Ray's Reviews: Wicked Charms by Phoef Sutton and Janet Evanovich

    If you’re trying to escape reality, and haven’t discovered the unusual universe of mystery writer Janet Evanovich, it’s not too late to start.

        “Wicked Charms”, the funny third book in her “Lizzy and Diesel” series, (Bantam Books, $28) is co-written with successful tv series writer and Emmy-Award winner Phoef Sutton.

        It showcases Lizzy Tucker, a pastry chef at Dazzle’s Bakery in Salem MA, who’s got a great recipe for cupcakes.

        Diesel, her mysterious, hunky partner, joins her in the hunt for theStone of Avarice, one of seven ancient stones that hold the powers of the seven deadly sins.

        In the earlier books in the series, they acquired two of the stones – getting the third one is likely to be even more challenging. 

        Lizzy’s life has been changed in many ways – she notes “Now, weird is the new normal.”  She has enhanced abilities that make her exceptional – she’s one of two people in the world with the ability to locate the

stones.

        Bizarre situations abound; Lizzy’s joined by Glo, her co-worker at the bakery and Josh, who’s Glo’s odd boyfriend, as they discover mummified remains at a Pirate Museum where Josh works.

        Then the fun really begins - to find the missing stone, they must locate eight pieces of a specific vintage silver coin, combine them with a map and go on a wild and dangerous quest for a pirate’s hidden treasure.

        Meanwhile, Martin Ammon, a publishing and media mogul, wants to make Lizzy’s cupcakes a national brand and turn her into a media star. She signs a contract, without realizing what rights she has signed away. Ammon believes he is the Demon God of Greed and has his own followers.

        The overflowing cast of characters includes a determined professor and Diesel’s strange cousin Wulf, who has many intriguing ideas.

        If you’re looking for a serious, thought provoking crime novel – forget it - this certainly doesn’t qualify. It’s an entertaining, fast-paced romp with lots of action - ideal for beach-reading or when you’re trying to get away from stress. 

        There are many goofy similarities to Evanovich’s whacky other best-sellers – but that’s not all bad. Her dedicated fans will rejoice: “Tricky Twenty-Two”, her next Stephanie Plum novel, is due out soon. 

        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed crime

novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on July 26, 2015.

Read More...

Ray's Reviews: High Country Nocturne by Jon Talton

  “High Country Nocturne” by journalist Jon Talton (Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95 hb, $14.95 pb) is a highly atmospheric, entertaining crime novel that’s set mostly in Phoenix and Northern Arizona.



        It’s the eighth book showcasing private investigator and dedicated academic historian David Mapstone. He’s quite surprised when his business partner and longtime friend Mike Peralta is accused of involvement in a major jewel heist.

        Peralta, the former Maricopa County Sherriff, is working as a security guard. He’s captured on tape shooting another guard and making off with 15 million dollars worth of rough diamonds. 

        It gets a lot more complicated from there, as Mapstone and Peralta’s wife Sharon initially try to figure out the truth. 

        In the opening chapter, Mapstone and Sharon are stopped and confronted by a woman police officer in a car with flashing red and blue lights.

       A dangerous situation develops but is diffused; the private eye is convinced the woman isn’t a state cop – he dubs her “Strawberry Death”.

Mapstone gets called in by Chris Melton, the sleazy current Sherriff, who blackmails him into investigating a special cold case and deputizes him.

        Soon Mapstone’s wife Lindsay, a reformed top-notch computer hacker, is joining in; they discover that Strawberry Death is after the rare gems.

        After bullets fly, Mapstone’s in a tense, highly emotional state; he is trying to use information that has been uncovered.

        The FBI’s been called in, but a new Special Agent is in charge; a friendlier, earlier Special Agent in Phoenix has been re-assigned to duty in Alaska.
        Mapstone doesn’t know who can trust, (except for his wife), corruption is rampant and the old, cold case suddenly turns much warmer.

        The intricately plotted, fast-paced police procedural novel becomes even more complex when another body is discovered; the deceptions behind the daring jewel heist are slowly revealed.

        Talton’s dark, brooding tale frequently reflects dourly on the growth of Phoenix and the surrounding area. He deftly utilizes local landmarks in his narrative, offering insights on the area’s development and economic decline, smoothly combining past and present.

        This is an excellent, compelling page-turner with a riveting, surprising conclusion - it serves well as a stand-alone novel, but is likely to make you seek out earlier books in the series.

