Category Archives: Diversion Books

August 15, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Other Brother by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Title: The Other Brother by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Publisher: Diversion Books
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 223 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Veteran women’s fiction writer Lauren Baratz-Logsted presents the moving story of a family disrupted by fame, perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Nancy Thayer.

Ever wonder what it must be like to be the younger sibling of someone so popular, princes and presidents are excited to meet him? Mona knows. Or thinks she does. Mona is married to Jack, younger brother to Denny Springer, lead singer for The Greatest Rock-and-Roll Band in the World. Jack happens to sing too, of course, not that anyone in the world notices very much. After Denny attends the family Easter dinner in London for the first time in decades, Mona invites Denny to join her and her family for the summer at a rental house in coastal Connecticut. She tells Denny it’ll be a chance for him to finally bond with Jack, from whom Denny has been estranged for twenty years. Denny initially laughs at the idea…but then shows up on their doorstep.

As the summer progresses, though, questions arise: Did Denny really have a change of heart and a sudden commitment to family? Or is he hiding something? More importantly, why did Mona invite him in the first place? Most importantly of all, how well do we ever really know anybody?

Review:

The Other Brother by Lauren Baratz-Logsted is an entertaining, light-hearted contemporary novel.

Mona and Jack Springer are happily married with two young sons. During a family dinner, Mona impetuously invites her brother-in-law Denny to join them on their summer vacation. The lead singer in a wildly popular rock band, Denny has spent little time with their family over the years. Never imagining he would take her up on her invitation, Mona is stunned when he shows up with his bodyguards and driver. Needless to say, Mona is somewhat annoyed by her brother-in-law’s presence but she remains hopeful Jack and Denny will bond over their shared love of music. Does Mona’s plan have any chance of succeeding?

When she first met Jack, Mona had no idea his brother was THE famous lead singer of her favorite band. Since she downplayed her interest in the band, they never really discussed the band so she is flummoxed to discover on her wedding day that Denny is her soon to be brother-in-law. Although she surreptitiously follows his career over the years, Denny rarely joined them for family gatherings. No one is more surprised than she is when he shows up at the beach house, and despite her irritation over the extra work, Mona holds out hope Jack and Denny’s relationship will improve by summer’s end.

The Other Brother is a fun-filled romp that is fast-paced and engaging.  The storyline is imaginative and well-executed. The banter is witty and Mona’s inner dialogue is rather humorous. Lauren Baratz-Logsted brings the novel to conclusion with a plot twist that is a bit of a letdown since it was fairly well telegraphed over the course of the story.  All in all, an amusing read with likable characters that fans of contemporary women’s fiction will enjoy.

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Filed under Contemporary, Diversion Books, Rated B, Review, The Other Brother, Women's Fiction

May 22, 2017 · 11:58 pm

Review: Torn & Restored by Austin Williams

Title: Torn & Restored by Austin Williams
Rusty Diamond Series Book Three
Publisher: Diversion Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, suspense
Length: 260 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In this gripping last installment of Austin Williams’ Rusty Diamond series, Rusty “The Raven” Diamond is beckoned back to Vegas to reconcile his sordid past in one final, decadent showdown—but will he make it out of Sin City alive?

When a mysterious box containing a greeting card, a sheet of textbook paper, three human teeth, and an adult index finger severed just above the knuckle arrives unannounced on Rusty “The Raven” Diamond’s doorstep, he realizes he can no longer hide on the beaches of Maryland. Someone wants Rusty to pay for what he did years before, and if Rusty is going to survive, he’ll need to take the fight Vegas.

Rusty was once the hottest act on the strip, a magician who commanded sell-out crowds for his death-defying act. But with bigger risks come bigger enemies, and it seems Rusty has made one of the most sizable the Nevada desert has to offer. A mobster-turned-politician with every resource available aims to not only close the curtain on Rusty, but make sure he pays dearly beforehand.

Rusty’s final reckoning with his past will draw him into a trap that, even at his most Houdini-esque, he may not be able to escape. Taut, fast, and gripping at every turn, Torn & Restored builds to a spectacular denouement that will leave readers buzzing for days.

Review:

Torn & Restored, the third novel in Austin Williams’ Rusty Diamond series, finds the former illusionist turned amateur sleuth returning to Las Vegas to face the final piece of his unresolved past.

