Twisted Justice
By Patricia Gussin
Oceanview Publishing, hardcover, $23.95
ISBN: 978-1-933515-08-3

Dr. Laura Nelson, a respected and talented surgeon, faces more calamities than is possible in this twisting tale. To begin with, she walks into her home after a long and difficult day and night of surgery to find her husband and a strange woman nude in the family room. Then she is found later on in that woman's home kneeling by her dead body and Laura's fingerprint on the murder weapon. She is arrested and accused of the murder. Among other travails to follow, one of her children is found to be seriously ill.

This novel is a complex story about mistakes, failed relationships, lies, manipulation and betrayals. The author is a physician and uses her professional knowledge to provide the story with a high degree of realism. Moreover, she does a credible job in the ins and outs of Laura's legal defense and child custody problems. The only criticism is her characterization of the husband, which is superficial (as is he).

All in all, the novel is a well-paced saga, suspenseful with a plot that keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. Dr. Nelson first appeared in Shadow of Death, and it would seem she is poised to play a role in a future novel.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Watchman
By Ian Rankin
Little, Brown, hardcover, $24.99
ISBN: 978-0-316-009913-3

After the success of the first Rebus novel, Ian Rankin decided to write a different book. Instead of the hard-boiled detective, the protagonist was a cynical, worldly-wise spy. It was first published in Great Britain in 1988 and now makes its first appearance in the United States. It is a tale of an unlucky spy who gets one last chance at redemption.

Miles Flint, the spy, has been guilty of all kinds of mistakes. [In his last assignment, a foreign official died in London.] His troubles include a suspect who seems to know more than he does. And the agency for which he works is faced with many operatives quitting.

Miles undertakes an investigation on his own despite misgivings by his colleagues and wife. Then Miles is sent to Belfast on a routine mission, despite the fact that he is not a "field agent." There he confirms his suspicions. And his life is threatened.

The book's original reception was less than enthusiastic, but then Rebus came to the rescue. Nevertheless, from an historical point of view in the development of the author's work, it should be read. It is well-written and enjoyable, and is recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Why Is Murder On The Menu, Anyway?
By Stevi Mittman
Next, $5.50
ISBN: 0-373-88124-X

After her husband tried to drive her crazy, her mother shot said husband, and her first client got herself murdered, things could only go up for Teddi Bayer. However, she probably shouldn't have taken her mentally unbalanced mother with her when she went to dine at the restaurant that was to be Teddi's latest client, as it was inevitable that it would be a meal to end in disaster. Not surprisingly, when Teddi's mother discovers a body in the bathroom she only compounds the trouble by having taken the man's ring earlier in the hopes that it would lead to a future "meeting cute" with Teddi.

Once again, Teddi is thrown in the path of Detective Drew Scoones, who despite having had one torrid encounter with Teddi disappeared from her bed and her life. And while the last time Teddi stumbled over a body Drew seemed intent on tossing her best friend in jail, this time he has his sights set on Howard Rosen, a restaurant critic, Teddi's frequent dinner date, and the perfect man with whom Teddi should be falling in love. With Drew grating on every nerve and yet causing her heart to flutter, Teddi is unable to resist investigating to protect Howard hopefully finish her decorating job before its owner also gets implicated. The appearance of a mafia don who seems to want to both protect and intimidate her, an ex who continues to plague her, and a mother determined to drive Teddi crazy, she's definitely got her hands full. The destruction of the site of her daughter's Bat Mitvah is the topper that just might push Teddi over the edge, especially with her daughter-the-martyr and mother who only predicts doom.

Published by Harlequin Next, this extremely funny novel will appeal to mystery lovers with its complex plot and eccentric characters. Teddi Bayer is a woman who feels as though she missed out on the Secret Handbook of Long Island Rules and will never fit into their world of Botox, manicures, and perfect hair. Here's to hoping that she never does and instead remains a delightfully sharp-tongued, independent, and very witty amateur sleuth.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Out Of Tune
By Lorie Ham
ISBN: 1-4137-8841-6

Gospel singer Alex Walters lives in Donlyn, CA, the small town where her family grew up and her egomaniacal grandmother, Edna, still resides. After receiving a threatening letter, Edna summons her family home for a memorial service on the theory that her family will protect her. At the service, Edna's chief adversary, Mrs. K, is poisoned, and a chandelier falls on Edna. Everyone wonders whether the two events are connected.

Alex, knowing that every member of her family has reason to hate Edna, fears that one of her relatives may be the culprit. Compelled to uncover the truth, she teams up with her PI boyfriend Stephen to investigate. But even as she and Stephen are working together, Alex finds herself making excuses to drop in on the attractive police detective, Will Knight.

New clues keep popping up and the suspect list grows rapidly. Both Edna and Mrs. K had their share of enemies, and Alex has no way to know if she's dealing with one villain or two

This book is filled with twists and surprises and has a strong sense of mystery. The romantic triangle Alex finds herself in adds another layer to the complex plot. An excellent, fast paced read.

Review by ALEX MATTHEWS

Hell For The Holidays
By Chris Grabenstein
Carroll & Graf, hardcover, $27.95
ISBN: 978-0786720606

Chris Grabenstein, the author of the wonderful John Ceepak/Jersey Shore mystery series, has brought back Chris Miller in a sequel to Slay Ride, which was published a little over a year ago.

Chris is the African-American FBI agent from Jersey City whose daughter's life was endangered in the earlier book. His daughter, now seven years old, is suffering from PTSD as the anniversary of that traumatic event nears.

Chris' attention is diverted from those problems when the ten-year-old son of a neighbor, a Hispanic Customs Agent, is kidnapped on Halloween Night. A few days later, Chris is called to the scene of a kidnapping in another part of the country. It appears to be a hate crime: the victims are gay and Chris' special expertise is needed. But something much more sinister is brewing: domestic terrorists, in the form of a White Supremacist hate group, are planning an attack to coincide with Thanksgiving Day, that most American of holidays. They are armed with sophisticated weapons and overflowing with hatred.

Mr. Grabenstein has given his growing audience a taut, fast-moving thriller, packed with suspense and a wonderful hero (dubbed "Saint Chris" by his friends and neighbors) determined to stop the impending catastrophe.

Filled with suspense and scarily real "bad guys," Hell for the Holidays is a great read at holiday time or any other.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

The Redbreast
By Jo Nesbo; translated by Don Bartlett
Harper Collins, hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 978-0-06-113399-2

During World War II, Norway was occupied by the Nazi army, and the head of the government lent his name to the English language synonymous with traitor-Quisling. About 400 Norwegian youths volunteered to fight with the Germans on the Eastern front against the Russians. Most of them did not survive the war. But those that did and returned to Norway were branded traitors and sentenced to years in prison.

It is against this challenging backdrop that the author has created a superb mystery novel equal to the best of the Scandinavian writers.

He introduces Harry Hole, an irreverent, alcoholic detective on a par with Harry Bosch and his contemporaries. The story moves from events during the war to present times and back and forth. A series of murders takes place in Oslo, and little by little Harry follows the leads subtly provided, ignoring the powers that be who tell him to ignore his intuition and "be a good boy."

The roots of the story are gleaned from the author's own background — his father served in the Leningrad siege and his mother in the resistance.

The novel was first published in Norway in 1997 and won the Glass Key Award for best Nordic crime novel and later voted the best Norwegian crime novel ever written. It is the author's second book, and we look forward to many more.

Highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Within A Forest Dark
By Michael Virtanen
Lost Pond Press, paperback, $11.95
ISBN: 978-0-9789254-2-0

Jack Kirkland is an insurance claims adjuster. He travels to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York to investigate a fairly routine death benefit on a $300,000.00 life insurance policy. The beneficiary, the dead man's live-in girlfriend, is an attractive woman and Jack, still getting over his divorce, finds her irresistible. Knowing he shouldn't, he becomes intimate with her. But despite himself, he finds himself wondering if the man's death was as unavoidable as it seems — he was hospitalized with symptoms typical of the mercury poisoning he had been known to suffer a year or so previously, but died a day later of pneumonia, at first undiagnosed when he entered the hospital. Jack is so smitten with the woman that he goes from being an investigator to a lover and then back again. Despite feeling she may have been responsible for her prior lover's death, he is so drawn to her that he keeps going back for more. The investigation jeopardizes his job, and even his life.

This book is a slight one, but the novel is not. The descriptions of the Adirondack area, also known as the North Country, are well-drawn. The descriptions of the characters, however, were, to this reader, downright confusing. Margaret, the woman in question, is seen to be nearly demonic at times, and I could not fathom why Jack keeps going back to her, or alternatively allowing her to come back into his life. Other characters are seen to be equally both black and white. Jack finds himself thinking, time and again, that he sees possibilities in a given situation where, "if you miss the opening then, you miss it altogether," "one of those temporary openings," and again, "one of those fateful openings. Miss this, and miss it altogether." To my mind, he avails himself of such fateful "openings" to his extreme detriment. The writing is at times lovely, but at others disjointed and anything but smooth.

This is a first effort at a novel for this author, and I'd be interested to see what his future books will bring.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

Some Like It Hot-Buttered: A Double Feature Mystery
By Jeffrey Cohen
Berkley Prime Crime, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-425-21799-3
Click here for an interview with the author.

When Elliot Freed noticed that the man seated in the audience wasn't laughing during a screening of Young Frankenstein, the Comedy Tonight theatre owner knew something was wrong. What Elliot didn't expect was to be told that Vincent Ansella was dead, poisoned by popcorn. The sudden disappearance of the Comedy Tonight's projectionist/usher/etc. Anthony, combined with the discovery of boxes of pirated DVDs (of a Rob Schneider "comedy," no less) has the police focusing on the Rutgers student despite Elliot's belief that Anthony had little interest in making money. Encouraged by his father and attracted to the lovely police detective, Elliot decides to track down his missing employee and protect his beloved theatre from ever again becoming a crime scene despite someone's attempts to sabotage it.