        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed crime novels and Michigan mysteries regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on July 19, 2015.

Read More...

Ray's Reviews: White Knuckle by Eric Red

   “White Knuckle” by Eric Red (Samhain, $14) is a harrowing reading experience that may leave you looking suspiciously at every big rig truck on the highway.

        It’s a twisted, gut-wrenching, graphic, grisly, gritty, gripping tale – certainly not for those who are looking for a subtle, peaceful crime novel that’s likely to put you to sleep.

        It focuses on FBI Special Agent Sharon Ormsby, a recent academy graduate, who’s been assigned to the Highway Serial Killer Initiative.

        When body parts are identified in different, far-flung locations, various indicators point to a serial killer, a big rig driver travelling around the country.

        Ormsby goes undercover as a truck driver in the FBI investigation, joining veteran big rig driver Rudy Dykstra on the road in pursuit of a killer who goes by the handle of White Knuckle.

        She travels with Dykstra cross-country, (there’s even a stop in Marshall MI), as they try to gather information and discover the true identity of the murderer.

        Meanwhile, the clever killer keeps on picking up and brazenly kidnapping women and girls, keeping them restrained in a special secret compartment that he’s built into his huge vehicle.

        He’s been leaving body parts in assorted states for forty years; most authorities weren’t even aware of his gruesome deeds - many of the bodies have never been identified or even found.

        White Knuckle has a nasty, dark past - he tortured animals as a child; he long ago progressed to viciously killing women and shows little sign of stopping. He makes multiple-murderer Ed Gein look like a mere beginner.

        Ormsby, Dykstra and her supervisor are working diligently but they have few useful leads, rising safety concerns and time constraints.

        Hollywood screenwriter and director Red increases the tension by offering intriguing emotional viewpoints, providing insights from victims, the crazed killer and Ormsby, who has her own hidden secrets.

 
        Red has done his research - his terrifying novel is full of well-described locales and peppered with the blunt opinions of tired truckers.

        The brutal, full-throttle conclusion is carefully crafted, making it almost impossible to put the book down.

         There are likely to be comparisons to Richard Matheson’s classic, nerve-wracking trucking saga “Duel” or Robert Bloch’s “Psycho”; this may leave you sleepless and linger longer in your memory.

        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed crime novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on July 12, 2015.

Read More...

Ray's Reviews: Killer Come Hither by Louis Begley

 The best thing about Louis Begley’s new book “Killer Come Hither” (Talese/Doubleday, $25.95) is that it’s short – only 248 pages.

        There are too many bad things to detail them all – it’s more challenging to decide where to begin the list and when to stop.

        Begley, who’s written a dozen other fiction and non-fiction books, has created a distinctively literate thriller that is only occasionally thrilling.

        The tale is told using an odd first person narrative style without any quotation marks. There are minimal paragraph breaks, frequently just a few per page, slowing down the reading pace.

        The characters are interesting but mostly sneaky or peculiar.  Much of the plot revolves around the comfortable life of the ultra-rich, in various parts of New York.

        It’s the story of Jack Dana, a former Yale history student who joins the Marines after 9/11.  He’s an infantry platoon leader who’s hit by sniper fire and ends up in Walter Reed Hospital.

        While recuperating, Jack starts on his first novel, writing about his military experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

        He’s helped through his recovery by his Uncle Harry, a prestigious lawyer who’s acted as a surrogate father to him over the years. Jack moves in with Harry, who uses his connections to get the book published.

        When Jack’s novel becomes a literary success and a best-seller, they’re related. When Jack’s next book has similar results, Jack goes off to South America to celebrate.

        Upon Jack’s return, he learns that Harry has committed suicide; he doesn’t believe that this is possible and sets out to discover the truth.

        Other attorneys at the law firm are secretive; Jack’s sure that they know much more and delves deeper into his uncle’s death.

        The police consider the case closed; Jack gets assistance from Kerry, Harry’s most trusted associate and his friend Scott, conveniently a CIA agent.

        The main villains are a right-wing multi-billionaire and a killer named Slobo. Most characters seem wooden, the outcome is predictable and seems more than a little contrived.

        Begley is a former attorney who has great insider knowledge about life among New York’s Elite; his fans may enjoy another look at the extravagances of the super-wealthy.

        Unfortunately, he’s created a book that is basically unsatisfying to mystery readers except those who enjoy literary experimentation.

        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed crime novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on July 5, 2015.

Read More...