Book Review: Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt

Little Girl Gone
Author: Gerry Schmitt
Series: An Afton Tangler Thriller (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley; Reprint edition (June 20, 2017)

Description: On a frozen night in an affluent Minneapolis neighborhood, a baby is abducted from her home after her teenage babysitter is violently assaulted. The parents are frantic, the police are baffled, and, with the perpetrator already in the wind, the trail is getting colder by the second.

As family liaison officer with the Minneapolis P.D., it’s Afton Tangler’s job to deal with the emotional aftermath of terrible crimes—but she’s never faced a case quite as brutal as this. Each development is more heartbreaking than the last and the only lead is a collection of seemingly unrelated clues.

But, most disturbing of all, Afton begins to suspect that this case is not isolated. Whoever did this has taken babies before—and if Afton doesn’t solve this crime soon, more children are sure to go missing . . .

My Thoughts: Afton Tangler works for the Minneapolis Police Department as a family liaison officer but somehow she finds herself deep in the investigation of a kidnapped three-month-old baby. Elizabeth Ann was kidnapped from her parents' home and her babysitter was assaulted. These residents of the posh Kenwood section of Minneapolis have lots of influential friends who keep pressure on the police department and the FBI to find their child.

Afton works with Detective Max Montgomery searching for clues and trying to find connections that will lead to the recovery of the child. Their investigation leads to a mistress for the husband and some sexual hijinks that led to him leaving one med-tech company for another which makes him somewhat suspicious. But the key clue comes from the wife who points to a woman she talked to at a doll show at the local mall. She gave the woman her phone number and showed her a picture of Elizabeth Ann. Unfortunately, the woman gave a false name and the doll show organizer can't help the police locate her.

This story is told from a few viewpoints. Afton's is the most common but we also hear the thoughts of the really creepy doll lady and her equally creepy and murderous son. The story has a wonderful setting. I am quite familiar with winter in Minnesota and the locales - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Cannon Falls, and Hudson, Wisconsin - where the bulk of the story takes place. And, as it happens, I'm writing this while waiting for the kind of snowstorm happening in the story.

I liked Afton as a character but thought it was pretty unlikely that she would get as involved in the investigation in real life. She has the dogged persistence that a good detective should have. She wants to be a police detective and is getting support and training from many of the others on the case.

This was a real page-turner. It is filled with action and danger and scenes that kept me turning the pages until the satisfying conclusion. Fans of police procedurals will enjoy this well-crafted tale.

Favorite Quote:

Ronnie drove to the end of the block and stopped. Put the car in Park, left the engine running. "You sure you want to do this?" he said. Ronnie didn't mind a little rough sex when he needed to get his gun off, but killing a woman? Then again, it might be interesting. Sort of a new...diversion.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

Marjorie Sorenson turned hard, flat, snake eyes on the young woman in the fox fur parka who strolled toward her in the Skylark Shopping Mall. And instantly pegged her: rich bitch.

Friday 56:

Max squeezed into her cubicle and wedged himself into an uncomfortable metal side chair. "You know, I've been with the department for twenty years, and the most important thing I've learned is that as long as you can meet your own eyes in the mirror every morning, you're doing okay."

This week I am reading Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt from my TBR pile. Here is the description from Amazon:

On a frozen night in an affluent Minneapolis neighborhood, a baby is abducted from her home after her teenage babysitter is violently assaulted. The parents are frantic, the police are baffled, and, with the perpetrator already in the wind, the trail is getting colder by the second.

As family liaison officer with the Minneapolis P.D., it’s Afton Tangler’s job to deal with the emotional aftermath of terrible crimes—but she’s never faced a case quite as brutal as this. Each development is more heartbreaking than the last and the only lead is a collection of seemingly unrelated clues.
But, most disturbing of all, Afton begins to suspect that this case is not isolated. Whoever did this has taken babies before—and if Afton doesn’t solve this crime soon, more children are sure to go missing . . .

Book Review: A Call to Arms by David Weber, Timothy Zahn, & Thomas Pope

A Call to Arms
Author: David Weber, Timothy Zahn, Thomas Pope
Series: Manticore Ascendant (Book 2)
Publication: Baen (October 6, 2015)

Description: Lieutenant Travis Long of the Royal Manticoran Navy is the sort of person who likes an orderly universe. One where people follow the rules.

The good news is that Travis is one of those rare people who may like rules but has a talent for thinking outside them when everything starts coming apart. That talent has stood him—and the Star Kingdom—in good stead in the past, and it’s one reason he’s now a “mustang,” an ex-enlisted man who’s been given a commission as a King’s officer.

