Category Archives: Harper

February 24, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Big Lie by James Grippando

Title: The Big Lie by James Grippando
Jack Swyteck Series Book Sixteen
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Legal Thriller
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

 As the Electoral College battle for the White House lands in a Florida courtroom, Miami attorney Jack Swyteck has never felt farther from the truth, fighting for a “faithless elector,” caught between a corrupt president and his manipulative opponent—with each revelation more explosive than the next.

The country is reeling. For the sixth time in American history, the winner of the popular vote will not occupy the Oval Office. President Malcolm MacLeod, the Machiavellian incumbent, was spared from impeachment only because his political foes were certain they would oust him at the ballot box. Now, he appears to have secured a second term, thanks to a narrow victory in the Electoral College.

His opponent, Florida Senator Evan Stahl, saw his campaign rocked by allegations of an extramarital affair—with another man. Despite the salacious headline-making scandal and the surrounding media frenzy, most Americans chose Stahl to lead the politically polarized nation. But Stahl is refusing to concede. Backed by millions of supporters, he looks to individual members of the Electoral College to cross party lines.

Gun lobbyist Charlotte Holmes is one of Floridas twenty-nine electors who is bound by law and by oath to cast her vote for MacLeod, who won Florida by the thinnest of margins. When Charlotte announces that she intends to vote her conscience and throw the Electoral College to Stahl, the president and his Florida machine haul her into court on felony charges—which, for some, isn’t nearly punishment enough.

Miami attorney Jack Swyteck is going to use every legal maneuver he can to keep his new client free—and alive. MacLeod’s hand-picked prosecutor is determined to prove Charlotte is unfit to cast a vote. Dredging through her past, he’s looking for skeletons to humiliate and discredit her, while others with far deadlier intentions have begun acting on their threats.

As the pressure mounts, Charlotte and Jack must decide how far they’ll go to stand their ground in the stand-your-ground state.

Review:

The Big Lie by James Grippando is a tense legal thriller with an incredibly topical storyline.  Although this sixteenth installment in the Jack Swyteck series can be read as standalone, I HIGHLY recommend the previous novels as well.

Opening on election night with current President Malcolm MacLeod winning the electoral college but not the popular vote, the election soon takes a surprising turn. Democratic candidate, FL Senator Evan Stahl Jr., decides not to concede defeat in hopes of finding enough faithless electors to hand him the victory.   Florida pro-gun lobbyist Charlotte  Holmes is the first elector who goes public with her decision to vote for Stahl. Her decision sets up a legal battle with FL State Attorney General Paulette Barrow trying to prove her an unfit elector. But luckily for Charlotte, she hires lawyer Jack Swyteck to defend her. But with just a few scant weeks until the electors cast their votes, will Jack defeat Barrows’ efforts to replace Charlotte with an elector who will cast their vote for MacLeod?

Despite his father’s political history, Jack stays firmly out of politics. But with his stepmother not feeling up to attending the election night festivities, he and his father Harry are with Stahl as they await the election results. Although Jack manages to escape attempts to embroil him in political maneuvering, he is surprised when Charlotte hires him to prove she can, in fact, legally cast a vote as a faithless elector.

Paulette Barrow wastes no time coordinating her efforts with MacLeod to eject Charlotte and replace her with a loyal alternate. She does not hesitate to resort to dirty tricks and barely legal arguments.  Swyteck thwarts many of her efforts but when a situation turns deadly, does Paulette finally have what she needs to prove her case against Charlotte?

The Big Lie is a riveting legal thriller that has a ripped from the political headline feel that will send chills up voters’ spines.  The storyline is suspenseful and covers a wide range of relevant topics. Jack is determined to protect Charlotte but with a stubborn client who does not always follow his advice, whether or not he will succeed remains to be seen. With a series of breathtaking twists and turns,  James Grippando brings this compelling thriller to an unanticipated shocking conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this clever addition to the Jack Swyteck series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Jack Swyteck Series, James Grippando, Legal Thriller, Rated B+, Review, The Big Lie

September 30, 2019 · 11:56 pm

Review: The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld

Title: The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld
Naomi Cottle Series Book Two
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 272 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

After captivating readers in The Child Finder, Naomi—the investigator with an uncanny ability for finding missing children—returns, trading snow-covered woods for dark, gritty streets on the search for her missing sister in a city where young, homeless girls have been going missing and turning up dead.

