Category Archives: GP Putnams Sons

July 15, 2018 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Sinners by Ace Atkins

Title: The Sinners by Ace Atkins
Quinn Colson Series Book Eight
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In the new novel from New York Times-bestselling crime master Ace Atkins, violence comes in many forms…and this time it may be more than Quinn Colson can handle.

The Pritchards had never been worth a damn–an evil, greedy family who made their living dealing drugs and committing mayhem. Years ago, Colson’s late uncle had put the clan’s patriarch in prison, but now he’s getting out, with revenge, power, and family business on his mind. To make matters worse, a shady trucking firm with possible ties to the Gulf Coast syndicate has moved into Tibbehah, and they have their own methods of intimidation.

With his longtime deputy Lillie Virgil now working up in Memphis, Quinn Colson finds himself having to fall back on some brand-new deputies to help him out, but with Old West-style violence breaking out, and his own wedding on the horizon, this is without a doubt Colson’s most trying time as sheriff. Cracks are opening up all over the county, and shadowy figures are crawling out through them–and they’re all heading directly for him.

Review:

In The Sinners, the eighth installment in Ace Atkins’ Quinn Colson series, a feud between two gangs who traffic drugs spawns murder and violence.

Just as Sheriff Quinn Colson is poised to make a big change in his personal life, Heath Pritchard (who was arrested by Quinn’s predecessor and uncle, Hamp Beckett) is released from prison. Heath  is ready to resume the pot operation that landed him in jail and he shows up unannounced on the family farm where his nephews Tyler and Cody currently live. Tyler and Cody are dirt-track racers who have continued the family tradition of growing and selling pot and they are about to find themselves in a mess of trouble with brothel owner, Fannie Hathcock and the Dixie Mafia’s goons.

Just as Quinn is attempting to sort out what happened to Fannie’s right hand man, Ordeem Davis, Colson’s best friend Boom Kimbrough discovers the trucking firm he is working for is involved in drug and human trafficking. With an all out war about to explode in Tibbehah County, Quinn  requests help from the DEA who sends agent Nat Wilkins and the USMarshalls which reunites him with his former co-worker Lillie Virgil. Will Colson find justice for Ordeem Davis?  Will Boom find the evidence he needs to take down the syndicate that is trafficking drugs and women?

This latest addition to Quinn Colson series has plenty of action, but Quinn and his crime fighting cohorts are firmly in the background as the rival factions wrestle for control. Cody and Tyler are more interested in their upcoming races while newly released Heath spews racist rhetoric as he tries to convince his nephews the business rightly belongs to him. Fannie manipulates events behind the scenes to rid herself of the two lowlifes who are now her “partners”.  Boom wants nothing more than give up his trucking job, but Nat convinces him it is in everyone’s best interest for him to go undercover to find the evidence the DEA needs to take down the organization.

The Sinners is an action-packed novel that is interesting but slow-paced. With the focus on the warring factions, the good guys do not have much on-page time until the novel’s conclusion. Fans will enjoy this latest outing and readers will be eager for the next release in the series since the novel’s ending heavily foreshadows what Quinn will most likely face in book nine of Ace Atkins’ Quinn Colson series.

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Filed under Ace Atkins, Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Mystery, Quinn Colson Series, Rated C+, Review, Suspense, The Sinners

May 14, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: Tin Man by Sarah Winman

Title: Tin Man by Sarah Winman
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Historical, Literary Fiction
Length: 224 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Penguin’s First to Read Program

Summary:

From internationally bestselling author Sarah Winman comes an unforgettable and heartbreaking novel celebrating love in all its forms, and the little moments that make up the life of one man.

This is almost a love story. But it’s not as simple as that.

Ellis and Michael are twelve-year-old boys when they first become friends, and for a long time it is just the two of them, cycling the streets of Oxford, teaching themselves how to swim, discovering poetry, and dodging the fists of overbearing fathers. And then one day this closest of friendships grows into something more.

But then we fast-forward a decade or so, to find that Ellis is married to Annie, and Michael is nowhere in sight. Which leads to the question: What happened in the years between?