While Rusty initially ignores the anonymous packages he is receiving, the contents in the latest missive are too grisly to ignore. Although he has no idea who is sending them to him or why, he knows it is finally time to return to the city where his career crashed and burned three years earlier. Once he is back in Las Vegas, Rusty reaches out to former co-worker Charlotte Rains to help him figure out the significance of the items sent to him. The information he uncovers leads him to a sketchy bar in a rundown part of town and a creepy site on the dark web, but Rusty still has no idea who lured him to back to Las Vegas.

As soon as he steps off the plane, Rusty is overwhelmed by the memories of the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of his career. Unable to forget the horrific events that preceded his hasty escape from town, he is a little off balance as he tries to make sense of the puzzling items he received in the mail. Charlotte is the only person in Vegas that Rusty implicitly trusts not to betray him and her assistance quickly proves invaluable. Despite the information she helps him uncover, Rusty remains uncertain who is masterminding the plan that forced his return to Vegas.  However, he does quickly realize this person has intimate knowledge of the various acts he performed during his show at Caesar’s. Rusty also cannot help but wonder how his final gig plays into the increasingly diabolical and horrifying events that are occurring.

Rusty’s investigation takes him into some of the lesser known and seedier areas of Las Vegas. Far away from the glitz and glitter of the Strip, the homeless population is incredibly vulnerable to predators who find it easy to prey upon them without fear of reprisal. The flood tunnel system under the city is an enticing but unsafe haven for those seeking shelter. When Rusty is forced to become an active participant in the vengeful plan taking place in these tunnels, he once again relies on his skills as an illusionist to (hopefully) extricate himself from a tricky and highly dangerous situation.

The third (and perhaps final) installment in the Rusty Diamond series, Torn & Restored is a fast-paced and suspense-laden mystery. With plenty of action and unexpected twists and turns, Austin Williams  brings this latest mystery to a pulse-pounding and action packed conclusion. An absolutely outstanding mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Austin Williams, Contemporary, Diversion Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Rusty Diamond Trilogy, Torn & Restored

November 16, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Next One Will Kill You by Neil S. Plakcy

Title: The Next One Will Kill You by Neil S. Plakcy
Angus Green Series Book One
Publisher: Diversion Books
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 207 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

If Angus Green is going to make it to a second case, he’s needs to survive the first one.

Angus wants more adventure than a boring accounting job, so after graduating with his master’s degree he signs up with the FBI. He’s assigned to the Miami field office, where the caseload includes smugglers, drug runners, and gangs, but he starts out stuck behind a desk, an accountant with a badge and gun.

Struggling to raise money for his little brother’s college tuition, he enters a strip trivia contest at a local bar. But when he’s caught with his pants down by a couple of fellow agents, he worries that his extracurricular activities and his status as the only openly gay agent will crash his career. Instead, to his surprise, he’s added to an anti-terrorism task force and directed to find a missing informant.

It’s his first real case: a desperate chase to catch a gang of criminals with their tentacles in everything from medical fraud to drugs to jewel theft. With every corner in this case—from Fort Lauderdale’s gay bars to the morgue—turning to mayhem, Angus quickly learns that the only way to face a challenge is to assume that he’ll survive this one—it’s the next one that will kill him.

Review:

Featuring an intriguing storyline, a wonderful cast of characters and a fantastic setting, The Next One Will Kill You, the first book in Neil S. Plakcy’s Angus Green series, is a riveting mystery starring a gay rookie FBI agent.

Accountant turned FBI Agent Angus Green is still learning the ropes at his new job  when two fellow agents ask him to try to locate and interview a missing informant who works in a gay club.  Eager to get out from behind his desk and into the field,  he is quick to begin his investigation.  Fearing the worst once he discovers Paco has missed work and no one has seen him in a few days, Angus uses his connections to try and track down the missing man.  Although his official assignment is to locate Paco and ensure an upcoming jewelry show’s security is strong enough to withstand an attack, Angus discovers startling information about a suspected pill mill operation.  What, if any, link is there between the two cases?