The bad news is that two of the best ways of making enemies ever invented are insisting on enforcing the rules . . . and thinking outside them when other people don’t. Travis learned that lesson the hard way as a young volunteer in basic training, and he knows that if he could just keep his head down, turn a blind eye to violations of the rules, and avoid stepping on senior officers’ toes, he’d do just fine. But the one rule Travis Long absolutely can’t break is the one that says an officer in the Royal Navy does his duty, whatever the consequences.

At the moment, there are powerful forces in the young Star Kingdom of Manticore’s Parliament which don’t think they need him. For that matter, they’re pretty sure they don’t need the Royal Manticoran Navy, either. After all, what does a sleepy little single-system star nation on the outer edge of the explored galaxy need with a navy?

Unhappily for them, the edge of the explored galaxy can be a far more dangerous place than they think it is. They’re about to find out why they need the Navy . . . and how very, very fortunate they are that Travis Long is in it.

My Thoughts: A CALL TO ARMS is the second book in the Manticore Ascendant trilogy. Its main viewpoint character is Travis Uriah Long who is serving in the Royal Manticoran Navy. Travis is a rule follower and a stickler for doing the right thing. Writing up a fellow officer for infractions puts him on the radar of a very powerful Admiral who is subtly and not-so-subtly hampering his career.

Of course, despite being a rule follower, Travis has a remarkable talent for coming up with out of the box solutions to problems when the sh*t hits the fan. This becomes an essential skill in this episode. Manticore, after a hundred years of peace, has become the target of an organization who wants to conquer it and take over its valuable wormhole.

The story takes place over six years. As is usual in a Weber book, many plot threads intertwine. One of them tells the story of a spy named Llyn who is gradually assembling the forces that will lead to the takeover of Manticore by his employers. I liked the way that various members of the RMN get hints of what Llyn is doing but don't have enough information to put all the pieces together.

One other plot thread has to do with political infighting on Manticore. Strong factions led the Lord Breakwater, Chancellor of the Exchequer, don't see the need for a Navy and are constantly trying to gut it and transfer assets and personnel to the Manticore Patrol and Rescue Service which has smaller, unarmed ships and has as its mission close-in protection for the planet. Since MPARS is under Breakwater's command, any strengthening increases his influence and power. For some reason, Travis's half-brother Baron Winterfall is a strong supporter of Breakwater.

I like the way Travis changes over the six years of the story and the way he gains supporters of his own among the part of the RMN who value competence more than nepotism. He doesn't play politics at all well which doesn't really change from the beginning to the end of the story.

The main action in this book is the attempt by armed mercenaries hired by Llyn to take over the planet. A hundred years of peace is shattered when the invading force appears on Manticoran Space where they will be opposed by the RMN which is under-staffed, under-supplied and determined to save their home planet.

Fans space operas will enjoy this intriguing series which is a prequel series to the Honor Harrington series.

Favorite Quote:

Osterman had a high regard for officers who actually tried to do their jobs rather than letting things slide. But there was a balance required, and Long tended to be as subtle as a hammer when it came to accomplishing that. He seemed more tone deaf than most where other human beings were involved.

***************

Long was terrific at reading the lines of manuals and regs and orders.

Now, he needed to learn how to read between them.

I bought this one Sept. 12, 2015. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Murder in Bloomsbury by D. M. Quincy

Murder in Bloomsbury
Author: D. M. Quincy
Series: Atlas Catesby Mystery
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (February 13, 2018)

Description: Acclaimed author D. M. Quincy is back with a second captivating mystery as adventurer Atlas Catesby must put aside his own feelings for Lady Lilliana as they work together to get justice for someone she holds dear.

Aristocratic adventurer Atlas Catesby has spent the last year trying to forget Lady Lilliana Warwick, but when she reappears in his life imploring him to help her solve a murder, Atlas feels compelled to say yes.

The ner’re-do-well brother of Lilliana’s maid died of arsenic poisoning. Authorities are ruling his death an accident, but his sister suspects he was murdered. As Atlas and Lilliana investigate, they discover that the victim had a mysterious lover―a high-born lady he threatened with scandal after she spurned him. When they finally uncover her shocking true identity, the case blows wide open and it turns out there is a whole string of women who had reason to kill the handsome charmer. Now, as Atlas fights his growing feelings for Lilliana, they must work together to catch the assassin before the killer gets to them first.

My Thoughts: The second Atlas Catesby historical mystery begins when the woman he's been trying to forget asks him to solve the mystery of the death of her maid's brother. Atlas is very good at puzzles and is intrigued by this mystery. He is also the fourth son of a newly minted baron - aristocratic but on the lowest end of the scale. Lady Roslyn Sterling is the sister of a duke and way above him in wealth and the ranking of society. Atlas feels that he can not have any sort of relationship with her despite the fact the he loves her. She is not convinced and is determined to show them how well they would suit, in her subtle and ladylike way.