From the highly praised author of The Child Finder and The Enchanted comes The Butterfly Girl, a riveting novel that ripples with truth, exploring the depths of love and sacrifice in the face of a past that cannot be left dead and buried. A year ago, Naomi, the investigator with an uncanny ability for finding missing children, made a promise that she would not take another case until she finds the younger sister who has been missing for years. Naomi has no picture, not even a name. All she has is a vague memory of a strawberry field at night, black dirt under her bare feet as she ran for her life.

The search takes her to Portland, Oregon, where scores of homeless children wander the streets like ghosts, searching for money, food, and companionship. The sharp-eyed investigator soon discovers that young girls have been going missing for months, many later found in the dirty waters of the river. Though she does not want to get involved, Naomi is unable to resist the pull of children in need—and the fear she sees in the eyes of a twelve-year old girl named Celia. Running from an abusive stepfather and an addict mother, Celia has nothing but hope in the butterflies—her guides and guardians on the dangerous streets. She sees them all around her, tiny iridescent wisps of hope that soften the edges of this hard world and illuminate a cherished memory from her childhood—the Butterfly Museum, a place where everything is safe and nothing can hurt her.

As danger creeps closer, Naomi and Celia find echoes of themselves in one another, forcing them each to consider the question: Can you still be lost even when you’ve been found? But will they find the answer too late?

Review:

The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld is an emotionally harrowing mystery. Although this second installment in the Naomi Cottle series can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend book one, The Child Finder, as well.

Still searching for her missing sister, Naomi Cottle and her husband Jerome are staying with her friend, Diane, in Portland, OR.  Naomi has scant information about her life before and during captivity due to her memory loss surrounding their horrific kidnapping as very young children. She managed to escape the underground bunker where the kidnapper was holding them and she has never seen her sister again. Naomi is drawn to Portland where numerous homeless girls have been murdered but do these present day events have anything to do with her past?

While seeking information about her sister among the homeless community, Naomi crosses paths with twelve year old Celia on more than one occasion. Celia had no choice but to leave her drug addicted mother after her stepfather was acquitted of molesting her. She remains incredibly worried he will abuse her younger sister Alyssa but she is powerless to do anything expect try to convince her mother to leave her stepfather. Celia escapes her hopeless situation with visits to the library where she pores over books about butterflies. She and two other kids stick together in an effort to stay as safe as possible. But will Celia manage to avoid becoming the killer’s next victim?

While not working any active missing children cases, Naomi does uncover valuable information about the murders of the young girls. Turning these details over to the local police and FBI,  she continues her search for her missing sister.  Shocking details about her and her sister’s life before their kidnapping unexpectedly opens a new avenue in her investigation.  Naomi is inching closer to possibly learning the truth about what happened to them, but will this new information lead her to her sister?

The Butterfly Girl is a poignant mystery that provides a heart wrenching portrait of life on the streets. Celia’s plight is absolutely heartbreaking as she continues to try to protect her younger sister. Naomi is clearly struggling as she puts her search for her sister ahead of her marriage and friendship. With the pieces of the puzzle quickly falling into place, Rene Denfeld brings this suspenseful mystery to a  surprisingly uplifting conclusion. I highly recommend this riveting installment to old and new fans of the  Naomi Cottle series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Mystery, Naomi Cottle, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Butterfly Girl

September 8, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton

Title: The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Length: 464 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Exiles conjures her best novel yet, a pre-World War II-era story with the emotional resonance of Orphan Train and All the Light We Cannot See, centering on the Kindertransports that carried thousands of children out of Nazi-occupied Europe—and one brave woman who helped them escape to safety.

In 1936, the Nazi are little more than loud, brutish bores to fifteen-year old Stephan Neuman, the son of a wealthy and influential Jewish family and budding playwright whose playground extends from Vienna’s streets to its intricate underground tunnels. Stephan’s best friend and companion is the brilliant Žofie-Helene, a Christian girl whose mother edits a progressive, anti-Nazi newspaper. But the two adolescents’ carefree innocence is shattered when the Nazis’ take control.

There is hope in the darkness, though. Truus Wijsmuller, a member of the Dutch resistance, risks her life smuggling Jewish children out of Nazi Germany to the nations that will take them. It is a mission that becomes even more dangerous after the Anschluss—Hitler’s annexation of Austria—as, across Europe, countries close their borders to the growing number of refugees desperate to escape.

