Category Archives: Mulholland Books

September 15, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke

Title: Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke
Highway 59 Series Book Two
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 305 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

One of Entertainment Weekly‘s Biggest Books of Fall 2019 Texas Ranger Darren Mathews is on the hunt for a missing boy — but it’s the boy’s family of white supremacists who are his real target in this “instantly gripping crime novel” (Booklist) by the award-winning author of Bluebird, Bluebird

9-year-old Levi King knew he should have left for home sooner; now he’s alone in the darkness of vast Caddo Lake, in a boat whose motor just died. A sudden noise distracts him – and all goes dark.

Darren Mathews is trying to emerge from another kind of darkness; after the events of his previous investigation, his marriage is in a precarious state of re-building, and his career and reputation lie in the hands of his mother, who’s never exactly had his best interests at heart. Now she holds the key to his freedom, and she’s not above a little maternal blackmail to press her advantage.

An unlikely possibility of rescue arrives in the form of a case down Highway 59, in a small lakeside town where the local economy thrives on nostalgia for ante-bellum Texas – and some of the era’s racial attitudes still thrive as well. Levi’s disappearance has links to Darren’s last case, and to a wealthy businesswoman, the boy’s grandmother, who seems more concerned about the fate of her business than that of her grandson.

Darren has to battle centuries-old suspicions and prejudices, as well as threats that have been reignited in the current political climate, as he races to find the boy, and to save himself.

Attica Locke proves that the acclaim and awards for Bluebird, Bluebird were justly deserved, in this thrilling new novel about crimes old and new.

Review:

Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke is a compelling mystery with a timely and topical storyline. This second installment in the fantastic Highway 59 series can be read as a standalone but I also highly recommend book one, Bluebird, Bluebird, as well.

Texas Ranger Darren Mathews is back in the Houston office and his marriage to Lisa is back on track. Darren is currently stuck on desk duty reviewing data that will hopefully secure several arrests of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT). With the Trump inauguration just a couple of months away, there is a sense of urgency surrounding the ABT investigation due to political uncertainty.  So when the nine year old son of incarcerated ABT captain Bill King  goes missing, Darren’s boss sees an opportunity to hopefully gain information that will secure arrests for the task force. Eager to get out of the office, Darren jumps at the chance to work in the field again.  Although not assigned to look into Levi King’s disappearance, Darren is soon involved in questioning the individuals with ties to the case.  Is Levi just missing? Or has something far more sinister happened to him?

Darren has cut way back on his drinking now he is back working. Counseling has helped him settle back into married life, but he cannot help but feel resentful for complying with Lisa’s request he work in the office. Although his job and marriage are seemingly settled, Darren is becoming increasingly panicked over the situation with his mother, Bell Callis. She has him over a barrel as she threatens to tell everything she knows about the case that lead to his previous suspension.  Darren is hopeful a little distance will help him figure out  how to neutralize the situation with Bell.

The search for Levi is complicated by the lack of co-operation with Levi’s grandmother, Rosemary King, who does not seem overly concerned about her grandson.  Darren also finds himself in the crosshairs of the white supremacist who have moved in next to Levi’s family.  Following the only viable lead the police have uncovered, Darren interviews Leroy Page, an elderly gentleman whose family history is closely intertwined with  the King family.  Will Darren discover the truth about what happened to Levi? Or will the Texas Ranger’s close friend FBI Agent Great Heglund’s ambition destroy Darren’s shot at finding the missing child?

Heaven, My Home is a multi-layered mystery with a substantive storyline that delves into race relations and racial tension in small town Texas. Darren is an extremely appealing character whose need to protect himself presents a moral quandary.  The investigation into Levi’s disappearance is interwoven with fascinating facets of Texas history. With cunning twists and turns,  Attica Locke brings this clever mystery to a satisfying conclusion. Fans of the series are going to love this newest addition to the  Highway 59 series but a few loose threads will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next installment.

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Filed under Attica Locke, Contemporary, Heaven My Home, Highway 59 Series, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review

November 12, 2018 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Shadows We Hide by Allen Eskens

Title: The Shadows We Hide by Allen Eskens
Publisher: Mullholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In the highly-anticipated sequel to the national bestseller The Life We Bury, Joe Talbert returns to investigate the murder of the father he never knew, and to reckon with his own family’s past.

Joe Talbert, Jr. has never once met his namesake. Now out of college, a cub reporter for the Associated Press in Minneapolis, he stumbles across a story describing the murder of a man named Joseph Talbert in a small town in southern Minnesota.