As Atlas investigates Gordon Davis he uncovers more and more people who would have wanted him dead. Davis was an attractive and charming man from the lower class who wanted to raise his social status by marrying up. He carried on affairs with and aristocratic lady and a wealthy businessman's daughter. While he was a footman, he also accompanied two young aristocratic ladies on their shopping expedition for "naughty" books which gave him blackmail material to use with their fathers. One of the fathers is the wealthy peer who is courting Lady Roslyn and who asks that Atlas back off to allow him to court her.

Davis was poisoned with arsenic which was a relatively common chemical of the day. It was used in industry including the dye factory where Davis worked after losing his position as a footman. It was also sometimes used medicinally for clearing complexions and to increase vigor. Atlas and is new valet Jamie need to check the poison books of the pharmacies near the suspects to find out who bought the arsenic and who poisoned Davis.

I enjoyed the setting of this story. I also enjoyed Atlas Catesby who is an honorable man and a great puzzle solver. I have hopes for the relationship of Lilliana and Atlas and look forward to more books in the series to see how it progresses.

Favorite Quote:

A bittersweet sensation sliced through his lungs. Black-and-gold livery could only belong to the Duke of Somerville. Lilliana's brother. Not Lilliana, he reminded himself harshly. Roslyn. Lady Roslyn Lilliana Sterling. The woman he'd been trying to forget for the past nine long months.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

First Paragraph/Teaser Tuesday: Murder in Bloomsbury by D. M. Quincy

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posted the first paragraph of a book she is reading or planning to read. In 2018, Vicki from I'd Rather Be at the Beach is taking over this meme.

Here's mine:

"Sir? Are you awake?" The distant voice, halting and uncertain, cut through the morning stillness, penetrating Atlas Catesby's deep slumber. "He says it's urgent."

 

Link up here. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Here's mine (from 10% in the eARC):

Atlas huffed a short laugh. "The dead man's name was Gordon Davis. Mr. Davis seemed to believe taking arsenic would enable him to be of immediate service when a particularly lustful lady came to call."

This week I'm reading a book from my review stack. Murder in Bloomsbury by D. M. Quincy is the second Atlas Catesby historical mystery. Here is the description from Amazon:

Acclaimed author D. M. Quincy is back with a second captivating mystery as adventurer Atlas Catesby must put aside his own feelings for Lady Lilliana as they work together to get justice for someone she holds dear.

Aristocratic adventurer Atlas Catesby has spent the last year trying to forget Lady Lilliana Warwick, but when she reappears in his life imploring him to help her solve a murder, Atlas feels compelled to say yes.

The ner’re-do-well brother of Lilliana’s maid died of arsenic poisoning. Authorities are ruling his death an accident, but his sister suspects he was murdered. As Atlas and Lilliana investigate, they discover that the victim had a mysterious lover―a high-born lady he threatened with scandal after she spurned him. When they finally uncover her shocking true identity, the case blows wide open and it turns out there is a whole string of women who had reason to kill the handsome charmer. Now, as Atlas fights his growing feelings for Lilliana, they must work together to catch the assassin before the killer gets to them first.

ARC Review: No One Can Know by Lucy Kerr

No One Can Know
Author: Lucy Kerr
Series: Stillwater General Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (February 13, 2018)

Description: Three months. That’s how long ER nurse Frankie Stapleton has agreed to stay in her sleepy little hometown of Stillwater, helping her estranged sister save the family hardware store, working a few shifts at the local hospital, and most importantly, rebuilding the bridges she burned on her way out of town twelve years ago.

When a pregnant car crash victim arrives at Stillwater General, Frankie and the team race to save both mother and child―but only the baby lives. Rumors swirl that the accident was deliberate, and Frankie’s horrified to realize that she let the driver escape. But why would anyone want to kill Kate Tibbs, a social worker and the wife of an up-and-coming local politician? Frankie’s investigation turns up plenty of motives, from revenge to dirty politics, and even more suspects. There are secrets in Stillwater, and she's determined to uncover them, even if it means involving her loved ones for help.

But when the baby disappears, her search for the truth becomes a desperate, deadly race against the clock. No matter the cost, Frankie must piece together the truth to stop a killer and save a tiny life in Lucy Kerr’s riveting second Stillwater General Mystery, No One Can Know.

My Thoughts: Frankie's quiet night in Stillwater General comes to a quick end when a man comes in for treatment of a dislocated shoulder after a car accident. Frankie thinks he's lying about something but doesn't really get a chance to pursue her suspicions because there has been another car accident. This time the victim is a pregnant woman. While the team rushes to treat the victims her dislocated shoulder patient disappears.