Tante Truus, as she is known, is determined to save as many children as she can. After Britain passes a measure to take in at-risk child refugees from the German Reich, she dares to approach Adolf Eichmann, the man who would later help devise the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question,” in a race against time to bring children like Stephan, his young brother Walter, and Žofie-Helene on a perilous journey to an uncertain future abroad.

Review:

Taking place in pre-World War II Vienna, The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton is a poignant novel that highlights the little remembered Kindertransport.

This interesting novel is based on the real life story of  Dutch resistance member, Truus “Tante Truus” Wijsmuller, who arranged transport of mostly Jewish children during the Nazi rise to power. Truus selflessly endangers herself time and again as she tries to move as many children to safety as she can.  Right before the start of World War II, Truus strikes a deal with Adolf Eichmann to transport 600 Jewish children in one weeks time. Although a seemingly impossible task, Truus and British volunteers work tirelessly to successfully gather and arrange transport for these children.

Beginning in 1936, the story also follows  a series of fictional characters. Stephan Neuman, son of a wealthy Jewish business owner. He is friends with Žofie-Helene, a Christian teenager whose father died under mysterious circumstances. Her mother Käthe is a journalist whose anti-Nazi articles endanger herself and her family. Stephan’s life takes a tragic turn as the Nazis begin targeting Jewish business owners and the family business is turned over to his Christian uncle. While this first half of the novel offers an insightful look into the Nazi rise to power and implementation of anti-Semite policies, the pacing is extremely slow.

The Last Train to London is a thought-provoking novel that is well-researched and educational.  Truus  “Tante Truus” Wijsmuller is an incredible woman who risked her life in order to save as many children as possible. Thank you, Meg Waite Clayton, for telling this courageous woman’s story.

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Filed under Fiction, Harper, Historical, Meg Waite Clayton, Rated C+, Review, The Last Train to London

September 1, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup

Title: The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 521 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

IF YOU FIND ONE,

HE’S ALREADY FOUND YOU

The heart-pounding debut from the creator of the hit Scandinavian television show The Killing.

A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen.

His calling card is a “chestnut man”—a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts—which he leaves at each bloody crime scene.

Examining the dolls, forensics makes a shocking discovery—a fingerprint belonging to a young girl, a government minister’s daughter who had been kidnapped and murdered a year ago.

A tragic coincidence—or something more twisted?

To save innocent lives, a pair of detectives must put aside their differences to piece together the Chestnut Man’s gruesome clues.

Because it’s clear that the madman is on a mission that is far from over.

And no one is safe.

Review:

The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup is a spine-tingling, chilling murder mystery.

Copenhagen Detective Naia Thulin is hoping to leave the murder squad for the cybercrime center. Before she can convince her boss, Head of Major Crimes Nylander, to recommend her for the transfer, she is saddled with disgraced Europol Agent Mark Hess. They are both assigned to investigate the horrific murder of single mother, Laura Kjgear. There are many troubling (and gruesome) aspects to her murder but it is the discovery of a chestnut man at the scene that is most puzzling. Thulin is convinced Laura’s fiancé Jans Henrick Hauge killed her, but Hess has his doubts he is their killer.  His suspicions are confirmed when Anne Sejer-Larsen is murdered and once again, her body is mutilated and a chestnut man is left at the scene.

Their investigation takes a very troubling turn when forensic specialist Simon Genz makes a stunning discovery. One year earlier, Minister of Social Affairs Rosa Hartung’s twelve year old daughter Kristine is kidnapped on her way home. Although her body has never been recovered, Linus Bekker confessed to her murder and is now serving his sentence at a psychiatric hospital. The current murders coincide with Rosa’s return to work but Nylander orders Thulin and Ness to stay away from Hartung. Thulin is shocked when Genz informs her Kristine’s fingerprint is on the chestnut dolls.  But when another grisly murder occurs and Kristine’s fingerprint is once again found on the chestnut doll, will Nylander have any choice but to allow Naia and Mark  to turn their attention to Rosa?

Thulin and Hess are excellent investigators but neither of them is particularly likable. Naia is incredibly impatient and she is abrupt with colleagues,  witnesses and suspects. She is eager to solve the case so she can move on to the next phase of her career.  Mark wants nothing more than to return to the Europol and he is distracted during the initial stages of the investigation.  He is also a big of a rogue loner who follows his instincts as he tracks down leads on his own.