Cohen's extensive background in the entertainment business as well as his love of comedy films shine through in this vastly entertaining and humorous mystery. Elliot, still tied to the ex-wife who pays him alimony, proves to be an extremely complex character who immediately engages the reader with his wit and intelligence. Half of the fun of this new series is learning movie trivia, with the other half being Cohen's delightful characters, primarily a wannabe goth girl and a savvy police chief. Elliot proves to be a surprisingly adept investigator yet it's no shock that it's his knowledge of comedy films that helps him to uncover the guilty. This is a very enjoyable new series that creates its own niche in the mystery genre.

Review by CINDY CHOW

The Drop Edge Of Yonder
By Donis Casey
Poisoned Pen Press, hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-59058-446-0

In the year 1914 in a little town in Oklahoma, a group of young people were taking a ride when they spotted a beehive. They stopped in an attempt to gather honey from the hive and a shot rang out, killing one. The victim's fiancée was abducted and later found in a state of hysteria. Young Mary's scalp was creased by a bullet and she was unconscious. Thus, the beginning of a simple tale, recounting an event which led up to the incident.

In this, the author's third novel, set in small farms and towns in Oklahoma, Alafair Tucker, mother to 12 children including Mary, shows true grit in trying to protect her family and seeking answers to the crime. Meanwhile Mary has to emerge from the fog she is in and recount past stories bit by bit to come up with the clues to identify the killer. She writes in her journal, recounting stories told at the Fourth of July celebration. With each entry more disclosures are told in the novel.

Descriptions of the new state of Oklahoma and life at the turn of the 20th century are real, and the language spoken is authentic frontier-speak. Life, as it was lived at the time, is described with all the hardship and primitiveness that existed at the start of World War I out in the West. If this novel is any indication, maybe we should go back and look at the previous two entries, which we missed.

Recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Blonde Faith
By Walter Mosley
Little, Brown & Co., hardcover, $25.99
ISBN: 978-0-316-73459-2

Easy Rawlins treks through this 10th novel in the series brooding after the love of his life (I wonder how he knows, since there never is a woman he doesn't want to bed) who he kicked out of his home months previously. He goes from danger to danger and woman to woman wondering what he should do about Bonnie, whom he can't live without (or, apparently, with). So he plots along soul-searching, seeking a resolution to his dilemma.

But just to keep busy, Easy has to face a bunch of other problems, including a presumed police plot to kill his dangerous friend, Raymond (Mouse) Alexander, who is missing. Mouse is accused of murdering Pericles Tarr, who also is missing. Easy is asked to find both of them and sets out on the task. Along the way a sinister plot involving military or ex-military personnel emerges with bodies all over the place.

The novel is filled with all kinds of musings and observations on the fate of the Black Man despite the efforts of the Constitution and various laws meant to treat citizens with respect and equality. The discourses take the form of lectures and probably are disconcerting to the average reader. Mosley makes it look easy with sparkling dialogue and a fast-moving plot. But it ain't that easy, just an interesting mystery.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Cries And Whiskers
By Clea Simon
Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1590584644
Click here for an interview with the author.

Only an emergency cat rescue mission could drag music writer Theda Krakow out of bed on a freezing January morning in New England. Musician and cat shelter owner Violet needs Theda's aid after learning that Gail Womynfriend, a rabid animal rights' activist who sees the domestication of animals as the equivalent of slavery, was just hit by a car with her last words a plea to "Get the cats out" of a condo condominium site. While the women initially fail to find any felines, the hit and run "accident" has Theda concerned, especially when Theda's friend Tess, who works for a research company that had clashed with Gail, shows up bruised and with conflicting stories explaining her own traffic accident. Although she normally loves her job checking out and discovering new bands, pressure from Theda's boss to focus on a rich kid band, combined with her witnessing a drug overdose at a concert, leaves her feeling depressed. It's a feeling not helped by the sluggish behavior of her policeman boyfriend Bill, whose broken leg has him reassessing his career at a time when Theda needs some stability in her life. However, it's the sudden loss of someone essential to her life that sends Theda reeling and desperate to discover who is threatening the love of her life.

Despite the cat-themed title and definite emphasis on animal (and feline) rights, this is not a cozy series featuring talking cats who solve mysteries. What makes this, the third in the Theda Krakow series, so interesting is the behind-the-scenes glimpse into the underground music world. Theda's love of this world and her ability to aid musicians shine as strongly as her love for her cat Musetta. Simon as well develops the relationship between Bill and Theda in a mature manner that is both believable and relatable. Although the threat against Theda's cat has her acting in a manner so rashly that non-cat owners may find Theda neurotic and obsessive, she ultimately emerges as a very fresh, funny, and engaging character. This is a series that breaks boundaries and continues to prove to be a surprisingly complex entry in the "cat mystery" — and general mystery — genre.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Paying the Piper
By Simon Wood
Leisure Fiction, paperback, $7.99
ISBN: 978-0-8439-5980-2

The tension starts on page 1 of Simon Wood's wonderful new novel. Scott Fleetwood, a crime reporter with the San Francisco Independent, has been told by his frantic wife that one of his twin sons has been kidnapped. When the next call he gets is from the kidnapper, Scott's horror only increases: the Piper, as he calls himself, has a history with Scott. As we soon learn in the first of several flashback scenes, eight years back it appeared that a serial kidnapper had called Scott at his desk and began a series of communications with him. Spurred on by the thought of saving the latest victim as well as by the attendant fame surely ahead of him, Scott ultimately is horrified when he learns he has been "played" by a phony, the whole thing a hoax, and the kidnapped boy is killed when the real kidnapper fails to receive his demanded ransom. Scott receives the blame for the boy's death from the public, his wife, the FBI and, not least of all, himself. This time, the kidnapping of Scott's son appears to be personal: the Piper also holds Scott to blame, for his lost ransom and forced "retirement." And Scott doesn't yet know the full extent of what will be expected from him in order to gain his son's freedom.

As difficult as it would seem for the author to keep up the suspense generated from the first pages, he has accomplished this in skillful fashion, maintaining and amping up the tension as the tale unfolds. The complex characters and intricate plotting make this much more than just a page-turner — it'll keep you right on the edge of your seat till the final page.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

Grave Apparel: A Crime Of Fashion Mystery
By Ellen Byerrum
Signet, $6.99
ISBN: 9780451221780

Gaudy Christmas sweaters may be a crime against fashion, but they shouldn't be a reason for capital punishment. However, newspaper columnist Lacey Smithsonian nearly discovers the contrary after she is blamed for an editorial attacking the sequined and glittery fashion faux pas. Lacy gets placed in the middle of the battle between the real culprit, cranky anti-materialism editor Cassandra Wentworth, and the food editor Felicity Pickles, who boycotts cooking her holiday treats until Cassandra recants. Instead, Cassandra is attacked in an alley during the Eye Street Observer's holiday party and Felicity's Christmas sweater is left at the scene. Lacey comes to Cassandra's aid after being summoned by a phone call from a young child, a street urchin dressed in a shepherd robe who witnessed the attack and escapes before talking to the police. Despite her antipathy towards both women, Lacey is pressured into investigating by nearly everyone, from Felicity's and Cassandra's two paramours to her fellow reporters who are suffering from the withdrawal of Felicity's baked treats. Against Lacey's better judgment she's soon interrogating Cassandra's fellow radicals as well as her stalker, all in an effort to discover who has it in for the unlikable woman. Much more important to Lacey though, is the desire to rescue the missing witness whose life may be in danger from the would-be fashion murderer.

The reluctant fashion columnist Lacey Smithsonian continues to be an entertaining heroine in this fifth entry in the Crime of Fashion series. The fashion tips never intrude on the plots, although they do often provide valuable clues. The reader sympathizes with how poor Lacey is virtually railroaded into starting an investigation, but it's her softer side compels her to find the sassy and savvy urchin who is homeless during the holidays. Again accompanied by her steadfast and resigned detective boyfriend Vic, her unique and free-spirited friend and hairstylist Stella, and her other BFF conspiracy theorist Brooke, Lacey shines through with her sharp wit and determination. Author Ellen Byerrum brings in her experience as a Washington, D.C. journalist to reveal the fascinating — and hilarious — side of newspaper journalism to this continually enjoyable series. This is the perfect treat for the holidays or any other time the reader needs some Christmas spirit.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Voices
By Arnaldur Indridason; translated by Bernard Scudder
Thomas Dunne Books, hardcover, $23.95
ISBN: 978-0-312-35871-6

A few days before Christmas, a murder takes place in the basement of an upscale hotel in Reykjavik. The body of the doorman, who had just been made redundant after 20 years, is found in the small room he was allowed to occupy, stabbed to death with his pants pulled down around his ankles and wearing a condom. The victim had been a famous boy soprano who had made two records and was about to embark on a tour of Scandinavia at the age of 12 when his voice changed, ending his career. Subsequently, he became estranged from his family.

Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson conducts the investigation. Few clues, if any, are apparent. The inspector, facing a bleak Christmas of his own, decides to take a room at the hotel while continuing the probe. There is no shortage of suspects, only clues. Meanwhile, he battles his own ghosts-his survival at the age of 10 from a fierce snowstorm in which his 8-year-old brother disappeared; his abandonment of his wife and two children 20 years previously; his difficult daughter who has just reunited with him (she is a recovering dope addict whose habit resulted in a stillborn daughter).

This excellent translation of the author's third novel is on a par with his earlier books. The language and plot flow smoothly, moving the reader forward effortlessly. Winner of the Gold Dagger Award, the author's previous books were Silence of the Grave and Jar City. I look forward to the fourth book in the series with great anticipation.

Highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Preaching To The Corpse: An Advice Column Mystery
By Roberta Isleib
Berkley Prime Crime, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-425-21837-2

When a call in the middle of the night awakened Connecticut psychologist Rebecca Butterman, she braced herself for the worst. What she didn't expect was for the caller to be her minister Wesley Sandifer, in the custody of the police after he discovered the poisoned body of a female parishioner. Even as he declares his innocence, Wesley seems to be more concerned that Rebecca replace the dead woman on the church's search committee to find a new assistant pastor than he is about the murder. When the married detective Rebecca has been crushing on asks her to ask questions about her fellow church members she throws herself in the investigation, perhaps a little more enthusiastically than Detective Miegs intended. In between discovering that Wesley's wife recently left him and the murky reasons behind the assistant pastor's own quick flight Rebecca provides quirky advice as a columnist and juggles her patients, her sister and her feelings for a man out of her reach.

In this sequel to DEADLY ADVICE, Isleib proves that she can create two incredibly entertaining and unique series with strong, intelligent, and witty heroines with neurotic tendencies (the other series features professional golfer Cassie Burke in the Golf Lovers' Mysteries). A practicing psychologist as well as an advice columnist for BLOOM magazine, Rebecca's own life is less than perfect, with a mother who committed suicide and a father who then abandoned his two daughters to be raised by their grandparents. As a result, Rebecca has serious Daddy issues that leave her confused about her ex and chasing after a detective whose wife is dying from Lou Gehrig's disease. Despite this fracture in her personal life, or maybe because of it, Rebecca is a remarkably competent therapist with a near-obsessive compulsion to discover the murderer in her congregation.

Full of humor and with a leading character who is superbly likable, Isleib crafts her own twist on the village murder mystery in this very promising series.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Crawfish Mountain
By Ken Wells
Random House, hardcover, $25.95
ISBN: 978-0-375-50876-9

Too often a novel based on an author's pet peeves falls flat. That is not the case in this novel, which combines environmental issues, corporate greed and political shenanigans with bribery, love affairs and blackmail. The story is told with the background of the Louisiana Wetlands and the power of the oil interests in the state in the forefront.

At the heart of the story is the degradation of the bayou ecosystem and the effects on the coastal areas, which led to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Justin Pitre's grandfather bought acres of pristine marshland, built a "shack" there, fished and trapped, living a happy life. He left it to Justin, asking him not to let any changes take place. When a greedy oil executive tries to cut a pipeline through it, all hell breaks loose.

The characters include a charismatic Governor (not quite a Huey Long), and true-to-life, loveable Cajuns, among others. The tale is well-told, although this reviewer found the wrap-up somewhat contrived. Nevertheless, it is a most enjoyable read, and, given the time, it probably would be well worth the effort to go back and read the previous Catahoula Bayou trilogy, which we missed.

Recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

American Detective
By Loren D. Estleman
Forge, hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 978-0-765-31224-2

This is the 19th Amos Walker but the first in the series this reviewer has read. Walker comes from a long line of hard-boiled wise-cracking PIs. He makes his home in Detroit, whose slippage from the heights of the auto industry heyday provides substantial background and commentary.

Walker is asked by Darius Fuller, who pitched a no-hitter for the Detroit Tigers at a much younger age than his present 60 years, to undertake convincing his daughter's intended, one Hilary Bairn, to "go away." Toward that end, the ex-pitcher gives him $50,000 to bribe the man. However, Walker discovers Hilary is in debt to gambling and gangster elements. Then, the daughter is found dead of a head blow in the boyfriend's apartment. The gentleman in question is nowhere to be found. Who's responsible for the death?

The novel is fast-paced, and Walker, typical of the genre, takes severe punishment along the way. Some of the baseball dialogue is quite amusing, and the author has a way with words. The plot moves to a crescendo, and a completely unexpected finale.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

A Case Of Imagination
By Jane Tesh
Poisoned Pen Press, 14.95
ISBN: 978-1-59058-360-4
Click here for an interview with the author.

A lack of cases and a smarmy offer from her cocky landlord and former employer has private detective Madeline "Mac" Maclin following her best friend Jerry Fairweather to Celosia, North Carolina to check out the home he inherited from his uncle. Jerry has rejected the rest of his family's vast fortune, preferring instead to support himself as a fake psychic at séances for widows. While Mac wishes that Jerry pursued a more legitimate profession, she herself suffers from the trauma of being a beauty pageant veteran as well as a former Miss Parkland, a title she won only to finance a (failed) art career. Now rejecting beauty pageants as frivolous and torturous, the last thing she wanted was to be pulled into an investigation determining who has been sabotaging the Miss Celosia pageant. A case is a case, however, and soon Mac is interviewing choreographers, jealous contestants, and anti-pageant protestors. Jerry has his own distractions when an unstable poet neighbor and his romance writer wife become plagued by poltergeists and ask for an exorcism.

While Jerry and his ruthlessly ambitious attorney girlfriend make plans to turn the house in to a Bed and Breakfast (with ghosts as a bonus), a murder has Mac investigating more than the one suspicious death as she sorts out her feelings about Jerry, beauty pageants, and her profession.

The first in a series featuring an ex-beauty queen investigator, CASE OF IMAGINATION mixes together several plots while showcasing numerous entertaining characters. At the core of it all is Mac's undeclared love for Jerry, who seems oblivious to her feelings. At times it's difficult to understand his appeal, considering Jerry's lack of ambition, contentment with being a fraud, and his being the poster child for adult attention deficit disorder. Perhaps this can be explained by the toll beauty pageants have taken on Mac's self-esteem, from her inability to trust other women to her need to downplay her looks. The pageant scene is a delightful arena to satire, and Tesh makes the most of it. Here's to hoping that Tesh continues to find unique cases for a likable and witty detective.

Review by CINDY CHOW

A Case Of Imagination
By Jane Tesh
Poisoned Pen Press, hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 1-59058-219-5
Click here for an interview with the author.

This novel is the start of a promising series featuring Madeline Maclin, a former beauty pageant winner and now private investigator, and Jerry Fairweather, a flaky "best friend" who is oblivious to her romantic aspirations. Madeline, or as he calls her Mac, has left as an associate of a detective agency and went off on her own in an office next door. Cases are a rarity and she begins to wonder about her future. Then she discovers her former boss is sneaking into her office and listening to her answering machine, stealing leads and erasing the tape.

Meanwhile, Jerry's uncle in a nearby town has died and left him a house, albeit a rather decrepit building with a reputation as being haunted. Mac accompanies him to inspect the abode and becomes engaged in investigating a series of mishaps in a theater in which a local beauty pageant is being held. The final misfortune is the murder of the leading contestant.

The plot is embellished by tales of ghosts, which Mac also is retained to investigate, and Jerry's antics as a psychic and his desire to use the house to hold séances. By the conclusion, Mac's background in the pageant business contributes to her investigatory skills. The story moves forward briskly, with some amusing dialogue and situations surrounding Jerry's lack of ambition. It would appear that the setting is set for a sequel, one which we look forward to reading.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

A Perfect Grave
By Rick Mofina
Pinnacle Books, paperback, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-7860-1848-2
Click here for an intrerview with the author.

A Perfect Grave is the third in the new series by Rick Mofina, whose previous books have been very well received. It brings back Jason Wade, rookie reporter working the night cop desk at the Seattle Mirror, doing the only thing he has ever wanted to do: be a crime reporter at a major metropolitan daily. His career took a major hit when, two months before this book opens, he was, through no fault of his own, involved in a major screw-up at the paper — and his every move is second-guessed and criticized by his editor.

Reading this book makes one wonder why Jason, or indeed anyone, would subject himself or herself to a deadline-driven job such this, but one would assume the rewards make it worthwhile and Jason certainly is up to the task.

Other players include Jason's father, a private investigator, ex-Seattle cop and recovering alcoholic, whose past demons play a large part in the story, and Grace Garner, who thinks of herself as "a pathetically lonely self-doubting cop," with whom Jason was previously romantically involved.

This time around Jason is covering the story of a much loved Seattle nun who is brutally murdered. She had worked for years as a counselor in prisons and women's shelters, as well as locally with the poor and homeless, and it is unfathomable that someone would have wanted to kill her - she is dubbed after her death as "an angel of mercy who eased pain," and as the "Saint of Seattle," but as Jason looks into her life before she became a nun, there is no information to be found, other than suggestions that she had a dark past and was looking for absolution in her present life. There are ominous hints of a malignant presence, and a recurring image of a knife in a man's hand.

Among the nun's last words are, "We can never erase the sins of our past," and this theme permeates the book as Jason and the police race against time to prevent another murder. The suspense, as is usual with this author's books, is relentless till the gripping conclusion. This is another strong entry in the series, and is recommended.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

In The Shadow Of The Glacier
By Vicki Delany
Poisoned Pen Press, hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-59058-448-4

During the Vietnam War there were men of draft age who fled to Canada to avoid serving in the army. In this novel, Trafalgar, British Columbia, is characterized as a center of such settlement, and apparently will be the site of a new series featuring Constable Moonlight ("Molly") Smith.

One such draft evader who prospered north of the border, upon his death, bequeathed his land to the town for a garden to be dedicated to honor draft dodgers, thus setting the stage for conflicts between the "peaceniks" and their opposites, especially businesses fearing antagonizing U.S. tourists upon whom they were dependent. One opposed to the garden was the developer of a proposed luxury resort who is found by Molly dead, presumably murdered, in an alley.

Molly is but a lowly beat cop, but she is assigned to assist Detective Sergeant John Winters in his investigation of the death. Further trouble is fomented by a TV personality and outside agitators. Winters and Smith continue seeking clues. While he resents her presence, he teaches and she learns. The DS has his own fears haunting him, which caused him to leave the Vancouver police department for the small town, and these are increased by the frustration of not solving the case quickly.

The author has a way of coming up with unusual themes, and this novel certainly lives up to this ability. In addition, the descriptions of the small town, its citizens and environment are handled exceptionally well. It is a good, solid mystery.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Chat
By Archer Mayor
Grand Central Publishing, hardcover, $24.99
ISBN: 978-0-446-58258-2

Joe Gunther of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation, in the midst of the start of one murder investigation, learns that his brother and mother were seriously injured in an automobile accident and are in the hospital. He rushes there and subsequently learns maybe it was no accident. Then a second similar murder occurs with a similar, but slightly different, MO.