With beautiful prose and characters that are so real they jump off the page, Tin Man is a love letter to human kindness and friendship, and to loss and living.

Review:

Spanning several decades from the 1960s to the mid 1990s, Tin Man by Sarah Winman is a bittersweet novel of friendship and love.

The first part of this engaging, yet short novel, is from Ellis Judd’s point of view. Ellis is still mourning the loss of his beloved wife Annie whom he deeply loved. His  mother’s death when he was a teen altered his life’s path when his domineering and abusive father stifled Ellis’s artistic endeavors. The only bright spot in his life until Ellis met Annie is his close friendship with Michael Wright. If the young men had grown up during a more enlightened time period, would their friendship have gone down a different road?

The second part of the novel is from Michael’s perspective and it is much more emotionally compelling. Michael is a sensitive man who drifted away from Ellis after his marriage to Annie.  He moved to London for his writing career where he never quite found anyone who meant as much to him as Ellis. His life takes somewhat tragic turn as he nurses a former lover through a fatal illness. Afterwards, Michael travels to the French countryside where he slowly heals and after his return to London, he reconnects with Annie and Ellis.

Tin Man by Sarah Winman is a beautifully written novel that is deeply affecting. Michael’s part of the story is much more meaningful and heartrending than Ellis’s since it takes readers through the harrowing early years of a disease that for far too long was a death sentence. Ellis is a sympathetic protagonist and it is quite gratifying to watch him grow and make some much needed changes to his life. An incredibly heartfelt yet poignant story that packs a powerful emotional punch.

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Filed under GP Putnams Sons, Historical, Literary Fiction, Rated B, Review, Sarah Winman, Tin Man

April 22, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: Twisted Prey by John Sandford

Title: Twisted Prey by John Sandford
Lucas Davenport Series Book 28
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Lucas Davenport confronts an old nemesis, now a powerful U.S. senator, in the thrilling new novel in the #1 New York Times-bestselling Prey series.

Lucas Davenport had crossed paths with her before.

A rich psychopath, Taryn Grant had run successfully for the U.S. Senate, where Lucas had predicted she’d fit right in. He was also convinced that she’d been responsible for three murders, though he’d never been able to prove it. Once a psychopath had gotten that kind of rush, though, he or she often needed another fix, so he figured he might be seeing her again.

He was right. A federal marshal now, with a very wide scope of investigation, he’s heard rumors that Grant has found her seat on the Senate intelligence committee, and the contacts she’s made from it, to be very…useful. Pinning those rumors down was likely to be just as difficult as before, and considerably more dangerous.

But they had unfinished business, he and Grant. One way or the other, he was going to see it through to the end.

Review:

The bloodthirsty world of politics takes center stage in John Sandford’s newest release, Twisted Prey. This twenty-eighth installment in the Lucas Davenport series takes place in Washington, DC and pits US Marshall Lucas Davenport against a formidable foe who rather ruthlessly attempts to eliminate her opposition on her climb up the political ladder.

Following an attempt on his life that leaves one person dead, Minnesota Senator Porter Smalls does not hesitate to reach out to Lucas Davenport for help. Smalls is convinced his former rival and current Senator Taryn Grant is behind the plot to take him out and he knows that Lucas is more than up to the task of proving it. For his part, Davenport would love nothing than another crack at Grant who once before turned to murder and nasty shenanigans to clinch her Senate seat. Quickly traveling to Washington, DC, Lucas, aided by fellow Marshalls, Rae Givens and Bob Matees, works hard to prove Grant and her merry band of henchman are behind the attempt on Smalls’ life.

Taryn’s Chief of Staff Jack Parrish is the first person who falls under Davenport’s scrutiny. A former Army officer and CIA operative, he is the obvious person for Grant to use for her dirty work. He, in turn, has some rather surprising ties to a defense contractor, Heracles Personnel, which is run by George Claxson. The discovery that Claxson has several former military members and mercenaries on his payroll raises eyebrows, but this does not necessarily mean they are involved in anything illegal.