The investigation moves in fits and starts since other than the fingerprints on the chestnut dolls, there is little forensic evidence. Nylander is not very supportive of Hess and Thulin’s theories which leaves them at cross purposes for much of the investigation.  Neither Naia nor Mark is well liked by their fellow detectives so they often have to fight to pursue the various avenues of inquiry. And just as they are on the brink of making a breakthrough, the case takes a shocking turn.

The Chestnut Man is a dark and gritty mystery that is suspenseful and quite riveting. The murders are chilling and become increasingly grisly with each new victim.  With a series of clever misdirects and ingenious red herrings,  Søren Sveistrup brings this incredibly complex and thrilling debut to a pulse-pounding, action packed conclusion.

An incredibly diabolical police procedural that will leave readers hoping a sequel is in the works.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Søren Sveistrup, Suspense, The Chestnut Man

June 30, 2019 · 11:55 pm

Review: Stone Cold Heart by Caz Frear

Title: Stone Cold Heart by Caz Frear
Cat Kinsella Series Book Two
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 332 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

From the beloved and internationally bestselling author of Sweet Little Lies comes the second novel featuring DC Cat Kinsella—an investigator “on par with Susie Steiner’s and Tana French’s female detectives” (Kirkus Reviews).

After a brief stint in the Mayor’s Office, Detective Constable Cat Kinsella is back at the London Metropolitan Police, wisecracking with her partner Luigi Parnell and trying to avoid the wrath of the boss, DI Kate Steele.

But for Cat and Parnell, it’s serious business when a young Australian woman turns up dead after a party thrown by her new boss. The initial investigation of Naomi Lockhart’s murder points to Joseph Madden, the owner of a coffee shop around the corner from police headquarters. Madden insists he’s innocent, that he was home with his wife Rachel at the time of the murder. When police question her, Rachel contradicts his alibi, swearing that she was home alone.

While the team builds its case against Joseph, Cat is tasked with getting to the heart of the Maddens’ marriage. Cat knows that one of them is lying—but the question of which one, and why, is far more complicated than she could have expected. As she tries to balance the demands of the investigation with a budding romance and unresolved family drama, Cat has to decide how far she’ll go to keep her own past mistakes buried.

With her trademark wit and brilliant plotting, Caz Frear ratchets up the tension and keeps you guessing as she explores the secrets we keep from our loved ones—and the ones we’d kill to keep safe in the dark.

Review:

Stone Cold Heart by Caz Frear is an absorbing mystery. Although this second installment in the Cat Kinsella series can be read as a standalone, the first book in the series, Sweet Little Lies, provides valuable background information about Cat and her family.

Detective Cat Kinsella and her partner Detective Sergeant Luigi Parnell are investigating the death of Australian national Naomi Lockhart. There is little doubt the twenty-two year young woman has been murdered but there are scant clues at the crime scene.  Cat and Luigi’s first stop in the investigation is the victim’s boss, Kirstie Conner.  They quickly discover that Kirstie’s husband Marcus set Naomi up with her roommate Kiernan Drake, a thirty-four year old personal trainer. Further complicating the situation is the fact Naomi was at the Conner’s house for a party the day of her death.  Cat and Luigi soon have reason to believe Kirstie’s brother-in-law Joseph Madden was having an affair with Naomi. The only problem? Joseph’s wife Rachel insists her husband was at home the night Naomi was murdered.  Cat and Luigi continue their investigation but all roads lead back to Joseph. Is it possible that Rachel is lying for her husband?  Can Cat uncover the truth about who murdered Naomi?

Cat is still dealing with the fallout from her previous case but she is determined not to allow the fraught situation to affect her at work. She has carefully compartmentalized her life and she does everything she can to keep the various areas separate. Unfortunately, Cat’s boyfriend is growing impatient with her refusal to introduce him to anyone in her life. And Luigi and her other co-workers are giving her a hard time about her “secret” boyfriend.  Cat’s life grows even more complicated when someone from her past suddenly reappears in her life and she is suspicious about what this person wants from her.