The plot is that simple — but boy, is it complicated. To begin with, in discovering the circumstances of how his brother's car went off the road, Joe theoretically has to remove himself from the investigation, depending on the local sheriff's office and one of his own people to move the inquiry forward. But as it progresses, a lead into the murders opens up. The title, Chat, refers to the use of a chat room by the murderer to entice the victims to a motel room.

This excellently written novel is up to the series' high standards, and the descriptions of the author's beloved Vermont are penetrating. It is always a joy to read a Joe Gunther mystery, and Chat has been no exception.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Written In Bone
By Simon Beckett
Delacorte Press, hardcover, $24.00
ISBN: 978-0-385-34005-2

Off the west coast of Scotland there are a number of desolate islands, the Hebrides. On one of them, Runa, a charred body is reported-was it an accident or is it a suspicious death? Forensic anthropologist Dr. David Hunter is asked to go there to determine the circumstances of the death. The body is little more than ashes, with fragments of bone, burned beyond recognition while no damage was done by the fire to the structure enclosing it.

The working theory was a case of spontaneous combustion, until Dr. Hunter finds evidence that it was no accident, leading to a murder inquiry. Obviously in the small self-contained community lurks a murderer. But a raging storm prevents a full-blown police contingent from being sent from the mainland. Power and communications cut are off making matters worse.

This is a fascinating tale with almost a thrill a page. The conclusion is so surprising that the reader has to scratch his or her head in near disbelief. Tautly written, the book is highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Now & Then
By Robert B. Parker
G.P. Putnam's Sons, hardcover, $25.95
ISBN: 978-0-399-15441-6

Who would have thought Spenser would allow his past romantic frustration over the temporary separation from his long-time paramour, Susan, to influence his decisions on a case? But faced with a client's adulterous situation, the hard-boiled Boston PI finds himself in exactly that position. Retained by an FBI agent to learn whether his wife is having an affair, Spencer discovers the truth.

When both the client and the wife are found murdered, Spenser can't let go, remembering when Susan left him many years before to be with another man and the pain it caused him. So he pursues the case to find the killer — even at the expense of endangering Susan. To protect her, we are entertained by his bringing in the troops — Hawk (of course), Vinnie and Cholo.

This novel is Parker (and Spenser) at their accustomed best. No more has to be said. The wisecracks flow, the plot flies and the dialogue is witty and poignant. Highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Exit Song
By Ian Rankin
Orion Books, paperback, $24.95 CA, £11.99 UK
ISBN: 978-0-7528-8819-4

This book is at present only available in the UK and Canada.

Say it isn't so, Ian. Has 60-year-old John Rebus come to the end of the line? The popular protagonist spends his last days in his three-decade-old career in this novel in his usual manner, solving crimes, upsetting the powers that be and dealing with his 20-year-old enemy, Big Ger Cafferty as well as setting the stage for tying up loose ends with his long-time partner, DS Siobhan Clarke.

In the mix is a delegation of Russian businessmen, Scottish politicians and a large bank and its executives all seeking to bring business to Scotland. And then a leading Russian dissident poet is found murdered, and everyone wants to sweep it under the rug as a mugging gone bad. But is it? Neither Rebus nor Clark is convinced, especially when a second murder caused by an arson fire seems to be connected to the original case. To complicate matters, Big Ger is assaulted and left in a coma, and Rebus seems to be implicated.

This novel is as good as Rankin gets in the way of a mystery novel, and he works in commentary on Scotland in general, Edinburgh, money, politics, greed and power. Where does Rebus go from here? This reader (and many others, I'm sure) hopes Rankin hasn't permanently retired him — he's too good a character to fade out of existence.

Highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Murder On The Mind
By L.L. Bartlett
Worldwide Library Worldwide Mystery, paperback
ISBN: 9-780-3732-6615-9
Click here for an interview with the author.

After a vicious beating, insurance investigator Jeff Resnick is left with more than just the physical scars. Frightening glimpses of events in his mind would seem to indicate that he has developed some psychic abilities, which wouldn't be so bad if he believed in them. Unable to ignore them, though, he is forced into investigating a recent murder despite his brother's attempts to dissuade him.

While Jeff deals with his physical limitations he must also learn to accept his new senses and his difficult relationship with his brother, and this results in a touching but always exciting new mystery.

There's a little woo-woo factor here, but it never interferes in what is a very suspenseful and surprising mystery. The exploration of family relations makes this more than just mystery with psychics, and the novel both fascinates and entertains the reader with its complex and alluring plot.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Kennedy's Brain
By Henning Mankell
The New Press, hardcover, $26.95
ISBN: 978-1-59558-184-6

Henning Mankell has written 37 novels, with perhaps the nine Kurt Wallender mysteries best known in the United States. The present novel, while a mystery of sorts, really is a polemic based on the author's frustration with the poverty and disease rampant on the African continent. Indeed, it is a written indictment of the greed which is an inherent part of the African AIDS crisis.

Swedish archaeologist Louise Cantor returns home from her job of supervising a Greek dig to find her only son lying in his bed, dead. An autopsy shows the 28-year-old full of sleeping pills, and his death is ruled a suicide. Louise refuses to accept the ruling, believing his death was a murder, and embarks on retracing his various trails to discover the "truth." It takes her to Barcelona, where the son had a secret apartment, to Australia to find her ex-husband, and then to Maputo, Mozambique. Along the way she finds out her son was HIV positive.

Bit by bit, Louise learns how little she knew about her son. In Mozambique she learns an awful truth about an AIDS hospice, and possibly its link to the son's death. Also, there appear to be links between the AIDS epidemic and Western pharmaceutical interests, giving the author more reason to raise criticism. This book is not a joy to read, despite how well-written it is, but then it is not meant to be. While it is a story full of mysteries, it is not the kind of tale a Wallender novel would be. It is more of a psychological inquiry with social overtones.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Night Work
By Steve Hamilton
Thomas Dunne Books, hardcover, $23.95
ISBN: 978-0-312-35361-2

In his first standalone, following his wonderful Alex McKnight series, Steve Hamilton introduces Joe Trumbull, a probation officer in Kingston, New York, an upstate city in the Hudson Valley. He lives in an apartment above a converted bus station now serving as a gym, where he works out every day to try to keep in shape, at which he mostly suc ceeds. He describes his job as follows: "I'm part cop, part social worker, part guidance counselor, part rehab coordinator, part bounty hunter. Every hour of every day, I'm your official court-designated guardian angel. I can come to your house on a school-day morning and drag your ass out of bed, because going to school is an absolutely nonnegotiable part of your probation." He sees himself as helping the kids with whom he works to make something good of their lives when those lives are at a critical juncture.

Just as idealistic is the young woman to whom he is engaged: she works at a battered women's shelter, and is passionate about her work, up until the day, three days before their wedding, when she is murdered. Her killer has never been caught. As the book opens, Joe has been at a sort of disconnect from the life around him, going into work on his day off, feeling, "This was where I belonged, no doubt about it, reading over somebody's PSI [presentence investigation] instead of being outside enjoying a perfect August day," when he decides that "after two long years, it was time to start my life again," and is about to embark on a blind date, his first date since the death of his fiancée, who he still refers to as "my Laurel."

>His date goes remarkably, and unexpectedly, well. And then the unthinkable happens, followed shortly by the unimaginable. At which point everything changes, and the book becomes impossible to put down. The suspense kept this reader glued to the page right up until the ending. My one complaint was that that ending was almost anticlimactic, and nearly failed to live up to what had preceded it. Which does not at all inhibit my recommendation of this terrific read.

I particularly enjoyed Mr. Hamilton's protagonist's love of jazz, at one point describing a great saxophone solo "with the perfect smooth tone like the sound of your lover's voice. It was impossible for someone to play that well, absolutely impossible, but that's the thing about live jazz. When it comes together it sounds better than you ever could have expected. As good as anything you've ever heard." In this, as well as in his fine writing, the author joins another wonderful contemporary mystery author, Michael Connelly — high praise indeed.

I should also reiterate something that's been said before regarding this book: the flyleaf discloses a spoiler, and the reader is advised to avoid this before beginning the novel.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

Life Blood
By Penny Rudolph
Poisoned Pen Press, hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-5905-8346-3

Rachel Chavez, the protagonist in this new novel by Penny Rudolph, is unusual in at least one respect: she runs a parking garage she has inherited from her grandfather in downtown LA, one that does not cater to the public but leases space to nearby businesses. One night she finds a locked van in the garage, inside of which are two young Mexican boys, both unconscious. When Rachel drives them to the emergency room of a local hospital, she is told that one of the boys is dead and the other severely dehydrated. When she returns the next day to see how the boy is, she is told there is no record of either boy ever having been there.

Rachel is not the kind of woman to let this rest, and is determined to find out how the boys, or their records, could have simply disappeared. She wonders if their being Mexican enters into the equation.

Her personal life is in problematical shape, with her ambivalence toward the man to whom she has recently become engaged [being engaged isn't the problem, but getting married is], trying to get information from her less-than-forthcoming father about her Mexican heritage and the prospect of losing a major tenant at the garage. The latter problem is unexpectedly solved when the same local hospital signs a contract to lease over one hundred spaces for its employees as well as use of the helipad located on the roof, in what is seemingly coincidental timing.

The characters in the book are all too human — Rachel is a recovering alcoholic. Her father is a habitual gambler, with all the attendant problems to which that addiction gives rise. Rachel's friends are also very interesting creations: one is a street person, an elderly woman who for some reason has a cell phone, the other the head of a cleaning service who knows — or can find out — much of what there is to know in the neighborhood. The author has given us a believable, well-plotted mystery peopled with fascinating characters, including a couple of red herrings. Suspenseful and thoroughly enjoyable, the book is recommended.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

Noble Lies
By Charles Benoit
Poisoned Pen Press, hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-5905-8450-7

After various adventures in a number of other parts of the world, including having served as a Marine during Desert Storm, Mark Rohr finds himself working as a bouncer in a Thai bar when he is fired for overzealously performing his duties. But the bar's owner and bartender, a long-time friend, steers him onto a job assisting a woman who is looking for her brother a year after the tsunami.