Lucas quickly ferrets out some dubious defense contracts that lead right back to Heracles. He also locates the person whom he believes was involved in Smalls’ car “accident” and he must work quickly to get the authorities on board with his theory before evidence is lost or destroyed. Just as he, Rae and Bob are closing in on the person they hope will flip on key players,  the suspects put in motion a devious plan to divert Lucas’s attention.  Taryn and her crew continue to be one step ahead of him and although he, Rae and Bob make considerable progress on the case, Lucas fears she will once again slip through his fingers.

Twisted Prey is an intricately-plotted and riveting mystery. The storyline is quite clever and well-executed.  John Sandford keeps the long running Lucas Davenport series fresh by changing up Lucas’s career and adding new faces to the cast. This newest release features a topical storyline, a particularly loathsome cast of despicable criminals and an interesting investigation that takes all of Lucas’s skills to solve.  Will Lucas finally make a case against the vile and abhorrent Taryn Grant? Or will she once again escape punishment for her appalling  crimes?

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Filed under Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, John Sandford, Lucas Davenport Series, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, Twisted Prey

March 21, 2018 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Disappeared by C.J. Box

Title: The Disappeared by C.J. Box
Joe Pickett Series Book 18
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett has two lethal cases to contend with in the electrifying new novel from #1 New York Times-bestselling author C. J. Box.

Wyoming’s new governor isn’t sure what to make of Joe Pickett, but he has a job for him that is extremely delicate. A prominent female British executive never came home from the high-end guest ranch she was visiting, and the British Embassy is pressing hard. Pickett knows that happens sometimes–these ranches are stocked with handsome young cowboys, and “ranch romances” aren’t uncommon. But no sign of her months after she vanished? That suggests something else.

At the same time, his friend Nate Romanowski has asked Joe to intervene with the feds on behalf of falconers who can no longer hunt with eagles even though their permits are in order. Who is blocking the falconers and why? The more he investigates both cases, the more someone wants him to go away. Is it because of the missing woman or because he’s become Nate’s advocate? Or are they somehow connected? The answers, when they come, will be even worse than he’d imagined.

Review:

The Disappeared by C.J. Box is a perplexing mystery about a missing person’s case in Wyoming. Although this latest release is the eighteenth novel in the Joe Pickett series, it can easily be read as standalone.

Joe Pickett is uneasy when new Governor Colter Allen wants him to look into the still unsolved disappearance of Kate Shelford-Longden. The  high profile British ad agency CEO vanished on her way to the Denver airport after spending a week at upscale dude ranch outside of Saratoga.  Joe has an inside track at the Silver Creek Ranch since his oldest daughter Sheridan works there as a horse wrangler. He is also joined by falconer and friend Nate Romanowski, who is a bit of a maverick when it comes to staying within the confines of the law.

Joe has serious reservations about Allen’s motives for asking him to look into Kate’s disappearance but since his curiosity is piqued about what happened to fellow Game Warden Steve Pollock, he sets out for Saratoga.  The case file he receives is light on theories and information and DCI Agent Michael Williams is not exactly eager to discuss the investigation. Nevertheless,  Joe  has little choice but to commence with the governor ordered search for Kate.

Although the staff at the Silver Creek Ranch undergo rigorous vetting during the hiring process, the contractors who occasionally work for them are not. Farriers Brad and Ben Youngberg raise a few eyebrows due to their “work hard, play harder” attitude so they are definitely persons of interest. The father/son owners of the local fish farm also raise a few flags so they remain on the suspect list as well. Then there are curious nocturnal happenings that are occurring at the local mill owned by Jeb Pryor. His overnight employee Wylie Frye is earning extra money on the side but what exactly are the people who are paying him up to?

Because Joe is pressed for time, Nate is involved in questioning some of their suspects. Nate inadvertently finds himself at a wind energy farm that completely shocks him due to the vast number of wind turbines under construction.  Nate has a conspiracy theory that ties in with his initial reason for meeting with Joe and this discovery certainly does not cast any doubt on his supposition. But how does the Buckbush Wind Energy Project fit in with the disappearances of game warden Steve Pollock, Kate Shelford-Longden and the the odd goings-on at Jeb’s mill?