The investigation into Naomi’s murder is a bit of a slow burner as Cat and Luigi try to find definitive evidence that Joseph is, in fact, their killer. The complex family ties muddy their search for answers but it does not take long for Cat to make some headway.  Rachel quickly begins to unravel but she remains adamant Joseph is innocent. Kinsella and Parnell soon untangle Joseph’s  web of lies but will they uncover irrefutable proof that he murdered Naomi? In the meantime, Cat is chasing down a few puzzling details although she is not sure how this information fits into their investigation. A stunning discovery turns the case upside down, but will Cat and Luigi discover the identity of  Naomi’s murderer?

Stone Cold Heart is a fast-paced and engrossing police procedural. Cat, Luigi and the rest of the team are vibrantly developed characters that are quite personable.  Cat is quite intelligent with an intriguing moral compass due to her family history.  The current investigation is completely wrapped up novel’s end, but a cliffhanger involving Cat will leave readers awaiting the next installment in Caz Frear’s clever Cat Kinsella series.

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Filed under Cat Kinsella Series, Caz Frear, Contemporary, Harper, Mystery, Rated B+, Stone Cold Heart, Suspense

May 6, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine

Title: The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 313 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In a world of wealth and privilege, a killer is hiding . . .

The internationally bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish follows that success with an addictive novel filled with shocking twists about the aftermath of a brutal high-society murder.

Dr. Kate English has it all. Not only is she the heiress to a large fortune; she has a gorgeous husband and daughter, a high-flying career, and a beautiful home anyone would envy.

But all that changes the night Kate’s mother, Lily, is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home. Heartbroken and distraught, Kate reaches out to her estranged best friend, Blaire Barrington, who rushes to her side for the funeral, where the years of distance between them are forgotten in a moment.

That evening, Kate’s grief turns to horror when she receives an anonymous text: You think you’re sad now, just wait. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll wish you had been buried today. More than ever, Kate needs her old friend’s help.

Once Blaire decides to take the investigation into her own hands, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems in Baltimore high society. As infidelity, lies, and betrayals come to light, and tensions rise to a boiling point, she begins to alienate Kate’s friends and relatives with her relentless, accusatory questions, as she tries to find Lily’s killer. The murderer could be anyone—friend, neighbor, loved one. But whoever it is, it’s clear that Kate is next on their list. . .

In The Last Time I Saw You, Liv Constantine takes the lightning pace of The Last Mrs. Parrish and raises the stakes, creating an exquisitely tension-filled and absorbing tale of psychological suspense in which innocent lives—and one woman’s sanity—hang in the balance.

Review:

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine is a suspenseful, character driven mystery.

Dr. Kate English is absolutely shocked by the murder of her mother, Lily.  The only silver lining in this devastating loss is her reunion with long estranged childhood friend Blaire Barrington. Kate is further comforted by her friend’s presence when she begins receiving threatening texts that indicate she might become the killer’s next victim. In order to protect his wife and daughter, Annabelle, Kate’s husband Simon moves back into the family home and hires around the clock security for the family. With a long history of anxiety, Kate is barely functioning as she, along with Blaire, try to figure out who murdered Lily.

Kate is a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon who is calm, cool and collected in the operating room. Until recently, her anxiety has been well controlled but her recent separation from Simon has shaken her. She is convinced he is cheating on her but following Lily’s death, she is willing to allow him to return home until her mother’s murderer is arrested. When the chilling texts and frightening occurrences within the home continue despite the security measures, Kate cannot help but wonder if she is losing her grip on reality. Because the only other option is someone is attempting to gaslight her, but who could be behind such a nefarious scheme?

Blaire never imagined voicing her concerns about Simon on Kate’s wedding would lead to the loss of her friendship.  Although she never quite got over the loss of Kate and her parents, Blaire is now happily married to Daniel, a successful author with whom she co-writes a best-selling mystery series.  Blaire is thrilled with the opportunity to resume her friendship with Kate and she is determined to figure out who murdered Lily. Despite the passage of time, the women resume their friendship and Kate soon heavily relies on Blaire as her anxiety spirals out of control.

Alternating between Kate’s and Blaire’s perspectives, The Last Time I Saw You is a clever mystery that is quite engrossing. Kate is an increasingly unreliable narrator who is deeply suspicious of the people around her. Blaire is determined to unmask Lily’s killer and protect Kate, but how far will she go to ensure an arrest? With plenty of unexpected twists and diabolical turns, Liv Constantine ratchets the tension to a fever pitch as the novel comes to an thoroughly stunning conclusion. I highly recommend this riveting mystery to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Liv Constantine, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Last Time I Saw You