The client offers him $500 a week and a $5,000 bonus if he finds the brother, who Mark believes was either lost to the giant wave or doesn't want to be found. The quest is complicated by a top gangster who also has a vested interest in finding the brother. And the race is on along the pirate-infested waters of Thailand and Malaysia. It is an exciting chase, filled with graphic descriptions of the devastation brought on by the tsunami, as well as the poverty and corruption in the country.

This novel is the third featuring globe-trotting Rohr, ranging from Singapore and the Raffles Hotel to Casablanca and Cairo, then to India and elsewhere. In each, he introduces a number of surprises, and Noble Lies is no exception. This reader could not even begin to anticipate how he would bring the novel to such a conclusion.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Dexter In The Dark
By Jeff Lindsay
Doubleday, hardcover, $23.95
ISBN: 978-0-3855-1833-8

Dexter, the totally original and distinctly macabre character created by Jeff Lindsay, is now known to millions of people beyond his readership since the introduction of the cable TV series of that name. But I daresay one must read the original creation, on the printed page (or, I guess, the computer screen) to fully appreciate him. As the third book in the series opens, Dexter is about to marry his girlfriend, Rita, to whose two young children he has become mentor [in scary ways]. The marriage is yet another step in his quest to appear outwardly normal to the outside world — as he says: "It would never do to have the sheep see that Dexter is the wolf among them."

If you are not familiar with Dexter, he works as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami P.D., but in his off-hours carries out his passion in his role as vigilante serial killer. His cop foster father has instilled in him very specific rules: "Harry had taught me to find and dispose of only those who, by his rigorous cop standards, truly needed it."

The only one aware of Dexter's dark side, other than Rita's kids, is his foster sister, now a full sergeant in homicide, who finds a personal, that is, professional advantage in it: "I had gained a small reputation for my insight into the way the twisted homicidal sickos thought and operated — natural enough, since, unknown to everyone but Deborah, I was a twisted homicidal sicko myself."

The author again gives unspoken voice to Dexter's Dark Passenger, the internal guide to his dark side, but when he is called to the scene of a particularly gruesome murder, his Dark Passenger goes mysteriously silent. Without the assistance of his inner monster, Dexter doesn't know if he'll be capable of finding and ridding the world of this new and truly awful adversary, someone or something unlike anything he's come up against before, and he finds himself now the hunted, instead of the hunter.

The writing is often comedic (something one wouldn't expect in a book about a serial killer). Witness this musing from Dexter, when discussing the wedding and honeymoon: "And so there were actually several very good reasons to go through with this — but Paris ? I don't know where it came from, this idea that Paris is romantic. Aside from the French, has anyone but Lawrence Welk ever thought an accordion was sexy? And I would have thought that by now it would be clear that they don't like us there, and they all insist on speaking French, of all things," reflecting on "the land of Rouseau , Candide and Jerry Lewis."

The alliteration in the titles of the three books in this series continues in the narrative, usually keeping with the Ds, hence Dark Daddy Dexter, Demon Dexter, etc., which one would think might be irksome but was instead fun. I did find disconcerting the author's use of both third person and first person, with Dexter referring to himself in the same paragraph as both "I" and "Dexter," but that's just a minor annoyance. The sardonic tone used throughout takes the edge off what might otherwise be just another serial killer book, but this is anything but. This series has been called ironic, sinfully entertaining, inventive — it is all those things and more, and is recommended.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

Cut To The Bone
By Shane Gericke
Pinnacle, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-7860-1814-7

With advance praise from the likes of Lee Child, John J. Nance, Zoe Sharp, and Douglas Preston, my review is pretty much a drop in an ocean. However, I thought that as a reader not entirely fond of serial killer novels I should share the enjoyment I experienced reading Shane Gericke's CUT TO THE BONE.

Forty years ago, a man who was not completely innocent but who definitely was not guilty of the crime was convicted of mass murder and executed. Among the victims was the brother of the Wayne Covington, a man who would later become the crusading pro-execution governor of Illinois. Now Covington is determined to execute the convicted murderer of a pregnant woman and the baby he cut from her womb, despite the mounting protests of anti-execution advocates. Controlling the relatively obedient crowds is an unwanted burden for Detectives Emily Thompson and Marty Benedetti, who are enmeshed a rash of seemingly unrelated homicides involving a ruthless killer who leaves matches at each crime scene.

With her enormous load of emotional baggage, Emily is decidedly pro-execution, which has her butting heads with her partner and lover, Marty. When the killer begins to target Emily, she is brought near her breaking point as she balances her own inner turmoil and her determination to solve the murders before the killer achieves his ultimate goal.

While the dialogue occasionally seems more suited for an action movie ("Now! Out! Run for your life!") and the quick point changes at times left me confused, Gericke keeps the action moving along so swiftly that I was unable to put the book down. Gericke throws in some clever red herrings and the plot was so riveting that CUT TO THE BONE can be read in one sitting. The author also presents a surprisingly balanced view of legal execution, with no side being truly favored. While the motivation behind the killings seems a little far-fetched, this is a very fast-moving read that satisfies the reader and lives up to the success of the previous novel by Gerick, BLOWN AWAY.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Dead Street
By Mickey Spillane
Dorchester Publishing, paperback, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-8439-5777-8

Said to be the final crime novel from the legendary Mickey Spillane, the final three chapters were prepared by his friend and editor, Max Allan Collins, from extensive notes from the author. It is a relatively simple, straightforward tale of Jack Stang, a retired NYPD Captain, who, 20 years earlier, lost his fiancée to an abduction and presumed murder.

Now the old warhorse is chomping at the bit, at loose ends, watching his old neighborhood and station house fall to the wrecker's ball. Then he is approached with an offer of a house and $100,000 to move down to a retirement village in Florida, next door to a blind woman who really is the fiancée who disappeared. The reason she was abducted by the mafia was information to which she had access. The data was never found (nor was she).

Moving to Florida, he travels back and forth to the Big Apple to slowly discover the background on the whole story. Written and composed in typical Spillane style, the plot moves forward to a rousing crescendo. Stang is no Mike Hammer, but the story is moving and well-told.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Glitter Of Diamonds
By N.J. Lindquist
Murder Will Out Mysteries, $24.95
ISBN: 978-0-9685-4959-9
Click here for an interview with the author.

A controversial "bad boy" of baseball rocks a Canadian baseball team and leads to more than one person wanting him dead in this mystery from Canadian author N.J. Lindquist. Rico Velasquez was becoming known more for his locker-room battles than his skill on the pitcher mound, and the management's decision to bring in his wife from Cuba to calm him down backfires and only creates more chaos for the womanizing pitcher. So when an outspoken radio talk show host asks for someone to bat some sense into him, it's no big surprise that her wish gets granted.

Glitter of Diamonds is essentially two novels in one, the first half a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of Major League baseball and the media that covers it, the second half a police procedural focusing on the two detectives investigating the player's murder. Even though the novel is labeled "A Manziuk and Ryan Mystery," the murder and introduction of the two detectives doesn't occur until 120 pages into the story. This is unfortunate, as the personal and professional turmoil facing the pair of investigating detectives is both entertaining and fascinating. When his former partner is hospitalized, the middle-aged, white Paul Manziuk teams up with Jackie Ryan, a younger black woman who lives with her meddling female relatives and may herself be becoming too involved with a suspect.

While the baseball lore is fascinating, the pace of the story tends to slow down in the middle and could have benefited with some editing. The two detectives are the strongest characters of the novel, and perhaps it is the initial focus upon the up-and-coming sports reporter Ginny Lovejoy that causes the reader to drift. At times it is hard to tell the players without a scorecard, and this may be why a roster of the characters appears at the beginning of the novel. Overall though, Lindquist has created a novel that will please both fans of baseball and police procedurals with is wit and originality. There's much to enjoy in this novel as the author brings to light the exciting and often convoluted world of Canadian baseball.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Bones to Ashes
By Kathy Reichs
Scribner, hardcover, $25.95
ISBN: 978-0-7432-9437-9

This is the tenth Temperance Brennan novel. She is a North Carolina-born, Montreal-based forensic anthropologist. In her childhood, she met and became great friends with an Acadian girl two years her senior. Then the friend, Evangeline, disappeared, along with her mother and sister. For the next few years, Tempe sought traces of her friend with no success.

Thirty years later, a skeleton is found, one of a young girl unearthed in Acadia. Immediately, Tempe theorizes it could be Evangeline. Meanwhile, a number of other missing girls flood the crime scene, with Tempe's partner tracking cold cases, two unidentified corpses and three missing persons. All teenage girls.

While working the cases, Tempe continues to obsess over the possibility that the skeleton is that of her friend. She locates Evangeline's sister in Acadia, who tells Tempe her friend was murdered 30 years before. Some clues implicate the sister's husband, an operator of strip joints, among other shady dealings. Ryan and Hippo, another cop, and Tempe pursue the mysteries of the cold cases, and Tempe keeps up her hopes of identifying Evangeline.

As in previous novels, there is an abundance of forensic anthropological science, details of bone dissections and linguistic analyses, all of which prove useful in the process of solving the mysteries. The customary fast-paced writing and tight plotting brings the novel to an unanticipated conclusion.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Grave Imports
By Eric Stone
Bleak House Books, hardcover $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-9325-5746-6
Bleak House Books, paperback $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-9325-5747-3
Click here for an interview with the author.

Stolen Cambodian art-statues, parts of temples, icons — illegally sent through Thailand, Vietnam and China to Hong Kong where it is sold, at the time, legally, brings Ray Sharp to his second adventure. The exotic Far East background provides the reader with real glimpses into the people and locales.