Taking place during a bitter cold and snowy Wyoming winter, The Disappeared is an engrossing mystery which also features intriguing environmental issues that are socially relevant in today’s world. Joe, Sheridan and Nate are intrepid amateur sleuths who methodically investigate Kate’s disappearance along with the curious other things they uncover along the way. With Joe’s future hanging in the balance, C.J. Box brings this latest addition to the Joe Pickett series to a gratifying conclusion that wraps up most of the novel’s dangling threads. Fans of the series and genre will definitely enjoy this latest mystery starring the lovable, straight arrow game warden.

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Filed under CJ Box, Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Joe Pickett Series, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Disappeared

January 15, 2018 · 11:58 pm

Review: Light It Up by Nick Petrie

Title: Light It Up by Nick Petrie
Peter Ash Series Book Three
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense, Thriller
Length: 399 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In this action-packed thriller starring war veteran Peter Ash, a well-planned and flawlessly executed hijacking reveals the hidden dangers of Colorado’s mellowest business, but Ash may find there’s more to this crime than meets the eye.

Combat veteran Peter Ash leaves a simple life rebuilding hiking trails in Oregon to help his good friend Henry Nygaard, whose daughter runs a Denver security company that protects cash-rich cannabis entrepreneurs from modern-day highwaymen. Henry’s son-in-law and the company’s operations manager were carrying a large sum of client money when their vehicle vanished without a trace, leaving Henry’s daughter and her company vulnerable.

When Peter is riding shotgun on another cash run, the cargo he’s guarding comes under attack and he narrowly escapes with his life. As the assaults escalate, Peter has to wonder: for criminals this sophisticated, is it really just about the cash?

After finding himself on the defensive for too long, Peter marshals his resources and begins to dig for the truth in a scheme that is bigger—and far more lucrative—than he’d ever anticipated. With so much on the line, his enemy will not give up quietly…and now he has Peter directly in his sights.

Review:

Light It Up by Nick Petrie is an action-packed, edge of the seat thrill ride from start to finish. This third installment in the Peter Ash series easily stands on its own but I HIGHLY recommend the entire series.

Combat veteran and former Marine Peter Ash is still working to overcome his post-traumatic stress disorder which causes severe claustrophobia and anxiety attacks when he is indoors.  After meeting June Cassidy several months ago, he has been getting help for his PTSD in hopes of turning their long distance relationship into a lasting romance. On his way to see June, Peter is sidetracked when his friend, Vietnam veteran Henry Nygaard, asks for his assistance when his son-in-law Randy goes missing during a cash run for legalized marijuana businesses in Denver. Peter teams up with Henry and two other vets to make the same cash run in hopes of locating Randy, but he barely escapes with his life after the security detail is hijacked.  Under suspicion by the local authorities, he, June and his close friend Lewis are hot on the trail of the hijackers but the case becomes personal when someone close to Peter becomes a target of the ruthless criminals.

Peter is intensely loyal to the people he cares about and he will do anything to help them when they are in trouble. So of course he is more than willing to help Henry try to figure out what happened to Randy but they don’t have any idea how dangerous this endeavor will become.  In the aftermath, Peter wants answers and he quickly deduces there is much more to the hijacking than just robbery since the payout to the robbers is rather insignificant. Digging deeper into the company whose money was stolen, Peter stumbles across some very troubling information. Little does he know, his path is about to cross with someone from his distant past, a sociopath and a diabolical businessman who are determined to ensure Peter does not catch them. Their final showdown turns deadly and Peter must outsmart a vicious and extremely dangerous killer in order to prevent further murder and mayhem.

With an adrenaline-fueled storyline, a brilliant lead protagonist and an outstanding cast of supporting characters, Light It Up is a fast-paced, suspense-laden thriller. The novel is well-written with a cleverly-executed plot and a puzzling mystery to solve. Peter Ash is a formidable hero with a sharp mind whose combat skills make him a force to be reckoned with as he tries to uncover the truth about the hijacking.  With exciting plot twists, plenty of action and a few unexpected turns, Nick Petrie brings the novel to a breathtaking, spectacular finale. Another exhilarating addition to the Peter Ash series that fans of the genre are going to LOVE.