Angus is a quick thinking, highly intelligent young man who is quite devoted to his younger brother, Danny.  While pushing paper and crunching number is not overly exciting, he enjoys the challenge of working for the FBI.  Angus is well-liked by everyone in his life and he has an uncanny ability to form an instant rapport with new acquaintances.  This serves him well as he interviews Paco’s friends and co-workers and he quickly follows every lead he uncovers.  He is quite dedicated to his job and he puts in long hours filling out paperwork, following up on clues and staking out suspects.  Although Angus is a little impetuous on occasion, he has a good head on his shoulders and excellent instincts as an investigator.

The hunt for the missing informant quickly takes a dark turn and this provides Angus an added incentive to get to the bottom of what happened to Paco.  He also comes with a few plausible scenarios as to why the jewelry show is being targeted but he struggles to find proof to back up his theories.  Angus unexpectedly stumbles onto a connection with another ongoing FBI investigation into a drug ring, but are the two cases related?

The Next One Will Kill You is a solid mystery with an engaging storyline and a cast of appealing characters.  Angus is a tenacious sleuth with plenty of charm and an outgoing, sunny personality. The plot is interesting and the mystery is quite intriguing.  Neil S. Plakcy’s Angus Green series is off to a strong start with this first installment and fans of the genre will be eagerly awaiting the next mystery starring the intrepid FBI rookie agent.

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Filed under Angus Green Series, Contemporary, Diversion Books, Mystery, Neil S Plakcy, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Next One Will Kill You

October 26, 2015 · 11:57 pm

Review: Red Tide by Jeff Lindsay

red tideTitle: Red Tide by Jeff Lindsay
Billy Knight Thrillers Book Two
Publisher: Diversion Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 228 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From Jeff Lindsay, the bestselling author of the DEXTER series, comes the long-awaited sequel to his debut novel, TROPICAL DEPRESSION, featuring ex-cop Billy Knight.

Billy Knight wants to ride out Key West’s slow-season with the occasional charter and the frequent beer. But when he discovers a dead body floating in the gulf, Billy gets drawn into a deadly plot of dark magic and profound evil. Along with his plucky, gun-happy friend, Nicky, and Anna, a resilient and mysterious survivor of her own horrors, Billy sets out to right the wrongs the police won’t, putting himself in mortal peril on the high seas.

Review:

Red Tide, the second novel in Jeff Lindsay’s Billy Knight Thrillers series, is an intriguing mystery that culminates with an action packed adventure on the high seas.

After his latest relationship hits a rough patch, Billy Knight needs a diversion to take his mind off his romantic troubles. While doing a favor for a friend, Billy and his friend, Nicky Cameron, find a dead body floating in the gulf. When the authorities are unwilling to investigate the death, Nicky convinces Billy to look into the case. Against his better judgment, Billy, along with Nicky and Ukranian immigrant Anna Kovacik, head to Miami in pursuit of the person responsible for luring Haitian refugees to their deaths.

Billy is an ex-LAPD cop who moved to Key West following the tragic murders of his family. He is happy with his new career operating a fishing boat, but with his latest relationship falling apart, he is beginning to feel a little dissatisfied with his life. When he does a little digging into the Haitian refugee situation, he quickly realizes that uncovering leads is going to be next to impossible not to mention incredibly dangerous. He might have been able to tell Nicky no, but after learning the truth about what happened to Anna’s family back in the Ukraine, Billy knows he has no choice but to investigate.

Billy gets some much needed background information from a friend in Miami and what he learns is truly staggering. When it becomes obvious Nicky and Anna are not going to let the matter rest, they return to the seedy docks of Miami in hopes of getting a lead about who behind the illegal smuggling operation of Haitian nationals. When his only source of information turns up dead, Billy finds himself in a very tricky situation with the local authorities. By the time the matter is sorted out, he discovers Anna has been kidnapped. Nothing will dissuade him from rescuing her from her captors, and armed with nothing but the name of the ship and its probable destination, Billy calls in a favor and hits the high seas in hot pursuit.

Set in the 1990s, Red Tide is a low tech but high octane mystery. The characters are brilliantly developed with endearing quirks that make them a little unique but quite appealing. Jeff Lindsay’s descriptive prose bring the characters and the setting vibrantly to life and the serious overtones of the unfolding storyline are relieved by Billy Knight’s wry sense of humor.  The mystery is compelling and moves at an even pace until the novel’s thrilling conclusion. A great addition to the Billy Knight Thrillers series that old and new fans are sure to enjoy.

