The Women by Kristin Hannah

I liked Hannah's "The Nightingale" and "The Great Alone." Both were terrific character studies. Based on the marketing copy for this book, I was hoping for the same, but I couldn't get past the brutality of war, which was so graphic in parts that I found myself skimming.

Sheltered Frankie McGrath follows her family's tradition of serving their country during wartime. She intends to use her nursing degree by volunteering for a tour in Vietnam in 1965. However, she encounters a challenge she doesn't know if she can meet in the front-line trenches of a hospital dealing with extreme casualties. With the support of her fellow nurses and sympathetic doctors, Frankie rises above her self-doubts to become a first-rate surgical nurse.

Robert Dugoni's amazing "The World Played Chess," set mostly in Vietnam, made me think I could tackle another Vietnam-era book. I was wrong. While Dugoni's book did contain graphic war scenes, the characters were more realistic and I cared more for them than the characters depicted in this book. I'm not a fan of books set during wartime; I thought the overarching story in "The Women" would carry me through, however, but it did not. I liked Frankie and the graphic scenes were not extraneous, but I couldn't stomach it. I DNF at 50%. 

3/5 stars.  

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Normal Rules Don't Apply: Stories by Kate Atkinson

 I like almost everything Kate Atkinson has written, and I especially like her books featuring the Jackson Brodie character. These eleven short stories are classic Kate Atkinson: light-hearted, engaging stories that captured my imagination.

These stories are interconnected, with the main characters being a queen in a fable, a man who works on a soap opera, and a recently deceased secretary, among others. Although they don't sound like they could work together, trust me, they do. Atkinson skillfully intertwines these lives interestingly and imaginatively to produce a satisfying read.

4/5 stars.

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Camino Ghosts by John Grisham

Expert storyteller John Grisham has done it again. In this visit with the characters introduced in "Camino Island," Grisham blends the tragedy of slavery with the current era of developers' greed into a compelling new read.

Lovely Jackson, the last descendant of escaped enslaved people who made the remote Dark Island their home for generations, tells her story in a self-published book that catches the attention of Camino Island bookstore owner Bruce Cable. When developers propose to build a resort community and casino on the now-vacant Dark Island, the question of ownership arises. Does Lovely own the island, or does the State of Florida? Enter author Mercer Mann and environment lawyer Steven Mahon, who join Lovely's uphill battle to share her story and preserve the island's historical significance.

This fascinating read made me uncomfortable at times because of the telling of Africans captured and enslaved. Painful or not, it is a dark period in the history of some countries and one that should not be swept under the carpet. Grisham adeptly tells of the terror and mistreatment suffered by those who were captured. Add courtroom drama to this, and you will have a recipe for an engaging story, as only John Grisham can tell. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Doubleday, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 28, 2024.

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Toxic Prey by John Sandford

John Sandford has done it again: written a fiendishly clever book whose plot is both plausible and frightening. How does he sleep at night? Continuing to combine characters from his other series with the main character of the "Prey" books, Sandford has created another super crime-fighting duo in Lucas and his daughter, Homeland Security agent Letty Davenport. Together, they set out to save the world—literally.

Dr. Lionel Scott, an expert in infectious diseases, views the world as being on the precipice of death due to overpopulation. With no solution in sight, Scott takes it upon himself to solve the problem by developing a highly contagious virus that, once released, promises to kill off eighty percent of the world's population. Surrounded by a small group of like-minded followers, he disappears into the wilds of northern New Mexico to perfect his virus and plot its release. His disappearance from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, with its research into highly classified projects, does not go unnoticed, however, and soon Homeland Security agent Letty Davenport is charged with finding Scott. The more Letty learns about Scott, the more concerned she becomes. Enlisting the help of her father, U. S. Marshall Lucas Davenport, and an MI5 agent from Scott's home country of Great Britain, the hunt is on.

This is a powerful, fast-paced novel that raises some ethical and moral questions. It is not "preachy," but it does highlight an issue that should be cause for concern. Sandford does such an excellent job of character development that there were times I was sympathetic to Scott and his followers—a horrible thought, I know. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 9, 2024. 

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Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby

 I love S.A. Cosby's books. Each is gritty, fast-paced, and has memorable characters.