Sharp leaves his journalistic career as a result of an unfortunate incident, which leaves him in a depressed state. A good friend, a former CIA spook, now trying to build a corporate investigation firm, hires Ray. He is assigned a routine look into a Chinese art supplies company in which an American client is considering investing. Instead of mundane art supplies, he finds secret stashes of antiquities. The trail leads to an ex-South Vietnamese General now living in Thailand and to the Khmer Rouge, the ancient temples, and the killing fields of Cambodia.

The author's knowledge of the Far East seems to be quite genuine, and the descriptions of the streets and people of Hong Kong, Bangkok and other locations compelling. The story is believable and the characters real. Insights into the cultures of the area, as well as the horrible plunder of artifacts, are lessons well-told.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Deadly Vintage
By Elaine Flinn
Perseverance Press, paperback, $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-8802-8487-2

It is always a pleasure to welcome back Molly Doyle, she of the Carmel, CA antique business, her nearly-teenage niece, Emma, her bordering-on-boyfriend, Kenneth Randall, the local police chief, and their sundry and always charming friends. When Molly considers branching out for some business on the side, in addition to running Treasures Antiques, the shop she manages for a friend, and is asked by Carla Jessop, to redecorate the tasting room of her family's prestigious local winery, she jumps at the chance. The fly in the ointment appears in the person of Carla's pompous nouveau riche husband, roundly disliked by virtually all who know him, who has ugly and public arguments with Molly. When he is murdered in the midst of a social gathering at the family manse, and Molly is standing right next to him when it happens, not only Molly but Randall are both under suspicion by the sheriff's office [who handle the investigation since it is outside of Randall's jurisdiction], as is, of course, the wife, Molly's client.

Molly, already having "assisted" the police in solving two prior murders in the Carmel area, and given the present circumstances, finds herself thinking, "I just might decide to find the killer myself."

When reminded by Emma, "I thought you wanted to be an antiques dealer," rather than a detective, responds:

"Just think about how the two professions seem to work together."

The equally interesting sub-plot deals with some mysterious postcards received by Molly from different parts of Europe, and how that triggers events that threaten Molly and Emma's relationship. The book is well-written and a very enjoyable read, and gives the reader tantalizing portents of things to come in the next entry.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

Kiss Of Death
By Linda Palmer
Berkley, paperback, $7.99
ISBN: 978-0-425-21582-1

This is the 4th book in Linda Palmer's Daytime Mystery series, featuring LOVE OF MY LIFE soap opera producer/writer Morgan Tyler. As with the others in the series, this book takes you behind the scenes of that interesting and drama-filled world of the daytime soap.

In KISS OF DEATH, Morgan hires a PI to unravel the mystery of her childhood. She longs to come to terms with her past. She was never able to thank the man who rescued her and the man who kidnapped her as a young child was never caught. She also yearns to find out who she really is. But how will she feel when she finally comes face to face with the ghosts of her past?

Her life becomes more complicated when her best friend, Nancy, is accused of murdering her boyfriend's ex-wife, Veronica. Against the wishes of homicide detective Matt Phoenix, Morgan sets out to find the real killer using the help of the PI and a friend from the past. She learns that Veronica left a trail of broken relationships behind her. Could one of these jilted lovers or betrayed wives have killed her? What about her ex-husband or current lover? Morgan finds her answers in an unexpected place. Along the way she has to deal with drama on the set of her show, a spoiled child, the torment of feelings from her past, a dying relationship and the renewed life of an old one.

This book is a fun read that provides plenty of twists and turns. I look forward in future books to learning more about her soap opera, LOVE OF MY LIFE, Morgan's relationship with a certain detective and uncovering more of her past.

Review by LORIE HAM

Dead Heat
By Dick Francis and Felix Francis
G. P. Putnam's Sons, hardcover, $25.95
ISBN: 978-1-399-15476-8

While the familiar racetrack milieu pervades the latest Francis novel, horses and the track play only a peripheral role. Center stage is the restaurant business, as one-star Michelin chef Max Moreton becomes embroiled in a mysterious series of events, including several attempts on his life.

Moreton is an owner and master chef at a country restaurant near the Newmarket racetrack. One Friday night, he cooks at a catered affair for a couple of hundred guests at the track, most of whom, including Max and his employees, suffer from food poisoning that night. The following day, he also is the chef at a luncheon in a private box at the track when a bomb goes off and kills many persons. Thus begins a tale.

Max's reputation obviously is at stake, as the authorities close the restaurant for inspection, despite the fact that the meal which caused the poisoning took place elsewhere. Determined to absolve himself and the restaurant of blame, Max has to find out who is responsible. The story is plausible and typical of a Francis effort-utterly charming and delightful, with twists and turns and nary a horse race (except for the one suspended by the bomb blast).

Highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Murder by the Slice
By Livia J. Washburn
Obsidian Mystery, paperback, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-451-22250-3

Phyllis Newsom, widowed and retired former schoolteacher, has been involved as an amateur sleuth before, and in this new entry in the Fresh Baked Mystery series she again becomes embroiled in a murder mystery when Shannon Dunston, the twice-divorced head of the Parent-Teacher Organization is found dead in the midst of a fund-raising carnival at the local high school. Phyllis had agreed to assist in the event, as had the boarders who share her house with her, retired schoolteachers all: Carolyn Wilbarger [who Phyllis managed to exonerate as a suspect in the earlier murder by solving that crime], Eve Turner, divorced and ever-flirting--especially with the last and newest resident of the house, Sam Fletcher. Helping - or complicating - matters is the fact that Phyllis' s on, Mike, as a Sheriff's deputy in the small Texas town where they live.

Although the dead woman was heartily disliked for her high-handed ways, Phyllis finds herself thinking ".the idea that Shannon would never even have the opportunity for things to get better angered Phyllis. It wasn't right. No one deserved to have their future ripped away like that. Maybe she could help the sheriff's department find out who had killed Shannon. Maybe it was her duty as a human being," and "If that made her a meddling old woman, then so be it." She enlists Sam's help, and wonders "if he believed she got mixed up in murder investigations for the thrill of it. In truth, she had pondered that same question herself. She told herself that wasn't the way it was, but at times, doubt nibbled at her mind. Maybe she liked playing detective a little too much." Of course, her efforts succeed, and justice is done.

Along the way, there are intimations of budding romantic interest between Phyllis and Sam, and much talk of recipes [there is a baking contest and a contest for the best low-cal, low-fat recipes at the carnival], and in fact several recipes are included in the back of the book. There is some clunky writing [e.g., Phyllis' son, Mike, thinking "a lawman couldn't afford to lose his temper"], but in all this is an interesting tale, and [if you don't count the murder] a light-hearted and fun read.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

On the Ropes
By Tom Schreck
Midnight Ink, paperback, $13.95
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1114-0

The combination of being a professional (albeit second-rate) boxer and social worker and Elvis aficionado makes Duffy Dombrowski a very unusual character. One thing, however: he takes his clients to heart, even while ignoring the bureaucratic necessities of the job. He hates [and ignores] the required paperwork, while counseling sex addicts and drug users.

One of his clients, Walanda, a schizophrenic, crack-addicted prostitute, is murdered in jail. Before incarceration, she had asked Duffy to care for her dog and find her missing stepdaughter. In attempting to honor her request, he becomes involved with a porn ring and a national security plot. Meanwhile he faces being fired for not doing the paperwork.

The author is a former director of an inner-city drug clinic and a professional boxing judge, and brings this background to lend a high degree of authenticity to his descriptions. The story flows with humor and pathos.

Review by THEORDORE FEIT

HeartSick
By Chelsea Cain
St. Martin's Minotaur, hardcover, $23.95
ISBN: 978-0-312-36846-3

I knew before I picked up this book that it was about a serial killer [certainly true], and that there was graphic violence [not, in my opinion, gratuitous]. What I didn't know was that it was going to be so good, not because of but despite those things.

At the outset, the reader is immediately plunged into harrowing scenes between Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell, cop and torturer, respectively. Detective Archie Sheridan was the head of what was called the Beauty Killer Task Force in Portland, Oregon, searching for a serial killer who had, to that point, killed 23 people in three states, over ten years, that they knew of. At which point Gretchen Lowell, who is later portrayed, among things, as "one of our great psychopaths.Great, as in scary, brutal, and cunning, not super-duper," kidnapped Archie. As described by a reporter: "Gretchen Lowell is a psychopath. She's not like us. She doesn 't do things for reasons. She liked killing people. She's said as much in prison. She kidnapped Archie Sheridan, drugged him, tortured him for ten days, and would have murdered him if he hadn't talked her out of it.She was the one who called nine one one. If she hadn't had medical training, he'd be dead. One of the EMTs told me that she'd kept him alive for almost thirty minutes, doing CPR, before they got there." After being imprisoned, she pled guilty to five murders in Oregon and six in Washington and Idaho, and kidnapping and attempted murder, and told the police where to find twenty more bodies. Archie, obsessively, visits Gretchen in prison weekly where she bit by bit gives details of additional victims, and ultimately it appears that there were over 200 victims, and has to this point identified over 40 of them.

When the present-day story opens, two years later, Archie is lured back to the job by agreeing to head up a new task force formed to find a serial killer who has just kidnapped his fourth victim, all 15-year-old girls. Archie's first move is to have Susan Ward, a reporter from a local newspaper, assigned to do a profile of him, permitting her to "shadow" him and cover the investigation for her paper, despite the fact that to this point he has never allowed any interviews regarding his ordeal, his present motives initially being unclear. Archie has, understandably, become addicted to pain pills [among other things] as a result of the torture inflicted upon him. In fact, the book is all about addictions - e.g., an FBI profiler's to Diet Coke, Archie's to his pills, not to mention to Gretchen herself.