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Filed under Billy Knight Thrillers, Contemporary, Diversion Books, Jeff Lindsay, Mystery, Rated B, Red Tide, Review, Suspense

October 18, 2015 · 11:57 pm

Review: Blind Shuffle by Austin Williams

blind shuffleTitle: Blind Shuffle by Austin Williams
The Rusty Diamond Trilogy Book Two
Publisher: Diversion Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 265 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

“I wanted to take a bite out of BLIND SHUFFLE before breakfast but ended up reading straight through lunch. I finished it on a plane to Tijuana. This was my first Rusty Diamond novel…it won’t be my last. Dig in.” —Patrick Hasburgh, creator of 21 JUMP STREET

Far from the neon lights of Bourbon Street, heinous crimes are being committed against young women, and a street magician seeks to pull off his greatest trick by staying alive long enough to see justice done. The stage is set for a New Orleans noir perfect for fans of James Lee Burke and George Pelecanos.

Rusty Diamond abandoned the Crescent City years ago to pursue fame in Las Vegas, leaving Marceline Lavalle, the daughter of his mentor, with a broken heart. Now Rusty has come back to make amends with his former teacher and his first love—but Prosper Lavalle won’t face him, and no one has seen Marceline for days.

Five months pregnant, Marceline’s vanished without a trace. Her estranged boyfriend, a casino boss with criminal ties and a hair-trigger temper, claims no knowledge of her whereabouts. With the police not yet ready to declare foul play, Rusty launches his own investigation.

The search for Marceline will take Rusty into the darkest corners of New Orleans, where enormous profit can be made from human misery, where desperate people hunt on the fringes, and where not all magic is sleight of hand. It will force him to confront the mistakes of his past, and offer him a shot at redemption. And it will leave him—if he’s not careful—at the bottom of a bayou.

Review:

Blind Shuffle by Austin Williams is another action-packed adventure starring illusionist Rusty Diamond. This second installment in the Rusty Diamond Trilogy brings the clever amateur sleuth face to face with his unresolved history as he unwittingly stumbles into the mysterious disappearance of a woman from his past.

Rusty is ready to face the mistakes of his past but his trip to New Orleans does not exactly go as planned. His tumultuous arrival leads to a tense meeting with his mentor, Prosper Lavalle, where he discovers that Prosper’s pregnant daughter Marceline (Marcie) has gone missing. Upon learning the police are uninterested in investigating her disappearance, Rusty sets out to discover what happened to his longtime friend and ex-girlfriend.

Rusty’s first order of business is talking to Marcie’s ex, Joseph Abellard, who owns a dilapidated casino out in the middle of the bayou. Although he picks up some interesting information, this meeting is fraught with danger and Rusty is forced to rely on past skills to save himself from a very sticky situation. He then joins forces with Monday Reed, a co-worker and friend of Marcie’s, to aid in his investigation. When Rusty links a couple of unsolved homicides to Abellard, he and Monday feverishly try to piece together the clues to Marcie’s whereabouts before it is too late.

Needing Prosper’s help to set his plan to rescue Marcie in motion, Rusty is forced to reveal the series of events that led to his abrupt departure from his lucrative career in Las Vegas. After divulging the bare bones of an illusion gone horribly wrong, he and Monday embark on their plan to find Marcie. Once again relying on the skills that made him such a successful illusionist, Rusty is thrust into a dangerous situation after he forces Abellard to take him to the person responsible for Marcie’s disappearance. When his plan goes awry, he and Marcie cleverly utilize the skills they learned from Prosper to extricate themselves from an increasingly dangerous situation.

Blind Shuffle by Austin Williams is a riveting addition to the Rusty Diamond Trilogy. Rusty remains an enigmatic but likable protagonist and making amends with Prosper and Marcie sets him on a collision course with his unsettled past.

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Filed under Austin Williams, Blind Shuffle, Contemporary, Diversion Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, The Rusty Diamond Trilogy

August 16, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Sisters Club by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

sisters clubTitle: The Sisters Club by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Publisher: Diversion Books
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 340 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

Some families you are born into. Some you choose. And some choose you.

