracket Press

ISBN: 9780984893003

Copyright: 2012

Pages: 276

Quick Review: 5 stars (out of 5)

Where I Obtained the Book:  Sent by the publisher for review.

Synopsis:  It’s the 2020 Apocalypse and Sophie Cohen, former social worker turned neighborly drug dealer, must keep her family alive amid those pesky end of the world issues: starvation, earthquakes, plagues, gang violence and alas more starvation.She investigates a serial killing and takes down the sinister emerging power structure while learning to use a pizza box solar oven, bond with her chickens and blast tin cans from the perimeter fence with a Ruger 9MM.

In order to accomplish all this she must find a way to love her mother, accept her daughter’s adulthood and reignite her moribund marriage.

She might discover that a decentralized, consensus driven life—without fossil fuels, iPhones and chocolate éclairs—isn’t the end of the world, after all.

 

Author Biography:  Anne Mendel was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas. She did, in fact, attend Mrs. Ashleigh’s Charm School.

Before writing, rewriting and rewriting became her life’s work, she was a community organizer. She never worked with Barack Obama.

She lives with her husband Mark in Portland, Oregon. Her children live back east. Her muse is her dog Humphrey.

This isn't out yet and so there is little information on this title.  

Book Review - The Killing Kind - John Connolly

Title:  The Killing Kind 

Author: John Connolly 

Review: Now we are talking.  As you know I am reading Connolly’s backlist after really enjoying book 11 in this series.  Books one and two have been rambling all around the plot without a clear focus.  Killing Kind is book three in the series and we finally see a much tighter plot.  We have a mysterious murder and a relentless detective to solve it.  No weird sidetracks to the main plot to waste our time, just a good solid story. 

Our bad guy is a little too extreme, the clichéd super villainy villain who isn’t afraid of anybody or anything.  He takes the time to challenge his opponents prior to actually confronting them.  Think like Dr Evil explaining his entire plan to kill Austin Powers and then just leaving the room trusting it will all work out.  All of us Scotty Evils just want to shoot them and get it over with.  Of course our bad guy here can’t shoot people, rather we have to have a very complex death by spider scenario all worked out because we are creepy too. 

I always find the extreme bad guy to be cartoonish and I hope Connolly moves to a more realistic bad guy soon.  Otherwise this is the book to start with if you want to get into the series right away.  Like I said the first two books provide a lot of background to the main characters that you need eventually, but this book is by far the best written. 

Thanks go to T Stevens for this review

Publisher: Pocket Books 
Copyright: 2001 
Pages: 436 
ISBN: 978-0-7434-5637-1 
Quick Review: 3.5 Stars out of 5. 
Why I Read it: Working through Connolly’s entire backlist 
Where I Obtained the Book: Sent to me by the publisher 

Synopsis: P.I. Charlie Parker is drawn into a violent conflict with a group of zealots intent on tracking down a relic linking them to the slaughter of a religious community in Maine. Soon, Parker is forced to fight for his lover, his friends, and his very soul.

Author Biography: John Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.

He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.

Other Reviews: 

Books Byte

The Mystery Reader

Curled Up