Full of curiosity about whether this man might be his father, Joe is shocked to find that none of the town’s residents have much to say about the dead man-other than that his death was long overdue. Joe discovers that the dead man was a loathsome lowlife who cheated his neighbors, threatened his daughter, and squandered his wife’s inheritance after she, too, passed away–an inheritance that may now be Joe’s.

Mired in uncertainty and plagued by his own devastated relationship with his mother, who is seeking to get back into her son’s life, Joe must put together the missing pieces of his family history– before his quest for discovery threatens to put him in a grave of his own.

Review:

The Shadows We Hide by Allen Eskens is a truly captivating mystery that is suspenseful and compelling.  This  newest release is a sequel to The Life We Bury and while it can be read as a standalone, I HIGHLY  recommend all of Mr. Eskens‘ previous works.

Joe Talbert Jr. is settled into his job with the Associated Press and life with his girlfriend, Lila Nash, and his autistic younger brother, Jeremy.  But his career quickly takes a downward turn when he is notified he is being sued over his story about a politician. On the heels of this discovery, Joe also learns that his father, Joe “Toke” Talbert has recently died and the police suspect foul play. 

Although he never met his father, Joe is taken off guard by his need to find out more information about both his life and death. Lila is less than thrilled when he tells her of his plans to go to Buckley since she is studying for her upcoming bar exam.  Their relationship is further strained when Lila confesses she has been in contact with Joe’s abusive and addict mother, Kathy Nelson.  Needless to say, Joe is in desperate need of a distraction so he sets off for the rural town where many surprises await him.

Joe’s father was universally disliked by everyone in town so Joe is rather shocked to learn the sheriff’s department has already zeroed in on a suspect. But Sheriff J.T. Kimble wants to ensure he and his deputies, Jeb Lewis and Nathan Calder, thoroughly investigate anyone who might have reason to murder Toke. Joe is further astonished by the discovery he is on their suspect list but he complies with their requests.

After learning more about his father’s life in the years since he abandoned him and his mother, Joe decides to do a little digging around on his own. He finds the timing of Toke’s wife Jeannie’s death a little suspicious but the case appears to be open and shut. Joe is also caught up in the manipulations of another member of his family but this person has conned everyone into believing Joe is not to be trusted. 

After setting a plan in motion to flush out the Sheriff’s suspect, Joe gets his chance to hear his version of the events surrounding Toke’s murder. Sheriff Kimble remains convinced of his guilt but Joe continues to harbor serious reservations.  Unable to push aside his misgivings, Joe continues to investigate Toke’s death but will he find the answers he is searching for?

The Shadows We Hide is a riveting mystery with a colorful cast of characters and a perplexing murder to solve. Joe is a flawed yet sympathetic protagonist with a complicated family history. Although Lila remains on the periphery for much of the novel, she is the catalyst for Joe’s most important decisions. The investigation into Toke’s murder is interesting and Joe is instrumental into uncovering the truth about his deceased father’s death.  With some very stunning twists and jaw-dropping turns,  Allen Eskens brings this gripping novel to a very satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Allen Eskens, Contemporary, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Shadows We Hide

October 7, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: Wrecked by Joe Ide

Title: Wrecked by Joe Ide
IQ Series Book Three
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In this outrageous novel from Joe Ide, “the best thing to happen to mystery writing in a very long time” (New York Times), the case of a young artist’s missing mother sets IQ on a collision course with his own Moriarty.

Isaiah Quintabe–IQ for short–has never been more successful, or felt more alone. A series of high-profile wins in his hometown of East Long Beach have made him so notorious that he can hardly go to the corner store without being recognized. Dodson, once his sidekick, is now his full-fledged partner, hell-bent on giving IQ’s PI business some real legitimacy: a Facebook page, and IQ’s promise to stop accepting Christmas sweaters and carpet cleanings in exchange for PI services.

So when a young painter approaches IQ for help tracking down her missing mother, it’s not just the case Isaiah’s looking for, but the human connection. And when his new confidant turns out to be connected to a dangerous paramilitary operation, IQ falls victim to a threat even a genius can’t see coming.

Waiting for Isaiah around every corner is Seb, the Oxford-educated African gangster who was responsible for the death of his brother, Marcus. Only, this time, Isaiah’s not alone. Joined by a new love interest and his familiar band of accomplices, IQ is back–and the adventures are better than ever.

Review:

Wrecked by Joe Ide is an action-packed mystery starring street smart and highly observant sleuth Isaiah “IQ” Quintabe and his somewhat trusty sidekick/partner Juanell Dodson. This third installment in the IQ series can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the previous two novels as well.