Four women have little in common other than where they live and the joyous complications of having sisters. Cindy waits for her own life to begin as she sees her sister going in and out of hospitals. Lise has made the boldest move of her life, even as her sister spends every day putting herself at risk to improve the lives of others. Diana is an ocean apart from her sister, but worries that her marriage is the relationship separated by the most distance. Sylvia has lost her twin sister to breast cancer, a disease that runs in the family, and fears that she will die without having ever really lived.

When Diana places an ad in the local newsletter, Cindy, Lise, and Sylvia show up thinking they are joining a book club, but what they discover is something far deeper and more profound than any of them ever imagined.

With wit, charm, and pathos, this mesmerizing tale of sisters, both born and built, enthralls on every page.

Review:

In The Sisters Club by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, four very diverse women form an unlikely friendship that changes their lives. This heartwarming novel is a realistic depiction of their friendship and the various up and downs they encounter as they embark on life-altering events.

Diana Taylor is newly married and a little lonely since leaving Great Britain to move to the US with her husband, Dan. After yet another unsettling conversation with her sister, Artemis, she places an ad in hopes of meeting other women she can connect with. Much to her delight, Lise Barrett, Sylvia Goldsmith and Cindy Cox answer the ad and despite their somewhat awkward introduction, the women soon become close friends. After no-nonsense, outspoken Sylvia challenges the women to do something about the areas of their lives they are dissatisfied with, they eagerly begin working on their goals.

Diana’s weight has always been an issue for her and after Sylvia’s common sense advice, she researches weight-loss options. She quickly decides to undergo gastric bypass surgery while Dan is out of town for a business trip. The only problems? She makes the decision without talking it over with Dan and her recovery is not as easy as she thought it would be. Delighted with the immediate effects of the surgery, Diana is soon obsessed with daily weigh-ins, counting calories and exercise. Although her weight loss is dramatic and she is ecstatic with the results, her self-esteem remains low and she requires enormous amounts of reassurance about her new look. Her relationship with Dan also continues to deteriorate as Diana strikes up a long distance friendship that goes in a questionable direction.

Lise is a college professor who put aside her dream to write a novel after she began her teaching career. She has been involved an in on again/off again relationship with Tony DiCaprio for quite a few years and she does not plan on making any changes to their arrangement. After Sylvia’s blunt advice, she quickly begins working on a novel but finds it difficult to balance writing with her regular job. Lise makes an impulsive decision that shocks her family and jeopardizes her relationship with Tony.

Cindy Cox lives with her boyfriend, Eddie and works at a lingerie store in the mall.  Her dream is to have a baby and after hearing Sylvia’s suggestion, she throws out her birth control. She quickly gets pregnant but her life with Eddie is anything but stable and once everyone realize how volatile he is, Sylvia whisks her away to safety. Cindy then must decide whether returning to Eddie is the best choice for her and her unborn child.

Sylvia is gruff and plainspoken but she has a heart of gold. She has never married and she is still mourning the loss of her twin sister, Minnie. She is reluctant to talk about her problems but after a health scare, she forms an unexpectedly close bond with Cindy. Diana’s weight-loss surgery pulls the women together and Sylvia eventually becomes the group’s unofficial mother figure. While Sylvia does not really have any big issues initially, a surprising friendship with Dr. Sunil “Sunny” Gupta leads to the possibility of a romance and an unexpected job opportunity also comes her way.

While there are several secondary story arcs for each of the women, The Sisters Club is easy to follow. The chapters alternate between the four women’s points of view, but these perspective changes are clearly marked at the beginning of each chapter. The characters are beautifully developed with easy to relate to flaws and imperfections. The women’s relationships are realistically portrayed and the dynamics between them ebb and flow throughout the story. Tempers sometimes flare and the various relationships occasionally become tense but everyone easily sets aside their differences to support their friends when needed.

An absolutely delightful story that resonates with genuine emotion, The Sisters Club by Lauren Baratz-Logsted is a heartfelt and engaging novel that I highly recommend to readers of contemporary fiction.

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Filed under Contemporary, Diversion Books, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Rated B+, Review, The Sisters Club, Women's Fiction