The team loses the mother but manages to save her baby boy. Only afterwards does Frankie learn that the victim was the wife of an old schoolmate of hers who is now running for Congress. The hunt is on for the missing dislocated shoulder patient who gave a false name because two car accidents in the same evening makes it likely that he was involved in the accident that claimed a life.

Frankie's old flame Noah is not a deputy with the sheriff's office investigating the death and the disappearance and it soon becomes evident that the accident that claimed Kate Tibbs was more likely murder. Noah asks Frankie to stay out of the investigation but her curiosity and her feeling that she could have done more won't let her step back.

Add in a couple more murders and you have an edge-of-your seat thriller. The murders are set beside Frankie's feelings about being back in her home town after escaping after high school. She is trying to convince herself that her return is just temporary and, once her newborn niece is out of intensive care and her family's hardware store is back on its feet, she'll be off to another adventure. I liked the family dynamics in this story which includes and 8-year-old niece who looks at Frankie and her hero and a mother who is determined to fix up her daughter with someone so that she'll stay in town.

This was an engaging mystery with an interesting set of characters and lots of tension.

Favorite Quote:

Esme's words came back to me. Careful what you wish for. I hadn't, of course. Nurses didn't wish for patients any more than firefighters wished for flames. But people would get sick, cars would crash, accidents would happen. When they did, I liked knowing I had the skills to make it better. To save a life. To dig in and make it better.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Feb. 12, 2018)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading...

This week seemed filled with doctor's visits. I had my annual physical where my doctor and I changed some of my medications and she reiterated the need for me to do some daily exercise. Then I visited an audiologist to have my hearing tested for the first time. As I suspected, I have some hearing loss which is why I have a hard time hearing the dialog on some television programs. She said I could get hearing aids if it really bothered me but it doesn't. I'll try a couple of the other techniques she suggested.

I did get up to the Mall and walk a few days this week and should go yet today. The weather is cold but clear and sunny so I really have no excuse to stay home beyond laziness and good books.

Read Last Week

• Under the Shadows by Gwen Florio (March 8) - Kirkus gave this one a starred review and I agree. I liked it so much that I bought the four other books in the series. My review will be posted on March 10.
• Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown (March 13) - This funny cozy was so entertaining that I bought the earlier books in the series to have more fun. My review will be posted on March 8.
• Searcher of the Dead by Nancy Herriman (March 13) - was a fascinating historical mystery that is the first in a new series. My review will be posted on March 7.

• The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller (March 6) was a middle grade story about a young girl trying to deal with her mother's mental illness. My review will be posted on March 2.
• The Final Six by Alexandra Monir (March 6) was another science fiction story where a group of kids need to save the world (Seems like I've read quite a few with this theme lately). My review will be posted on March 7.
• Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry (TBR pile) was another heart-wrenching romance with wonderful characters. My review will be posted on March 9.

Currently

Deja Moo by Kirsten Weiss (March 8) is a cozy from NetGalley.

Next Week

• Martians Abroad by Carrie Vaughn (TBR pile)
• Bones Don't Lie by Melinda Leigh (March 13)
• The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (March 20)

• Royal Bastards by Andrews Shvarts (TBR pile)
• Losing Leah by Tiffany King (March 20)
• Lost Crow Conspiracy by Rosalyn Eves (March 27)

Reviews Posted

On Inside of a Dog:

• Death and the Viking's Daughter by Loretta Ross
• The Cat of the Baskervilles by Vicki Delany
• The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller

On Ms. Martin Teaches Media:

• The Sweetest Kind of Fate by Crystal Cestari
• The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

This was a bad week for TBR mountain. I read a number of books that were parts of series and felt the need to own the rest of the series.

Bought

Because I read The Policeman's Daughter by Trudy Nan Boyce, I really needed

• Old Bones
• Out of the Blues

Because I read Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown, I really needed

• Dead Man Walker
• Pearls and Poison

• Iced Chiffon
• Killer in Crinoline

Because I read Under the Shadows by Gwen Florio, I really needed

• Disgraced
• Reservations

The rest are on order but haven't arrived yet.

I'm still building my Lori Foster collection, these were Kindle deals:

• Hard Justice
• Close Contact

Into the Fire by Elizabeth Moon also adds to a collection I'm building.

Keeper Copies

• Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop - I read the eARC, have the Kindle, and needed this print copy because of its lovely cover.
• Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce - I read the eARC but wanted a finished copy for my keeper shelf.
• The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley - This was a daily deal Kindle copy. I already have this book in print.

Review

• A Death of No Importance by Mariah Fredericks (April 10)
• The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick (May 8)
• Last Girl Gone by J. G. Hetherton (June 12)

• Death and a Pot of Chowder by Cornelia Kidd (June 12)
• Read and Gone (A Haunted Library Mystery) by Allison Brook (Sept. 11)

What was your week like?