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Filed under Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Light It Up, Nick Petrie, Peter Ash Series, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, Thriller

November 26, 2017 · 11:56 pm

Review: The Man in the Crooked Hat by Harry Dolan

Title: The Man in the Crooked Hat by Harry Dolan
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 361 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Penguin’s First to Read Program

Summary:

One cryptic clue leads a desperate man into a labyrinthine puzzle of murder in the electrifying new novel from national bestselling author Harry Dolan.

There’s a killer, and he wears a crooked hat.

Private investigator Jack Pellum has spent two years searching for the man who he believes murdered his wife–a man he last saw wearing a peacoat and a fedora. Months of posting fliers and combing through crime records yield no leads. Then a local writer commits suicide, and he leaves a bewildering message that may be the first breadcrumb in a winding trail of unsolved murders . . .

Michael Underhill is a philosophical man preoccupied by what-ifs and could-have-beens, but his life is finally coming together. He has a sweet and beautiful girlfriend, and together they’re building their future home. Nothing will go wrong, not if Underhill has anything to say about it. The problem is, Underhill has a dark and secret past, and it’s coming back to haunt him.

These two men are inexorably drawn together in a mystery where there is far more than meets the eye, and nothing can be taken for granted. Filled with devious reversals and razor-sharp tension, The Man in the Crooked Hat is a masterwork from “one of America’s best new crime writers” (Lansing State Journal).

Review:

In Harry Dolan’s The Man in the Crooked Hat, an ex-cop haunted by his wife’s unsolved murder follows a string of seemingly disparate murders in hopes of unmasking a clever murderer.

Jack Pellum refuses to stop looking for his beloved wife Olivia Makinnen’s killer and he is hopeful a new lead will finally provide the answers he is searching for. He is certain someone he spotted near their apartment right before Olivia’s death, a stranger wearing a hat, is the person who murdered his wife. When his ex-partner tells him about that Danny Cavanaugh, who recently committed suicide, left a cryptic message about a killer who wears a crooked hat, Jack immediately starts investigating the puzzling lead. A friend of the recently deceased, Paul Rook, is another link to a possible murder by the man in the hat. Even more promising, Paul has a file of unsolved murders that stretches back decades and provides Jack with a new place to begin his investigation:Danny’s brother Alex’s never solved homicide. Thus begins Jack’s latest quest in his eighteen month hunt for Olivia’s killer.

Jack is tenacious and determined to find the person responsible for murdering his wife. He spends day after day putting up flyers in hopes that someone will recognize the man in the hat. Danny’s suicide is the first concrete information that the man in the hat might just be real, but finding the connection between the dead man’s message and his wife’s killer might be impossible. That is until Paul shows up with a stack of unsolved murders that also mention the man in the hat. Jack knows tying these deaths together with take a herculean effort but he is definitely up to the challenge.

While Jack has no idea who killed his wife, readers know from the very beginning that Michael Underhill is Olivia’s murderer. What no one, including Jack, knows is why Michael killed her. As Jack begins untangling the very complicated threads that might tie Underhill to the other murders, readers are provided with intriguing peeks into the life Michael is building with Anna Haley. She has no idea what the man she loves has been up to nor does she have a clue how far he is willing to go to ensure her happiness. With Jack gaining traction in unraveling the complicated trail of unsolved murders, will he finally find justice for Olivia?

The Man in the Crooked Hat is an extremely clever and well-executed mystery. In a refreshing change of pace from the typical tech-laden investigations, Jack mainly relies on good old fashioned detective work to unearth clues and follow the evidence he uncovers. With plenty of unexpected twists and turns, Harry Dolan brings this brilliant novel to an exciting conclusion that completely wraps up all of the story’s various threads. Fans of the genre do not want to miss this fast-paced, twist-filled and very intriguing whydunit.

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Filed under Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Harry Dolan, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Man in the Crooked Hat