Beauregard "Bug" Montage is struggling to be an honest man. His auto repair business competes with another business that undercuts his prices and drains away his customers. His bills are overdue, and he sees no way out. His one prized asset, a souped-up car inherited from his long-absent father, is something he won't sell despite his wife's pleadings. Considered the best wheelman on the East Coast, he is drawn in on a scheme to rob a jewelry store by an old acquaintance. Beauregard sees it as a chance to get ahead of his bills and obligations until he can get his business profitable again. Just one last get-away driving job, and he swears he will leave that life behind.

This is a character-driven thriller that is peppered with a cast of both good and disreputable people. I rooted for Beauregard to succeed in getting back on track and leaving the gangster life. Unfortunately, Bug was never sure he could, and, as a reader, I was also doubtful. Cosby is an excellent writer with a voice that is often overlooked. I've read all of his books and am continually amazed at the depth of his characters, both good and bad. I highly recommend this author. 4.5 stars.

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Lost Colony: The Hennepin Island Murders by Steve Berg

I love it when I try a new author and am rewarded with an excellent read. Such is the case with this book and its author.

In 1986, Sweden's Prime Minister Olaf Palme was assassinated; his killer was never found. Flash forward to 2016 on a small island in the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and St. Paul and the shocking murders of a Lutheran minister and the church custodian. Island residents, Reverend Maggie Lindberg and journalist Span Lokken are caught up in the investigation and quickly become allies, pooling their information and investigative skills to try and determine who would want to kill these men and why. Early indicators point to another island resident, wealthy and eccentric businessman, Jonas Kron, who has been very public in his feud with the late Reverend Hammar. It is apparent professionals carried out the killings and Kron is just the man with the money to orchestrate such a killing. But would he go that far?

Told from the points of view of Maggie and Span as well as the killers, this is an engaging story that captured my interest from the beginning. It is fast-paced, excellently plotted, and ties into the assassination of Palme with a surprising twist. This is Berg's first venture into writing fiction and he does an outstanding job. 5/5 stars.

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The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

William Kent Krueger has to be one of the best storytellers out there. Although I haven't gotten far in his Cork O'Connor series--something I am determined to fix--I love all of his standalone books. They are expertly crafted with prose that begs to be highlighted.

It's Memorial Day, 1958, in Jewel, Minnesota, a small town that is the seat of Black Earth County. Not much happens around there so when the body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found in the Alabaster River with a gunshot wound in his side, the town immediately begins to speculate: was it murder? An accident? Suicide? That's up to Sheriff Brody Dern to determine.

Tensions are high and gossipers are sure Noah Bluestone is involved. Noah is a decorated WWII veteran who is Native American and who brought home a Japanese bride after the war. Both his ethnicity and that of his wife don't sit well in Jewell. With all the righteousness of small-town bigots everywhere, Bluestone is tried in the court of public opinion and found guilty. It's up to Brody to protect Noah and his wife and still get to the bottom of what happened to Quinn.

This is an atmospheric, absorbing read that transports the reader to the years when The Great War, WWII, and the Korean conflict were still fresh in people's minds. There is a strong sense of place and time, rich with characters that make this a must-read book, especially in today's political climate when hatred of those considered different is once again on the rise. 5/5 stars.

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The Last Exchange by Charles Martin

I wasn't familiar with Charles Martin but this novel sounded intriguing so I thought I'd try him. After a few chapters, I was so caught up in the story and characters that I researched Martin and found he's a very popular author; now I know why.

Maybe Joe Sue's career is skyrocketing. She took the acting world by storm with her first movies and won awards and accolades. This, coupled with her powerful marriage to fellow actor Syd Painter, makes it appear as if she has it all. But scratch the surface and you'll find everything is not quite so stellar. Joe's early childhood was anything but storybook, she's been in rehab several times for her pill addiction, and her one unattainable thing is a child of her own.

Enter MacThomas Pockets. A former member of the Scottish Special Forces who, after a chance encounter with a director, finds himself a consultant in the Hollywood filmmaking industry and eventually ends up becoming Joe's bodyguard. Talk about oil and water. Pockets is reserved and professional while Joe is always trying to get him to loosen up. Joe comes to rely on Pockets but there is always a line they do not cross., even when Pockets ends up saving Joe from herself on more than one occasion. Can their relationship continue this way as Joe continues to spiral downward? 