IQ has been admiring struggling artist Grace Monarova from afar  and he is pleased but nervous when she requests a meeting. Although disappointed she is only interested in his investigative abilities, he nonetheless agrees to help find her missing mother, Sarah. Quickly delving into his new case, IQ is aware his new client is being less than forthcoming  but he soon figures out he and Grace are in serious danger. Unbeknownst to Grace or IQ, Sarah is blackmailing Stan Walczak, a former CIA agent who viciously tortured prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Stan has cobbled together a group of disgraced veterans who worked for him at the prison and they are determined to find Sarah and neutralize the threat she poses to them. Will IQ find Sarah before Walczak and his henchman?

IQ’s newly acquired business partner and long time friend, Dodson, however is less than thrilled to discover IQ is not adhering to their newly formed business model. Instead of agreeing to be paid in actual money instead of bartered goods, IQ instead selects one of Grace’s paintings for payment. However, Dodson is embroiled in his own troubles when his past with his former business partner Deronda Simmons comes back to haunt them.  Years earlier,  IQ rescued Dodson and Deronda from their ill-thought out plan to rob a neighborhood thug, Junior. Someone divulged their secret to knife store owner Chester Babbitt who is in desperate need of funds and he uses this knowledge to blackmail Dodson into stealing money from Junior. In typical Dodson fashion, he attempts to handle this latest predicament without assistance from IQ.  But  will Dodson be able to  get out from underneath Babbitt’s demands on his own?

Wrecked is a fast-paced and energetic mystery that moves at a brisk pace. Isaiah is back on his home turf in this latest entry in the IQ series but his feelings for Grace leave him off balance. His investigation into Sarah’s whereabouts is interesting and he and Grace are both in grave danger throughout the novel. Dodson’s story arc is just as intriguing and readers will be quite satisfied by its clever resolution. Another gritty and adrenaline-fueled installment in Joe Ide’s IQ series that old and new fans are sure to enjoy.

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Filed under Contemporary, IQ Series, Joe Ide, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Wrecked

December 25, 2017 · 11:58 pm

Review: A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis

Title: A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis
The Searchers Series Book One
Publisher: Mullholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A race-against-time thriller for fans of Tana French and Megan Abbott: to save a missing girl, FBI Agent Elsa Myers may have to lose herself…

Even as her father lies dying in a hospital north of New York City, FBI Agent Elsa Myers can’t ignore a call for help. A teenage girl has disappeared from Forest Hills, Queens, and during the critical first hours of the case, a series of false leads obscures the fact that she did not go willingly.

With each passing hour, as the hunt for Ruby deepens into a search for a man who may have been killing for years, Elsa’s carefully compartmentalized world collapses around her. She finds missing people, but she knows too well how it feels to be lost. Everything she has buried–her fraught relationship with her sister and niece, her self-destructive past, her mother’s death–threatens to resurface, with devastating consequences.

Can our most painful childhood secrets be forgotten? Or will they always find their way back into our adult lives? These questions lie at the heart of A Map of the Dark, a riveting portrait of a woman haunted by her family legacy, and a race-against-time thriller.

Review:

The first installment in The Searchers series, A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis is a spellbinding mystery about an abducted teen.

FBI Agent Elsa Myers is in the midst of a heartrending family situation when her boss calls her in to aid Queens Detective Alexei “Lex” Cole with an urgent case with a missing teenager . Seventeen year old Ruby Haverstack disappeared one night after work and has not been seen since. She is not a troubled teen nor is it likely she ran away which makes her disappearance all the more suspicious. Elsa quickly discovers the case has not been handled quite as carefully as it should have been and valuable time has been lost in those crucial first hours of the investigation. Elsa is well aware she has a tendency to be a little too controlling but she finds it difficult to trust that Lex can handle the investigation since this is his first major case since transferring from Vice.  Despite her doubts, she and Lex work well together but will they find Ruby before it is too late?

Elsa is a veteran agent with several investigations under her belt but with everything going in her personal life, she is having a very hard time maintaining her objectivity and focus. She is a complex character who has not quite come to terms with her dysfunctional childhood which is front and center in her thoughts as works on Ruby’s case. Elsa is her own worst critic as she castigates herself for missing clues that no one, not even she, could have recognized without the information that is uncovered later in the investigation.

Once Elsa and Lex know the kidnapper’s identity, their investigation really gains traction. Although they quickly uncover other possible victims, they are at a loss as to  a motive for the crimes.  When an unexpected discovery provides a viable place to look for the Ruby, the case takes a shockingly personal turn for Elsa. With even more urgency to locate the victims, she, Lex and the other members of the investigative team feverishly search for the kidnapper’s lair.