Archie, Gretchen and Susan and the relationships among them are fascinating and very original. Portland itself, and its weather, typical of the American Northwest, becomes a tangible thing as described by the author: "It was still raining. The sky was entirely white and the foothills that surrounded the city looked like jagged, milky shadows. As they made their way over the bridge, Susan placed her hand flat on the passenger side window, watching the rivulets of water carve their jagged paths down the glass. So many people moved to Portland for the quality of life and the progressive politics. They bought bicycles and big old wooden houses and espresso makers, and then, after the first dreary winter, they moved back to LA. But Susan liked the slick of rain, the way that it distorted the view out of every windshield, every window. The way light blurred around brake lights and glowed on the pavement."

Every review I've read of this book has invariably made the inescapable comparison to Hannibal Lecter, and one character even facetiously calls Archie "Clarice" at one point. But this book is quite something in its own right. As another girl goes missing and the search for the killer goes on, the action takes a turn that literally took my breath away, after which point I could not put the book down. HeartSick is so much more than a thriller dealing with a serial killer and containing graphic violence: It is one terrific read.

Review by GLORIA FEIT

The Girl With Braided Hair
By Margaret Coel
Berkeley Prime Crime, hardcover, $23.95
ISBN: 978-0-425-21712-2

The latest — the 13th — in the Wind River Series continues the unique line of stories and mysteries of the Arapaho attorney, Vicki Holden, and Father John O'Malley.

This time it is the unraveling of a murder that occurred 35 years previously when a skeleton is uncovered at the bottom of a ravine on the reservation.

Vicki is implored by several Arapaho women to make sure the police follow up seriously on the investigation. Of course, the police feel it is not only a cold case, but almost impossible to solve. Vicki is spurred on by an event that had just occurred to her when she was visiting her children in Denver, when she witnessed a woman being almost beaten to death in an alley, and her son prevented the perpetrator from completing the job. So she gets involved, along with Father John, in seeking clues to bring justice to the 35-year-old remains.

As is customary in the series, there is a wealth of background on native customs, past and present, and the descriptions are real and poignant. The past includes flashbacks to the American Indian Movement in 1973, and the violence, much less discrimination against native Americans at the time. Descriptions of the West and the Plains are vivid. The novel is a welcome addition to the series.

Highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT Last Breath
By George D. Shuman
Simon & Schuster, hardcover, $24.00
ISBN: 978-1-4165-3490-7

Making her second appearance, blind psychic Sherry Moore faces a double peril. To begin with, she still is suffering from pain and psychological trauma resulting from her previous episode. She's popping pills and abusing her body and nearly dies from an overdose.

But more important is the task at hand: Helping to find a serial killer who suffocates, strangles or hangs his victims. His murders stretch across the country, but the latest victims are found in western Pennsylvania. Sherry, of course, has the unique ability to hold the hand of a dead person and "see" the last 18 seconds of memory.

The novel blends two genres: police procedural and the supernatural. It is a well-written, exciting thriller. The concept certainly is original, the characters believable and paced to a rousing conclusion.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

Missing Member: A Me And Mr. Jones Mystery
By Jo-Ann Power
St. Martin's Minotaur, $23.95
ISBN: 978-0-312-35799-3

The missing member referenced in the title is not a member of Congress, and that sets the tone for this exciting and humorous political mystery. When Texas Congresswoman Carly Wagner discovers the body of Congressman Alistair Dunhill, she believes that it is no accident that the minority whip was killed in her office, with her letter opener, and left holding his said missing member. While Carly never fell for the charming womanizer, she believes that the evidence was left to implicate her and damage both her career and her Party. This, combined with the friendship between Alistair's young son and her own daughter has the former Miss Texas and rodeo barrel-racing champion willing to dive in the very ugly side of Washington shenanigans. What the single mom doesn't expect is the appearance of the lethally fat-free Mr. Jones, a super-secret agent who belongs to a very expensive private security company assigned to protect her despite not knowing the identity of his client. While Carly investigates numerous suspects, including the Congressman's own missing assistant, she must dodge attempts on her life as she discovers the steamy and seamy side of Washington politics.

This first mystery by former Washington DC public relations agent Powers succeeds in entertaining with a complex plot, engaging and quirky characters, and a very likable, feisty heroine. The romance is surprisingly low-key considering that Power is a prolific romance author, and the by-play between Jones and Carly never interferes with the suspenseful plot, which may seem tame considering recent headlines in the news. With her sassy attitude, long legs, and pet ape (?), Carly outshines Jones as possibly the only anti-gun politician in Texas. Readers will look forward to learning more about the mysterious Mr. Jones and seeing what becomes of the relationship between the DC powerhouse and her living secret weapon.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Lullaby
By Sherry Scarpaci
Five Star, $25.95
ISBN: 978-1-59414-583-4
Click here for an interview with the author.

Former Westport cop Vicky Langford shouldn't have been surprised by the fortune teller's predictions of "Death and darkness" considering that she still mourns the death of her policeman husband and continues to receive phone calls promising that Death is coming. Preferring the state of denial, Vicky would rather concentrate on her new career as an investigative reporter, her main goal being to prove that organized crime boss Richard Blackwell was responsible for her husband's murder. It is another murder, that of a woman claiming to have information about an arson case that resulted in her own husband's death, which leads Vicky into a confrontation with Jim McCann, the lead detective whose own past with his journalist x-wife results with a definite prejudice against the fourth estate. While Vicky's connections as an ex-cop and a police chief godfather keep her in the midst of the police investigation, Jim attempts to nudge Vicky out of the investigation and harm's way. What neither of them expects is an attack on the one person Vicky holds most dear to her life.

A strong romantic suspense novel, the push/pull relationship between Jim and Vicky is as vital to the story as the details of the police investigation. Scarpaci delicately illustrates the emotional turmoil Vicky undergoes as a result of the attacks on her family, and the strength she reveals results in her becoming an admirable character. The only stumble in this mystery is the conclusion, where the identity of the guilty may have readers raising their eyebrows. However, Scarpaci has created a very well-written suspense novel with a character whose rash actions are justified considering the value of what is at stake. Overall, this is a very enjoyable debut novel by a promising new author.

Review by CINDY CHOW

A Real Basket Case
By Beth Groundwater
Five Star, $25.95
ISBN: 978-1-59414-547-6
Click here for an interview with the author.

Neglect by her workaholic husband and encouragement from her bitter best friend result in a moment of weakness and a decision that turns Claire Hanover's life upside down. Aerobics instructor Enrique Romero has a reputation as a lothario among the women of the Colorado Springs gym, but his attentions when the older Claire's esteem is at her weakest leads her to agree to a personal massage in her own home despite her misgivings. Before she can give in to her doubts however, Enrique is shot dead in her bedroom with Claire's husband Roger left holding the gun. Not surprisingly, Roger is arrested and even though he believes that Claire has been unfaithful he declares his own innocence.

Plagued by guilt and determined to save her marriage, Claire begins investigating Enrique's life and discovers that there's no shortage of those happy that smooth player is dead. From connections to the drug world to the string of married lovers, everyone seems to have a motive for killing Enrique and Claire soon finds that someone close to her is threatened by her investigation and will do anything to stop her.

What Beth Groundwater achieves so successfully is conveying the hopelessness and desperation felt by a woman who fears that her marriage is over and who must learn to fight for what she truly wants. It's a pleasure to see Claire grow stronger and more determined than ever to save both Roger and her marriage. Although at times it's easy to become frustrated with Roger for his distrust of Claire considering his own negligence of their union, the reader ultimately hopes that Claire will emerge victorious. Although I initially believed that I identified the murderer early on, Groundwater is able to throw in enough complications to maintain suspense throughout the novel. Claire does make some stupendously ill-advised decisions (such as breaking into a drug dealer's home and searching for clues), but she still arises as a very likable, believable, and enjoyable character. This is an extremely enjoyable debut novel.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Murder In Exile
By Vincent H. O'Neil
St. Martin's Press, $22.95
ISBN: 978-0-31235-207-3

Frank Cole is living in Exile, Florida after being forced to declare bankruptcy when his fledgling computer company went belly-up. An inept judge looking to make an example of Frank places an attachment on all of his future earnings, so on the advice of his friend and attorney Frank works as an insurance fact-checker earning subsistence-level wages. It's while working on what would seem to be a routine case that he investigates the hit-and-run of a twenty year-old man who suspiciously took out an insurance claim shortly before his death. Although Frank discovers that the man was liked by everyone and had a reason for the insurance policy, another investigator's allegations of the his gambling habits has the insurance company canceling the claim that would benefit his pregnant widow, leaving Frank feeling used and guilty. Further prodding the otherwise unambitious investigator is an implicit threat left on his dining room table, and soon Frank is housing bodyguards and coming to the conclusion that Eddie Gonzales may have been at the wrong place at the wrong time and not the intended target of the "accident."

The winner of the 2005 Malice Domestic/St. Martin's Best First Traditional Mystery Contest, Murder in Exile's breezy 195 pages speeds quickly to a conclusion that is ultimately satisfying even if justice is not traditionally served. It's the character of Frank Cole who carries the novel as he determinedly and somewhat unenthusiastically investigates the murder. Frank's investigative mentor, the ethically challenged Bill Haskell, and his two oversized bodyguard employees as well shine, revealing O'Neil's gift for humor and wit.

This is an impressive debut, and if the author can return with Frank Cole and a more intriguing investigation he is sure to have a series that will gain readers and attract fans who love weary, cynical, but hopeful investigators.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Fire Prayer
By Deborah Turrell Atkinson
Poisoned Pen Press, $22.95
ISBN: 978-1-59058-403-3

It's a happy coincidence that allows Honolulu attorney Storm Kayama to accompany her boyfriend to the island of Moloka'i, where Ian Hamlin is filing a negligence claim on behalf of a prominent businessman whose his son disappeared while kayaking. As Hamlin investigates the somewhat shady Ecotour guides, Storm responds to a plea by her high school friend Tanner Williams to check in on his twelve-year-old son, whom Tanner fears is being neglected by his ex-wife. After getting little information from the insular community, Storm grows more concerned for the diabetic boy, a concern that grows to alarm when the mother is murdered and the boy vanishes.