This is an engrossing story that is excellently plotted. The reader is taken on the rollercoaster ride that is Joe's life with the ever-present Pockets ready to pick her up each time she falls. It is about love, friendship, and trust in a fellow human being. At times suspenseful and always emotionally charged, this is an excellent book that gives the reader two good characters to root for. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The publication date is October 3, 2023.

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One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni

 

I can't believe this is the tenth book in the Tracy Crosswhite series and that I've been a fan since the beginning, eagerly awaiting each new installment. The series just keeps getting better and better.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite is still the sole member of Seattle's cold case department and often clashes with Chief of Police Marcella Weber as to what direction she should take. She is blindsided when Weber orders her to reopen the decades-old Route 99 serial killer cases in advance of a series of newspaper articles on them beginning on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the last killing. Not only that, Weber orders her to partner with her nemesis and boss, Captain Johnny Nolasco, who was head of the task force investigating the crimes when they first occurred. Nolasco and Crosswhite immediately disagree on their approach to solving the cases and things go downhill from there. 

As the investigation proceeds, Tracy begins to see connections between these cases and another case she just solved involving the disappearance of an investigative reporter that occurred at the same time as the serial killings. The more Tracy and Nolasco dig, the more the evidence leads them to powerful people, both past and present, who may not want the duo to solve the murders or continue at a cost they may not be willing to pay.

This book can be read as a standalone, but the reader is missing out on some excellent books by not reading the series. I especially liked how this book dovetailed with the storyline from Dugoni's last book, What She Found, and I can see where characters from both books could feature in future books. As usual, Dugoni's plotting, pacing, and writing are exceptional. The reader is also treated to perhaps the thawing of the relationship between Nolasco and Crosswhite, or at least an uneasy truce in their working relationship that is promising. I highly recommend this book and this series in general if you enjoy character-driven police procedurals. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is October 3, 2023

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Somebody’s Fool by Richard Russo

One of my favorite authors returns to one of my favorite places in this third book about the residents of North Bath, New York. This book can be read as a standalone, but why miss out on the pleasure of reading Nobody's Fool and its sequel, Everybody's Fool before reading this "fool" book? All three are wonderful reads.

It has been ten years since Sully died and North Bath, which has been circling the drain towards extension, has finally been annexed by its more vibrant neighbor, Schuyler Springs. Some municipal jobs have been absorbed in the process, but many small businesses are facing bleak futures as are some of the residents. One such is Peter Sullivan, Sully's son. He is mulling a future outside of North Bath but is saddled with continuing renovations to his father's old house and keeping tabs on various residents at his father's request. When his estranged son Thomas shows up, his priorities suddenly change. 

Focus shifts among the residents and their trials: Charice Bond has been appointed the police chief when Doug Raymer decides against pursuing his law enforcement career. On top of her new responsibilities, her emotionally crippled brother Jerome shows up at the same time a body is found. Meanwhile, Janey is trying to keep her diner going and at the same time, try and repair her relationships with her mother and daughter. Quite the juggling act.

This witty and engrossing story about the residents of North Bath is as compelling as it is insightful. The characters are just as finely drawn as they were in the previous two books. Everyone is a little older, but are they any wiser? That's for the reader to decide. This is an entirely satisfying read, but it left me wanting more. Please, Mr. Russo, don't let this be the last we see of these characters!

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All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

After reading Razorblade Tears, I became a fan of S.A. Cosby. In this latest book, he again creates an atmospheric character-driven novel that sucked me in, loving every minute of the story.

Former FBI agent Titus Crown returns to his roots in Charon County, Virginia, is elected the first Black sheriff, and within a year his law enforcement skills are tested when a former Black student kills a much beloved white school teacher, who Titus's deputies then kill. His first task is to make sure the shooting was justified in what could prove to be a racially-charged killing. During his investigation, he uncovers damning evidence against the teacher that threatens the already uneasy environment surrounding the shooting with links to two local churches and a serial killer on the prowl. When the body count begins to mount up Titus finds himself racing against time to catch the killer and still keep the lid on the racial pressure cooker that is Charon County.

This book deserves all the praise it has been getting. It is an engrossing story that lays bare racial politics and small-town prejudices. Being a Black sheriff is a balancing act for Titus in a bible-belt, gun-toting town with Civil War reenactors lighting a fuse in an already tense racial situation. Cosby is a gem of a writer whose books only keep getting better. He is a new go-to author for me.

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