With the chapters weaving back and forth in time between events from Elsa’s past and the hunt for Ruby, A Map of the Dark is a compelling police procedural.  Elsa is a deeply flawed but incredibly sympathetic lead protagonist who, when partnered with Lex,  finds someone who rather unnervingly slips past her formidable defenses. This first installment in Karen Ellis’s The Searchers series is a multi-layered crime drama that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.

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Filed under A Map of the Dark, Contemporary, Karen Ellis, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Searchers Series

October 15, 2017 · 11:57 pm

Review: Righteous by Joe Ide

Title: Righteous by Joe Ide
IQ Series Book Two
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In this hotly anticipated follow-up to the smash hit IQ, a New York Times Critics’ Best of the Year and nominee for the Best First Novel Edgar Award, Isaiah uncovers a secret behind the death of his brother, Marcus.

For ten years, something has gnawed at Isaiah Quintabe’s gut and kept him up nights, boiling with anger and thoughts of revenge. Ten years ago, when Isaiah was just a boy, his brother was killed by an unknown assailant. The search for the killer sent Isaiah plunging into despair and nearly destroyed his life. Even with a flourishing career, a new dog, and near-iconic status as a PI in his hometown, East Long Beach, he has to begin the hunt again-or lose his mind.

A case takes him and his volatile, dubious sidekick, Dodson, to Vegas, where Chinese gangsters and a terrifying seven-foot loan shark are stalking a DJ and her screwball boyfriend. If Isaiah doesn’t find the two first, they’ll be murdered. Awaiting the outcome is the love of IQ’s life: fail, and he’ll lose her. Isaiah’s quest is fraught with treachery, menace, and startling twists, and it will lead him to the mastermind behind his brother’s death, Isaiah’s own sinister Moriarty.

With even more action, suspense, and mind-bending mysteries than Isaiah’s first adventures, Righteousis a rollicking, ingenious thrill ride.

Review:

In Joe Ide’s Righteous, brilliant detective Isaiah Quintabe (aka IQ) finds himself working two cases that are extremely personal since they both have links to his beloved brother Marcus who died in a tragic hit and run several years earlier. This second installment in the gritty private detective series, IQ, is a suspenseful mystery that easily stands on its own but I highly recommend the first novel as well.

This latest outing picks up where the previous novel left off and having discovered the car from the hit and run that killed Marcus, Isaiah is more determined than ever to find the person responsible. After closely examining the contents inside the car, he stumbles onto a startling realization about the hit and run. Beginning his investigation with his straight as an arrow brother’s business records,  his search for the truth takes him in a surprising direction. As he gets closer to figuring out who is responsible for Marcus’s death, Isaiah’s perception of his brother is forever changed. And his quest for vengeance puts him in a moral quandary as Isaiah questions suspects and eventually comes face to face with his brother’s killer.

While delving into his brother’s past, Marcus’s girlfriend at the time of his death, Sarita Van, reaches out to Isaiah to look into her half-sister Janine’s troubles in Las Vegas. Janine and her ne’er-do-well boyfriend Benny have racked up a huge debt with a loan shark and their harebrained scheme to extort money puts them in the path of Chinese gangsters from the 14K Triad. Isaiah enlists the aid of his former partner in crime, Juanell Dodson, and they quickly travel to Vegas in order to save Janine. Their rescue attempt immediately runs into trouble since the 14K is gunning for both Janine and Benny.

With with the Triad and the loan sharks hot on their heels, Isaiah and Dodson must use every skill they possess as they try to keep Janine out of harm’s way following Benny’s disappearance. Since Isaiah a little off his game as he comes to terms with the revelations about Marcus and Dodson is trying to outthink and outmaneuver him, their collaboration is full of tension and friction as they try to stay one step ahead of the gangsters. But when the case takes a detour that hits extremely close to home, will Isaiah and Dodson put aside their differences before it is too late?

In the aftermath of both cases, Isaiah is forced to take stock of his life when his hopes and dreams are dashed after a rude reality check. A loner by choice, he is shocked by a proposition from Dodson whose plan is surprisingly well thought out and provides Isaiah with a way to make more money while still helping the people in his community.

Righteous is an engrossing, action-packed mystery with an immensely appealing lead protagonist. While Isaiah is not prone to much introspection, the events that unfold during this latest installment of the IQ series will force him to step out of comfort zone. With the chapters alternating back and forth between Isaiah’s search for Marcus’s killer and trying to keep Janine out of harm’s way, Joe Ide brings the novel to an unexpected conclusion. I greatly enjoyed this extremely clever novel and I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, IQ Series, Joe Ide, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Righteous, Suspense

October 16, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: IQ by Joe Ide

Title: IQ by Joe Ide
Publisher: Mullholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 337 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A resident of one of LA’s toughest neighborhoods uses his blistering intellect to solve the crimes the LAPD ignores.