While all of Deborah Turrell Atkinson's Storm Kayama mysteries are enjoyable and explore the culture and beauty of Hawai'i, Fire Prayer proves to be the most elegantly written and carefully crafted of the series. The narratives change frequently and even timelines are toyed with by Atkinson, yet these never result in confusion and instead engage the reader with a swiftly-moving plot and fascinating characters.

Storm herself has grown considerably since her first appearance in Primitive Secrets, and the reader is able to see how her relationships with her family and Hamlin continually evolve. Atkinson's greatest talent is recreating the atmosphere and culture of local Hawaiians without making them a cliché or creating stereotypes. A local resident of Honolulu, Atkinson treats the islands and its people with respect yet never alienates those not familiar with Hawaii. Descriptions of the food, smells, and sights of Moloka'i are made with a practiced ease that will have the reader hungry for a visit to the isles. For readers unable to take a vacation in paradise, though, Fire Prayer proves to be a sufficient substitute as its whisks them away to an exciting place of intrigue, beauty, and "aloha."

Review by CINDY CHOW

False Fortune: A Pinnacle Peak Mystery
By Twist Phelan
Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-59058-363-0
Click here for an interview with the author.

Hoping to forge a better relationship with her emotionally fragile sister, Arizona attorney Hannah Dain agrees to drive Shelby to a Reservation mine where the water may have been contaminated by uranium dumped by the Department of Defense during the 50s. Dain & Daughters are representing the tribe in a suit against the government, and with Shelby barely out of rehab for alcohol abuse Hannah finds herself drawn into her sister's case, especially when they witness an out-of-control SUV plunge into a lake, taking Hannah's car with it. Her involvement is ensured when the Tohono O'odham nation severs its ties with the Dain firm by insisting on settling even though several of the mothers of contaminated and sick children demand their day in court. After having broken up (again) with fellow attorney Cooper Smith, Hannah also finds herself drawn to Jerry Dan Kovacs, a trial attorney who may be hiding too many secrets, including that of a hidden treasure with an actual treasure map.

The Hannah Dain mysteries are always entertaining and exciting, with each novel featuring Hannah engaging in a ridiculously dangerous sport that the author herself enthusiastically pursues. The action and pace is nonstop as Hannah finds herself frequently in peril and facing the dangers of the Arizona desert. Hannah's secretary's determination to find Hannah a date online provides a welcome humorous note, as does the appearance of a previously unknown and (for the moment at least) Hindu-practicing half-sister. Phelan reveals a deft touch at illustrating the influence, even as "grown-ups," that family members have on another and how the relationships between sisters and their parents are complex, heart-breaking, and continually changing. This is a series that continues to grow and will be sure to please new readers and long-time fans.

Review by CINDY CHOW

You Should Have Died On Monday
By Frankie Y. Bailey
Overmountain Press, $9.95
ISBN: 978-1570723193

In her fourth appearance in the series by Frankie Y. Bailey Kentucky criminal justice professor Lizzie Stuart investigates a case that hits dangerously close to home. In 1969, four years after abandoning her days-old infant, Becca Stuart disappeared after being implicated in both a drive-by shooting as well the murder of a Chicago gangster. Determined to discover why her mother callously rejected her as well as the identity of her father, Lizzie joins an investigator in Chicago and soon encounters the murdered man's son and even more casualties left by the beautiful and possibly deadly Becca. Reluctant to give up her search and confused by university police chief John Quinn's presentation of a ring, Lizzie follows her mother's trail to North Carolina and New Orleans, fearful of the truth yet unable to avoid it.

Frankie Y. Bailey has created a wonderfully real, witty, and very smart heroine who draws readers into her world and keeps them fascinated until the very end. In a deceptively fast read Bailey incorporates numerous relationships between parents and children and explores how the baggage and expectations of the former affect the latter. Through Lizzie Bailey as well reveals extensive knowledge of the history of the cities of Chicago and New Orleans, as well as shining a light on the turbulent atmosphere of the late sixties. Even though Lizzie is warned off her search for her mother and the possibility that the knowledge she seeks will only be hurtful, Lizzie's desire and obligation to know truth wins out and makes her more admirable than foolishly stubborn. One of the aspects I found most refreshing in this novel is that while race is acknowledged, in both the history of the sixties as well as her own interracial relationship, it never dominates the story and instead takes a backseat to the conflict between parents and their children. Although this latest in the series can be read as a standalone, the humor, engaging characters, and fascinating lore will have readers hunting down her previous appearances (including a short story in the collection Shades of Black). This is a series that should not be missed.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Fit To Die: A Supper Club Mystery
By J.B. Stanley
Midnight Ink, $12.95
ISBN: 0738710679

Since solving a murder and forming a diet support group, the "Flab Five" have backslid to the point where members are grazing their way through a warehouse store's free samples and falling back on old Cheetos habits. So they're ripe for the picking when a new diet guru arrives, promising to shape up and save fatties from themselves in only six weeks. While librarian James Henry has his reservations, the other four members are eager to sign on with Veronica Levitt's expensive and very restrictive tactics.

War in Quincy's Gap, Virginia is declared when a new gourmet ice cream shop sets up next to the diet shop and when the tempting creamery burns down there's a plethora of suspects, from the diet nazi herself to the doyens who protest the double-entendre t-shirts ("Have you got a Chilly Willy?") that are corrupting the youth. As determined to stick to their diet and exercise routines as they are to discover who attacked the ice cream store, the Supper Club members once again find themselves in the thick of town secrets and tasty temptations.

Even readers who have never been on a diet (?!) will find much to enjoy in this follow-up to Carbs and Cadavers. The lure of chocolate as comfort food and emotional eating is sympathetically and realistically portrayed by Stanley, and the Flab Fives' weaknesses are easily relatable for all. The complex relationship between James and his critical father is equally well developed, as is how a wrenching divorce shattered James' confidence and has him fearful of making advances towards a fellow diet club member. Filled with humor, delectable descriptions of "forbidden" foods, and a mystery that keeps readers guessing up until the end, Fit to Die is sure to please all and proves to be a delightful calorie-free treat.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Wreckers' Key
By Christine Kling
Ballantine Books, $24.95
ISBN: 978-0-345-47905-1

After establishing herself as virtually the only female tugboat captain in Fort Lauderdale, Seychelle Sullivan is used to fighting for respect and her share of the towing business. Now however, salvage operations that bill millions of dollars rescuing multi-million dollar playboy yachts (versus the hundreds of dollars earned by towing companies) have made the division between towers and salvagers greater and potentially violent. With tensions high at her home stemming from a lawsuit brought by an unhappy client, Seychelle eagerly agrees to help her friend Nestor Frias tow a millionaire's megayacht. When Nestor dies in a freak windsurfing accident after making accusations of sabotage of the yacht's navigation system, Seychelle is pressured by his very pregnant widow to investigate his death, throwing her into the cutthroat world of salvagers and modern-day pirates.

The fourth in an increasingly popular series, Kling brings to the reader the unique, beautiful, and deadly world of Florida Keys. In love with her part-Samoan deckhand BJ, she is torn by her fear of having children and his love of them. Her fear of commitment and BJ's growing closeness to his nursing school classmate has Seychelle vulnerable to the charms of her childhood friend who has left his geekiness behind and blossomed into full on hunkdom. As Seychelle navigates between predatory millionaires, greedy salvagers, and her own personal fears, the reader is drawn into a riveting read that charges full ahead to a dramatic ending. This is a strong entry in a very emotionally taut and moving series that continues to please and draw in new fans.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Elementary, My Dear Watkins
By Mindy Starns Clark
Harvest House, $12.99
ISBN: 978-0-7369-1487-1

After years of being "just friends," Smart Chick household advice online tipster Jo Tulip and photographer Danny Watkins have finally begun a romantic relationship. Unfortunately, the timing could have been better as Danny is interning at Scene It magazine in Paris while Jo receives strange messages while working in New York. More disturbing than the odd e-mail warnings (which also ask for advice on buying a new toaster) is the reappearance of Jo's fiancé Bradford, who literally left her at the altar. As Bradford explains his actions he prevents an attempt on Jo's life, resulting in his own grievous injuries.

In between Danny and Jo's narratives are the quietly riveting adventures of a young savant whose involvement in a drug trial links back to Jo's family. As the three lives come together again the threat facing them all will confront them in a startling and very compelling finale.

This last entry in the Smart Chick trilogy by Clark ties up the characters lives in a manner that is both extremely satisfying and enjoyable. The humor in the story is nicely balanced by very serious themes, and Clark creates characters who are sympathetic and believable. Jo and Danny are a likable couple whose problems make them as real to the readers as their own family members, and the only regret left is that there will be no further adventures featuring the two. Elementary thoroughly enjoyable mystery with numerous twists and turns that tie up nicely in the end.

Review by CINDY CHOW

Dead Madonna
By Victoria Houston
Bleak House Books, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-932557-39-8, 978-1-932557-33-6

A boater makes a gruesome discovery when his houseboat gets stuck on the body of a young girl who was last seen partying hard by night and working by day for the Chamber of Commerce. This, along with the bloody murder of a recent widow puts the kibosh on Doc Osborne's plans to relax and fish with his ladylove, Police Chief Lew Ferris. Deputized once again, Doc discovers the DeeDee Kurlander was a very ambitious woman with a harassment suit pending and the goal to become a trophy wife. Doc and Lew once again enlist Ray Pradt, an unlikely lothario with a penchant for wearing a stuffed fish on his cap who becomes enamored with a very attractive gun specialist.

Once again Ms. Houston fills her novel with quirky and entertaining characters who delight the reader and keep the humor flowing steadily until the gripping conclusion. There are enough twists and turns to keep the conclusion a surprise, yet the reader never feels tricked or misled. The strongest element of the Loon Lake Mystery series is Houston's creation of characters who are a delight to follow. New readers and long-time fans will find much to like in this novel, as Houston never fails to create novels full of wit, humor and suspense.

Review by CINDY CHOW

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