East Long Beach. The LAPD is barely keeping up with the neighborhood’s high crime rate. Murders go unsolved, lost children unrecovered. But someone from the neighborhood has taken it upon himself to help solve the cases the police can’t or won’t touch.

They call him IQ. He’s a loner and a high school dropout, his unassuming nature disguising a relentless determination and a fierce intelligence. He charges his clients whatever they can afford, which might be a set of tires or a homemade casserole. To get by, he’s forced to take on clients that can pay.

This time, it’s a rap mogul whose life is in danger. As Isaiah investigates, he encounters a vengeful ex-wife, a crew of notorious cutthroats, a monstrous attack dog, and a hit man who even other hit men say is a lunatic. The deeper Isaiah digs, the more far reaching and dangerous the case becomes.

Review:

With IQ, debut mystery author Joe Ide breathes fresh life into the all too familiar private detective trope with both the lead character, Isaiah “IQ” Quintabe and the gritty setting.  Throw in an intriguing storyline, an interesting sidekick and a complicated yet fascinating backstory and you have the perfect ingredients for a riveting novel that will leave readers hoping for future books starring IQ.

Isaiah is a high school dropout with a near genius IQ whose work as an unlicensed word of mouth PI garners him plenty of work but not a whole of cash.  When his old high school roommate and ex-partner in crime Juanell Dodson calls him with a job opportunity, he has no intention of taking the case.  But with his funds dwindling at an alarming rate, he is forced to reconsider and thus begins his investigation into who has taken a hit out on rap superstar Calvin “Black the Knife” Wright.  Which person in Cal’s life is responsible for hiring a hit man who unleashed a lethal attack dog to take him out?  Could it be Cal’s ex-wife Noelle, an aspiring pop diva who positively loathes her ex-husband?  Or could it be someone from Cal’s trusted inner circle?

A brilliant student with a bright future ahead of him, Isaiah was on track to make something big out of his life when tragedy forever altered his path. Floundering, deeply depressed and struggling to keep a roof over his head, he becomes roommates with Dodson, who, at the time, was a low level gangbanger dealing drugs.  When Isaiah’s quest for revenge takes over his life, Dodson convinces Isaiah to become his partner in crime.  No ordinary criminals, the two approach their heists in a cool, deliberate manner as Isaiah plans their burglaries with meticulous detail and a calculated plan to fence their merchandise so they fly under the radar.  However, Isaiah eventually gets tired of Dodson’s flashy lifestyle and live-in girlfriend and after a close call on one of the burglaries, he tries to end their partnership.  After a pivotal moment that provides him with some much needed clarity, Isaiah gets on the right side of the law and often takes cases for people who pay him with goods more often than cash.

Isaiah solves his cases using a combination of intelligence, common sense and acute observations.  With his latest case, he quickly zeroes in on the unusual manner in which the hit man tried to kill Cal and using his vast network of resources, he and Dodson narrow down their suspect list and pay an innocuous visit to a dog breeder in the area.  Although their questions yield few answers, Isaiah is convinced he is their man but he has difficult time convincing anyone, including Dodson, they are on the right track.  The investigation continues to plod along without them uncovering any major evidence but Isaiah is tenacious in his attempt to piece together the puzzle.

Isaiah’s relationship with Dodson is complex and at times acrimonious due to their history together.  Flashbacks to their criminal past slowly reveal how their partnership came to a tempestuous end.  Isaiah is guilt-ridden over his (perceived) role in a tragedy from those long ago days and he refuses to give up trying to right that oh so tragic wrong.  He really is a good guy who was dealt a terrible hand and while he may have temporarily veered off track, his conscience would not allow him to stay there.  Isaiah’s need to help those is need is admirable and he has a strong moral compass that now keeps him on the straight and narrow.

Gritty with authentic dialogue, IQ is an incredibly well-written mystery with a distinctive crime fighting duo. Joe Ide’s descriptive prose brings the setting and characters vibrantly to life which makes the reader feel like they are part of story and not just a spectator to the unfolding events. Although a bit of a slow starter, the novel is eventually impossible to put down as Isaiah and Dodson try to unravel the mystery of who hired a hit man to kill Cal.  I absolutely loved this fantastic debut and highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, IQ, Joe Ide, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Rated B, Review